How SDS Has Become Disconnected from the MLB The Show Community
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@BJDUBBYAH said in How SDS Has Become Disconnected from the MLB The Show Community:
@BadaBing_0 I’m curious how many players would opt into a monthly subscription for DD?
I’m not going to be shocked if companies like EA and SDS head in that direction for access to online content.Full disclosure I would pay monthly.
I wouldn't be inclined to opt into a monthly subscription for Diamond Dynasty (DD) in its current state. Even with a $100 version offering a full season pass, I wouldn't see it as worth the investment without significant improvements to the game. For a subscription model to be enticing, SDS would need to overhaul the game, introduce diverse modes, and consistently release playable content over time, rather than dumping a month's worth of content in one day.
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That would be the death knell for me, a monthly subscription service. The amount of content does not warrant such a move and it would kill me, but I would have to move on from The Show. I am a cheapskate however.
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@Blind_Bleeder said in How SDS Has Become Disconnected from the MLB The Show Community:
@BadaBing_0 What we don't know and probably never will is: how much is Playstation and Sony involved with the decline. Are SDS's hands being forced? In this expense-growing economy, is the game as profitable as it has been in the past? I know they made a multi-year commitment to the Negro League Museum to bring those players into the game, but it sure feels like this may be the last year of the game. I hope it isn't, but with all the problems left untouched and the lack of communication from the developers, it feels like a wind-down.
I'm sure there is a steep increase in costs to keep this game going (servers, salaries, office space, corporate fees, royalties, etc.) but the real question is: are these costs too much to keep the game profitable enough to maintain, upgrade, and bring future editions to the market?
Yes, they sell hundreds of thousands of copies of the game, but with those sales come costs to keep it running. Are those costs too much for profitability - or is the margin of profitability that Playstation and/or Sony demands there?
These are some of the ramblings my brain has been tossing about as I spend my time playing a game I have loved in the past, but am slowing getting tired of.
Why dude?? Omg WHY are you and the lot like this? Are you seriously on the payroll or related to someone on the payroll? I've literally NEVER seen ANY reasonable criticism of the things that actually matter to this game. It's not hard to put blame where it is due and it's insanely mind numbing the lengths you will go do not put a single bit of responsibility on SDS. There are no other games Sony has that are this [censored] bad. In fact they have their hands ENTIRELY inside of Spiderman and it was a contender for the game of the year and always continues to be. Sony has no problem giving devs their liberty.
So dense. So dense. I'm sorry. I am not insulting you at this point. I am just impressed by the lengths and stretching y'all do, my goodness. -
@Blind_Bleeder absolutely, and if/when we see the game released on current gen only, I want to believe a major overhaul will come with it. With a focus on all of the things you’ve outlined in your post. And I wouldn’t be shocked to see the dabbling of monthly subscription.
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@Pergo said in How SDS Has Become Disconnected from the MLB The Show Community:
I could be down with a monthly subscription if it's done right. The rewards would have to be worth it and there would have to be less of a focus on pack cards outside of the subscription tier.
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They need to make it fun again. Just some ideas I've come up with.
Use any version of a player to create Dynamic Duos:
Dynamic Duos
Pair up dynamic duos like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton to get "Power Surge" synergy, Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer to get "Fireballers" synergy, Mookie Betts and Cody Bellinger to get "Double Trouble" synergy, Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirex to get "Dynamic Infield" synergy, Lawrence Butler and Julio Rodriguez to get "Electric Outfield" synergy, Juan Soto and Bryce Harper, activate the "Twin Towers" synergy, Gerrit Cole and Tyler Glasnow to get "Strikeout Kings" synergy, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado to get "Clutch Connection", Trea Turner and Byron Buxton to get "Speedsters" synergy.Dynamic Duos Past & Present
Choose combinations like Clayton Kershaw and Sandy Koufax to form the "Dodger Dominance" synergy, Mike Trout and Ken Griffey Jr. might create the "Power and Finesse" synergy, Max Scherzer and Nolan Ryan could form the "Strikeout Kings", Kris Bryant and Ernie Banks might activate the "Cubs' Legacy" synergy.Legend Duos
Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig might have a "Murderers' Row" synergy, while Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese could have a "Brooklyn Double" synergy, you could pair Willie Mays and Hank Aaron to activate the "Say Hey Hammer" synergy, Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. might create the "Mr. Padre & The Iron Man" synergy, Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson could team up with the "Dominant Duo" synergy.Fantasy Draft Weekend:
Host weekend-long fantasy draft events where players compete in live drafts to build their ultimate Diamond Dynasty teams. Participate in drafting sessions with real-time player selections, trade negotiations, and roster adjustments. Each player is assigned a draft position randomly or based on previous performance. The draft follows a serpentine format, where players take turns selecting players for their team. The player pool consists of current cards in DD.
Following the draft, teams compete in a series of scheduled matchups against other drafted squads. The tournament format may vary, including round-robin play, single-elimination brackets, or group stages leading to playoffs.
Based on their performance in the tournament, players earn rewards such as exclusive cards, stubs, XP, etc.
