MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

[Crinos2]

A simple re-hash in terms of dialogue and most physics. I love The Show, so this won't stop me from buying the new game. I'm a devout player of this game.

With that being said though, it's a re-hash. Eric Karros does the EXACT same lines as what his name is (lost it for the moment). Re-modeling is fine. Ball physics are better. I personally don't care about analog. It does make it a little more involving, but they seemed to have enhanced the swings (power, normal, contact) with sweet spot zone being affected. I like that. No more putting the same meat on every ball in accordance with different swing types.

Analog pitching, fielding, etc. Anything analog, to the people that like it, i'm sure they will enjoy immensely. I just don't care. It's hard enough using the buttons. I like the meter pitching. I'll probably check out the analog fielding when I get the game. If I like it, I'll use it.

To each their own. I love the game anyway. I'll buy the new one. But the simple re-hashing of past presentation, player movements, end of game celebrations, and commentary really just makes this a slightly souped-up '10. And that being said, all '10 was, was a souped-up version of '09. '12 better have MAJOR upgrades or it will be going the way of Madden for me. NEVER BOUGHT after '09.

I love franchise, so as long as that is improved, I'll be happy for one more year. Step it up for '12 please devs.

[cp22]

In one of my games I got a hit to the left field wall with Nelson Cruz, San Fran's LF went to get the ball at the wall and just kept running into the wall. Ended up getting an inside the park HR. Hope stuff like this gets fixed.

[tekulve66]

Quote: Originally Posted by nemesis04

Anyone notice the new camera angles for the pickoff plays? there are three of them!

I enjoyed all three during my first inning of play (picked off Borbon I believe on my third throw over). Was just trying to see if I remember the pickoff move, and those camera angles definitely jumped out and looked great!

[Blzer]

Okay, I actually do have some bad things to say about the lighting believe it or not. Well not bad, but something I felt was an assurance that doesn't seem to be yet for this franchise.

I know people are all over the new colors and clouds and such, but frankly the lighting still seems off to me. I'm all for beauty in the sky, but it stays light for way to long and then kind of has a five batter transition where it gets rapidly darker before it hits its "darkest" moment (which with clouds apparently is no longer a pitch black sky seen from the inside of the ballpark). When they said that it would take longer for it to get dark, I thought they were referring to a smoother transition to the deepish dark blue colors into an apparent black later, but it seems it simply stays light longer and then does a quick cut to darkness within even the same inning. Though they don't seem to be plagued by "gray sky" anymore, this transition is still somewhat awkward.

It could just be because it's in the demo, but that's what was said for '09 and it wasn't the case.

Otherwise, I have nothing but good things to say about the new night time lighting. Not all skies always look that beautiful as the sun goes down, but this is a video game so why knack on that?

[Cannoncourt]

[b]

Quote: Originally Posted by nomo17k

However, has anyone wished that there is a way to adjust its "natural movement" of analog? The cool thing about the analog stick is that you can go in any direction, unlike d-pad which is only capable of specifying several predetermined directions. However, the analog *does* have its natural position, which is when it sticks right up at the center. The analog stick has a tendency to resume to that position. When I use the analog for pitching and hitting, this somehow makes it difficult for me to push the stick in the desired direction. Naturally, my thumb does not move forward and backward as defined in the controller, its forward movement is more like from the bottom left to the upper right. So if I want to paint the outside low as a pitcher (as seen in pitching view vs RHB), I feel I need to make an unnatural move with my thumb. If I just move my thumb naturally, then the pitch tends to go inside. Similar thing happens with hitting. I think one possible solution is to "calibrate" the analog stick with user's natural thumb movement (just as you need to each time with Move), and set that as the "zero point" which, in the case of pitching, defines the "down the middle." What do others think? I guess I can take this as a learning curve thing, but everyone's thumb naturally moves differently I believe, so it might help people to feel more natural with analog. Just my opinion.

AMAZING idea!

[airjam389]

I was an xbox guy for a long time before getting a PS3 for Christmas, so this is my first experience with The Show. I got to play a game with the demo this morning and for the most part enjoyed it. Perhaps my "impressions" will be different simply because I don't have previous show experience. In fact I haven't owned a baseball game since MLB 2K9.

Graphics: Beautiful. Certainly the best I've seen in a baseball game. The shadows on the stands and field at the beginning of the game really impressed me. Animations, players, uniforms, all of it is really good.

Sound: I'm fairly indifferent. Having not played the Show the commentators are not bothering me yet, but I've never had a sports game where I haven't eventually turned off the commentators. I think this is particularly hard to do in baseball with so much down time, so it's hard to fault them. I did hear that "squeak" or "beep" type of sound probably a dozen times. Annoying, but I assume it's a demo issue. If not that will be really aggravating.

Analog controls: Pitching interface/controls is perfect. I really, really like it. Challenging but rewarding. I only made one fielding error as well and it think those controls are definitely well done. Hitting is really hard. I think I'm okay with the controls, there's just so much to do that I get flustered. I'll drop the difficulty and see if that helps, but I could see myself going back to a classic hitting style.

Overall game play: I was impressed. game is fluid and fun. I lost 4-0 because I simply couldn't hit. Actually struck out 8 times in a row. Obviously need more time with the game.

I'm not sure it will be a release day buy for me. The thing I struggle with is whether or not it will be able to hold my interest. If it gets repetitive and I get bored then I'll be disappointed and I need some more time with the demo to tell if that will be the case. Regardless, I think they've done a great job with the game. My concerns with replay value are a result of my own gaming style/personality, not so much the design of the game.

[nemesis04]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blzer

Okay, I actually do have some bad things to say about the lighting believe it or not. Well not bad, but something I felt was an assurance that doesn't seem to be yet for this franchise. I know people are all over the new colors and clouds and such, but frankly the lighting still seems off to me. I'm all for beauty in the sky, but it stays light for way to long and then kind of has a five batter transition where it gets rapidly darker before it hits its "darkest" moment (which with clouds apparently is no longer a pitch black sky seen from the inside of the ballpark). When they said that it would take longer for it to get dark, I thought they were referring to a smoother transition to the deepish dark blue colors into an apparent black later, but it seems it simply stays light longer and then does a quick cut to darkness within even the same inning. Though they don't seem to be plagued by "gray sky" anymore, this transition is still somewhat awkward. It could just be because it's in the demo, but that's what was said for '09 and it wasn't the case. Otherwise, I have nothing but good things to say about the new night time lighting. Not all skies always look that beautiful as the sun goes down, but this is a video game so why knack on that?

They were smoothing this out still even at CD. The lighting progresses with every at bat. So if you have an unusually long at bat it can look a little awkward because the lighting could transition too abruptly when the next batter comes up.

[Stroehms]

I can say that I honestly am in complete love with the Analog Pitching. I never thought I would be able to find something so rewarding, yet taxing at the same time.