MLB 15 The Show News Post

MLB 15 The Show Gameplay Stream Details - Archive Available Now, If You Missed It

04:56 PM - February 5, 2015 by Steve_OS

The MLB 15 The Show gameplay stream is starting in a few minutes. You can click the "Spoiler Show" button below to watch it here at OS, or open a new browser and watch it. For those of you that miss out, we'll update this post with the archive when it is available on Twitch.

Some bullet points (Thanks jyoung!)

Graphics

Dynamic shadows in each stadium that will change over the course of the season
Colors will also change based on the amount of sun exposure
Grass and dirt colors are more accurate for each stadium
There are way more skin tones (they used to only have 13), which means you'll get much more realistic skin on dark-toned players

Gameplay

Directional hitting lets you influence where the ball will go, even in "timing only" mode
Dynamic pitch breaks make each pitch type easier to recognize and closer to how the ball acts in real life
Quick counts will start you in the middle of an at-bat more frequently. Pitchers will always start on a 1-1 count
Manual cutoffs are triggered by the L1 button and will help keep singles with a runner in scoring position from turning into cheap doubles
Outfielders have more curved, indirect routes, and will no longer just take straight paths to the ball. This should help reduce the number of undeserved doubles and triples
Infielders will follow the ball better and cover bases more realistically
There were no changes to umpires
The new MLB challenge system is in place for close plays at bases
Lots of new catching, tagging, and throwing animations were captured; they are unique to each base
Baserunners will slow up now and dynamically change their run speed based on where the ball is hit
There is more of a separation this year between fast and and slow runners
Expect less warping and no more sudden, unrealistic speed boosts in all fielding animations
You can use analog swings with timing hitting now
Meter pitching is more sensitive and has more risk/reward. Missing your mark has more of a penalty, hitting your mark has more of a benefit
Fielding and throwing sliders are now separated into different slider categories for infield/outfield

Next week: There will be a video blog for licensed equipment and the universal rewards system.
In the future: More twitch broadcasts are coming. A "presentation" stream will be next.

UPDATE: If you missed the stream, you can watch the archive here or click the "Spoiler Show" button below.

Spoiler

As gameplay is being shown, let us know what you think!

Game: MLB 15 The ShowReader Score: 9/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS Vita / PS3 / PS4Votes for game: 31 - View All

MLB 15 The Show Videos

Member Comments

# 161 nemss316 @ 02/05/15 09:52 PM

In this day and age where there is no competition from other developers with an MLB game of their own, the fact that the devs are engaging, and open about what theyd like to add, what they can't add, etc. speaks volumes.

Good stream, just need the 31st of March to get here.

# 162 Gagnon39 @ 02/05/15 10:01 PM

Hang on a minute. Am I missing something here... Do they have local broadcast overlays? I saw in a Cubs screen it had a CSN overlay. If this is the case I don't think I can take it anymore, my head might just explode.

# 163 Tarheelz50 @ 02/05/15 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gagnon39


	Hang on a minute. Am I missing something here... Do they have local broadcast overlays? I saw in a Cubs screen it had a CSN overlay. If this is the case I don't think I can take it anymore, my head might just explode.

I'm pretty sure that was just a comparison photo.

# 164 adh5199 @ 02/05/15 10:05 PM

Did anyone else notice that the pitcher for the Dodgers that comes in after Kershaw has light skinned arms but a darker face and neck that doesn't match the arms?????? Hope this gets fixed.....

# 165 johnnyg83 @ 02/05/15 10:06 PM

I'm really excited. Once they announced "continue your franchise" I started playing almost every game in my season instead of playing one game a series. I find it so much more rewarding ... matchups, cold streaks, starting pitching match-ups, fatigue, it all becomes so much more important.

I'll never not buy a new version. It's worth it to me even if the upgrades are subtle.

*Never? "Only Siths deal in absolutes."

# 166 Godgers12 @ 02/05/15 10:24 PM

Something that I have always thought was an eye sore has been fielders reacting to a bad throw before his team mate even threw the ball. In other words scripted errors. I saw a shot in the feed where it looked the same. I hope I'm wrong and they've addressed this, but I have my doubts.

