Ten Areas of Improvement for MLB 12: The Show

Feature Article

Submitted on: 10/26/2011 by Phil Varckette

With the World Series coming to a climax the next two nights (Editors note: or one if my Rangers have their way), you may be thinking that it’s a bit early to start looking forward to next season. But with free agency starting not long after the Classic ends, time will start to fly by. After all, MLB 12: The Show is the next big sports game release.

Here are a few things I think could improve the annual SCEA release.

1. More control over the fielders

This is something fans of The Show have been asking for, for a very long time. It was reported from those who attended The Show’s community day last year that Sony gave this a shot. It was said that the ball travels to fast for the user to field it effectively.

If possible, slow the ball down. Let us have total control to make the play.

2. Fix the Pick-Off System

Runners shouldn’t be getting picked off multiple times a game. It seems like whenever you take that extra step, your chances of getting picked-off skyrockets. Let us hold down L2 and release to take off, Instead of doing it automatically. MLB 2K11 does this very well.

3. Better Ball Physics

I would like to see the ball come off the bat more realistically. When a ball is hit down the line, it tends to slice. This is represented to a small degree, but could be done much better. This would also include balls with top spin and knuckling action. It would add just another touch of realism the series is so well known for.

4. PS VITA Compatibility

Whether it is the ability to actually play our franchise games on the VITA or just manage our franchise, give us something innovative. This is something the fans have wanted to see with the PSP for years, but it never came to fruition. Sony may be surprised how much VITA sales spike by implementing this feature.

5. Franchise Changes

Franchise mode, for the most part, is well done in The Show. The upgrades needed shouldn’t be in the form of an overhaul or anything like that, but we would love to see the scouting system get some love. Team tendencies should be tied to the manager; trade logic needs looked at as well as roster management; make managing rosters more user-friendly; and last but not least, give our editors, like Knight, better tools for roster adjustments.

6. Licensed Equipment and Accessories

Another long standing community wish. With seemingly every other current-gen sports game having licensed equipment and accessories, it's time for The Show to follow suit. It would add so much to the immersion factor. Being able to decide if I want Carlos Santana to use Nike or Under Armor catchers gear would be pretty cool. You could also take this a step further in Road to the Show mode and have certain brands offer to sponsor your player based on performance.

7. Presentation Upgrades

Announcing needs a breath of fresh air. You don’t necessarily have to add or subtract anyone; just give us a ton of new commentary. It would also be great to see enhanced presentation for rivalry games, or games with meaning. That could be something as simple as some special commentary, new graphical wipes. Same goes with playoff games; make it feel like October and give us some on-screen playoff logo splashes. Talk about the importance of each and every at bat.

8. MLB Today-Like Mode

Sometimes a competing company does something so well that you have to capitalize on it for yourself. I am a big “Play Now” guy, and this feature would be a fantastic addition. Keep the rosters updated daily and let the user follow along with the season.

9. Create-A-Team/Expansion Mode in Franchise

This was a blast in the now defunct All-Star Baseball series. The Show lovers love customization. Give us the ultimate customization experience with this mode. Let us select our city, build our own stadium and jump into whatever league and division we want and participate in an expansion draft.

10. Miscellaneous Additions

Co-op Franchise mode, more sounds of the show options, Single-A teams, cleaner user-friendly interfaces, more uniforms, umpire arguments, ejections for arguing, more stat overlays, more hit variety, stand-alone Playoff mode and more catcher animations.

Final Thoughts

This is just a small sampling of what the community would like to see this year. If we know the folks at SCEA like we think we do, I would be willing to bet a lot of our wishes will be granted this year.

After all, there may not be a company who listens to its fan base like SCEA.

MLB 12 The Show Videos

Member Comments

# 41 pootytang @ 10/27/11 01:05 PM

When do we start getting news on the new game?

