RE: PureSim 2006 Status Update (long)

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RE: PureSim 2006 Status Update (long) - 4/12/2006 11:21:47 PM

sovereignstar

Posts: 40
Joined: 8/20/2005
Status: offline

I agree with FranklinNoble 100%.

(in reply to FranklinNoble)

Post #: 31

RE: PureSim 2006 Status Update (long) - 4/12/2006 11:46:54 PM

Amaroq

Posts: 1100
Joined: 8/3/2005
From: San Diego, California
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: FranklinNoble

I get that... My concern is that the hardcore fans here might want that, but what about the casual gamers, or, more importantly the trade publications? They're going to take their first impression from the initial release - they're not going to wait three months to review a 'new' game. I think everyone agrees we want to see the game succeed commercially. It might be better to be a little more patient, that's all.

Yes, that's the strongest counter-argument, I think.

Of course the hardcore fans, the ones responding on the forum, are going to be in favor of a tiered-release system.
a.) we're used to it
b.) we'd be excited enough to come download for new features.
c.) we're more interested in the content, not the appearance.

Your point about the 'casual gamer' and 'trade publications' are very good ones: both of those audiences are going to look at the game exactly once, and make a determination based on three things:
a.) What does it *look* like?
b.) How does it rate compared to the main competitor(s), in this case, OOTPB?
c.) How much has it changed from last year's version?

Based on those three things, they're going to either buy it or rate it highly, or they're going to say 'I'll wait for next year's version / OOTPB.'

(in reply to FranklinNoble)

Post #: 32

RE: PureSim 2006 Status Update (long) - 4/13/2006 12:11:02 AM

puresimmer

Posts: 2299
Joined: 7/24/2005
Status: offline

Great discussion.

Welcome to my dilemma. Add to all this that it becomes exponentially harder to get a Baseball game (or any other seasonal sports sim) noticed/reviewed/purchased as the release date drifts away from the sweet spot (in this case Spring). I just wish this was my full time job so I wasn't always in this constant triage mode.

One thing I do want to stress -- I will *not* release a buggy game. It's just not an option. PureSim has a pretty good track record here. Nobody remembers that a solid game was shipped late. *EVERYONE* remembers (not fondly!) a buggy game that shipped on time.

I have 100% control of the content of the game and I have 100% control of the ship date. Matrix is awesome in this regard. Its why I chose them over other suitors. Comparisons to Max Football are not applicable here. I haven't seen that game so I can't comment on it regardless.

This crux discussion is more around the whether the number of new features added this year are impactful enough. Unfortunately, I don't have the resources to re-skin the user interface every year. So, PS 2006 already lacks an out of the box "wow this is totally new" response from entrenched fans. This year will be no different, and that certainly shows in some areas. We all have a few screens in PureSim that we fondly refer to as "old friends" (can you say "Modify Roster" screen). Of course it will have the new almanac, graphical play by play. multiple levels of minors and some other tweaks, so it certainly has some substance, I just had this voice telling me that core fans might want to see a little more out of the gate, so I asked. You're respionses are really helpful as I chart the game's course.

_____________________________

Developer, PureSim Baseball

(in reply to Amaroq)

Post #: 33

RE: PureSim 2006 Status Update (long) - 4/13/2006 12:28:05 AM

sovereignstar

Posts: 40
Joined: 8/20/2005
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: puresimmer

This crux discussion is more around the whether the number of new features added this year are impactful enough. Unfortunately, I don't have the resources to re-skin the user interface every year. So, PS 2006 already lacks an out of the box "wow this is totally new" response from entrenched fans. This year will be no different, and that certainly shows in some areas. We all have a few screens in PureSim that we fondly refer to as "old friends" (can you say "Modify Roster" screen). Of course it will have the new almanac, graphical play by play. multiple levels of minors and some other tweaks, so it certainly has some substance, I just had this voice telling me that core fans might want to see a little more out of the gate, so I asked. You're respionses are really helpful as I chart the game's course.

Yeah, I guess it all depends on what your goals are. I think part of the reason the game isn't a larger hit (at FOFC for example) is that things have pretty much always been added in tiers, maybe to the point where guys are confused as to what the game is currently like. That leads to another problem - there isn't a demo currently.