Batter/Pitcher Duels
I think this would be insanely fun if done right.
Pitcher's Duel Mode:
In this mode, players exclusively control their DD pitchers and compete against each other in full games. With both teams using CPU-controlled hitters, meaning they have zero control of stealing, subs, etc.Batter's Showcase Mode:
Conversely, in this mode, players exclusively control their DD batters and compete against each other in full games. With both teams using a completely CPU-controlled pitching staff, meaning they have no decision on when a pitcher is yanked or who comes in. -
@BadaBing_0
Good points!Like with any business, the drive for more profit may eventually conflict with pleasing your customers. At first, pleasing your customers is how you make profit then, as you expand, other opportunities come along that allows you to increase revenue, that may not be pleasing to your customer base.
Once SDS went cross-platform, they lost a bit of their identity. They went from being a unique Sony exclusive game that was different than EA and 2K, into the microtransaction/expiring card/pack-centered beast, that they are today.
When Microsoft started charging their Xbox customers a monthy fee in '17 for their online "services", Sony, then Nintendo followed. Businesses will do whatever they can get away with, in order to expand and increase revenue.
The only way a business changes their path, is if the market drives it. IOW, if a business started losing revenue, they would have to change their model, and possibly even return to the principles that made them successful. SDS has no real competitor. Therefore, any change would need to be customer driven.
Businesses that survive in the long run, take care of their employees, please their customers, and have a passion for the quality of their product. They sacrifice the rapid, short-term money grab, for a more steady and sustainable business approach. I have hope that SDS can still be the later.
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@xElRojo44x said in How SDS Has Become Disconnected from the MLB The Show Community:
Businesses that survive in the long run, take care of their employees, please their customers, and have a passion for the quality of their product. They sacrifice the rapid, short-term money grab, for a more steady and sustainable business approach. I have hope that SDS can still be the later.
SDS is the employee. Sony is the business. MLB to a degree as well.
To your analogy though, no I don't think the business treats their employee well.
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It’s nice to see a thread with some constructive thoughts. I DO agree that this year game seems more money driven and that’s unfortunate. This years Season 1 xp grind has been horrendous. They have always said “just play the game” in regard to getting rewards. That’s what people have been doing and most did not get to Rollins until the S1 recap drop. I know that was the case for me. I am NOT doing this dreadful grind for S2. I’m burnt already.
A previous gentleman brought up the lack of a competitor for SDS. I think this has a lot to do with the issues that have always been there. Until a quality competitor emerges, I just don’t believe positive changes will be made. -
I already pay a yearly subscription for the game along with a monthly fee for PSN, there’s zero chance I’d pay another fee on top of those just because they want to extract the maximum amount of revenue they can. I’ve already stopped playing for the most part and it’s only May. There’s too many other games, real life, outdoors to check out to support a game that doesn’t respect or value there customer base.
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Let me provide one glaring example of lack of important communication. SDS finally fixed the basic visual bugs with their new Future City stand props in Stadium Creator with the patch #10. However, nowhere in the notes for that patch was anything mentioned about updates to Stadium Creator. These new Future City props were added to Stadium Creator with update #7. The field level stand props were badly misaligned and the straight props had a ghost area modeled in the front that kept one from moving them within seven rows of the wall.
Update #8 promised fixes to these Future City props and when I tested them out after that update I observed none of these issues were fixed. Update #9 promised generic fixes to SC props, and it was finally the fix to the field level Future City stand props so that one could align them with the walls. But, it included a new bug where the texture files for all the Future City stand props were not mapped properly. When you played a game during overcast daylight or anytime at night, ALL the Future City stand props lacked all textures.
This was fixed in Update #10, but was omitted in the notes. Was SDS trying to sneak the fix in because of their own embarrassment over the repeated issues? I cannot say. But, it is strange regardless.
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None of these problems/perceived problems are going away as long as UT game modes will be a thing; which is forever.
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@yankblan said in How SDS Has Become Disconnected from the MLB The Show Community:
None of these problems/perceived problems are going away as long as UT game modes will be a thing; which is forever.
This is false. The game mode isn't the problem. It's been done well in years past.
Publisher greed is the problem here. We all want SDS to do more. But have they had their team properly expanded since being forced to go multiplatform? Sony does not seem to be properly investing in the game.
SDS can do better of course. For example, I highly doubt Sony mandated they cut the conquest TA maps. I'm not sure what size development team they have to work on gameplay fixes mid year and foul balls may not be a quick fix but perhaps the slider PCI is? At the very least they can add some transparency behind the mechanics driving the gameplay.
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@BadaBing_0 said in How SDS Has Become Disconnected from the MLB The Show Community:
They need to make it fun again. Just some ideas I've come up with.
