Top Five Wishes for MLB 13: The Show

Feature Article

Submitted on: 10/16/2012 by Caley Roark

I think because it come out early in the year, MLB: The Show is often overlooked and/or underrated come “game of the year” voting time. The rapid fire releases of Madden, NHL, Fifa, and NBA games, not to mention this year’s late slate of racing titles, can overshadow a game that typically drops in the first quarter.

However, I think MLB: The Show is, and has been, the best virtual representation of a sport on the market today. Its quality and improvements aren’t necessarily flashy, but, like baseball itself, the game is full of nuances and details that make it a deep and strategic experience.

That said, it has never been perfect either. Gameplay issues, like too many comebackers to the pitcher, can mar the proceedings. The modes are deep, but not always accessible or exciting. Online has certainly been a mixed bag.

Assuming we all want these well-known quirks to be fixed, here are my top five wishes for MLB: The Show...either next year or next generation.

Just like the Red Sox and their pre-season dreams, so is MLB: The Show forgotten when GOTY voting time comes around.

Generated Counts

This is such as simple feature, but one that makes a huge deal for busy people trying to play out a multi-year franchise. All-Star Baseball 2005 did this well, and its about time for it to show up in MLB: The Show.

Instead of starting each at-bat with a fresh count, the game would logically generate a count based on the pitcher/batter ratings. This would not only speed up games, allowing us to play more in a shorter time, but could also help generate statistically realistic walks for those of us who too often swing away. This could also help regulate pitch counts.

While I love playing every game in a season, the truth is, I usually end up simming. Life has a way of getting in the way of virtual baseball season. Generated counts would offer a controllable compromise, and theoretically produce more accurate stats.

Most baseball fans watch the MLB Network throughout the season with great interest.

MLB Network Integration

This channel has become my go-to whenever nothing else is on, thoroughly replacing Sportscenter and ESPN. I would love to see presentation elements, broadcasters, and even entire shows incorporated into The Show.

For instance, a quick MLB Tonight segment would be a great way to recap the games simulated, even if it’s just narrated highlights, a la Berman in NFL 2K5. Perhaps a 30 Clubs in 30 Days presentation during Spring Training could recap the big off-season moves. A quick countdown of the week's top plays could be offered each “weekend” on the calendar. Enhanced post-season atmosphere would also be a natural evolution.

Extend the integration further, tying it into the broadcasting team and in-game elements, and you have a cohesive, realistic, and fan-favorite presentation package. NFL 2K5, College Hoops 2K8, and NBA 2K11 laid the groundwork; it’s time to see a game truly ramp up what presentation can be.

The Franchise Mode in The Show is good, but it's time to get better.

Full GM Options

MLB: The Show’s franchise mode has been solidly deep the past few years, but it’s time to shake things up. While the addition of realistic contract options (Rule 5, arbitration, etc), have added a layer of realism, they haven’t necessarily upped the excitement factor. The same is true for the marketing, banking, and budgeting aspects of the mode.

While I think a revamp is in order, I’d love to see the mode blown out with options that have been seen and enjoyed in other baseball games. Number one on that list for me is an expansion mode, as seen in All Star Baseball. Included here would be a uniform editor, stadium builder, and expansion draft.

Give GM’s the option to relocate if they want. Throw in some random events, like those available in Out of the Park (elimination of the DH?). But most importantly, redesign the interface so these things are easily accessible and manageable--the most recent NFL Head Coach game did this very elegantly.

Time to roll RTTS and GM mode into one.

Connected Careers

Ok, so don’t call it that. But I would love to see Road to the Show and Franchise modes rolled into one.

Ideally, this would include cut-aways (again, see the MLB Network) from your team’s game to your player’s key at-bats.

But even at a basic level, merging the two “universes” would allow us to dedicate time to one mode, instead of splitting time between two.

A big injury story might mean one thing for a team’s playoff chances, but might offer a different perspective for a created player trying to make it to the Show. We may want to trade the farm to get our created player on our favorite team.

Either way, there are lots of possibilities when these two modes function as one.

Playing as the current guys is fun and all, but why not try to get the 1927 Yankees?

Great Moments/Historical Teams

I know that this one is hard, due to licensing etc. But NBA 2K13 shows how a game can serve as a living museum of sorts, teaching younger fans--through interactive gameplay--about the great and storied teams of the past. It’s one thing to watch footage of these teams; it’s another to actually play with them.

And, while classic teams are certainly attainable now through roster editing, a dedicated mode would be a baseball lover’s dream. Include footage of the team in action, period specific broadcast elements (see NBA 2K12 or MVP 2005), and authentic classic stadiums.

Going back to the MLB Network integration, an easy place to start is the recent “20 Greatest Games” series, allowing users to replay those games to attain a different or similar results.

