Any interest in a Contintental League save, circa 1961?

[uruguru]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

Not sure if it can be replicated in OOTP, but perhaps it serves as the basis for other ideas that are.

Surprise! I just confirmed that the 3-team round-robin World Series as described by Branch Rickey can be done in OOTP if you are willing to use a little elbow grease.

I've attached screenshots to show how to do it:

1) Set up a round-robin for the 3 champions at 8 games each. Set number of teams to advance to 1. (image 1). This will create a schedule of 12 games that you will change.

2) When the playoffs start, go to the schedule editor and edit the schedule to have 11 playoff games per Rickey's description. It's basically 6 two-game series with the final series (hosted by the bottom seed) being just a single game. That's 11 total games. (image 2)

3) Start playing these games until one team loses 4 games and is eliminated. In this case, it was Pittsburgh (the top seed) going 0-4. When that happens, reschedule the remaining games to be just between the final two teams such that they play a best-of-7 that includes playoff games already played between them.

In this case, the Mets were up 1-0 on the Yankees when the Pirates were eliminated, so I scheduled 6 more games between them. Play out those games until one team wins the best-of-7, then remove any remaining unplayed games from the schedule. (image 3)

4) Advance to the next day and you'll get a notice that the offseason is about to start since there are no more scheduled playoff games. Start the off-season and you'll see the champion listed in the league history! (image 4)

The only downside is that OOTP doesn't write up a news recap on the World Series victory but maybe we can enlist ChatGPT for that!

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by uruguru

Surprise! I just confirmed that the 3-team round-robin World Series as described by Branch Rickey can be done in OOTP if you are willing to use a little elbow grease.

A suggestion for an easier alternative would be to use a standard three-team round-robin with each team playing four or six games. The top two finishers move on to the best-of-seven World Series final.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by uruguru

reuploaded with some minor fixes. If you've already downloaded the first version, you can make these changes manually rather than re-download again

• Change California League roster size to 35
• Use the improved Continental.lsdl schedule (attached) and update the season start day from Tuesday to Monday
• live with the minor existing uniform issues or correct them manually

For the uniform issues, I added the Atlanta Crackers uniform (linked earlier in this thread), fixed some incorrect away ballcaps, and ensured that all of the jersey fonts would properly display player names (except Yankees, that one doesn't seem to work).

I already started to tinker with the original save — minor stuff like making my own bookmarks — so I am going to stick with it. However, since you provided this changelist, I am able to follow along with your editing. Please continue to do so, with my thanks for the extra effort.

[uruguru]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

I already started to tinker with the original save — minor stuff like making my own bookmarks — so I am going to stick with it. However, since you provided this changelist, I am able to follow along with your editing. Please continue to do so, with my thanks for the extra effort.

The next thing I changed is to create a second subleague and move the 8 continental league teams into it. This means one league has the AL and NL teams (16 teams) and the other has the 8 continental league teams.

I need to tweak the header in the schedule file slightly, but this setup will allow for All-Star Games! .... between the 16 MLB teams and the 8 Continental League teams.

Also, please note that since some of the minor leagues were restructured for this save, you will get a prompt during the pre-season for a few of them that their schedule needs to be corrected. Just select "Create Fictional Schedule" for those leagues when prompted and everything will be fine. This should only occur during the first preseason.

[Déjà Bru]

So here's a general question for you, if I may, and don't feel like you need to provide a tutorial in response.

How do I play this save?

For, ever since I started with OOTP, I have always played with fictional players and coaches (the vast majority of the time with actual MLB; only this year did I make some fictional teams as well) and as both GM and manager.

My gut feeling is that I need to play as GM-only because this is the first time I have ever played with real, memorable people in the game.

For example, I have interest, of course, in the New York Yankees but I see that Ralph Houk is managing the team. How could I replace The Major? My own very forgettable name instead of his, among other notables such as BC Jim Hegan, PC Johnny Sain, HC Wally Moses? Oh, the utter hubris!

But I see that you have historical transactions turned off so, on the bare chance this also means future coaching changes, I assume Houk would continue to manage the Yankees until his retirement (or I fire him, God forbid), and I will not see him move up to GM in 1964 (replacing me!) and Berra becoming the manager.

The only thing that you appear to have set in this save regarding history is the "Automatically import historical rookies" (as free agents — side question, why not have an amateur draft?). Everything else historical is turned off.

