National Pastime Next Generation
NPNG and NPNG+ are owned and sold by GM Innovations LLC. Though this is a relatively new venture, NPNG is a result of desktop gaming experience since 1962. The main purposes of NPNG is to promote the great national pastime sport of professional baseball and also to promote the great hobby of tabletop baseball. I've played several different tabletop games over those years. I also read magazines related to some of those games and listened intently to what others were saying that they would like to see changed or added to their favorite game. A lot of great innovations have come about because of the fans. I was hoping that some of my innovations as well as some from those fans would be added to my game. As years went on, some updates were done by the company but most weren't. No game is perfect for everybody and some companies are restricted somewhat because they don't want to add too much to a lower level game that might cause it to "walk over" the more involved game. I don't have to tell you that the Internet has only increased contact with other gamers, their wants, their ways of solving a problem or omission.
I need to first say thanks to Clifford Van Beek's for his "National Pastime" game. What a great effort that game was -- released back around 1931. Mr. Van Beek was a true pioneer. The game was simple, yet powerful. I wanted to keep this game's playability in NPNG and NPNG+.
Next, I would like to thank the fan innovators over the years. Some of the additions to NPNG are a result (not a direct copy) of some of those classic innovations. I hope we have more of you playing NPNG and telling of your innovations for it. I do promise to listen and allow NPNG to grow as time goes on. NPNG+ is definitely part of this growth.
I am a computer oriented person. I do not promise a computer version of NPNG - but that would be cool. NPNG has been created through the use of spreadsheets and extensive computer modeling to verify statistical accuracy. I do not wish to discuss my methods or formulas to create NPNG or NPNG+. Many, you will figure out because I try to stay logical, complete but simple.
If you see errors in any charts or other NPNG or NPNG+ materials, please let me know so that I can correct it.
I've designed the game parts the way I like game parts. I tried to make the fonts large enough for all to read which of course changed the way the boards had to be designed. I also paid close attention to fonts and colors. I have almost always laminated my main game boards.
I like to have ALL players available when I play and I like to have them based on exactly what they generated for each particular team -- thus multiple cards for players who played on more than one team. It makes for larger cards sets but I think it is well worth it.
I wanted better fielding results and I wanted to differentiate between errors and range. This is not an exact science of course but I was very happy with the results. Actually it's rather exciting to roll a second time occasionally to see if a fielder makes the play or commits an error. I also like outfielders being rated in those positions they actually played -- errors, range and arm for each position.
I've always wanted the playability of National Pastime game but also desired to blend the pitcher's ability with the batter's ability. That's exactly what NPNG / NPNG+ do. If you take the actual grade ranges available, add the nine strikeout and control ratings, factor in the Pitcher's PHR and remember that each pitcher is rated on his performance against both left handed batters and right handed batters, you have quite a range of pitcher ratings now. In addition, six additional play result numbers were added to the end of each board that allows walks and hit by pitches to be fine-tuned. (You'll also read elsewhere on this web site why I feel the lefty - righty matchups are so important.)
I felt strongly about giving batters separate hit and run, bunt for a hit and sacrifice ratings based on stats. Some seasons will not have the stats to provide all of these. But many seasons do and the bunt success rates are more in line with actual.
I don't like to downgrade players for lack of playing time and I don't like to "guess what might have been". For the most part, I've avoided this. However, not everyone appears at the plate and in order to provide a batting card (in case you get into a position of needing it), I've given a rather standard hitting card (with low yields) to those who didn't bat.
Thanks for your interest in NPNG and NPNG+.
Enjoy,
Bill