MLB 13 The Show Title Update 1.23 Available Now, Details Included

[G3no_11]

I don't really know and don't have any inside knowledge, but I would think they could vary from the style guide if they chose to. If MLB teams are doing it without being looked down upon, I don't see why a video game couldn't do it.

The impression I got from a developer was that they are choosing to go by the style guide... but honestly if they just watched a week of baseball they would see a lot of their uniforms are completely off as far as what teams actually wear.

I think they just give their artists the style guide and call it good. They can use at as a valid excuse and not have to spend extra time actually seeing what teams wear and/or make changes to what they already have in the game.

The reason I think they can vary from it if they want, is because they used to have some of the uniforms correct in previous years. Do you think they changed the style guide from a correct version of the uniform to an older/out of date version? or do you think the artists started going strictly by the style guide?

[thehomie]

Can you guys stop worrying about things that don't even effect gameplay. Lets get the gameplay fixed then worry about the rest. I assume they did not fix the rounding 3rd problem, can anybody confirm that?

[iRepIndiana]

Saw someone post earlier and ask when did SCEA become EA?!?!?!?!

They WILL NOT EVER be as bad as EA has become.

The fact that they have dropped the ball on some certain and to some, gamebreaking things, isn't the end of the world.


They still make the BEST sports game IMHO in sports gaming.

That comment was ridiculous.

Hopefully some SCEA guys can come in here and sherd some light to us on why certain things haven't been touched.

[Iceman87GT]

Quote: Originally Posted by kehlis

So how would you propose they change something that can't be changed? No, it's not perfect, but if it can't be fixed it can't be fixed. Sounds like you think you are being a pioneer but you are posting things that have been posted here for over 4 years now. Wash, rinse, repeat. Enjoy the crusade.

Its as simple as informing the teams their style guides are inaccurate and because of The Show's contractual limitations this means that the uniforms in the game are inaccurate. If the teams then choose not to update them after this THEN there's nothing you can do about it. They can't actually change the style guides but they can do something to try and get the teams to change them. Or they could lobby to the MLB asking for some room when it comes to uniforms, allow them to deviate from the style guide as long as the teams okay it.

I mean the Canadian cover of the game features a jersey that isn't in the game because of the style guide limitations.

I imagine the MLB would prefer the game reflect real life as much as possible, I doubt they would strip them of the license for simply asking for more leeway, and asking teams to update their style guides is a pretty simple process (whether they update it is out of their control). The way this is always addressed on this site is that there is absolutely nothing they can do, when there is! There's just no guarantee that what they can do will lead to actual change, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't do it.

I made my argument twice and the response was essentially "they have to follow the style guide" a response that ignores a large part of those 2 arguments. There are things they can do to affect change, but the response to these suggestions is always "no there isn't."

Its not the same old thing, I'm sure someone has suggested these ideas before me, but the same old thing in this case is suggesting they can just decide if they want to follow the style guide or not. That is clearly not the case, which is why I'm not making that argument. I'm saying that yeah you have to follow the style guide, but surely there is some leeway, surely the MLB would be open to allowing some deviation if the real life uniforms are proven to be out of sync with the style guide, surely the developers could contact the teams that have inaccuracies and ask them to get them up to date. If SCEA isn't even exploring these possibilities then they aren't doing all they can do.

[Bobhead]

SCEA's contract with MLB is NOT similar to 2K Sports' contract with MLB.

I know that for a fact.

Whatever rights SCEA has with MLB, that agreement wasn't just decided by MLB, it was also decided by 2K. When 2K first carved out their agreement, the first-party (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo) exception didn't fall out of the sky. It was spelled out in the contract. So SCEA has been hamstrung not only by MLB, but by 2k Sports...

EVERYTHING was spelled out in that contract. That's how contracts work. In addition, 2K gained several advantages because their contract was literally written 10 years ago, and so they kinda bought out things MLB didn't really care about at the time, because no one cared about them at the time (since no game console was capable of actually exploring such things), like brand name clothing and stuff like that. Stuff SCEA doesn't have because their agreement involves a revolving lease, that is constantly updated and adjusted at MLB's discretion.

Just look at the pink bat nonsense that happened this year... Knight posted this originally.

Quote: Originally Posted by G3no_11

The reason I think they can vary from it if they want, is because they used to have some of the uniforms correct in previous years. Do you think they changed the style guide from a correct version of the uniform to an older/out of date version? or do you think the artists started going strictly by the style guide?

I think someone got a cease and desist: misrepresentation letter in the mail and was forced to go in the game and change it. Simple as that. There's literally no other reason a developer would take time out of doing practical and relevant things to go delete some random uniform... except if it were a corporate directive as a result of legal action.