So I am thinking that if I take over the Yankees as GM, I will be in semi-fictional mode anyway and perhaps I wait until The Major does retire, allowing him to run the team until he does.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by uruguru

The next thing I changed is to create a second subleague and move the 8 continental league teams into it. This means one league has the AL and NL teams (16 teams) and the other has the 8 continental league teams.

I need to tweak the header in the schedule file slightly, but this setup will allow for All-Star Games! .... between the 16 MLB teams and the 8 Continental League teams.

Also, please note that since some of the minor leagues were restructured for this save, you will get a prompt during the pre-season for a few of them that their schedule needs to be corrected. Just select "Create Fictional Schedule" for those leagues when prompted and everything will be fine. This should only occur during the first preseason.

Whoa! I am throwing my stupid bookmarks out and downloading your latest save. Is it ready yet?

[uruguru]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Whoa! I am throwing my stupid bookmarks out and downloading your latest save. Is it ready yet?

No. I can have it ready later today if you want. I'm trying not to overdo the releasing but I was pretty disappointed that my original structure accidentally precluded the All-Star games, so I do want to correct for that.


Baby is going to sleep, so I can work on it now.

[HonusWagner]

Originally Posted by uruguru

The next thing I changed is to create a second subleague and move the 8 continental league teams into it. This means one league has the AL and NL teams (16 teams) and the other has the 8 continental league teams.

Why didn't you originally go with subleagues ?

[uruguru]

Originally Posted by HonusWagner

Why didn't you originally go with subleagues ?

Mostly due to confusion on my part about how flexible the OOTP playoff settings are. I was concerned about a system where the AL/NL winner would always face the CL winner in the World Series -- which is obviously bad.

But Custom Playoffs allow you to pick which teams you want so that renders the subleague divisions moot.

[uruguru]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Whoa! I am throwing my stupid bookmarks out and downloading your latest save. Is it ready yet?

ok, v3 is uploaded and overlaying the previous file, so the same download link should work.




Updated version notes:


Version History
===============
v3 -moved the 8 Continental League teams into their own subleague. This will allow All-Star games to happen.
-minor change to the Continental.lsdl file to support this restructuring
-added annual All-Star game locations to the ParkUpdates.txt file

v2 -corrected roster size for California League from 25 to 35
-updated Continental.lsdl to use a better schedule. Preferred start day is now Monday (was Tuesday)
-updated the uniforms for the Atlanta Crackers and ensured fonts were correct for others

v1 - created all of the things.

[Pelican]

Loaded fine. This is an awesome setup. Surprise, the rosters changed during the 1960 Season (I only looked at. The Phils and Orioles). There were a number of trades during the year. And ratings are wild, I gather due to super-high TCR?

I see what you mean about the number of free agents, including plenty for the minor leagues. Now, what should happen first? Should I set up a free-agent draft, where each Continental League team can pick in sequence, to spread out the talent? Or is it every team for itself, subject to funding limits?

I got hired as GM and field Manager of the Montreal Mounties (f/k/a Buffalo), and nothing (except limited funds) to stop me from signing some guys, so I did. I tended to sign some young guys I recognized as prospects, knowing that high TCR (I am at 176) could mean that they neve develop as IRL.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by uruguru

ok, v3 is uploaded and overlaying the previous file, so the same download link should work.




Updated version notes:


Version History
===============
v3 -moved the 8 Continental League teams into their own subleague. This will allow All-Star games to happen.
-minor change to the Continental.lsdl file to support this restructuring
-added annual All-Star game locations to the ParkUpdates.txt file

v2 -corrected roster size for California League from 25 to 35
-updated Continental.lsdl to use a better schedule. Preferred start day is now Monday (was Tuesday)
-updated the uniforms for the Atlanta Crackers and ensured fonts were correct for others

v1 - created all of the things.

I didn't have to sacrifice my bookmarks after all. There is a file named "bookmark_page_links" in the "page_links" folder which, if the league name and team numbers remain the same, will work from one iteration to the next if copied over.

[Déjà Bru]

You continue to ship the "Continental.lsdl' file separately in the download. Does version 3 contain this schedule already or do we need to manually load it?

[uruguru]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

You continue to ship the "Continental.lsdl' file separately in the download. Does version 3 contain this schedule already or do we need to manually load it?

You want to manually load the new schedule since v3 required a minor change to it.

[uruguru]

Originally Posted by Pelican

Loaded fine. This is an awesome setup. Surprise, the rosters changed during the 1960 Season (I only looked at. The Phils and Orioles). There were a number of trades during the year. And ratings are wild, I gather due to super-high TCR?

