MLB 11 The Show News Post

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

07:03 PM - February 22, 2011 by Pared

The MLB 11 The Show demo is available now. It weighs in at roughly 3 GB and features the Texas Rangers vs. the San Francisco Giants, in a 4 inning World Series rematch.

Please post your impressions here.

DO NOT post that you are downloading the demo, what % the download is at, the fact that you are starting to install it, etc.

IMPRESSIONS ONLY please.

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Member Comments

# 441 stealyerface @ 02/24/11 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Socalbias


	Like russell said, you cant just wait back on a pitch, because your going to be punished with low power and contact. So slowing the speed will only cause u to wait longer before you load up and swing. Problem people are having is that their is a VERY SMALL time frame to go from loading up to swinging and In a way it's realistic but part of me feels it may become TOO realistic. Split second reactions that create a very high intensity during every second and pure concentration will take away from the relax method many people like. Keep up the competition, just dont make the intensity be on steriods. __________________

Perhaps lowering the pitch speed until one was used to the default speed on the selected skill level?

~syf

# 442 Mos1ted @ 02/24/11 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Segagendude


	My overall impressions: Take away the analog, and it's the same game as 10, I'm afraid. Sure, lighting is incredible this year, but between the same cutscenes and same commentary, (except this time Dave says Eric's name,) it just gave me that "been there, done that" feeling. If you want to flame me, go right ahead, I can take it. I just don't feel like spending another $65 on essentially the same game with nicer lighting. JMO........ Peace.

These have been my thoughts as well. Now grant it, I'm a casual baseball guy; although, I've always kept a baseball game in the library since my NES days (loved the 8-Bit Era baseball game story on the main page). I was looking forward to the analog controls, but they didn't wow me as much as I thought they would. Underneath the surface, it is still the same game as 10 to me.

The graphics didn't look that improved to me (I have a 56" 1080P Samsung that's only 2 years old - before anyone states that it's my TV), the gameplay is essentially the same minus the analog controls, clipping still exists (for a non contact sport, I don't see how this should have been an issue to begin with), and the presentation and commentary are nearly identical. I guess any of the little improvements that went into this game would be missed by a casual guy like me. But I'm glad to see that the hardcore baseball guys are loving the game. It's the same way I feel about the basketball genre. That tells me that this studio is still striving for realism, which is a good thing.

10 was already an excellent game, but I'm not seeing enough improvements (for me personally) to warrant a $65 purchase; especially after I only paid $20 for 10. I had 11 marked on my calendar, but I think I'm going to pass this year and just keep playing 10. One of the advantages of being a casual baseball guy is that I can care less about updated rosters and the likes. I still hope 11 sells well though because that sends a message to the rest of the industry that games that strive on realism can still sell. I'm tired of seeing games, not just from the sports genre but other genres, essentially dumb their games down to appeal to the masses (not naming names here).

# 443 spaceg0st @ 02/24/11 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gagnon39


	Although I'm striking out all the time, I'm really liking the analog hitting. Originally I thought that I would play with zone hitting but I can see that analog may be the way to go. However, my one concern with analog hitting is that the user has no control over the height of the swing. Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about Why is my PCI over the ball? Was it something I did? If I have "perfect" timing shouldn't I hit the ball. The result of this was a swing and a miss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyboxer


	It's based on player ratings. Just like in real life you can can perfect timing and still miss under or over the ball.

Then this is already stupid. First of all, ANYONE playing in the world series shouldn't miss that badly when THE PLAYER has timed, AND flung the Right Stick up in the right direction. It just feels like a dice roll now. What reward is there for the batter? When you do well enough to recognize the pitch, time it, AND swing in the right direction, you SHOULDN'T have to HOPE the computer does the rest in order for you to get a good hit.

Analog hitting = FAIL

# 444 Mr. Franchise @ 02/24/11 12:03 PM

One word to describe the demo. Dissapointment. Feels like 2K all over again only with horrible commentary.

