OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

[BillPeener]

Re: OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

I too wish the Show was as in-depth as OOTP, but I wonder if the playstation could even handle the amount of detail OOTP can get from 1) being on a pc and 2) not being limited by a disc.
I kind of believe some of us will wind up subscribing to a modified version of your option 5:

5. We continue as we are, hopeful and optimistic, believing one day Franchise mode will reach its full potential, slowly but surely.

I wouldn't want a full blown OOTP in the Show. OOTP is way too in-depth, and that depth can cause serious bugs I can't imagine being handled on a console. But it would be interesting to come up with a hybrid. There's really no easy solution, but there are a few difficult ones.

As for your modification, however you want to word #5, it's basically letting SCEA do whatever they want. I hate that option.

[Speedy]

Re: OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

From what I've been reading, the developers don't put Franchise Mode high on their priority list because market research puts more value into arcade / online modes.

Being able to play a quick game, PvP against somebody else is a huge draw now-a-days...that's why first-person shooters are so popular because of the PvP and the games can be quick (15-20 minutes).

I love Franchise and am hopefully it continues to progress and gets a revamp/upgrade in 2018. The OS community is admittedly not the microcosm of the fan base of this game however but we can always provide our feedback.

[Caulfield]

Re: OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

I wouldn't want a full blown OOTP in the Show. OOTP is way too in-depth, and that depth can cause serious bugs I can't imagine being handled on a console. But it would be interesting to come up with a hybrid. There's really no easy solution, but there are a few difficult ones.

As for your modification, however you want to word #5, it's basically letting SCEA do whatever they want. I hate that option.

I can definitely respect that. From my own perspective, I've logged countless thousands of hours tremendously enjoying the Show experience. I've come to trust San Diego Studio and IMO they have earned the right to move their game in the direction they want. While the game doesnt do everything I personally want, it far exceeds any experience I've had with any game, across any genre.

[BigOscar]

Re: OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

Don't quote me on this but I think I remember someone mentioning at one time (either on stream or here on the forums) that the most popular (or most played) mode was RttS. That may have changed with the advent of DD, BR and Conquest but I think I remember someone saying that at one time.

I remember them saying that on a stream, but to be fair they were talking about the number of games played. RTTS games take about 5 minutes to play, so of course a ton of those get played. Most DD games are 3 innings long and only take 15 minutes, so of course more of those get played. But in franchise, games take 45 minutes and an awful lot of time is spent outside of games, but still playing the mode, so to just count the amount of games played seemed a pretty terrible way of judging how popular a mode is. Time spent playing it would be a more useful measure (DD would almost certainly win there for the amount people spend working the market)

On a second point, Franchise mode simply isn't very good at the moment, so it's not surprising if it's not as played as the more polished modes. Franchise is played by people willing to come up with workarounds to get around the bad aspects of the game, we're an incredibly committed bunch who desperately want to play a franchise mode so do whatever we can to make it playable. Would it be played more if it was better and didn't need so much work on the users part to make it realistic and interesting? I'd have to imagine so.

Part of me wants new features, to make the game more immersive and give me more control over things. But a bigger part of me just wants the game they've made to actually work better. Trade logic that isn't shockingly awful, scouting and drafting that isn't pretty terrible, player development that even vaguely resembles how things happen in real life, players being valued at the amount of money that they are in real life when it comes to signing contracts, the computer to actually make proper roster moves. The list goes on and on of things that are on the game but are just implemented poorly. If they just fixed the features they already have they could improve it immensely, before even adding a single new feature

[335TDC]

Re: OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

But a bigger part of me just wants the game they've made to actually work better. Trade logic that isn't shockingly awful, scouting and drafting that isn't pretty terrible, player development that even vaguely resembles how things happen in real life, players being valued at the amount of money that they are in real life when it comes to signing contracts, the computer to actually make proper roster moves. The list goes on and on of things that are on the game but are just implemented poorly. If they just fixed the features they already have they could improve it immensely, before even adding a single new feature

This is exactly where I'm at in thinking about Franchise. I understand that people want more in-depth features, but the core of the mode -- scouting, drafting, prospect pool, and player development/progression -- needs to be fixed before ANYTHING is added.

Also, the idea that SCEA would "share" Franchise mode with other dev teams or studios seems ridiculously pie-in-the-sky to me: share the $ with a bunch of other people when the mode itself probably isn't a big seller? The pie won't get much bigger at all and everyone agrees to take a smaller piece? That's just not going to happen.

