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| Author |
Comment |
danielj
Registered User
Posts:
8
(3/20/03 7:56:47
pm)
Reply
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Simulation games
What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of the
baseball simulation products that are out on the market?
I've tried DiamondMind, and liked it okay, but I recall
hearing that there was another product that was better
for running full-season simulations quickly.
I'd
appreciate any comments.
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dackle
Registered User
Posts:
26
(3/20/03 10:24:22
pm)
Reply
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Simulation games
The Strategic Baseball Simulator is pretty nifty,
although not quite as sophisticated as Diamond Mind.
It's platoon splits are generic and fielding is based
only on errors/fielding percentage. But it's a free
download, makes nice stat files/boxscores, you can
easily make your own teams, and it's statistically
accurate. The download is at ...
www.sbs-baseball.com/
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ShaneHolmes
Registered User
Posts:
77
(3/21/03 12:07:24
am)
Reply
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re:
dmb vs sbs
David Schmidt has been paying close attention to the
era adjustment discussions on here, especially the park
effect posts. (I've been copying and pasting him some
stuff from sites like the Time Machine site that Tango
mentioned on the old forum.) I think David is working on
incorporating the factors and working in some era
adjustment fudge numbers. I recommend writing him about
anything because he is unusually receptive to
suggestions.
You can reach him at
dbschmidt1@yahoo.com
I think an ultimate goal
would be helping such a talented man develop an
efficient and cost-effective alternative to DMB.
Edited by: ShaneHolmes
at: 3/21/03 11:49:52 pm
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ShaneHolmes
Registered User
Posts:
78
(3/21/03 12:22:23
am)
Reply
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re:
sbs
P.S. As a matter of fact, I just read the specs on the
most recent SBS update. David has indeed incorporated
the park effects from baseball-reference.
I
guess the next point of interest would be evening the
playing field between dead ball baseball and modern
times.
Edited by: ShaneHolmes
at: 3/21/03 11:54:17 pm
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dackle
Registered User
Posts:
27
(3/21/03 11:08:32
pm)
Reply
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SBS
I think era adjustments were worked in somewhere along
the line (for the Strategic baseball simulator). It's
funny what makes a simulation enjoyable. When I was a
kid I started with Statis-Pro Baseball (the one offered
by Avalon Hill/Sports Illustrated) and found it
extremely enjoyable, even if it wasn't overly
sophisticated. I moved on to Pursue the Pennant (which I
really respected but couldn't get into a groove with),
then Strat-O-Matic, which I stayed with until SBS, but
only because a friend played Strat too. S-O-M is more
sophisticasted than Statis Pro, but I had more fun with
the latter, and I have the same kind of fun with SBS. I
think it's because I used to enjoy flipping through the
rosters in the Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball. Most of
the time that's all the statistical sophistication you
really need.
SBS has a good community as well, and
Dave Schmidt is a very generous and helpful man, which
in turn causes people to provide their own research and
utilities for the game.
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ShaneHolmes
Registered User
Posts:
79
(3/22/03 4:23:56
pm)
Reply
|
Re:
SBS
Here is a subjective rundown:
Grades:
A =
best
F = not good
Out of the
Park
Affordability = B- (Price varies with each
version, but you won't pay more than $35.00)
Options
= B (Most popular on the gamer market right now.
Deduction for extremely counter-intuitive interface!
Features, however, include franchise mode permitting
user to sign/trade players, set stadium, team city,
everything imaginable. Game uses fake teams and players,
BUT there is a Lahman import option. No arcade mode,
though, so put the joysticks away.)
Simulation
Quality = C+ (Not very realistic when it comes to
cross-era sims. Limited outcomes, and CPU AI doesn't
seem too sharp.)
Diamond Mind
Baseball
Affordability = D- (Expect to pay > $100
for everything you'd want to own. If you have the money,
though, you get your money's worth because of a series
of guarantees and excellent customer service. v9.0 will
be available soon.)
Options = B+ (No franchise mode,
no arcade mode, but variety of real seasons -- available
for a price. v9.0 might have some goodies, such as a
career mode. I've heard rumors that v9.0 is the one sim
product that will blow away the DMB
competition.)
Simulation Quality = A (Wide array of
outcomes and CPU AI is very good.)
