Taking RTTS To The Next Level - BlyGilmore's Blog

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BlyGilmore's Blog

Taking RTTS To The Next Level

Posted on March 23, 2009 at 05:29 PM.

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First credit should be given where it is due. Road To The Show as it stands is incredibly fun. In my first go-around with The Show (I bought a PS3 this year just for The Show), I have been having such a blast with my RTTS campaign I haven�t even started my Mets franchise.

With that said, there are a few ways SCEA could tweak this great feature and make it as close to perfect as anything can be.

Better GM Intelligence
So here�s the setting. In my primary RTTS I am a shortstop in the Orioles organization. I have a decent spring but am ready to head to Triple A to get some more seasoning and bring my ratings up to a point I can better compete in the Majors.

I�m a couple of years into the RTTS and still only 20 years old.

To my surprise I make the Major League roster on opening day, a year ahead of schedule. Awesome, I think as I wait for my next appearance.

Well turns out I�m on the big league roster, but as a utility infielder and pinch runner.

All told I basically eat the first two months of the season � instead of being in Triple A, starting every game and building up valuable training points, I�m in the Majors getting one start every couple of weeks. By June 1 I had 18 at-bats.

That would never happen in the real life.

No team is going to bring up a highly touted, 20 year old, blue chip shortstop prospect so he can sit on the bench and learn valuable sunflower speed spitting technique from veterans.

There should also be more emphasis in on-the-field success over the achievement goals. I agree the goals should still be part of the whole system, but a player just named to a minor league All-Star team is never going to be benched because he had a .983 fielding percentage over 3 weeks instead of a .997 fielding percentage.

And a rookie shortstop hitting over .350 is never going to be told �you didn�t do a good enough job � back to Triple AAA.�

Acquiring Training Points
This part of the game can be infuriating and doesn�t do enough to accurately reward or punish a player based on his actual in-game performance.

I have had several games that were stellar by almost any account. But a little bit of bad luck sprinkled in with one miscue and I had almost nothing to show for a game that anybody would see in the box score and say �Wow he was lights out!�

I think the goal system shouldn�t have negatives as well. If you think about it, negatives are already built into the system � you have a limited number of plate appearances in a game and are trying to get points every time you�re up.

You shouldn�t then be further punished because you weren�t able to reach base in the 9th inning against Mariano Rivera. Even the best players have tops a 30 percent chance of succeeding � let alone some snot-nosed 20 year old just called up from Norfolk.

A better system would be something akin to FIFA. At the end of the game your performance is graded in several areas and you are awarded a certain number of points as a result.

More Practice Options
It would be great to have more practices options and give the player more control over how much time he spends working on his game.

This would be especially handy if you find yourself in a bench role � allowing you to sharpen your skills through hard work and hopefully grab a better spot on the roster.

Ideally, before every game a player could have the option of practicing. He could then pick what drills he would like to do, at the cost of a bit of energy. Players would also have a maximum amount of training sessions available each week.

This would also allow for a few more practice options. For instance, adding various fielding drills.

Other Ideas
- The baserunning system needs to change. I�m on board with forward on the stick to advance, back to retreat. But keep it like that. It shouldn�t depend on which way a very dynamic camera is pointing at any given second. At the very least give us the option to us a �classic� style like we have for fielding.

- The baserunning system needs to change. I�m on board with forward on the stick to advance, back to retreat. But keep it like that. It shouldn�t depend on which way a very dynamic camera is pointing at any given second.

At the very least give us the option to us a �classic� style like we have for fielding.

- I�d be great to have more concrete information when it comes to the achievement goals when it comes to boosting your ratings.

Right now all you see is a very ambigous bar � can you just tell us �raise your arm strength to 55.3�? Knowing how many training points you need to spend would also be a great addition.

- All of the other players have various morale ratings. Why can�t we have them as well and be able to adjust every week as we see fit?

- Instead of just �Sim to Next Appearance� how about a �Sim to Next Start� option? If you are a position player in a bench role, you spend almost as much time on a loading screen as you do in game. I had one stretch where I went 2 weeks almost exclusively pinch running � it was torture (see my story above).

- Add some Agent to General Manager interactions. This could allow players to have more of a dialogue with the team, and suggest things like �how about sending me to Triple A so I can actually play� or talk about future player achievement goals.

- While in games it would be nice to have some sort of �sim to your next opportunity� feature where you could quickly follow what was going on in the game. Almost treat the breaks between your next opportunity like an ESPN Gamecast.

Right now you really feel disconnected from the action on the field that doesn�t involve you. For instance a few times I�ve bunted over a player or slapped a ball to the right side to advance him. I�d be nice to see if that player eventually scored.

What about you? What things would you like to see added or tweaked in The Show�s RTTS?

Comments

# 1 ASB37 @ Mar 23

Great Blog, if they implemented any pf these things it would really make RTTS great. Honestly since it was introduced, RTTS has made minimal visible improvements. Logic and other small things have been tweaked, and while those are extremely important I think SCEA really needs to inject some more depth into the feature before it gets stale. That being said it's still my favorite mode in any sports game to play.

# 2 N51_rob @ Mar 23

Yeah Bly, this is a pretty good entry. I really like the GM point that you made. I would also like to see better trade logic. I was in the Brewers system as the AA staff ace. Putting up lights out numbers and I get traded for Jesus Colome a RP for the Nationals? Really? Is he worth a top prospect? As you can see I'm still a little biter, then of course I see that the Nats have me on the trading block with a 7-2 record and sub 3 ERA. Every other SP on the team no more than 3 wins and and ERA above 4.30. So sure lets trade that guy and one of their needs a SP! Sorry to rant, on your blog I really like that first idea though. "Smarter GMs in 20-10!"

# 3 GrandMaster B @ Mar 24

You can set it so you don't have to run or field. If you just want to bat it makes the games go faster. The running is messed up. Following the ball when you are on base needs some work.

# 4 Eman5805 @ Mar 24

I'd love to see pre set templates for player types. Like if I want to create a defensive specialist and speed threat in left field. I shouldn't have to create a center fielder and request that I play left field as a position change.

I'm still waiting for signature batting routines to enter in the game too.

# 5 BlyGilmore @ Mar 24

I'll keep that in mind GrandMaster - but i actually like fielding and running. If anything I'd like to see fielding expanded a bit so you see some important plays in the game and given a chance to make some plays.

# 6 BlyGilmore @ Mar 24

Eman - great idea.

You could even take that a step further and give you the option of what kind of draftee you want to be.

For instance, are you a high school phenom who has natural talent but is still raw?

Or did you spend four years playing college ball and are coming out ready to jump into Triple A?