The Show Moving Forward
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This will be a long post.
I'm not sure what the majority of people feel like when it comes to The Show, but I'd be interested to hear some honest opinions and constructive criticism at this point. Don't just throw at the same complaining posts about gameplay mechanics, but honest feedback of where you're at with the game when it comes to modes and ways to play.
I've been playing The Show since '08 and mostly enjoyed the game over the years. I am an avid baseball fan and at this point in my life, would not consider myself a gamer per se. I don't buy all the newest games each year and really only play The Show. I may buy a game that looks interesting, but it's typically multiple years after it comes out. I say all this because I'm getting to the point where The Show just feels stale.
'15-'17 had me hooked with online franchise, but as this mode was phased out I jumped into DD. I played '17 until '18 came out and thought DD was a lot of fun, but I had only played it from roughly December until '18's release. '18 was strictly DD since Online Franchise was gone and the mode just became stale by November and I didn't play The Show again until '19 came out. '19 has basically been the same for me. I've played some in December and January, but it's just lost it's fun factor. Content has been fantastic, but the actual game feels like it's lacking a fun factor at this point. Here's where I feel like the game could improve, but I just don't have the faith that any of this will happen based on the trends.
Offline Modes:
MTO was a cool addition, but with the lack of playing multiple seasons the same style and getting to bring up and develop young "real" players basically made it a one time play and done mode. If the MTO style was put into offline franchise, I think it'd be a breath of fresh air.That leads to franchise mode as a whole. The mode has essentially been untouched for years. Yes, they've tweaked the look and feel of the menus and ways to make it go faster, but in some ways it feels less involved and more confusing than in the past. Not to mention the lack of being able to mix things up. I won't suggest a stadium creator, because it's not happening, but why not let us realign things. Change a team name or logo, just like in DD. Add back my ability to add seats, signs, billboards, concessions and the like. It makes no sense why these things were removed other than to say they just took time away from online modes.
RTTS has had a pretty nice change over the last two years and it feels like they've really tried to do some things differently here. I applaud them for this and hope they keep working at it.
Online Modes:
Online Franchise needs to come back. It doesn't matter if it was the least played mode. Having this mode adds a completely different level of depth to the game that just isn't in DD. I don't feel like a lot more needs to be said about this.DD needs more to actually do. Events are good, but the nature of them mostly feel like a grind. Players have no incentive to finish a game ore play the game right. It's just whatever needs to be done to get my win in the quickest way possible. BR pretty much feels the same way and I didn't play it this year unless I was needing to do a specific daily stat mission that was easier to do there.
Ranked Seasons needs to be a little different. Maybe instead of going with points you need to advance, maybe it's that you need a specific record or number of wins at each level to move up. Let's say you need a given number of wins while maintaining a certain winning percentage over a minimum number of games before moving up or if you fall below a certain winning percentage you move down. Another option could be saying you 5 games and you need to win at least 3 and you get 25 points. If you lose 3, then you go backwards 25 points. Who knows, but I'd like to see something different than random points given where it's often you lose more points for a loss than you gain for a win.
Also, when it comes to RS, add more strategy. Make us set a 5 man rotation for 5 games. Give us a 40 man roster each RS season and let us move relievers or hitters up and down that 40 man rotation to give guys rest and make stamina play a bigger factor for everyone and not just relievers. This means all the cards we get now have more value. If you want to reset your 40 man roster, then you have to forfeit your current RS season and restart. Again, just add some strategy to managing a roster just like real baseball.
Lastly, for DD, if Online Franchise isn't an option, add something like a tournament mode to do online or offline. Let me set create a tournament like the NCAA baseball tourney with my friends, pre-generated CPU fantasy style rosters, or even against offline versions of real people's teams (ala extra innings) where there are brackets and everyone plays each other and the top seeds advance and then when it gets to the top 8 teams it becomes a normal playoff style bracket. This would add a whole other level of fun to DD. There wouldn't be any prizes and stats wouldn't have to accumulate towards rewards either. It could just be a way to earn XP, play with friends, or build new communities of people who want to play baseball in a fun and competitive way without dealing with RS stuff. This mode would also require people to set a 25 man roster and worry about stamina over the course of the tournament. Personally, I think this type of mode would be an incredible addition to DD that would add great longterm value to the game!I know this is a long post so if you read it all, thanks for hanging in there with me and maybe, this will help look at ways to make the game fun with different ways to play.
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Well, it looks like a lot of things I mentioned could be happening. Glad to see Offline Franchise updates. Disappointed Online Franchise doesn't look like it's coming back, but I didn't expect that. Glad to see this new Online League/Events feature. Hopefully it'll be the tournament type of mode I mentioned.
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I just worry they will have to cut back on features to get the game ready to go multiplatform.
The whole situation is a giant [censored]. I want to keep SDS to myself dang-it.
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@x-Alec_J-x said in The Show Moving Forward:
I just worry they will have to cut back on features to get the game ready to go multiplatform.
The whole situation is a giant [censored]. I want to keep SDS to myself dang-it.
improved capability with next gen should offset the need to cut stuff.
