The Supplication of a Once Y2Y Franchise Player

[countryboy]

From MLB '16 to MLB '20 I enjoyed the greatest feature ever implemented in a sports video game. A feature that would allow myself see how my roster building abilities and visions would play out over the course of several years. I'm of course referring to Year to Year Saves or Carryover Saves as it has been called.

From MLB '16 thru MLB '20 I progressed my franchise through 14 glorious seasons. I got to see my roster visions and construction play out. Deals I made were successes, others were failures, some we just block out. I watched prospects develop, teams go from doormat to dominant (Marlins), and watched as players achieved various career milestones. I became so attached to my team, was so engrossed in that franchise, that at times it was difficult to separate fantasy from reality.

And then as news and information for MLB '21 were released, the one thing that I convinced myself would never happen, happened. Y2Y saves was removed. My baseball fantasy universe was completely turned upside down. For the first time in 5 years, I would have to make a decision I thought I would never be forced to make with the MLB The Show series...do I stick with '20 and continue to play my franchise that I've invested so heavily in, creating real prospects, draft classes, and that I had enjoyed for 14 virtual seasons? Or do I completely scrap it and start fresh with '21?

As more information was released and I played through the BETA, I made the difficult decision to move on from my franchise in '20 and start over new with '21 because I really thought the gameplay in '21 was better than '20 and I like the minor roster expansion and the changes to the financials. Besides, starting over wouldn't be that bad, because SDS would surely bring Y2Y saves back in '22 and I can continue. Right? Right?

WRONG!...

Information for '22 started rolling out and once again, the feature that I never knew could exist, that I thought would never be removed, that I thought would surely return, was once again absent from the newest installment of the MLBTS series. I was crushed. I was pissed. I was....again at a crossroads, continue my franchise with '21, or start over, again, with '22. Once again, I would listen to what was new in '22, play the BETA and decide. Well, I decided that I liked the new gameplay changes, I liked the new presentation elements, I liked the fresh commentary team. And I did, and I do, but......

Playing through the first season of a franchise in '22, I couldn't quite find that same attachment to my franchise that I did up thru '20, that I rediscovered in '21. I was playing the games, I was having fun, I was enjoying the experience, but I just wasn't as involved as I had been before. I couldn't stop myself from thinking about what I had going on in '21, how I was watching as teams changed, prospects developed, as my roster visions played out. TBH, '22 started having this "been there, done that" feel to it, especially when going through the first offseason, because I had just done this in '21. All the sudden I started wondering, am I getting the same enjoyment out of '22 as I did with '21 and years before it? The answer to be blunt, and 100% true to myself, was no. I was playing '22 because it was new, it was different, and for the most part, it was better. But I wasn't having the same experience. I was trying so hard to re-create the same roster I had in '21. And worse yet, I felt in such a hurry to play games because I am not confident that Y2Y saves will return in '23, and I wanted to get something out of this year's game for when that decision comes again about sticking with '22 or moving on to '23. My enjoyment wasn't the same.

The other night I fired up '21 and instantly the attachment to my franchise took over. I read my notes, remembered ideas, and I was showered with the same enjoyable experience that was missing with '22. And all the sudden, I had another decision, stick with '22 or go back and pickup my '21 franchise and continue to play through it and see how my roster visions play out, how other teams roster decisions effect their team, to see players achieve various milestones. After debating back and forth personally, and then with the help of a friend here on OS, I have decided that I want to and am going to, continue my franchise in '21 and see how it plays out. Because if for nothing else, it provides me with a more enjoyable experience.

This isn't to say that '22 is a bad game, or that its not as good as '21, because honestly it is better. But with how I play franchise, the things that I look to get out of the mode, and the things I took for granted with Y2Y saves, '21 allows me to achieve those things better than '22. I just can't do the starting over each year, its not enjoyable to me these days.

I write all of this I guess in the hopes that SDS will see it and realize just how important Y2Y saves are/were to gamers such as myself. And I'm sure they do and I'm sure its not an easy feature to maintain and is likely a culprit as to why franchise mode has been so stagnant these past several years. But I'm hopeful that one day, in the not too distant future, that franchise players such as myself, who engross themselves into a franchise with their own "made up" storylines and lose the ability to separate virtual reality, from reality, will no longer have to make that dreaded decision when the newest installment of the MLBTS series drops, stick with the franchise I have, or start over.

[Bullit]

Wow.

I could not have said it better myself. Thank you for clearing up my own thoughts.

