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RaychelSnr · 05-09-2012, 01:04 PM

About a year ago, I wrote about why I don’t play Be a Player modes. A year later, I still feel the same way.

Arguably the greatest weakness of the mode lies on the field, where to this day it still feels like you’re playing the same game but with the player lock on. The technology is just nowhere near the point where you can truly play a team game with a bunch of AI players, since there’s no effective way of communicating with them in real time.

But the mode’s off-the-field offerings can stand to use some much needed improvements, too.

Read More - A Potential Improvement for Be A Player Modes

RockitOldSchool · 05-09-2012, 01:43 PM

I can't say I agree 100% but I like where you are going with this. I could see something more in the middle, like a way to still guarantee you become a superstar for the guys that like to play that way, and a random career for guys that want to roll the dice and see where their career takes them. I do agree that something is missing in these career modes. NBA 2K12's My Player is about as good as it gets right now and after a few games it just becomes the same, repetitive thing. You are correct about not feeling like you are part of the team. I would like to see some real storylines mixed in. Different outcomes. If you play bad, you get benched. If you play great you get more playing time. As it stands now there's no negative outcome if I play really bad.

I'm not sure exactly what needs to change but I think it's time to take My Player modes to the next level. Give us something to really get excited about. Any great video game becomes great because it can get you somewhat emotionaly involved. That's the biggest part that's missing in my opinion.

steelereign · 05-09-2012, 02:38 PM

I agree with you for the most part. However, the issue that these modes must overcome is the short attention span of most gamers and/or the limited time available to play through all the modes.

I would imagine that most sports gamers tend to stick to the calender with their respective sport. I play baseball games during baseball season, football in the fall & winter, etc. I'm lucky to get through one full franchise season with each iteration of a game.

That being said, who wants to spend all their time crafting a BAP only to end up on the pine spitting sunflower seeds for a living? The intent of the mode is to allow the basement QB to achieve "the dream." Most of us have already experienced enough failure in life and would rather avoid another dose of depressing real-world realism and failure.

I agree with RockitOldSchool. If the mode could be developed in a manner similar to the board game "Life" it might work. You decide in the beginning if you want to "roll the dice" and see what happens or go the guaranteed superstar route. Maybe there can be a risk/reward element tied to the decision. For those that go the "gamble" route maybe they get achievements or unlockables that are only available in that mode. If you prefer the guarantee of success, cool, but your in-game rewards are fewer or less-impressive? I don't know. But, I do know that I don't have 4 hours a day to fully flesh out a BAP mode only to find out that my player should be bagging groceries rather than shooting jumpers.

NoLimits77 · 05-09-2012, 02:51 PM

At least games don't automatically make your player a starter anymore (I don't think they do at least), because in Madden 10 you're usually already ranked in the high 70s and get the starting job at your position on the team that drafts you regardless of what ranking the starter already there is.

r7carlson · 05-09-2012, 04:12 PM

The thing that bothers me the most with this mode is the AI's logic. I primarily play this mode in NHL, FIFA, and NCAA Football. My teammates are so useless that if I don't score all the goals or produce all of the offense then no one does. In NHL for instance my teammates never shoot and it's rare for them to score a goal and if my player is not out there. When I'm a rookie and playing on a high difficulty I should not score 60-70 goals a year. If they could make it so my teams success is not based almost solely on how I perform I would get much more use out of this mode.

ajaxab · 05-09-2012, 04:33 PM

Definitely some good points here. We could probably add licensing to the list of reasons why these modes can become stale. There seem to be so many story lines that could be pursued that the respective leagues would never allow because it might allegedly taint the brand. The latest Fight Night provided a semblance of the kind of thing that could be done, but that mode didn't need any kind of licensing either. As long as they're constrained by licenses that restrict content, I don't see these modes ever reaching their potential.

Petey B · 05-09-2012, 05:51 PM

Really exciting ideas here. And if I were ranking the modes, I would put it 1)NBA2K 2)THE SHOW 3)NCAA Plus, for the record, I must suck at these games because I end up a role player all the time. I've been traded to the Heat to man the point, I've been put on and picked off waivers, and Florida is definitely in my head when it comes to the SEC Championship game. But hey, currently my knuckleball pitcher is rocketing through the minors, so I'll take it!

BaylorBearBryant · 05-09-2012, 06:22 PM

Be a Pro online. Just like the EASHL in the NHL series. That's the future.

