A Developer's Guide to the New Development Features

[Déjà Bru]

Let's say I choose to NOT play with the development lab. Does this mean the game reverts to the traditional player development module, as affected by coach quality and their relationship with the player?

[Daniel_09]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Let's say I choose to NOT play with the development lab. Does this mean the game reverts to the traditional player development module, as affected by coach quality and their relationship with the player?

with the development lab on, as well as in the background running the normal development engine (intelligence, high work ethic, coaches, etc...).
These two systems are totally independent of each other.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Daniel_09

with the development lab on, as well as in the background running the normal development engine (intelligence, high work ethic, coaches, etc...).
These two systems are totally independent of each other.

Thanks. So here is my thinking (and this is only specific to me, not a recommendation or criticism either way for anybody else):

I think the Development Lab is great IF it is a "layer" or "enhancement" to the normal development engine. If it works, fine; if not, it was a crapshoot to some extent anyway. Normal development will continue.

And hats off to the Player Development Focus idea. But it's not for me, unfortunately. I do see that it is smart if left up to the AI; for example, I am currently in the Dead Ball Era when pitcher stamina was not so important. So, I see the AI "borrowing" from that slider to add to others. The problem for me personally is that, when I tried my own hand at it, my sliders tend to all end up in the middle. I am unable to give up on anything in order to improve something else.

[Will Beh]

Originally Posted by trengilly

I had two batters one doing Quality of Contact and the other Two Strike Approach.

With 1 day left in the Development Lab they were both projecting Outstanding. I used the editor to check their ratings and then progressed one day to finish the lab.

Both reported Outstanding success and the notification emails said that both their current and potential levels had increased.

Checking in the editor again both players current ratings had Increased about 40 points. But in both cases their Potential values had Decreased around 40.

The editor should be accurate? The checks were one day apart, and no other values on their batting ratings page changed at all, so it didn't appear any standard development was taking place.

It really did appear that current increased but potential decreased (possible bug?).

I'm working on a new setting that, when turned on, will allow the exact results from the lab to be copy-pasted into the email. That should help a lot with the transparency I think for people who want that and should make it easier to see what's going on

[Will Beh]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

I think the Development Lab is great IF it is a "layer" or "enhancement" to the normal development engine. If it works, fine; if not, it was a crapshoot to some extent anyway. Normal development will continue.

Yep that's how it is, it's an add-on to the normal development, so if you turn it off in the settings, you're just removing that addition

[Déjà Bru]

Thanks for the reply and thanks in advance for this:

Originally Posted by Will Beh

I'm working on a new setting that, when turned on, will allow the exact results from the lab to be copy-pasted into the email. That should help a lot with the transparency I think for people who want that and should make it easier to see what's going on

I will let you know that I have Development Lab open at full blast! (That is, the 20 slot maximum). But, under my direct supervision. None of this hustle bustle of 20 unfortunate guys sentenced willy-nilly to hard labor for a couple of months. Just folks whom I feel will benefit (perhaps) from the experience.

Yet 20 slots, I figure, should just about accommodate my growing interest in the Development Lab based on what happened in my first go-round. I kept finding guys . . . "No, Bru! Not me, please! I just bought a time-share in Miami."

[Will Beh]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Thanks for the reply and thanks in advance for this:

I will let you know that I have Development Lab open at full blast! (That is, the 20 slot maximum). But, under my direct supervision. None of this hustle bustle of 20 unfortunate guys sentenced willy-nilly to hard labor for a couple of months. Just folks whom I feel will benefit (perhaps) from the experience.

Yet 20 slots, I figure, should just about accommodate my growing interest in the Development Lab based on what happened in my first go-round. I kept finding guys . . . "No, Bru! Not me, please! I just bought a time-share in Miami."

[Samjackgel]

Really enjoying the game, and the development system. I feel like this game is training everyone to be terrible GM's, more obsessed with developing prospects than winning, but that's ok because it's fun and low stakes.

Few questions about Development focus. How does that work for players out for a year, or in the case of Ohtani, not able to pitch for a year. Do you have to balance the focus with everything so that he doesn't regress in everything?

And when it comes to players who have four pitches but you only want them to throw three, if you turn one pitch all the way down to zero and refocus them will they not use that pitch, or will they still use it and just be terrible at it?

Thanks in advance.

[locuspc]

You should note that if players have four pitches and one of them is bad, they will already rarely use that pitch. That sort of strategy is already built into how the pitchers approach a game.

