Wed Jul 09, 2014 4:43 pm
Focusing first on what we got, instead of what we didn't get, I like ATG8 a lot. There seems to be something for everyone in the set. There are greater options now at all caps for managers who like to play smallball, boomerball, righty parks, lefty parks, high end pitching, middle pitching, low end pitching, franchises, post WWII and pre WWII. In general, I like the repricing of the cards. I also like the fact that some players got improved defense, even if it came decades later and posthumously! Better late than never.
No two people will ever agree on who should get priority in receiving cards. It seems as though community input was taken into consideration, but the extent of such will be hotly debated. Like most people, I would have liked to have more new cards, whether for previously uncarded players or new cards for players who had cards for other years. Updating computer generated cards and fantasim cards with super advanced cards where available was a good move towards leveling the playing field for all cards.
Reaching back to the turn of the 20th century for some cards was just that, a reach. I would strongly have preferred to have a higher percentage of cards from post WWII to the present, as it is far easier to relate to those cards than little known players from the turn of the 20th century.
Like nearly everyone else, I'm a little disappointed that it took so long to get the cards, but now that the cards are here, that disappointment is in the rear view mirror.
I'm also a little disappointed that SOM's solution to relief pitchers pitching 200+ innings was to raise the price on such relief pitchers incrementally. At best, such is a band aid approach. I would have preferred a programming change, which should be simple enough to accomplish, where relief pitchers need some rest after appearances in 3 or 4 consecutive games or after pitching more than 2 or 3 innings in a game, depending on the endurance factor. Such a programming change should be easy to accomplish and hopefully will be forthcoming in the near future.
Also, we all know that the roll out of ATG8, to be kind, could have been better. While the company has a great product that has kept our attention for years, PR is not a strong suit and SOM rarely misses an opportunity to shoot itself in the foot when it comes to customer service and marketing in the online game. That being said, it's not too late for SOM to improve the roll out. Regarding the new cards, the SOM Wiki page says that there are "334 ATG VII cards that have been newly replaced with improved versions plus 218 cards new to ATG, including 20 new single-year Negro Leaguer cards." How about providing us a list of the 334 upgraded cards and the 218 new cards so that we don't have to spend our precious time sifting through 4000+ other cards trying to find all these new and improved cards?
Lastly, while it is obvious that a number of us have legitimate concerns with how SOM treats us, I've tried to separate those concerns as much as possible from my review of the new card set. Those concerns have been recited ad nauseum in other threads and no doubt will continue to be discussed by the community at large.
Overall, I give the new cards a B+. The grade will go up to an A- once we get the list of the new and modified cards requested above.
It's time for everyone to move forward and PLAY BALL! - Bernie