MLB 09 The Show Demo Available, Post Impressions Here

[phillyfan23]

Quote: Originally Posted by pjv31

Okay, I know I am going to get slammed for saying this. I am not impressed by the demo. I have played about 10 games. While at its core, it does a fine job representing the sport of baseball, I just find the game lacking in many areas. I feel the graphics are good, but benefit substantially from the lighting. I feel the lighting sugarcoats the lackluster player models. I find fielding to be tremendously boring. I don't like guiding my player to the general area, then watching while the animation takes over. Once again, the game feels scripted. I feel like I have been doing the same thing over and over for years. One button to do everything. Swing, throw, etc. I feel like the game is playing me sometimes. I would be nice to have better control over the type of throws my fielder uses. This lack of innovation has me sour on this game. I feel like its all been done before. I know this is not going to be a popular opinion, but I felt like I had to say how I feel, and that is disappointed.

you know....I don't blame you for thinking this way. Because the show this year is more of a refinement rather than an innovation. My biggest gripe last year was hitting, hitting, hitting. It was too easy. Pitching was also too easy ...this on HOF level. The hitting wasn't a pure zone system and the pitching wasn't challenging in the least...led me to edit all of the pitchers on my team. Also, extra base hits were not dynamic ...another gripe

If the dev team did NOT fix these issues this year....I would be EXACTLY in your shoes right now and I wouldn't appreciate it one bit the progressive lighting, the new animations, the plentiful sig style.

Can you imagine, I was rooting against myself so that i could get true to life batting averages. Instead of celebrating a hit , I grimaced....and MANY people in this board felt like that ...

You were probably mostly satisfied with the gameplay last year so the gameplay improvements this year to you were probably marginal. Again , If that were the case for me, I would feel totally underwhelmed by this year's effort.... and I too would be looking for a new innovative feature in the game.

But for many, the gameplay improvements make this a whole new ballgame and we can overlook the slightly monotonous fielding controls like you mentioned....

anyways, hope you try out the game when it releases, because I suspect fielding will be more adventurous this year anyways due to the heavy effects of player ratings. I can't wait to play the marlins and see Hanley Ramirez boot some balls.

happy gaming ....

edit: I first tried this series way back with mlb 05...so thats 5-6 years with this series....

[Rod_Carew29]

ok....fair enough

Quote: Originally Posted by pjv31

I really don't see the game changing that much in the retail copy. Although I may be wrong. I will at least rent it, if not just buy it. I love baseball, and I have to have a baseball game to play. I will def give the final version a shot.

[dmrich28]

for Knight..

but have you ever seen it in manage only mode where you have no control?
not to make a deal of it at all, was just curious..
I've played ball my whole life and it's just something I thought of since Ive done it a "few" times

keep up the great work Knight...itching to see what you can do with this new "toy"

Dave

[phillyfan23]

Quote: Originally Posted by Defel

I would love to be wrong. If someone has a video of a grounder down the line getting to the wall in the demo or 08, I would be interested in seeing it.

no video of this...but I can tell you this can happen....I hit a hot shot grounder past Howard just now using Pena.....all the way to the wall and the ball still had plenty of steam when it collided with the wall. Just play the game....you will see it sooner or later.

[Rod_Carew29]

In about 400 games + played for The Show '08, I MAY have seen an outfielder drop a routine (standing under to make the catch) fly ball maybe twice.

The other (off the top of my head) 15-20 times were when either the outfielder was running in, running to the gap or like what happened to the Nats' Elijah Dukes last week when my Mets won a walk off, Dukes ran towards right-center (he was playing center)--the ball was over his head...and he lunged and the ball ticked off of his glove.

In The Show '08, I played with CPU outfielder errors maxed out literally from day one.

Quote: Originally Posted by dmrich28

I'm 50 games in CPU vs CPU..noticed a couple of things minor, which I don't care about and forget in a minute. But.. I have yet to see an outfielder miss a routine fly ball..yes it's rare in real life, but is it coded? Loving it so far..Pitchers are better than the hitters (default sliders so far) but they are 2 of the better hurlers as well, so can't wait to see how the 4th/5th starters are.. Average score Philly 2.5 TB 2.2 only 22 hrs seen, but 8 triples, a stolen home attempt and lots of other unique plays. Great job!! Dave

[dmrich28]

thanks for the reply..love your sliders for 08!!
keep up the great work!

Dave

[twiztiddarkangelman]

WE must remember this is still just a video game, and it won't play like real life. If the game is not juicy enough, try playing with the sliders and see if that helps a bit, although like its been said, if its total control you are looking for, you will not find it in this game. But you will find IMO the best looking and best playing baseball experience out there, BY FAR. nuff said.

[Knight165]

Quote: Originally Posted by dmrich28

for Knight.. but have you ever seen it in manage only mode where you have no control? not to make a deal of it at all, was just curious.. I've played ball my whole life and it's just something I thought of since Ive done it a "few" times keep up the great work Knight...itching to see what you can do with this new "toy" Dave

Last year....rarely to be honest. A little more after I edited some fielding ratings....but it was more grounder errors.

The play I'm talking about...I never took control of the CF...it was the CPU...so that made me happy.
The SCEA crew did make both the attribute more effective(ineffective according to which way you put it) for fielding and the slider as well. I don't think errors will be a "problem" this year.

Phillyfan....EXCELLENT point.
If that was your one focus...and it didn't get changed much...I could see some disappointment.
Me...I tend to look past those things and let it go, especially if I have other things to focus on(I've been begging for a franchise ticker for 3 years...still not there! )...but I just say..."maybe next year" and don't let it bother me....instead...I just focus on all the new franchise additions.
I understand that not everyone can do that.
Also.....great point about hot shots.
We had one at the studio that simply ate up Ryan Howard and went off into RF into foul territory. I've seen them get by the 1B/3B...screaming down the line for doubles. They are there.(this year...)

M.K.
Knight165