Keeping things fresh

[jahickory]

How do you guys keep your franchises going? I find myself starting off and then I get in a few games and just get tired. Should I switch to quick counts to keep the games moving, if I want to grind out full seasons? Do you play every other game?


Don't take it out on me but I admit, I'm an Astros fan. Yes, I hate what they did too. And, it's sort of the reason this year as to why I don't want to play with them. But, I love the park and all.



I've done things to keep it interesting like release all their players and such and just pick up random guys. I've tried doing drafts but it's just eh. Like, I feel no connection.



In the past, I loved playing as the Stros when they were awful because I could build them up.


Any ideas on what I should do? Or what are some things you guys do to keep it fun?

[Archie56]

Re: Keeping things fresh

Try using Bacon's Fictional Roster and do a fantasy draft. That way you can keep using the Astros but without their cheaters! That always keeps things fresh for me [emoji4]

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[countryboy]

Re: Keeping things fresh

Have you looked in the roster section at some of the rosters put together of players from the past seasons? That could be something to do to change it up a bit.

I was going to suggest doing a draft, but you've tried that.

You could also try and choosing a National League team to play thru a season/franchise as a different team. Or you could do 30 team control where you control the roster moves, and play select games on a given day (I have a friend who plays this way)

Myself, because I'm using a carryover save, my franchise is my own separate world where the Orioles are good, the Yankees stink, and I'm trying to win a World Series (10 seasons played and no WS yet )

[JoshC1977]

Re: Keeping things fresh

I'd really like to 'second' the suggestion of using Bacon's roster (I'd recommend doing it WITHOUT a draft though). You can even use your Astros and have a very interesting experience. It's a solid roster with decent pitching, a couple of decent prospects, and some very good power. They lack depth though, and that is their Achilles' Heal. They're also in a solid division as Seattle is the clear top-dog and the Rangers/A's on-par with Houston.

You can dive in, leave all your preconceptions behind, and just play baseball.

[kinsmen7]

Re: Keeping things fresh

I used Bacon's roster for a bit-enjoyed it very much, but missed the real life guys.

I did an "expansion draft" a month ago, and had a lot of fun. Re-branded the Marlins as the Montreal Expos.

Started out by essentially doing a dispersal draft, and giving away the top 29 players on the roster based on this years 1st round draft order (Tried to use some logic based on teams needs going through it). I kept the farm system, but if I did it again, I'd probably move the top 10 or 15 prospects in a "Second round".

Then, I used MLBTR's expansion draft list that they came up with, and replaced the 29 players with expansion draft picks. If I moved the prospects, I would probably just replace them with another 10-15 expansion picks.

It was a lot of fun, but I ended up accidentally saving over the file with another franchise .

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Keeping things fresh

I'm not using Bacon's roster, but I'm now at the end of 2021 of my 2014 carry over and I have to say the fiction of the universe I've created keeps me going.

Fictional players force you to scout them in game, getting you more invested in "your" team as opposed to viewing it as a team you were just handed. There is no doubt now that the team I'm playing with are my Blue Jays.

Maybe that won't appeal to you, but I know for me, the more I invest into my franchise the more I get out of it. With year to year saves, that investment/reward relationship can continue for the rest of the foreseeable future.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Operation Sports mobile app

[Funkycorm]

Re: Keeping things fresh

Take the Astros and simulate 7-8 years with them doing only the GM stuff like scouting, signing, etc then play with the team you built.

I did this with the Indians last year and started playing games in 2026. The league was different from what it was but not completely. The team I built had entirely my own stamp on it.

It was the first year I ever played a full 162 and playoffs.

I am not a fan of the full real life rosters. Especially this year's sets with too many high potential guys screwing things up down the road. It's all of them too. Any franchise I start, I use my 2019 roster set that has potentials set up better for a long term league.

But I also couldn't fully get into the full fictional universe as I felt no attachment to it.

It takes a week or two of simming to get to 2026 or 2027, but you will get a half real half fictional universe with a lot of the former top prospects being the new stars of the game.