It's the same reason we don't have any more Jon Dowds, any more manually triggered arguements, baseball fights, etc...

This stuff is far more complex than you guys seem to want to believe.

[bkrich83]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bobhead

SCEA's contract with MLB is NOT similar to 2K Sports' contract with MLB. I know that for a fact. Whatever rights SCEA has with MLB, that agreement wasn't just decided by MLB, it was also decided by 2K. When 2K first carved out their agreement, the first-party (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo) exception didn't fall out of the sky. It was spelled out in the contract. So SCEA has been hamstrung not only by MLB, but by 2k Sports... EVERYTHING was spelled out in that contract. That's how contracts work. In addition, 2K gained several advantages because their contract was literally written 10 years ago, and so they kinda bought out things MLB didn't really care about at the time, because no one cared about them at the time (since no game console was capable of actually exploring such things), like brand name clothing and stuff like that. Stuff SCEA doesn't have because their agreement involves a revolving lease, that is constantly updated and adjusted at MLB's discretion. Just look at the pink bat nonsense that happened this year... Knight posted something about it, I'll try to find the link and edit it back in... I think someone got a cease and desist: misrepresentation letter in the mail and was forced to go in the game and change it. Simple as that. There's literally no other reason a developer would take time out of doing practical and relevant things to go delete some random uniform... except if it were a corporate directive as a result of legal action. It's the same reason we don't have any more Jon Dowds, any more manually triggered arguements, baseball fights, etc... This stuff is far more complex than you guys seem to want to believe.

Agreed. You're on point. Not sure why people act like this is new. This is old news around here.

[Iceman87GT]

Quote: Originally Posted by iRepIndiana

Saw someone post earlier and ask when did SCEA become EA?!?!?!?! They WILL NOT EVER be as bad as EA has become. The fact that they have dropped the ball on some certain and to some, gamebreaking things, isn't the end of the world. They still make the BEST sports game IMHO in sports gaming. That comment was ridiculous. Hopefully some SCEA guys can come in here and sherd some light to us on why certain things haven't been touched.

Yeah, I get tired of the EA is the worst argument (really!? HSBC Bank was laundering money for terrorist organizations and drug cartels, but EA has the online pass so EA is worse), and I think one of the biggest issues with the EA is the worse sentiment (So we're going to forget about FIFA, and the NHL series - although NHL has dropped off some since the consecutive best sports games awards, and ignore that 2K Sports also makes MLB 2K, and remember them only for their NBA franchise), is that when a developer isn't entirely on its game they all of a sudden get labeled as becoming EA, or "horrible".

EA deserves criticism, they have made mistakes, they haven't always listened to their consumers, but its getting out of hand on this site.

SCEA - SD is not becoming EA because they didn't address exactly what you want in a particular patch, and EA isn't the devil. Also 2K can be just as negligent with certain titles (*cough* MLB *cough*) as any other company.

[bkrich83]

Quote: Originally Posted by Iceman87GT

I imagine the MLB would prefer the game reflect real life as much as possible, I doubt they would strip them of the license for simply asking for more leeway, and asking teams to update their style guides is a pretty simple process (whether they update it is out of their control). The way this is always addressed on this site is that there is absolutely nothing they can do, when there is! There's just no guarantee that what they can do will lead to actual change, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't do it. I made my argument twice and the response was essentially "they have to follow the style guide" a response that ignores a large part of those 2 arguments. There are things they can do to affect change, but the response to these suggestions is always "no there isn't." Its not the same old thing, I'm sure someone has suggested these ideas before me, but the same old thing in this case is suggesting they can just decide if they want to follow the style guide or not. That is clearly not the case, which is why I'm not making that argument. I'm saying that yeah you have to follow the style guide, but surely there is some leeway, surely the MLB would be open to allowing some deviation if the real life uniforms are proven to be out of sync with the style guide, surely the developers could contact the teams that have inaccuracies and ask them to get them up to date. If SCEA isn't even exploring these possibilities then they aren't doing all they can do.

The MLB (and NFL, NBA in reality) are fierce in their protection of their IP's is exactly why the style guide exists and exactly why there's really no room for deviation. Which is a good thing in theory because it's supposed to protect the IP's and thus give us the most realistic uniforms. Unfortunately in reality it doesn't work out that way as it appears the guides at least the ones SCEA is working with are not up to date.

But at the end, no there's no real leeway, and I don't believe SCEA wants to risk souring their relationship or the headaches that would possibly occur for deviating from their contractual obligation.