Have they run out of ideas to innovate the way we play the game?

[da_centa_fielda]

I've noticed the changes in the game this year. But this is the most minimal (and regressed considering the removal of modes) year to year update I can remember seeing from this series. I rented the game for a few days in hopes of being convinced to buy the full game. But it left me feeling content waiting for it to drop to $30.

I appreciate their commitment to realism. But now I'm beginning to think it's to a fault. They either don't know what to do to innovate the game or can't do anything. I'll just use fielding for an example since it's the most interactive. It's either been just press a button, hold a button until it's in the green, or (most recently) use the analog stick.

How long have those been an option? How long have they remained the same? Even visually. Why aren't we able to aim our throws yet? Even when you use the proper setting to aim your throws in RTTS, it's not 1:1. If I miss a bit low, it may or may not miss low. If I miss left, it may or may not miss left. Etc. They claim to have fixed the tagging system. But when are we going to be able to manually influence how the tag is applied?

Alot of people on these forums tend to take criticism of the game to heart or misconstrue it to be mindless bashing. I just want the game to be more engaging and interactive. I feel like we're being shorted on more engaging innovation of how we play for the sake of the game looking more like a broadcast.

I have a question for those who don't think the game needs innovation. Would you be happy if they didn't change anything to the gameplay mechanics but added changes equivalent to this year's version for the next decade?

[Caulfield]

Re: Have they run out of ideas to innovate the way we play the game?

They're not short on ideas, those are a dime a dozen. What they're short on is manpower & other resources.

[bkrich83]

Re: Have they run out of ideas to innovate the way we play the game?

They're not short on ideas, those are a dime a dozen. What they're short on is manpower & other resources.

Not to mention this is a baseball game. When it comes to game mechanics, there's only so many ways to skin the cat.

[CujoMatty]

Re: Have they run out of ideas to innovate the way we play the game?

Not to mention this is a baseball game. When it comes to game mechanics, there's only so many ways to skin the cat.

That quite frankly is the truth.

Outside of the gameplay I think there is a ton that could be done to freshen up the game though. Been listening to Matty V for what feels like a decade. The presentation is better this year but it still could be better. Most of all though Franchise needs an overhaul. I don’t feel like it’s bad necessarily it’s just in need of some more depth.

[Blzer]

Re: Have they run out of ideas to innovate the way we play the game?

Not to mention this is a baseball game. When it comes to game mechanics, there's only so many ways to skin the cat.

There are a lot of things they can still do.

I don't know how many different ways they want to address the video game portions and find new ways to do that, but they still have a lot more baseball to go, great as it is.

[Speedy]

Re: Have they run out of ideas to innovate the way we play the game?

There are a lot of things they can still do.

Gameplay is pretty great, not much else is needed. However, the rest of the game that keeps the user's attention can definitely improve.

Franchise needs some huge TLC.

Updating uniforms, player models, animations, pitching motion creator to coincide with the stance creator...

I've got a ton of ideas, one of which is implementing % tendencies like 2K does...the wealth of stats in baseball needs to be tapped into by SCEA.

So yeah...plenty of opportunities.

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[jeffy777]

Re: Have they run out of ideas to innovate the way we play the game?

There are a lot of things they can still do.

I don't know how many different ways they want to address the video game portions and find new ways to do that, but they still have a lot more baseball to go, great as it is.

Gameplay is pretty great, not much else is needed. However, the rest of the game that keeps the user's attention can definitely improve.

Franchise needs some huge TLC.

Updating uniforms, player models, animations, pitching motion creator to coincide with the stance creator...

I've got a ton of ideas, one of which is implementing % tendencies like 2K does...the wealth of stats in baseball needs to be tapped into by SCEA.

So yeah...plenty of opportunities.

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Agreed. There's always room for improvement. 10 years ago, a lot of people felt that The Show couldn't get much better than it was (especially compared to the competition at the time). And now a decade later, it's improved in more ways than we can list. Yes, in some areas there is stagnation, but it's only a matter of time before those get improved upon and revolutionized as well.

[Williemayshayes00]

Re: Have they run out of ideas to innovate the way we play the game?

Not to mention this is a baseball game. When it comes to game mechanics, there's only so many ways to skin the cat.

Except they havent skinned the cat correctly. Stance and strides are still awful for the most part. Pitching animations are even worse. They havent cared to get equipment right in at least 4 years. Franchise logic has never been correct. At this point it has nothing to do with manpower, its knowledge and desire to get it right that is absent.

[Speedy]

Re: Have they run out of ideas to innovate the way we play the game?

