MLB The Show needs Online Franchise players to play Custom Leagues

New post on my blog. Don't know how to embed so I'm just duplicating it here.

https://redtedisback.blogspot.com/20...e-players.html

I never played Online Franchise mode in MLB The Show

I must preface this post by saying I wasn't fortunate enough to play Online Franchise mode in any of The Shows before 17. The cumbersome and slow interface was a massive turnoff (I did try) but more importantly with my terrible internet connection at the time, I was a liability.

So yes, I'm Standing On The Outside looking in. If I were to claim that the former Online Franchise mode was a load of carp, my opinion would be irrelevant and worthless and you would be 100% right in calling me out.

Online Franchise players, you need to play Custom Leagues

Call me what you will, but this is my rational explanation of why I believe that if you want to play Online Franchise mode in future versions of MLB The Show, you're going to have to play Custom Leagues.

I understand the disappointment that Custom Leagues is not OFM. Not yet. It will eventually evolve into something that will be a suitable and superior replacement to the former mode (preparation for this is obvious - multiple seasons), but it's going to take time (eg there WILL be a draft in The Show 21 or 22, the platform is in place already). Trying to squeeze too much into a release is inviting all sorts of problems (too much code to test, not enough time to test it).

The mode needed to appeal to more than just those who previously played OFM. If not, then it wouldn't have been resourced, simple as that. The sum of the combined user bases for the online and offline Franchise modes together did not compare to that of the DD user base. So it had to start with something that would appeal to all heavy users.

If you played Online Franchise mode previously, you are in the best position to steer the Custom Leagues mode in the direction it needs to go. You have all the experience of what worked in the former mode and what didn't. And you are leagues ahead of the players who have never played a league-based baseball game.

Custom Leagues feedback and telemetry data

Does a chef value more the diner who tried the meal and took the time to give honest feedback? Or the person who turned up their nose at the restaurant and kept walking?

Whose opinions and suggestions will the developers take on board to improve the game?

Those players who refuse to play the mode and therefore have no experience in what works in Custom Leagues and what doesn't?

Or those who have taken the time to play the mode, provide the devs with their quantitative gameplay data and can provide qualitative feedback based on their experience with the mode?

My prediction is that a good proportion of Custom Leagues users will come from the DD user base. If that is the majority of the feedback then that's where the majority of changes to the mode will originate. If you want Franchise features in Custom Leagues, you're going to have to play the mode.

If you don't, you'll be Standing On The Outside looking in.

All in all, it was a good read BUUUUUUTTTTTTTTT you definitely don't have to tell us this.. I'll speak for the entire OFM COMMUNITY when I say we've never been more down on the series EVER until they decided to take our beloved mode away! MLB THE SHOW became an after thought for me.. I'm pretty sure we'll come out in huge numbers just to prove that it'll be in the development teams/suits best interest to allocate resources in this department. They must and I SCREAM when I say this " Sony Sandiego, y'all have to get this mode on the same level as OFFLINE FRANCHISE if not more to compete in that field!

Now, myself and a few other guys were in here after 19 released with ideas for the developers and maybe, just maybe they had it planned or they actually listened.. We told them to add some sort of paywall in the mode so we could help support and looked what happened!! DD in an ONLINE LEAGUE setup!! That was GENIUS!!!! Guys who don't even buy packs will buy them now just to have the best roster in their leagues! The way they simplified everything looks Beautiful!! It's super clean!! Not worried about the depth now at all and just like every other article I've read about it, they also picked up on the sample/start/ new mode Vibe from the devs... We know it's gonna get better with time.. We know that fantasy draft will never happen again lmaohahahahahahah!! ( you guys have DD ) and the servers will probably be more stable than ever!! Appreciate your concerns but trust me sir, we're gonna make sure ONLINE LEAGUES gets the respect it deserves!!!!!!!

@Dounte said in MLB The Show needs Online Franchise players to play Custom Leagues:

All in all, it was a good read BUUUUUUTTTTTTTTT you definitely don't have to tell us this.. I'll speak for the entire OFM COMMUNITY when I say we've never been more down on the series EVER until they decided to take our beloved mode away! MLB THE SHOW became an after thought for me.. I'm pretty sure we'll come out in huge numbers just to prove that it'll be in the development teams/suits best interest to allocate resources in this department. They must and I SCREAM when I say this " Sony Sandiego, y'all have to get this mode on the same level as OFFLINE FRANCHISE if not more to compete in that field!

Now, myself and a few other guys were in here after 19 released with ideas for the developers and maybe, just maybe they had it planned or they actually listened.. We told them to add some sort of paywall in the mode so we could help support and looked what happened!! DD in an ONLINE LEAGUE setup!! That was GENIUS!!!! Guys who don't even buy packs will buy them now just to have the best roster in their leagues! The way they simplified everything looks Beautiful!! It's super clean!! Not worried about the depth now at all and just like every other article I've read about it, they also picked up on the sample/start/ new mode Vibe from the devs... We know it's gonna get better with time.. We know that fantasy draft will never happen again lmaohahahahahahah!! ( you guys have DD ) and the servers will probably be more stable than ever!! Appreciate your concerns but trust me sir, we're gonna make sure ONLINE LEAGUES gets the respect it deserves!!!!!!!

Thanks for reading. I thought as much that you'd all be keen to get in there and play some leagues but some of the posts on TSN, OS and Reddit are on the dismissive side so I got to thinking I may as well put something together, at the very least it will get my mind off of it!

It's really great to hear some positive vibes from the OFM crew. Hoping you enjoy the mode!

Good post but I think your premise may be off. Online Franchise was/will be a derivative of offline franchise, not a DD-centric tournament mode.

I think there's a HUGE misconception about what appeals to people about online franchise - it's about building a team H2H more than actually playing the games.

@Furious_Boogers said in MLB The Show needs Online Franchise players to play Custom Leagues:

Good post but I think your premise may be off. Online Franchise was/will be a derivative of offline franchise, not a DD-centric tournament mode.

I think there's a HUGE misconception about what appeals to people about online franchise - it's about building a team H2H more than actually playing the games.

I disagree. It's the entire experience. Building a great team is fun, no doubt, but playing others repeatedly is also part of it. Learning how to pitch to specific players, how they build their squads, seeing your squad succeed over another doing something similar. Its imo much more rewarding.

Also @Dounte Diamond Dynasty is not a pay wall. Two years now I've completed collections without spending money. You want a paywall, go play Madden or Fifa.

I totally agree the OF people have to play this if we ever want to see OF again!!
This is a starting point to gauge interest. I know us OF people wanted OF back and this is nowhere near it, but we need to play with MLB rosters and not DD rosters. Remember they pay attention to those numbers. DD Lgs seem the way to go but OF people need to go MLB way. IMO