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

# 81 Cavicchi @ 11/05/11 05:56 PM

Auto Fielding: I want the CPU to handle my players as it does its own. When there's a grounder to third, I want my guy to also throw out the runner at home--or don't send runners home on a grounder to third. I want there to be a real difference in fielders according to their ratings.

Auto baserunning: Players with very good base running ability do not make so many silly tries for an extra base only to be thrown out. Ellsbury is not going from first to third on a shallow hit to center field, just one example, nor is he going from 2nd to third on a shallow fly ball to center.

Give me true auto fielding and auto base running and I'm happy.

# 82 Culture Rot @ 11/07/11 05:34 PM

Quote:


	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.

That is a horrible horrible mentality that I would expect out of EA Sports and not SCEA

# 83 Knight165 @ 11/07/11 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xlatinoheatx


	That is a horrible horrible mentality that I would expect out of EA Sports and not SCEA

It's not exactly how it is.

It's not that "the ball travels too fast" and that was it.
There was more to it than that. They showed us a mode that had no animations tied into fielding and it just did not look good in the state it was in at the time. That's not to say they might not try to work on it to fit into what they want their game to look like when played.

M.K.
Knight165

# 84 DodgerFanatic2K3 @ 11/07/11 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knight165


	It's not exactly how it is. It's not that "the ball travels too fast" and that was it. There was more to it than that. They showed us a mode that had no animations tied into fielding and it just did not look good in the state it was in at the time. M.K. Knight165

Honestly big deal if it didn't "look" good as long as it was playable.. ASB's full manual fielding was stiff and jerky and most of the animations didn't look pretty at all but it was still awesome and rewarding to play

They should just allow a no animation enhanced full manual fielding option and just put a disclaimer that states that the amount of fielding animations will be limited when using this setting

# 85 Knight165 @ 11/07/11 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DodgerFanatic2K3


	Honestly big deal if it didn't "look" good as long as it was playable.. ASB's full manual fielding was stiff and jerky and most of the animations didn't look pretty at all but it was still awesome and rewarding to play They should just allow a no animation enhanced full manual fielding option and just put a disclaimer that states that the amount of fielding animations will be limited when using this setting

Well...I guess when you make your game...it could be like that.

I don't know what to tell you guys anymore....
I just know that from talking with the devs.....that's not the game they want to produce.....UNLESS they can get that mode looking and playing as they see fit.

M.K.
Knight165

# 86 soboda53 @ 11/07/11 11:26 PM

I'd prefer that just a few things are polished, rather than many "new" features:

Play-by-play: Dave Campbell's lines are OK; the problem is that he just isn't a very good "voice actor". I'd replace him or simply lose him and go with 2 voices. Also yeah, generally a little less talking. It's nice to have stretches where all you here is the game.

Post season: I agree; this could have a bit more juice from the crowd and announcers at critical moments. Let's see references to the colder weather: sweaters, announcer references to chilly temps, players wearing long sleeves or having visible breath - stuff like that. But only in cold weather parks, of course!

Ballparks: Yes to a roof that closes in poor weather! And additional classic parks, please! Ebbets Field, if you can get the rights.

MLB Today: If I could only have one improvement, it would be this one. For those of us who don't have the time to play a full season, it's great to just turn on the game and play with today's lineups � and not spend 20 minutes fiddling with them to make them current.

My one pet peeve: When a foul ball rolls into shadow, it seems it stays as bright as it is in sunlight. Please fix!

Thanks for listening!

# 87 antilowpe @ 11/08/11 09:32 AM

An idea for fielding, especially fly ball.
Why not make us press a button to "catch" each flyball.

I mean, I had a baseball game on my Iphone which forces me to press the screen to catch the ball. In fact, there was a window in which 4 gloves icon popped up on the screen, then scrolled to the center of the screen and I had to touch the screen when the 4 gloves only make one.

This could be add and off course for routine flyball the window to press the button would be larger than linedrive. (and different for each outfielder)

# 88 Karle @ 11/08/11 12:30 PM

Please continue to keep the old faces in the game and when we use the face in Create a Player also give us the option of choosing the potential level. When we created Clete Thomas and used his face for the opening day roster we were forced to make him an A. It would have been good if we could have chosen another level such as C. Thank you.

