MLB 14 The Show News Post

MLB The Show: More Improvement Still Needed With Franchise Mode Menus

01:12 PM - June 29, 2014 by RaychelSnr

Let’s just get one thing out of the way: the menus in MLB 14 The Show’s franchise definitely went in the right direction from where things were previously.

I honestly just wanted to sound positive before this next paragraph which will sound less than positive.

The menus in MLB 14 The Show’s franchise mode menus are still some of the most poorly organized user interfaces you can find. Want to know how many years you have left with your all-star pitcher? That’s about 3-4 button pushes away on average from the main home screen in franchise mode. Want to know who is leading your team in batting average? That’s really not as easy to find out as it should be.

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# 1 BeatArmy @ 06/29/14 01:16 PM

Whew, aren't we lucky then that no future financial planning is required in any PS3 franchise....?

/sarc

# 2 Mrmagoo @ 06/29/14 01:58 PM

Good article and GREAT points. And let's not forget, they need to create a franchise where these things you speak of are tracked THEN add them to a more stream line menu system!! For the life of me I really don't understand why franchise in many games are such a hot mess in this (these) regard(s).

# 3 TypicalPhenom @ 06/29/14 02:01 PM

Agree on finding information on contracts, no reason for it to be that difficult. Really though, I just want to be able to see more detailed career stats. I'm willing to navigate around the menu's as long as the information is there. Trying to sign free agents in the offseason, I have to back out and go to a previous save file to check how they did in AAA last year or how many SB's they had. I'd like history of all star games and awards too on the player cards too.

# 4 Birdman85 @ 06/29/14 07:12 PM

I could care less about the menus. How about some stuff to help with trades, or a full player card? If 2k can do it, there is no reason Sony can't. also, they have the top 50 insignia, so how about a Top 50(at least) list so when you are looking to trade for prospects, you can decide who is better.

# 5 Birdman85 @ 06/30/14 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_OS


	"On the lineup screen, all you get is an overall rating for each player. You don’t get their key stats, you don’t get stats on how they hit against a certain handedness of pitching, you simply get an overall rating which tells you nothing about the players power, contact hitting, or speed — three key things you’d like to know at the very least while building a lineup." I agree with this 100%!! Key stats need to be in there on the lineup screen. Overall ratings are useless. This has been a request of mine for many years now. I'm surprised this has been overlooked. How tired a player is helpful, but they need to incorporate more stats on the lineup screen.

If I am correct, don't they show Con R/L Pow R/L SPD and Fielding?

# 6 Mrmagoo @ 06/30/14 12:42 AM

Not at my ps4 at the moment but no I don't believe they do, if we are talking about the line up screen before you actually enter the game. They do show the things you mentioned on the menu screen once in the game tho.

I was wrong. Just checked and birdman was correct, sorry for giving the wrong information.

# 7 Blzer @ 06/30/14 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birdman85


	I could care less about the menus. How about some stuff to help with trades, or a full player card? If 2k can do it, there is no reason Sony can't. also, they have the top 50 insignia, so how about a Top 50(at least) list so when you are looking to trade for prospects, you can decide who is better.

'The hell does that mean?

As far as navigation is concerned, it's all about scrapping everything and going back to the drawing board. Like literally, I want to do the same thing with my wiring in my home theater. Figuring out how to optimize everything and reference what to where is one of the most difficult things to do, and figuring out what should/shouldn't have shortcuts can be strenuous. I have enough trouble on main pages of websites, and that has every graphic with drop-down tabs and a mouse.

That's the big thing they might want to try for: more nested layers, less linearity. If everything is a brand new page and screen, you sometimes can't even recognize where you last were. Or at the very least, work like a computer's windows where it shows the branches of the tree from what previous screens you were on.

I haven't yet played this year's version, but it sounds like it's a bit of the same hiccups that they've always had. I don't think it's easy, but it requires a lot of overhauling. Now somebody work on my bedroom wiring haha.

# 8 decga @ 06/30/14 02:30 AM

Hopefully SCEA is listening and reading this article as well. This is a very informative article and open handed slap in the face of SCEA or makers of the Show. We all can use one of those every now and then.

# 9 RandyBass @ 06/30/14 05:09 AM

Menus? That would be a good start I guess. But they need to do a lot more than that.

Every year I try to start a franchise, and every year I can't get through it because it's just not compelling at all. It does little to reflect what a running a baseball franchise should be about, leaves you in the dark about many things, and then dumps a bunch of tedium on you.

For all the praise this game gets, it really leaves me wondering why when I look at their bland, shallow, and overly complex franchise mode.

# 10 Doogie09 @ 06/30/14 07:28 PM

For my money, combine the stats and immersion of OOP with the gameplay of the Show and you'd have something to behold. Even 2K with their stories and stats had a leg up on The Show. Reason I've stuck with my Mlb11 and haven't upgraded since. Bought OOP last year and just love it. Sure, miss the gameplay and the batter/pitcher battles...the live action....but the stats, contract info, news stories, milestones and depth of OOP is awesome. In the past, the PS3's capacity constraints were blamed...well, PS4 is basically a PC...so, capacity shouldn't be an issue.....A common code base for the developers between the PS3 and PS4 may be more the reason next-gen will be held back for the near-term. IMHO

# 11 Mrmagoo @ 06/30/14 11:45 PM

Hell it would be sweet to just have half of the stat tracking of ootp in the show!