# 42 Knight165 @ 10/27/11 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by antilowpe


	I've wroten this in April but still what I think about franchise mode Franchise Mode In your opinion what needs to be changed, added, or tweaked to make this portion of the game better? Along with that what would you like to see more of? * Give us the ability to modify divisions (ie put the Brewers back in the AL Central) OCTOBER EDIT : or put the Astros in the AL WEST Yes....and I actually asked for a step further(but I doubt it's happening )...to have the chance every few years(or whenever) to add teams into your league in the off season. A sort of "hybrid" expansion mode. Even if they only allowed us to use existing stadiums in the game as the home stadium....it would be sweet) Hopefully at the very least....Kolbe let's us use a custom league as you can for an online league. * Create-a-team which replaces another one (location, name, uniforms) This would be great, even if it's only at the start of a franchise * Create-a-team which would be add to a division which means 31 teams I know (so maybe 1 more team to create 2 conferences with 16 franchises) * Create-a-stadium if we create-a-team / Create-a-stadium during our franchise. This feature should allow us to determine : #1: the field's dimension (left field, left center field, centerfield, right center field, right field but also foul territory with the ability to "draw" it, the depth behind the plate) and its form (is the outfield is straight (as progressive field) or "curve" (as US Cellular field)) #2: the height of the wall (with different height for different zones of the stadium) (as Citi field) and even the possibility to add high wall like the Green Monster #3: grass or turf / roof or not #4: obviously the number of rows/seats (which would be related to budget) #5: positions of the benches / pen / ... #6: Decoration (like the fountains in KC) Would be awesome, but VERY doubtful. It's just too complicated in todays game...especially on a console. * Extend players/coaches' contracts during the season A "must" IMO * Firing coaches/scout/staff during the season A must...period! * More stats (players & teams) & more splits stats (batter vs pitcher, performance of a player vs a team, in a particular stadium, month by month,...) Definitely. I have even asked for a printable stat page...and pretty much any page printable or to be able to dump to an HTML page * If possible each player vs player stats during the franchise (which tells us if we perform with a specific player vs a specific player or not) * Contracts offered, free agent's type (A/B/ nothing) based also on performance and not only related to ratings I think we'll eventually see this....maybe a hybrid of both ratings and stats, which would be the best scenario IMO * Rename our franchise save data (if you play like me with a lot of save you certainly keep some save @ some moment of the season like AS break end of each month,...) PREACH ON! I hate guessing which franchise is which! * Promotion (cal up/send down) based on performances for each level (AA/AAA/MLB) Again...I think this will make it's way in...if not sooner than later...again a hybrid * Add the possibility to convert players to another position (rather than just editing him) AND THE CPU TOO! * Learn a pitch for a pitcher (rather than just editing him) Yes! * Add a personnality to players (like Madden 10 did) which influences their choices (for instance, what are they looking for first ? Money ? a ring ? coming back to their birthplace ? neglects small market teams ! never play for a rival or a specific team (do you see A-Rod in a BoSox uniform?) / rival players in the future club / clubhouse cancer like Manny ...) I like it for FA...would add a nice twist * Add a personnality to managers (type of line up : pitching, speed & defense, power, small ball,...) It's on the list I sent Kolbe....editable too please! * Add a personnality to GM's too. This means going further than just the rebuilding/normal/playoff profile (what do they want ? Obviously if you ask a GM he wants to win so how could he do it ? First making money and then being a contender ? if so, how? marketing, being aggresive on FA to draw a lot of people to the stadium, ...) First they must add GM's!....I've asked on my early list! * View stats/awards/winner/standings of the past years. Again yes! * Maybe the overlay of the stats could be like baseball-reference Thx for reading EDIT : * Each stadium created should be shared between players. This allows people to create old stadiums as some did by creating classic rosters. * Give the possibility to discuss the retirement of a player, try to convince him to play one more season. If we fail, we should offer him a job in the organisation. *** I like the TWIB idea. And maybe we could see some higlights of the games we've simulated during the game we are playing (like "live look-in" on MLB)

GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!