The sad reality for us Franchise Geeks is that DD is an enormous money-maker for the Show, and MOST of their energy and creativity will go towards that from now on. Just browse the missions and events, they're so damn cool, but I have NO desire to grind like that OR to play online, so I just sigh and move on.

[SilverBullet1929]

Re: OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

We can't have any hey dev threads so instead we start what's basically a hey dev thread and just at the top state "this isn't a hey dev thread but let's talk about this as if it was a hey dev thread"... I like this tactic lol. Good job!

[Caulfield]

Re: OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

We can't have any hey dev threads so instead we start what's basically a hey dev thread and just at the top state "this isn't a hey dev thread but let's talk about this as if it was a hey dev thread"... I like this tactic lol. Good job!

there ought to be an official ''hey dev'' thread complete with sticky
a developer could address anything they wanted and ignore anything they wanted

[SilverBullet1929]

Re: OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

there ought to be an official ''hey dev'' thread complete with sticky
a developer could address anything they wanted and ignore anything they wanted

I don't really see the problem with hey dev threads. Maybe it's wrong to straight up say Hey devs answer this now please but in general they're already here and willing to interact with us so I don't see why we can't engage them with questions respectfully and when appropriate. Or maybe that's the whole point because too many are not doing it the right way.

[G3no_11]

Re: OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

Unfortunately after the way things have progressed with this series, I think the only way to get Franchise Mode improved is to come up with a strategy that basically forces people to spend their real money on the mode.

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[Armor and Sword]

Re: OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

One thing with The Show, it's always been slower progression with the game in getting small incremental changes and. So last season we got a player morale system, expanded historical stats that carry year to year, this year we got player quirks and hopefully they can implement some more in-depth general manager type stuff where hiring staff is far more in-depth, scouting can be revamped, more detailed financial control with ticket prices, promotional days, that actually have an effect on your bottom line,
And also a more robust player development system in the minor leagues.

I would also love to see a more dynamic injury system that can effect the players ratings in a more impactful way at a season level as well as career lasting effects.

Also injury rehab games (minor league stints to get back into playing shape) injury set backs etc.

They have only one dev working on franchise and only one dev working on DD

It is a small team.

I enjoy franchise immensely and I a have seen improvements each season.

Hopefully they continue and build off the morale and quirks at the player level and add more GM/Ownership options with impact.


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[PVarck31]

Re: OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

Hiring an outside team of rogue developers to redesign franchise mode is absurd and will never happen.

Teaming up with the OOTP developers will never happen either. This doesn't happen in the gaming industry. Or if it ever has it's more rare than a Mike Trout 1/1 autographed rookie card.

Whatever issues that franchise mode has will be addressed every year. They may not get everything right but it is very important to the devs just like every other mode of the game.

[CaseIH]

Re: OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

I don't think this is entirely accurate - someone can correct me if I am wrong, however.

I thought I remember seeing that the most popular modes in The Show are RTTS and DD, according to SDS data. Franchise generally isn't played all that much in relation to those other modes. Hence the reasons those areas of the game get much of the attention - not to mention the extra money-making potential DD has.

I didnt really word that the way I had wanted. Yeah, RTTS is probably the most played out of all the modes in the game.

I meant to say that out of all the sports games, I think MLBTS has the most people that focus quite a bit of time on Franchise mode when comparing it to the other sports games. Like for example NBA2k, I dont think there is too many of us hardcore basketball fans left who prefer Association. That game seems to have alot of young kids, and causal fans that play online. Where as MLBTS tends to have a more mature people who are hardcore baseball fans, that focus mostly on playing Franchise.

[CaseIH]

Re: OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

Just so I'm clear, I intentionally worded my post to say "higher priority" - I'm sure Franchise mode is already one of their priorities. They certainly haven't ignored it, but I'm interested in finding out how we can make it an even higher priority.



Exactly. So, is there any way we Franchise guys can convince SCEA that it's in their business interests to make Franchise mode a higher priority? That's the crux of my post. What can we do to make a real impact in this area?



Honestly, if Franchise mode is relatively unchanged next year, I won't purchase '18. '17 was the first opening day release of a baseball game for me since 2005. I bought '16 used in January and enjoyed it so much that I went out and got '17. I enjoy playing the game, but I'm a Franchise guy, so if it's going to continue being this bad, then SCEA is losing my $60. I'm guessing I'm in a vast minority, and SCEA won't care if they lose my money. And I hate taking that route because I'd rather buy the game than not.

