MLB 14 The Show: Questioning the Online Experience

[RaychelSnr]

Much like the Nintendo Power Glove, or Panasonic’s decision to charge $699 for its 3DO game console in 1993, certain decisions in the gaming industry seem like a good idea in the board room, but fail miserably when they hit the retail market. At times you want to champion the idea of non-conformity in an industry full of it, and other times you wish you had access to the decision makers who come up with this stuff and ask them simply: why? This subject we deal with today falls more under the innovative category, but despite the valiant effort, the implementation of this idea is where the troubles start.

Read More - MLB 14 The Show: Questioning the Online Experience

[SVCbearcat10]

Primarily being an offline player, I wouldn't mind them ditching the online component completely to employ those resources elsewhere. I can't see there being that many people out there buying this game for its online capability.

However, if you cut online, then you cut out a lot of potential sales down the line. That's just where the industry seems to be heading, everything has to be online. Despite how good offline is, I'm not sure if an offline only game will increase sales year over year. Getting the online correct would be a HR and really elevate this title.

So while I would like them to ditch online since I don't really play games online and it isn't very good right now, I think there is much more upside for them to continue to improve that side of the game. The one on one nature of baseball (hitter vs pitcher) makes it a much more enjoyable game versus others than Madden where most of what happens is out of your control.

[Sigma4Life]

Quote: Originally Posted by SVCbearcat10

Primarily being an offline player, I wouldn't mind them ditching the online component completely to employ those resources elsewhere. I can't see there being that many people out there buying this game for its online capability. However, if you cut online, then you cut out a lot of potential sales down the line. That's just where the industry seems to be heading, everything has to be online. Despite how good offline is, I'm not sure if an offline only game will increase sales year over year. Getting the online correct would be a HR and really elevate this title. So while I would like them to ditch online since I don't really play games online and it isn't very good right now, I think there is much more upside for them to continue to improve that side of the game. The one on one nature of baseball (hitter vs pitcher) makes it a much more enjoyable game versus others than Madden where most of what happens is out of your control.

Removing online would be a terrible decision since as you said, most games are headed towards online, not away from it. Personally I play 100% online so if it were removed I'd never play The Show again. Playing another human is infinitely more gratifying than playing the CPU, IMO.

[JukeAllStar]

I agree, playing human opponents makes the game unpredictable in infinite ways than competition against the CPU. I wouldn't be able to go back to playing against the CPU only after experiencing competitive online play.

[HustlinOwl]

the day they remove online is the day I stop purchasing

[bfindeisen]

Quote: Originally Posted by JukeAllStar

I agree, playing human opponents makes the game unpredictable in infinite ways than competition against the CPU. I wouldn't be able to go back to playing against the CPU only after experiencing competitive online play.

I agree that the CPU cannot come close to replicating a human opponent, and it is far more gratifying when you play against a person who actually plays in a realistic way. For me, however, 9/10 times online I end up playing a guy who abuses the mechanics of the game and it because a competition over who can game the system the best, not the best baseball "player". My ideal online experience would be the theoretical Online Franchise mode, but the current iterations are so far from being satisfying for a number of reasons...so, for now, I mainly stick to highly customized offline modes.

[CubsSuckButILoveThem]

umm idk how long online franchise has been around but its definitely not new cuz i played it last year..

[bluengold34_OS]

Quote: Originally Posted by CubsSuckButILoveThem

umm idk how long online franchise has been around but its definitely not new cuz i played it last year..

You played online franchise last year?

"MLB 14 does introduce a new mode of online play, called Online Franchise, in which a player and several friends may play out a schedule of games, with playoffs and even some player management decisions"