PureSim is on a roll / PureSim 2008 brainstorming thread!

[puresimmer]

Matrix and I have reached an agreement that PureSim Baseball 2008 will be published by Matrix Games for a 3rd season. That's great news for me, since I know what the plan is and I can start planning for next year's version.

Matrix has been great to work with and PureSim Baseball 2007 has now far surpassed the sales numbers of any previous version. I think we have some real momentum here! It has been interesting to see all the new faces, and even more interesting to see how sales have picked up so much after a bit of a slow start.

A combination of word of mouth, a poor showing by a competitor in the genre, some more review coverage and the All Star break promotion have really propelled PureSim into a place its never been sales-wise. A nice review in this months PC Gamer magazine should provide a good spike as well. PureSim was rated almost 30 points higher than its primary competition by PC Gamer!

This is the best I have ever felt about PureSim's potential, to the point where maybe this time next year I'll be considering doing this full time

I appreciate you guys support and hope to hit one out of the park with PS 2008.

Ok, with that said, consider this your thread to sound off on brand new features, functions, interface changes etc. Basically this will be a thread I will use to help gauge interest on directions I'd like to take the game, along with a place to gather inspiration.

No idea is a bad idea, brainstorming rules apply here. I want to have the high level feature set locked down in the next few weeks so development can begin in August.

[Amaroq]

To 'guide' this discussion, lets run with a 'one idea per post' motif: don't just toss a one-liner out there, give us a paragraph describing what you mean.

[puresimmer]

Yes, good plan.

[Amaroq]

I'll lead off - I'd like to see an improved text play-by-play capability, specifically getting the play-by-play files out into the community. The Football Manager / OOTP model seems to work fairly well for this: several text files, with a lookup to a random element. So, the result for "Stole second" might look like this:

STEALS_SECOND_FROM_FIRST | 3
%r1 goes... Here's the throw... | SAFE! | %r1 moves himself into scoring position with a steal.
%r1 is running... | The throw to second... | Not in time! | %r1 is safe at second
%r1 takes off... | %c will make the throw... | SAFE! | %r1 barely beat out the throw!

Aspiring authors would be limited to the constant situtations Shaun could describe - STEALS_SECOND_FROM_FIRST, for example, but the next number would tell the game how many items there will be to choose from. Each line item uses "|" as a special character to denote a carriage-return and brief pause for suspense; in this example, the first line item has three lines, while the last two line items have four lines. Each time a specific play result is called for, the game chooses a random set of descriptions of it, and cycles through the possibilities.

The initial shipping game file might contain only 1, 2, or 3 entries for different events (depending on their frequency), but prolific community writers could expand that out to their heart's content, 10, 20, 30.

You might use techniques like having three 'out' results for those stolen base attempts, whose first two lines match the first two of these descriptions, so that the user can't tell from subtle clues in the play-by-play what the outcome will be.

[PadresFan104]

Allow greater "skinning" of the game.  I don't know where Panzers has gone off to, but his work is amazing and really helps with the presentation of the game.

[PadresFan104]

Expand the managerial options by giving us the "Run & Hit" in addition to the "Hit & Run", even if there are 2 outs. 

From Wikipedia:
A related play is the less formal run and hit, similar to the hit and run, except with a fast runner on first base who is capable of stealing. The batter is given the option of hitting, with prior knowledge that the runner will be moving with the pitch. This differs from a straight steal in that the batter is encouraged to swing, instead of being prevented from swinging.

[PadresFan104]

Don't mess to much with in-game sounds.  It's really good where it is.  

[PadresFan104]

Apparently, Action! PC Baseball moves the player names around the field during gameplay.  Might be something to look into as an option in the next release.  I know a few people around here were interested in seeing the ball bounce around to represent throws and the like as well.

[PadresFan104]

I would love to see some rare plays in 2008.

- Bounces off his head for a HR [:)]
- Balks
- Hit by Pitch (don't know that I've ever seen this... If it's already there, I think it shouldn't happen more)
- Inside the Park HR
- Catchers interference
- Ball hits runner
- Catcher picking off a runner on first (snap throw)
- run downs

[PadresFan104]

Add some suspense the cool plays you already have.  For example, there is one particular case where runners will try for an extra base and are thrown out.  Often, this play happens at the plate.  The PbP, however, doesn't have any "panache" with this play.  It simply tells you that the runner tried to take an extra base and was thrown out.

How about:

"Ruth is going to try and score!"
"Here's the throw home from Luzinski!"  (pause for dramatic effect)
"He's Out!"

