MLB The Show 16: Road to the Show Revamped, But Is it For the Better?

Feature Article

Submitted on: 01/27/2016 by Caley Roark

MLB The Show 16 is going to tease us with a steady stream of news over the next two months, instead of their traditional fact sheet release. This is certainly a good way to build anticipation, even if it makes it harder to wait until release season. I'll take it though: The Show's Twitch feeds are some of the best -- and most honest -- marketing in the sports industry.

I'll be making some quick posts as the news leaks...er, drips...over the next few weeks, providing my initial thoughts on what's announced.

Yesterday's news and video focused on the Road to the Show, which sees some interesting improvements. I've said before that RttS has become an increasingly favored mode, thanks to some positive changes made over the past few years.

This year the developers' goals seem to be streamlining the experience, which is a valid area to focus on. RttS has always been deep and engaging, but the interface and load times could mar the fun. Being able to play a whole series, including spending skill points, without exiting to the main interface is a welcome addition.

We also get our first look at Showtime, which I am still on the fence about. Seeing it in action helps because the mode doesn't look too gimmicky or arcade-like. It does add a layer of strategy as you need to wisely spend your Showtime. I am still cautious, however, as my first impression was that of the slowdown mechanics found in past Madden and NCAA Football titles. That said, being able to focus on key plays without actually needing the lightning quick reflexes of a real MLB player should make for a fun narrative as your player develops.

The perk system does not appear to be what I expected, which was something akin to NBA 2K's Badge system. Instead, it seems to be sort of a cheat mechanic, changing the game in an unauthentic way. All pitches are fastballs? I suppose you could spin that as your player is really reading the pitcher well, but that seems like a stretch. While I can buy the bullet time as a function of necessity, these perks seem too close to an arcade game. Of course, I'm guessing you can just not use them.

The scouting additions, including the 20-80 system, on the other hand, seem to take the game in a realistic direction. While details on the Scouting Day are slim, it's a nice way to personalize the start of the mode in an interactive way.

In all, Road to the Show looks to be upgraded in some really unique ways; we'll see come March whether they are for the better.

Be sure to check out the MLB The Show 16 media page for screenshots from yesterday's video.

MLB The Show 16 Videos

Member Comments

# 1 HypoLuxa13 @ 01/27/16 03:29 PM

I will reserve judgement about the changes until a) we see them in action and b) we see what else has changed with the RttS mode. There is talk about making it more personal and such, so let's see what else they have to "Show" us with RttS over the next couple weeks.

# 2 krmarks @ 01/27/16 03:52 PM

I agree with Hypo. I am primarily a RTTS player, with some DD and Chise along the way, so I am most excited to hear about the RTTS improvements each year. The new additions look like a lot of fun and will hopefully add some dimension to a mode that can easily start to feel stagnant once you are promoted to the majors and get your attributes up in the 80's and 90's. I am all for these improvements, the only things I don't want to see is over the top animations, like laser trails, explosions, flaming baseballs, etc., and I do not want the CPU utilizing any of these perks/showtime.

Everything else, I say bring it on, but make sure it is an option you can easily turn on/off or find in a menu. To me they aren't all that different from using stubs or sliders to help enjoy the game.

Besides, this will give me the opportunity to finally create a good Steve Nebraska or Coach Kent Murphy!

# 3 bxphenom7 @ 01/27/16 04:04 PM

I'm really anxious for the news to get here! Most played mode for me on MLB The Show is RttS hands down, and I hope there are just more realistic additions like the 20-80 scouting because the rest like the perk system sounds arcadey. Nonetheless, I'm always ready to place my faith in these SSDS guys.

# 4 burjeffton @ 01/27/16 04:12 PM

I'm glad to hear there's significant RTTS additions and upgrades being made, and will reserve judgement until we see more.

# 5 sydrogerdavid @ 01/27/16 05:41 PM

I think the perks are great. This is an RPG mode and should have more RPG elements like this.

The best part is that if you don't want to use them, it doesn't look like you have to.

# 6 BSUFAN @ 01/27/16 05:50 PM

I play RTTS exclusively as that is what I enjoy the most, while the perks ect look interesting they are optional and I probably will ignore them as a general rule. It would be nice to have a option to turn them on or off. Anyway I will reserve judgement till I see the whole process and how if affects my game play.

# 7 Impetuous65 @ 01/27/16 06:06 PM

I think I'll wait on the twitch deep dive before all the speculation begin.

# 8 bad_philanthropy @ 01/27/16 06:19 PM

I'm surprised by some of the disdain for RttS. I remember people around these boards almost universally loved it. I certainly still love it, and I'm a big franchise guy as well.

