Create a stadium prediction & using created stadiums in online games

[Red_Ted_is_back]

The following is the first of what will be many blog posts on redtedisback.blogspot.com related to MLB The Show and its future.

Background
We now know that (as predicted) MLB The Show 20's rebranding feature will incorporate the Diamond Dynasty team branding features.

Leveraging the DD team branding assets in Franchise mode is a simple first-step solution to a feature long-requested by its player base. It’s also step in the (right) direction of blurring the lines between the game’s two segregated platforms (DD and non-DD).

Despite being a mostly Franchise and strictly non-DD player, I’ve never supported the idea of a stadium creator in MLB The Show, or for that matter, the idea of rebranding/relocating a Franchise. I’ve always considered it a lot of effort for not a lot of gain. Personally I would prefer that Franchise resources be allocated to adding depth to some of the content already there to improve the immersion in what’s going on around the league.

However, now that franchise mode has rebranding v1 in The Show 20, my prediction is that rebranding v2 in The Show 21 will see the birth of a fairly simple ‘create a stadium’ in Franchise mode.

A realistic and possible 'create a stadium' feature
It’s half prediction, half suggestion, but to keep the idea in the realm of ‘realistic and possible’, the created stadiums could have the following features/restrictions:

• One generic stadium with set locations to add the customised team logo and name (eg top of dugouts or a billboard in the outfield).
• Outfield fences chosen from a set of three or four options.
• Fixed outfield depths.
• Fixed backstop and foul area depths.
• Non-editable grandstands everywhere except the outfield.
• Some stock standard assets available to choose from to place beyond the outfield fences (eg billboards, stands, some kind of water feature, scoreboards, big screen).

This way the actual playing area will always be the same (with the exception of the outfield fence heights) and therefore there will be less chance of something going wrong in-game such as players or balls disappearing through walls etc because the playing area will have been heavily tested.

Created stadiums in online play
My next prediction is a bit of a stretch for 21, but we may see it in 22. If created the right way, this create a stadium feature will also pave the way for use of the feature in online modes as well. By limiting the assets used behind the outfield walls, it translates to a few dozen possible combinations of assets that can be indexed in the game itself so that the stadium you build is actually combination #5 or #20 or #52 with the home team logo simply added to the set locations (and if the feature is built so that it can be easily expanded upon in later versions, a few hundred possible combinations would be doable). This would mean that everybody would already have every stadium actually installed on their machines, and they don’t have to be loaded each game. I don’t know how much storage space a stadium takes up, but if it’s only a few MB then this is possibly the most efficient way to do it.

Resource justification
Perhaps including this in 21 isn’t ambitious - by incorporating it into DD at the same time and not classing the feature as a ‘Franchise’ feature, the devs can justify allocating resources to it and the Franchise resources could be freed up for improving the mode in other ways. It’s one way us Franchise players can look at DD in a positive way rather than complaining that DD gets all the attention.

[Endorphinrush3000]

Quote: Originally Posted by Red_Ted_is_back

The following is the first of what will be many blog posts on redtedisback.blogspot.com related to MLB The Show and its future. Background We now know that (as predicted) MLB The Show 20's rebranding feature will incorporate the Diamond Dynasty team branding features. Leveraging the DD team branding assets in Franchise mode is a simple first-step solution to a feature long-requested by its player base. It’s also step in the (right) direction of blurring the lines between the game’s two segregated platforms (DD and non-DD). Despite being a mostly Franchise and strictly non-DD player, I’ve never supported the idea of a stadium creator in MLB The Show, or for that matter, the idea of rebranding/relocating a Franchise. I’ve always considered it a lot of effort for not a lot of gain. Personally I would prefer that Franchise resources be allocated to adding depth to some of the content already there to improve the immersion in what’s going on around the league. However, now that franchise mode has rebranding v1 in The Show 20, my prediction is that rebranding v2 in The Show 21 will see the birth of a fairly simple ‘create a stadium’ in Franchise mode. A realistic and possible 'create a stadium' feature It’s half prediction, half suggestion, but to keep the idea in the realm of ‘realistic and possible’, the created stadiums could have the following features/restrictions: One generic stadium with set locations to add the customised team logo and name (eg top of dugouts or a billboard in the outfield). Outfield fences chosen from a set of three or four options. Fixed outfield depths. Fixed backstop and foul area depths. Non-editable grandstands everywhere except the outfield. Some stock standard assets available to choose from to place beyond the outfield fences (eg billboards, stands, some kind of water feature, scoreboards, big screen). This way the actual playing area will always be the same (with the exception of the outfield fence heights) and therefore there will be less chance of something going wrong in-game such as players or balls disappearing through walls etc because the playing area will have been heavily tested. Created stadiums in online play My next prediction is a bit of a stretch for 21, but we may see it in 22. If created the right way, this create a stadium feature will also pave the way for use of the feature in online modes as well. By limiting the assets used behind the outfield walls, it translates to a few dozen possible combinations of assets that can be indexed in the game itself so that the stadium you build is actually combination #5 or #20 or #52 with the home team logo simply added to the set locations (and if the feature is built so that it can be easily expanded upon in later versions, a few hundred possible combinations would be doable). This would mean that everybody would already have every stadium actually installed on their machines, and they don’t have to be loaded each game. I don’t know how much storage space a stadium takes up, but if it’s only a few MB then this is possibly the most efficient way to do it. Resource justification Perhaps including this in 21 isn’t ambitious - by incorporating it into DD at the same time and not classing the feature as a ‘Franchise’ feature, the devs can justify allocating resources to it and the Franchise resources could be freed up for improving the mode in other ways. It’s one way us Franchise players can look at DD in a positive way rather than complaining that DD gets all the attention.

Welp in online play seems unlikely. A thought would be if the creator tools had to be simple in order to play online than lets axe that idea real quick. Its not like the other sports where playing fields are the same.

I dont mind DD, but if this meant cookie cutters and not having an in depth plethora of stadium options hard pass. DD has had enough coddling over the years, let franchise flourish for once. (SDS not OP)

Sent from my LG-H873 using Operation Sports mobile app

[Funkycorm]

I do not see them ever adding a create a stadium feature. Even basic and you have to deal with fields being different measurements. And even less likely for online play.

What I do see them doing potentially, and again, probably not too likely, is giving us generic MLB stadiums.

We might get more minor league or classic stadiums.

With them expanding to other systems in 2021 or whatever year it was, I do not think the resources will ever go into a create a stadium.

I think as franchise fans we have to temper our expectations about this kind of feature and know that create a stadium is highly unlikely.

[Syce]

Quote: Originally Posted by Funkycorm

I do not see them ever adding a create a stadium feature. Even basic and you have to deal with fields being different measurements. And even less likely for online play. What I do see them doing potentially, and again, probably not too likely, is giving us generic MLB stadiums. We might get more minor league or classic stadiums. With them expanding to other systems in 2021 or whatever year it was, I do not think the resources will ever go into a create a stadium. I think as franchise fans we have to temper our expectations about this kind of feature and know that create a stadium is highly unlikely.

yup. thats the biggest difference than with other sports games with create a stadium. those games are inside stadiums that all have the same dimensions on their game space. thats why i agree with you that the best they would probably ever give us, is a bunch of Generic stadiums that are not used by any Real life teams and allow us to change the colors and stuff in the park but other than that. create a stadium as a whole i just dont see ever coming either.