Baseball Mogul 2004 Frequently Asked Questions
Troubleshooting
If you are having difficulties with
the Baseball
Mogul 2004 CD-ROM game, or with the Baseball
Mogul 2004 Demo please see if your problem is answered in the
list below.
Player Databases / Photos
Sports Mogul Inc.
Feature Help
If you are confused about how a feature
works in Baseball Mogul, click the Help button on the appropriate
screen, or use the 'Help' menu.
If that doesn't answer your question,
check the updated
help files.
Baseball Mogul 2003
Click here for the Baseball
Mogul 2003 FAQ.
Q: I bought
the new version and installed it, but it looks like I am still running
the demo version.
A: Unfortunately, you ARE still running
the demo version. There is a bug with InstallShield that doesn't
install the full game over the demo. You need to do the following
(in this order):
- Uninstall BB2K4 (from Start -> Settings -> Control Panel
-> Add/Remove Programs)
- Uninstall BB2K4 demo
- Reinstall BB2K4
We're sorry for the inconvenience.
The good news is that InstallShield does NOT erase saved game files
when uninstalling. We are searching for a solution that will prevent
this in the future.
Q: How
do I transfer saved game files between computers?
A: The saved game files are
stored in files with the ".mog" extension in the same
folder as BB2K4.exe.
By default, this is c:\program
files\sports mogul\baseball 2004\
In Version 6.1.0.0 and later, you
can automatically open the Baseball Mogul folder by selecting 'Open
Game Folder' from the Help Menu.
(To find out which version you have,
select 'About Baseball Mogul' from the Help Menu).
Q: Where
do I find a player database with updated rosters and/or salaries?
A: This
is the thread for any new updates and discussion of the creation
of new player databases:
http://www.sportsmogul.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php3?s=&forumid=1395
Most new roster updates are created
by other Baseball Mogul users who use the editing tools supplied
with Baseball Mogul. These files are generally supplied as a .mog
or .dat file.
You can create your own roster update
by Resuming a .mog file, turning on Commissioner Mode (under Tools
-> Options), editing player information, then saving the game
file.
Once you have created or downloaded
a new .mog or .dat file, rename the file to 'Universe.dat' (writing
over your current Universe.dat file in the Baseball Mogul directory).
Then, to use this database when you start the game, select 'Don't
Load Stats' from the initial dialog box.
Q:
I get an error message when I try to install the Demo. It tells
me that it can't find the file instmsia.exe or instmsiw.exe. What
does this mean?
A: Microsoft updated their
installation program after they released Windows 98. Our demo requires
that you have the updated installer. We do not include it in the
download, because it doubles the size of the download, and because
most users have already installed the latest Windows installer.
If you get this error message, you
can download a free upgrade file, and run it to update your Windows
installer. Then run the Baseball Mogul 2004 Demo Installer again,
and it should work.
You can read more about the installer
at the Microsoft website:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q305496
Here are links to a 1.4 MB download.
PLEASE NOTE: This software is created and provided by Microsoft,
and Sports Mogul Inc. cannot guarantee its effectiveness or compatibility
with your computer.
If you have Windows 95/98/Me download
this:
http://www.sportsmogul.com/demo/instmsia.exe
If you have Windows NT 4.x download
this:
http://www.sportsmogul.com/demo/instmsiw.exe
After downloading, run the program.
Then re-run the Baseball Mogul Demo installer.
Q:
I am unable to get the CD-ROM Installer to work properly. Is there
another way to install the game?
A: You can manually copy the
contents of the Baseball Mogul 2004 CD-ROM directly to your computer,
and the game will work. This bypasses the installation program.
Follow these steps:
- Open "My Computer".
- Open the CD-ROM (you may need
to right-click and choose "Open" to prevent the install
process from automatically starting).
- Open the folder "Program
Files".
- Open the folder "Sports
Mogul".
- Select the folder "Baseball
2004" and type Ctrl-C (Copy).
- Go back to "My Computer".
- Open the C drive.
