Looking for feedback on next update

[puresimmer]

OK, besides fixing bugs I am looking at other areas that could possibly be enhanced for the next update. I am thinking about continuing to focus on improving historical replay aspects of the game. Is this in line with where you folks would like to see me allocate new feature resources.

For example, one thing I am considering is improving historical accuracy of how closers are used.

By this I basically mean give the user an option to determine if the era they are playing in is one that employed the closer as to how the bullpen was structured and used. I'd probably also make PureSim choose this option "intelligently" based on the year (kind of like the way it picks rotation size today)

What other areas of the game would you like to see improved/added?

[redeck]

id like smaller roster options, ability to only carry 4-5-6-7 pitchers instead of min. 10 this would allow for deadball era teams to be portrayed more accuratly.

can you find a way that we could again start asc. in 1871 rather than 1900.

ive never played a 40 game scheduale is it set up for games to be played mostly on weekends so that pitchers recover between games and can be effective in back to back starts much like the pre 1900 leagues were set up?

[tbear2b]

I am really impressed with how the game has progressed since I first bought it almost two years ago now.

That said, I'm not a huge historical fan, so closer usage isn't that big of a deal to me. At the same time, I think some of the historical aspects need to be addressed and I would have no qualms about you working on those in the meantime.

As for my needs, I think there are a few small areas:

1) Expansion should be flushed out a bit more, as has been discussed. Some people wanted to try their hand at being an expansion team and were unable to take control of one prior to the expansion draft.

2) Although the almanac is fantastic, would it be possible to keep more info from the player's cards in it? Such as transaction and milestone history? I don't know how much more space that would take up, but I'm guess not a ton. Even if it does, there could be an option for how much it does.

3) Could we be given the option, in game, to change the names of the various awards and the championship series? Also, would it be possible to have control over the way playoffs are run, and possibly include a play-in game/series for teams tied at the end of the regular season? I had a fictional association, just yesterday, with ten teams in it (2 divisions), and both divisions had two teams tied for the top spot. Possibly adding an asterix or something to denote the tiebreaking team might be good too, just so it's easier to tell.

4) I love the ball flight animation, but I think some of the pop-ups are WAY too high. I know some can really get up there in real life, but when homeruns look like they are mere line drives, no matter how far OR high they go, and little pop-ups go off the screen AND take almost 15 seconds to come down, it can be sort of odd. Overall, the ball flight works REALLY well and adds a lot to the PSPNcast, but the time and height of some popups is just a little too much.

I think these things are rather small, cosmetic changes, but I think they would add a lot to the game. Please, move forward on the historical aspects, however, because a good number of the PureSim fans are really after that, and the more people playing the game, the better for me as well as you. Thanks Shuan!

[JimboJ]

I'm not big on historical replays. I play only fictional leagues and I manage almost every game. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but stats and the almanac type features are not important to me. I prefer the actual in game managing experience to the GM stuff. I would prefer that you continue to add in game strategy options, perhaps even a pitch-by-pitch mode, ala Diamond Mind Baseball. I would like to see this game offer all the in game strategy of Diamond Mind, with the ability to play fictional and career leagues.

I think you should do another poll, asking whether you focus primarily on in-game managing, general managing, or both.

[SirWolf1960]

I'm also a fictional career player.

I like what you did with expansion, and the ability to realign divisions. My latest assn. was a quickstart, so after the first seaon, I went from 8 to 1o teams, and created a true east and west division. (Only problem was that Birmingham had to be in the West, because there weren't enough western teams.

One thing I would love added to that feature is to go back to the computer at least suggesting cities and team names for the new teams. Then, if you want to manually override, you should have the option to do so. I found myself just adding the two largest markets without teams (in this case New York and Chicago).

The only other change would be for more options for league setups. In many cases, different configurations could be supported with the same schedule. For example, with 40 teams, you could have an option for 8 5-team divisions, and just have them play what I presume would be a balanced schedule. Don't you think that would work.

Shaun, as tbear said, this game has come so far. I go back to about preview 7? of the very first version of the game, and have been just amazed at what you have been able to accomplish. And with the continued support of this community.

Well, wish I had more time to play PureSim today, but I have to go watch some real baseball. I have the chore (yeah right) of doing play-by-play of the state 5A highschool baseball playoffs. Can you believe they actually pay me to talk about baseball on the radio? Go figure!!!

If I don't get back on the boards, I want to wish everyone a great Memorial Day weekend. Have fun, but take a moment to remember what the holiday is about.

Steve

[Big Dummie]

I would like to be able to preview the draft, also see who is selected by round. Also, be able to increase roster sizes when playing a long association. I am big into historical, so any improvements will be fine. Great game.

[cdvalenta]

I am also into fictional leagues. I will always choose one team, run that team, and manage every game. Any in game managing options are always a plus for me.

I also will pick a real major league team and manage that team for seasonal replays, so again, any in game managing options are a plus.

[Pronk]

I manage all my games in a fictional association. So far the only odd thing I have noticed in my association, is my team's success at stealing bases. Now, I am only part way into my 1st season, but the top 4 out 5 stolen base leaders in the league are from my team (The top 3 all from my team). Two guys have (9 spd), 1 (8 spd), and the last guy 6 spd.. I should also point out that the bulk of these games were played with the beta 1.01 patch.