05-09-2012, 01:04 PM	#1
RaychelSnr Executive Editor OVR: 57 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 4,846 Blog Entries: 490	A Potential Improvement for Be A Player Modes About a year ago, I wrote about why I don’t play Be a Player modes. A year later, I still feel the same way. Arguably the greatest weakness of the mode lies on the field, where to this day it still feels like you’re playing the same game but with the player lock on. The technology is just nowhere near the point where you can truly play a team game with a bunch of AI players, since there’s no effective way of communicating with them in real time. But the mode’s off-the-field offerings can stand to use some much needed improvements, too. Read More - A Potential Improvement for Be A Player Modes

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05-09-2012, 01:43 PM	#2
RockitOldSchool Banned OVR: 5 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Boston	I can't say I agree 100% but I like where you are going with this. I could see something more in the middle, like a way to still guarantee you become a superstar for the guys that like to play that way, and a random career for guys that want to roll the dice and see where their career takes them. I do agree that something is missing in these career modes. NBA 2K12's My Player is about as good as it gets right now and after a few games it just becomes the same, repetitive thing. You are correct about not feeling like you are part of the team. I would like to see some real storylines mixed in. Different outcomes. If you play bad, you get benched. If you play great you get more playing time. As it stands now there's no negative outcome if I play really bad. I'm not sure exactly what needs to change but I think it's time to take My Player modes to the next level. Give us something to really get excited about. Any great video game becomes great because it can get you somewhat emotionaly involved. That's the biggest part that's missing in my opinion.

05-09-2012, 02:38 PM	#3
steelereign Rookie OVR: 0 Join Date: Feb 2011	I agree with you for the most part. However, the issue that these modes must overcome is the short attention span of most gamers and/or the limited time available to play through all the modes. I would imagine that most sports gamers tend to stick to the calender with their respective sport. I play baseball games during baseball season, football in the fall & winter, etc. I'm lucky to get through one full franchise season with each iteration of a game. That being said, who wants to spend all their time crafting a BAP only to end up on the pine spitting sunflower seeds for a living? The intent of the mode is to allow the basement QB to achieve "the dream." Most of us have already experienced enough failure in life and would rather avoid another dose of depressing real-world realism and failure. I agree with RockitOldSchool. If the mode could be developed in a manner similar to the board game "Life" it might work. You decide in the beginning if you want to "roll the dice" and see what happens or go the guaranteed superstar route. Maybe there can be a risk/reward element tied to the decision. For those that go the "gamble" route maybe they get achievements or unlockables that are only available in that mode. If you prefer the guarantee of success, cool, but your in-game rewards are fewer or less-impressive? I don't know. But, I do know that I don't have 4 hours a day to fully flesh out a BAP mode only to find out that my player should be bagging groceries rather than shooting jumpers.

05-09-2012, 02:51 PM	#4
NoLimits77 Rookie OVR: 7 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: USA	At least games don't automatically make your player a starter anymore (I don't think they do at least), because in Madden 10 you're usually already ranked in the high 70s and get the starting job at your position on the team that drafts you regardless of what ranking the starter already there is.

05-09-2012, 04:12 PM	#5
r7carlson Rookie OVR: 1 Join Date: Feb 2012	The thing that bothers me the most with this mode is the AI's logic. I primarily play this mode in NHL, FIFA, and NCAA Football. My teammates are so useless that if I don't score all the goals or produce all of the offense then no one does. In NHL for instance my teammates never shoot and it's rare for them to score a goal and if my player is not out there. When I'm a rookie and playing on a high difficulty I should not score 60-70 goals a year. If they could make it so my teams success is not based almost solely on how I perform I would get much more use out of this mode.

05-09-2012, 04:33 PM	#6
ajaxab Rookie OVR: 6 Join Date: Jun 2003 Blog Entries: 2	Definitely some good points here. We could probably add licensing to the list of reasons why these modes can become stale. There seem to be so many story lines that could be pursued that the respective leagues would never allow because it might allegedly taint the brand. The latest Fight Night provided a semblance of the kind of thing that could be done, but that mode didn't need any kind of licensing either. As long as they're constrained by licenses that restrict content, I don't see these modes ever reaching their potential.

05-09-2012, 05:51 PM	#7
Petey B Rookie OVR: 0 Join Date: Sep 2011	Really exciting ideas here. And if I were ranking the modes, I would put it 1)NBA2K 2)THE SHOW 3)NCAA Plus, for the record, I must suck at these games because I end up a role player all the time. I've been traded to the Heat to man the point, I've been put on and picked off waivers, and Florida is definitely in my head when it comes to the SEC Championship game. But hey, currently my knuckleball pitcher is rocketing through the minors, so I'll take it!

05-09-2012, 06:22 PM	#8
BaylorBearBryant Sic 'em Bears! OVR: 10 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Houston Posts: 1,540 Blog Entries: 3	Be a Pro online. Just like the EASHL in the NHL series. That's the future.