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I think you are on to something... I love baseball, and this is essentially the only game I play. Proof is that my top 3 games played according to sony this year were all MLB the Show going back to 17.
However, it has become stale pretty quick. I mostly play offline, but I really wish I could have gotten into Online franchise. I never knew what it was until they took it out. Now more than ever, I wish they would bring it back.
I like your ideas, and like you said, looks as if some of those things might be coming. But well said!!
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I really think custom leagues could be a cool feature for DD. It should be online and offline though as well.
I really think it’s the lack of strategy in DD that really makes it feel repetitive regardless of what mode you play in it. BR is the closest mode to require strategy but with short games and so much randomness in results, it’s just not a fun mode. -
I would think going multi-console would actually help them expand their staff, and do more and have more resources, as opposed to having the same group trying to churn out 3-4x the game, even if they just ported it. I'm hoping this is a good thing.
And i'm not hard to please. More Classic Stadiums and an OOTP-style Franchise Mode, and they would be God-Mode legends in my eyes going forward.
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I started playing MLBTS in 2009 and have always played RTTS. I like that mode because it is kind of like being a player. Unfortunately this game has been almost totally about DD and the other modes that have branched off from it. I enjoy baseball and i umpired in amateur baseball for several years. I was even certified in umpiring softball. I have to grandsons that I taught the game to and they played little league and HS baseball. I am disappointed how this game seems to have become a place to buy and sell baseball cards. When theu715 says that SDS has done good things with RTTS, I beg to differ. I feel that the old point system was much better. I am playing offline and should have full control of what I want not have to choose a restrictive archetype chosen by someone else. I am getting 2020 but when the new console comes out I am done. This is the only game I play and I feel it is not worth spending hundreds of dollars when the game is not what I want or fully enjoy anymore.
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I must have read something wrong but is the Custom league for DD? I thought it would be for Online players using regular teams? Im going to reread that again
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@Rabid55Wolverine said in The Show Moving Forward:
I must have read something wrong but is the Custom league for DD? I thought it would be for Online players using regular teams? Im going to reread that again
There’s no specific game mode mentioned but guaranteed it will start in DD in 20.
My guess is that limited customisation will be built into it this year, and if it’s successful (which it will be), we will start to see something that resembles the old Online Franchise mode starting from 21 (a draft, restrictions on squads such as number of Diamonds allowed, pitcher rotations, just to name a few).
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@Red_Ted_is_back said in The Show Moving Forward:
@Rabid55Wolverine said in The Show Moving Forward:
I must have read something wrong but is the Custom league for DD? I thought it would be for Online players using regular teams? Im going to reread that again
There’s no specific game mode mentioned but guaranteed it will start in DD in 20.
My guess is that limited customisation will be built into it this year, and if it’s successful (which it will be), we will start to see something that resembles the old Online Franchise mode starting from 21 (a draft, restrictions on squads such as number of Diamonds allowed, pitcher rotations, just to name a few).
I personally don't see it in the DD mode. I'm pretty sure that it will be the lead in to OFM again in a future date. Would be good to have it back for the new gen and integration of xbox
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@pogibana said in The Show Moving Forward:
I started playing MLBTS in 2009 and have always played RTTS. I like that mode because it is kind of like being a player. Unfortunately this game has been almost totally about DD and the other modes that have branched off from it. I enjoy baseball and i umpired in amateur baseball for several years. I was even certified in umpiring softball. I have to grandsons that I taught the game to and they played little league and HS baseball. I am disappointed how this game seems to have become a place to buy and sell baseball cards. When theu715 says that SDS has done good things with RTTS, I beg to differ. I feel that the old point system was much better. I am playing offline and should have full control of what I want not have to choose a restrictive archetype chosen by someone else. I am getting 2020 but when the new console comes out I am done. This is the only game I play and I feel it is not worth spending hundreds of dollars when the game is not what I want or fully enjoy anymore.
When I say that RTTS has gotten better, I'm referring to the overall improvements to the mode. I do agree with you that being able to pick my own points is better, but the archetypes add at least a different feel to it. One reason I think they went away from picking your own points was that you could buy points in the shop and max your player out really quickly. Since they've gone to the story type of mode, you'd be missing out on a lot of that if your player gets maxed out fast.
As for the mode itself, this year felt much better than 18 in the little I played RTTS the past two years. They tried to implement some things people complained about last year like being able to pick your own team, adding more story/choices, and being able to max out your character at 99's instead of being stuck with lower overalls for different stats. On top of that, the addition in 18 of being able to play games without going back to the hub after every game was a HUGE win. The mode isn't perfect, but it's had WAY more attention than franchise mode has had over the last 5 years. -
I played only RTTS for the longest time, but that has started to get long in the tooth in recent years. Franchise is a mode that I've never cared for since I have no interest of doing the job of a GM.
I would love to play Diamond Dynasty. I love the idea of DD as an different way of acquiring players and progressing your team. However, I have never enjoyed playing online and thus I'm not invited to the DD party. Why can't we play an offline season with our DD teams? "Custom Leagues" may give us this ability, but until it's confirmed either way (an entire MONTH from now), I'll assume 20 won't have it.
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