Difficulting starting

[jdolecek49]

I was born in 1970. I grew up idolizing George brett. Watching the royals on tv and when they were not on tv i was listening to the play by play on the radio. So then ootp camr along and I fell in love with it...completely.


I have been playing this game for over a year...I just love it but not sure how to play, what I mean manager or a gm....standard game or historical game or play with fictional players and teams. ...I keep starting over again and again....I just can't seem to figure out which direction I want to go with this game....I tried managing....but I found it a bit limiting, as a GM i found it a complex like I have no idea what What I was doing I I spent playing the game simulating weeks a but too much, just seems as a GM i'm just lost...I do not know maybe I'm just missing the big picture but at the same time this is the greatest game ever created at the same time I have never ever enjoyed a game so much maybe I'm just have not have so much fun in my entire life...I'm just missing out on something but i just cannot pinpoint it, i just wish i could find within me what direction I want to go with this game.....any thoughts or suggestions? really could use some advice here please and yes I preordered ootp22 as soon as it was availabke

[DRitters]

If I change the details to 1971, Johnny Bench, and the Reds, my story is just like yours. I am going to follow this post and suggest we share notes to see if we can make this thing work.

[stevem810]

OOTP can be daunting with all the options available. If 20 people weigh in on the best way to play the game you are likely to have as many different 'best ways' to play.

My recommendation is to explore the options without any expectations. Enjoy the learning curve that is steep but, what is the rush? Eventually, you will find a groove that feels right. Later, you will discover a different way to play.

So, yeah, take your time and enjoy the ride. Good luck.

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by jdolecek49

I was born in 1970. I grew up idolizing George brett. Watching the royals on tv and when they were not on tv i was listening to the play by play on the radio. So then ootp camr along and I fell in love with it...completely.


I have been playing this game for over a year...I just love it but not sure how to play, what I mean manager or a gm....standard game or historical game or play with fictional players and teams. ...I keep starting over again and again....I just can't seem to figure out which direction I want to go with this game....I tried managing....but I found it a bit limiting, as a GM i found it a complex like I have no idea what What I was doing I I spent playing the game simulating weeks a but too much, just seems as a GM i'm just lost...I do not know maybe I'm just missing the big picture but at the same time this is the greatest game ever created at the same time I have never ever enjoyed a game so much maybe I'm just have not have so much fun in my entire life...I'm just missing out on something but i just cannot pinpoint it, i just wish i could find within me what direction I want to go with this game.....any thoughts or suggestions? really could use some advice here please and yes I preordered ootp22 as soon as it was availabke

Have you ever thought about simply playing the game as a fan/commissioner/historian? I started playing this way somewhere around OOTP14 or 15 and it's now pretty much the only way I play. I simply create leagues and observe. I don't manage or gm at all. Sometimes I pick one team to follow and I watch all that teams games play out over the season. Other times, I simply pick a random game or two to watch each day. It's a blast to watch a league take on a life of its very own as it build history year after year. This method of play is clearly not for everyone, but just thought I would mention it, because it may be something you end up enjoying.

[Brad K]

Play as GM or Mgr/GM. Disable features until you're comfortable. No need for restarts. They can be changed after the game starts (although some only in the off season). Then add in stuff after you reach a comfort level.

LIke the sign draft picks problem. Fix that by selecting historical rookies. Confused by minor league options? Kill the minors and use a reserve roster.

[The Game]

Originally Posted by jdolecek49

I was born in 1970. I grew up idolizing George brett. Watching the royals on tv and when they were not on tv i was listening to the play by play on the radio. So then ootp camr along and I fell in love with it...completely.


I have been playing this game for over a year...I just love it but not sure how to play, what I mean manager or a gm....standard game or historical game or play with fictional players and teams. ...I keep starting over again and again....I just can't seem to figure out which direction I want to go with this game....I tried managing....but I found it a bit limiting, as a GM i found it a complex like I have no idea what What I was doing I I spent playing the game simulating weeks a but too much, just seems as a GM i'm just lost...I do not know maybe I'm just missing the big picture but at the same time this is the greatest game ever created at the same time I have never ever enjoyed a game so much maybe I'm just have not have so much fun in my entire life...I'm just missing out on something but i just cannot pinpoint it, i just wish i could find within me what direction I want to go with this game.....any thoughts or suggestions? really could use some advice here please and yes I preordered ootp22 as soon as it was availabke

My way to play may not be your way but heres how i play most leagues.


GM/MGR I like making trades and playing out games on 1 pitch mode. i let the AI handle the Defense, although on occasion i switch to Full Pitch mode for stealing and if i want to use a big shift. My MGR tendency is that of TLR and he doesnt shift a great deal.

