Off Topic: Front Office Football 7.0 Now available!

Grim.Reaper · July 24, 2013, 08:38:25 PM

I know off topic from typical war games, but have seen people post about wanting American Football text game....as many know, the king has been Front Office Football, but there hasn't been an upgrade release in years...some thought it was dead......but.....just saw this thread that says version 7.0 is coming out in November 2013....no idea what will be new about it, but some kind of interview on July 30th. Very excited about this, especially if they were able to improve the spreadsheet feel of the game, plus remove some of the tedious setup...we'll see.

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=87361

Steelgrave · July 24, 2013, 08:53:29 PM

Thanks! That goes on my radar.

Nefaro · July 24, 2013, 10:49:45 PM

Awesome!

Last I checked the developer's posts, he was off trying to publish a new tabletop football game, saying he was sick of coding at the time and had some stuff to deal with in his life. It was looking grim.

This is unexpectedly wonderful news. 8)

Arctic Blast · July 25, 2013, 12:29:49 AM

From that thread :

QuoteThanks, Ben, for setting this up.

We'll have a mechanism for people to ask some questions before the chat.

I'll begin by presenting a general outline of the feature set for FOF7. While I have at least 20 pages of outline material, since I'm not yet in alpha and some of the pieces of new development are 3-4 years old and not yet heavily tested, I don't want to present details that might not make the final cut.

Then I'll answer the questions asked beforehand. Afterward, I'll take new questions for a while.

As far as timeline, since that will obviously be the first question asked... I'd like to get this out in November, but testing can uncover problems and I don't know how the new game will be published. While I'd love to have it on Steam, I don't think it's necessarily a game they'd be interested in publishing.

Not yet in Alpha, no finalized list of features yet and you want to be releasing in November?! Color me skeptical about him making that date.

Still excited, though!

vyshka · July 25, 2013, 02:02:12 AM

It will be interesting to see what he comes up with. I've enjoyed the earlier versions when I played them.

What I'd really like though is for my beloved Front Page Sports: Football to come back. :'(

Nefaro · July 25, 2013, 03:24:35 AM

Quote from: Arctic Blast on July 25, 2013, 12:29:49 AM

Not yet in Alpha, no finalized list of features yet and you want to be releasing in November?! Color me skeptical about him making that date.

Still excited, though!

I thought so too. However, I wouldn't be surprised if he just modifies FOF2k7 instead of starting from scratch. Still probably too optimistic with the time but programmers always are.

I'd definitely like to see the percentage-based AI play calling ditched, if nothing else. I'm pretty sure he mentioned that as being a weak spot that he'd like to change, in the past. Sure, there's going to be some random 'rolls' involved in AI play calling but the spreadsheet table interface, that the players see, needs to be changed.

Grim.Reaper · July 25, 2013, 05:11:52 AM

Not really worried about the date, I am just excited he is doing another version, if even later. He seems to come through and maybe he has been hiding status from us all along:)

KyzBP · July 25, 2013, 06:29:16 AM

Quote from: vyshka on July 25, 2013, 02:02:12 AM
It will be interesting to see what he comes up with. I've enjoyed the earlier versions when I played them.

What I'd really like though is for my beloved Front Page Sports: Football to come back. :'(

+1!

I've always hoped that Sports Interactive (Football Manager fame) would make an American Football Manager game. If I ever find a Genie in a bottle that will be one of my wishes.

Nefaro · July 25, 2013, 09:21:46 AM

Quote from: KyzBP on July 25, 2013, 06:29:16 AM
Quote from: vyshka on July 25, 2013, 02:02:12 AM
It will be interesting to see what he comes up with. I've enjoyed the earlier versions when I played them.

What I'd really like though is for my beloved Front Page Sports: Football to come back. :'(

+1!

I've always hoped that Sports Interactive (Football Manager fame) would make an American Football Manager game. If I ever find a Genie in a bottle that will be one of my wishes.

I don't think they ever have, so we can probably assume they never will. They did make some hockey one(s) years ago, though, and that sport plays similar to soccer so it may eventually happen.

As for Solecismic's upcoming one - I hope the guy can get a good distribution method or publisher who doesn't push that online activation DRM.

Grim.Reaper · July 30, 2013, 06:14:35 PM

Just a reminder that tonight at 7:30 eastern, they will be having a chat session with the developer where hopefully he will unveil the plans.....happening through IRC chat

SERVER: irc.gamesurge.net
ROOM: #FOFC

It will be interesting learning how much of improvement it will be.....

Nefaro · July 30, 2013, 08:52:06 PM

I'm sure there will be plenty FOF'ers there to interrogate.

They gonna post the notes on that fan forum?

Grim.Reaper · July 30, 2013, 09:04:34 PM

Link to chat log...some interesting stuff....not sure if earth shattering, but nice changes and will be instant buy regardless....

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=87401

CptHowdy · July 30, 2013, 10:35:03 PM

"While I'd love to have it on Steam, I don't think it's necessarily a game they'd be interested in publishing"

i guess this guy hasnt visited steam lately. they got so much crap on there not even sure why they have greenlight anymore. already have SAT for playing football games but would love to have something that simulates the front office.

Grim.Reaper · July 30, 2013, 10:50:24 PM

Quote from: CptHowdy on July 30, 2013, 10:35:03 PM
"While I'd love to have it on Steam, I don't think it's necessarily a game they'd be interested in publishing"

i guess this guy hasnt visited steam lately. they got so much crap on there not even sure why they have greenlight anymore. already have SAT for playing football games but would love to have something that simulates the front office.

I would be stunned if it ever made it to Steam....I would love it, but the game just feels way too old and they have zero plans to upgrade it, even if the actual game is better than most on Steam. Plus, likely a very small audience compared to everything else they push. The one thing I was hoping they would make easier and streamline was the game planning, but seems like that isn't getting much attention. Very tedious to put a full game plan in for every imaginable situation. I would prefer my schemes to be based on my coaches with some very high level input from me. I don't want to anticipate what I would do in the 3rd qtr, when the ball is on my 30 yard line and I have 10 yards to go for a first down.....way too many situations for me to think about:)

vyshka · July 31, 2013, 04:15:22 AM

Quote from: Nefaro on July 25, 2013, 09:21:46 AM
Quote from: KyzBP on July 25, 2013, 06:29:16 AM
Quote from: vyshka on July 25, 2013, 02:02:12 AM
It will be interesting to see what he comes up with. I've enjoyed the earlier versions when I played them.

What I'd really like though is for my beloved Front Page Sports: Football to come back. :'(

+1!

I've always hoped that Sports Interactive (Football Manager fame) would make an American Football Manager game. If I ever find a Genie in a bottle that will be one of my wishes.

I don't think they ever have, so we can probably assume they never will. They did make some hockey one(s) years ago, though, and that sport plays similar to soccer so it may eventually happen.

As for Solecismic's upcoming one - I hope the guy can get a good distribution method or publisher who doesn't push that online activation DRM.

They didn't make Eastside Hockey Manager so much as bring it into the fold, like they did with OOTP Baseball for a spell.