MLB 09 The Show Demo Available, Post Impressions Here

[ericjwm]

Quote: Originally Posted by phillyfan23

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....

Excellent post & I completely agree on all parts, well 'cept for the Hanley Ramirez bit. But whatever he boots, he'll blast right back.

[slickkill77]

The phillies pitching coach had a black head and white hands???

[EnigmaNemesis]

Quote: Originally Posted by mjb2124

Samsung HLP4663 is my main HDTV that the PS3 is connected to. It's a number of years old (3-4?). When I get a chance, I'm going to try it on my 37" Samsung LCD in the bedroom just to see if I get the same thing. I remember asking about the 1 inch black bars last year and another member with the same TV (aholbert) had the same issues. I know it's not my TV as it's been professionally calibrated, but I think it might be something with the model and how the PS3 "handshakes" with it. I'm just curious as to why it's this way...it's not a big deal though because I can stretch the image (it doesn't distort anything...just fills up the screen).

Yeah, I dont think it being calibrated has anything to do with it (or would change anything if it is just this game). I think it is the HDMI versions and how they communicate with older models, or some TVs that dont have the same spec.

But that is just a guess, since I do not get that issue using component on the Dell 2407.

[fishepa]

Quote: Originally Posted by slickkill77

The phillies pitching coach had a black head and white hands???

I saw that too, I assume that will be fixed.

[kennyacid]

I am having 2 much fun with this demo. I dont even play NBA 2k9 nomore lol

[Haggis]

Quote: Originally Posted by EnigmaNemesis

Yeah, I dont think it being calibrated has anything to do with it (or would change anything if it is just this game). I think it is the HDMI versions and how they communicate with older models, or some TVs that dont have the same spec. But that is just a guess, since I do not get that issue using component on the Dell 2407.

I don't know if the black bar issue has been answered yet, but you can go into the options under audio and video. You can adjust the vertical and horizontal around to fit the screen.

[Shinyhubcaps]

There's a cutscene that talks about how Cole Hamels was near the top of the NL in ERA, but they show a stat overlay from 2007 (and he wasn't even on that list). I hope this will be fixed.

The game goes gold in a week, right? I'm sure it will be super awesome, but I hope all of the overlays are for 2008 (or whatever was the previous year or that year in Franchise and RTTS).

[Sport73]

Reading the signs from the catcher is a little difficult, at least as someone who was never a professional pitcher, but I think it works like this:

1. The catcher will issue a number, 1 for the X pitch, 2 for the O, and so on in counter-clockwise order.

2. The catcher will make a 'patting' motion downward, the speed and 'distance' of which determine the height of the ball in the strike zone. Short taps for up high, mid-level motions for mid-height, and decidedly downward motions (with at least 4-6 inches of 'throw) for pitches low in the strike zone. These motions are relative to each pitch type, so a very short fast ball tap means HIGH, while the same relative motion for a curve-ball will be for a pitch that ends more in the middle of the zone (because no one throws a curve that hangs intentionally).

3. The catcher will then tap his left thigh, right thigh or none to show the inside/outside/middle location of the pitch.

4. Finally, if he wants you to be sure to throw a strike, he'll tap his mitt against the ground, as a way of saying (we need this pitch to get ahead in the count etc.).

In my testing, this appears to be the meaning behind the signals, and I have checked my accuracy by turning off all aids and guessing pitch location, then hitting R2 which has the catcher repeat his signal, and temporarily displays the pitch target. I'm right about 90% of the time now.

Can anyone else comment/confirm if this interpretation seems accurate?

Thanks,