FanGraphs.com 2012 Org Rankings

FanGraphs.com is doing its annual ranking of the organizations in Major League Baseball. I thought I would make some star plots. This year I'm going to try doing the plots a little differently.

Final Fantasy Tactics Version .75

New version available here for download. This basic C++ version of Final Fantasy Tactics tries to faithfully follow the game's mechanics using minimal graphics.

-- Tips on How to Play --

• Three text files will be generated in the folder that you keep the game. Open these text files to see the map, the Active Turn Menu, and the Player Stats menu. The game will update these files after/during every turn but you cannot see changes until you close them and open them up again.
• To play against someone, you'll have to use the share screen feature on Skype (free to use) or some other screen sharing service.
• For further understanding of the game's abilities use Aerostar's Battle Mechanics Guide.

3/13/12 Game Notes:

• Added quick start feature for faster character selection.
• Tested and refined reaction, support, and movement abilities.
• Added weapon status effects and elemental effects.
• Added collision effects to ranged weapons, throw etc.
• Players can no longer move past enemies.
• Added Berserk and Confusion AI.

New Final Fantasy Tactics Version

Updated version available here. 

Notes:

• All classes implemented
• Most class abilities tested
• All reaction/support/movement abilities implemented
• All equipment in the game
• 2 vs. 2

Final Fantasy Tactics in C++

I learned how to program in C++ recently. I thought it would be interesting to try to recreate the PlayStation game Final Fantasy Tactics in its most basic form. Click here to download it to give the beta version a try.

The graphics are incredibly basic but the mechanics are solid and faithfully try to follow the game's mechanics. I have most of the classes and abilities implemented but still need to do a lot of testing on them.

2011 NFL Playoffs: Are the Patriots Better Off as a #1 or #2 Seed?

I'm a fan of the New England Patriots. During the past few weeks it became clear that the Patriots were going to be in the NFL playoffs as either the #1 or #2 seed. I've heard opinions expressed both ways as to which seed is preferable. Some argued that the #1 seed is better as it means home field advantage throughout the playoffs while others argued that the #2 seed was preferable as the Patriots would likely avoid playing the strong #5 seed in the 2nd round (Baltimore or Pittsburgh) followed by playing the #2 seed in the 3rd round (Baltimore or Pittsburgh). So do the Patriots have a better chance of making the Super Bowl being the #1 or #2 seed?

NBA Amnesty Clause: Best Amnesty Targets

The rules of the new CBA make my prior analysis of the amnesty clause mostly moot. As detailed in my last post, the new rules place a greater emphasis on saving the amnesty cut rather than using it right away. The amnesty provision is best used in order to either (1) clear cap space to make a free agent signing or (2) get under the luxury tax line--thus saving money and taking advantage of the rules favorable to teams under the tax line. Enough of the theorizing, what decision should each team make?

NBA Amnesty Clause Revisited

With the outline of the new NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement agreed to here's another look at which teams should amnesty which players. The new amnesty rules are:

• Each team can waive one player currently on the team and under contract prior to any season. It can be used only one time but can be used in any of the next six years of the CBA. The player must have been on that team's roster when the CBA was agreed to (ie you cannot trade for a player and then amnesty him or sign a new player and then amnesty him in a few years).
• The amnesty'd player's entire salary does not count against the Luxury Tax or the Salary Cap. The team still must pay the player's entire salary.

In my next post I will get into which teams should cut which players and which teams should save their amnesty option for a later date. This post will discuss why teams would want to amnesty a player. Reasons to amnesty a player: