MLB 13 The Show - Beginner Mode Impressions

[Russell_SCEA]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bahnzo

That's already in the game, it's called Rookie Difficulty. Just don't see this being necessary. Resources that could've been used elsewhere to improve the game.

It's actually very very necessary this new feature isn't really for anyone on this site. We do extensive post morterms with all types of groups of gamers and one of the most consistent thing we've heard the past three years is the game isn't very accessible. Especially when it comes to hitting.

Making rookie easier (which we have done two years straight) isnt' the answer it's just an easier difficulty setting. That's not the issue people are having hence why we designed a new mode to help ease (those who need it) into the hitting portion of the game.

The purpose of beginner mode is to teach someone how to hit by starting out with squaring up on a fast ball down the middle of the plate and gradually working into fast ball placement. Eventually working into pitch recognition ball recognition and pitcher tendencies. Making the game easier accomplishes none of these issues.

Now your comment about the resources you really have no idea what you are talking about here. It's December we choose to talk about specific things during this time and this year it's beginner mode. The design and art work needed for feature completion is minimal when compared to the work that was done to franchise and RTTS. That's not even taking into account the other features and improvements that haven't been announced yet.

[Russell_SCEA]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bahnzo

Reading the article, I still don't get the reason behind this. Even the author doubts it's inclusion. From his description, it sounds to me like handholding combined with the batting practice mode that's already in the game. In fact, I hope it doesn't actually replace it and remove the batting/pitching practice modes that already exist. In short, I don't think there was really a need for this. You need help with hitting? Then goto batting practice and work it out there. This sounds more like some marketing weenie dictating what gets put into a game rather than sound judgement.

Beginner mode was not designed for veterans of the series who know how to play the game. It was created for two sets of people those who have never played and those who struggle mightily making solid contact hitting the ball and/or recognizing pitch types.

All the batting practice modes are still there but not very many people want to open a game and jump right into batting practice because they aren't that good. The vast majority of games don't want to do this they want to jump right into the meat and potatoes and play.

Beginner mode allows a user to do this, they get the play a normal 9 inning game and be eased into the hitting aspect while at the same time having fun. By the time a user graduates out of beginner mode we've (hopefully) taught them a thing or two about pitch recognition, balls/strike recognition and patience at the plate. The batting practice modes don't do this, hence the need for another approach.

[seanjeezy]

Hey Russell, do pitches have more dramatic movement this year so they are easier to pick up, or is this solved by widening the timing window? For those of us who prefer not to use guess pitch, will there ever be a hitter's eye type mechanic where we can pick up the seams and spin of the ball out of the pitcher's hand? Also, have there been any changes to velocity ranges and/or movement types? Still waiting to hear what is the maximum speed possible for a batted ball

[Russell_SCEA]

Quote: Originally Posted by seanjeezy

Hey Russell, do pitches have more dramatic movement this year so they are easier to pick up, or is this solved by widening the timing window? For those of us who prefer not to use guess pitch, will there ever be a hitter's eye type mechanic where we can pick up the seams and spin of the ball out of the pitcher's hand? Also, have there been any changes to velocity ranges and/or movement types? Still waiting to hear what is the maximum speed possible for a batted ball

The timing window across the board has been widened a decent amount. This change alone has really opened the game up offensively and we have tweaked other areas to help compensate for this so the game doesn't turn into MLB Jam. I don't know if you will need a hitter's eye mechanic. Having you be able to see the ball spin is something we've thought about for the past year it's just that ball is really really small as is. If we did do something like that it might be gimmicky but who knows maybe we will prototype something like that if people continue to struggle this year.


Movement types not this year the hitting was already hard enough and we didn't want to introduce anything that could make it harder but next year is a different story. Jeff (a.i. programmer who gave everyone the new ball physics) already has an idea for this area of the game. We aren't doing it this year but next is a different story.

[Unit303]

Well, Russell, I really hope you guys are tuning it or I guess we just bump up the difficulty or pitch speed correct? and that is how it should be.

Will not be a problem. I should be able to play on Legend with my skill and see decent games so I much welcome this. Also, my last post, those grass comments were a joke just saying, don't want anybody taking that literally, we know people are not insane with this kind of stuff... except people like me and maybe a few of the designers.

[nomo17k]

Honestly it's a nice thing to have.... don't know how good the mode really is for educating newcomers and how many of them end up using the mode... but it's good to have some sort of walk though.

People don't realize (or remember) how difficult hitting in this game is. I now play at AS/HoF levels and do fine, but when I started playing this game (MLB 10) I seriously thought how DARE the developers made hitting so difficult........ It was freaking impossible for me to hit above .100. Blown away by the pitch speed, the movement of breaking balls, etc.

I knew hitting was hard IRL back then already, but to do that on video game seemed too much I thought. If I weren't very invested in baseball to begin with, I honestly think I would have just given up. It seemed so impossible.

But now, I just love it. No baseball game captures the real feel of hitting baseball better than the Show does. Only the people who took the time to learn (like most of us in this forum) can appreciate that.

What's the point of blaming SCEA for giving some hands to impatient guys so that they can potentially discover the beauty of hitting that is the Show??

[Unit303]

That is going a little far dude. Let us be honest: this mode is for idiots and total gaming noobs but separate them.

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bahnzo

Beginner's mode...for whom? People in Yugoslavia who have no idea what baseball is? See the ball, hit the ball. What else do you need?

Quote: Originally Posted by Unit303

That is going a little far dude. Let us be honest: this mode is for idiots and total gaming noobs but separate them.

How about young kids that want to play a 'real' looking baseball game and not one populated by Mario or Sonic?