Road to the Show Improvement Ideas

[Kirby_SCEA]

Hello Everyone,

My name is Kirby St. John, and I am a new designer here at SCEA that will be mostly dedicated to improving Road to the Show, a mode I know many of you care a great deal about. I do as well, so I am starting this thread to give all of you the opportunity to present your own ideas for bettering the mode. We have already started our discussions here in the studio about what directions we would like to go, but before we get too far, I want to make sure everyone here at OS gets the opportunity to help out. I certainly can't make any promises that your idea will be implemented, but if it fits into our plan or is something we really really like, it just may become a new feature.

I will be reading the posts on this thread daily, and I hope that some really positive things for the mode can come from this. PLEASE refrain from simply bringing up a complaint or reporting a bug. This is meant to be a place for new, fresh ideas that will help make RttS even more fun and engaging.

With all that said, have at it!

Thanks,
Kirby

[ChrisHansen59]

Re: Road to the Show Improvement Ideas

I think it would be nice to make the contracts you earn actually mean something. You can use what you earn on activities that will increase your skills in certain areas such as what 2K's My Player mode does.

[ptbnl]

Re: Road to the Show Improvement Ideas

Well, I've said this a few times in the RTTS thread, so I'll put it here.

I don't know if it would mean an entire revamp or what, but the progression system is broken in my experience. No matter what type of position player you set out to make, the game almost always requires you to become a power hitter.

But more to the point, you are forced to advance too quickly in the RTTS' that I've played. The problem comes from the advancement goals (which never go away, even if you're an multi-MVP in the majors, btw).

For example, if you miss your goals, you're punished not just by being sat down for a couple games or whatever, but by being demoted (either to a bench role or to a lower level). It never takes into consideration your role on the team, your overall abilities or the type of player you are. I made a speedy/leadoff type infielder and I am always told to hit at least one homer as one of my goals despite having no power. So, when I miss that, I get sent to the bench and have to spend the whole season trying to break back into the starting lineup I never should have been removed from, usually being told to hit a home run.

On the other side, should you reach you're goals, you're promoted far too fast. My player (by some weird move by the organization) signed me to a MLB contract as the starter despite not being anywhere near ready for MLB (played two AA seasons and had one decent year).

But because you're punished so severely for missing your goals, you have to reach them. And when you do, you're moved too fast. There is no time to develop. Or, you don't get enough training points to improve because you're on the bench.

Basically, there's no way to develop your player to be ready for the next level when you move up. And I understand that some players in real life are moved up to AAA or the majors before they're ready, but it's not often. It feels like there isn't enough development time for players and you're dominated when you move up too fast because of the goals.

[jknott10]

I would like to see in new contracts, the no trade clause thrown in a new deal. especially if you established your self or you are a superstar in the MLB

[Factzzz]

Re: Road to the Show Improvement Ideas

It would be really helpful if you could have an interaction saying where you want to bat in the lineup, or atleast you could ask to be moved from the leadoff spot.

Also, my guy gets benched every 4 or 5 games, and its annoying because i end up playing like 140 games at the end of the season without missing any games due to injury. So it would be cool if that was changed.

Lastly, it would be cool if it showed your career accomplishments on your player card (MVP, Gold Glove, etc.)

[jknott10]

Well, I've said this a few times in the RTTS thread, so I'll put it here.

I don't know if it would mean an entire revamp or what, but the progression system is broken in my experience. No matter what type of position player you set out to make, the game almost always requires you to become a power hitter.

But more to the point, you are forced to advance too quickly in the RTTS' that I've played. The problem comes from the advancement goals (which never go away, even if you're an multi-MVP in the majors, btw).

For example, if you miss your goals, you're punished not just by being sat down for a couple games or whatever, but by being demoted (either to a bench role or to a lower level). It never takes into consideration your role on the team, your overall abilities or the type of player you are. I made a speedy/leadoff type infielder and I am always told to hit at least one homer as one of my goals despite having no power. So, when I miss that, I get sent to the bench and have to spend the whole season trying to break back into the starting lineup I never should have been removed from, usually being told to hit a home run.

