The MLB® ‘06 The Show Exclusive Developer Diary on OperationSports.com includes submissions and collaborations from Sony Computer Entertainment America’s San Diego Studio, including: Eddy Cramm, Sr. Designer / Jody Kelsey, Producer / Chris Gill, Sr. Producer / Kolbe Launchbaugh, Sr. Lead Designer.

SportsConnect - (Diary Entry #8) - March 3, 2006
Eddy Cramm – Sr. Designer, Jason Villa – Associate Producer

MLB® 06 The Show introduces our new online functionality, SportsConnect. SportsConnect introduces a whole new crop of features to our online community. First and foremost you will see that the entire interface is much more gamer friendly. It follows the same design structure as the offline game so that you do not have to learn a new system. But the features are what make Sports Connect more inviting for gamers. We have added Instant Messaging, Buddy lists and Ignore lists to help quickly find friends for quick games.

We have also introduced a quick icon bar that immediately notifies you when you have some sort of interaction. Most importantly, if you are being challenged to a game, you will be notified right away. Before, if you wanted to get into a game, you would have to wait in a game room and could only challenge or be challenged while in the game room. Now, you can cruise around anywhere within the Sports Connect world and still get your challenges. This also applies for IM’s, and Buddy list alerts.

The reason you might not want to sit in a room is because there are more things to do in SportsConnect this year. Through our partnership with MLB.com, you can read all MLB.com headline news. Not just only for MLB, but for all 30 individual teams as well. These stories are updated every hour with the latest information. Additionally, our PSP “News to Go” feature allows you to download this information to your memory stick and read it anywhere at your convenience.

Another new feature this year is the ability to communicate across the PS2 and the PSP through SportsConnect. Both platforms live in the same community so if you are on your PSP, all of your chat, IM’s, player ratings, ignore and buddy list functions work with anyone on a PSP or a PS2!

Of course, Sports Connect also comes with the full set of statistics, tournaments, player ratings, re-vamped mail and message boards, as well as improved lag-free game play that you want from MLB 06 The Show. We are really excited to build an already successful online community into something that everyone is a part of, and SportsConnect will make that happen.

This is the last of our Operation Sports Developer Diary entries, and I just want to thank you for stopping by. Look for MLB® 06 The Show, the only officially licensed first party videogame by the MLB, and the longest running officially licensed baseball franchise on the PlayStation platforms, available now exclusively for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system. We will see you online!

Rivalry Mode (Diary Entry #7) - February 27, 2006
By Eddy Cramm – Sr. Designer

New to MLB® 06 The Show is a feature called Rivalry Mode. This is one of those modes that helps the gamer do what he was already doing on his own, but takes it to a whole new level. Most of our gamers out there enjoy playing the game alone, but really have fun battling it out against his buddies, siblings, or whoever is willing to challenge him. It is all about bragging rights, true?

Rivalry takes care of all that for you, and more. When you start a rivalry and pick your teams, all of the statistics from the games are recorded for the two gamers involved. Not just the wins and losses, but all of the offensive, defensive, and pitching stats you could want as well. Typically, that's enough to prove dominance over your rival, but we have taken Rivalry Mode and made it into your own personal head-to-head "season" battle.

Rivalry mode is set up so that you have to play each game with our game-time decisions. Pitching rotations, fatigue, injuries, etc, are all things that each gamer needs to take into account. There is also an option to determine who has the home field advantage. The advantage can alternate; go to the series leader, or to the winner of the last game.

In-game, you will also notice that the rivalry is treated like its own season. Statistics are tracked dynamically for this rivalry just like they would be for a season mode.

Around the office, this is already the most used mode, and I am sure that you at home will find it just as fun.

Thanks for coming by, and we will see you next week when we talk about our online “Sports Connect” mode. Until then… “Welcome to the Show!”

