MLB '09: The Show.........

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

I thought it was cool for Ian Cummings of EA to post over in The Show thread over at OS that he loves the game and wants his Madden programmers to take notes of what a great sports game should be.

It has to be embarasssing to him to see The Show.

[PadresFan104]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Well.......

First half of 'quality time' = Chick flick at the movie theater =

Second half of 'quality time' after movie when we got home =

Hmm, time relative "halves" there Mizzou? If so, nicely done!

As a 40 year old with 4 kids, the quality time after the movie would equate to a two-minute warning, vs. a whole half.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

It has to be embarasssing to him to see The Show.

.. and if he ever visits EA Canada..

[rowech]

Alright...anybody know of where I can get a great deal on a PS3 or a good package price? Which model should I get?

[CraigSca]

Check the OS boards - some guy just got one for $279. I would also check Dell and Sony themselves - sometimes Sony has a $100 off purchase if you apply for their credit card.

Model? Really, up to you - I bought the 40 gig model last year for the Show. Since then I bought NHL09, LittleBigPlanet and the Show 09. Really, unless you're downloading movies and songs all the time (something I really don't care about), I really don't see the need to get the 80 gig model.

I hate to say this, as I was a really huge fan of the 360 when I initially bought it a few years ago but...if there's a game available on both models that I really want - and they're comparable in performance (NHL 09), I'd much rather get it for the PS3. I've had one RROD since I've had the 360, and frankly if the Show were available for the 360, I'd be packing it in ice while I played out of fear that I'd get it again. The PS3 is over-priced, but at least I don't have to remind the kids to turn on the 10" fan I have in front of our gaming consoles so the 360 doesn't overheat.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

I FINALLY got the chance to put in some time on the game. Granted, it was only about an hour. I started a RTTS career with a starting pitcher. Through 3 spring training starts, my 18 year old prospect is 0-3 with a 9.28 ERA and a WHIP of 2.23. I have one K and two walks.

Translation: I need to start throwing some waste pitches. I think my strike percentage is around 75-80%, which is honestly WAY too high. I've looked around a bit and noticed that players will start sitting on your pitches if you throw too many strikes. Everything I've seen with my pitcher indicates exactly that.

For those that don't know, you start with far less points if you begin at 18 than if you jumped in at 21 or 22. You have to develop your younger player quite a bit more. I can't tell you how intimidating the feeling is to be controlling an 18 year old greenhorn pitcher and see an all-star like Josh Hamilton step into the box. I faced him twice in my very first game. One ended up in the gap and the other one landed 425 feet away from home plate.

[JetsIn06]

Just bought a refurbished PS3 for $279.

I can't wait to get this game.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by CraigSca

Check the OS boards - some guy just got one for $279. I would also check Dell and Sony themselves - sometimes Sony has a $100 off purchase if you apply for their credit card.

The current credit on a PS3 with the Sony Style credit card is $150. So you can pick up a $400 PS3 for roughly $250.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by PadresFan104

Hmm, time relative "halves" there Mizzou? If so, nicely done!

As a 40 year old with 4 kids, the quality time after the movie would equate to a two-minute warning, vs. a whole half.

I typed a long response containing things I shouldn't be saying on a message board about my sex life. I then deleted that response and replaced it with this one after thinking better of it.

[BigPapi]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

The current credit on a PS3 with the Sony Style credit card is $150. So you can pick up a $400 PS3 for roughly $250.

Actually, their current deal is $100 of with the initial purchase, then another $100 after the first $1500 in purchases- and another $100 after the second $1500- for a total of $300 off. A great deal if you are using a credit card for most of your daily purchases anyway, like us....A PS3 for $100? Just bought mine last week- the offer is through Chase:

Sony Gateway

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by BigPapi

Actually, their current deal is $100 of with the initial purchase, then another $100 after the first $1500 in purchases- and another $100 after the second $1500- for a total of $300 off. A great deal if you are using a credit card for most of your daily purchases anyway, like us....A PS3 for $100? Just bought mine last week- the offer is through Chase:

Sony Gateway

Ah, that must have switched at the start of the month or perhaps that's an offer for the 'Playstation' card. One of my friends got a PS3 for $250 three weeks ago, so I know it hasn't been gone too long.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

dola

Just noticed that the Dell Home deal is currently running as well. 20% off. 80 GB PS3 is currently $319. Coupon code is Z0WPL1J0CC3W47.

[MizzouRah]

The one thing holding me back from renting it and borrowing my neighbor's ps3 is I've read the CPU team lineups are a mess.. are you guys seeing that?

Things like Big Papi batting leadoff?

[JetsIn06]

Just bought it...but have to wait for my PS3 to get here.

This is gonna suck.

