The Yearly Release Cycle is Just Fine

[Joey]

"We also saw some titles rest on their laurels a bit (MLB 10: The Show comes to mind)."

Really? Maybe something didn't get in that you thought should, but out of all games you could have mentioned I can't believe you would say that The Show rested on its laurels. One thing that makes the series stand out is the fact that they listen to the consumer AND THEN try to incorporate what people want into the game. In most cases if it's not in there in a particular year, it's not because they've been sitting on their hands. It's because either A) There are other items of higher priority. or B) They don't have it perfected enough to incorporate at that time.

While others may be inclined to go ahead and place a halfway done feature into the game, SCEA has never done so - and I applaud them for that.

I'll end this by pasting '10's new features. Maybe you have different ideas of what "resting on their laurels" means, but last year was a pretty solid "new feature" set if you ask me.



MLB 10 The Show NEW Features:

•HR Derby – The Home Run Derby and MLB All-Star Futures Game are now available during the All-Star break in our season modes and as a stand-alone experience.

•Catcher Calling the Game – Call pitches and play as the field general, just like Joe Mauer.

•Online Gameplay Improved – This year the online gameplay experience has been vastly improved and will detect and respond better to adverse network conditions along with reduced bandwidth to help the speed and flow of online gameplay.

•User Controlled Pick-Offs – Surprise a base runner with a quick move or lull him to sleep with our new pick-off mechanism.

•Custom Music, Fan Yells, and Chants – Assign music or a recording to an entire team, edit tracks to assign batter walk-up music, or record your own voice and assign it to play for the team or player during the situation of your choice.

•Movie Maker – Select up to ten replays to add to a single movie and do all the editing for your own highlight reel.

•New Stadiums – Five new Minor League stadiums as well as classic parks including Forbes Field, Crosley Field, Polo Grounds, Shibe Park, Sportsman Park, and Griffith Stadium.

•New Fielding/Pitching Training Modes and Practice Drills – New pitching and fielding training sessions will be part of our Road to The Show training suite.

•Road to The Show Version 4.0 – New option settings (Game Watch and Game Completion) allow users to set how much of the game they wish to view, our mistake tracking system and new Green Light system reward and penalize good play, and our new stat tracking system keeps stats for your player’s career versus every pitcher or batter faced during the current season that can be accessed at any time.

•Full Online Season Leagues – Fully functional online season leagues, save and display MLB Player stats, track player energy, allow for trades/injuries, and offer 40-man roster functionality.

•Weekly Live Roster – An updated live roster will be available every week throughout the entire season.

•Online Game History – View every game you’ve ever played online, complete with opponents, box scores, and game logs.

•1-30 Player Season Modes – Control one or all 30 teams right from the start of your franchise or season.

•New Camera System – The most realistic camera system available will make you double take and make sure you’re not watching a live MLB telecast.

•Real-Time Presentations – More than 1,250 new gameplay animations, more than 1,000 new presentation animations, and more than 400 personalized pitcher and batter animations.

•Stadium Realism and Experience – Details, details, details! MLB 10 The Show offers daytime transitional lighting, shows all players on field in real-time (including players in the dugout and bullpen), and offers improved stadium ambiance with HR/splash counters, fireworks, steam,
noisemakers, towels, thunder sticks, working digital and analog clocks, crowd reaching over the rails, and crowd detail, such as interaction with vendors and placing K signs

[1WEiRDguy]

NBA/NFL games dont need a two year release cycle, but maybe alternating teams similiar to the COD franchise imo...

but a game like UFC does NOT need a yearly release...period

[tabulaRasa]

Quote: Originally Posted by phant030

if they used this year to build on Live 10, Elite would have been able to compete. 2k11 should thank Live 10 b/c it plays a lot like it and 'borrows' a lot from its gameplay. Ppl only want two year cycles on a game they like and feel has been unsatisfactory for a few years. IMO gameplay wise, NBA 2k11 and MLB: The Show has really been more of the same over the past few years. But since they are believed to be the cream of the crop...most users won't say they need a 2 yr cycle. If a person wants a two year cycle, skip a year.....guess what? most cant. So they 'really' don't want it, they just talk about it like they do. After two years, what if you don't like it? you will have to wait 4 years to get a game you MIGHT like...whereas on they yearly cycled you will have the opportunity to like multiple titles. Also, ppl attention span w/ games are so short. They are constantly trading in games after a few months. You mean they would wait 6 or so months of not playing a game to update it? We don't even know what the addition of players (faces), animation, and miscellaneous code support will entail...Companies will hv to purchase the next patch to support the DLC, Have developers work on all functions of the DLC and patch...possibly patch the patch...get players in for scans....get new arenas/courts/jerseys in via DLC and patched support...users will need to download all of this (no telling the size and time)..all this while working on the 2yr version at the same time. Worth it?...might as well put out a new product. So, there's no guarantee you will like it. No guarantee it will be bug free (never happening). No guarantee the features you are 'waiting on" will be added. No guarantee the Company will recoup 2x the profit they are forfeiting. Teams to work on the old game and new game, restructuring of the workforce, etc....IMO, i dont think it's worth it...especially when the results aren't close to being guaranteed or even favorable.

