MLB 13 The Show News Post

MLB 13 The Show Interview - Breaking Down Everything You Need to Know (ESPN)

10:17 AM - January 24, 2013 by tnixen

ESPN's Jon Robinson recently sat down with Ramone Russell, Community Manager for MLB 13 The Show, as they discuss the new hitting system, characterizing push/pull hitters, re-balancing and re-tooling the pitching game, Road to the Show, Playoff mode, Franchise mode, online, over 1,000 brand new presentations, baserunning, and more.

Quote:


	ESPN: One of the first announcements Sony made about "MLB 13" was the addition of Playoff mode. What details can you divulge about this new feature? Ramone: With the postseason mode, we have a new playoff presentation package. What we wanted to do was give you a way to jump right into the playoffs and experience what it's like in a different situation. In years past, you either had to make the playoffs in Road to the Show, which could take years, or you had to play through all 162 games of your franchise. Now you can pick any team and it kicks off this playoff presentation package that you only get in postseason mode. We recorded every game of the World Series this year, and that's the audio you're getting for the postseason. The first strike of a playoff game, the crowd goes absolutely nuts, and that's the kind of thing you'll get this year. They play the national anthem, you'll see the players without their ball caps, and you'll see tons on animations and scenes that you just won't see in a regular game. That's the whole focus of the postseason, to make it feel like a completely different experience.

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Member Comments

# 1 brrmikey @ 01/24/13 10:20 AM

thanks for the info...the screenshots look tight.

# 2 The Kid 24 @ 01/24/13 10:44 AM

Reading about the Postseason Presentation package has me super excited for this game now!! I can't wait to see what that's all about!! Bring March on already!!

# 3 Number2DJ @ 01/24/13 11:12 AM

Thanks for posting this. The new RTTS baserunning sounds interesting, along with the new "button-accuracy" fielding and the commentary,

# 4 WahooFan @ 01/24/13 12:31 PM

Is the Postseason presentation package incorporated into Franchise/Season/RTTS if you make the playoffs then, or is it strictly tied to Playoff Mode right now? Or is that one of those little surprises we have to find out for ourselves? Just curious.

# 5 tnixen @ 01/24/13 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WahooFan


	Is the Postseason presentation package incorporated into Franchise/Season/RTTS if you make the playoffs then, or is it strictly tied to Playoff Mode right now? Or is that one of those little surprises we have to find out for ourselves? Just curious.

I would bet all my money on it that the new Postseason presentation package is in all modes!

# 6 Curahee @ 01/24/13 12:42 PM

This is one of the best reads so far and definitely the best interview so far.
Im really excited about all the changes and cant wait to test them out.

# 7 tnixen @ 01/24/13 12:48 PM

"One of the first announcements Sony made about "MLB 13" was the addition of Playoff mode. What details can you divulge about this new feature?

With the postseason mode, we have a new playoff presentation package. What we wanted to do was give you a way to jump right into the playoffs and experience what it's like in a different situation. In years past, you either had to make the playoffs in Road to the Show, which could take years, or you had to play through all 162 games of your franchise. Now you can pick any team and it kicks off this playoff presentation package that you only get in postseason mode. We recorded every game of the World Series this year, and that's the audio you're getting for the postseason. The first strike of a playoff game, the crowd goes absolutely nuts, and that's the kind of thing you'll get this year. They play the national anthem, you'll see the players without their ball caps, and you'll see tons on animations and scenes that you just won't see in a regular game. That's the whole focus of the postseason, to make it feel like a completely different experience."

O man this sounds great!!!

# 8 sydrogerdavid @ 01/24/13 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnixen


	"One of the first announcements Sony made about "MLB 13" was the addition of Playoff mode. What details can you divulge about this new feature? With the postseason mode, we have a new playoff presentation package. What we wanted to do was give you a way to jump right into the playoffs and experience what it's like in a different situation. In years past, you either had to make the playoffs in Road to the Show, which could take years, or you had to play through all 162 games of your franchise. Now you can pick any team and it kicks off this playoff presentation package that you only get in postseason mode. We recorded every game of the World Series this year, and that's the audio you're getting for the postseason. The first strike of a playoff game, the crowd goes absolutely nuts, and that's the kind of thing you'll get this year. They play the national anthem, you'll see the players without their ball caps, and you'll see tons on animations and scenes that you just won't see in a regular game. That's the whole focus of the postseason, to make it feel like a completely different experience." O man this sounds great!!!

Very nice. I love how they went the extra mile to put in something special for this mode. Not some, "Here's a playoff format that you can plug teams into," kind of thing.

