MLB The Show 16 Has Officially Arrived, Post Your Impressions Here

[Herschie]

Baserunning. Horrible. Fix it. Here's a story I'm copying from Gamefaqs that just happend to me:

AAARRGGGGHHH! So I'm in the bottom of the 5th inning of Game 2 of the NLCS. With one out, I had pitcher Mike Bielecki at second, and Jerome Walton at first. Sandberg lined a hit to center, and with Brett Butler playing deep, Bielecki, despite his lack of speed, should have scored easily, and the fairly speedy Walton should have been to third.

But no. They both STOP at 2nd and 3rd while I'm frantically jamming on the L1 button. I managed to get Bielecki home, but Walton was toast at third. So after Sandberg stole 2nd on the next pitch, Dwight Smith lined another single to center. Again, same thing. I'm JAMMING L1 because the throw was coming home (Sandberg scored), but because Smith hesitated, Giants' catcher Terry Kennedy was able to throw out Smith at 2nd to end the inning.

I mean, I did get two runs out of it, but cmon! With Will Clark, Kevin Mitchell, and Matt Williams at the heart of their order, I need every run I could get!


Can we get a Bases Loaded style theme as an option? In that game, you'd point the D-pad towards a base, and press B for the runner to advance, or A for the runner to retreat. I don't recall very often getting runners thrown out due to the running control scheme. Happens way too often in The Show.

[strawberryshortcake]

Quote: Originally Posted by Herschie

Baserunning. Horrible. Fix it. Here's a story I'm copying from Gamefaqs that just happend to me: AAARRGGGGHHH! So I'm in the bottom of the 5th inning of Game 2 of the NLCS. With one out, I had pitcher Mike Bielecki at second, and Jerome Walton at first. Sandberg lined a hit to center, and with Brett Butler playing deep, Bielecki, despite his lack of speed, should have scored easily, and the fairly speedy Walton should have been to third. But no. They both STOP at 2nd and 3rd while I'm frantically jamming on the L1 button. I managed to get Bielecki home, but Walton was toast at third. So after Sandberg stole 2nd on the next pitch, Dwight Smith lined another single to center. Again, same thing. I'm JAMMING L1 because the throw was coming home (Sandberg scored), but because Smith hesitated, Giants' catcher Terry Kennedy was able to throw out Smith at 2nd to end the inning. I mean, I did get two runs out of it, but cmon! With Will Clark, Kevin Mitchell, and Matt Williams at the heart of their order, I need every run I could get! Can we get a Bases Loaded style theme as an option? In that game, you'd point the D-pad towards a base, and press B for the runner to advance, or A for the runner to retreat. I don't recall very often getting runners thrown out due to the running control scheme. Happens way too often in The Show.

Your experience is why we need a baserunning practice mode. And no, I'm not talking about the one currently in the game, because it does absolutely no good for people who do not play RTTS. The controls are completely different.

Secondly, doesn't the game actually have something in place, similar but not exact. I know there's a way to use the D-pad button, but I personally use the analog stick. Push the left analog stick to the baserunner (the game will highlight the baserunner) and then you simply press the face button corresponding to the desired base (X = home, O = first, triangle = 2nd, square = 3rd).

If you have a runner on first and want to send him to 3rd, all you have to do is point the analog stick at the runner and then press the SQUARE button. He will run through second base directly to third. Runner on first, send him home ... press left analog stick towards runner on first and then press "X."

If you need the runner to go backwards for any reason, push the left stick towards the runner and press the button corresponding to the base you want the runner to return to. If you already have the runner highlighted initially, you don't need to push the left stick to him again to make him go backwards.

[Black59Razr]

There is countless things that are great about this game! It's my favorite video game period! Having said that, here is what I would like to see added/changed next year:

* The hitter should not run to first base on 100% of the dropped 3rd strikes. For starters, you could create a 1/3rd chance roll. 1/3rd of the time, the runner can run to first base. 1/3rd the catcher will just tag the runner who's casually standing there and walking back to the dugout. 1/3rd of the time, the hitter just quickly walks back to the dugout, therefore, becoming an automatic out. You especially have to eliminate the automatic, high speed sprints down the line, when the ball is dropped directly in front of the catcher. I know you have introduced a new "hustle" feature, where not all baserunners hustle to first base all the time. This idea needs to expand into dropped 3rd strikes too.

* New outfielder routes in this game are amazing! Thank you so much! However, the outfielder routes, rather, their confidence, to charge a ball in front of them, is still a problem. The outfielders are too aggressive. They know too soon where the ball will drop. There are several hard hit balls (100mph+) that are caught on a sprint in by the outfielder. The outfielders need to let these drop, since there is no telling if the ball is going to backspin for 300 feet or top spin for 200 feet. You guys used to have an animation where the outfielder would take a ill advised step back, then in, causing a 1 hopper single. This was great! Add more of those.