If the producers of The Show can fix the small gameplay issues and add some of these elements, it won't matter what time of year it releases. MLB: The Show will be the greatest sports game or the year, if not all time.

What's on your wishlist for MLB: The Show?

MLB 13 The Show Videos

Member Comments

# 161 seanjeezy @ 12/14/12 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordan93


	Ichiro made 19 million in 2012, which is what I'm talking about. To each his own in what you believe but I'm not going to believe the MLB tells SCEA what to put down for every player in the Major leagues.

Did Ichiro deserve that 19 million though? Contracts and dollar amounts are based on overall in the Show, the $5.3 M or whatever he was making is reflective of his current ability. The MLB might not tell SCEA specifically what to put, but they sure as hell prevent them from putting the exact dollar amount, so why not leave it to the game's engine to determine contracts? If you're that vexed about it, use the free agent 3 glitch.

# 162 bp4baseball @ 12/14/12 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordan93


	Ichiro made 19 million in 2012, which is what I'm talking about. To each his own in what you believe but I'm not going to believe the MLB tells SCEA what to put down for every player in the Major leagues. Know idea why they'd lie but MLB doesn't take the time to sit down and tell them what SCEA can put for each player, which would be the only thing that makes sense going by what the other guy said. He said MLB tells them what to put.... apparently MLB loves to waste time. Bud Selig: "Nick Swisher makes 12 million in the game give him 800 K" This isn't a bid deal, which i know it seems like I'm making it a bid deal. i just don't like being lied to. Can Gurantee MLB has some kind of written law in the license agreement where they set players contracts. SCEA obviously just doesn't do it. I guess MLB told them to give the blue Jays the wrong color blue aswell.

As Knight said have fun with you're conspiracy theories. You've been told the truth and its up to you whether to accept it or stay hard-headed in your denial.

You're right MLB isn't saying what each contract should be, but they are saying what it can't be, and how close it can't be

# 163 Jordan93 @ 12/14/12 10:11 PM

Conspiracy theory, really? you have as much proof as I do, which is why I said I could be wrong but I don't buy it. If you really think MLB tells SCEA what each individual makes then so be it. But, Why would there be such an agreement in the first place when MLB releases the contract details to the public..... all I'm saying.

Your wrong on money dictating the contract. Ichy has a higher overall than A-Rod or at least not enough to be that far apart. Secondly it's not about whether Icy deserves the 19 million, it's what he made. Just trying to make Franchise more realistic. I think real contracts or at least way closer and Real team budgets would make Franchise so much better.
I don't want to see Cano signing with the Rays, when only 7 of the 30 MLB teams can actually afford him.
That's all I'm going to say on the matter, if you want to believe puppys are rainbows then go ahead.

# 164 bp4baseball @ 12/14/12 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordan93


	Conspiracy theory, really? you have as much proof as I do, which is why I said I could be wrong but I don't buy it. If you really think MLB tells SCEA what each individual makes then so be it. But, Why would there be such an agreement in the first place when MLB releases the contract details to the public..... all I'm saying. Your wrong on money dictating the contract. Ichy has a higher overall than A-Rod or at least not enough to be that far apart. Secondly it's not about whether Icy deserves the 19 million, it's what he made. Just trying to make Franchise more realistic. I think real contracts or at least way closer and Real team budgets would make Franchise so much better. I don't want to see Cano signing with the Rays, when only 7 of the 30 MLB teams can actually afford him. That's all I'm going to say on the matter, if you want to believe puppys are rainbows then go ahead.

With Knight and co. having been to SCEA studios on several occasions and being pretty communicative with the developers, if they say that MLB and MLBPA put restrictions on SCEA I'm going to believe it. I have no reason not to. Like I said there are several odd rules that have been imposed. For example, SCEA wanted to put in the September 11th caps and MLB denied it.

# 165 seanjeezy @ 12/14/12 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordan93


	Conspiracy theory, really? you have as much proof as I do, which is why I said I could be wrong but I don't buy it. If you really think MLB tells SCEA what each individual makes then so be it. But, Why would there be such an agreement in the first place when MLB releases the contract details to the public..... all I'm saying. Your wrong on money dictating the contract. Ichy has a higher overall than A-Rod or at least not enough to be that far apart. Secondly it's not about whether Icy deserves the 19 million, it's what he made. Just trying to make Franchise more realistic. I think real contracts or at least way closer and Real team budgets would make Franchise so much better. I don't want to see Cano signing with the Rays, when only 7 of the 30 MLB teams can actually afford him. That's all I'm going to say on the matter, if you want to believe puppys are rainbows then go ahead.