I let my AGM handle most of the finances of the team and moving minor leaguers around. i handle trades and coaches hiring/firing.

i try not to micromanage my team too much. when i do i still overreact to slumps a tad too much. I also have a bad tendency to not look at the full length of a contract when acquiring a player and get stuck with a bad contract. Done that 3 times now.



For non MLB leagues i use the Reserve Roster so i dont have to micromanage the minors.

[Bobbyraz49]

'21 is also my 1st. version of this AWESOME game.
I play as GM and manager of my team, currently the Brewers.
If the minors are difficult for you, have your assistant GM run them. I also have him do the contracts for minor league coaches.
I recall the days when basically any team had a chance to win it all. As a life-long Oriole fan ( don't know why as I live in Buffalo) I miss them being competitive. I wish MLB had the same salary structure as the NHL. Most teams can turn around their fortunes in a few years (except my Buffalo Sabres) !

[JerseyPirate]

Originally Posted by jdolecek49

I was born in 1970. I grew up idolizing George brett. Watching the royals on tv and when they were not on tv i was listening to the play by play on the radio. So then ootp camr along and I fell in love with it...completely.


I have been playing this game for over a year...I just love it but not sure how to play, what I mean manager or a gm....standard game or historical game or play with fictional players and teams. ...I keep starting over again and again....I just can't seem to figure out which direction I want to go with this game....I tried managing....but I found it a bit limiting, as a GM i found it a complex like I have no idea what What I was doing I I spent playing the game simulating weeks a but too much, just seems as a GM i'm just lost...I do not know maybe I'm just missing the big picture but at the same time this is the greatest game ever created at the same time I have never ever enjoyed a game so much maybe I'm just have not have so much fun in my entire life...I'm just missing out on something but i just cannot pinpoint it, i just wish i could find within me what direction I want to go with this game.....any thoughts or suggestions? really could use some advice here please and yes I preordered ootp22 as soon as it was availabke

I too started playing last year and this is the greatest game of all time. I played Micro League Baseball as a kid in the 80's and had been searching for something similar for years until I found OOTP. I prefer the GM role and got bored quickly of playing every single game as a manager. I have now played 2 different saves for a total of 125-130 seasons where I act as the GM, set the strategy and lineups/pitchers and control the roster and minor leagues but I simulate every game. It was daunting at first because there are so many little things you don't know until you play it for awhile. I will give you my biggest tips that I learned.

1. At the end of each season, you need to look at your upcoming free agent and offer minor league contracts to all of the players you want to keep. After 6 years in the minors, players become free agents unless you offer them contracts. This caused me to lose about 1/4 of my minor league players when I didn't offer contracts and it is a pain to reload the minors.

2. Minor league pitchers tend to retire/decline faster than position players. Each year, when free agency opens, I offer minor league contracts to 10-15 2 star pitchers to reload my upper minor leagues. This prevents you from having to put 1/2 potential players at AAA and AA where they will be overwhelmed.

3. I draft 35 players each year but I usually only sign 15-25 players depending on my Rookie league roster needs. If you sign all 35 every year, you waste valuable budget money on 1/2 star guys that will never go above Rookie ball.

4. Budget as much money as you can afford in your scouting and development budgets. It matters. You will get more development and draft better players in the long run.

5. On July 2, use the international signing day to get a 3+ star potential player. If they are less than 3 stars, don't sign anyone and save the budget money.

6. For your elite young players, try to offer long term deals during their 1st or 2nd arbitration year. You can always sign them for less than it would cost if they get to their FA year. I do this for all my 4+ star guys unless they are already fragile.

7. I truly believe that your minor league coaches matter, especially managers. Try to only sign managers that have good or excellent development skills. For lower minors, I hire coaches that prefer to work with young players over veterans. I always sign them to 5 year contracts and re-sign them the year before their existing contract expires. This limits how many coaches you need to hire each season. That was the biggest thing I hated when I first started playing because I was signing coaches for 1 or 2 years only.

8. Hire scouting director and team trainer that has high standards and is successful.

9. Don't forget to raise your season ticket price at the end of each season.

10. For arbitration players, you can offer about 5% below the price that is budgeted and most players will accept. Don't let it actually go to arbitration. As soon as the World Series ends, offer them contracts. Try to go long term on your elite players.

11. I set up my lineups and pitching rotation at the end of spring training so that I really only have to touch that part if there is an injury or a player is slumping. It allows me to play seasons fairly quickly over a couple of days and start the process all over again.

I'm sure I have more to offer but I will stop there for now.

[JerseyPirate]

I responded to your private message but I don't know if it was sent to you. Let me know.