* On the same note, you need to increase the fence/wall collision. There is far too many sliding or running then grabbing the wall (home run wall and even more times the left and right field foul stands). The average outfielder will go into a slide or give up completely on the majority of these. Check out this youtube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8Ks4qFXVZ0). This play happens once every 5 years in real life. In The Show, it happens once every 4 innings. The outfielder needs to hold up and let the ball bounce for a double. Once you do this, player's batting averages will soar, and you'll be able to tweak the game accordingly. Because, right now, balls hit at 100mph+ are out waaaaaaay more than real life.

* On the same note (you can tell I'm really into outfield play) outfielders, and infielders too, should not have as much awareness when they are running backwards. Defenders catch too many balls running back like Willie Mays. Infielders, especially, need to stop being so good. Just like the other above examples, once you correct this, you will be adding an extra 2-3 hits per game on this tweak alone, which will allow you to lower the hard hit balls to a normal amount. This play, for example (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KytOUlwpqJk) is the BEST third baseman making the best play of the year in real life. The fact that he can see the ball while running backwards is amazing. And his speed and trust of where the stands are. This play happens once every 4 years. In The Show, it happens once every 4 innings. (Once you lower the defenders ability, you'll see how much more realistic the balls in play for hits will be, which will allow you to tweak other things back to normal.)

* There needs to be 3 types of steal actions. #1: run on movement. #2: steal #3: hit and run. #1 would be when the pitcher is totally ignoring you and you just jump super quick, which will be a high chance for getting picked off but high chance for being safe. #2 is all about using the runners stealing attribute. And #3 would be very low chance of being picked off but high chance for being thrown out. For example, you need a feature to start the runners on a 3-2 count with the bases loaded and 2 outs. As it stands right now, you either have to straight steal, risking getting picked off (unless you built in a no-pickoff code for runners-moving situations, which is cheap) or you have to press steal after the pitcher starts his motion. This causes the runner to start very late and causes you, the batter, to lose your focus on the pitch. How about pressing steal once for #2 option, pressing it twice for the #1 option, and holding it down for #3 option, or something like that. You will still want a single press to be the original option.

* You've heard it a million times before but the Catcher makes too many assists. These 2 foot grounders should be 10 hoppers to the SS or 2B.

* Check swings are too easy. I have never had an umpire call a strike on a check swing appeal yet. I'm like 50 for 50.

* Remove that vortex that the outfielders get into when they get near the landing zone for the fly ball. That is what makes it hard to catch a very hard hit ball, you don't know where it will land and you have to know how fast or slow to run. Also, make the CPU less knowledgable on how fast to run.

* Change the throwing feature a little more. The infielders throw the ball to 1B too soon sometimes. For example, if you let the 3B field the ball and don't press any button, make him shuffle his feet, pump the ball in his glove and step closer and closer to 1B. The more time you do this, the more accurate the throw will be. Then, when you throw (soft tap or hard long hold) it will be a well timed, perfect throw. You can still have your pre-load, but that is only in an urgent play.

* There are too many crazy double plays where they bare hand, spin around all crazy, and make the greatest play of all time when the play doesnt even call for it. The runners will both be out by a mile, yet both the SS and 2B make twirly whirly barehand plays.

* Stop having the runner at third base run home aggressively, when the runners go in motion, on a bases loaded, 3-2 count with 2 outs.

* Lastly, the fantasy draft AI needs an overhaul. For example, a 30 year old closer is drafted in the 1st round by the CPU, while I take a 21 year old, 80 overall A rated pitcher in the 7th round. However, the trade logic knows they 21 year old is waaaay more valuable than the closer. Whoever built the trade logic should take a crack at the fantasy draft logic. Perhaps, come up with a Franchise Value attribute, which take into account, age, potential, how many years the team has control of him, etc. This way, a 33 year old, 85 overall, that will be a free agent next year, will no longer be drafted 5 rounds ahead of a 24 year old, 75 overall, A potential, that is still in his renewal years.

Just my .02

[Joe Random]

Quote: Originally Posted by strawberryshortcake

Your experience is why we need a baserunning practice mode. And no, I'm not talking about the one currently in the game, because it does absolutely no good for people who do not play RTTS. The controls are completely different. Secondly, doesn't the game actually have something in place, similar but not exact. I know there's a way to use the D-pad button, but I personally use the analog stick. Push the left analog stick to the baserunner (the game will highlight the baserunner) and then you simply press the face button corresponding to the desired base (X = home, O = first, triangle = 2nd, square = 3rd). If you have a runner on first and want to send him to 3rd, all you have to do is point the analog stick at the runner and then press the SQUARE button. He will run through second base directly to third. Runner on first, send him home ... press left analog stick towards runner on first and then press "X." If you need the runner to go backwards for any reason, push the left stick towards the runner and press the button corresponding to the base you want the runner to return to. If you already have the runner highlighted initially, you don't need to push the left stick to him again to make him go backwards.

