Topps Now August Moments (Week 5) - We Out Here Jumping Sharks

[ChaseB]

So, yeah, power creep is in full effect, and we have to talk about it. This...

Written By: Chase Becotte

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[ValhallaVikings]

Quote: Originally Posted by ChaseB

So, yeah, power creep is in full effect, and we have to talk about it. This... Written By: Chase Becotte Click here to view the article.

Someone at sds has a man crush on conforto... Would be cool if he had the pinch hitter quirk

[JoshC1977]

I've been thinking this the last couple of weeks, but I have to say it now; the content doesn't justify the reward here....

Just a handful of moments to get relatively comparable cards that you may have to spend dozens of hours grinding to get a slightly better one (just of a more famous player).

These cards should require more than just a few measly moments to complete....increasing rewards, increasing content/challenge.

Too much of the content in the mode is too short and/or easy. They need to up the ante a bit more.

[papadell]

There's always been a part of me that didn't like the fact that random one-game cards rivaled Hall of Famers. But at the same time, it's always cool to have a variety of cards and at least have a temptation for the community to not run the same stock cards.

But when you pair up these cards versus the Inning bosses we just got, it really just feels...bad. Not even taking into consideration the grind for inning bosses and how easy Topps Now are by comparison, it just feels off having cards almost become obsolete immediately.

The lack of modes is Diamond Dynasty's biggest flaw in design. They only want you playing Ranked. So making these cards to entice people with shiny, new cards to play Ranked is their MO. If they had salary cap modes or perpetual gold tier events etc then it wouldn't really be TOO big of a deal. Then they wouldn't have to release elite diamonds at this point.

But then again, Milestone can cover single games. These Topps Now almost act as Milestone cards themselves. In a way, it SORTA takes away from the luster of those major games that might be represented. But while being relative at the same time.

It's a tough thing. SDS has put themselves into a corner with how great content is. But when weekly cards are going to be better than Monthly cards, it almost feels like they're just too far ahead of themselves.

[papadell]

Quote: Originally Posted by JoshC1977

I've been thinking this the last couple of weeks, but I have to say it now; the content doesn't justify the reward here.... Just a handful of moments to get relatively comparable cards that you may have to spend dozens of hours grinding to get a slightly better one (just of a more famous player). These cards should require more than just a few measly moments to complete....increasing rewards, increasing content/challenge. Too much of the content in the mode is too short and/or easy. They need to up the ante a bit more.

That's a good point. Imagine the Extreme rewards being comparable, similar or worse to Topps Now cards.

[ValhallaVikings]

Quote: Originally Posted by JoshC1977

I've been thinking this the last couple of weeks, but I have to say it now; the content doesn't justify the reward here.... Just a handful of moments to get relatively comparable cards that you may have to spend dozens of hours grinding to get a slightly better one (just of a more famous player). These cards should require more than just a few measly moments to complete....increasing rewards, increasing content/challenge. Too much of the content in the mode is too short and/or easy. They need to up the ante a bit more.

I feel like alot of the stuff is too easy. Like BR you gotta put alot of time into. I'm okay with those rewards. Leiter, Chapman, and story, etc

Like the miggy thing I thought was insanely easy.

The event I've just done for collections but don't think I've actually used any of those cards.

I think the lightning monthly stuff is appropriate time/effort for reward

[ChaseB]

Yeah the dual design issues are the card series themselves and then how to use the cards. I think I hit on both a bit in the article, but basically I do think capping Topps Now cards at X overall would probably be wise. Plus, yes, more single-player components and/or ways to use more lineup types that don't just involve using the best cards.

I want more variety and all that with the players in the game (and hey, I like that there is a good Tsutsugo, but maybe just don't make it this good), but we never really get lineup variety after a certain point in competitive modes. Most teams use the same 10-20 players unless they are forced to do something different. I think that's fine, but it means there shouldn't be such pressure to keep upping the power level.

Ryan McMahon and Paul DeJong maybe only get their moment in the sun at the start of the year in this scenario, or maybe they still get called CRACKED because, ya know what, those cards still rule even now. I still slap with them in BR when I get them.

[papadell]

Quote: Originally Posted by ChaseB

Yeah the dual design issues are the card series themselves and then how to use the cards. I think I hit on both a bit in the article, but basically I do think capping Topps Now cards at X overall would probably be wise. Plus, yes, more single-player components and/or ways to use more lineup types that don't just involve using the best cards. I want more variety and all that with the players in the game (and hey, I like that there is a good Tsutsugo, but maybe just don't make it this good), but we never really get lineup variety after a certain point in competitive modes. Most teams use the same 10-20 players unless they are forced to do something different. I think that's fine, but it means there shouldn't be such pressure to keep upping the power level. Ryan McMahon and Paul DeJong maybe only get their moment in the sun at the start of the year in this scenario, or maybe they still get called CRACKED because, ya know what, those cards still rule even now. I still slap with them in BR when I get them.

There's so many things they could do. It might not be POPULAR, but they could also do rotations every month similar to TCGs where they have banlists and stuff. Have like a Limited version of Ranked where they have cards rotated in and out. Not necessarily all year, but maybe for a Ranked Season DeGrom and Cabrera aren't legal so you have to use others. Then maybe like next month they rotate back in and so forth. Would at least break up the monotony of facing them literally all year. You could also run an Unlimited version of the same thing where it's just all cards legal all the time.

Does another game do this? I feel like the terms "limited" and "unlimited" are familiar to me but not sure if that's a thing in other games. So I don't know how they might do elsewhere if it exists already.

I think it would be cool having certain cards (especially pitchers) banned for a month to create even more diversity. Maybe people use cards they normally wouldn't even look at, do amazingly with them, then end using them more even when a DeGrom is unbanned again. And then if player x becomes just as overused, rotate them out the next month and create like a whole new ecosystem. Maybe do different rewards or something in that mode that refresh faster than others since the meta could be SUPER fast to change. Or do win programs like they do with the 40 pack but make it like 20 wins in Limited and 40 wins in Unlimited.