# 445 slickdtc @ 02/24/11 12:09 PM

Love the analog pitching. It feels perfect to me. I like that if you miss too far left, the pitcher will too. If you miss under your mark, the pitcher will too. It's not just, oh I missed the mark, the ball is going to go somewhere. It's going to go where you attempted to throw it, just with the added inside/outside/over/under influence.

Analog hitting looks like it can be really fun and deep, but I think I'll be going with Timing this year. I've never been a good hitter, at least when I come here and read that everyone plays on Hall of Fame and I've been on Veteran forever and still struggle at times. And I've always felt analog hitting kills my plate patience.

I like the fielding. Analog is just a new procedure, but you can tell they really stepped up the fielder ratings and throwing meter is actually functional (I'm coming from MLB 09). It's a lot of fun, brings me back to MVP NCAA 06.

# 446 slimm31 @ 02/24/11 12:11 PM

I have played the demo 4-5 times. And while yes some of what is there is what has been for the last few years, there is more than enough new to make the game fresh and BETTER. If you have not had a chance to play with the camera editor, do it. It is the best way to inject something new into the game if thats what you are looking for. In my case i always had troubles with low pitches, using the camera editor i can adjust the camera INSTEAD of a slider to keep the game genuine, for me at least. It also adds so many more presentation options that you customize to your liking. I think they added just enough this year to make the game fresh without canibalizing what has been an already superb product.

# 447 Entiae @ 02/24/11 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mom41


	I understand this frustration about the stride but it's one of my absolute favorite parts of the analog batting. The load/stride makes it feel so much more like you're facing a real entity on the mound, a real person that you're competing against, not just a ball coming at you.

True. I don't think it's a bad system.. but still. If it frustrates me, I don't think I'll use it. But again, I don't think it's a bad system.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyboxer


	Same here. It makes total sense to have to focus on your stride. People ask and ask for as real experience we can get out of a video game and IMO this is a pretty good representation.

You're absolutely right. My problem is when I go from batting with a player that has a short step to someone like Posey. That's when I lose focus on the actual pitch and just try to get the timing right. That obviously won't give me good results.

But I think I will use in in RTTS. There I won't have that problem.

# 448 Skyboxer @ 02/24/11 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dasfette


	IMO, player ratings should affect PCI size ONLY. I played high school ball, and am not exactly talented, but I still can swing a bat higher or lower in the zone at will. Whether I will connect is the hard part. The easy solution would be to mix the timing and influence (left/right) of analog hitting with full-control PCI with the left stick. The PCI would still be moveable, and would have heavy influence on contact. Timing would still mean A TON. Pushing up to the left/right would help boost contact on inside/outside pitches. IMO, simple solution and MORE OPTIONS!!!

They could just add LS use for bat location.
main thing is once all outcome is determined by the user you might as well eliminate ratings all together except for power speed etc....

# 449 Skyboxer @ 02/24/11 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharp3500


	True. I don't think it's a bad system.. but still. If it frustrates me, I don't think I'll use it. But again, I don't think it's a bad system. You're absolutely right. My problem is when I go from batting with a player that has a short step to someone like Posey. That's when I lose focus on the actual pitch and just try to get the timing right. That obviously won't give me good results. But I think I will use in in RTTS. There I won't have that problem.

Yeah I plan on doing a lot of BP with my players to practice.

# 450 bcruise @ 02/24/11 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyboxer


	They could just add LS use for bat location. main thing is once all outcome is determined by the user you might as well eliminate ratings all together.

Bingo. At that point the game becomes entirely arcade. Not arcade in a bad sense (as is typically used on this board), necessarily, but simply meaning that the user has absolute control of what happens at the plate regardless of who's batting. That's not really the kind of game I want.

# 451 Skyboxer @ 02/24/11 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaceg0st


	Then this is already stupid. First of all, ANYONE playing in the world series shouldn't miss that badly when THE PLAYER has timed, AND flung the Right Stick up in the right direction. It just feels like a dice roll now. What reward is there for the batter? When you do well enough to recognize the pitch, time it, AND swing in the right direction, you SHOULDN'T have to HOPE the computer does the rest in order for you to get a good hit. Analog hitting = FAIL

I've seen plenty of MLB players miss pitches and then you see them with expressions of "How did I miss that!!"

