For Those Who Are Not Buying MLB The Show 18, Why Not?

[My993C2]

I like MLB 18. I am noticing better game play from it via the new animations as well as it appears that player ratings are more of an influencing factor in the games this year than in previous years. But is it a major over the top change from 17? No ... it's not a radical change. MLB 18 has taken it a few steps further, but baby steps, not radical steps. With all that said, I play MLB The Show two different ways now. There is the way I started playing the Show which is Manage Only Games in a season (forced to use Franchise now) and for this I will definitely be using MLB 18. However I am also a recent RTTS convert and there is a bug in MLB 18 with RTTS pitchers where their secondary pitches do not improve. Until that bug is fixed, it makes no sense to play MLB 18 RTTS as a pitcher. So I have gone back and started a new pitcher and a new shortstop in MLB 17 and I will be using them for the next little while until some of the MLB 18 RTTS bugs are patched.

I skip Madden, FIFA, the NHL and the NBA2K games. I definitely do not buy them every year. So if someone wants to skip MLB The Show, it would be hypocritical to criticize them since I skip other titles. Spend your money wisely I say. But I do get many many hours of entertainment from MLB The Show, so I do not feel bad about my MLB 18 purchase.

[ballSatchel]

Simply because the game is not for me anymore. It's for DD players. Offline franchise hasn't received an innovative feature in years. The player happiness is probably closest but it's marginal in the scheme of things and was in other games years before. No work on making contracts or budgets a fun thing to manage or challenging. You can try to edit real contracts like OSFM did last year, but it breaks the game in later years. You can spend hours perfecting lineups, but after a couple days of sims, the CPU will do what it wants regardless. Still no better trade options than standard 3 players.

If anything with the streamlining of the budgets, I think it's gotten worse.

I don't begrudge DD players for loving the mode or SDS for making it because it's always about the money and that's where the money is. Writing been on the wall for offline sports games since Fifa made Ultimate Team mainstream.

[Jon Arbuckle]

I'll add to my previous post that this is the first time in several years where I've really noticed a difference with the added animations they're always touting. Outfield play especially looks much more realistic in '18. I'm also wondering if they've done something special to capture Brandon Crawford's unique movement in the field (his technique is beautiful to watch) as I've seen him set himself exactly the way he does IRL several times during gameplay. I know Kirby is involved with motion capture and is also a Giants fan so I wouldn't be surprised.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Not to play thread police, but I was hoping this thread would be used for guys who didn't buy to express why and what might get them to come back to The Show. I'm seeing a few posts from people who bought the game raving about it and I'm not really understanding how it fits in this thread tbh...plenty of other threads to share impressions/kudos in.

[Jon Arbuckle]

Quote: Originally Posted by WaitTilNextYear

Not to play thread police, but I was hoping this thread would be used for guys who didn't buy to express why and what might get them to come back to The Show. I'm seeing a few posts from people who bought the game raving about it and I'm not really understanding how it fits in this thread tbh...plenty of other threads to share impressions/kudos in.

I prefaced my first post in here by saying I was basically in the same boat as a lot of the posters in here in that I didn't really want the game but purchased it anyway due to financial incentives. Figured the positive feedback of someone who clearly isn't a fanboy might be valued by some people still on the fence. To be honest, I wouldn't have bothered taking the time to preach to the choir at length in a praise thread. Guess I should have quoted that first post when I added some more thoughts.

I also don't think positive feedback on the game should be off-limits in here if it's contributed in an effort to convince others to buy and not delivered in an aggressive manner. It's kind of the flipside of all the hostility that us doubters got when we posted in threads before release.

Finally, I want to emphasize that I totally get why some aren't buying this year. I consider the removal of multiple game modes, one with no notice, very disappointing even if I never played either mode myself. I also sympathize with those who keep waiting for more significant improvements to Franchise and more customization in general. It's most certainly not my intention to attack those who don't consider the game worth a full-price purchase.

[SaundCo87]

I am an Online Franchise guy so them taking the mode out made it an easy decision for me to not purchase the game. Plus, there just isn't enough improvement in offline to warrant changing from 2017 to 2018.

Sports games are at their best when you as the gamer, has the ability to play and experience a game in whatever way you want to. When they took out OF, they took away my ability to enjoy and experience the game how I wanted to. Giving gamers less options does not seem like a sound business model to me but they know what's best for their product much more than I do.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jon Arbuckle

I prefaced my first post in here by saying I was basically in the same boat as a lot of the posters in here in that I didn't really want the game but purchased it anyway due to financial incentives. Figured the positive feedback of someone who clearly isn't a fanboy might be valued by some people still on the fence. To be honest, I wouldn't have bothered taking the time to preach to the choir at length in a praise thread. Guess I should have quoted that first post when I added some more thoughts. I also don't think positive feedback on the game should be off-limits in here if it's contributed in an effort to convince others to buy and not delivered in an aggressive manner. It's kind of the flipside of all the hostility that us doubters got when we posted in threads before release. Finally, I want to emphasize that I totally get why some aren't buying this year. I consider the removal of multiple game modes, one with no notice, very disappointing even if I never played either mode myself. I also sympathize with those who keep waiting for more significant improvements to Franchise and more customization in general. It's most certainly not my intention to attack those who don't consider the game worth a full-price purchase.

Fair points. I'm just doing what I can to keep us on topic is all. Same reason I'm not putting all my gripes in the "Kudos SDS!" thread because a Jets v Sharks thing would probably break out and the mods (and everyone else) hate that crap. Just tryin' to keep things organized. We have plenty of threads already for the "I LOVE this game!!!" crowd. My earlier post was not a direct response to yours.

[KSUowls]

I haven't read the thread, but I'm sure this is a common sentiment.

Complete lack of added depth to Franchise are why I haven't bought this yet. There is a good chance I pick up a used copy down the line, but I'm having fun in OOTP 19, and I have a back log of games to deal with. The backlog has never been a problem for me before as I've always bought a (non-text based) baseball game by opening day every year since I can remember. All-Star Baseball, to MVP baseball, to 2K baseball, to The Show for the last decade.

This year though I finally put my money where my mouth is. I can't justify paying $60 for the same offline franchise...again (even if the minor improvements do seem like they will enhance the overall experience). Hopefully things are better next year, but until we have some meaningful depth added to the franchise mode this series that I've been a Day 1 buyer of for the last 10+ years is now an after thought. I'll try to pick up a used copy to get a baseball fix or maybe just a few day rental.