I have been struggling playing '22. It is a great game, probably the best ever done. But it feels empty and I am unmotivated because its all for naught because next year I will just have to start again. I found myself going back to '20.

Yes it is not as good, has the old clunky financial system and all of its legacy issues. But like you I have an Indian Franchise that is over a decade in. I have a Fictional Franchise with one of the best roster sets ever made that is 6 years in. I find myself missing these worlds that I have watched develop and helped create. The Baseball season is a long grind, that we all love. Loosing Y2Y saves just makes that grind pointless if its a one and done.

I thought that playing with current Rosters and all of the new stuff would make up for the loss of all of my hard work and joy with the worlds I had been playing in. But it is just not catching for me. I just finished Spring Training in '22 because I just cant get the motivation to play. A few days ago I loaded up '20 and my old Bacons Fictional Franchise and played 5 games straight. Cheering and cussing at the TV all day long. I love these guys. I am invested in their future and the future of my teams. I just am not making that connection in '22.

So thank you CountryBoy. You have saved the game again. I know I am not your favorite person right now. I deserve that. I have been thru some tough times the last few years and turned down some dark roads I should not have. Depression, alcohol and other things were not my friend and I certainly wasn't one to you. I apologize for that. You have always treated me well and with kindness you did not deserve my treatment of you. I have been mending fences and sent out a lot of hard PM's. But if I could figure out a time and way I wanted to say this in "public" because it is the right thing to do.

So I wish you all the best and remember folks. As the mighty Bacon is fond of saying. Baseball is Better.

Love you all.

Peace

[countryboy]

Yeah with '21 I actually considered going back to '20, but for me, the improvement to fielding in '21 made it difficult to re-adjust to '20. It was tough to move on, but after getting going on '21 I was able to recapture the experience.

As for the other stuff all water under the bridge and I hold no ill-feelings. I hope that you're doing well and taking it one day at a time. And you're always welcome to reach out for an ear to bend.

[Midnite2sixman]

I've been going through the same issues myself. I've been playing the same franchise since 2016. I play in real time so i go day to da controlling all 30 teams and making moves based on real life. This year I havent felt involved. Yeah I made moves and what not but I feel like this franchise might be done.

I have both 20 and 21. Which game do you suggest is the better franchise that might have staying power?

[reyes the roof]

Baseball games are tough for someone like me because I can’t detach myself from what is happening in the real world MLB. I played two years of 20 but my league in 2022 became so different from reality that I had to make the switch. I’m loving 22 but I know I’ll never be able to get ten seasons deep in my franchise like I could do when I played Madden

[countryboy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Midnite2sixman

I've been going through the same issues myself. I've been playing the same franchise since 2016. I play in real time so i go day to da controlling all 30 teams and making moves based on real life. This year I havent felt involved. Yeah I made moves and what not but I feel like this franchise might be done. I have both 20 and 21. Which game do you suggest is the better franchise that might have staying power?

In regards to franchise mode they are nearly identical, aside from the financials being different in '21 and it having 93 roster spots instead of 90.

It really matters which gameplay you prefer and which provides you the better overall experience, imo.

[Bullit]

Quote: Originally Posted by countryboy

Yeah with '21 I actually considered going back to '20, but for me, the improvement to fielding in '21 made it difficult to re-adjust to '20. It was tough to move on, but after getting going on '21 I was able to recapture the experience. As for the other stuff all water under the bridge and I hold no ill-feelings. I hope that you're doing well and taking it one day at a time. And you're always welcome to reach out for an ear to bend.

I picked up '21 but it was late in the cycle when it was on sale. So I was mid year in my Franchises so it was an easy pass for me at the time, especially since when I picked it up '22 was only months away.

It is amazing how invested we get in these worlds. LOL But as of right now I am just not feeling it with '22 which is obviously the "technically superior" game.

Thank you. That means the world to me. Really.

[stlchamp10]

Well said country...

Seems the show is turning more and more into Madden. Taking features out that didn't need to at all is crazy to me. It can't be that hard to maintain (I'm not a programmer so idk), I can't see it being difficult to maintain save files compared to what else they have.

Now this year, I've moved to MTO because they left out Y2Y saves. There are some changes that need made but the offseason is damn fun in MTO and I hope it translates to franchise mode in the future but for right now, I'm content rebuilding teams and taking my time with it.

Sports games in general should all have Y2Y saves, its a no brainer esp for sports with long season games. Maybe football could be the only one that doesn't need it but it needs to come back for baseball. I really hate this diamond dynasty online crap people waste money on.

Have fun country, that's what its all about.