It's a video game. It's never going to match playing for real and I think that gets lost in the discussion to often.

# 452 Golds @ 02/24/11 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemesis04


	Just to let you know the system originally started out with having to use the left stick to aim but was scrapped. There were certain stick scenarios that made using both overly complex. You see the vast majority of people on the board struggling, having to use one stick. Imagine having to involve another stick, worry about timing your stride and having to move the other stick in an entirely different direction in one fluid motion. Train wreck!

I totally agree with you on the complex part of it. I forgot to add the comment that my suggestion isn't based on me actually trying the two stick method (which from your insight, sounds like they did). I haven't played the demo enough to make accusations about the analog, but it does seem that the CPU decides where your bat will be in a high-low respect. Say I time it good, hit the right side of the zone which is where the ball was pitched, what determines the actual vertical level the bat will swing? What determines if the bat will get on top of the ball, under the ball, or a solid squared up sweet spot contact?

# 453 phant030 @ 02/24/11 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golds


	I totally agree with you on the complex part of it. I forgot to add the comment that my suggestion isn't based on me actually trying the two stick method (which from your insight, sounds like they did). I haven't played the demo enough to make accusations about the analog, but it does seem that the CPU decides where your bat will be in a high-low respect. Say I time it good, hit the right side of the zone which is where the ball was pitched, what determines the actual vertical level the bat will swing? What determines if the bat will get on top of the ball, under the ball, or a solid squared up sweet spot contact?

I would assume the players ratings would come into play. More here bc the user has less control of bat placement.

# 454 jestep123 @ 02/24/11 01:08 PM

Loving it so far. I was unimpressed by the Cards/Cubs gameplay earlier this week but this is awesome.

Atmosphere: The crowd looks fantastic. I just dont see the problem behind the plate. For a crowd they look great. Trying to line up the analog pitching with the bases loaded and the crowd going nuts is a challege. You really have to think about your pitches. I find myself throwing more fastballs in that situation because I am affraid I will mess up an an offspeed pitch.

Pitching : This is the best part of the game for me. I used to have MVP 07 so I was familar with Rock N Fire. I am not saying it is easy, I just came in with experience. The ball moves according to whether you hit or miss your target on the meter. Fantastic.

Hitting: In the two games I have played, I have had two hits, both by left handers, both down the first base line. To me this means I need to wait if I want to use the whole field. I know that alot of folks are already wanting to go back to the old hitting scheme. I would say get the full game in your hands and go into BP. Pitch recognition is the absolute key in this mode. You have got to stay back and be patient. If you cant do that, you wont be sucessful. I cant do it, Ive struck out 17 times in 2 games BUT..the last three outs of the last game were all hard hit balls and one was to the warning track so I may be getting there.

The tips I would give for hitting are : stay back and hit the ball where it is pitched. I mean take it for what you will because I have two hits but I know what my weaknesses are.

Fielding: I am yet to fully understand what gets me the green meter but I love the controls. My first throw was a ball in the dirt, after than an error and after that a slick looking 5-4-3 to end an inning. Just stick with it. One thing that is happening to me is that for plays in the field, I am remembering to use the analog stick but for ancillary things like hitting the cutoff man and throwing a guy out on a steal, I am forgeting the analog. I can see that costing me but I love the fact that if you chose analog, that is what you have. There is no overiding inside the play, if that makes sense?

Commentary: So far this has been kind of a mixed bag for me. We'll start with the positives. There does at least seem to be threaded commentary in the game this year where Matt will toss to one of his booth mates for a drop in ("Dynamite drop in Monty, Hes not the best color man in the business for noting folks" -Harry Doyle). I also love how Matt talks about Torreabla starting his career with the Giants and so on. There was an AB with Freddy Sanchez where Matt talked about some of his accomplishments during the AB, which, I may be wrong but I think is new. I thought they only used to do that during the walkup. If we can hear this commentary in advanced years of Franchise it will be spot on, if not that is dissapointing.