It can't be TCR. Ratings were locked through the entire 1960 playthrough and only unlocked on the first day of the off-season, which is where the save starts so there hasn't been a chance for the TCR to take effect.

It could be the Very Low scouting accuracy? Also, the 1960 ratings were set to 1-year calculation base, so that might be it as well.

Also, I have the ratings default to the 1-5 scale. I prefer low granularity because it tamps down my desire to micro-manage. However, everyone is encourage to set Scouting, TCR, ratings, etc to their personal tastes.

I see what you mean about the number of free agents, including plenty for the minor leagues. Now, what should happen first? Should I set up a free-agent draft, where each Continental League team can pick in sequence, to spread out the talent? Or is it every team for itself, subject to funding limits?

I am signing free agents, subject to funding limits. Here's a rundown of my first day in the sim: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...48&postcount=5

[Pelican]

So, I've advanced to November 11, 1960 - the day when the new free agents declare. As anticipated, the superstars are demanding superstar money. But there are plenty of diamonds in the rough, at least based on potential. And all sorts of guys to fill out the minor league organization.

One bug I have found is that, in negotiations, when a player's demand is met, he claps back with the "I'm sure you can do better" response. The example where it has happened several times is minor leaguers demanding a minor league contract with a major league salary at $21,200 if promoted. I say fine, but no deal happens. If I then offer a $1000 signing bonus, the response is the demand for $21,200 (i.e. less than I offered!). I tried repeatedly to increase the bonus to one guy I wanted, and he kept saying no and then cut off negotiations. There are all "easy" signings, but of course they are anything but.

Am I on a sort of clock here? I can see that the other Continental League teams are slowly - or not so slowly - signing players. Which makes me feel like I need to get my offers out there. I realized that I need to check all transactions every day, to see what is happening. But happily most of the free agents are still out there negotiating. They are in their happy place, with the new league.

[uruguru]

Originally Posted by Pelican

Am I on a sort of clock here? I can see that the other Continental League teams are slowly - or not so slowly - signing players. Which makes me feel like I need to get my offers out there. I realized that I need to check all transactions every day, to see what is happening. But happily most of the free agents are still out there negotiating. They are in their happy place, with the new league.

It can be frustrating as the game is trying to model players seeking to extract every dime they can out of you. I never offer just a milb contract, for example, because then an AI team doing the same thing will trigger a renegotiation which is tedious for this many players. If they want an milb contract, throw in a signing bonus to drive away some of the competition for him.

My plan is to nab as many good prospects as I can with signing bonuses, sign starting pitchers from the first-year pool, and nab 1-2 veteran free agents at spots that are thin in the first-year draft (I'm looking at you, SS and 3B). Then I will hopefully be able to backfill the reserves on the active roster with Rule V picks (which are paid league minimum, NO NEGOTIATION!)

I am totally ignoring first-year players that want milb contracts with MLB options. If I think they are good enough to make the roster, I will offer them an MLB contract. What I don't want is to sign some guy only to have him opt for free agency 30 days into the season.

Since my owner doesn't expect a playoff team for 5 years(!), I am exploiting this opportunity to focus on building a farm system that can help me in 2-3 years or give me trade bait in the season.


This plan of course could totally fail, but that's the plan.

here's my theory on why AI team sign players faster: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...95&postcount=7

[Pelican]

Also, with a demand of $21,200, when I "meet demand", the response is "not bad, but I am not ready to sign yet. If you would offer more salary...." then asking for the same $21,200 I must offered.

[uruguru]

Originally Posted by Pelican

Also, with a demand of $21,200, when I "meet demand", the response is "not bad, but I am not ready to sign yet. If you would offer more salary...." then asking for the same $21,200 I must offered.

Yes you need to ignore what they say because the AI gets tripped up a bit.

"You offered me a minor-league contract. What I really want is a minor-league contract"

That can drive you nuts, trust me! The logic for milb contracts and milb contracts with options seems bugged. This guy thinks he's worth an X contract, so you offer it to him. Then the AI comes along and offers him the same thing because that's what he wants, so he's programmed to come back to you and say "Team X is interested in me, you should offer me more". But he still thinks he's worth an X contract so he asks for the same thing.

If you get in that loop, up the offer instead of listening to the player.

This is why all of my milb contract offers come with some sort of signing bonus, even if it's just $500. It's to keep the AI from matching what is a essentially a free offer and making me negotiate more than I want to.

[Déjà Bru]

This save has reignited the flames of OOTP for me! Not that it takes much — it happens periodically with the slightest of sparks, sometimes even by spontaneous combustion — but your project was the lit match this time. Thanks again.