I guess I dont look at Franchise mode as being bad in MLBTS, but it sure does need more attention by the devs, in way of improving it. So me deciding thats its probably time to quit purchasing it, or for that matter buying any sports game on a yearly basis, is probably over, unless I know for sure there have been some major additions in improving it, and this additions arent making it so games get over quicker,lol.

I will say the 1 thing Ive always respected about MLBTS, is they improve slowly, meaning they dont add to much to where it causes issues and the game ends up being a mess all yr, unlike with NBA2k, sometimes they go toof ar, and then the game ends up being a waste of money, because of problems that dont get fixed. Although I will say the last couple years NBA2k has improved in that area. Typically when the devs of MLBTS do something, they do it right, and dont go overboard, and it causes the game to be crap.

Thats why I have always tried to support them each yr due to their track record, but now that Im retired due to health problems, my wife and I dont have much money, so thats why I will probably be backing off from purchasing it each yr, as I didnt buy it last yr for the 1st time since I started playing it in 09. I'll just wait till they make the improvements to Franchise mode that I want to see added, like a better Spring Training, and if possible A ball playable, or atleast give us those player slots, so we can have every player in a teams organization, outside of the Domincan summer league teams, as Im sure that would be too much in way of space, and I doubt OSFM roster guys would want that much extra guys to create,lol.

[335TDC]

Re: OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

Hiring an outside team of rogue developers to redesign franchise mode is absurd and will never happen.

Teaming up with the OOTP developers will never happen either. This doesn't happen in the gaming industry. Or if it ever has it's more rare than a Mike Trout 1/1 autographed rookie card.

Whatever issues that franchise mode has will be addressed every year. They may not get everything right but it is very important to the devs just like every other mode of the game.

I agree about the outside/partner devs on Franchise. NEVER gonna happen.

But that last part just sounds like you're doing PR for the Show. Issues addressed every year? Right. Like scouting, progression, over-aged prospects, the CPU messing with your lineup even though you have it set to manual? C'mon, man.

And "very important just like every other mode" -- let's just all be adults and call it like it is: the "card collecting"/microtransaction/ultimate team modes have taken over sports games, and they get WAY more attention than Franchise does. Just look at the creativity in the DD missions and all the updates it will get this year throughout the lifetime of the game.

All modes do NOT receive the same love -- stop pretending.

Just to be fair, I LOVE the Show and am playing the hell out of it, mostly in Franchise. But truth is truth, and just because something isn't confirmed by "the devs" doesn't mean its obviousness isn't staring us right in the face.

[ML]

Re: OS community: How can we improve Franchise Mode?

Correct me if I'm wrong PV but I believe there's a few points that he was trying to get across in his op, all of which i agree with and would like to piggyback off of;


1. SCEA won't merge with an outside studio as like stated that just doesn't happen. If I could control the world though I would take the best of every developer in every game in the world and make them just focus on MLBTS though.. just saying .

2. To build off of 1, as it's been stated constantly (more so this year than in the past) the group of guys that work on this game is VERY SMALL compared to a megapower such as 2k or EA. There's only so many hours in the day, and there's only so many people working on everything in the 9-10 cycle that they spend improving the game.

3. I do think that they view franchise as a very important mode, if they didn't it would receive literally 0 love. This year there was a few new things added, a few things corrected. As franchise is the only mode that I play, I am aware of the flaws. Like I said before, not everything can be just reworked / revamped in the alotted time that they have to work on just this specific part of the game. A lot of the things that they did overhaul on the other hand effect not only franchise but all aspects of the game, i.e. bunts, ball physics, etc.

I personally love franchise and although it has it's flaws, so does every single mode in every single video game that has ever existed. I am able to overlook them though and appreciate the things that are put in place to improve the game year in and year out. Sure some things could be attuned to improve the mode, but like I said above there are things that were put in place that effect the entire game that took the devs a long time to try to perfect that boost franchise just as much as it boosts all of the other modes in the game.

I'm sure I'm rambling at this point but sometimes it is frustrating that some people start to get very nit-picky (which you have every right to do so as you purchased the game) without showing any love or appreciation for all of the things the devs do to this game to keep it in my opinion above and beyond all of the other games in the sports genre.