Five Things All Dynasty/Franchise Modes Need: Part IV - RaychelSnr's Blog

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Five Things All Dynasty/Franchise Modes Need: Part IV Stuck

Posted on October 22, 2009 at 05:38 PM.

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Ask any coach about the most challenging part of their job and many will answer with a simple phrase: pleasing the media and the fans.

Sure, gameplanning and trying to outduel opponents on the field is tough, but even tougher is answering to the media and your fans when you do lose. On that token, why don't you have to deal with what could be the toughest part of your job in games?

Like any of the other options I have raised in the past few days, this could and should be an optional component of any dynasty or franchise mode. But for those who want the most realistic experience, you should be at the mercy of expectation. A simple checklist telling you what is expected simply isn't enough.

Perhaps there should be a job approval meter from different groups of people which all affect each other. In reality, you have to manage your boss, your players, your fans and the media. If your players don't believe in you, it's going to be hard to get them to perform. If your boss approves of you, your job is safe. If your fans are unhappy, your boss will get unhappy because you aren't making him money.

I would think that you would have different options throughout the year in order to raise or lower your approval amongst the different groups. Say you have to conduct a post-game press conference which you have to choose what to say, not unlike pitches with NCAA in recruiting. Of course, your ability to rally people around you could be part of your RPG-esque coaching character.

Games are simply missing the power of expectation in today's environment. There are a whole slew of possibilities and a whole range of dynamic gameplay which could evolve from simply making expectations a more integral part of the game. To me, the challenge should be just as much as keeping your job as it should be winning -- because both go hand in hand.

What do you think? Are you like me and does the challenge of trying to answer to your fans and the media after a loss sound like an interesting aspect of a sports game? Sound off!

Comments

# 1 CreatineKasey @ Oct 23

This would be a great application of a potential rating. A player won't always play up to their potential based on their given circumstance. Braylon Edwards, Cedric Benson, maybe even Haynesworth, Randy Moss.

# 2 vaughn99 @ Oct 23

Chris. Thanks for these, a good read and I look forward to each one . . . I too am a hapless solo-gamer, franchise nerd. And I've gotten plenty of gruff from my remaining friends saying I'm just basically playing D&D (RPG) with different ratings and dudes in tighter clothes. But I digress.

I like the addition of competing with and against the media -- for players as much as for the GM/Coach character, with different expectations and interactions in Bahstan and Philly versus, say, Cleveland or Seattle. I would think it would be as easy to program into a game as the economic status / median income of a city is . . . plus it could really weigh into the "next job" situation/choices that will inevitably arise. I can think of several real world examples of personalities thriving (or failing) from moves to drastically different media cities (Charlie Manual, Jon Gruden, Ditka, the list goes on and on).

Still -- how long 'til we all revert to "your friends, the cliches," though?

Quoth the Crash Davis:

Quote:


	1) We gotta play 'em one day at a time. 2) I'm just happy to be here. Hope I can help the ballclub. 3) I just want to give it my best shot, and the good Lord willing, things will work out.