Use any version of a player to create Dynamic Duos:
Dynamic Duos
Pair up dynamic duos like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton to get "Power Surge" synergy, Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer to get "Fireballers" synergy, Mookie Betts and Cody Bellinger to get "Double Trouble" synergy, Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirex to get "Dynamic Infield" synergy, Lawrence Butler and Julio Rodriguez to get "Electric Outfield" synergy, Juan Soto and Bryce Harper, activate the "Twin Towers" synergy, Gerrit Cole and Tyler Glasnow to get "Strikeout Kings" synergy, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado to get "Clutch Connection", Trea Turner and Byron Buxton to get "Speedsters" synergy.Dynamic Duos Past & Present
Choose combinations like Clayton Kershaw and Sandy Koufax to form the "Dodger Dominance" synergy, Mike Trout and Ken Griffey Jr. might create the "Power and Finesse" synergy, Max Scherzer and Nolan Ryan could form the "Strikeout Kings", Kris Bryant and Ernie Banks might activate the "Cubs' Legacy" synergy.Legend Duos
Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig might have a "Murderers' Row" synergy, while Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese could have a "Brooklyn Double" synergy, you could pair Willie Mays and Hank Aaron to activate the "Say Hey Hammer" synergy, Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. might create the "Mr. Padre & The Iron Man" synergy, Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson could team up with the "Dominant Duo" synergy.Fantasy Draft Weekend:
Host weekend-long fantasy draft events where players compete in live drafts to build their ultimate Diamond Dynasty teams. Participate in drafting sessions with real-time player selections, trade negotiations, and roster adjustments. Each player is assigned a draft position randomly or based on previous performance. The draft follows a serpentine format, where players take turns selecting players for their team. The player pool consists of current cards in DD.
Following the draft, teams compete in a series of scheduled matchups against other drafted squads. The tournament format may vary, including round-robin play, single-elimination brackets, or group stages leading to playoffs.
Based on their performance in the tournament, players earn rewards such as exclusive cards, stubs, XP, etc.
Batter/Pitcher Duels
I think this would be insanely fun if done right.
Pitcher's Duel Mode:
In this mode, players exclusively control their DD pitchers and compete against each other in full games. With both teams using CPU-controlled hitters, meaning they have zero control of stealing, subs, etc.Batter's Showcase Mode:
Conversely, in this mode, players exclusively control their DD batters and compete against each other in full games. With both teams using a completely CPU-controlled pitching staff, meaning they have no decision on when a pitcher is yanked or who comes in.I get that you're spit balling, and I find that admirable. However, the "dynamic duo " idea isn't fresh, and none of the others would work.
2K and EA both use the dynamic duo. It's annoying. Either the boosts are so sleight that they become irrelevant or it becomes too expensive to purchase the cards you want, even if you're not looking for the second card. Or, in the case of EA, both.
The "duels" sound like fun to me, but have the same fatal flaw of the real-time draft events. When waiting for someone else, people get bored. When people get bored, they do something else. In the radio industry, it's well known that people will start changing the station after a few seconds of silence. It's so bad that talk shows will often hire someone to just grunt, laugh, or give an uh huh. Now make a teenager wait three minutes for someone else to pitch to the computer...
I agree something needs to be done, but it's a lot harder to come up with "fresh" ideas that work. Probably impossible to find one that's free.
Now, pretend you're SDS. You are a small developer that was bought out by Sony. You have one game. That game is contingent on the MLB telling you that you have to make the game playable on 5 consoles. Your agreement with the MLBPA is pretty solid, but retired members can be prima donnas and those are all done separately. All the while, the home office just laid off 10% of their entire staff, including some of yours, and are getting on you to increase profits while cutting costs. The last thing they can do is spend resources on an unproven mode that might not workout or could even make people play less.
I agree with everything else in your original post. Consumer engagement has to be the key. What are they doing? Why are they doing it? If you're listening to our feedback, why aren't you changing what you're doing? Do you really think we're so stupid that when you divide a program into three or four parts, we'll now think it's three or four different programs?
What I don't get is why they won't even add cut and paste content like conquest maps.
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The biggest issue is there's 5 console versions being made, and 10% less staff working on the game as a whole. It's kinda of sad, that 25 is going to be the make or break year for a few of my favourite games...NHL 25, MLBTS 25 are both in desperate need of going to current gen only in order to actually make any meaningful advancements.
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@Sarge1387 every other game in the world is cross platform and doesn't have issues. Why is that issue here?
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@AdeptOfMemory said in How SDS Has Become Disconnected from the MLB The Show Community:
@Sarge1387 every other game in the world is cross platform and doesn't have issues. Why is that issue here?
I'm assuming it's legacy code that's conflicting with the newer code being stacked on top because the Show's game engine is from 2007 the same thing happened with Madden
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@jake98833 So what are they doing with our money? Are you saying they are intentionally neglecting to fix a broken system when we pay for a new game they don't care because they are still making profit?
Seems like SDS is a shady company that doesn't care to work on their game development. -
@AdeptOfMemory said in How SDS Has Become Disconnected from the MLB The Show Community:
@Sarge1387 every other game in the world is cross platform and doesn't have issues. Why is that issue here?
It's not the cross platform that's the issue, it's the cross-gen. The Show's engine is outdated by at least a decade(probably less, might be an exaggeration), and the new code they're using was designed for a more modern engine, and it's just not jiving.