(in reply to puresimmer)

Post #: 34

RE: PureSim 2006 Status Update (long) - 4/13/2006 2:09:45 AM

FranklinNoble

Posts: 131
Joined: 2/23/2006
From: SportsDigs.com
Status: offline

Unfortunately, I think the Maximum Football debacle is going to impact you, no matter how much you're distanced from it. There are already folks on other boards who have now totally sworn off anything with "Matrix" on the label because of that release. I think some carefully worded damage control will have to be done in order to convince some communities that your game is worth giving a fair shot.

And as soon as people have the impression that you're selling an "incomplete" product, they're going to turn on you, and it might get ugly. I know that's not the reality of what you're doing here, but as a relative newcomer to the Matrix scene, and not a die-hard fan, I'm just giving you the perspective of an objective outsider.

(in reply to puresimmer)

Post #: 35

RE: PureSim 2006 Status Update (long) - 4/13/2006 7:33:38 AM

dneely

Posts: 227
Joined: 8/20/2005
Status: offline

I think FranklinNoble has a point and he could be right to a certain extent. I purchased Max Football because I wanted to support a new game and to support Matrix. But I have to say I have hardly touch the Max FB game and it is far from a finished product.

Having said that I feel Shaun has a strong and solid reputation among those who care about baseball sims and PureSim is just behind OOTP in respect and support in the buying public.

In my humbke opinion Shaun should add what he can to the in-game managerial aspects, release the new version ASAP and add some features to keep the game "alive" and the fans looking forward to new additions and ideas. I have said for the past 6-8 months that Shaun will make a strategic error if he does not beat OOTPB to the market, and the beginning of the baseball season sales and excitement!!! Any release after May 31st will cost him a ton of sales!!!

dneely

< Message edited by dneely -- 4/13/2006 7:34:47 AM >

(in reply to FranklinNoble)

Post #: 36

RE: PureSim 2006 Status Update (long) - 4/13/2006 8:41:23 PM

Amaroq

Posts: 1100
Joined: 8/3/2005
From: San Diego, California
Status: offline

[deleted] - just saw the target launch date notification, so further discussion is pretty much moot!!

< Message edited by Amaroq -- 4/13/2006 8:45:04 PM >

(in reply to dneely)

Post #: 37

RE: PureSim 2006 Status Update (long) - 4/13/2006 9:05:30 PM

jeremy7227

Posts: 161
Joined: 1/24/2006
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: galaril

I think comparing Shaun and his game to the Max Football guy and his game is like comparing Oprah to Halle Berry.

I don't get it... Is Shaun Oprah or Halle Berry in this example? On the one hand he could be practically Bill Gates rich and one of the most powerful people in the world, able to make and break careers with a glance. On the other hand movie star rich and one of the most physically beatiful women in the world. You may want to Wiki "simile" and take another run at that post.

(in reply to galaril)

Post #: 38

RE: PureSim 2006 Status Update (long) - 4/15/2006 12:25:37 AM

lynchjm24

Posts: 240
Joined: 8/21/2005
Status: offline

I would agree with him. It's just not going to be a problem. He's not going to release a game that isn't ready.

(in reply to sovereignstar)

Post #: 39

RE: PureSim 2006 Status Update (long) - 4/15/2006 6:33:02 AM

MizzouRah_slith

Posts: 85
Joined: 8/20/2005
Status: offline

quote:

Multiple levels of minors is fully implemented and I love how non-intrusive it turned out. Just one simple screen to visit for analyzing how players are doing at the 3 levels, promoting/demoting etc. No need to set lineups or rotations, stats are simulated by the engine using an algorithm that estimates playing time based on how crowded a given position is at a given level of the minors. You can also name the minor league cities just to add a little flavor.

Glad to read this part.. Micromanaging can get so tedious. So far, I like what I'm reading about Puresim 2006... looking foward to seeing some new screenies of some of the new features of the game. I say go for your goals and release the game when you and the beta team are comfortable.

(in reply to lynchjm24)

Post #: 40