King of the Diamond (Diary Entry #6) - February 21, 2006
By Eddy Cramm – Sr. Designer; Kolbe Launchbaugh – Sr. Lead Designer

When we started talking about new ideas for MLB® ’06 The Show, we decided we wanted to add a new Mini-Game to go along with Home Run Derby. We wanted to give players an arcade-style game, different from a simulation baseball game -- a game designed to be played at a faster pace. And now, Introducing… King of the Diamond, aka, “KOTD” Mode!

King of the Diamond is played very differently from the normal game. The player is only going to do 2 things -- pitch and pit… Thus, no fielding is involved. The player chooses a pitcher and hitter from any major league team and battles two other major leaguers in a time-based game. After three innings, the team with the most runs is King of the Diamond!

When at the plate, the gamer will have two minutes to get as many runs as possible. "Ghost Runners" are placed on the bases as a result of what type of hit you earn. The player can get singles, doubles, triples, and home runs depending on where and how well the ball is hit. There are also plenty of Bonus Targets to hit that award additional time, as well as hit streak bonuses. Watch out for the Wildcard targets on the ground - you could get a time bonus, but you might lose time, too. The last 30 seconds of an inning is Double Bonus time. Every hit is multiplied by two. Hit a single; get a man on 1st and 2nd. During Double Bonus, time bonuses are no longer awarded.

While on the mound, the gamer will pitch while a pitch timer counts down. The player will only have a few seconds to select a pitch, aim it, and let it fly. This pitch timer keeps the game moving along at a fast pace. Let the timer run out, and you throw a meatball right down the middle for the batter to take it yard! The gamer will also have two Challenge pitches to use once each inning; Clear Bases and minus 10 seconds. The way these work are simple; pick one, get a strike on the player, and you win the challenge! Use these at the right time, and they can really help you keep some runs off the board.

All of these timers and inning lengths are adjustable to suit your personal tastes. KOTD is a fun, fast-paced game that the players can play either offline or online through our Sports Connect online feature. KOTD online has its own set or rankings and stats as well, so if you want something a little different from the basic game, KOTD might be exactly what you are looking for.

Thanks for coming by, and we will see you next week when we talk about our Rivalry Mode. Until then… “Welcome to the Show!”

Franchise Mode - (Diary entry #5) - February 14, 2006
By Eddy Cramm – Sr. Designer; Kolbe Launchbaugh – Sr. Lead Designer

If you're looking for depth in a game mode, you've come to the right place. A couple of years ago, we introduced our Franchise Mode and have been building on it ever since. It has since grown to have unbelievable depth. The gamer needs to do everything that you would expect a franchise would need to do to succeed. Obviously, winning is important, but you also need to be budget-conscious, make decisions on everything from payroll to facilities, to vendors, to promotions, to transportation. You will have to listen to player and fan feedback to help you see how you are doing in the eyes of the people that really matter.

A big portion of any team’s success is in their player development. No team (at least, one not called the Yankees) can afford to just find success through free agency, so you have to scout well and have a good idea of what you're getting come draft day. You also have to make an effort and assign resources to developing your minor leaguers for maximum potential.

One of the features that we added this year is the ability to have roster control over other teams. This was a popular request that we saw from gamers, and we complied. Now you have the ability to change other team’s rosters, lineups and rotations to coincide with changes that happen in the real majors, or if you just feel you want to see things differently. It is important to note that in order for you to take advantage of this feature, you must turn this on (it defaults to ‘off’) before entering Franchise mode.

Another big addition to MLB 06 The Show is a feature called “Game Time Decisions”. With this, you will have to make decisions for the good of your franchise, and your place in the standings. Prior to a game, you might be notified that a player is in a slump, or is fatigued and needs a day off, or perhaps your starting pitcher has developed a blister. It is your choice whether you play these guys and risk further injury, or rest them, play it safe and possibly hurt your chances for a win that day.

Franchise mode takes the game from the business and game strategy angle and gives the gamer a whole new way to enjoy MLB 06 The Show. So if you think you have what it takes to run a major league organization, just sign on the dotted line. Now get going, you have a lot of work ahead of you!

Thanks for coming by, and we will see you next week when we talk about our new innovative mini-game, “King of the Diamond”. Until then… “Welcome to the Show!”