[Samjackgel]

Originally Posted by locuspc

You should note that if players have four pitches and one of them is bad, they will already rarely use that pitch. That sort of strategy is already built into how the pitchers approach a game.

But does having that pitch allow you to put extra focus onto something? Is it a mechanical exploit or does it all balance out? Same with stamina and relivers. If I wanted to turn a starter into a middle reliever, and cranked stamina all the way down, will it have any effect until it's at about 35 or so?

[locuspc]

Originally Posted by Samjackgel

But does having that pitch allow you to put extra focus onto something? Is it a mechanical exploit or does it all balance out? Same with stamina and relivers. If I wanted to turn a starter into a middle reliever, and cranked stamina all the way down, will it have any effect until it's at about 35 or so?

I do think having an extra "bad" pitch allows you to remove dev focus from it and redistribute it to your other areas, which is helpful. I don't know that it's necessarily an "exploit", because improving the bad pitch to where it's a pitch that can be thrown would also be a useful thing, and the overall effects are going to be small because dev focus is not a high impact mechanic. But it is true that the more pitches a pitcher has, the more dev focus they have to spread around. Having that extra pitch is a pure positive.

I think you're mistaken if you don't think stamina has an effect for relievers. I love having middle relievers with decent stamina that can go 40 pitches without falling apart, it really helps during the 162 grind. Good stamina also helps them recover from a previous appearance faster, so even if they're only going three batters, it lets them pitch three days in a row without problems.

[Déjà Bru]

Will Beh, don't let them overlook correcting this wart on the nose of your otherwise stunning beauty! Yes, I reported it in the "Cosmetic issues & typos go here" sub-forum, but you never know . . .



Your gem must be flawless!

[Will Beh]

Originally Posted by locuspc

i do think having an extra "bad" pitch allows you to remove dev focus from it and redistribute it to your other areas, which is helpful. I don't know that it's necessarily an "exploit", because improving the bad pitch to where it's a pitch that can be thrown would also be a useful thing, and the overall effects are going to be small because dev focus is not a high impact mechanic. But it is true that the more pitches a pitcher has, the more dev focus they have to spread around. Having that extra pitch is a pure positive.

I think you're mistaken if you don't think stamina has an effect for relievers. I love having middle relievers with decent stamina that can go 40 pitches without falling apart, it really helps during the 162 grind. Good stamina also helps them recover from a previous appearance faster, so even if they're only going three batters, it lets them pitch three days in a row without problems.

+1

[Will Beh]

Originally Posted by Samjackgel

Few questions about Development focus. How does that work for players out for a year, or in the case of Ohtani, not able to pitch for a year. Do you have to balance the focus with everything so that he doesn't regress in everything?

Players that are out will develop the same as they always have while injured in previous games, you don't need to do anything special with the focus because the focus is more of an addition to the standard development.

[Will Beh]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Will Beh, don't let them overlook correcting this wart on the nose of your otherwise stunning beauty! Yes, I reported it in the "Cosmetic issues & typos go here" sub-forum, but you never know . . .

Attachment 1005394

Your gem must be flawless!

Wow, can't believe I've never noticed this
Thanks! Fixed

[Samjackgel]

I noted that you said that trying to put extensive focus into one area has diminishing returns, but when I ask the AI to set up minor league development strategy they'll often to max out defense, even when they maxed out their main position. Is this something a human player should correct? I often trust the OOTP AI to know things I don't.

[snepp]

Originally Posted by Samjackgel

I noted that you said that trying to put extensive focus into one area has diminishing returns, but when I ask the AI to set up minor league development strategy they'll often to max out defense, even when they maxed out their main position. Is this something a human player should correct? I often trust the OOTP AI to know things I don't.

Players individual defensive skills can improve or degrade. The maxing out at a position is just a measure of their experience at that particular position and resulting overall ability.

[Samjackgel]

Originally Posted by snepp

Players individual defensive skills can improve or degrade. The maxing out at a position is just a measure of their experience at that particular position and resulting overall ability.

But it's the AI doing it for all the minor leaguers. Should I trust it and leave it alone or override it.?

[snepp]

Originally Posted by Samjackgel

But it's the AI doing it for all the minor leaguers. Should I trust it and leave it alone or override it.?

Frankly I don't know. I'm big on minor league delegation so I do very little minors oversight. I let the AGM handle promotions, the development, the coach hiring, and the managers get run of the lineups.

I handle the first few rounds of the draft and release the dead weight.

[OOTPlover#]

Someone in my online league noticed that the relationships differ in these two tabs. Is this a bug or are we missing something?[ATTACH]

[/ATTACH]