Texas Leaguers
Saturday, January 3, 2009
But, then on December 23, 2008 I had an epiphany walking through Best Buy, my usual places for such enlightening moments. I saw MVP 07 on sale for $4.99. I bought it even though it was a PS2 game. I came home, popped it, and just played a baseball game without worrying about sliders, rosters, whatever. The 4-2 loss was one of my best moments of gaming in '08 (well, besides the Show). The graphics were horrible, the players were fake, but the game was fun and realistic.
So, then, I erased all of my 2K sliders and rosters. Loaded up the game and got the recent edition of the 2K rosters. I just lowered FG% for me and upped the game speed. Guess what? I had a blast. 2K was fun. The CPU even did things that many people (including me) thought they would never do. They actually drove and then kicked it out for the open look. I was able to do the same thing! I played another and then another. It was 3:00 AM and I was still having fun with 2K. In my 3 games that night I shot 48%, 55% and 42%. Boxscores were mostly realistic, definitely within the realm of basketball.
Sometimes, I think we mess with sliders so much it warps the game and causes so many issues. Since I just lowered the FG%, I have had the CPU have games where they shoot from mid-range, or games when they just drive the whole game. Point is--2K bball is flawed, but it does play a fun game of hoops. I still like Live better, but I refuse to buy it again this season. 2K will get me to baseball season. Live will most likely be my game next year if they continue to improve.
So, after Christmas, I thought I would go back to my teenage gaming habit--the fantasy draft. Again, I'm having fun, good games of basketball. I'm not worrying about if something happens out of the ordinary in one game. Usually, it seems to "go back to normal" the next game. Now, if I can just get Chris Paul to hit a clutch shot in the 4th quarter, I will be happy.
So, there's my story and how I am back to having fun with gaming. I can't wait for the next round of the Show to see what it has to offer. I know that I'll definitely be having fun then.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Baseball season can't come fast enough for me. I have struggled with 2 NBA titles this year. I first picked up Live and really liked the flow and spacing of the game. Most importantly, it was fun. But, then I went to start my franchise with my up and coming New York Knicks. After doing my rotations and setting my playing time preferences, I went to start my first game. As the game cues up, I realize that Stephon Marbury is starting at the 2 guard. "Oh, damn, I must have done something wrong!". So, I back out of the game, head back to the rotation screen and do it all again. Steph is on the inactive list. Re-start game 1...Steph is starting at the 2. I do the whole thing over again, and finally start the game with my proper lineup. Six minutes into the first quarter, buzz...Stephon Marbury entering the game. Ugghhh, great game, but franchise killer.
So, I go back to tried and true 2K. Franchise setup was unbelievable. The player roles, setting the number of minutes and getting to bury Steph all went smoothly. I start game one and realize that this game is good. After a tough loss, I go to game 2. The warts start to show...points in the paint. I head to the sliders section of OS and find a ton of options. I begin to fiddle and get something that seems ok.
But, here's the problem. I can't stop fiddling with the sliders in 2K. Something always seems to go wrong...always. Sometimes, I even feel like the game is scripted. I know, it's probably just frustration, but this solid game is just not fun anymore.
So, I am a basketball-less gamer. I could try EA's college game or SCEA's NBA game, but I really don't want to pay another $60. So, here I wait, for the Show to drop in a couple of months. Oh well, hopefully Live fixes this for next year. This year was a huge leap for the series. It just needs that fine polish.
Happy Holidays and here's to the hope of March getting here quickly.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
But, after thinking about it, sports gaming is definitely at a crossroads. While many (including me) at OS and other sites push companies to make their game more realistic, that push is shutting off a market for companies. As these games become more realistic and more complex, less and less children (let's say ages 7-12) will be inclined to buy (or more likely, have their parents buy) a game because of frustration. If the child is not a consumer of sports video games, the likelihood of he/she becoming one is slim. What's that mean for the companies? Well, it means depending on a market of 28-60 year olds continuing the gaming market. But, if that younger fan base is not built, eventually that market will go away. Want proof? Read on.
As a kid, sports gaming became my favorite video game pastime. It was on the Nintendo system that I fell in love with a classic baseball game, Baseball Stars. That game was revolutionary as it had a simple franchise mode based on building up your players' attributes by winning games. The gameplay was simple, push a button to pitch, push a button to hit. I know I spent hours and hours playing that game. Other games like Blades of Steel and Bases Loaded helped develop a love for video games. Then as the Sega Genesis came along, the sports genre was pushed a bit, both graphically and depth. EA Sports had a tremendous lineup of games with Madden, Live, and NHL leading the way for me. The games had a franchise mode, simple controls, and were fun. Were they ultra realistic? No, but they passed an awful lot of time for a teenager and his buddies.
