Four Keys to Success for MLB '11: The Show

[Pared]

I'm always FOR options... but you're basically asking them to rip something that another game did for the sake of doing it.

I doubt they'd feel good about that.

Who knows. I can talk to them about it, but I wouldn't get your hopes up.

[cardsleadtheway]

You mean like the pitching meter?

Seriously though, if they can come up with a better way, cool. I don't have quite the creative ability coupled with the specific know how to accomplish something like that.

In the end, this is still the greatest game out there. I really wouldn't want anything implemented that would take away from the testing phase. We certainly don't want the amount of bugs to crop up this time around.

If you do have the ability to make the suggestions, please, please, please see about a franchise importing option. I hate to put so much work into my franchise only to start over again. I would love to play my same franchise with the yearly upgrades. Just a fantasy I have.

[Joey]

+1 on the ability to import franchises (and custom rosters, while we are at it) to MLB '11. I know that's something for a wishlist thread but, hey, isn't this whole thread basically one? So instead of saying I "wish" they would add this I'll just keep with the spirit of this thread's title and say I think it's one of the keys to success for MLB '11: The Show.

Ah, who am I kidding. I'm buying it, regardless.

Quote: Originally Posted by cardsleadtheway

If you do have the ability to make the suggestions, please, please, please see about a franchise importing option. I hate to put so much work into my franchise only to start over again. I would love to play my same franchise with the yearly upgrades. Just a fantasy I have.

[Pared]

Quote: Originally Posted by cardsleadtheway

You mean like the pitching meter? Seriously though, if they can come up with a better way, cool. I don't have quite the creative ability coupled with the specific know how to accomplish something like that. In the end, this is still the greatest game out there. I really wouldn't want anything implemented that would take away from the testing phase. We certainly don't want the amount of bugs to crop up this time around. If you do have the ability to make the suggestions, please, please, please see about a franchise importing option. I hate to put so much work into my franchise only to start over again. I would love to play my same franchise with the yearly upgrades. Just a fantasy I have.

The pitching meter simply took what was already in the MLB series and changed hot it was displayed on the screen.

[swaldo]

Quote: Originally Posted by Knight165

I wouldn't say they are useless. In fact....I hope they do add a new analog stick pitching and batting mode. As a matter of fact, without knowing anything "inside" at all, my guess is you absolutely will see that....if not for '11 in a future version. But I think that mode is absolutely going to be dependent on attributes, much like the current modes and I get the feeling that is where you and I part ways. I just don't see where lending too much emphasis on user control as opposed to a balance of user/ratings has a place in an MLB simulation. A generic baseball game, that doesn't try and mimic the MLB in any way....I could see it, but even in that type of environment, there would have to be some way to hinder user control in order to have some semblance of a baseball game. What fun would it to hit .550 every year while the rest of the league(which would rely on ratings I assume) is struggling to break .350? I think that's already one of the major complaints of some guys...that even LEGEND is a bit easy now. Which I will answer the last part...your question...and it's the exact thing that you want more of!....user input often causes a skewed stat outcome as compared to players in real life. For me...I probably have as much chance of getting a hit with 35 rated contact hitter as I do with a 95 rated hitter. Very little ....but a good player probably has a better chance of seeing more realistic results. I have a feeling that by tipping the scale to TOO much user control....good players will have even low rated hitters batting well above .300....much like getting the groove of the pitching meter(which I am MUCH too good at for my liking) and never really throwing balls unless I like and getting way too many strikeouts, with even poor pitchers. That's why I reverted back to the classic mode of pitching, which puts much more emphasis on the attributes in determining a pitch. I think it's nearly impossible to come up with something that gives more user control(I'm sure EVERY game has hidden cripples in it somewhere...in order to keep the user from simply mastering even the most difficult levels)...whether they show it to you or not is another case. On a final note, I would never just dismiss anyone's ideas...I think yours are good......I think they just need to be mixed in with a different type of system. Perhaps in a more user dependent game....they could employ some sort of Madden IQ, where the user would pitch/hit/field a set number of plays and the game would determine the "cripples" in order to give the best sim experience.....and maybe give you the chance to re-adjust through another run through the system in order as you feel under/overwhelmed with the game. M.K. Knight165

Thanks for the courteous and candid response. So what I hear you saying is that user input can be too easy or hard depending on the user; and you don't like to play that way because it skews stats. If that's how you feel then I think the arcade aspect definately needs a hard look. And I've heard the complaints too - such as the guy who played a whole year with user input and all his players ended up with pretty similiar stats.