APBA Baseball
for Windows (Broadcast Blast)
Affordability = D (v5.5
is the last-ever version because APBA and Miller
Associates, who own the software copyright, are no
longer partners. v5.5 costs an obscene amount of money,
something like $75.00, but you can buy earlier versions
on eBay for a fraction of the cost. With the Bill James
Encyclopedia (later known as the Fanpark Encyclopedia),
you can import any season from 1900-1995. This package
is available on eBay for around $25.)
Options = B (no
arcade mode, tons of add-ons available on the Web, HUGE
online community of helpful people, BJE imports are
nice, cross-era adjustments
Simulation Quality = B
(Ernie Harwell calls each game, which is a terrific
touch. Outcomes are nearst to DMB's of all others. Users
can do a lot with BBW, but it requires time and
patience, too much of both if you ask me. One nice
feature is that you won't have guys who hit 4 hr in <
25 AB hitting 96 HR, which you'd see happen in every
other game except DMB.)
High Heat Baseball 2004
for PC
Affordability = B+ (A month after its release,
the price drops to < $25 on most online PC game
sites.)
Options = B, grade is an A- for hh2002
(Features include a career mode, arcade mode -- however,
no manage-only mode starting with this year; no Internet
play since 2002, and the best graphics, including
stadiums, and commentary around.)
Simulation Quality
= C (Game allows the creation of custom leagues, but
you'd have to rely on the gamer community for the
rosters. The sim engine won't distinguish eras at all.
You can get around this by downloading a user-created
roster editor, but again, you'd have to do the dirty
work to adjust the stats. Sim engine inflates offense
and uses absurd park effects for Dodger Stadium and
Coors Field only. Decent play-by-play. Tune 'sliders'
control contact percentages and mangerial tendencies
among other goodies, but the user is in charge of
setting these things. What a chore.)
EA Triple
Play Baseball (extinct since 1999, but EA has a new game
for 2003, unavailable for review right
now)
Affordability = A (Dirt cheap on half.com if the
price is the end-all, be-all.)
Options = A- (TP is a
stable product and has everything that HH Baseball has,
just not quite as sharp and pleasant.)
Simulation
Quality = F (Offense is favored to the extreme. The
game's sim results really aren't based in reality
whatsoever.)
Strategic Baseball
Simulator
Affordability = A (Free unless your time is
money.)
Options = C+ (Not an arcade game, not
intended for career mode. DOS-based but available in
Windows finally. Too many menus and keystrokes, but
directions are easy to follow. Offers the Lahman import,
but it's not easy to use. In other words, many options,
but not everything you'd want and not all of them should
be up to the user every time.)
Simulation Quality =
B+ (You will find neither the platoon numbers in DMB nor
the radio play-by-play in APBA. Somewhat reminiscent of
the Star Simulator for its homemade appeal. Outcomes
lack range.)
Baseball Mogul
Affordability = B
(Prices varies with each version, but it's not
expensive.)
Options = B+ (Not an arcade game, but
this game lets you create an entirely new baseball
universe from scratch. Lahman database is available but
clunky; game really isn't designed for the database...
Because it's not the same kind of game as the others,
you have to judge it by its intentions.)
Simulation
Quality = C (If you consider that BBM is made for a fake
baseball landscape, it's hard to judge the sim results.
The outcomes are limited but improving. Maybe in a few
years, everything will come together.)
If
you count the add-ons, weighted overall grades
are
OOTP = B
DMB = B+
APBA BBW (BB) = B-
3do
HH 2004 = B-
typical EA offering = C
SBS =
B+
BBM = B-
|
Rauseo
Registered User
Posts:
88
(3/22/03 5:57:22
pm)
Reply
|
Re:
SBS
Diamond Mind Baseball is the best simulator on the
market bar none. If you want the best you pay for it.
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ShaneHolmes
Registered User
Posts:
80
(3/22/03 10:09:45
pm)
Reply
|
Re:
SBS
Sports Predictor,
When you buy DMB, as you
probably know, it does NOT come with a Lahman or Fanpark
Encyclopedia season importer, meaning you have to
purchase season sets or make your own from scratch. If
you want a nice collection of DMB seasons, you'll shell
out more than what the game costs by itself. My comment,
if you read it carefully, makes sense in this context.
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TheSportsPredictorDotCom
Registered User
Posts:
1
(3/22/03 10:27:57
pm)
Reply
|
Re:
SBS
Where did you get the idea that DMB costs $100? If you
buy the V8 game and 2002 replay, it is just under $70.
That is nowhere near $100.
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