Except they havent skinned the cat correctly. Stance and strides are still awful for the most part. Pitching animations are even worse. They havent cared to get equipment right in at least 4 years. Franchise logic has never been correct. At this point it has nothing to do with manpower, its knowledge and desire to get it right that is absent.

What game are you playing?

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[Williemayshayes00]

Re: Have they run out of ideas to innovate the way we play the game?

What game are you playing?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Operation Sports mobile app

Nice retort. Here are just a few examples as I dont have all day to sit here and type them out.

Paul Goldschmidt has a leg kick in game, never had a leg kick his entire career.

Trout pumps his bat below his armpit in game. He has a very fundamentally sound swing and keeps his hands above his shoulder during his at bats.

Springer also pumps below his armpit in game. His hands stay up in real life as well.

Players have one handed follow throughs with 2 handed HR swings and vice versa. If you try to correct it you lose the HR swing.

Cant edit batting gloves or cleats correctly. No home/away options

Outfielders wear infielders gloves because they cant be bothered to put an OF version of each glove in the game.

[torpidbeaver]

Re: Have they run out of ideas to innovate the way we play the game?

Because of their small team and (perceived) need to focus on DD, I think it's unrealistic to expect huge changes in the game. They built a very solid product, and are trying to iterate on that product to make incremental improvements.

What I'm most disturbed about is the lack of iteration in the bigger picture; franchise and (RIP) season/online franchise; hanging on to Matty V, yet only paying him for enough time to rapid fire a small script of new lines; etc.

Or the cases where they've done the opposite - regressed or seemingly actively hobbled something that was better in a previous version.

The longer I go without the new version, the more I realize I'm pretty okay with last year's.

[Comduklakis]

Re: Have they run out of ideas to innovate the way we play the game?

to the original OP, I'm actually fine with minor tweaks to gameplay. Obviously a few legacy issues that continue to not get attention, the ridiculous "fix" for online play on bunting that ruins offline play, and some minor cosmetic things about stances and swings that most fans don't notice (but I'm not belittling those who want total realism mind you).

What really needs work is non DD modes and immersion. other sports games have surpassed them by miles on immersion for franchise (and in the past season mode, but that's an entirely different issue). Franchise is beyond stale and even the most basic things like expanding cards to include minor league stats and expanding stats in general (milestones for one) continue to not be done. Beyond "phases" (which I actually find less user friendly as a long time franchise user) they have tinkered on the edges of franchise for 4 or 5 years. It's high time they take a leap into 2018 and make it feel real, instead of a tacked on mode to an otherwise solid baseball single game mode.

[HighCmpPct]

Re: Have they run out of ideas to innovate the way we play the game?

Nice retort. Here are just a few examples as I dont have all day to sit here and type them out.

Paul Goldschmidt has a leg kick in game, never had a leg kick his entire career.

Trout pumps his bat below his armpit in game. He has a very fundamentally sound swing and keeps his hands above his shoulder during his at bats.

Springer also pumps below his armpit in game. His hands stay up in real life as well.

Players have one handed follow throughs with 2 handed HR swings and vice versa. If you try to correct it you lose the HR swing.

Cant edit batting gloves or cleats correctly. No home/away options

Outfielders wear infielders gloves because they cant be bothered to put an OF version of each glove in the game.

You do realize that most of the bigger guys come into SDS and mocap their swings, so if you have a problem with how those turned out talk to the player cause that's how they recorded it.

And there is a home/away option on batting gloves and cleats. If your using team colors, they will change based on what uniform you wear as the main colors change. Would be nice to see this in the edit screen but regardless it is an option. Or at least it was, haven't dabbled in it this year.

And quite honestly If this is all you have to be this upset about then it shows they've built a great game.

[Blzer]

Re: Have they run out of ideas to innovate the way we play the game?

You do realize that most of the bigger guys come into SDS and mocap their swings, so if you have a problem with how those turned out talk to the player cause that's how they recorded it.

Posey has screwed up his own in the past, and as close as Griffey's is, his hands are still far too separated from his body. One thing I thought about is that Griffey is a bigger guy now than he used to be, so his hands may be pressed against a larger body, but when skinnying up his mold they would now appear farther separated lol. I was hoping that the BSC would have been able to address that, but so far I haven't really been able to edit anything about his stance.

And there are no unique swings. Maybe some strides and follow-throughs, but they just have a few swing types and all players get those swings. They have a new swing for low pitches this year that mimicked a lot of how Kris Bryant swings, and they were smart to show him doing that in a trailer because I thought it was specific to him. Nope. When I saw Hunter Pence do it I was like, "Oooh, it's just for anybody." Doesn't look good.

[HighCmpPct]

Re: Have they run out of ideas to innovate the way we play the game?

I was gonna mention Griffey but didn't feel like getting specific

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