RTTS/Ballplayer Presentation for The Show 22
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Is anyone else a bit disappointed in the lack of promos leading up to the feature premieres on Thursdays? I want to get excited for Ballplayer / RTTS, but the lack of video today is a bit concerning as well as the lack of explained changes on the Playstation / Microsoft stores around RTTS.
Some may say that they are keeping their cards close to their hand, but I'd find that hard to believe especially when there are probably trying to drive up pre-orders all the way through next Thursday. There are so many things that we want to see improved to RTTS and its been pretty quiet on that front, especially when a RTTS video drop today could have really stirred up the community (in a good way). I'm also now sure the state of affairs with regard to the presentation this year considering we have two new people in the booth. Is there still a MLB Network relationship or will those videos from last year mean nothing?
What are y'alls thoughts? What improvements do you think are feasible in a one year cycle and will be implemented this year?
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I would like to see them detach the RTTS experience from the DD network. You can have the ball player as a template that you then use in all other modes involving a created player. 2K does this with the My Player where you create a player but each career is its separate character. Madden did this last year as well. This wouldn't appear to be difficult, and might be possible with the announcement that you can have multiple players.
If I had to guess, the videos will be exactly the same as they were last year. We still have the same exact mocumentary dialogue that we have had since 17 (that's as far back as I've played and it could very well go back further). The TOPPS showcase was unchanged for years, like exactly the same. This mode does not get the same level of attention that DD gets. I wish I could go back in time and stop whoever it was that started the whole "fake sports cards" mode in these games. It has drastically decreased the quality in all major sports games since it became the main mode.
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@thebootman88_psn said in RTTS/Ballplayer Presentation for The Show 22:
I wish I could go back in time and stop whoever it was that started the whole "fake sports cards" mode in these games. It has drastically decreased the quality in all major sports games since it became the main mode.
Man, I hate to agree with this statement but honestly what has happened with these card collecting modes has really been to the detriment of games these days. We've gone away from feeling immersed as a real ballplayer and now are on to collecting what is the next flashy card that is revealed. Don't get me wrong, I play DD a lot, but I would spend just as much time elsewhere if there was more effort put into those modes.
Back to RTTS...
The mockumentary NEEDS TO GO. Its been years (to your earlier point - 2017) and there has been very little that's been done to really flesh out this experience. Honestly, it seemed like in 2021 they just had extra guys on staff who weren't programmers and thought that they might as well add something to RTTS this year, so we end up getting hours of 'podcast' footage that is ultimately skipped each time it comes up. When it comes to the player experience, the dialogue is barebones and boring and is offering nothing new. There are "training" days that I usually just click on the ones without the mini-games because those mini-games are just boring and uninspired. And honestly, that describes the whole RTTS experience. Give me in-game stat banners, details, etc. that show how good/bad my player is or has been doing. How they stack up to the league, if they are risking going back down to AAA, etc. Then add in the Ballplayer aspect for 2021 where if you happen to lose connection then you are unable to truly progress your player. The Road to the Show concept is an amazing one that just doesn't get fleshed out and thus now it feels like its trying to be salvaged by linking everything to DD progress.The best addition to the mode they have had in the past few years was the change from training points earned per game, to having performance impact your attributes. The only problem here is that it just takes way to long to get to where you need to be. My idea is that you make it easier to gain points additional attribute points when you win an award (Hank Aaron award grants you a ton of attribute upgrades toward your Power), go on a hitting streak, pitch a no-hitter, reach a milestone etc. Make the path up a bit easier, but make it harder to maintain those stats when you get toward your veteran years and regression begins to happen.
Sorry for the long post. This has been a sore subject of mine for a while now...
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@saltydumplings said in RTTS/Ballplayer Presentation for The Show 22:
Sorry for the long post. This has been a sore subject of mine for a while now...
No I completely agree. The mode has felt uninspired for a while. It needed an overhaul but they went in the opposite direction last year. Last year [censored] near ruined the mode. RTTS used to be one of the best career modes in sports gaming, but last year it was the worst IMO, and yes that includes Madden.
One of the few things I like about 2K is how player contracts are tied to VC. While I hate that VC is microtransaction oriented, I like the idea that the contract is based around what you can use to upgrade your player. Contract negotiation in these games usually means nothing because it's just a number. With 2K that contract actually matters because you get more points to upgrade based on your contract. I would love to see SDS implement something like that, where contracts and bonuses give you an increase in training points, if they went back to that system (again as long as training points are not monetized). Or maybe depending where you fall on the leaderboards for the season, you get an attribute increase proportional to that placement.
I like the podcasts, but if they are just reused then that will be boring. The mode needs to have an offline option. The single player mode has no reason to require an online connection. The loadout system is terrible. I'm sure it will return this year, but it destroys any sense of realism or immersion while also hurting progression and replayability.
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As you stated, linking the contract to player upgrade was a great idea, but its entirely possible to do it without forcing your hand to deal with the microtransaction or DD participation. Yes we've had the equipment aspect for a while which I am willing to overlook, but the rate of progress in the DD participation for the "Ballplayer" was so much easier than doing it via RTTS.
I'll reserve the rest of my comments and expectations of this year's release until after the premiere on Thursday, but I would like to hear your take as well after they release more info Thursday evening.
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I hope they get rid of the perk system that was in place last year. It felt like you got scolded for progressing. I would have certain attributes I wanted to max out, but once I unlocked higher tier perks it would be along the lines of "gain 10 power, but lose 5 contact", "gain 10 fielding, but lose 7 in speed"....etc etc....
I want to max out my player with 99's across the board, not regress in certain attributes if I progress in others.
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@joeselser_psn said in RTTS/Ballplayer Presentation for The Show 22:
I hope they get rid of the perk system that was in place last year. It felt like you got scolded for progressing. I would have certain attributes I wanted to max out, but once I unlocked higher tier perks it would be along the lines of "gain 10 power, but lose 5 contact", "gain 10 fielding, but lose 7 in speed"....etc etc....
I want to max out my player with 99's across the board, not regress in certain attributes if I progress in others.
I also noticed that when I put all diamonds on my player, I suddenly couldn’t hit nearly as well. I went from 450 avg, 97 homers to like 390 and 60 homers.
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I’m still not a fan of the ballplayer system as a general rule. However it looks like they’ve at least addressed the main issues from last year which is about as best as could be realistically hoped for given the nature of the development cycle. I think I’m in the minority in liking the podcasts, but the addition of new ones is more than I thought they would do. I like that they tweaked the progression path to have more missions, if we have to do it this way then I would rather not have to hit 300 hits to get 2 points. I like that they went back to allowing you to pick your position at the beginning and not forcing two way players is good. I love knuckle balling so that returning is great and I’m interested to see what the archetype is.
It sounds like it is still going to be online based which I hope doesn’t have a problem with progression. Wish they would have just taken it offline. Though I’m glad that we can have multiple players, it doesn’t sound like archetype programs will reset, which sucks. If I restart my career in the same or similar position, it defeats the purpose if I start with a diamond archetype. I don’t like the perk system because as the person above stated, it limits your ability to build an all around player. The archetypes at least to start seem limited. They said they removed the unpopular or pointless challenges but they still showed bunt challenges. I don’t know who would use that except a pitcher in the NL, but now we have universal DH. Bunt challenges seem pointless now.
Overall it looks like a positive improvement over last years atrocity with built in concerns due to the nature of the system they are choosing to use. I’ll at least give them credit for reversing course due to feedback. At least looks I will be able to enjoy it this year if it works.
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