"Road To The Show" Suggestions, Improvements or Tweaks for MLB 12

[42]

Here's your chance to express your concerns on anything that you want to see improved/fixed, re-balanced, or tweaked to existing gameplay features in RTTS for next year's game.

I (and others) will be taking an early sneak peek at MLB12 (can't say when) and will be able to communicate any concerns/changes the community would like.

As always, constructive comments are welcome.


-Thanks

[etched Chaos]

re: "Road To The Show" Suggestions, Improvements or Tweaks for MLB 12

A more immersive free agency system. When you're about to hit the market the game feels soulless without a decent free agency bidding process. I want to feel like my guy is a hot commodity and yet in the Show you have to go through spring training to get a contract from a new team.

[nomo17k]

re: "Road To The Show" Suggestions, Improvements or Tweaks for MLB 12

To be added...

RTTS Gameplay

Base running

-- Add player momentum when stealing and getting picked off. When I get on base, I use the R1 (lean) + L3 to left trick to avoid constantly getting picked off on one-step lead. What I noticed is that when I then take off from 1B and the pitcher does pick off to the 1B, I can make a sudden move back to 1B and be safe. This probably is just a bug of something looked over...

-- Pick off play to 2B need to be quicker. I can often steal 3B with an aggressive lead when the pitcher does a pick-off move. Don't know who is the bottleneck (pitcher or a player covering 2B), but this happens a bit too often.

-- Make it easier to steal. I've played quite a few games with a player with max BR attribute ratings (as well as the speed), but I still find stealing a bit too risky unless the pitcher has a very slow delivery and/or throws an off-speed pitch. I'm not sure if this aspect of the game is entirely based on physics and timing that actually happens in the field (as opposed to some adjustments done based on attribute ratings, to make stats in line with reality; my guess is this is what's happening in the game), but even in the RTTS BR practice, it is very very difficult to steal a base unless the jump is near perfect. I doubt it's that hard in reality.

-- Acceleration? This probably belongs to a new idea category and not a tweak, but what about making L3 stick sensitive to how much you want to accelerate the base runner? Deeper you toggle, faster you want to accelerate. Currently it's either go or stop.

[nomo17k]

re: "Road To The Show" Suggestions, Improvements or Tweaks for MLB 12

To be added...

Misc.

-- Add pitcher/batter analysis for last 10 (or so) games. I like looking at those analysis screen to understand what my strengths/weaknesses are, and if we can analyze this over a few games and not just one game, it would be even more useful. I think the current analysis screen in Locker Room is quite an improvement over MLB 10, but it can even be better.

-- Signs should be given at a more reasonable time, not just with the first pitch of an at bat.

[jcar0725]

Re: "Road To The Show" Suggestions, Improvements or Tweaks for MLB 12

It seems to me that once you reach certain high abilities, and stats in your career, especially at the major league level, you shouldn't be punished for not reaching goals anymore, or benched or sent down to AAA.

My RTTS player was benched for not hitting goals even though I was mashing the ball all over the place. Then I was eventually sent down to AAA even though I was one of the leagues best hitters, and my "abilities" were off the charts. It's not realistic. Seems to me that once you hit "elite" status, you should just be able to focus on playing the game and winning, and trying to reach the H.O.F.

There should just be goal reaching practices and things that keep your player playing at a high level, that if you don't keep up with them, his stats and abilities would start to decrease.

[krmarks]

Re: "Road To The Show" Suggestions, Improvements or Tweaks for MLB 12

Tweaked

• Manager interactions: Have the request a trade work more like NBA2k11/12 where you can pick 3 teams and actually get traded to one of those 9 times out of 10.
• Manager interactions: Change position logic needs to move your player to the best possible solution for the lineup. Move my player to LF if there is a logjam in CF and a better rated player is riding the pine while we have a total suckfest in LF.
• Free Agency: Have it work like Madden or NCAA coaching carousel.
• Player Creation: Have capped archtypes to choose from, with a 5 tool choice for those that want to play with all 99 ratings if they want. More choices = happy gamers!

Improved/fixed

• Commentary: needs to have more specific information about my player, things like draft position, milestones, career averages, splits, deficiencies, pending free agency, demanding a trade, phenom, etc.
• Stop having bunting as a improvement goal if my power is above 70 for gods sake.
• Goal system for players who are MVP caliber. If I fail a goal and am hitting .350 with 35 bombs and 100+ rbi, I am not gonna get benched by any manager who values his job.
• Have the money your earn over your career actually do something
• Improve the newspaper section to maybe have stories about your player specifically.
• More customizable equipment
• Custom batter walkup routine...like nomar's batting glove routine or big papi spit handclap routine
• Create specific milestone cut-scenes like 1st hit, 500th hr, etc

Re-balance

• Diving plays made by infielders, it gets unreal when I get robbed 2 times every game by an insane dive and throw...ugh
• Outfielder arms, throws to third shouldn't always be 1 hop rockets from the right center gap.