[JoshC1977]

Re: Keeping things fresh

I'm not using Bacon's roster, but I'm now at the end of 2021 of my 2014 carry over and I have to say the fiction of the universe I've created keeps me going.

Fictional players force you to scout them in game, getting you more invested in "your" team as opposed to viewing it as a team you were just handed. There is no doubt now that the team I'm playing with are my Blue Jays.

Maybe that won't appeal to you, but I know for me, the more I invest into my franchise the more I get out of it. With year to year saves, that investment/reward relationship can continue for the rest of the foreseeable future.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Operation Sports mobile app

This is incredibly true. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it.

Speaking for myself, the hardest part for me (and I have a hunch this is the OP's issue) is getting over that initial 'hump'. It's getting to that first point where you're invested into the franchise.

Even using Bacon's roster, I didn't quite settle-in right away. The one thing I did from the outset was commit to myself to get through April (playing every pitch); no starting-over, no waffling on "alternate franchises", just going in full-bore. I knew if I could do that, I'd be sucked-in; because the game is just that good. Sure enough - that's exactly what happened. I had key injuries, guys in slumps, big surprises and I complemented that with a story-arc changing trade. I was totally hooked by that point...and am already into Year 2.

The key is to let the game dictate the story for you. Now, I personally feel that real rosters make it more difficult to do so, there are SO many preconceptions of who's good, what "would/would not" happen, and "how things should play". But, to truly embrace a fictional universe, you HAVE to be able/willing to dive in without that initial "connection" and give it time to grow.

[kinsmen7]

Re: Keeping things fresh

This is incredibly true. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it.

Speaking for myself, the hardest part for me (and I have a hunch this is the OP's issue) is getting over that initial 'hump'. It's getting to that first point where you're invested into the franchise.

Even using Bacon's roster, I didn't quite settle-in right away. The one thing I did from the outset was commit to myself to get through April (playing every pitch); no starting-over, no waffling on "alternate franchises", just going in full-bore. I knew if I could do that, I'd be sucked-in; because the game is just that good. Sure enough - that's exactly what happened. I had key injuries, guys in slumps, big surprises and I complemented that with a story-arc changing trade. I was totally hooked by that point...and am already into Year 2.

The key is to let the game dictate the story for you. Now, I personally feel that real rosters make it more difficult to do so, there are SO many preconceptions of who's good, what "would/would not" happen, and "how things should play". But, to truly embrace a fictional universe, you HAVE to be able/willing to dive in without that initial "connection" and give it time to grow.

This is all very true. I think the hardest part is getting far enough into it that you stop caring so much about real-life transactions. I was 3/4 of the way through my 1st year with the Jays, and then all of the sudden it's the draft. OF COURSE I NEED TO HAVE THE NEW PICKS!!!! And then it was ruined.

I wish that you could import players after your franchise starts. I think that'd really help keep people invested.

[JoshC1977]

Re: Keeping things fresh

This is all very true. I think the hardest part is getting far enough into it that you stop caring so much about real-life transactions. I was 3/4 of the way through my 1st year with the Jays, and then all of the sudden it's the draft. OF COURSE I NEED TO HAVE THE NEW PICKS!!!! And then it was ruined.

I wish that you could import players after your franchise starts. I think that'd really help keep people invested.

I used to be that way; every new roster, every little transaction used to cause me to want to start over.

Then I realized something....the quest for authenticity ends the very minute you start a franchise. Why? 90 man rosters. You will NEVER have a perfectly authentic, real-life-mirroring experience. The minute you start a franchise, you are in an alternate universe made up of its own rules, its own dynamics, and it is instantly "not real". The minute I accepted that, I began enjoying franchise modes like I never had before.

The other thing I did last year, I avoided using the custom "full minors" rosters. I dove into an SDS roster from the beginning (yup, the one with "fake" players). Why, because it broadened that gap between "real life" and "my world".

My entire focus on franchise modes now is to tell a story. I treat every franchise mode just like an RPG (a la Skyrim) and let go of any consideration that it was a "simulator". I focused on "my players", "my team", and "my story" and role-played in the mode's environment.