[billethius]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

dola

Just noticed that the Dell Home deal is currently running as well. 20% off. 80 GB PS3 is currently $319. Coupon code is Z0WPL1J0CC3W47.

I've been wanting to make the jump to blu-ray, and given how good The Show looks, now seems like a good time to do so. The Dell deal is pretty good, and since I don't really want another credit card, I think it's the one I'll be taking advantage of.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

I FINALLY got the chance to put in some time on the game. Granted, it was only about an hour. I started a RTTS career with a starting pitcher. Through 3 spring training starts, my 18 year old prospect is 0-3 with a 9.28 ERA and a WHIP of 2.23. I have one K and two walks.

Translation: I need to start throwing some waste pitches. I think my strike percentage is around 75-80%, which is honestly WAY too high. I've looked around a bit and noticed that players will start sitting on your pitches if you throw too many strikes. Everything I've seen with my pitcher indicates exactly that.

For those that don't know, you start with far less points if you begin at 18 than if you jumped in at 21 or 22. You have to develop your younger player quite a bit more. I can't tell you how intimidating the feeling is to be controlling an 18 year old greenhorn pitcher and see an all-star like Josh Hamilton step into the box. I faced him twice in my very first game. One ended up in the gap and the other one landed 425 feet away from home plate.

Crap, I didn't know that. I created a reliever at 18 years old and was wondering why I was so poorly rated.

[CraigSca]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

The one thing holding me back from renting it and borrowing my neighbor's ps3 is I've read the CPU team lineups are a mess.. are you guys seeing that?

Things like Big Papi batting leadoff?

I heard this only happens when you create or edit your own players. I admit I haven't really looked into it too much as I don't think I'll be starting my season replay until rosters are finalized.

[Calis]

Wasn't that the same exact issue they had last year? I remember seeing some pretty funky lineups in last year's game, and that was from using a custom roster. It was frustrating.

Hate to see bugs like that pop up in consecutive years.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Crap, I didn't know that. I created a reliever at 18 years old and was wondering why I was so poorly rated.

Yeah, if you want to get a jump on your career, create a 21-23 year old player. He'll have better stats from the start.

[RainMaker]

Lineups are impossible to replicate. Doesn't matter how much effort goes into it, it'll never mirror real life. Take the Cubs for instance and try and program a system where you'd have Alfonso Soriano as your leadoff guy. It just doesn't work.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Lineups are impossible to replicate. Doesn't matter how much effort goes into it, it'll never mirror real life. Take the Cubs for instance and try and program a system where you'd have Alfonso Soriano as your leadoff guy. It just doesn't work.

That's funny, I just loaded up my Baseball Mogul universe and the Cubs have Soriano leading off.

I'm not saying it has to be perfect, but the thread I've been reading over at OS concerning lineups is a bit crazy.

[CleBrownsfan]

So was thinking about getting a PS3 mostly for the Blue-Ray and the Show. The problem I have with baseball games is - I never walk. I guess I can't see the pitches or they come in to fast - it's more a complete guessing game. Anybody else have this problem - or is it just me?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by CleBrownsfan

So was thinking about getting a PS3 mostly for the Blue-Ray and the Show. The problem I have with baseball games is - I never walk. I guess I can't see the pitches or they come in to fast - it's more a complete guessing game. Anybody else have this problem - or is it just me?

I use the guess feature to assist in that. I can generally see if a pitch is high, inside or outside. So, I guess 'low' on every pitch. When it's a low pitch, I can sit on it and smash it. When it's not a low pitch, I know to look in the top-half of the strike zone. I was averaging 50-60 walks a season in RTTS in last year's version.

[Big Fo]

Originally Posted by CleBrownsfan

So was thinking about getting a PS3 mostly for the Blue-Ray and the Show. The problem I have with baseball games is - I never walk. I guess I can't see the pitches or they come in to fast - it's more a complete guessing game. Anybody else have this problem - or is it just me?

If you have trouble picking up pitches you can use a slider to change how fast they come in with no effect on how you pitch to the AI. Strike/ball frequency can also be adjusted.

As MBBF said the guess pitch stuff can help you be more selective as well.

[spleen1015]

I suck at judging balls and strikes too.

[Big Fo]

The hardest part for me is judging whether it's low in the zone or just going to miss. Left/right/high I have less trouble with. Low breaking pitches especially cause some awful swings.

[DeToxRox]

I'm finally get the hang of it .. My RTTS player is in AA and just finally got the fulltime 1B gig in June. My #s so far:

.331
11 HR
44 RBI
21 2B
21 BB - 31 K

He is basically a useless defensive player, and all my training has gone into contact and power.

[Deattribution]

Originally Posted by CleBrownsfan

So was thinking about getting a PS3 mostly for the Blue-Ray and the Show. The problem I have with baseball games is - I never walk. I guess I can't see the pitches or they come in to fast - it's more a complete guessing game. Anybody else have this problem - or is it just me?