[pbot]

I am a fictional association only player as well. I'd love to have the option to go to pitch by pitch mode, and as mentioned above see increased player card info translated into the almanac and have the ability to rename the awards.

And a way to customize the in game play by play would be nice.

[waltwa]

i think there are 2 items that require attention.

the size of a total roster should not be set except to say that it should be no more than 100.

the trading aspect of the game should be opened up to easily include 2 or more for 1 trades. trades should also include cash but that is not as important as the number. i just don't think the computer handles trades of 2 or more for 1 very well. in addition i hate it when or if i make a 2 for 1 trade i then have to sign a free agent to make the numbers come out. also i just thought of the fact that the computer does not offer trades to human teams. i have never seen this done well but i think it should be in the game.

the thing is that in a gm game trading must be a strong aspect of the game because that is generally one of the most important items that a gm is judged on.

[jacmar]

Hi Shaun....I am one of the old timers here, and to me, historical accuracy would be an excellent addition. The ability to be able to play one team against another would be nice as well. Some of the computer managers are a little pinch hitting happy. I was managing the 1986 Mets against the 1978 Yanks, and late in the game, the Yanks had the tying runs on and Thurman Munson due up. The next thing I saw, was the computer pinch hitting Dennis Sherrill for Thurman Munson. That should never happen.
I wish you luck, Shaun, in trying to fix the historical accuracy. Some of us traditionalists really want to see realism. Thanks.

[redeck]

instead of just the 2 options when it comes to trades, (no AI trades, or allow AI trades)
Id like the option of allowing to AI to come up with its own trades, but leave me the ability to cancel trades if they are screwy or unbalanced as the AI tends to do.

then id be worried that my season would be stretched out weeks just by my having to review all trades made by the AI. so maybe a slider to determine how often, how many trades the AI will try to make.

[leegra]

AI MANAGER PROFILES

Shaun--Sorry to keep playing this same tune, but I still think many PS enthusiasts (and, a lot of newcomers, too) would welcome a variety of MANAGER PROFILES they could choose from to manage their own team; as well as the other association teams, as AI skippers.

I would suggest you add a range of Manager Profiles that PS players could choose from that would stress the various philosophies of real managers; from the very conservative to the very aggressive--from BillyBall to Earl Weaver's Big Inning approach. The Manager/GM Tendencies page is taylor-made for this PS feature.

These AI Managers, readymade as a built-in PS feature, could be scaled from the "far right to the far left," with respect to on-field decisions, player selection, and even minor league and player pool callups. A separate group might attempt to emulate the philosophies of various current and historical managers. You probably cannot use the real names, without their permission, but I'm sure you could use creative nicknames or other identification that would help us know the person to whom you were referring.

One of the great "What Ifs" this PS feature would attempt to answer is, "Would my team have done better using one managerial philosophy over another?"...Thanks for asking for your fans input...

Lee

[redeck]

AI mngr profiles would be fun

[Random Hero]

I'd like to see more league sizes that you can expand to, so that I wouldn't need to add 6 teams to a 30 team league. I'd also like the option to start as an expansion team and pick in the expansion draft as that was one of my favorite things in the older FOF games.

I'd like to see imported players not be considered rookies, and actually have their stats up to the year I imported.

[redeck]

id like to see created players available in the draft, not just as free agents

[RandyChase]

The one thing that would be at the top of my personal wish list is some refinement in the trade logic.

I did a quick test last week to just see if my old "stock up pitching" strategy still worked to exploit the game's trading logic (I had skipped a version of PS so I was a little out of touch with all the little things you'd added and done). I took over an expansion team, and won the World Series in my third season. And won four or five series in the subsequent years - and by the last season racked up 120+ wins.

While I tend to avoid that logic when playing a "real" association just because its no fun to win that easily, that is semthing that I'd still like to see improved.

And for the record, I prefer the historical world - and don't have time to manage individual games (except key play off games) but love to watch how things evolve over decades. The almanac, career records, etc. are my favorite part of the game.

[dneely]

Shaun:

I am a historical replayer and would like to see "era specific" XML files. Your desire to cover the closer issue is GREAT but to expand that to how pitching staffs were used in the 1900 to say 1920 period whould be a HUGE boost in PureSim!! Most os us who play in that period have some real issues with the player usage and the stats we generate.

I love the idea (borrowed from APBA for Windows) of named managers with different mannerisums and strategy as discussed earlier. That would be a HUGE featues for PS. APBA cam out with 25-50 of these and many were actually created by members of that community so if you could make that happen it would be a great addition.

MY own personal wants are (and you have heard all this many times!!)
1. Place a batter at the plate so we can see what side he bats from.
2. PLEASE remove the tag-up to go to 2nd on a fly ball!!! it NEVER happens in real life.
3. Give us a couple of more ball flight actions such as a visual DP and any others to just add some variety.
4. Increase the PBP text!
5. Add in some odd or "rare plays" just for the interest. Fan interference, fights, brush back wars, ejections etc.

Thanks, DNeely

[redsoxfan99]

My vote would go on improving the historical replays as Shaun says - and to AI manager improvements as mentioned in this thread, and expanding the PBP too

regards
John

[orton1227]

My vote would be for better AI in roster management and trades. And maybe work in computer offered multiplayer deals.