M.K.
Knight165

# 43 brewers713 @ 10/27/11 03:53 PM

Retractable roofs. I play as the Brewers and it's awful playing a game early in the season or in the playoffs and it is 40 degrees and windy when it should be a controlled envioronment. Miller Park in general looks bad because it is too dark and looks very stale. The west coast stadiums look much better in the game.

Otherwise, I like the additions especially the one with the in season contracts. A players happiness is pre determined at the start of season based on his contract. For example, Braun had a good contract and was happy and he was much easier to hit with whereas Fielder had a bad contract and was unhappy and it made it much more difficult to play with him. There was really nothing I could do about it until the offseason.

On that same note, I'm not a fan of the hot and cold streaks because it seems as it is almost impossible to get a hit with Yuny Betancourt (or a similar player) when he is on a cold streak. Some players are on cold streaks for weeks at a time also and it really affects their average. I played my season on Legend this year so I don't know if the hot and cold streaks have a bigger effect on a higher difficulty.

I've read some good suggestions so far and I hope they can get some of them into next years game! Although, like some have said, they are already done taking suggestions for this 2012 so we will just have to wait and see.

# 44 bp4baseball @ 10/27/11 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pootytang


	When do we start getting news on the new game?

Roughly the middle of December going by previous years, but each is different, so we'll just have to wait and see.

# 45 kg54mvp1 @ 10/27/11 07:52 PM

better lighting on the fields, CREATE A TEAM WHERE YOU CAN CREATE UNIFORMS!!!

# 46 tnixen @ 10/27/11 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pootytang


	When do we start getting news on the new game?

The first preview last year was about "December 15"

# 47 blueduke @ 10/28/11 01:47 AM

Two things I'd love see addressed:

1. Would love to download a roster and start a season without the rosters and lineups being scrambled all to heck. I know there's a work around for it (and it's a nuisance) but why does there have to be? if you enable roster control you should have it

2. Noticeable differences in fielding abilities. I honestly can't see the difference between the abilities of a gold glover and an average fielder in this game

# 48 tnixen @ 10/28/11 11:24 AM

After reading all the posts at OS I think I have learned one thing for sure. Just about everyone is in agreement that the "Presentation" has gotten very old and stale over the years. And its time for a complete make over with a brand spanking new TV Style Presentation. Something like Fox Baseball.TBS,ESPN or even MLB Network.

Personally for me if Sony does completely redo the "Presentation" to a true TV style "Presentation" it would totally make MLB The Show have that NEW feeling!

I have read that the reason 2K11 Sports games "Presentations" are so cool and like a real life TV broadcast is because the company hired real "Presentation" crew from one of the TV broadcast networks. I think it was "TNT" maybe. Sony should probably think about doing the same thing. My only worry why Sony would not hire real life "Presentation" crews from a big sports network is maybe it would cost them to much money? But Money or not this is the only way MLB The Show truly would feel like a brand new game and not feel Stale and get boring too play too quickly.

Just for example one of the things that could be improved is the "Score Bar" or what every you call it at the top of the screen. I see no reason why it needs to be so big in size. It should be more like say the NESN "Score Bar" in this screen shot below. The NESN "Score Bar" is way smaller then the MLB The Show "Score Bar" and yet it even has more info then the MLB The Show one has. Notice the NESN "Score Bar" has the "Pitch Count" which then flashes to "MPH" after every pitch for a second or two. It would be nice having the "Pitch Count" displayed in the "Score bar" so you do not have to click "Select" button to see the pitch Count.

That is only one example of course on how the "Presentation" could be improved.

Here's hoping MLB 12 the Show has the TV Style "Presentation" that we all have been wanting for years now!!!

# 49 Legionnaire @ 10/28/11 01:06 PM

I think the expansion team idea is my favorite. In sports games, franchise/dynasty mode is usually something I rush through early on because it's not real to me until I've really invested myself in my roster by picking my own players. Expansion Mode would let me to hop right in with that from Day 1 (without making me do a fantasy draft, which I have no interest in because I don't want to shake up the whole league like that).