So I think the question needs to be asked: how can you take the arcade experience and vary the difficulty - to the point where a pitcher in the batters box will feel severely handicapped? IMO it's going to require certain visual aids or liabilities tied to their abilities which replicate how they see the game. Some people will scoff at them as not being realistic, but if the current system is not working then what other choices are there?

I agree that it would be nearly impossible to get perfect statistical accuracy through user input alone. But I think there are things you can do to increase/decrease the challenge. Creativity would be needed and failure would ensue. Madden's 'vision cone' was a good idea but it just didn't stick.

If The Show had a separate "harcore" arcade mode (or options you can just turn on/off) and keep building in different ideas some are bound to work and might make the experience more fun and statistically realistic. And it's not just about putting in little colored balls, rather a combination of things.

And by the way I'm glad to hear they are (or might) be adding analog pitching/hitting. I look forward to seeing what they come up with in '11.

[cardsleadtheway]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pared

The pitching meter simply took what was already in the MLB series and changed hot it was displayed on the screen.

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't the MVP series predate the MLB series? I would say that MLB completely ripped off the meter pitching concept only to take it to the next level. Not that it is a bad thing because the meter pitching is in my opinion the best thing out there. I wish The Show would take the same approach with fielding. They have upgraded every aspect of previous good baseball games save for fielding, which they took a step backwards.

[swaldo]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pared

Brinkman could have used any wording: Authentic, Real, "smell the hot dogs..." That doesn't mean anything when we're talking about guys that don't want little flashing balls and colors to infiltrate their game right now. I was one of MVP's biggest fans and I always turned that option off because it removed me from the experience of playing real baseball. The Show has moved more and more towards sim, including the option to remove the visual aids of guess pitch so more users can have a visually realistic game. Asking for something that was in MVP because you liked it is entirely different than asking for something to help pick up movement on a pitch. Currently, the pitchers grip the ball differently based on each pitch. They also hide the ball differently based on their motions. While their motions are 1:1 perfect representations of what the developers have created, the technology isn't there to modify these based on pitch types. And visually picking up on a pitch will differ based on the monitor and resolution you are using to play your game. I don't see what else is there to discuss on my end aside to simply offer to you that it seems like many disagree with you while others just want the flashing colored baseballs as a "solution" to a problem a good amount of people don't see. Personally, it doesn't make sense to argue such a thing and again just comes off to me as an argument simply to argue. To each their own.

And I respect this opinion - you said you don't prefer 'Hitters Eye' and you stated why. I'm not going to act like a car salesman and try to sell you on a product you dont want. But just about everyone stated they liked some of my ideas, but instead of discussing the pro's and cons of each (and how they might or might not work in the game) I felt that a few unconstructive responses were slung my way. And you expect me to NOT respond when someone throws the popcorn guy at me? Nah man, I'm putting up my dukes every time.

And the "Hitters Eye" was just an example, I think there are things you can do that are similiar without it being a total ripoff. If you contact the devs and they say they're open to these sort of suggestions I'll go to work and think up some ideas. Otherwise, I have nothing more to say.

[countryboy]

Quote: Originally Posted by cardsleadtheway

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't the MVP series predate the MLB series? I would say that MLB completely ripped off the meter pitching concept only to take it to the next level. Not that it is a bad thing because the meter pitching is in my opinion the best thing out there. I wish The Show would take the same approach with fielding. They have upgraded every aspect of previous good baseball games save for fielding, which they took a step backwards.

I believe the Show evolved from the old Pennant Race game. I believe, that like EA/MVP, SCEA decided upon a name change with a new direction for their baseball franchise.

As for who predates whom, I believe the two franchises EA/SCEA are pretty much similar.