It's a HUGE leap to make and not everyone can make it; but if you can, you'll have SO much more fun.

[dbjets24]

Re: Keeping things fresh

I used to be that way; every new roster, every little transaction used to cause me to want to start over.

Then I realized something....the quest for authenticity ends the very minute you start a franchise. Why? 90 man rosters. You will NEVER have a perfectly authentic, real-life-mirroring experience. The minute you start a franchise, you are in an alternate universe made up of its own rules, its own dynamics, and it is instantly "not real". The minute I accepted that, I began enjoying franchise modes like I never had before.

The other thing I did last year, I avoided using the custom "full minors" rosters. I dove into an SDS roster from the beginning (yup, the one with "fake" players). Why, because it broadened that gap between "real life" and "my world".

My entire focus on franchise modes now is to tell a story. I treat every franchise mode just like an RPG (a la Skyrim) and let go of any consideration that it was a "simulator". I focused on "my players", "my team", and "my story" and role-played in the mode's environment.

It's a HUGE leap to make and not everyone can make it; but if you can, you'll have SO much more fun.

So true. I always have been like that too. Honestly, the one thing I'll say about the COVID pandemic has been getting me into this mindset. I waiting until the Riding April 15th update and have had a franchise going since then. Into 2024 now and it's been a lot of fun making moves and adjusting the team based on that.

I tried starting a new one with the start of this season, but even so it's just not the same and as fun as I've been having with that team. Love the way I built it and how players have grown, regressed etc.

[jahickory]

Re: Keeping things fresh

I love reading through the suggestions. Yeah, it's tough and it's a long grind. I might try the quick counts too? I don't know how I feel about that just yet. But, I'm on the same boat as some that I like having the real players. But, they all change and such anyway.


To start, I'm going to try to go 5 years into the future and keep tabs on players and what not. I'll trade the players with contracts too high that the game won't let them sign in FA and the others, I'll just release.


Building the team from bottom up again.

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Keeping things fresh

Trust me, there is nothing cooler than drafting someone in literally 2014 and be playing here in 2020 (real life time) with them as my ace.

I understand wanting real life prospects, but soon enough you get just as excited about fictional prospects. Sure, I look at the exciting roster the Jays have and I get the urge to play that, but then I think about all of the players completely unique to my universe that I'll lose, who I've built up slowly over literal years to become stars.

I'm at a point now where every issue the team has is thanks to my decision making. This isn't something I was handed. And in my eyes, Jose Lozano is as much a Blue Jay as Vladdy is.

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[TonyMoraco15]

Re: Keeping things fresh

I suggest using a team that is rebuilding... bump up the difficulty and fire away. Trust me when I tell you that you will enjoy every victory and If you can hang and turn the team around and win a WS, makes it even sweeter.

[Funkycorm]

Re: Keeping things fresh

Trust me, there is nothing cooler than drafting someone in literally 2014 and be playing here in 2020 (real life time) with them as my ace.

I understand wanting real life prospects, but soon enough you get just as excited about fictional prospects. Sure, I look at the exciting roster the Jays have and I get the urge to play that, but then I think about all of the players completely unique to my universe that I'll lose, who I've built up slowly over literal years to become stars.

I'm at a point now where every issue the team has is thanks to my decision making. This isn't something I was handed. And in my eyes, Jose Lozano is as much a Blue Jay as Vladdy is.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Operation Sports mobile app

This is how I feel. I am in 2027 and there is nothing sweeter than hearing Matty V say 'he was a first round pick in 2019 and they got it right.'

My Indians team is full of game generated players that are homegrown talent.

Every franchise I do the build up then play years later, my favorite player on the team is always my first draft pick from the first draft I did myself. From my Indians this year and last to my past franchises with the Giants, Rangers, Mariners, and Cardinals, that first pick turning into a superstar is always a thing of beauty. And they almost always, though hasn't happened yet with my Indians, earn a big extension.

Since I am continuing this Indians franchise long term, my LF Juan Cedeno will be an Indian for life.