How do you get through your franchise seasons?

[Impetuous65]

Re: How do you get through your franchise seasons?

First time playing a team in a series, I will play one game, quick manage a game, and sim a game. Versus Rivalry teams Play one game, quick count a game, play innings 1 - 3 fast forward the mid innings and play innings 7 - 9.

By the time I'm a month or so in I play a one game in a series based on my artificial pitch rotation, so I can use a different pitcher each time.

Down the stretch grind time, I play each game and leave nothing to chance.

[SilverBullet1929]

Re: How do you get through your franchise seasons?

I play the first 14 games of every season, then playoffs (if my team makes it). That way, I get to be immersed by my players, but also play few enough games that I can get several years into the future. My favorite part of franchise play in sports games is to watch my kids grow and develop, so, for me, getting many years into the future is important.

You play the first 14 games and then sim through the entire rest of the season? That's super odd if I'm understanding u right.

[Dolenz]

Re: How do you get through your franchise seasons?

I started a franchise a few years ago where I had a plan, I was going to player lock a single position each day of the week (minus pitcher and catcher), So on Monday games I player locked the 1B, Tuesday the 2b and so on.


That certainly sped things up but I still did not get through the whole season.

[HypoLuxa13]

Re: How do you get through your franchise seasons?

I was a schitzo in MLB 17. Had 4 different franchises going, Cubs, Royals, Twins and Padres. Scattered about 30-40 games played in each, couldn't settle on which one I wanted to go forward with so I didn't make it far in any of them. Got to year 2 with Padres and Twins after simming quite a bit. My young players hardly progressed at all in either of those franchises, so I kind of gave up on them.

Best I've done is with MLB 16, my Angels Franchise. I played about 45 games in the first season, simmed the rest. Finished 82-80 if I remember correctly... Second year I played about 110-115 regular season games, finished with 98 wins. Then played every playoff game and won the World Series in 5 games. Started it up again in MLB 17 as a carry-over save but did not play or sim much, maybe 10 games in. Something about the roster makup in the third season I didn't enjoy anymore.

[tfcfan4life]

Re: How do you get through your franchise seasons?

I play and sim my games. Pick a game during a series that I like and then sim the rest.

[bravo2208]

Re: How do you get through your franchise seasons?

The last time I played The Show, Quick Manage didn't exist. To me, it seems like a great way to sim, as I actually have some control over the outcome. I don't kid myself. Baseball is a long season and there's no way I can play all those games. I'm planning on playing 1-2 games per week and quick managing the rest. That way I can keep a close eye on day-to-day happenings within my organization and around the league, and hopefully stay engaged.

[a bit outside]

Re: How do you get through your franchise seasons?

I think it’s entirely up to each individual, there are numerous ways to play the game. That is another one of the great things about this game.

I personally play every game including Spring Training. I do use quick counts however and to keep it fresh during the spring games, I play at a different park every game. I use the minor league, two spring and historical parks. I don’t play everyday, I play when I have the opportunity. I certainly don’t want to make a job out of it. I keep myself open to the teams as well.....I am a Cardinal fan but I am open to any team and liked what I seen with the Mets off season moves and am currently in Spring Training with them. You can also have a couple of franchises going on if you get bored with the same team.

[DoTheSankeyLeg]

Re: How do you get through your franchise seasons?

I've never played every game in a season but I have tons of respect for the guys that do. I usually get too hyped for the offseason/future prospects and I end up mostly simming through a season in a day or two. That's just the way I like to play it.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: How do you get through your franchise seasons?

I played a couple of full seasons (every game, every pitch) with the Cubs back in MLB 14 (I signed Scherzer and they signed Lester in real life lol). That was especially notable because I had never been able to use my real life favorite team before that. I dabbled with the Twins and D'Backs also on MLB 14 but "blue screen of death" wiped both of them out. Bummer. Then, I played a full season with the Marlins in MLB 15. Then, a full season plus with the Padres on MLB 16 after they fixed the outfield lighting in places like Petco and PNC. I didn't get out of Spring Training in MLB 17 because I was working on rosters until September.... That was the first game on PS4 that I hadn't played at least one full season of Franchise mode.

