When it comes to the world of computer baseball simulations, there's Out of the Park Baseball and a host of pretenders to the throne. Featuring a stunning amount of detail as well as unparalleled realism and statistical accuracy, any computer-gamer baseball fan needs to check out OOTP.
A version of OOTP appeared for the iPhone earlier this year, but the desktop edition is the true flagship of the series. The recently-released twelfth iteration of the game brings even more enhancements to the simulation. There's a good reason why former Major League pitcher and noted wargaming fan, Curt Schilling, called Out of the Park Baseball, "the only baseball sim I've ever gotten addicted to."
A True Baseball Role-Playing Game
The openness of the Out of the Park Baseball engine allows for an almost infinite number of ways to play the game. Historical season replays or completely fictional leagues, each with endless careers, are possible. OOTP Baseball also allows for both solitaire and multiplayer online play.
This writer is currently playing a career as the General Manager of the 1920s-era Cleveland Indians in an older version of OOTP. For OOTP 12, it made sense to try something different, so this career started off playing the role of a lowly Manager of a Single-A team in the Baltimore Orioles system.
In Out of the Park, each game in a season is individually playable with full control of strategy, or large chunks of the season can be simulated at once using an editable manager profile.
Going from full control of a baseball franchise's players, scouts, and finances to being a small-time Manager dependent on the whims of his GM boss is handled to perfection by Out of the Park Baseball. It is a true baseball RPG.
Rich Player Modeling and Detailed Statistics
Out of the Park Baseball 12 sports deep player modeling using nearly one-hundred different attributes. Players have both actual and potential ratings with various development curves used to simulate progression over a full career. The game's scouting model is key in determining who might become stars.
Managers, Coaches, and Scouts are all rated as well, and building a quality staff throughout the entire franchise is vital for ultimate success. Even Team Doctors are important in helping players recover quickly from injuries.
A massive amount of season and career statistics are compiled and saved in the game, including modern metrics like OPS and WHIP. Out of the Park also tracks important milestones, like when a batter reaches 3,000 hits or 500 home runs.
Improvements in Out of the Park Baseball 12
The freshly-released OOTP 12 is laden with improvements to enhance gameplay. The fully-revamped financial model now includes more detailed contract negotiations. Retroactive disabled-list assignments are now possible. The game's solitaire AI is also much improved. A full list of the enhancements is detailed on the Out of the Park Developments website.
Any baseball fan curious about text-based computer baseball needs to check out Out of the Park Baseball 12. Fantasy baseball fans wanting something more intellectually challenging should also give OOTP a try. It truly is the pinnacle of computer baseball.
Paul Williams - Paul Williams' unique set of experiences allow him to communicate complex issues in a clear manner, yet still be an entertaining read.
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