- Open the "Program Files"
folder (Click to View the Contents if you need to).
- Open the "Sports Mogul"
folder if you have one. Otherwise, Create a new
folder and call it "Sports Mogul", then open it.
- Type Ctrl-V (Paste) to paste
the files from the CD-ROM into the Sports Mogul folder.
This should copy all the files
over. You will still need to create a shortcut to play the game.
You can put the shortcut on your desktop, or in your start menu,
or in your taskbar, as desired.
Note: These instructions may vary
slightly by computer, depending on what version of Windows you
are running.
Q: I
originally downloaded Baseball Mogul 2004 from Sports Mogul. My
hard drive has crashed and I need to re-download the game. How can
I do this?
A: Contact support from out
Support Page for assistance. Please include
your full name and order number (should start with 'MSW', followed
by 6 digits) if possible.
Q: When I play
Baseball Mogul 2004, I can play normally for a while, but then the
game hangs and I can't get it to continue. What should I do?
A: Some users have reported
having this problem if they get too many old game recaps and box
scores saved on their hard drive. To solve this problem, please
try the following:
- Go to the League menu and choose
"Options..."
- Check the box for "Delete
Box Scores and Recaps Every Season"
If this does not solve the problem,
then try turning off some of the other features, too
- Go to the League menu and choose
"Options..."
- Check the box for "Delete
Box Scores and Recaps Every Season"
- Uncheck the boxes for Save Box
Scores for Humans and Computers
- Uncheck the boxes for Save Game
Recaps for humans and Computers
- Uncheck all the boxes for Automatic
Text Output
- Uncheck "Check the web for
updates"
- Uncheck "Auto-Save"
You also might need to delete the
old output by hand. To do this, go to the following folders, and
delete all the files inside:
- C:/Program Files/Sports Mogul/Baseball
2004/Box Scores
- C:/Program Files/Sports Mogul/Baseball
2004/Recaps
Q: How do
I import photos from Baseball Mogul 2003 into Baseball Mogul 2004?
A: If
you own both Baseball Mogul 2003 and Baseball Mogul 2004 and would
like to add the player photos from Baseball Mogul 2003 to your installation
of Baseball Mogul 2004, follow these steps (this assumes you have
installed both games to the default directories):
- Open "My Computer".
-
Open the C drive (by double-clicking on it).
- Open the folder "Program
Files".
- Open the folder "Sports
Mogul".
- Open the folder "Baseball
2003".
- Select the folder "Photos"
and type Ctrl-C (Copy).
- Go back to the "Sports Mogul"
folder (by clicking the yellow 'folder' icon with an arrow next
to it).
- Open the folder "Baseball
2004".
- Type Ctrl-V (Paste) to paste the
files from Baseball Mogul 2003 into Baseball Mogul 2004.
- Run Baseball Mogul 2004 normally.
Note that only version 6.0.1.0
or later of Baseball Mogul 2004 will display these photos. If
you have version 6.0.0.0, you should install
the newest patch.
(To find out which version you have,
select 'About Baseball Mogul' from the Help Menu).
Q:
Baseball Mogul plays a round-robin to resolve a three-way tie for
the playoffs. Is this right?
A:
In a word: no. Major League Baseball uses a one-game playoff to
resolve three-way ties, with the loser going home. In Baseball Mogul,
I chose to implement a round robin because it is more fair to the
teams involved. Jayson Stark and many MLB GM's agree with my view
on the subject (http://espn.go.com/mlb/columns/stark/grumblings/767892.html).
Nevertheless, we do expect to change this code to the official MLB
format at some point in the future.
Q: How
do I set my lineup for interleague play? For example, if I play
an NL team, how do I specify who my DH will be against AL teams?
Baseball Mogul and
Baseball Mogul Online don't currently support the ability to set
and record separate lineups for DH and non-DH play. You are in charge
of setting the default lineup for play within your league, and the
computer modifies this lineup as follows for Interleague Play:
1) When converting from a DH lineup to one without a DH, the computer
simply removes the DH from your lineup, moves everyone down to fill
the gap, and
bats the pitcher in the #9 spot.