Now let's look at it from a 9 year old's perspective in the year 2008. He is developing a love for football. His parental unit decides to buy him Madden (or All Pro Football for the OS crowd). The little guy opens it up, pops it in and has no clue about adjustments at the line, using the hit stick properly, or using proper substitution packages. 2K Baseball? He needs just quick tutorial on the 19 different ways to wiggle the stick in order to throw a pitch. MLB the Show? While there are no fancy controls, the game will not allow for a swing at anything experience that most us had with Sports Talk Baseball.
Make no mistake, I am not saying I want my games dummied down. I do, however, see the conundrum that the game companies are facing. That kid I used in the example won't have those childhood memories of sports games. He'll have a fondness of the first person shooter games that at a basic level are easy to pick up and play.
A look at the Nintendo Wii illustrates this point greatly. The Wii seems to be outselling the 360 and the PS3 annually. Why? Nintendo always markets their games to kids. Now, families are buying Wii's and Wii sports so their kids can just have fun. Although the Wii's graphics are no better than a PS2, their games pack much more fun with a ton less depth and realism.
What's a company to do? Well, they need to walk a fine line. They cannot just alienate gamers like me, the OS crowd. But, they can put in some sort of extra level which puts the game at a really basic level without all of the control options. Have a Madden Basic (ok APF crowd, stop saying Madden is basic) or an NBA 2K basic mode where it's just button pressing, general sports play, and fun. Then have the other modes for us old guys to continue to toy with.
While we like to think of this industry as our hobby, the fact is that it is a multi-billion dollar industry. Like any other industry, it must look at its long-term growth potential. Unfortunately for the hard core gamers, that means some focus on the younger generations. Remember, we grew up loving those simplified games. If we had to play today's games then, places like OS wouldn't exist. We would have moved on to something more fun.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Since the PS2 and XBox debuted, online gaming has been a growing market. Now with the PS3 and the 360, online gaming is an absolute must. I get that it is progress. I get that most gamers are online gamers. The problem is that for many people my age, online gaming is not a reality or all that enjoyable. First, with my gaming time so sporadic (9 PM one night, 2 AM another night), it is virtually impossible to get involved in leagues. Last spring I was involved in the Whoneedsrules.com MLB The Show league. Well, like many other leagues I had joined, it disbanded as only a core set of guys were making their games. For someone with limited gaming time, there is nothing more frustrating. Secondly, online gaming is somewhat unstable. I didn't pay $70 dollars to play a generally lag infested game. To this writer at least, it is not fun. Sure, getting some random games against friends is fun, but plowing through the disconnects, lag, and any other hiccup takes away from the enjoyment.
So, perhaps I am old school, but I simply enjoy my solo time with my sports games trying to lead a team to a title or to respectability. The problem is that most of the franchise modes today merely feel like a string of games played with the same team followed by some menial off season tasks and then repeating the process. Quite frankly, there is no life in most franchise modes.
While it may seem like an antiquated request, quality franchise modes exsisted just a few years ago. The All-Star Baseball series had the most in-depth franchise mode for any console baseball game. This game had it all with the draft being held in the middle of the season (unlike the end like the games of today), a rule-5 draft, player options, trading rules followed (like you can't trade a free agent signed in the off season until June), and quite a few of the other nuances that make a great baseball game. The High Heat series also had many of these qualities, but its franchise mode did finish a distant second to the All-Star Franchise. In recent years, the MVP series had a competent franchise mode with playable, and most importantly, editable minor leagues.
Now, you may be saying, "but you are talking about games that aren't made anymore." Good point, but even Madden had a better franchise mode just a couple of years ago. On the XBOX and PS2, there was a weekly radio show that kind of gave you a feel for what was going on around the league. The off season was a bit more exciting where now it's just a free agent period with little excitement (is there ever a reason to franchise tag someone in Madden?), a draft (although having college players from NCAA helps make it a bit better), and start your next season.
The current baseball titles lack quite a bit of logic. The Show, a great game on the field, has an unfocused franchise. It does not have realistic contracts, the draft is lackluster, and the free agent signing period is quite "ho-hum". There needs to be more of an emphasis on player development rather than adding seats (when does that ever happen?) or trying to raise money so your major league team doesn't ride the bus. A Major League Team hasn't been on a bus since Rachel Phelps made Ricky Vaughn and the Indians ride cross country for road trips.