Career Mode - February 6, 2006
By Kolbe Launchbaugh – Sr. Lead Designer; Eddy Cramm – Sr. Designer

Have you ever wanted to play an MLB game from the "other" side? Experience baseball as the player, rather than the manager? Perhaps you've grown tired of the all-encompassing "Franchise" modes. If that's the case, Career mode for MLB® '06 The Show is what you are looking for. In short, Career mode removes the management aspect and puts you, “the player” at the mercy of your team members and the team manager.

Create and name your player and by using either our in-game face compositor, or the EyeToy™ to give yourself the look you want. From there, you can adjust everything from his height and weight, to his position, secondary position, appearance, personalized stance, walk-up music, attributes, and more. Then comes the big decision; which team do you go through spring with in hopes that you make the roster? I mean, sure, your favorite team may be the Dodgers, but they’re farm system is solid – it may be a rough road. Perhaps you should choose a path that gets you playing time right away – like the Padres.

You’ve selected your team and battled through Spring Training with the Pads - you achieved most of your spring goals, signed a minor league contract and will be reporting April 4th and starting your first game at 3B for the AA Bears! It's time to work your way up through the minors and into "The Show" by continually performing in the clutch and completing your yearly contract goals. While you will spend most of your time slugging along in each game, make sure you pay some special attention to your team interactions. Positive team and manager interactions mean the difference between starting a successful major league career and being released when your contract is up. You’re hitting .400 and leading the team in home runs, but the manager has you batting 8th – get yourself moved up to the 3-spot – or possibly to the AAA team. If things still don’t go your way, maybe you should request a trade; after all, you’re destined for the Hall of Fame!

The important thing to remember is that you are in control of your own destiny. You need to make the decisions of when to just be part of the machine, and when to be the squeaky wheel.

The whole mode is focused on you, the player. We have a career spotlight that gives your player specific presentations based on your highlights and achievements - something that you won't find in other modes. We have also implemented a Fast Forward feature. This is available for you if you prefer to speed through the parts of the game where you are not involved. You can fast forward to your next at-bat, or your next appearance in the field or on the mound. It won’t take long for you to see that this is not your ordinary Season or Franchise mode.

Thanks for stopping by, and we'll be back next week to talk about Franchise Mode.

Branch Point Fielding - January 27, 2006
By Chris Gill – Senior Producer and Eddy Cramm – Senior Designer

In my personal opinion, nothing affects the gamer’s opinion of a sports title faster than the quality of the animations. No matter how great the models look, or how well the game plays, it will never fully feel like the real thing without flawless animations. The MLB franchise has always made this a top priority and that hasn’t changed with MLB 06 The Show. The key to great animations is in the fluidity of the transitions, and this is why Branch Point Fielding was created.

Branch Point Fielding is a technology that takes a root animation and seamlessly blends to any number of possible animations (branches) that are specifically created from the root. The result is the creation of smooth, uninterrupted animation chains for any possible game scenario. For example, a ground ball fielded by the shortstop could result in a number of different situations: a soft throw or a hard throw to first, second, third, or home (among countless other situations - note the screenshots below). Each of these results recognize what the root is, and will play a specific animation to guarantee a flawless catch and throw that looks like it was all one move. In other games, you may see that same shortstop make a catch and set into a ready stance before making his throw. It is that type of hitch that you will not see in MLB 06 The Show.

To make all of this work was not easy. We have over 8200 animations available in our game, to guarantee that we have every possible angle covered. If you look closely you will definitely see the difference, but to be honest, animations are like umpires - you know they're good when you don’t really notice them.

Thanks for coming by, and we will see you next week when we talk about our Career Mode. Until then… “Welcome to the Show!”