Example:
Before: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (DH), 6, 7, 8, 9
After: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, [Pitcher Slot]
2) When converting from a non-DH lineup to one with a DH, the computer
uses the first hitter on your bench, and decides the best place
in the lineup for
him, based on the rest of your lineup (this is usually around the
#6 batter) and then moves the rest of your lineup down to fill out
the remaining spots.
Example:
Before: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, [Pitcher Slot]
After: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, DH, 6, 7, 8
Q: How does
Baseball Mogul load data from the Lahman Baseball Database?
Here's how Baseball Mogul 2004 creates
player databases:
For years BEFORE the current season
(e.g. pre-2003), Baseball Mogul looks in the Lahman Baseball Database
to find where each player was at the start of that season. It then
loads all career stats leading up to that season.
Because the season hadn't been played
at the time we shipped the game, the Lahman Database doesn't include
any stats for the current season (2003). Therefore, when starting
in 2003:
1. Baseball Mogul loads the 2002
stats and puts players on the team they were with at the END of
the 2002 season.
(IMPORTANT NOTE: There is a bug in
6.03 and earlier that puts players on the team they were with at
the BEGINNING of the 2002 season. This is fixed in 6.04 and later
patches. This addresses players such as Kenny Lofton and Ted
Lilly being on the wrong teams).
2. Then, to accomodate off-season
transactions, Baseball Mogul loads a file called Rosters.csv from
the Lahman50-csv folder. If a player's name is listed for a team,
he is moved to that team.
If a player is on the wrong team,
you can edit the Rosters.csv file and Mogul will do the work of
moving the players (also, you can share this Rosters.csv with others
without the trouble of editing the Lahman data or creating a new
Universe.dat file).
We created the Rosters.csv file by
hand around February 10 (when we shipped the CD for publication).
This list is somewhat out-of-date, and somewhat incomplete. Check
this thread for updated player databases (.mog and .dat) and
roster files (.csv).
As for salaries and contracts, I
chose this year to switch from "real" salaries to calculated
salaries. In other words, players are paid what Mogul THINKS they
should be paid (based on stats, ratings, age, etc.), not what they
are actually paid. From a technical angle, we didn't have 103 years
of salary and contract data, so we had to implement a solution where
Baseball Mogul assigned appropriate salaries. Also, I felt that
this would improve game play. It's frustrating to take over a team
that has three overpaid over-the-hill sluggers on the bench and
you can't find any team that will take their contracts off your
hands.
If you can't find a suitable database
and wish to edit the player salaries yourself, the best site I have
found for current contract data is here:
http://www.bluemanc.demon.co.uk/baseball/mlbcontracts.htm
The best site I know of for historical
salary data is here:
http://www.roadsidephotos.com/baseball/data.htm
Again, please visit this
forum for updated discussions about player databases.
Q: Are you
currently working on Hockey Mogul? Basketball Mogul?
A:
Not really. Our highest priorities right now are Football Mogul,
Baseball Mogul, and Baseball Mogul Online. We would very much like
to develop Basketball Mogul or Hockey Mogul, and have begun work
on each, but neither project makes a lot of sense without the support
of a reliable software publisher. If we have any news, we'll let
you know.
Q: I have
a great idea for a new game! What do you recommend?
A:
I have been making computer games since the 1970s, and professionally
for the last 10 years. My first recommendation is to not waste much
time pitching an "idea" to game companies. They have more
ideas than they know what to do with. What they want to see are
game prototypes or demos, and an experienced team that can bring
the game to completion.
If your game is similar in scope
to something like the first Baseball Mogul (i.e. a development budget
of $100,000 or less), you should find a way to get the game up and
running on your own, and probably self-publishing (like we did with
our first version). We are big fans of Software
Completions as a company that helps warehouse and sell software.
We are not big fans of Softwrap.
If your game idea needs a larger
budget, you should probably get some game industry experience and
contacts first. Gamasutra
is a good place to start.
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