[Nomo Ootp]

I would like to have the game check for photos by name, even if the player is a fictional player.  I assign faces to my fictional players and at this time I am doing it manually.

[Abev]

ORIGINAL: puresimmer

This is the best I have ever felt about PureSim's potential, to the point where maybe this time next year I'll be considering doing this full time

I wish for this more than once a day. Without access to the big picture, I have to believe that daily feedback will improve the PS experience. How many times has there been threads where we just have to guess or assume an answer? Maybe some questions are best left unanswered, but some require a definative response.

Even if its just an ultra basic newbie question, that, with a quick response, keeps them interested and keeps them playing, which makes them a contributor to the message board, which develops a fan, which makes them a repeat customer.

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+ I would love to see enhanced contract features. Entry level contracts locked in at a nominal amount for players in the league less than 3 years. Before their 4th year, they have a salary request. If the request is met, so be it, if not, the players goes to salary arbitration and gets a binding 1 yr award. In the following year the player is a UFA. Also would love to see Restricted Free Agents. Kind of a mix between the MLB and NHL contract rules.

+ I would like there to be a negotiating period. If a player, who is going to be a FA, asks for $X, and the team wants to give <$X, there can be negotiating. Where the players will seek other offers and give messages like "Atlanta is willing to give $5mil a year for 5 years" when you actually offered $3.5mil. Maybe if you can come close there can be some give on the players part.

+ Amateur draft in JUNE.

+ MORE minors. Yes more. An option to increase to multiple teams per minor level. For example 2 A, 2 AA, 1 AAA.

+ A "Trading Block" list. Each team has a list like a watch list, but its for teams who would consider getting rid of some of their players. Maybe even just having the ability to "mark" players in a list format. Where they only get trade proposals for players on that list. CPU teams could also have this to know who the Human could actually trade for.

+ A "One For One" option. In the league config, a checkbox that will allow one for one trades only.

+ SDK - More access to other tables like a Transaction table where players movement from team to team is available for addins.

+ SDK - Ability to addin to the player card directly, in another tab.

[Abev]

ORIGINAL: PadresFan104

Add some suspense the cool plays you already have.  For example, there is one particular case where runners will try for an extra base and are thrown out.  Often, this play happens at the plate.  The PbP, however, doesn't have any "panache" with this play.  It simply tells you that the runner tried to take an extra base and was thrown out.

How about:

"Ruth is going to try and score!"
"Here's the throw home from Luzinski!"  (pause for dramatic effect)
"He's Out!"

And with that, more audible feedback from play results. A "jingle" for a home run. A "jingle" for a run scored. Umpire calling every out, whether on the bases or flyballs.

When I manage (rarely) or watch, I keep the text moving fast and cant read it to see what happens.

[Abev]

ORIGINAL: PadresFan104

Don't mess to much with in-game sounds.  It's really good where it is.  

An option for in game sounds then [;)]

[Nomo Ootp]

I would like to see an export/import function available for the player general bio information.&nbsp; I can see a nice mod being a program like the originator at the ootp site.&nbsp; One where I can select a country and a names list and it would modify the players general information.&nbsp; Another idea would be to have an output csv that has the same structure of the player general output in ootp. This way the Originator program could work for this game as it does for OOTP.&nbsp; Then all that would have to be done is to have the csv file imported back into the Puresim databases......&nbsp;
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The reason for this request is that I like to play fictional leagues like a Minnesota-Wisconsin league where 80% of the players must be residents of the two states, and 10% from the midwest, and 10% from the rest of the "World".&nbsp; I also have collected a lot of names sets from various countries and have created my own sets for my own use with another game.&nbsp; I also have traditional names lists of historical names and would like to use these in Puresim if possible......
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[BauerPower]

Game and almanac keeps statistics of batter's career record versus each pitcher.
"Dinglehoffer is lifetime 14-41 .341 with 3 HR versus Rex Razor"

[BauerPower]

I love the expanded team statistics like winning streaks and records versus each team. Put these stats in the almanac so they don't disappear at the end of the season.

The game keeps track of hitting streaks, display them and include them in the almanac.

Baseball fans love the stats and they love being able to see them in the almanac.

[33sherman]

As for stats, career and single-game playoff records would be great. Also a master list of no-hitters, as someone else has suggested.

[Abev]

In the Almanac:

"Similar players", "similar players through age x", Black Ink, Gray Inf, HOF Standards, like in baseball-reference.

[Nukester]

Whatever you do, DONT turn this into World Cup Baseball [;)]