Software:Interplay Sports Baseball Edition 2000

From HandWiki
Short description: 1999 baseball video game
Interplay Sports Baseball Edition 2000
Developer(s)Interplay Sports
Publisher(s)Interplay Entertainment
Platform(s)PlayStation, Microsoft Windows
Release
  • NA: March 31, 1999[1]
  • EU: November 1999 (PC)
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single player, multiplayer

Interplay Sports Baseball Edition 2000 is a baseball video game developed and published by Interplay Entertainment for PlayStation (as Interplay Sports Baseball 2000) and Microsoft Windows in 1999.[2][3] This is the first game released after the developer changed its name from VR Sports to Interplay Sports.[4]

Gameplay

The game uses motion capture of the baseball players, including their stretches. The bottom of the screen has statistics from 1998 baseball games in a format similar to real television. The gameplay is similar to VR Baseball '99, but with an improvement to the 3D graphics. People have an option to design their players.[2] The modes are exhibition, season, tournament, playoffs, and home run derby. Players can be traded and team lineups can be changed. The voice of the announcer, the audience, and sound effects are presented in Dolby surround sound.[5] The pitch speeds are slow, medium, or fast.[4] Mike Carlucci voices the announcer and he had the same role in the video game MLB 2000.[6] The game used one public-address announcer during a time that its competitors were switching to two commentators as featured on real baseball game broadcasts.[6][7]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
PCPS
AllGameStarStar[10]StarStarStar[6]
CGSPStarStar[4]N/A
CGWStarHalf star[11]N/A
EGMN/A5/10[12][lower-alpha 1]
Game InformerN/A5/10[13]
GameFanN/A85%[14][lower-alpha 2]
GameSpot5.5/10[15]4.9/10[5]
IGN5/10[16]8.4/10[17]
OPM (US)N/AStarStar[18]
PC Gamer (US)34%[20]N/A
Aggregate score
GameRankings51%[8]65%[9]

The game received mixed reviews on both platforms according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[8][9]

Ryan MacDonald of GameSpot said of the PlayStation release, "Baseball 2000 feels, plays, and looks just the way its name sounds: generic. The game fails to offer anything innovative in any category."[5] Game Informer, in a review of said console version, said, "The stadiums and player models are fairly decent, but we couldn't help but be frustrated and disappointed with the game as a whole."[13] Air Hendrix of GamePro said that the "sim-style action" of the same console version "makes for the kind of ballpark that could appeal to hardcore baseball fans looking for a realistic game, especially if Triple Play 2000's glamorous homerfest turned you off and MLB 2000 didn't strike your fancy. However, this diamond's definitely still in the rough, and many gamers won't be patient enough to tolerate its shortcomings. Rent it before you shell out for a full-price admission."[21][lower-alpha 3]

Michael E. Ryan of GameSpot said of the PC release, "Of all the baseball games on the market, Interplay's VR Baseball series has consistently been one of the most promising and most disappointing."[15] AllGame said that the PC version's visuals are "stunning", but that it is "simply a bad game".[10] PC Gamer wrote, "Easily the worst of this year's crop of baseball games."[20] Joel Strauch of GamePro said that the same PC version featured "a lot of creative extras, including a tournament mode in which players can draft their own all-star team and create a player to see how your guy stacks up against the pro--both in games and in the leader board in the Home Run Derby. But, then again, these extras--and the realistically reproduced players and stadiums--can't keep Baseball Edition 2000 from being more than a minor league hit."[22][lower-alpha 4]

Notes

  1. In Electronic Gaming Monthly's review of the PlayStation version, one critic gave it a score of 5.5/10, two critics gave it each a score of 5/10, and the other gave it 4/10.
  2. In GameFan's viewpoint of the PlayStation version, one critic gave it a score of 89, and the other 80.
  3. GamePro gave the PlayStation version two 4/5 scores for graphics and control, and two 3.5/5 scores for sound and fun factor.
  4. GamePro gave the PC version 4/5 for graphics, two 2.5/5 scores for sound and fun factor, and 3/5 for control.

