In hindsight: was getting 14 good for PS4

[merchant1874]

This is something I have wondered since probably even the initial reveal of 14 for PS4 but now we can look at it in hindsight.

Was getting a Ps4 version last year beneficial to the Franchise or has it hindered it slightly?

When 14 was first revealed I was delighted. It's what I bought a PS4 for. The early screens looked utterly amazing. Then the game came and though I Wasn't exactly disappointed I was definately underwhelmed. It felt like a higher res PS3 port. Much like the "HD remasters" we see for so many other games.

It didn't feel "next gen" in regards to graphics but it definately felt better gameplay wise.
We still didn't have stat tracking, new player models, improved franchise, better online, retractable roofs.

Fast forward a year.

Last nights reveal did impress me, especially the gameplay stuff.
The lighting looks to have made a big difference as has the colour matching and skin tones.
What was disappointing though was seeing the same player models, the same uniform textures and the same uniform physics. We already know retractable roofs in domed stadiums haven't been touched and stat tracking still isnt to the level we would like.


When NHL announced they were skipping a year I thought it was a great idea though it turned out badly. I do however think the SSD guys are way better developers than the EA crew. I do also think a really good NHL next gen foundation has been built.

What I wonder is, if they had skipped a year would we be at the same point with 15 now or would we have a much more advanced version of the game?



Please don't take this as critiscm for the sake of it, and I do appreciate we have only seen a small part of the game so far.

[ClarkWGrizwold]

For me personally this game was the reason I bought a PS4, I really only have enough time to get into 1 game a year. I too felt like it was the same as the ps3 version and with some of the same issues as the Show 13 it got stale to me about 1 month in and I didn't even play it for 4 months. I'm happy with the fact sheet as I only play franchise and finally seeing all the improvements with that.

Like you said I too was a little dissapointed with seeing the same player and jerseys as previous years. Like I posted in another thread my biggest issue that I have that makes it stale and feel like I'm playing the same game year to year is the weather making the players wear long sleeves at night. It's just a buzzkill having this go on year after year that is so obvious to see when the game is getting more realistic with lighting and franchise stuff that this is overlooked.

For me since we have in the game now the generated faces and the way people are always updating rosters it might be easier to take a year off and still have a game to play. It might be easier to take the year and start a new build on players and domes and some other features like expansion. I bet if they said we're thinking about taking a year off to have time to make and test the game with those features I said that most would be okay with that.

[rjackson]

I cannot see how not doing a release would be a good decision from any viewpoint. Business-wise, it would be devastating for a studio like SDS. We are also forgetting that we really had two shortened development cycles and they are performed by a team 1/3rd the size of Madden's team - yet they make just as many leaps forward. The engine is solid, gameplay is great and still being improved upon incrementally, and the graphics will continue to improve as the PS3 gets put into the rearview mirror. 16 should get a full cycle to work with and these guys really listen to us. I truly felt like B Ma was included, for instance, and asked to discuss pitching physics because of a couple of posts on this board. There were others as well where I could see an influence. This cycle wasn't as short as last years but look at that fact sheet - there was a ton on there, A TON!

[Ghost Of The Year]

I'm probably easy to please but I thoroughly enjoy the Show on the ps4.

[countryboy]

I would say beneficial. Anytime you can get a game out and get solid feedback from your fanbase, as well as building a foundation its always a good thing.

The only way it wouldn't be beneficial is if they threw everything away that they started with '14 and tried starting over new with '15.

[cardinalbird5]

I loved it. You are kind of doing yourself a disservice if this is the only ps4 game you play. Id get burnt out too if I only played one game.

Try the last of us or far cry 4 for something different.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Quote: Originally Posted by merchant1874

We still didn't have stat tracking, new player models, improved franchise, better online, retractable roofs.

I think you've nicely summarized what should be at the top of SCEA's to do list for '16. There is some consensus (even by those who won't say a negative or even neutral word about the game) that the stat tracking needs work. And, online is a rallying cry as well.

Look at it this way, without '14, there would be that many more features omitted and left untouched for '15 and going into '16. The fact that '14 was made ultimately makes '15 and '16 etc.. better games from the prior dev work. The hard part is waiting for '15 when you know '16 or '17 should be downright perfect.

[@legendm0de]

Interesting thread, I realize I would have preferred for them to skip a year of next gen, debuting this year instead if it meant having that much more time dedicated to developing a project solely for the next gen console.

It does certainly feel like a PS4 remastered version of what is available in PS3 and they're just building from that now. That sounds harsh, but it's not as bad a thing as it sounds, it just pulls the series from its lead over other sports titles and reigns them in. Whereas, they probably had the opportunity to push furthest ahead the quickest. NHL 15 is a perfect example of an overhaul that could be possible if MLB The Show took the same approach, skipping year 1 and debuting with more time on their side.

It was just assumed with Sony San Diego that they would have had the earliest jump on developing and that would have made an enormous difference in the PS4's exclusive features on debut.