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somhoops · 08-19-2007, 06:50 PM

New to the message board so please forgive me if this is not the correct place to post this.

We are starting a classic 80's draft league this fall and still looking for a couple of members. We will be using the basketball computer game created by the Strat-O-Matic Game Co starting with the 1980-81 season where guys GM and coach their teams. For more info on the league inluding the constitution checkout our website (http://gcball.somhoops.com/gccba/) and if you have never heard of the game and would like to know more about it check out these sites (http://strat-o-matic.com or http://www.somhoops.com/). If interested send me an email as I would be happy to explain more about the league or the game (dakotablizzards at yahoo dot com).

Thanks for reading!

jericho · 08-20-2007, 08:51 AM

Howdy, somhoops! I'm definitely interested in concept, but will participation require actually owning the software?

somhoops · 08-20-2007, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jericho

Howdy, somhoops! I'm definitely interested in concept, but will participation require actually owning the software?

Hey Jericho - Yes, guys in the league will be required to purchase the basketball game since each coach will need to play their 41 home games during the regular season on their computer with the software. Initially the game is a little spendy. But by the time most guys spend hours and hours playing the game, setting up those "what if's", replaying your favorite team, creating your own draft league, autoplaying tons of games, or whatever other project you can dream up, it is probably one of the cheapest forms of entertainment out there.

Plus, if you were too young to watch some of these teams or players from the 80's or even earlier, it is a great tool to learn about them since the game does a good job of demonstrating the the strengths and weaknesses for teams as well as individual players. And if you were following the NBA during a particular time it is great to re-experience.

Jason

jericho · 08-20-2007, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by somhoops

Hey Jericho - Yes, guys in the league will be required to purchase the basketball game since each coach will need to play their 41 home games during the regular season on their computer with the software. Initially the game is a little spendy. But by the time most guys spend hours and hours playing the game, setting up those "what if's", replaying your favorite team, creating your own draft league, autoplaying tons of games, or whatever other project you can dream up, it is probably one of the cheapest forms of entertainment out there.

Plus, if you were too young to watch some of these teams or players from the 80's or even earlier, it is a great tool to learn about them since the game does a good job of demonstrating the the strengths and weaknesses for teams as well as individual players. And if you were following the NBA during a particular time it is great to re-experience.

Jason

Thanks, man! Well, I'll price out the game, which I've been meaning to do for a while anyway. I used to play the board game way back when, and still have one from the '76-'77 season. So that's my vintage. I watched scads of NBA throughout the '80s. I'd love to do a SOM league for the '60s, and the Holy Grail would be an inter-era SOM tournament, to see Wilt/Russell/West/Oscar/Baylor squaring off against, say, Moses/Bird/Magic/Barkley/Jordan.

jericho · 08-20-2007, 10:31 AM

Looks like it's about $50US for the software (plus shipping and handling), and another $21 for any given season.

Is your league starting with a particular season?

(I notice the game sets don't go back earlier than '70-'71...)

somhoops · 08-20-2007, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jericho

I used to play the board game way back when, and still have one from the '76-'77 season. So that's my vintage. I watched scads of NBA throughout the '80s.

Then you'll be happy to know that the computer game supports the 1976-77 season. The format to the game was changed starting with the 1980-81 season where players were given more individualized ratings. Since the computer game uses this newer format as the backbone of the game engine, the computer will play a little different than the 76-77game you have. But I think you will pickup the newer format rather quickly and like most will enjoy it even more.

Has anyone else out there played Strat-O-Matic basketball in the past or any other similar stat-based games?

somhoops · 08-20-2007, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jericho

Looks like it's about $50US for the software (plus shipping and handling), and another $21 for any given season. Is your league starting with a particular season? (I notice the game sets don't go back earlier than '70-'71...)

Sounds about right for the game. It's a little more if you purchase the card-image-option which allows you to view the cards for the board game. Not necessary but a great scouting tool and good if you want to learn the board game too (sort of two games in one). Keep in mind there are discounts per season (starts at $1, then $2, ect off each disk) when you buy 3+ seasons. The GCCBA, our classic 80's startup draft league, is starting with the 1980-81 season. The GCBA, our current startup draft league, will use the 2006-07 season which is included with the game for the price you quoted.

This fall both the 1981-82 and 1987-88 seasons will be available for the game and then all seasons from 1980-81 to the 2006-07 season will be available for the computer plus 5 seasons from the 1970's (70-71, 72-73, 73-74, 75-76, 76-77). In another couple of years these missing seasons will be available and then hopefully the game company will continue on with seasons from the 1960's where we will get some of the all time greats that you mentioned.

As more seasons from the 1970's are available (particuarly 1971-72) we will be adding our Retro 70's draft league to our alliance of basketball leagues. We also hope to start a league using real teams and replaying an entire season. We also hope to start an ABA league and a Vintage 60's league down the road though that will probably be a while before these seasons are available.

BadBaronRudigor · 08-21-2007, 03:29 PM

Actually, can do much the same online at www.whatifsports.com without having to buy separate software for each season. . . a really fun site that I have recommended to people before . . . and no, I don't have any stake in it, just like the site.

somhoops · 08-21-2007, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BadBaronRudigor

Actually, can do much the same online at www.whatifsports.com without having to buy separate software for each season. . . a really fun site that I have recommended to people before . . . and no, I don't have any stake in it, just like the site.

Thanks for the post. Yes, WhatIfSports is a great site as it allows you to match up teams giving you an outcome. Have a good friend that plays in leagues and he really likes it.

Like you, BadBaron, I don't have any stake in the Strat-O-Matic game company. About the only thing I get from the company as more guys play the game is better support with the game (more options enhancements, past seasons). Been playing it since I was a kid when it was just a table-top game (cards & dice) but play predominately on the computer now. The big difference with Strat basketball is you not only get to GM like with WhatIfSports but you also get to coach the games. The game is statistical based game but there are plenty of decision you decide as coach: fastbreak or slow down the game, who you want positioned inside/outside, which types of shots you'd prefer your players to take within their shot tendencies, do you double-team your opponents top gun iinside stud or sag off on their shooters, or how many points down in the fourth before you decide to employ the press with a chance to get some turnovers though with also a chance of picking up fouls putting your opponent in the bonus. These are just a few of the decisions you will make as the coach in this game where your game strategy that will decide a win or loss.

jericho · 08-22-2007, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BadBaronRudigor

Actually, can do much the same online at www.whatifsports.com without having to buy separate software for each season. . . a really fun site that I have recommended to people before . . . and no, I don't have any stake in it, just like the site.

It is indeed a fun site, although the simulations are mildly frustrating. If I'm matching up, say, the 1960 Celtics against the 1993 Bulls, I don't end up with the sense that the two teams actually played in the same game. What I see is what looks like a random generation of typical statistics for each team.

For example, the Celtics will pull down 70-80 rebounds consistently, and the Bulls 45-50. This is obviously a function of the difference between eras, but it doesn't suggest to me that there are underlying algorithms really gauging how these two squads (with their respective strengths and different styles of play) would match up. Those Celtics teams obviously rebounded extremely well, and could very well out-rebound the Bulls--but not at that ridiculous rate.

So while the simulations are fun and I'll certainly keep horsing around with them, they don't seem sophisticated enough to give me any satisfying insight into what what really happen if we could match prime Barry against Bird, Baylor against Lebron, or Kareem against Shaquille.

(Sorry, Jason, I don't mean to hijack the thread.)

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