[jcar0725]

Re: "Road To The Show" Suggestions, Improvements or Tweaks for MLB 12

Tweaked

Improved/fixed

• Goal system for players who are MVP caliber. If I fail a goal and am hitting .350 with 35 bombs and 100+ rbi, I am not gonna get benched by any manager who values his job.

YES, EXACTLY what I meant in my post above. The goals should change to more of a "maintain" instead of "if you don't improve your _____ you're getting benched or sent down" (even though you lead the league in hitting and are on an MVP pace)

[etched Chaos]

Re: "Road To The Show" Suggestions, Improvements or Tweaks for MLB 12

Just to add to your point about commentary krmarks, it needs to be extensive. With both positive and negative conversation points included, so you feel like the game world is acknowledging you on a much wider scale. Also, there should be new game intros revolving around the player when Dave or eRic talk about keys for the game, if you're on a hot streak, it should be part of the pregame package.

[teebee]

Re: "Road To The Show" Suggestions, Improvements or Tweaks for MLB 12

Small gripe that drives me nuts; you rotate the umps in a series the wrong direction, they go clockwise not counter clockwise HP to 3b; 3b to 2b; 2b to 1b and 1b to HP;

Basicaly whomever called Balls and strikes gets 3b duties the next night; currently you have it going HP to 1b etc etc

[Schreibi34]

Re: "Road To The Show" Suggestions, Improvements or Tweaks for MLB 12

RTTS Catcher:

- Please give us the option to turn pitch calling on and of. I'm 41 with a 10 year old daughter a wife and a job. It's impossible for me to get to the Majors on realistic settings that reflect my attributes. Right now a RTTS game as Catcher takes well over an hour! I also want to be able to just hit in a game and FF/watch result play on defence. Strikeouts, where you didn't call the pitches, don't count into put outs.

- Let me do a mound visit and say something that might influence the pitcher sometimes.

- Let me give the manager an advise when he visits the mound. This might influence his decision. (Both multiple choice)


Analog throwing:

- Throwing needs more of a "rewarding feel" to it. For example: If you miss straight up on your right stick (2nd base as a RTTS catcher) by let's say 10° to the left, the ball will fly in a toned down angle, let's say 1%, 0,1° to the left side of 2nd base. If you miss dead center by a lot, the ball might sail into outfield, depending on the SS / 2nd basemans abillities. A practice mode will help to get a good feel for the thumbstick because you can see what you have done right or wrong just by watching the throw. Throwing accuracy will be responsible for the hight of the throw and one hoppers or overthrows will still leave it up to the CPU if you get an error or not. This could be used in any mode in any direction.

Sorry for my english

[Karle]

Re: "Road To The Show" Suggestions, Improvements or Tweaks for MLB 12

One change I would like to see is when you start a new Rtts you would first create yourself (name, number, height, weight, facial characteristics) which you could then save. Then whenever you start a new RTTS you could start with your saved player and then choose position etc. As it is now each time you start a new RTTS you have to redo the name face etc assuming you are making it of yourself.

Karle

[Cozar]

Re: "Road To The Show" Suggestions, Improvements or Tweaks for MLB 12

Player Creation/Improvement
1. I love the idea on creating a default model that I can use to start multiple RTTS.

2. Option to start as an older player with bonus training points, allowing for a post-college player who starts at AAA, or even a mid-twenties major league ready player who might only need a few months at AAA.

3. Playoff games should be worth less training points, not more. I want to be an allstar that leads my team to the playoffs, not a player that becomes an allstar because of bonus training points from being drafted by the top team. Long-term goal: Ditch playoff training points and add a playoff-experience stat that acts as a modifier of base stats, reflecting the perception that veterans hold up better in the playoffs.

Manager Interaction

1. I was on a hot streak that lasted a month and had to ask the manager 3 separate times to move me up in the batting order. Each time the manager agreed, and then moved me back to the bottom of the order after 3 games. When I have the highest OPS on the team, I shouldn't have to ask to be moved up in the lineup every 4th game.

2. Forced interactions. Sometimes I really want to be traded (or taken off the trading block). Yes, I know it isn't realistic, but sometimes fun takes precedence over realism, especially when it is possible to let players choose between which they prefer.