On the other side, should you reach you're goals, you're promoted far too fast. My player (by some weird move by the organization) signed me to a MLB contract as the starter despite not being anywhere near ready for MLB (played two AA seasons and had one decent year).

But because you're punished so severely for missing your goals, you have to reach them. And when you do, you're moved too fast. There is no time to develop. Or, you don't get enough training points to improve because you're on the bench.

Basically, there's no way to develop your player to be ready for the next level when you move up. And I understand that some players in real life are moved up to AAA or the majors before they're ready, but it's not often. It feels like there isn't enough development time for players and you're dominated when you move up too fast because of the goals.

Mine is completely opposite. It takes me forever to get called up and when I miss my goals I only get the warnings

[ptbnl]

Re: Road to the Show Improvement Ideas

Mine is completely opposite. It takes me forever to get called up and when I miss my goals I only get the warnings

Wow, that's weird.

[ZAN]

Re: Road to the Show Improvement Ideas

Wow, that's weird.

Exact same for me. I'm looking like I'm about to break camp in AAA in 2014, even though I was the 2nd best pitcher (BARELY behind Lincecum) in the Giants organization at the ASB in year 2. I'll miss my goals (why is a pitcher told to have a certain slugging percentage as a goal), and just get a slap on the wrist.

[jknott10]

I mean I have been called up fairly quickly on some cases but thats it. But when I fail goals most the time it's only warnings. My guy is not a speed/lead off guy though. Don't kno if that plays a factor in it

[Factzzz]

Re: Road to the Show Improvement Ideas

Also when you complete your goals, instead of getting called up fast, maybe just get rewarded with some training points, that would be cool.

I also don't like how so many trades are made, not just involving your player, but around the whole league, teams look incredibly different by the end of 2012. It's almost unrealistic how different they look.

[padsfan92]

Re: Road to the Show Improvement Ideas

I think it would be nice to make the contracts you earn actually mean something. You can use what you earn on activities that will increase your skills in certain areas such as what 2K's My Player mode does.

I agree with this it would definitely be nice to have money mean something. NBA 2k allows you to use your money to buy star players jump shots, dunk packages, go to training camps to improve attributes, and buy skill points. In my opinion the My Player in NBA 2k is the best role playing mode in sports. Also it'd be nice to have post game interviews, this would allow us to get more personal with our player, and give us options to choose the arrogant answer or the professional answer which in turn has an effect on how the fans, organization, and teammates look at you.

I enjoy RTTS as it is, but these additions would certainly be welcomed

[Kirby_SCEA]

Re: Road to the Show Improvement Ideas

Also, my guy gets benched every 4 or 5 games, and its annoying because i end up playing like 140 games at the end of the season without missing any games due to injury. So it would be cool if that was changed.

In case you don't already know this, which you might, the reason your player is benched every 4 or 5 games has to do with your player's Durability attribute. Essentially, the higher your Durability rating is, the less often he will be tired and need a day off. As your player progresses with this attribute, the more games/season you will be able to play. Hope this helps if you didn't already know that.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Road to the Show Improvement Ideas

First off, Kirby, welcome to the forums.

One thing I liked from this year is:

Having the defensive and basestealing trainings branched out to specific areas now, such as decision making, getting a good jump, and focusing on successfully stealing a base.

I'm fairly familiar with how the whole feedback process goes here, not everything can make it but it doesn't hurt to throw ideas out there. In any case, here are some things I think can improve RTTS.

1. Player tendency and advancement goals.

This year's mode feels very similar to last year, and in MLB '11 The Show, goals were more realistic and attainable. However, I would like to see some sort of "player tendency" or "organization philosophy" applied to the advancement goals. This could work one of two ways:

1) When you create your player to begin your RTTS, you can influence your player to start off with certain ratings. Let's say you create a shortstop with speed, contact, and fielding, the majority of your ratings improvement goals early on will be focusing on those three areas. Or if you create a left fielder, with power, speed, and arm strength, you goals early on would be to improve your baserunning, hitting, and arm strength. I would like to see less goals related to bunting for the positions of offensive productivity, as those points would benefit a player more on the other categories. As for pitching, if your a power pitcher, your goals could be to improve your H/9, movement, K/9, if you're a balanced pitcher, it'd be more towards a PCLT, K/9 and BB/9, if you're a control pitcher, BB/9, HR/9, and STA and so on.