# 9 MrOldboy @ 01/27/16 07:40 PM

I've been asking and hoping for the dev team to make RTTS more video-gamey. Equipment was nice, but felt like just a boost to starting your player. Every time you made a new player you'd just slap on your best stuff. I'd like to see a much larger variation and diverse equipment and stat boosts associated with them. RTTS is a pseudo-RPG so why not just go all the way. The perks look like a great addition, but will it be the same scenario as with equipment where you just use the same passive perks because they are the best. I'd rather see equipment and perks have both a positive and negative component so I'd actually have to make a decision instead of just picking which bat gives the most +contact and power. Using the same Rawlings bat can get a bit old, especially when it's used on every one of my RTTS players.

There is a lot of potential this year with more equipment brands and the perks. I think the next step would be making the contracts matter. Imagine if you unlocked a new pair of shoes, but needed an extra 2mil to buy them. Maybe you sign that contract with Boston over your favorite team.

Anyways very excited to see how the new additions effect how you equip and build your players this year.

# 10 Vechi8 @ 01/27/16 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshjays44


	That perk system seems so arcady. Slowing time down to make an important play?...are the players now super heros?. Franchise mode better not have it or this game is moving away from simulation 2 years in a row now with removal of stride with ,15 now perks for ,16?

I have to agree with you. Slowing down the play while batting will be like hitting off of a Tee like Tee Ball. Can you imagine playing live 3rd base and you go into an instant replay like speed to make the play? Definitely too arcade for me. I love the fact that the game changes speeds with different pitchers. Some guys fastballs look like 110 mph because they hide the ball so well and I have no prayer driving the ball hard. Slowing it down kills that intensity.

I shouldn't pass judgement until I see it though. I thought that quick count would never had been for me but I found myself really loving it,.

# 11 tessl @ 01/27/16 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshjays44


	That perk system seems so arcady. Slowing time down to make an important play?...are the players now super heros?. Franchise mode better not have it or this game is moving away from simulation 2 years in a row now with removal of stride with ,15 now perks for ,16?

I agree, if franchise mode has this it would be a game breaker for me. It's probably just a rtts thing.

# 12 HypoLuxa13 @ 01/27/16 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tessl


	I agree, if franchise mode has this it would be a game breaker for me. It's probably just a rtts thing.

Ramone said in the IGN vid a few weeks ago that ShowTime was just for RttS and Player Lock.

# 13 Spokker @ 01/27/16 09:32 PM

The slow motion gimmick might be useful to experiment with how the bat interacts with the ball.

I think it would be cool to slow down time in batting practice in order to study the arc of the pitch and things like that. It's sort of how I slow down time in Rock Band practice mode to develop muscle memory and stuff.

# 14 MichaelAngeloTMNT @ 01/27/16 09:36 PM

How can we tell if it's better? Great headline.

# 15 Ghost Of The Year @ 01/27/16 09:43 PM

As long as there's an option to play RTTS the ol' fashion way, then it's a no-brainer perks are for the better. Unless your idea of fun, or better, is to deny other players fun.

# 16 kadzier @ 01/27/16 11:50 PM

Obviously they're making the perks/showtime stuff optional which is good, but I really hope the game doesn't implicitly assume the player is making use of it. Something like a mandatory screen before you play where you have to "equip your perks" would be very annoying and take me out of the experience, even if you can choose to select no perks.

I hope there's a way to avoid perk screens and turn off showtime prompts completely so I can play as if they don't exist at all.

# 17 geisterhome @ 01/28/16 05:57 AM

If they are really dying to give as info about the new features, why not releasing everything at once lol

# 18 aukevin @ 01/28/16 07:51 AM

From the little I've seen of RTTS, not much to excite me other than just another year of the game. RTTS is a great mode, I play it all the time, but what I want the mode to be must not be the immediate vision of the devs because I've been waiting on it for years. These perks and showtime are not anything I want to play with. I want better managerial/GM lineup and decision logic, more statistic tracking, contract incentives, no trade clauses, endorsements, trophy rooms, etc. Some of those logic improvements may be in this year, we'll have to wait and see, but it doesn't sound like any of the off the field improvements to the mode are in.

# 19 kackle85 @ 01/28/16 08:15 AM

I really dont like the idea of perks. If its a non obtrusive thing that isnt in your face and is something that is easy to ignore i guess its no big deal though.

# 20 dalger21 @ 01/28/16 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aukevin


	I want better managerial/GM lineup and decision logic, more statistic tracking, contract incentives, no trade clauses, endorsements, trophy rooms, etc.

Spot on....

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