PureSim 2006

[puresimmer]

OK, with the release of PS 2005 Gold Edition imminent I'd like to start discussing the roadmap for PureSim. First of all the next major release will be PureSim 2006. Here are my high-level priorities (in order):

1. Release in the spring of 2006. This is critical.

2. Multiple levels of Minors

3. An interactive almanac patterned after www.baseballreference.com

4. More in-game manager options

5. In-game engine improvements around errors, rare plays etc...

6. Situational sound effects

7. More PSPN stories

8. Tons of interface and AI tweaks too numerous to list but sometimes these are the ones folks appreciate the most!

My question to you guys is what are some of the things you'd like to see?

[URett]

My biggest wish is that PureSim becomes challenging to GM only players like myself who never manage any games themselves. At the moment, even when playing with a team in the smallest market against 39 big market teams I need to set up a some house rules to avoid winning every year. I'll go into details in a separate message.

[spartacus007]

Besides #1, the most important to me is #2 and God-like control over re-alignment/expansion.

[jearly]

Shaun, what I would like to have - is the ability to customize how many players are on my roster, or in league. I do not always want to utilize minors, so they are overkill.
My current example is I am trying to create a league with the current 195 members of the Hall of Fame split between 10 teams. After going thru all of the work of importing these players, I am going to have to come up with a bunch of scrubs, which is exactly what I don't want to do. I plan to fill the Roster with players I assume will be HOF, but still many will be scrubs.

[Abev]

ORIGINAL: puresimmer
My question to you guys is what are some of the things you'd like to see?

Love to see open ended support for every stat that PS tracks to make it available for add-ins.

More Minors, Baseball-reference almanac, and a more expansive sdk are my top 3 in order.

Not crazy about the other stuff so much, but more PSPN stories would continue to make PS more immersive.

[Amaroq]

2, 3, 5, and 8 from your list, definitely.

I agree with URett about the improvements for GMs, and will post more in his thread.

40-man roster in September.

A real difference between '15-day' and '60-day' DL, with the latter allowing you to sign a replacement to your overall roster.

I'd expand '5' to include 'expanding the park effects', e.g., things like a sure double caroming off the Green Monster for a single, and ultra-deep center fields turning doubles and home runs into triples, etc.

Improved player-development model to go with #2.

Improved commentary in the in-game play-by-play - I'll help write commentary if you provide 'hooks' for me.

Trading draft picks.

Precise control over expansion, contraction, division alignment, and team movement.

Precise control in contract negotiations, rather than the 'fixed offer' scheme. Probably also 'contract negotiations that take time', as well, and 'Explanation of what was unsatisfactory about the offer made'.

From our previous discussion (other forum), I'd like to see 'Manager personalities' replace the 'Manager options' if you are hiring a computer manager - I trust you've got that old long post saved off somewhere, but the highlights are manager hiring/firing, choice of manager affects probability of choosing strategies, and new managers 'learn' from the existing ones, tending to copy 'successful' managers so that the league's strategic landscape keeps evolving.

This might also be used to apply to GM's.

Updated financial model, with effects like "The Giants can't trade Barry Bonds, because people would stop turning up to the park" that encourage the player to hold on to players longer than their on-field performance might justify.

Personally, I'd love to get the entire, correct MLB player transaction and movement rules, including a Rule 5 draft and other intricacies: I think they're well designed for encouraging that players rise to the big leagues, and that there is competitive balance between the teams, while PureSim is subject to player hoarding.

Real 'rookie' eligibility, not triggered until 150 AB, 50 IP, or 45 days of service. I like being able to 'call up' some guys in September, but want them to win 'Rookie of the Year' the following season.

[33sherman]

I agree with the add-in comment--a master list of no-hitters, for instance, and longest hitting streaks. Single-game records would be great. Also playoff records.

I'll chime in for control over expansion, and I'd also like to see players improving or deteriorating over the course of a season.

[Langer]

Just adding my voice to realignment/expansion.

I wrote my ideas in this thread: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=930481

[Amaroq]

I'd also like to see players improving or deteriorating over the course of a season.

Actually, I'd really like that as well. I think it is very realistic, and provides for more dynamic rosters - its something to consider as the season is progressing.

It would be especially useful for determining what level of playing time is helping a player develop, and what isn't.

[Edward]

I second all of Amaroq's wants plus
Including cash in trades. Arbitration. & The Hank Aaron Award.

[BryanK]

Would it be possible for the statistical distribution stuff to make it into '06?
Realistic stats & distributions in fictional leagues, full minor leagues and associated career arcs, and greater control over expansion (in that order) are the most important things to me.

Do we have any data that identifies how many people manage the games vs. how many just take care of GM duties? Or which would stand to attract/retain more new customers? That might help align development resources...

[Steely Glint]

I like the whole list, but please make number four the #1 priority. This game is almost GM-only as it is, and that's just not enough. Please put the GM-only stuff aside long enough to add the necessary options to make the PureSim managerial experience fun and world class, and then go back and give the GM-only crowd the next one thousand things on their list.

But, please, don't keep putting them first.

[Steely Glint]

ORIGINAL: jearly

Shaun, what I would like to have - is the ability to customize how many players are on my roster, or in league.

This is a very good idea.

[GoIndians]

#3 is the only one that interests me.
I think #2 would be a micromanagement nightmare.
4,5,6, and 7 are irrelevant to the way I play the game.

What I want to see:
#1 playoff games for tied teams
(promised for 2005 not mentioned for 2006).
#2 see the thread "improvements for GMs".
#3 Expansion and contraction that is user controlled.
#4 Your #3
#5 PSPN stories: I'd like to be able to pick and choose the stories that go into my PSPN. For example, I always want the standings on top.

[Amaroq]

#5 PSPN stories: I'd like to be able to pick and choose the stories that go into my PSPN. For example, I always want the standings on top.

That's .. interesting. For me, PSPN was one of the things that I initially loved about the game, but am now finding pretty stale - maybe I've seen the same stories too many times, or something. Certainly being able to trim some that don't interest me would be nice, and being able to give them 'weight', with the 'weightier' articles being more likely to be selected, and more likely to be at the top, would be nice.

[Sonny]

#5 and #4

Get the game right then worry about the other stuff.

Not so much rare plays but more accurate descriptions of plays - no more fly to deep left center when the ball path stops at the shortstop. A realistic arc, line or bounce to the ball path would be nice but is not a real biggie.

[stevenriddle7]

How do I DL Pure Sim? & also is there a draft feature for pure sim yet? IE-Rookie drafting & having the rookies actually developing on your roster.

[Fanshawe40]

I appreciate all the improvements Shaun and others have suggested, so let me just reiterate one of Amaroq's -- improved play-by-play. I'd love to see some more details on the "special results" plays.

And like Amaroq, I'd be happy to help with the writing chores.

[Steely Glint]

Improved PBP would be great, but IMO that should wait until the game mechanics are solid. Get the managerial and GM functions improved and working as they should, then make the game totally customizable, and then enhance the PBP.

[ibecarlo]

Definitely #4 and #5. I manage the games and find it too limiting. If it weren't for the intelligent design that Shawn put into the game's GM interface, I doubt that I'd spend as much time on it as I do.

I'm OK with #2 but can see it adding a lot of complications to the game.

I don't care about #3.
I don't want sound effects (I turn off the sound, currently) and find PSPN to be a nicety but not really overly important.

I also agree with much of what Amaroq says in his previous postings. The concern that I would have, though, is that a lot of those very attractive features might also consume a LOT of Shawn's time in bug fixes / maintenance.