# 9 Stikskillz @ 01/24/13 01:14 PM

The additional online info is awesome as well, especially regarding the pitching rotation and relievers. The confirmation that we should have wired connections when playing online is also an important revelation for those who play wirelessly.

*Online is always tough because there are no servers, it's a peer-to-peer connection. Last year was our best year online, and if you're wired, you should be fine. You need to be wired because baseball is such a twitch game, we always encourage people to use a wired connection to get the best speed. One thing we added this year are ping indicators. You were going into games blind last year, not knowing if your opponent had a strong signal, but this year, before the game, we have a ping indicator that goes in, pings both of your IPs, and lets you know beforehand what type of experience you should anticipate. Same thing with leagues. We started over with leagues, streamlining everything and making it easy. Another thing we noticed online was everyone pitching with their No. 1 pitchers all the time. That's all they did. But now, we have this energy system where, if you pitch with a No. 1 starter, he has to rest, and now, what you can't do is play as CC Sabathia one day, then play as Matt Cain the next. If you use a No. 1, all the No. 1s are now tired. Same thing goes with the closers. We saw people were exploiting the closing pitchers in the game and using them three innings straight. If you do that this year, all of the closing pitchers in the entire league will be tired for your next game, so now you're going to have to think and actually strategize about what pitchers you want in the game and how long you want to use them.

# 10 tnixen @ 01/24/13 01:22 PM

I wonder if before the first playoff and world series games begin if we get to see both teams announced and run on the field down the first and third base lines and tip there cap to the crowd?

Also does "Opening Day" and the "All Star game" also get a special presentation like the post season has?

# 11 LastActionHero @ 01/24/13 02:07 PM

This actually got me very excited:

Quote:


	"We have a new baserunning mechanic that's real simple. If you want to steal, hold L2 until the controller rumbles, then when you let go, the guy will take off."

So finally no bad jumps because of the CPU decides it for you!
Now give us full control over pick-offs and I'll shut up for good

# 12 Curahee @ 01/24/13 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LastActionHero


	This actually got me very excited: So finally no bad jumps because of the CPU decides it for you! Now give us full control over pick-offs and I'll shut up for good

Are you talking about pick off in MOM?

# 13 Russell_SCEA @ 01/24/13 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LastActionHero


	This actually got me very excited: So finally no bad jumps because of the CPU decides it for you! Now give us full control over pick-offs and I'll shut up for good

Not necessarily if you try and steal with a person who has a low baserunning ability rating his initial move once you manual steal won't be as good as a guy with high attributes.

It's still user input+player ratings= outcome.

# 14 LastActionHero @ 01/24/13 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell_SCEA


	Not necessarily if you try and steal with a person who has a low baserunning ability rating his initial move once you manual steal won't be as good as a guy with high attributes. It's still user input+player ratings= outcome.

Ah ok thanks for clarifying. But does this steal method gives us a little more user input/result than when you just tap R2 once?

# 15 Russell_SCEA @ 01/24/13 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LastActionHero


	Ah ok thanks for clarifying. But does this steal method gives us a little more user input/result than when you just tap R2 once?

There are two steal methods manual and auto. With manual the runner will take off the moment you let go of L2. With auto he will take off on the pitchers first movement.

# 16 cardinalbird5 @ 01/24/13 02:57 PM

Is Auto the same as early steal or is that something completely different?

# 17 Russell_SCEA @ 01/24/13 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardinalbird7


	Is Auto the same as early steal or is that something completely different?

Auto is a cue steal where you press the button and the cpu will take off on the pitchers first movement to the plate. It's 100% ratings driven, the manual allows you to take off running whenever you let go of L2.

# 18 GWPump23 @ 01/24/13 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell_SCEA


	Auto is a cue steal where you press the button and the cpu will take off on the pitchers first movement to the plate. It's 100% ratings driven, the manual allows you to take off running whenever you let go of L2.

Russell, get of the boards!

Get back to hazing the new the CD guys!

-GW-

# 19 UMhester04 @ 01/24/13 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell_SCEA


	Auto is a cue steal where you press the button and the cpu will take off on the pitchers first movement to the plate. It's 100% ratings driven, the manual allows you to take off running whenever you let go of L2.

And I'm guessing if your holding L2 to steal and they pick off, the game goes into a cutscene for the runner to dive back, correct? Or is it manual now

# 20 jmik58 @ 01/24/13 04:29 PM

I take it that the new throwing system does not incorporate a visual meter/etc.

Is it just something we have to learn the "touch" for?

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