Total Control Batting - January 19, 2006

When it comes to batting, the development team has always tried to answer the question of what the relationship is between the pitcher and the batter. The answer is… well, many things – but a good analogy would be that “it’s a chess match.” Now that may seem cliché, but in all things sports, you know them, you love them – they are the clichés…
Anyway, both the pitcher and the batter are trying to not only out-perform the other, but also out-think the other, as well. And in doing so, they are trying to think three steps ahead. It's good strategy in chess, and it's good strategy in baseball. Let’s say Randy Johnson is on the mound. If you go up to the plate looking for something off-speed (guess change up), the chances of you hitting his fastball are slim to none. What I’m getting at is that most hitters in MLB have a plan when they go up to the plate. If a pitcher’s throwing 95 MPH, most hitters are going to look fastball and adjust with two strikes. If not, he’d have no chance of catching up with that pitch. Our Total Control Batting helps the user develop a plan when he’s at the plate. Sometimes your plan works, and sometimes it doesn’t - that’s the chess match. Capturing this part of the game is what led us to create our Total Control Batting system – Checkmate!

Our system allows gamers to develop their own batting style and strategy in different ways. By holding down the R2 button before the pitch, the batter can choose a pitch that he anticipates is coming by using the same buttons that the pitcher is using to choose his pitches. If the batter guesses correctly, the corners of the batter’s box will flash red to acknowledge the correct guess, and the batter will be given a contact and power boost for that pitch. The batter can also choose a location in the batter’s box, where he anticipates the pitch will be thrown. The gamer does this by using the Left Analog Stick while the R2 button is held down. Guessing correctly will result in a location lock-on, and the batter will not have to worry about the position of his swing. This correct move also results in a boost in contact and power for the batter. If you are able to anticipate both pitch and location correctly, this will result in the ultimate bonus for the batter. Achieving a “double lock-on” will set the batter up to hammer the ball and really do some damage to the opposition. Of course, with any good system, you have to have your risks along with your rewards. Incorrect guesses will result in slight contact and power penalties.

But that is not all that gamers can do with the bat. Baseball isn’t always about hitting the ball hard. Sometimes it is about placement and playing “small ball”. Look at the 2005 Chicago White Sox – it worked for them, and it can work for you. See, gamers can also influence where a ball is hit with the Right Analog Stick. Before the gamer swings, tapping the R-stick up, down, left, or right will influence the direction of the ball. If you are looking for a sacrifice fly, tap up. If you are looking to move a runner over, tap down for a grounder. Defense is shading you to the right? Tap left to find the hole. These left and right influences also work very well when you are trying to lay down a bunt.

The beauty of this system is that you don’t need it to win. The game plays perfectly balanced without the system. But we really feel it is important to capture every nuance of what baseball really is. Total Control Batting has given the gamer the feel that he can win with his head as well as his ability - something every major league batter knows all about.

Due to hit stores this spring exclusively for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system as the only officially licensed first-party videogame by MLB, and the longest running officially licensed baseball franchise on the PlayStation platforms, MLB ’06 The Show is set to continue its reign as the most authentic baseball simulation available.

Thanks for reading and see you next week when we will talk to you about our Branch Point Fielding. Until then… “Welcome to the Show!”

Release Point Pitching - January 12, 2006

Like every aspect of MLB® ‘06 The Show, ultimately, we strive to put out the best product available on the market and to make sure we are always the most authentic baseball simulation available.

The pitching system has been designed for gamers to find the perfect balance between the pitcher's abilities and the gamer’s skill. Essentially, the MLB team wants the gamers at home to be able to feel the difference between pitching with an unproven rookie and a top of the rotation All-Star. But also to know that winning or losing is ultimately in the hands of the gamer. This is why we have developed “Release Point Pitching”…

Release Point Pitching is based on timing. When the pitcher starts his windup (by pressing X), an overhead meter will display the pitch's timing arc. The bar will move in two different directions. The first direction controls the velocity of the pitch. The closer that the gamer gets to the end of the meter, the harder the pitch will be thrown. When the meter starts to head back in the opposite direction, the meter then controls the accuracy. You will notice that there is a light blue window with a small yellow area in the middle of the meter. This yellow area indicates the pitcher’s release point; the best spot to stop the meter for the most accurate pitch. As the game goes on, you‘ll see that the better the pitcher performs, the pitcher’s confidence will grow, and the yellow “release point” will grow with it. If the pitcher is having a bad outing - walking guys and or getting hammered all over the field, you’ll see the opposite effect; the yellow line will start to get smaller and smaller until it’s no longer visible.