Karle

# 89 zippy2212 @ 11/08/11 01:11 PM

The more I read these posts I keep coming thinking of a common theme. Please just make every aspect of players and coaches editable. Potential, numbers, etc. On the actual MLB coaches and players we should be allowed to edit facial hair, hair styles and glasses but keep everything else locked.

# 90 seatown27 @ 11/09/11 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galarius


	I would like to see the ability to play as Pros(and not just created players) in RTTS.....

i too would like this.

# 91 seatown27 @ 11/09/11 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FunkeyMonkey


	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

expansion teams would be awesome. thats the mode i would use most if it was in the game.

# 92 krmarks @ 11/09/11 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seatown27


	expansion teams would be awesome. thats the mode i would use most if it was in the game.

I totally agree...it would be a blast to do that. I would try one where I went the Tampa Bay route and select almost all prospects and one where I went the Florida Marlins\Colorado Rockies route and went with established major league guys to win now...I would probably ignore RTTS for this feature if they ever put it in....

# 93 Cavicchi @ 11/09/11 06:22 PM

I would like to see more options for infield defense, such as back left, back right, and back. I would also like to see CPU defenders play like their ratings indicate. Let's have a more definable difference between very good fielders and mediocre ones. Another thing I would like to see improved is CPU base running, such as pitchers and position players running like their speed indicates. I almost threw up watching a CPU pitcher outrun Michael Bourn to first base. I've watched replays and CPU pitchers really seem to run/move significantly faster than my pitchers going after a bunt or chopper. Auto Fielding and Auto base running need a significant overhaul if one is to expect realistic results.

# 94 antilowpe @ 11/10/11 03:43 AM

Contracts edit for the customs rosters guys

# 95 tnixen @ 11/12/11 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peigone


	These areas have required attention for years now. Forget VITA compatibility (?!), can we please finally have progressive commentary and pitching animations that look like the player is throwing the ball with authority? (Or where the ball appears to be exiting from his hand and not 5 inches up his wrist?)

1Rose and you make a very good point.

If and when these parts of the game are improved it will be fantastic!

# 96 zippy2212 @ 11/12/11 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peigone


	Why lock any of it? PES allows for editing any and all player data, including their name, nationality, etc.

I would love the ability to edit everything, but that's never going to happen. So I was compromising allow us to change the little things.

# 97 Vin @ 11/12/11 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeuceDouglas


	Long live MVP 2005.

I miss the Roster system they had.

1 for 1 swaps have to go. It's easily the most frustrating part of the game for me. I would update rosters on a daily basis (for my own amusement even) if I didn't have to scour the set for a player or create a player to make the corresponding move with.

# 98 Bobhead @ 11/12/11 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vin


	I miss the Roster system they had. 1 for 1 swaps have to go. It's easily the most frustrating part of the game for me. I would update rosters on a daily basis (for my own amusement even) if I didn't have to scour the set for a player or create a player to make the corresponding move with.

The "like" button just doesn't do this post justice. If we had a "marry this post" button I'd definitely press it!

# 99 fanofikedavis @ 11/13/11 08:06 AM

id like the power button to work more often. i'd have ike davis up against a right handed pitcher, i guess correctly on a fast ball right down the pipe, and when i press square, he pops up every single time. i think ive hit 1 homer with the power button since i got it (the day it came out) and i have just stopped using it which is a real shame

# 100 Cavicchi @ 11/13/11 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fanofikedavis


	id like the power button to work more often. i'd have ike davis up against a right handed pitcher, i guess correctly on a fast ball right down the pipe, and when i press square, he pops up every single time. i think ive hit 1 homer with the power button since i got it (the day it came out) and i have just stopped using it which is a real shame

I have been experiencing pretty much the same thing using power button. There are times I hit a homer but that's like it would have been one even without the power button. I think it's all as is what the game "thinks" should happen. I've hit fastballs up in my hot zone thrown by mediocre pitchers using the power button and more often than not a grounder or popup. I am talking perfect timing where the barrel of the bat is making contact--just a perfect swing. I have both contact and power at 5.

I love how CPU batters hit fastballs right at the bottom edge and it's a fly ball that drops in, but quite often my guy with perfect timing either misses or hits a grounder--whether power swing or not.

Perhaps you and I are just not having the luck of others here.

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