I can't remember the last time I played a sports game that truly had this, an expansion team in franchise mode. I feel like maybe there was a Madden game with some kind of expansion thing in place in advance of the Texans joining the league, but I'm fuzzy on the details (no longer sure if the game actually had an expansion draft and all that good stuff, or if I just came up with my own system for doing my own expansion team).

Still, I'd be all over it if I could build up my own team from scratch. Have other teams forced to choose who to protect and who to expose in the expansion draft (and, like real life, have the logic of those decisions dictate that plenty of recognizable names get exposes because the teams are just hoping to dump contracts here and there). Let me design my team, pick a city.

Let me design a stadium. I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the college baseball game EA Sports put out where I could manually design my own stadium. Choose how far/close and what angles to make the outfield walls. It was my favorite coming up with bizarre, unique stadiums to hit and play defense in. I could have the corners much deeper than centerfield. I could have the centerfield wall incredibly close in, but have the wall alternate back and forth between being insanely high and insanely low in different spots, so it was a crapshoot whether hard-hit balls would be held in or find their way out for homers. If The Show took that idea and brought it to next-gen I'd love them 'til the day I die.

I'd love being able to customize my stadium dimensions and build a team to thrive in that stadium from the ground-up. Maybe even cook up a nice uniform editor for designing my team's appearance (something similar to Backbreaker's uniform design program? or maybe just let us import pictures from the hard-drive, similar to how EA's create-a-school website works for NCAA football).

# 50 rjackson17 @ 10/28/11 01:10 PM

We need more umpires for the World Series! Please keep the Classic Mode! We need more and different umpires for the Regular Season Mode and Franchise Mode! We need The Weather Channel to be involved! We need some rainouts! We need some live playing score while we are playing a different team or real time score on the out of down scoreboard!

# 51 FunkeyMonkey @ 10/28/11 01:31 PM

I agree with most of the comments in this article, but the one i agree with most is the expansion idea. I would love to start my own franchise and have an expansion draft with the rosters like Knight's that are out there

# 52 wcwecw75 @ 10/28/11 04:00 PM

what would be really kool is to have in the allstar game have each player on each team wear the uniform of the team they play for, if its played at a national league park the american league players would wear the road uniform of there individule team and vice versa. have the option of playing with roof closed or open at parks like rogers center,minute maide patk etc! have a feature were you can play a game in real time weather of that paticular city,like they do in ncaa football, the weather channel thing! also have dynamic weather,like during a game its starts raining or it might be partly sunny and then really cloud up! have patches on the uniforms for the world series and allstar games,add more real minor league stadiums and real team spring training sites,have a weekly recap show of all the weeks action and even have pre and post game shows! in franchise mode when a player is injured you can send the player on a rehab assingment in the minor leagues before they come back to the big league team!

# 53 mjsonoma01 @ 10/28/11 04:53 PM

For me the individual baeball games are good. The commentary could use some new dialouge, but I dont hate it.

How about they actually fix the franchise issues from that last two games? The 2014 glitch makes any franchise totally worthless after 4 seasons. You cant trade with any team because they are broke, an all star team is on the free agent list, first year players make 8 million, its just a total mess.

For me, Im tired of the gimmicks they market in commercials every year. 2010 was the "be the catcher" thing, last year was the new pitching and hitting controls. I dont care about that, I just want the game to be playable longer than 3 seasons of franchise. IMO, too much focus is on gimmicks versus making the game as true to baseball as possible.

# 54 Cavicchi @ 10/28/11 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueduke


	Two things I'd love see addressed: 1. Would love to download a roster and start a season without the rosters and lineups being scrambled all to heck. I know there's a work around for it (and it's a nuisance) but why does there have to be? if you enable roster control you should have it 2. Noticeable differences in fielding abilities. I honestly can't see the difference between the abilities of a gold glover and an average fielder in this game

Quite often mediocre fielders make plays like gold glovers and vice versa--with auto fielding On.