I'm assuming that this is directed at me, so I'll bite. Obviously you haven't been around here too long so it sounds like you aren't too familiar with how much the devs interact with the community, but here's a post by Ramone on how contracts are determined (not the first btw):

Quote:


	No on changing potential as it would unbalance the game and cause some budget issues. The game tries to keep the same number of A/B/C/D potential players in the league every year. So when a couple of A potential players retire it will generate new ones in the next draft and vice versa. If we allowed users to change potentials there would be more than a few nasty side effects right now. The most important one is player contracts are largely determined by a players overall and if you started editing guys and making some extra A rated players 5 years down the line there will be some problems with budgets and highly rated players not being signed by teams.

Of course anyone who has made it to the offseason has come to this realization on their own, its most obvious when minor league free agents with no service time are asking for multi-million dollar contracts.

Its pretty laughable that you are trying to tell us that we're wrong, perhaps you work for MLB???

# 166 adamj2281 @ 12/14/12 11:07 PM

Ok ok, everyone gets the point that MLB/MLBPA has stated to SCEA not to put the exact salary/contract length of players. It's really easy to prove this because why would they spend the time making up some arbitrary contracts when they could just put in the correct ones and adapt their system to work accordingly.

I think if anything not using the real life contracts/salaries makes it harder on SCEA.

My only point, and I'm guessing Jordan93's is as well, is not that the accuracy of the contracts/salaries, but the consistency, and proportional value.

It sounds like they are making a strong step forward by removing all of the ancillary stuff concerning ticket sales, etc. since it had no real bearing. So I will wait and see, but regardless I'm hoping for some improvement in this area. It would add a lot of value to franchise if it was actually difficult to create contenders, instead of just buying everyone in the first offseason.

# 167 Knight165 @ 12/14/12 11:07 PM

Also...I'd like to point out yet again....that the fact that they were "neutered"(for lack of a better term) in terms of contracts....bothered the devs as much as it bothered us.
(so much so that they let a little "bug"

) sneak in and stay in year after year that allows you to swap a player onto the FA3 list and change(randomly) the players contract(both length and $$)

But yeah...you're probably right.....they're just lazy and don't care.

M.K.
Knight165

# 168 Bahnzo @ 12/14/12 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanjeezy


	familiar with how much the devs interact with the community, but here's a post by Ramone on how contracts are determined (not the first btw):

Ok, let's get one thing straight (and I don't mean to aim this at you seanjeezy). But Ramone is *not* a dev, but PR/community rep. He doesn't program the game, but sells it to us.

# 169 Knight165 @ 12/14/12 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bahnzo


	Ok, let's get one thing straight (and I don't mean to aim this at you seanjeezy). But Ramone is not* a dev, but PR/community rep. He doesn't program the game, but sells it to us.*

.....and this is relevant how?(if it was correct)
(and he doesn't "SELL" us the game...that would be a MARKETING REP)....he is a conduit between the dev team and the community.
(since we're correcting here today)

M.K.
Knight165

# 170 Bahnzo @ 12/14/12 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knight165


	.....and this is relevant how?

Because I find it amazing at how many people seem to think that he's somehow responsible for developing the game. When in fact he is a marketing rep. He doesn't code the game, he doesn't develop the game...he's simply a guy whose job it is to sell the game to us. Calling Ramone a developer gives the wrong impression of what he does. Let's not let the facts blur the line between creative and marketing.

# 171 bp4baseball @ 12/14/12 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bahnzo


	Because I find it amazing at how many people seem to think that he's somehow responsible for developing the game. When in fact he is a marketing rep. He doesn't code the game, he doesn't develop the game...he's simply a guy whose job it is to sell the game to us. Calling Ramone a developer gives the wrong impression of what he does. Let's not let the facts blur the line between creative and marketing.

And and so he has no idea what goes into the game, how it works, or what constraints they work under.

# 172 seanjeezy @ 12/14/12 11:28 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong Knight, but doesn't Ramone also work on some of the aspects of the game as well? I seem to remember him saying he worked on camera angles or something of that nature...

# 173 tabarnes19_SDS @ 12/14/12 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanjeezy


	Correct me if I'm wrong Knight, but doesn't Ramone also work on some of the aspects of the game as well? I seem to remember him saying he worked on camera angles or something of that nature...

He has creative input into some aspects of the game that I know of.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

# 174 Bahnzo @ 12/14/12 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bp4baseball


	And and so he has no idea what goes into the game, how it works, or what constraints they work under.

Like I said...he's not a dev. He doesn't program the game. Maybe he interfaces with the devs, but to think he makes decisions on what does and doesn't make it into a game is naive. He's here to market the game. He's here to rep Sony and it's games in the most positive light possible. If you think anything else, then you need to realize how things in this world work.

