How The Show Can Embrace Baseball's History

[VDusen04]

Outstanding article. MVP Baseball 2005's classic stadiums was one of my favorite aspects of the game itself. I used to use Tiger Stadium as current Detroit's default ballpark. Cranking a shot into the upper deck was immensely satisfying.

For those who do not recall, in addition to Tiger Stadium, MVP 2005 also offered 14 other classic stadiums (referenced here, under unlockables: http://www.ign.com/cheats/games/mvp-baseball-ps2-713817). EA also provided a very thorough retro uniform selection.

Quote: Originally Posted by VonRye

If SCEA came up with classic ballparks, uniforms, etc., I don't think I could give them my money fast enough. Baseball is the only major sport with a serious case of nostalgia that makes us long to play old seasons, with old teams, in old parks. Build this and we will surprise you with the results.

Baseball's nostalgia is wonderful, and perhaps superior to each of the other major sports, but I think they all have their own respective draws as well. NBA 2K12's Legends mode, with classic rosters, courts, filters, graphics, shorts, jerseys, and audio was top of the line and quite engrossing.

Quote: Originally Posted by capa

Classic players/teams - never will happen. Using player likenesses is no longer free. Companies have to pay players or families of players for rights. Means SCEA would have to individually negotiate with thousands of players or estates. Will never happen. Not a big deal because community could create these rosters like we have been doing for years now in this game, and others.

I must admit my ignorance in this category, but for a number of years now I've been actively trying to figure out exactly how acquiring classic rights works. For NBA players, it seems I've heard of superstars being negotiated with individually (Charles Barkley, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, etc.) but then I feel as though I've heard players who were a part of the NBA's retired players association could possibly have their rights negotiated upon en masse.

Either way, I do believe acquiring the rights of classic Major League teams would be much more difficult, if only because the rosters themselves are much more plentiful. NBA 2K could acquire the rights of 7-8 key players on a 12 man roster and count of gamers to fill in the remaining blanks if they wished. A Major League roster obviously has many more players and would seem to make it much more difficult to field a realistic classic team.

[Eski33]

I have been begging for this for years. Classic teams never hurts a game. Especially since the demographic of gamers screams for 70's-80's nostalgia. Baseball is especially suited because it is a sport that touts its past more than any other sport. The NBA wasn't big until the Bird - Magic era. The NFL really goes back to the late 60's. Baseball is basically the same game it has been for the past 100+ years.

EA did MVP right by adding classic teams, stadiums and players along with the screen appearing like it would back in those days with a classic feel. Why SCEA cannot get on board with adding, at minimum more classic stadiums is confusing. Who wouldn't want to play with the 86 Mets with Doc, Carter, Hernandez, Dykstra and Strawberry? Or with any old school Yankees team. For me, the A's from the Bash Brothers era or the Tigers of 84?

[Knight165]

Nobody did it better in the past than ASB IMO


M.K.
Knight165

[Turbojugend]

Fantastic article. It's about time we see baseball games honoring past traditions.

[KingV2k3]

I would be thrilled with an expanded Historical component to The Show and would happily pay extra for a "Deluxe Edition" or second disc, etc.

[artdog5110]

I have not been on this sight for months, as I have given up video games. This, however, was a great post. I would take up video games again if Sony would make this happen. One thing that would be necessary, as someone else mentioned, would be a division realignment option. Also the inclusion of classic stances and windups, or, a feature, if it is not in already, the ability to alter stances and windups, as there were so many that were completely different than anything out there today. I'm not optimistic but I really hope this would or could happen.

[Computalover]

Great article.. always wanted memorial stadium in baltimore added to the list of historic stadiums..

[Galvatron]

Man I wish this could happen, especially with the power of the PS4. But I think two important things have to a happen for this to be even remotely possible.

1. Sony has to pay up, big time. Licensing is hella expensive. So many historical parks means alot of years of securing the rights to their use, not to mention the amount of time needed to develop these parks. Going the DLC route would help along with the ability to set up online leagues and custom rosters.

2. The game has to sell more than it does for it to be profitable. For now the majority of sales will be on PS3 and SCEA would have to keep releasing the game across all 3 systems for it to come close to the sales of games like Madden and NBA 2K, which have a higher fanbase due to them being more "popular" sports as well as being multi-platform and easier to implement these features for.. But once the PS3 version is phased out those sales could be difficult to sustain until the PS4 install base increases.