Anyhow, I'd just encourage everyone to avoid fretting over not doing this or that. This is just a game and you should feel free to play it how you want. Whether that's chronic restarts and always waiting for the next best roster or jumping around from team to team or from mode to mode. No need to keep up with the Jonses, whom have played xx thousand games with the same team or whatever. Freeing yourself up from your own self-imposed prison of what you think you have to do with the game can be liberating. Remember you are looking to be entertained not to be put to work, slogging through something you lose interest in. The hard part for everyone, I think, is finding their own way that they find enjoyable.

Aside from not creating artificial expectations for yourself, I've found that doing prep work is really key. At least in my case. I can't start a chise unless I have maybe a half-dozen compelling hooks for playing it. I look for a good uniform and stadium combo that I like (since I'll be looking at it a lot) preferably with good alternates, an interesting roster situation (usually a rebuild of some kind with some built-in disadvantages), a team I haven't used lately (preferably in a division I haven't played in), and I make sure that I am totally good with my roster and sliders before I boot it up. That I've played a good chunk of "practice games," usually while scouting for which team to use, is helpful so I have my settings dialed in and feel like the stats are really "counting" from Game 1.

Posting about your games on here, whether in your own thread or just making pop-up posts in the franchise progress thread can help give you a bit of incentive to keep going. But, it can also be demoralizing if it seems like everyone else is having a ton of fun with theirs and you are always thinking about re-starting yours, so that's something to think about and possibly avoid. You can also record your own stats, in a notebook or in Excel, to increase your level of investment and "immersion" (most overused word in video games, imo). Some people like to create storylines or insert CAPS or come up with their own house rules to make the AI more challenging.

I agree with what someone posted in here that the Quick Manage feature makes it more palatable to do play xx sim yy strategies, even for those of us who are obsessive about controlling all of our stats. I didn't play MLB 17 enough to really try that out, but if I get MLB 18 I might dabble with it.

[JDL375]

Re: How do you get through your franchise seasons?

I play every game. I usually try and stay a few games back of where the season is in real life. I follow along with the actual MLB Season and try and keep it as realistic as possible with what the Yankees are doing.

I'll start the season with every team having the correct 25 man roster, and pitching rotations, and I will adjust all of the rosters as trades and injuries occur.

I can't control what every single team is doing on a daily basis, but since I am playing as the Yankees, I will ensure that each game has the Yankees and opponent with the correct pitching matchup, and lineup.

So for example, I don't have the time to make sure every team is pitching the correct pitcher every day to what it is in real life, I'll just make sure that when they face ME that they are using the real pitcher and lineup for that game.

[reyes the roof]

Re: How do you get through your franchise seasons?

I play the first inning, sim 2-5 and then play out the rest. Gives me a chance to use my starter for a few innings and manage my bullpen and bench without playing an entire game. Plus I'm really bad at hitting and really good at pitching, so simming four innings helps balance out my stats a bit

[GlennN]

Re: How do you get through your franchise seasons?

You play the first 14 games and then sim through the entire rest of the season? That's super odd if I'm understanding u right.

Yep, you are understanding correctly. I track my playing stats, so 14 games gives me about a season for a typical player (600 or so PA). Then, simming the rest means that I need to assemble a team versatile enough to win with or without my participation.

[JDL375]

Re: How do you get through your franchise seasons?

The reason I don't sim anymore is because the CPU does bizarre stuff with my bullpen.

[catswithbats]

Re: How do you get through your franchise seasons?

I sim a lot and fight the CPU on lineups.

[Roscosuper]

Re: How do you get through your franchise seasons?

I play every game until the game itself gets boring and/or annoying. I just try to enjoy the story that develops.


I've been guilty of re-starting due to new rosters coming out, but that's going to stop. It really shouldn't matter anyway. It's an alternate universe whether you like it or not.


My record amount of seasons was 4 with NHL 15 in old gen, just to give you an idea of how much time I take.


Also, between MLB and NHL, I've yet to win a title.