Yeah I've had the same problem in the show for years, it's not that he doesn't know how to use the simple base running controls. I have similar issues and I press controls VERY promptly and correct for years, know exactly what dude is saying and its very frustrating, always seems to cost an important run too, never in a blowout game lol

[strawberryshortcake]

Quote: Originally Posted by Joe Random

Yeah I've had the same problem in the show for years, it's not that he doesn't know how to use the simple base running controls. I have similar issues and I press controls VERY promptly and correct for years, know exactly what dude is saying and its very frustrating, always seems to cost an important run too, never in a blowout game lol

I know what you mean. In the heat of the moment, you have a brain fart and you start pressing buttons. If I have multiple runners on base, I usually resort back to hitting L1 (or is it just holding down L1) to advance runners.

... which comes back full circle to my initial point in my previous post, it would be greatly appreciative for a situational franchise/exhibition base running mode completely separate from the RTTS baserunning practice mode.

Allow the user to put runners wherever s/he chooses, customize the CPU to hit to whatever part of the field, and the user simply controls the runners. We already have a batting practice mode, why not baserunning practice mode?

Allow the user also to practice steals, set up runners at the corner on 1st and 3rd. Let the user practice sending the runner to 2nd as a decoy, meanwhile also sending the runner home.

Let the user practice getting caught in a rundown, and attempt to get back to a base safely.

Different baserunning practices.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Finally, I have my franchise started after far too much time spent editing and I have to say: this game is fantastic! Perhaps my view is a bit optimistic because I didn't play the game much before the more current patches came out. So I'm not seeing any frustrating bugs/glitches.

I have the SOTS packs in there and it's a different world when I strike a guy out and hear Jay-Z/Swizz Beats "On to the Next One" transition into the FOX music theme between innings. Props to the devs for getting their own SOTS in there despite the hardware limitations.

A partial list of other things that really take this game to the next level:

-The PBR does wonders for the padded OF walls, the wood grain on the dugout bench, and the matte helmets. It's fantastic.

-The animations look better the more I've watched them. Pitchers are more solid and definitive with their movements this year. I've seen some slick fielding animations.

-The expanding branded equipment really adds a lot to the diversity of this game. It helps make certain players look more unique. Especially the fresh branded catching gear.

-The fish eye batting camera is for real. I usually make a custom camera, but I really like how you can see foul line to foul line and still pick up pitches.

-The bullpen and broadcast cameras at different stadiums add just a bit of extra variety and make each ballpark feel different.

-The artwork on the chalk line degradation is really nice.

-The new scouting system feels a bit tighter, and while it's not perfect, the 20-80 system makes it a bit more authentic.

-After countless hours of editing, I've come to enjoy the information being segregated into different panels more. It beats all the scrolling up and down we use to have to do when editing attributes and equipment.

-While the font size seemed a bit small in the menu screens at first, I am not having as much issue reading it now. Moreover, the larger font on the in-game OSD is great. As is displaying the HR distance every time.

-Saw the La Jolla cove scenery shot in San Diego and it adds more locale to where you are playing. It might get old if it appears too often, but so far so good.


There will always be things to improve on (player models, grass/dirt, and deepening AI/modes come to mind), but this is the best baseball game I've ever played. Probably the best sports game, too.

[No.27]

WTNY Agreed! I am finally in the best sports game camp. What makes the big difference for me with this game is the OS community involvement. Roster makers, slider gurus and equipment editors contribute their own time to take the gameplay to another level. While others willing to offer robust discussion, tips, tricks and helpful advice make it a game that I am still learning about after years of playing.

[Herschie]

Quote: Originally Posted by No.27

WTNY Agreed! I am finally in the best sports game camp. What makes the big difference for me with this game is the OS community involvement. Roster makers, slider gurus and equipment editors contribute their own time to take the gameplay to another level. While others willing to offer robust discussion, tips, tricks and helpful advice make it a game that I am still learning about after years of playing.

Yes! I am all about the 1989 Cubs! They were huge underdogs. Don Zimmer even said that if the team finished .500, they'd celebrate. I love using them in The Show. Even though nobody made the 1989 rosters, they're fairly easy to make out of 1988 or 1990. Plus, the 2016 Cubs bore me in The Show, they're too good!

As much whining as I did about the baserunning, one thing I do like is if I hit a sacrifice fly to right field with the bases loaded, if I press R1, the runners on second and third will tag, but not the runner on first. That makes it so much easier.