# 175 Knight165 @ 12/14/12 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bahnzo


	Because I find it amazing at how many people seem to think that he's somehow responsible for developing the game. When in fact he is a marketing rep. He doesn't code the game, he doesn't develop the game...he's simply a guy whose job it is to sell the game to us. Calling Ramone a developer gives the wrong impression of what he does. Let's not let the facts blur the line between creative and marketing.

Ramone is in no way, shape or form in marketing(as in the marketing department).(but let's be real....all the devs market the game in some way now....it's the nature of the game creation process)
He works with the developers and has a LOT of creative input for the game. He just also happens to be the community leader for SCEA.

I still don't see why it's relevant in relation to what seanjeezy posted...as Ramone has direct access to every aspect of the game....that's why he posted that.

M.K.
Knight165

# 176 bp4baseball @ 12/14/12 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bahnzo


	Like I said...he's not a dev. He doesn't program the game. Maybe he interfaces with the devs, but to think he makes decisions on what does and doesn't make it into a game is naive. He's here to market the game. He's here to rep Sony and it's games in the most positive light possible. If you think anything else, then you need to realize how things in this world work.

I'm not going to get into what Russell does or doesn't do. The point was when he gives info about the game, it's coming from a credible source.

And people wonder why we see less of the "SCEA employees" (just for you) over the years.

# 177 Russell_SCEA @ 12/15/12 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bahnzo


	Ok, let's get one thing straight (and I don't mean to aim this at you seanjeezy). But Ramone is not* a dev, but PR/community rep. He doesn't program the game, but sells it to us.*

Quote:


	Like I said...he's not a dev. He doesn't program the game. Maybe he interfaces with the devs, but to think he makes decisions on what does and doesn't make it into a game is naive. He's here to market the game. He's here to rep Sony and it's games in the most positive light possible. If you think anything else, then you need to realize how things in this world work.

Actually I am a developer I don't work for PR or marketing. I'm a designer, the community manager and the outward face of the MLB The Show franchise to the public. I don't need to interface with the devs because I am one. I'm also the bridge between us (the development team) and the consumer. This is why you see my ugly mug always talking about the game every year and not some "pr/community rep" it's because I do work on the game. Interfacing with the community and answering questions is just a fraction of my responsibilities.

For example Pulse Pitching is my design, so is analog throwing, analog pitching, button accuracy throwing for 13, the new default camera view from last year. So is the art for all those meters those are my designs the not so easy on the eye pulse pitching art from last year my fault. It's been changed this year hopefully no one will get sick or vertigo anymore :-) I'm also the idiot who created all those camera's for MLB 11 then removed them in 12 because I assumed nobody used them. Boy was I wrong, so I created another 25 for MLB 13. Anyway I'll stop here because I've talked about myself way more than I ever want too so let me get to the point.

We have a really big team some of guys are kind enough to drop in from time to time when they can like B Ma, Woodweaver, Lorne, etc.............. but for the most part we are a very busy bunch. So it's easier for me to come around on a regular basis than them and it's part of my job to interface with the community. Because I'm visible here don't let that or my job title fool you. CM have different responsibilities per development team per company.

So yes I am a developer

# 178 tnixen @ 12/15/12 05:41 AM

''button accuracy throwing for 13''

Russell would this by chance fix the issue where so many of the throws to first base are low and the first baseman has to stretch to catch the ball? You see these low throws too much from all infielders.Especially throws from the second baseman.

I would love to see much more accurate throws to first base in 13 The Show. Of course if the fielder has a very bad throwing rating then I can understand why the throws would be much less accurate ''at times''. I am hoping to see much more throws to or near the first baseman's chest especially with fielders with a good throwing rating.

# 179 thaSLAB @ 12/15/12 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bahnzo


	Because I find it amazing at how many people seem to think that he's somehow responsible for developing the game. When in fact he is a marketing rep. He doesn't code the game, he doesn't develop the game...he's simply a guy whose job it is to sell the game to us. Calling Ramone a developer gives the wrong impression of what he does. Let's not let the facts blur the line between creative and marketing.

You are definitely wrong in this assumption. Like, not having a clue wrong.

Edit: oops, should have read on, but my statement still stands.

Sent from my LTEvo using Tapatalk 2

# 180 thaSLAB @ 12/15/12 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnixen


	''button accuracy throwing for 13'' Russell would this by chance fix the issue where so many of the throws to first base are low and the first baseman has to stretch to catch the ball? You see these low throws too much from all infielders.Especially throws from the second baseman. I would love to see much more accurate throws to first base in 13 The Show. Of course if the fielder has a very bad throwing rating then I can understand why the throws would be much less accurate ''at times''. I am hoping to see much more throws to or near the first baseman's chest especially with fielders with a good throwing rating.

LOL, good old tnixen... I know we can always count on you to pick up on any/every Easter eggs.

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