# 55 asu666 @ 10/28/11 07:59 PM

How about not having the first batter hit a ball that rolls under the center field fence. After skipping 10 and 11 because 09 did not seem as buggy, I hope the quality control is better for MLB 12. I love the series, but seeing that ball roll under the fence on the first at bat crushed me last spring.

# 56 Alonzo @ 10/28/11 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asu666


	How about not having the first batter hit a ball that rolls under the center field fence. After skipping 10 and 11 because 09 did not seem as buggy, I hope the quality control is better for MLB 12. I love the series, but seeing that ball roll under the fence on the first at bat crushed me last spring.

Same goes for me, skipped 10 & 11, even though for different reasons.

If most of the things in the list make it to the game, it's going to be almost perfect.

- new commentary
- all around presentation
- more and even more stat overlays (!!!) i.e. if you play franchise...and at some point it should be like in real baseball when Adrian Gonzalez is leading the league in BA it shows up above his BA-stat BA .355 (#1 in AL)
- baseball-tonight, daily/weekly (nfl 2k had it back then)
- more hit-variety
- more sliders
- base-running/stealing improved (like the article mentioned)

# 57 tnixen @ 10/29/11 09:13 AM

I would also like a brand NEW announcing crew and also in the same Presentation Style as that other baseball game!

Having a brand NEW announcing crew is not going to be good enough. You need to also improve the way its Presented.

I also think its time to have a new PA Announcer.
In fact how about a different PA Announcer for every stadium?
And even better use all the real PA Announcers from real life.

# 58 Perfect Zero @ 10/29/11 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnixen


	I also think its time to have a new PA Announcer.

Can you really even hear him?

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnixen


	In fact how about a different PA Announcer for every stadium?

Wow, talk about RAM and budget limitations. I hope you don't suggest...

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnixen


	And even better use all the real PA Announcers from real life.

... nevermind

# 59 Artman22 @ 10/29/11 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Rose


	How about just better player physics and models all together? When players jog or when your running in the outfield it seems like players have no weight to them. I want to feel some momentum and fix the canned animations of the outfielders running into the walls, they look really bad. All animations need a huge overhaul, which I've been saying for like 4 years, but seems to never get addressed, they just keep adding equally awkward animations. Still have the same terrible looking swings for 1H releases for Right Handers and the Left Handed swing is the same for everybody. FIX!!! 90% of the pitching animations look completely awkward and unrealistic. Look like they have no momentum or power behind them, just a weird arm flail or weird leg kick and the ball flies out of their hand without it looking like the pitcher is actually throwing it. Presention needs a HUGE overhaul. Commentary is stale and has been virtually the same for the past 5 years. New commentators. Joe Buck and Tim McCarver? Don't understand why this can't happen. Implement FOX, TBS etc. and dynamic playoff atmosphere with realistic sounds and reactions. Compare '11 to a game going on right now and it's not even close. I want towels waving on every 3-2 count and with 2 outs. Huge pops when a player hits a home run or gets a big double play. Booing when a player that is hot is coming to the plate in an opposing park etc. You guys claim the most realistic baseball game, but I think that only applies to spring training. This includes improved overlays, TV style camera angles and TV style replays. In game cuts to manager faces, cuts to the bullpen if someone is warming up etc. Link up with a TV production crew like 2k did for NBA. Dynamic Weather. Also, please can we get some new jersey textures?? Ones that actually move. I mean didn't 2k do that in like 2006?? The painted on look is getting old. Also, CAP needs an overhaul. The skin textures are really bad and most CAP look alien like, especially faces look totally weird. I could keep going...but these are the main points I wanted to stress.

This is a very good list. If they could change some of these things it would be great.

# 60 WahooFan @ 10/29/11 01:08 PM

I like the suggestion by tnixen on different PA announcers, but maybe they could find one good voice actor to do different voice variations for each ballpark? Was thinking of that the other day.

Also thought that it would be cool to see better fan-team mascot interaction. If the mascot is trying to get the crowd to start a slow clap or something they should react in kind, not how they just sit there currently and ignore the mascot. Just a thought.

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