Oh really? I always thought EA was the ones who stole from NBA2K. And last time I checked Wang used to work at 2K, and is now back at 2K. So I wonder where EA got their ideas, besides the innovation they borrowed from 2K before that. The 2K guy Wang , even saw EA go in the wrong design direction and left for 2K again. Another thing showing EAs agenda.

[ODogg]

A 2 year cycle would simply raise expectations to the point people would be like "We waited two years for this???" and would accomplish nothing. The one year cycle is just fine.

[boxboy99]

I was all about two year development cycles until recently. I am just getting into computer programming in an accelorated program. One of our topics so far was the software development lifecycle. Any projects the go over one year have a much greater risk of cancellation. There are too many issues that can pop up on long projects that make them risky. New techology, cost, etc. Pretty basic stuff but I seen enough of a glimse to change my opinon.

[grunt]

Most games are on a 16 month cycle. Madden is a good after the last patch. The system of patches has extended the development cycle.

[lofeazy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Joey

"We also saw some titles rest on their laurels a bit (MLB 10: The Show comes to mind)." Really? Maybe something didn't get in that you thought should, but out of all games you could have mentioned I can't believe you would say that The Show rested on its laurels. One thing that makes the series stand out is the fact that they listen to the consumer AND THEN try to incorporate what people want into the game. In most cases if it's not in there in a particular year, it's not because they've been sitting on their hands. It's because either A) There are other items of higher priority. or B) They don't have it perfected enough to incorporate at that time. While others may be inclined to go ahead and place a halfway done feature into the game, SCEA has never done so - and I applaud them for that. I'll end this by pasting '10's new features. Maybe you have different ideas of what "resting on their laurels" means, but last year was a pretty solid "new feature" set if you ask me. MLB 10 The Show NEW Features: •HR Derby – The Home Run Derby and MLB All-Star Futures Game are now available during the All-Star break in our season modes and as a stand-alone experience. •Catcher Calling the Game – Call pitches and play as the field general, just like Joe Mauer. •Online Gameplay Improved – This year the online gameplay experience has been vastly improved and will detect and respond better to adverse network conditions along with reduced bandwidth to help the speed and flow of online gameplay. •User Controlled Pick-Offs – Surprise a base runner with a quick move or lull him to sleep with our new pick-off mechanism. •Custom Music, Fan Yells, and Chants – Assign music or a recording to an entire team, edit tracks to assign batter walk-up music, or record your own voice and assign it to play for the team or player during the situation of your choice. •Movie Maker – Select up to ten replays to add to a single movie and do all the editing for your own highlight reel. •New Stadiums – Five new Minor League stadiums as well as classic parks including Forbes Field, Crosley Field, Polo Grounds, Shibe Park, Sportsman Park, and Griffith Stadium. •New Fielding/Pitching Training Modes and Practice Drills – New pitching and fielding training sessions will be part of our Road to The Show training suite. •Road to The Show Version 4.0 – New option settings (Game Watch and Game Completion) allow users to set how much of the game they wish to view, our mistake tracking system and new Green Light system reward and penalize good play, and our new stat tracking system keeps stats for your player’s career versus every pitcher or batter faced during the current season that can be accessed at any time. •Full Online Season Leagues – Fully functional online season leagues, save and display MLB Player stats, track player energy, allow for trades/injuries, and offer 40-man roster functionality. •Weekly Live Roster – An updated live roster will be available every week throughout the entire season. •Online Game History – View every game you’ve ever played online, complete with opponents, box scores, and game logs. •1-30 Player Season Modes – Control one or all 30 teams right from the start of your franchise or season. •New Camera System – The most realistic camera system available will make you double take and make sure you’re not watching a live MLB telecast. •Real-Time Presentations – More than 1,250 new gameplay animations, more than 1,000 new presentation animations, and more than 400 personalized pitcher and batter animations. •Stadium Realism and Experience – Details, details, details! MLB 10 The Show offers daytime transitional lighting, shows all players on field in real-time (including players in the dugout and bullpen), and offers improved stadium ambiance with HR/splash counters, fireworks, steam, noisemakers, towels, thunder sticks, working digital and analog clocks, crowd reaching over the rails, and crowd detail, such as interaction with vendors and placing K signs

Maybe the thread starter should have said We saw a PRO FOOTBALL game rest on their laurels.

As for the topic you don't need a 2 year cycle.Look at all the games now NBA2K11,FIFA11,MLB11,PSE11,NHL11,NCAA11 There all great.(Maybe the PRO football game needs a 2 year cycle.)

[stlstudios189]

the bi yearly cycle will only work on fight night, ufc, and wwe games with a roster update etc..