Historical Photos or Historical Face Gens

tschirber · 03-23-2026, 09:10 AM

I would like to play historical games and am wondering whether I'd like to use real photos of players or the face gens created by Landsdown. I know someone had put all the historical photos together a couple of years back. I don't know if they still exist today and that pack can be downloaded. The Face Gens look pretty good, I must admit. Very realistic. Any opinions that you all have?

Also, I'd like to recreate the schedule and roster use for the historical seasons I want to re-create. I know it can be done but I've forgotten how to do that now. Any help, including appropriate settings, would be appreciated.

AESP_pres · 03-23-2026, 05:46 PM

Personally I always play with the FG (obviously I'm not neutral) for one reason: I like the players to wear the correct uniform when they change team and aren't frozen in time. I start in 1871 when I play so watching the players retiring in the old NA, AA and NL jerseys is a nice touch that photo doesn't give...

Also like you said we are very good now doing them contrary to 10 or 15 years ago...

Edit: the problem with the photos is that they use the old first name_last name covention and it doesn't always work... on the other hand having all of them rename by minor league id would make the process of finding an individual picture a huge chore to do.

tschirber · 03-24-2026, 08:49 AM

Thanks. Appreciate the response. Can you walk me through how you start the historical replay in OOTP 27? Also, are there specific settings I should use in playing a historical season? Are you actively managing a team or just simming the season?

AESP_pres · 03-24-2026, 09:42 AM

I haven't dowloaded 27 yet but it's always the same thing... I start my league in 1871 and make sure to check use real transaction / lineup at creation (it's the only way to have real transaction). 1871 is easy since the game structure is real (except that you must move the AL teams to the NL) but after 71 everything must be done manually (league structure, teams movement and schedule). It's a fun way to play but it's time consuming... I go like that until 1969 when I take the Expos over and start to play my team games (real transaction / lineup / injury).

LansdowneSt · 03-24-2026, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AESP_pres

I haven't dowloaded 27 yet but it's always the same thing... I start my league in 1871 and make sure to check use real transaction / lineup at creation (it's the only way to have real transaction). 1871 is easy since the game structure is real (except that you must move the AL teams to the NL) but after 71 everything must be done manually (league structure, teams movement and schedule). It's a fun way to play but it's time consuming... I go like that until 1969 when I take the Expos over and start to play my team games (real transaction / lineup / injury).

He's new - go easy on him and skip the manual pre-1901 stuff!

Start a "replay" (a specific game mode which has settings configured for real transactions/real line-ups) in 1901 on the first go. Or if you want to have the universe be yours to shape where people can get drafted or just traded or sign wherever they like, choose a default set up. You'll catch on

tschirber · 03-24-2026, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LansdowneSt

He's new - go easy on him and skip the manual pre-1901 stuff!

Start a "replay" (a specific game mode which has settings configured for real transactions/real line-ups) in 1901 on the first go. Or if you want to have the universe be yours to shape where people can get drafted or just traded or sign wherever they like, choose a default set up. You'll catch on

I am a newb when it comes to historical play, sad to say. I'll take your advice and start with 1901 and play forward with real transactions/real line-ups. Thanks.

AESP_pres · 03-24-2026, 06:42 PM

Yeah it's easier and you'll probably appreciate your first steps in historical baseball more than if you had to spent hours to set everything

Have fun

Edit: since you will start in 1901 most players will have a FG... I would be surprise if more than 10 players had no visual image of them. This is in reference to the question you asked in the main pack thread.

03-23-2026, 09:10 AM	#1
tschirber Minors (Single A) Join Date: May 2012 Location: Colorado Posts: 72	Historical Photos or Historical Face Gens I would like to play historical games and am wondering whether I'd like to use real photos of players or the face gens created by Landsdown. I know someone had put all the historical photos together a couple of years back. I don't know if they still exist today and that pack can be downloaded. The Face Gens look pretty good, I must admit. Very realistic. Any opinions that you all have? Also, I'd like to recreate the schedule and roster use for the historical seasons I want to re-create. I know it can be done but I've forgotten how to do that now. Any help, including appropriate settings, would be appreciated.

03-23-2026, 05:46 PM	#2
AESP_pres Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Province of Quebec Posts: 4,236	Personally I always play with the FG (obviously I'm not neutral) for one reason: I like the players to wear the correct uniform when they change team and aren't frozen in time. I start in 1871 when I play so watching the players retiring in the old NA, AA and NL jerseys is a nice touch that photo doesn't give... Also like you said we are very good now doing them contrary to 10 or 15 years ago... Edit: the problem with the photos is that they use the old first name_last name covention and it doesn't always work... on the other hand having all of them rename by minor league id would make the process of finding an individual picture a huge chore to do. __________________ Complete set of the FGs I have updated for the pack 1871 to 1970 Updated FGs who aren't in the pack yet. 1961 to 1970 1971 to 1980 Last edited by AESP_pres; 03-23-2026 at 05:49 PM.

03-24-2026, 09:42 AM	#4
AESP_pres Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Province of Quebec Posts: 4,236	I haven't dowloaded 27 yet but it's always the same thing... I start my league in 1871 and make sure to check use real transaction / lineup at creation (it's the only way to have real transaction). 1871 is easy since the game structure is real (except that you must move the AL teams to the NL) but after 71 everything must be done manually (league structure, teams movement and schedule). It's a fun way to play but it's time consuming... I go like that until 1969 when I take the Expos over and start to play my team games (real transaction / lineup / injury). __________________ Complete set of the FGs I have updated for the pack 1871 to 1970 Updated FGs who aren't in the pack yet. 1961 to 1970 1971 to 1980

03-24-2026, 06:42 PM	#7
AESP_pres Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Province of Quebec Posts: 4,236	Yeah it's easier and you'll probably appreciate your first steps in historical baseball more than if you had to spent hours to set everything Have fun Edit: since you will start in 1901 most players will have a FG... I would be surprise if more than 10 players had no visual image of them. This is in reference to the question you asked in the main pack thread. __________________ Complete set of the FGs I have updated for the pack 1871 to 1970 Updated FGs who aren't in the pack yet. 1961 to 1970 1971 to 1980 Last edited by AESP_pres; 03-24-2026 at 06:46 PM.

03-24-2026, 08:49 AM	#3
tschirber Minors (Single A) Join Date: May 2012 Location: Colorado Posts: 72	Thanks. Appreciate the response. Can you walk me through how you start the historical replay in OOTP 27? Also, are there specific settings I should use in playing a historical season? Are you actively managing a team or just simming the season?