Re: A Potential Improvement for Be A Player Modes
It's a mix of things, in game it can be boring especially if the ball isn't going near you, while off the field/court, your options are limited to changing your appearance and in some games asking to be moved.
They need to expand on both, I'm not asking for a Sims clone, but things like interviews/press conferences, publicity events, some practices (minigames) should be playable.
NBA 2K12 had the controllable interviews but for one, they were too common and became mundane. Two, the choices were decent but at the same time the brief description of the choice could sometimes turn completely against you. For example we had lost a game where I put up twenty-nine points, the reporter asked how I felt I preformed and I choice on option for basically decent and it ended up being my guy claiming he did good and blasting his team. Improving the descriptions or more than a brief sentence of what your going to say is needed.
Included in this, have a pitch editor, that way your really only required to record one or two voices, than a pitch editor allows for a multitude of changes, inevitably not costing as much as a similar amount of options would in voice capturing.
Publicity events would include photo shoots, award presentations, annual team press event/convention, maybe a pick up game or two here or there (for basketball maybe soccer). Photo shoots would more so be a 'what direction do you want to go with and the game spits out a picture of your athlete on a simulated cover that would range from a local news to national news or magazine. Award presentations really don't need any interactivity, but at award presentations when they are formally handed out you will see athletes, this could also include drafts if the league allows it. Annual press event/convention would be a blend of a minigame and interview, maybe a fan wants to see you dunk, or bend a kick in for a goal, or it might just be questions about the team.
Practices should also be included but not in the typical context of scrimmages. Scrimmages are boring and extending boredom is not helping, it's essentially meaningless games or plays. Include minigames, the PS2/XBOX college football game had them, as did Madden, have progression tied heavily to that with light progression in the season.
Simulating career growth is also big, for the first few years, the players should have an easier chance allocating physical abilities with a small discount on mental ones, towards the middle of their career the discount will be balanced slightly towards the mental abilities with the bonus leaving from physical attributes, than in the final stages, a slow decay of physical attributes with a massive increase in mental.
Physical attributes would be directly tied to physical condition, it would only include speed, strength,vertical, stamina, durability, acceleration and things like juking or spinning which are directly tied to your physical abilities. Where as mental would include your ability to shoot in basketball, ability to catch or throw in football, or your ability to locate and place shots in soccer / hockey.
Finally, make money worth something. Not suggesting a Sim's game as I said before, but money is pointless. Why negotiate with your club if it's just another statistic? Most games just hand you a contract when it expires and says deal with it. Earlier superstar modes won't even tell you the value of your contract.
NBA 2K12 had a right idea to tie moves and an ability increase to cash flow but this needs to be fleshed out more. Allow a player maybe one tattoo and charge for tattoos after that, charge for hair changes/colorings, allow the player to buy fictional vehicles, assets,etc that would increase his brand appeal and ultimately lead to more sponsors and fans. Have sponsor benefits be tied to equipment rather than monetary benefits. Deduct a living fee and an agent fee so players are being given a money pit to go around with, but not so much so that money is irrelevant for the majority of the career.
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