Octopus Overlords

We've been having some discussions about this game over on the Video Games Randomness thread. Since it is on sale for the first week I decided to pick it up.



To prevent myself from doing what I usually did in the past, trying to do too much too soon, I decided to just play as Manager for awhile. I then had to figure out who and when. Back in the late eighties I used to come home from work in time to hop on my exercise bike and catch the last half of the Cubs game if they were at home. So that was the who. For the when, I obviously wanted to be in an era when true baseball was being played, before the abomination that is the Designated Hitter <pauses to spit on the floor> came to the National League. And because my favorite Cubs player was Ryne Sandberg (who like myself has had to deal with prostate cancer) I decided to start in 1982, Ryno's rookie year with the Cubs.

For the first game of a new OOTP and a new season as manager for me, it certainly was exciting. Down by four runs by the bottom of the third, the Cubs came back in the top of the fifth with a two run homer by Fletcher and a solo homer by Ryno. Willis topped it off with a three run homer in the top of the seventh.


In my typical fashion I ended up going through five pitchers as my starter Jenkins started getting shelled early. Oh well, it's a long season. I just wonder what my AI General Manager is going to for some better starting pitching

Guillermo “don’t call me Willy” Hernandez with the win!

You didn't start with the 69 Cubs and see if you could change history? I really liked that Cubs team...and was also fascinated by that Mets team.

It's funny to hear where people start and why it's meaningful for them. Like I mentioned (I think) in the other thread, I started my current run with my Orioles in '66 where they did win. But they missed some opportunities in subsequent years. That plus having lots of O's legends from that period was the deciding factor to start there. What really fascinates me is how the history diverges. Joe Torres, Ralph Garr and Blue Moon Odom have been mainstays for me in recent years!

Yeah, JZ - sorry about the DH thing. I'm an American League kid at heart. Pitching duels and sac bunts are overrated.

You mentioned in the other thread about the player development system getting an overhaul. That's very possible. I'm not sure I can judge that. I still have had some players blossom, and some flame out. So I can't decide if it's better or worse than what came before. Most of my prospects seem to be coming along just fine so far.

Not only do I have Bill Buckner playing first base , but in my fifth game I'm facing the Mets and a seventeen year old Dwight Gooden:

I started as I usually do with the MLB rosters taking control of the Royals.

Things went surprisingly well in 2024:

We lost to the Guardians in the ALCS but just making the playoffs was a huge surprise. Bobby Witt Jr won the AL MVP.

Things went to shit in 2025:


Now the actual rebuild can begin.

I bought it so I could get the sale price, but Dragons Dogma 2 will steal my life away on Friday.