2) This one is a bit tricky because it's more dependent on the front office and the coaches on the team, but ratings improvement advancement goals could reflect an organization's philosphy. For example, if you were on the Padres organization from 2005-2009, if you were a position player the organization would push you to work on power and plate discipline.

2. Creating-a-player sliders and beginning ratings.

I think one of the things this year I've noticed right off the bat is how bad my player is beginning in RTTS compared to others. I know points are easier to come by because of the new points earning system implemented last year, but I would be willing to sacrifice and have points be a bit harder to come by so that its possible to start off a bit higher with my player's ratings.

Also, I would like to see the sliders have more of a points swing for a player in RTTS than it does right now. For my RF, I picked speed, power, and arm all the way and power was only 35, speed a 50, and arm a 45. Contact and fielding were 30. Assuming that point allotment and ratings stay the same, perhaps if someone chooses power as a COF, power would start off at 40 or 45, with contact starting at 25 and so on.

3. Speed

If it's possible, people shouldn't have to work on getting faster in this game. A fast player out of the draft will remain fast until age/injury starts knocking down his speed. In this game if you're a speed player, speed should be pretty high to begin with, with CF and MIF having the highest starting speed all the way down to catchers. In this way, if you want to be a better base-stealer, you shouldn't have to focus on speed a lot to improve your chances, but instead focus on the two baserunning stats. Same with pitcher's velocity. Players only get marginal improvement in the pitch velocity. Someone throwing an 87 mph sinker should not be able to get his velocity up to 97 mph on that pitch five years down the line.

4. Basestealing and the minors.

Ever since this was introduced I think back in MLB 09' The Show, this has been my biggest pet peeve with this game mode. Getting benched for stealing bases. I know the logic behind it is to encourage people to take baserunning seriously, but you're already taking a 10 point hit for every caught stealing. For players like me who like to read the pitcher and then roll the dice when you see he has a long motion that can buy you an extra half second, it takes away from this area of the game.

My player has "average speed" at 51 since this is still in my first season, and I had stolen 6 of 7 bags, but I got caught three times in a row before getting the "red light". I've successfully stolen twice more to lead the team with 8, but I'm not permitted to run anymore and lost a couple of games for actually helping the team out. I think in the minors things should be much more lenient with basestealing, especially with the absence of the A-ball levels.

5. Last but not least, file compatibility for next year's game

I know it's been worked on, but it at least needs to be mentioned every year, one can hope.

Note: Sorry if this is position player heavy on the feedback, I've been playing RTTS as an OF (CF for 07 and 08, RF since 09).

[Nooooovak]

Re: Road to the Show Improvement Ideas

The goals need to be either toned down in importance, be completely ridden of, or be more realistic.

When I was a starting pitcher in AAA, about half of my starts consist of my team featuring a DH, yet I keep getting hitting goals. One of the goals I keep getting is "Work X amount of walks in X amount of games". It's a rarity for a pitcher to be walked at all during a game, so for me to have to work, let's say four walks over the next five series (which equates to 3 or 4 starts, roughly 3-6 at bats due to half of my starts being played with DH rules) is just completely ridiculous. The worst part is I actually got sent to the bullpen once just because I didn't achieve this goal.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Road to the Show Improvement Ideas

About advancement goals, I believe the three-strikes rule is applied here, if you miss it once, your manager will say it's okay, the best players fail once in a while, if you miss it TWICE in a row, your manager will warn you, if you miss it THREE times in a row, you get demoted in some way.

I've noticed that if I fail one (only get 2 out 4), the next one will only require me to get two of three.