# 12 Birdman85 @ 07/01/14 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blzer


	'The hell does that mean? As far as navigation is concerned, it's all about scrapping everything and going back to the drawing board. Like literally, I want to do the same thing with my wiring in my home theater. Figuring out how to optimize everything and reference what to where is one of the most difficult things to do, and figuring out what should/shouldn't have shortcuts can be strenuous. I have enough trouble on main pages of websites, and that has every graphic with drop-down tabs and a mouse. That's the big thing they might want to try for: more nested layers, less linearity. If everything is a brand new page and screen, you sometimes can't even recognize where you last were. Or at the very least, work like a computer's windows where it shows the branches of the tree from what previous screens you were on. I haven't yet played this year's version, but it sounds like it's a bit of the same hiccups that they've always had. I don't think it's easy, but it requires a lot of overhauling. Now somebody work on my bedroom wiring haha.

Not only did 2k have a full player card ( where you could view career stats and achievements such as MVPs and Championships) they also had a Top 100 prospect list so you could view the best prospects at once, instead of having to go team by team, looking for the Top 50 log.

# 13 Birdman85 @ 07/01/14 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birdman85


	Not only did 2k have a full player card ( where you could view career stats and achievements such as MVPs and Championships) they also had a Top 100 prospect list so you could view the best prospects at once, instead of having to go team by team, looking for the Top 50 log.

logo.* And my point was if 2k can do that, Sony should be able to bring it to The Show.

# 14 Sco291 @ 07/01/14 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyBass


	Menus? That would be a good start I guess. But they need to do a lot more than that. Every year I try to start a franchise, and every year I can't get through it because it's just not compelling at all. It does little to reflect what a running a baseball franchise should be about, leaves you in the dark about many things, and then dumps a bunch of tedium on you. For all the praise this game gets, it really leaves me wondering why when I look at their bland, shallow, and overly complex franchise mode.

THIS.

Listen, I love The Show....realy the only sports game I play anymore, but wht is highlighted in red above is SO true. I love starting a franchise but then about halfway through the season I lose interest because every game, every "postgame show" and every part of playing the games and having the games end is repetitive. At least give us the newspaper article back... I don't think these incredible and brilliant devs (much love) knew how much depth ad realism that gave to franchise mode. I just need more out of franchise so I don't become bored with it a season in....for franchise, meaning multiple years, I need something more to keep me interested.

Menu's I honestly don't have that much of a problem with, I think they're really good. However, they can get confusing at times.

# 15 Blzer @ 07/01/14 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birdman85


	Not only did 2k have a full player card ( where you could view career stats and achievements such as MVPs and Championships) they also had a Top 100 prospect list so you could view the best prospects at once, instead of having to go team by team, looking for the Top 50 log.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birdman85


	logo. And my point was if 2k can do that, Sony should be able to bring it to The Show.*

I know what it was. Clearly my question wasn't properly received, but I'll refrain for the good of the community.

# 16 DrYCeLL @ 07/01/14 01:30 PM

As has been said a couple of times, franchise mode is absolutely lifeless. If they re-do the menu screens, they should really look into connecting you to the rest of the league. Every meaningful thing that happens during the year is lost to me if it doesn't happen in a game I am playing. Madden, which never seems to do anything right, does a great job immersing you in the franchise by detailing the top news every week, and love 'em or hate 'em, the fake Twitter profiles add a nice dash of immersion as well. Maybe add a milestone watcher to the menus, too, so we can see the active HR leaders, hits leaders, etc, so we can really feel the franchise growing as we play it.

More to the point, some of the boxes become pointless throughout the year, just adding to the clutter. Once the draft occurs and draftees signed(why don't they report to A ball after signing, still? I want to get to work on developing my 98 pot, 54 ovr SP as soon as he signs) at least 3 boxes are worthless for over half of the season. Group all of that into a "scouting/drafting" box, then scouting, sign picks, scouts, etc will all be together, instead of a few tabs away from each other.

# 17 jilly55 @ 07/01/14 03:22 PM

I'm not an OOTP player, but i completely agree. Key statistics need to be more presentable, rather than digging through that player's card.

# 18 Mrmagoo @ 07/01/14 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jilly55


	I'm not an OOTP player, but i completely agree. Key statistics need to be more presentable, rather than digging through that player's card.

I agree, but the game needs to track them before we can see them. Each year I'm even more dumbfounded than the year before that this title is so lacking in this regard.... Smh. How can a group of ppl that love the game of baseball so much not start with a game that would track stats? 2k was light years ahead in Stat tracking n the presentation of said stats!

# 19 HarlemYankee @ 07/07/14 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrmagoo


	I agree, but the game needs to track them before we can see them. Each year I'm even more dumbfounded than the year before that this title is so lacking in this regard.... Smh. How can a group of ppl that love the game of baseball so much not start with a game that would track stats? 2k was light years ahead in Stat tracking n the presentation of said stats!

Hundreds of light years ahead! What's the point of playing a franchise if you get no satisfaction of seeing the franchise growing? A milestone list, an active/all-time leaders list, a Top 50/100 prospect list, ANYTHING!

I can't even track how many career stolen bases my players have!

IMO 2k's approach to this was spot-on... I'd love to see a "player achievements" page to a player card, or a league history page or anything. Something to make it seem like I'm not just playing a game over and over again.

# 20 Mrmagoo @ 07/07/14 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyrellevator


	Hundreds of light years ahead! What's the point of playing a franchise if you get no satisfaction of seeing the franchise growing? A milestone list, an active/all-time leaders list, a Top 50/100 prospect list, ANYTHING! I can't even track how many career stolen bases my players have! IMO 2k's approach to this was spot-on... I'd love to see a "player achievements" page to a player card, or a league history page or anything. Something to make it seem like I'm not just playing a game over and over again.

No doubt...

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