Baserunning

1. Third base coach as an optional pop-up box. The camera angles do not make it possible to judge whether a ball will be caught in the air or land safely. Thus, we need a way to always see the 3B case.

2. Maybe I just have crappy reaction time, but there are certain line-drive outs that are always double plays against me, and are never double plays against AI baserunners.

Signs

1. Drop the gimmicky 3B case throwing signs. Just give me a pop-up box that lasts for a single pitch. That way, the coach can call a hit-and-run on a 2-1 count instead of a 0-0 count and I won't have to keep trying to bunt on an 0-2. It would also allowing telling the batter to take a pitch when the coach wants to move a runner into scoring position before you swing the bat.

Official Scorekeeper/AI Runners

When the idiot AI runner on first doesn't take a big enough lead on a line drive to RF and gets thrown out at second, it is a baserunning [mistake] and a hit, not a Fielder's choice.

edit: Also, the official scorekeeper tends to award doubles or triples when a runner advances on the throw. That is another example of a fielder's choice that should be scored as a single (or double).

edit: The poster below me is partially right, it's a baserunning mistake, not an error. A fielder's choice (excluding on the throw) requires that the fielder chose to try to throw out an advancing runner instead of trying to throw out the batter-runner. When the fielder does not have an option to throw out the batter-runner, it is a single.

[MinnTwinFan2616]

Re: "Road To The Show" Suggestions, Improvements or Tweaks for MLB 12

Player Creation/Improvement
1. I love the idea on creating a default model that I can use to start multiple RTTS.

2. Option to start as an older player with bonus training points, allowing for a post-college player who starts at AAA, or even a mid-twenties major league ready player who might only need a few months at AAA.

3. Playoff games should be worth less training points, not more. I want to be an allstar that leads my team to the playoffs, not a player that becomes an allstar because of bonus training points from being drafted by the top team. Long-term goal: Ditch playoff training points and add a playoff-experience stat that acts as a modifier of base stats, reflecting the perception that veterans hold up better in the playoffs.

Manager Interaction

1. I was on a hot streak that lasted a month and had to ask the manager 3 separate times to move me up in the batting order. Each time the manager agreed, and then moved me back to the bottom of the order after 3 games. When I have the highest OPS on the team, I shouldn't have to ask to be moved up in the lineup every 4th game.

2. Forced interactions. Sometimes I really want to be traded (or taken off the trading block). Yes, I know it isn't realistic, but sometimes fun takes precedence over realism, especially when it is possible to let players choose between which they prefer.

Baserunning

1. Third base coach as an optional pop-up box. The camera angles do not make it possible to judge whether a ball will be caught in the air or land safely. Thus, we need a way to always see the 3B case.

2. Maybe I just have crappy reaction time, but there are certain line-drive outs that are always double plays against me, and are never double plays against AI baserunners.

Signs

1. Drop the gimmicky 3B case throwing signs. Just give me a pop-up box that lasts for a single pitch. That way, the coach can call a hit-and-run on a 2-1 count instead of a 0-0 count and I won't have to keep trying to bunt on an 0-2. It would also allowing telling the batter to take a pitch when the coach wants to move a runner into scoring position before you swing the bat.

Official Scorekeeper/AI Runners

When the idiot AI runner on first doesn't take a big enough lead on a line drive to RF and gets thrown out at second, it is a baserunning error and a hit, not a Fielder's choice.

No it is a fielders choice. There is no such stat as a baserunning error.

[noseeumcreek]

Re: "Road To The Show" Suggestions, Improvements or Tweaks for MLB 12

One simple request is I would like to be able to view league transgressions. Not essential to Road to the Show like it is franchise, but a nice thing to check to every now and then. It's for both variety and reasonable means because I notice teams change insanely over short periods of time and I'm wondering, "wtf?". There is no way to have an idea of how things progress around the league.

Also, and this parlays with franchise, too - but add the name "Crash" to spoken first names. Some of us want to make authentic Crash Davis characters.

Oh, and make high speed for a player feel more like high speed. There should be more noticeable difference between an 80-some speed and a full 99-speed. Doesn't feel like enough difference.

[fanofikedavis]

Re: "Road To The Show" Suggestions, Improvements or Tweaks for MLB 12

have the option to have a 'cap' on stats. if i choose to be a speedy hitter with good contact and low power, it would be unrealistic to end up being a 60 homerun guy 5 years into the career.

also, improve the speed stat at the beginning. players dont start off with average speed then become speed demons as they play professional ball, they are born fast.