SOM Online: What's to come

[bernieh]

Hey everyone,

Here's an overdue update of what's going on in SOM Online World Web Land!

[b:e265bb39ae]1986: Take Two[/b:e265bb39ae]
This Monday, October 22, we'll be launching the preseason coverage site for our very special promotional event - the official Strat-O-Matic re-creation of the 1986 baseball season. Using the SOM Online engine, we'll be replaying the 1986 season, game by game, with 26 prominent members of the media/baseball world managing the original rosters through the original schedule. Basically, we want to see if we can repeat history, or better yet, rewrite it. What's even cooler is that we'll be covering the season as if it were 1986 all over again, with new content written by our managers, AND actual articles from the original Sporting News magazine from 1986, as if they were hot off the presses.

Why are we doing this? Besides the fact that it'll be a heck of a fun time, we'd simply like to bring a lot more attention to Strat-O-Matic and hopefully infuse our community with new managers. With the talent that we have slated to manage the 26 teams (including one current and one former Major Leaguer, prominent radio hosts, and popular writers), we think that just about anyone who's interested in baseball will be talking about us this offseason.

One last note: we have one last managerial opening, for which I'd like to recruit one of YOU. Please stay tuned for an extra post from me requesting your suggestions.

[b:e265bb39ae]All-Time Greats IV[/b:e265bb39ae]
In a few weeks, I'll be actively soliciting your requests for the new teams/players that you would like to see added to the player pool. As I've said before, I would like to go almost ENTIRELY by the consensus opinions that YOU provide - with just the requisite discretion on our part so that it all makes practical sense for us and gameplay sense for you. Note that I will be as receptive as I can to the new interesting ideas that I've seen here and there in terms of the player pool and its salary structure.

I'm afraid I still don't have a good ETA for the release of this new version aside from "within the next 2-4 months", but hear me out. I am going to be attempting some ambitious engine improvements (outlined below) that will take me into some unchartered territory and the launch of ATG IV may depend on their progress and/or success. I'll keep everyone posted, though, on my projects' status and I'll be actively working with you on the player pool and the other new features you would like to see.

[b:e265bb39ae]SOM 2008 (2007 season)[/b:e265bb39ae]
Subsequently, the news is all good for the upcoming game based on the '07 season: 1) it will include whatever upgrades from the list below that I'll have been able to complete, and 2) it should launch a bit earlier than usual, due to the fact that it will be introduced simply as a new card set in our centralized SOM site.

[b:e265bb39ae]Bullpen logic overhaul[/b:e265bb39ae]
I'm going to be spending as much dedicated time as I can on a major overhaul of the computer manager's bullpen logic in the coming months. Over the years I've done a lot of research, reverse-engineering, and tweaking of the existing code, and I'm happy to say that I finally understand what the heck is going on in there. But my time spent on it has been too fragmented. In the next few months there'll be days, maybe weeks at a time, where I do nothing but design a new bullpen manager. I hope I'm not premature in saying so, but this will probably result in not only a smarter manager, but also increased control for you. It's be time to put my money where my mouth is.

[b:e265bb39ae]Live Draft[/b:e265bb39ae]
We're thinking about porting our current Draft & Trade Baseball live draft application over to work with SOM. This isn't up for public discussion right now, but I just wanted to let you know that it's in the pipeline.

[b:e265bb39ae]New league format(s)[/b:e265bb39ae]
Now that I've built support for the 26-team, 4-division, 2-league format of the Major Leagues of 1986, we technically have the support for any arbitrary league format. This could be a slippery slope - in the past our attempts at offering more rules choices have resulted in spreading the manager-base too thin - but I wanted to gauge the interest in an optional alternate scheme to the current 12-team format - most likely a 30-team league similar to the current structure of the Majors. [i:e265bb39ae]Please don't discuss this in this thread; a new thread will be started for this[/i:e265bb39ae].

[b:e265bb39ae]Expanded lineup control[/b:e265bb39ae]
Note: This is a [i:e265bb39ae]possible[/i:e265bb39ae] new feature - not a certainty. But time willing, I would definitely love to add either 1) default "reverse" lineups a la the CD-ROM game (simpler), or 2) lineups per game or per pitcher (harder). [i:e265bb39ae]Again, please don't discuss this in this thread; a new thread will be started for this[/i:e265bb39ae].

So yeah, we have plenty to keep us busy and for you to look forward to. I hope this satisfies at least some of your curiosity, and as always, thanks for playing SOM Online!

[geekor]

Bernie,

first great news!

2nd, you need to also make a better non live draft. Especially if there were bigger leagues, it need to be better than its current format, period.

[visick]

Awesome Bernie...that's the update that I've been waiting for.


And BTW-1986- LET'S GO METS!

Does Buckner get a 5 or 6 rating @ 1B? :lol: :lol: :lol:

[ArrylT]

Thank you as always for the continued efforts to constantly offer new products, improved games & reliable & frequent updates!

[CATom]

Bernie, just wondering IF it would be that difficult to have three different lineups for the three games? instead of "LH" and "RH" couldn't we have "game 1", "game 2' and "game 3"? Still have to set by 7pm, just a little more flexability in control!

Tom.

[maligned]

CATom,
That was Option 2 in his discussion above. I had to read it a couple times, but that's what he meant by "lineups per game or per pitcher."

[buster j ratt]

86 prediction Scott takes Astros to the promised land this time

[CHARLESBELL]

Here is a really off the wall suggestion, but one that actually mirrors real baseball a lot closer than what we have today.

One of the more interesting "complaints" I've been hearing more and more often is how very good our player raters have gotten in setting player prices. TSN should offer this service to the MLB Commissioner as the Player Fair Pricing Act - it's so accurate it could end salary arbitration as it exists today. :-)

In real baseball salaries aren't "fair" and they certainly don't perfectly represent player talent. So why should TSN Strat?

My thought is that it would be a lot more interesting if some percentage of players were intentionally priced higher or lower than their "true" statistical value. There has to be enough of these that all players had an opportunity to take advantage of their "finds" and so that a lucky draft wouldn't be an automatic major advantage. Plus think of all the forum discussions on who is or is not rated above or below value. This is almost a mystery card idea, but one which smart players can decipher and use to improve their teams.

[APS1]

News sounds great...looking forward to new enhancements...I've drifted away this past year...seemed to be getting boring...did more gimick leagues...live drafting and expanded leagues have peeked my intersest...can't wait

[dcinwv]

JUST A QUICK LIST OF WHO I THINK SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE PLAYER BASE:

Hitters:
Gabby Hartnett
Mickey Vernon
Jim Bottomley
Tim Raines
Cecil Fielder
Tito Francona
Debs Garms
Earl Webb
Cecil Travis
Dick Wakefield
Bobby Murcer
Heinie Manush
Fred Lindstrom
Cesar Cedeno
Nig Clarke
Lew Fonseca
Snuffy Stirnweiss
Don Padgett
Babe Phelps
Jim Piersall
Wally Pipp
Johnny Hopp
Monte Irvin

Pitchers:

Hank Aguirre
Bo Belinsky
Herb Score
Sam McDowell
Cy Falkenburg
Bob Friend
Vernon Law
Joe Grzenda
Hoyt Wilhelm
Joe Wood
Ernie Shore
Sonny Siebert
Mel Stottlemyre
Fritz Peterson
Vinegar Bend Mizell

thanks,

dcinwv