I had this problem starting off, I went over 400 at bats without a single walk. In fact I think I was only up in the count once, but I slowly started getting the hang of it after a while.

[Ajaxab]

Originally Posted by CleBrownsfan

So was thinking about getting a PS3 mostly for the Blue-Ray and the Show. The problem I have with baseball games is - I never walk. I guess I can't see the pitches or they come in to fast - it's more a complete guessing game. Anybody else have this problem - or is it just me?

I'm having little league flashbacks with my RTTS player. I figure I strikeout once every 5 abs and have drawn only 1 walk in about 120 plate appearances. The pitchers rarely seem to throw a first pitch ball so I find myself on the defensive nearly every trip to the plate.

I started by creating an 18 year old and may try again with a 20-21 year old given the starting ratings differences.

[Deattribution]

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

I'm having little league flashbacks with my RTTS player. I figure I strikeout once every 5 abs and have drawn only 1 walk in about 120 plate appearances. The pitchers rarely seem to throw a first pitch ball so I find myself on the defensive nearly every trip to the plate.

I started by creating an 18 year old and may try again with a 20-21 year old given the starting ratings differences.

From what I can tell, it seems adaptive. It also has to do with different pitchers. I use to get quite a few balls right down the middle, and since I always swung at the first pitch and managed to establish myself a little doing that, I almost always get a low ball or an outside/inside ball on the first pitch or two.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Big Fo

The hardest part for me is judging whether it's low in the zone or just going to miss. Left/right/high I have less trouble with. Low breaking pitches especially cause some awful swings.

Which is exactly the reason why I mentioned it's a good tactic to always guess low and guess the pitch you have trouble with. If you do that, you'll always get a lock-on target when the pitcher throws a low pitch and you'll know every time whether it's in the zone or not. It's a big key to drawing walks as pitchers like to throw that low pitch to draw a strikeout.

Originally Posted by Deattribution

From what I can tell, it seems adaptive. It also has to do with different pitchers. I use to get quite a few balls right down the middle, and since I always swung at the first pitch and managed to establish myself a little doing that, I almost always get a low ball or an outside/inside ball on the first pitch or two.

It is adaptive. If you're always taking on the first pitch, the CPU AI is going to to throw a lot of first ball strikes to get ahead in the count.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Final impressions from PastaPadre..........

The Wrap-Up: MLB 09 The Show | pastapadre.com

[spleen1015]

I just got hit with a 16MB update for this.

Is there somewhere I can find out what this update fixes?

[DanGarion]

So i bought a PS3 yesterday and The SHOW! Seems like a pretty game so far!

[CleBrownsfan]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

So i bought a PS3 yesterday and The SHOW! Seems like a pretty game so far!

grrrr -I'm really thinking about taking my poker winnings I won recently and buying a PS3 I want to but $500 additional in savings in nice to have too. What to do?!?!

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by CleBrownsfan

grrrr -I'm really thinking about taking my poker winnings I won recently and buying a PS3 I want to but $500 additional in savings in nice to have too. What to do?!?!

Well I got a good deal, technically... We got a check from our former landlord for $500+ back from our deposit. Plus my wife used to work at Target (10%) discount... AND on top of that I had another 10% off reward card for Target, so I splurged and got a 80GB, which doesn't really matter since I'm going to replace the drive with a 400GB tonight!

[DanGarion]

Er scratch the HD upgrade for today, thought I could use a drive I had sitting around but need to get a notebook drive.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by CleBrownsfan

So was thinking about getting a PS3 mostly for the Blue-Ray and the Show. The problem I have with baseball games is - I never walk. I guess I can't see the pitches or they come in to fast - it's more a complete guessing game. Anybody else have this problem - or is it just me?

I'm just like you, I hate to walk, I'm all about HIT HIT HIT, SWING SWING SWING!

[DanGarion]

FYI, the second game of my RTTS career, our second spring training game...

I'm playing for the Pirates and we are playing the Red Sox, the game goes 23 innings... Game ends at 2-1 and the announcer says the game only lasted 3:57?!?!?!? Paplebon ended up pitching 10 innings to finish the game...

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I just got hit with a 16MB update for this.

Is there somewhere I can find out what this update fixes?

Haven't seen an official notice of what's in it, but PastaPadre mentioned earlier in the week that an online stability patch would be delivered at the end of last week. This is probably that patch a couple of days late.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

My 18 year old starting pitcher was sent to AA after posting an 8.36 ERA and a 1-4 record in 5 spring training starts (WHIP was around 1.8). My main problem was the long ball. The MLB hitters were pouncing on any errant pitches that got away from me.