Now, it's not all that bad, specifically in the basketball genre. The NBA 2K series has a solid franchise with player roles, a decent trading block system, practice and development time, and the nba.com screen. It's those things that makes a gamer feel like they are in a league, not just playing 82 games with the same team.
The college games usually have a good franchise, but there is a reason--that's a lot of the college game. Without recruiting and discipline and a coaching carousel, one is not really playing a college sport.
Why is franchise being neglected? Well, it's because I am no longer the target audience. Now, mini-games or first person experiences like the Road to the Show or Campus Legend (which I enjoy) are the focus. Online gaming is the focus.
Maybe I am just an old guy looking for an old school game. I'd like to think that I am not alone when I want the type of franchise mode I played just a few years ago.
Just so I can't be accused of complaining, here are a few suggestions to improve franchise modes:
--Have the correct off season. No baseball game should be without a Rule-5 draft, free agency, and legitimate bidding wars. The Royals should not be outbidding the Yankees.
--Have realistic contracts. I know some leagues, the MLB in particular, doesn't like dollar amounts in video games. That's fine, but at least give the correct years. All a gamer wants is a somewhat realistic off season where the "correct" players are free agents.
--Make franchise goals realistic. Last year, MLB 2K had owner's goals. When firing up a Yankees franchise, the goal was to trade Jorge Posada. Ok, Posada was just signed to a 4 year deal, the Yankees weren't looking to trade him. If a game is going to go with this type of franchise mode, at least adjust the goals based on team. The Yankees shouldn't have any goals in common with the Royals.
--Allow the user to override trades. NBA 2K does this well. MLB 2K did this well, especially with the trade slider. I don't mind a lot of trading in video games, but I do want the option to stop a Derek Jeter for a single-A player with high potential.
--Have some sort of interactive league website. NBA 2K is a good start. There are headlines and box scores. Storylines should be next.
--Player development needs to be important. I don't care about the price of a hotdog. I want my AAA outfielder or rookie phenom to work on something. NBA Live's drill mode is a step in the right direction. At the very least, have coaches set an agenda for what the team should work on.
So, there you have it. A big complaint, followed by some basic suggestions. Gaming companies, please don't ignore people like me. We love our franchise mode.
First off, I love the Show. I think the developers of the series are baseball people who will listen to the community. To "prove" my thoughts are genuine on the show, take a look at my post-season review from my site (here)
So, now you know where I am coming from. Here's my question: Does the Show have to innovate to further the franchise? By that, I mean does the series have to adapt a new way of pitching, hitting, and throwing? While the gameplay is good, there are still some nagging issues (like the ease of contact).
There are two answers to this question. I know, I know- it's a yes or no question. Well, the answer depends on which point of view you want to look at. The answer to the OS hardcore baseball gamers is a resounding no. The series needs to be tightened as best as it can. The batter/pitcher duel needs to be fine tuned, the ease of contact needs to be addressed, and the franchise mode is sorely neglected. If those issues were resolved, most baseball gamers would be quite pleased.
But, the answer is yes for the casual fan, who I am sorry to say OS makes up more of the demographic than the hardcore fan. With 2K's and the latter versions of MVP Baseball's pitching and throwing schemes, The Show is considered antiquated to the casual gamer. The casual gamer is being drawn to the control scheme.
For me, I want my baseball to play true to life. I don't care what the control scheme is (or graphics for that matter--Power Pros is currently my most played game). But, I do know that I am in the minority when it comes to this style of gaming. I see my type of gamer being a bit phased out from video gaming as more companies focus on the online gaming market. Sadly, the Show will have to introduce new concepts other than tightening the baseball aspects if they wish to capture the casual market. Even the hardcore baseball gamer may need something different in the series as all games usually become stale after a few years of just tweaking the gameplay. The Show is running the risk of falling into that category with some gamers.
Hopefully, The Show will be able to satisfy both camps by allowing different control schemes, but offering a more true-to-life gameplay experience.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
With gaming back, OS came back. Let's just say that I am glad to be back. I am in awe of the Arena feature. I love to write and I now I have a new area to write about things other than baseball (which my site covers). I look forward to blogging here and getting back into the forums.
Once again, congrats to OS. It is tremendous to see what has been added.
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