Speaking of dissapointment, EK is definently smoother than Rex Hudler but one thing I am tired of already here. Anybody else notice that everytime EK makes a comment by himself in the game it is laced with an akward chuckle? Not everything is funny or weird, just say what you have to say already. What is worse is that when he delivers the same lines Rex used to with the only difference being aforementioned akward chuckle.

I metioned the threaded commentary which is great but it seems like that commentary occurs at the same momment in the game everytime. Like the one about SF's big 4 leading them to the WS. This wouldnt be uncommon for the Show, an example last year is how Matt always talked about the temp after the second pitch of the game but only if an out wasnt recorded on the pitch (if this happened the temp audio was skipped).

Overall great package and folks who are saying it isnt that different might want to at least look this one up as a rental because it really is different. Analog controls are where it is at. I am commited to them, I will sink or swim with them.

# 455 Golds @ 02/24/11 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phant030


	I would assume the players ratings would come into play. More hear bc the user has less control of bat placement.

Yeah I would assume that's what the batting system uses, but if that's the case, then wouldn't analog batting just be a glorified timing swing system? You have to get the right stick to push up in the general correct direction the ball will be, but ultimately the player ratings determine the actual contact. Wouldn't that make button batting closer to total control of how the bat hits the ball?

# 456 nymets94 @ 02/24/11 01:29 PM

i liked the improved player models, can any1 list some improved player models that are right on this year?

# 457 Gagnon39 @ 02/24/11 01:31 PM

To say that hitting for me is hard would be quite the understatement. I just played a game where I switchted back and forth between the two teams in order to concentrate only on batting. The game went a full nine innings (again, with me only batting). The final, as you might guess was 1-0. I finally managed a scrifice fly in the top of the ninth with Texas.

Here's the most frustrating thing and I'm sure its just because I'm not very good.

I struck out a grand total of 28 times. 16 Times with San Francisco and 12 times with Texas.

Although I still like analog hitting right now the main problem I'm finding with it is that, at least to me, the PCI seems to have a mind of its own from time to time. I started concentrating on where I was pushing the analog stick (up and to the left, center, or up and to the right) and then comparing that to what the swing analysis said. Here's a perfect example of why it seems out of whack at times.

This was with a right-handed batter, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that I did not swing outside. I saw the pitch, reacted to it, and swing inside (up and to the left on the analog stick). I MIGHT have pushed slightly more "up" but there's no chance that I swung to the right in this situation.

However, here's what the PCI gave me.

I'm going to play this demo until the full game comes out and hope that I drop my strikeouts numbers dramatically. I want to use analog hitting but if I continue to struggle this much I may have to go back to classic or maybe try zone hitting.

On a positive note, for whatever reason, I am picking up the ball better. I don't know if the default pitch speed has been reduced or what, but I'm laying off more bad pitches. Ironically, not the one I used in this example though.

# 458 nemesis04 @ 02/24/11 01:34 PM

^What level you hitting on Gagnon?

# 459 spaceg0st @ 02/24/11 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdurg


	For those who are making their final judgement on a demo build of a game from December of 2010 which was only designed to showcase the analog controls and nothing else, it's your loss. ...

And what do you think the majority of the complaints are based on? Analog hitting, genius

It's not a final judgment, just disappointment. A lot of us were hoping to like the demo a lot more than we did.

# 460 sink4ever @ 02/24/11 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaceg0st


	And what do you think the majority of the complaints are based on? Analog hitting, genius It's not a final judgment, just disappointment. A lot of us were hoping to like the demo a lot more than we did.

Actually, most of the "complaints" aren't analog hitting, and I've been reading the whole stinkin' thread. Many of the "complaints" are about the crowd behind homeplate (demo from December), graphics and sound (demo from December), or commentary. Many are being "challenged" by analog hitting, and that's not a bad thing. That's not a game flaw. That just means everyone needs to get their rear ends in the batting cage when the game comes out.

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