References

  1. GameSpot staff (March 31, 1999). "Interplay Opens Baseball Season [date mislabeled as "April 27, 2000""]. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on February 29, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20000229172509/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_03/31_pc_ibasev/index.html. Retrieved November 16, 2020. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Previews: Interplay [Sports] Baseball 2000". PSM (Imagine Media) (20): 49. April 1999. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 Yang, S. Jae (October 19, 1999). "Play-Off Fever (Baseball Edition 2000)". PC Magazine (Ziff Davis) 18 (18): 215–16. ISSN 0888-8507. https://books.google.com/books?id=FqDGJj2foBIC&pg=PA215. Retrieved December 26, 2021. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Abner, Will (May 11, 1999). "Baseball Edition 2000". Strategy Plus, Inc.. Archived from the original on June 27, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030627154746/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/019/134/bb2k_review.html. Retrieved October 4, 2020. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 MacDonald, Ryan (April 14, 1999). "[Interplay Sports Baseball 2000 [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000"]"]. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on October 22, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20041022024622/http://www.gamespot.com/ps/sports/baseball2000/review.html. Retrieved October 4, 2020. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Marriott, Scott Alan. "Interplay Sports Baseball 2000 - Review". All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141115232615/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=16394&tab=review. Retrieved October 4, 2020. 
  7. Wertz Jr., Langston (April 29, 1999). "'Triple Play 2000' tops in digital field of dreams". The Charlotte Observer (Chatham Asset Management): p. 4D. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/91637520/the-charlotte-observer/. Retrieved January 2, 2022. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 "[Interplay Sports Baseball Edition 2000 for PC"]. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 11, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190511104148/https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/196700-baseball-edition-2000/index.html. Retrieved October 4, 2020. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 "Interplay Sports Baseball 2000 for PlayStation". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 1, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190101191605/https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/196699-interplay-sports-baseball-2000/index.html. Retrieved October 4, 2020. 
  10. 10.0 10.1 Shif, Gil Alexander. "Interplay Sports Baseball Edition 2000 - Review". All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141116100559/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=18856&tab=review. Retrieved October 4, 2020. 
  11. Todd, Brett (August 1999). "No Hitter (Interplay Sports Baseball Edition 2000 Review)". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (181): 142. 
  12. Ricciardi, John; Hager, Dean; Boyer, Crispin; Williams, Ken "Sushi-X" (June 1999). "[Interplay Sports] Baseball 2000". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (119): 132. 
  13. 13.0 13.1 "Interplay Sports Baseball 2000". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (74). June 1999. Archived from the original on June 5, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20000605184827/http://gameinformer.com/reviews/review_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=4621. Retrieved October 4, 2020. 
  14. Higgins, Geoff "El Nino"; Jacques Strap (June 1999). "[Interplay Sports] Baseball 2000". GameFan (Shinno Media) 7 (6): 72. 
  15. 15.0 15.1 Ryan, Michael E. (June 10, 1999). "[Interplay Sports Baseball Edition 2000 Review [date mislabeled as "May 1, 2000"]"]. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on December 12, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20041212212946/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/sports/baseballedition2000/review.html. Retrieved October 4, 2020. 
  16. Bates, Jason (May 7, 1999). "Interplay [Sports Baseball [Edition] 2000"]. Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/05/08/interplay-baseball-2000. Retrieved October 4, 2020. 
  17. Perry, Douglass C. (March 30, 1999). "Interplay Sports Baseball 2000". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/03/31/interplay-sports-baseball-2000. Retrieved October 4, 2020. 
  18. Kujawa, Kraig (June 2000). "[Interplay Sports] Baseball 2000". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) 2 (9): 96. 
  19. PCA staff (July 1999). "[Interplay Sports] Baseball Edition 2000". PC Accelerator (Imagine Media) (11): 92. 
  20. 20.0 20.1 "[Interplay Sports Baseball Edition 2000"]. PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 6 (8). August 1999. Archived from the original on March 8, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20000308152939/http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/1368.html. Retrieved October 4, 2020. 
  21. Air Hendrix (May 1999). "[Interplay Sports Baseball 2000 Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com"]. GamePro (IDG Entertainment) (128). Archived from the original on September 28, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20040928130248/http://www.gamepro.com/sony/psx/games/reviews/52.shtml. Retrieved October 4, 2020. 
  22. Strauch, Joel (1999). "[Interplay Sports Baseball Edition 2000 Review for PC on GamePro.com"]. GamePro (IDG Entertainment). Archived from the original on January 20, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050120205747/http://www.gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/661.shtml. Retrieved October 4, 2020. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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