I signed a $65K contract with the White Sox (same team that drafted me). I've had good success early on. Right now, I'm a relief pitcher. I've had 3 appearances and only given up one run in 2 1/3 innings. I've also already met 3 of my 4 training goals with a week to go. Hopefully I get a couple more appearance to allow me to meet that final goal.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Pretty funny rant by Bill Harris. I'm doing a pitching RTTS career and have noticed the same thing. Does the ball also display this way when batting?

Dubious Quality: MLB 09: The Show--The Red Ring Of Arggghhh

MLB 09: The Show--The Red Ring Of Arggghhh

There are times when I play a great game and one little thing drives me crazy.

Crazy!

I started a Road To The Show career in MLB 09: The Show on Tuesday. Last year, there was a slowly roating blue circle to designate your player. Fine in most games, but totally unnecessary in Road To The Show mode, because you're only controlling one player.

As an example, I'm a pitcher. I don't need a circle to find my player--he's the one on the mound.

The reason this bothered me so much is that otherwise, The Show looked just like real baseball. There were no other cues that it was a video game.

This year, I was very hopeful that we'd be given the option to turn that circle off. Well, no, but that's not the problem. No, the problem is that they've ADDED this flashing red circle around a batted ball (when you're playing as a pitcher in RTTS mode, at least).

It's the old Fox puck enhancement (which was a colossal failure), essentially, but it's in my favorite sports video game. Damn it!

So again, I have to ask the question: why make a game that looks 99% like the real thing, then add intrusive elements that can't be turned off? How can people who are so incredibly good at what they do overlook this?

[AgustusM]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I don't think EA does it because doing it for the NFL hasn't made them any money. They have lost too much there.

I hope this is accurate and kills all the exclusive deals - the exclusive deals have killed completion and ruined the sports sim. Just look at 2005 and the promising NFl 2k5 and MVP 05 games - then the "wrong" company got exclusive on both sides and we end up with years of games that don't measure up.

[DeToxRox]

My guy was ejected from back to back games. First he got booted arguing a call at first, then he got booted because he was beaned and charged the mound. Apparently there had been problems earlier in the game with guys being hit and my guy exploded.

His quick temper makes me proud.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

My guy was ejected from back to back games. First he got booted arguing a call at first, then he got booted because he was beaned and charged the mound. Apparently there had been problems earlier in the game with guys being hit and my guy exploded.

His quick temper makes me proud.

Is there a way you can make your guy argue? There have been some times I've wanted to just erupt.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

My 18 year old starting pitcher was sent to AA after posting an 8.36 ERA and a 1-4 record in 5 spring training starts (WHIP was around 1.8). My main problem was the long ball. The MLB hitters were pouncing on any errant pitches that got away from me.

I signed a $65K contract with the White Sox (same team that drafted me). I've had good success early on. Right now, I'm a relief pitcher. I've had 3 appearances and only given up one run in 2 1/3 innings. I've also already met 3 of my 4 training goals with a week to go. Hopefully I get a couple more appearance to allow me to meet that final goal.

I made a closer and had a great start to my career. Had a solid spring training and strong first year that saw me promoted to closer in AA by the end. Started the 2nd year as a setup man for some reason in AA and earned my way to AAA as a setup man and then eventual closer.

Then year 3 comes and I literally can't get anyone out. I get regularly shelled although did stay in AAA all year as a setup guy. After the year I got sent down to AA.

Not sure if anyone has tried RTTS as a closer, but it seems real hard to improve your player. How many average training points a week do you guys get as a position player or starter? I spend most on the achievements which usually are in skills I don't care about (fielding). Wondering if it's best to ignore the achievements and focus all my training points on my pitches. I'm just having trouble making him better despite my first 2 years being real solid.

[DanGarion]

No one is surprised about my 23 inning spring training game...?

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

No one is surprised about my 23 inning spring training game...?

I've seen some long games but not that long. The closer having to pitch a ton of innings is one aspect in how bad their bullpen management AI is. As a closer in RTTS, I got stuck pitching 8 innings in a 16 inning game.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

My 18 year old starting pitcher really hit his stride. Two months into the season, he is now the #5 starter in AA. ERA is now 2.02 after rebounding from a rough first month. The training points are really pouring in after three straight quality starts, including an 8 inning, 5 hit, 1 run start. Record is 2-2, but that speaks more to my team's weak offense.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Not sure if anyone has tried RTTS as a closer, but it seems real hard to improve your player. How many average training points a week do you guys get as a position player or starter? I spend most on the achievements which usually are in skills I don't care about (fielding). Wondering if it's best to ignore the achievements and focus all my training points on my pitches. I'm just having trouble making him better despite my first 2 years being real solid.

You have to balance development with achievements. I usually look to see how easy some of the achievements are. If they're not too tough to improve, I'll dedicate some points to them. But your main focus has to be on developing your pitches, velocity, and control.