Mastering the timing on both the speed and the accuracy will allow the pitcher to hit all his spots, paint the corners of the plate and really frustrate the batters. But if you start missing, you’ll start losing velocity from your pitches and increase your chances of missing close calls on the corners. Or even worse, leave a pitch right over the middle of the plate… and that would be a bad thing.

Release Point Pitching - like everything in life - is based on timing.

Thanks for reading, and we will talk to you next week about Total Control Batting. Until then, “Welcome to the Show!”

Kolbe Launchbaugh
Sr. Lead Designer, Sony Computer Entertainment America’s San Diego Studio
As a Sr. Designer, Launchbaugh's work focused is on, but not limited to, game modes (Career, Franchise, Rivalry, etc), and the front end menus for MLB® 06 The Show for the PlayStation®2 and the PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system. More commonly referred to as PITA (and sometimes Nova), Launchbaugh comes to the MLB team by way of a late night under-the-wire roster move back in October of 1999 (some still say the Studio side got the better end of that deal). You may also know him as KolbeSCEA, found surfing the OperationSports forums when time permits. Launchbaugh’s industry work includes many different types of “non-sports” games, including: Rally Cross, Twisted Metal, JetX20, Cart World Series, SuperCross Circuit, and Cool Boarders, along with various other game sequels before finally getting granted clemency by the MLB team in early 2004. Launchbaugh's MLB credits include: MLB® 2005, MLB® 2006, and the soon to be released MLB® ’06 The Show.

Chris Gill
Sr. Producer, Sony Computer Entertainment America’s San Diego Studio
As one of five producers on the MLB® ‘06 The Show for the PlayStation®2 and the PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system, Gill helps oversee everything that happens within the game; mainly gameplay, animation and presentations. His resume reads like a baseball almanac, and his extensive knowledge of the game has added to the critical acclaim of the MLB franchise - widely considered the most authentic baseball simulation available. Gill came to Sony Computer Entertainment America’s San Diego Studio in 1998 after playing four years at Long Beach State, five years in the Cincinnati Reds organization, coaching at Long Beach State for three years and then scouting with the Reds for two years. A veteran on the MLB franchise, Gill has been at SCEA for eight years and has been credited on franchises such as MLB®, NFL Xtreme, and NFL GameDay™.

Eddy Cramm
Sr. Designer, Sony Computer Entertainment America’s San Diego Studio
As a Sr. Designer, Cramm's role focuses on the gameplay and features for MLB® ‘06 The Show for the PlayStation®2 and the PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system. After getting his start as a Tester in 1996, in just two years Cramm worked his way to an Assistant Producer with the NCAA® Final Four® franchise. After stints as an Assistant Producer, Associate Producer and Producer with the NCAA® GameBreaker®, World Tour Soccer and NBA ShootOut and NBA ’06 franchises, Cramm has made it to the “Bigs” as a Sr. Designer, and has focused on everything from gameplay to motion capture/animations and game design.

Jody Kelsey
Producer, Sony Computer Entertainment America’s San Diego Studio
As producer, Jody Kelsey oversees the development of MLB® ‘06 The Show for the PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system. Additionally, Kelsey has played an integral role in the development of the new "King of the Diamond Mode", which is an innovative new mini-game that pits pitcher versus batter in a timed, point-based challenge - a core feature for MLB 06 The Show for the PlayStation®2 and PSP system. Kelsey got his start in the video game industry in 1994, joining Sony ImageSoft in Santa Monica as a tester and transferred to the San Diego Studios as Testing Coordinator in 1995. After a short stint as Testing Coordinator, he moved into Production in 1996 as an Assistant Producer for Sony Interactive. Now an eleven-year veteran with SCEA, Kelsey has been credited on franchises such as on the NHL® FaceOff, NFL Xtreme, & NCAA® Final Four®.