# 167 seanjeezy @ 02/05/15 10:26 PM

Hmmm... not really seeing the need to argue over personal opinions, it does nothing but derail the thread (as we can see from the last 10+ pages). The generalizations and complaining about the complainers is getting a little tiresome too.

Can't we all just respect our fellow members' opinions and accept them for what they are?

Now I personally was pleased with what I saw from the stream - the dynamic lighting, warmer color filter, and new equipment stood out to me.

I was disappointed with some of the animations and a.i. decisions though, specifically legacy ones that have been in the game for years. I'm talking about the barehand catch and throw all-in-one motion by middle infielders on double play attempts and the a.i. decision to throw off-balance to second on plays going away from the second base bag.

The first issue isn't as much of a problem aesthetically as it is gameplay-wise, in that it greatly increases double play success rate. The fact that the animation is triggered at a high rate doesn't help either.

The second issue is just a commonsense baseball thing. The two plays in question were 1. Kendrick making a sliding stop deep in the 4 hole and 2. Cashner fielding a bunt down the first base line. I was always taught to throw to the base your momentum is taking you, but I obviously never played in the majors so I might be off base on that one

That's it, everything else looked pretty good to me... excited for future streams

# 168 johnnyg83 @ 02/05/15 10:28 PM

Please ... no "I wonder who will hit in my two hole" thoughts when franchise comes out.

# 169 Madden's Jowels @ 02/05/15 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by @legendm0de


	There definitely needs to be an all new player model for this current generation of console, but it's surely a monumental task to completely overhaul that area. No game has really done, that FIFA and NBA are just extremely better versions of the same model from last era. NHL however did do an overhaul and it was extremely well done, and very needed just like it is in MLB The Show. MLB's models simply don't have the elasticity that relates for me of these players athleticism. That's largely because of the lack of body types, having probably less than 5 bodies? FIFA's player models are remarkable. I really would wish it were possible MLB could mimick those but if anything, I would at least like them to expand the players flexibility.

Yep. Player models and the cloth physics are both miles better than The Show, unfortunately. I'd say graphically, as a whole, FIFA is better. It's harder to really tell unless you go into replay mode and zoom in though, because the default camera view is so zoomed out to show a large portion of the pitch.

It's a valid complaint, and I don't understand why everyone is jumping down that one guy's throat for pointing it out. He was being respectful.

Constructive criticism is what makes the game better.

I can sit here and say

a) player models, cloth physics, and stats are 3 glaring issues with the game still
b) I'm going to buy it anyway, because it's a great game, and there's enough new stuff that has me excited.

EDIT: I also think it's important to point out that the team that makes The Show is nowhere near the size of the team that makes Madden or 2K or FIFA, same goes for budget. They deserve more leeway and patience for accomplishing as much as they do, and putting out such a fantastic product.

# 170 BravesBoy @ 02/05/15 10:37 PM

Not much said on that new pitching ball marker..looked nice.

# 171 Gagnon39 @ 02/05/15 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarheelz50


	I'm pretty sure that was just a comparison photo.

I thought so as well but if you look above the outfield wall it has the new (and yet to be there in real life) scoreboard/big screen. So it can't be a real-life shot.

# 172 ShowTyme15 @ 02/05/15 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyBass


	It all pretty much seems like tiny incremental steps, which is fine because it's understandable, but at some point I'd like to think a realistic minor league system is more important than the shade of green for The Green Monstah. I know I know, two different things entirely, but lower minor leagues matter to franchises in real life. Why not in this game?

Ramone mentioned in another thread lower minor leagues probably isn't going to happen.

# 173 seanjeezy @ 02/05/15 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BravesBoy


	Not much said on that new pitching ball marker..looked nice.

One thing I noticed was that the ball marker was at the bottom instead of the top, I'm assuming that means if you want to throw a curveball in the dirt you literally aim in the dirt instead of just barely below the strike zone.

# 174 SoxFan01605 @ 02/05/15 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gagnon39


	I thought so as well but if you look above the outfield wall it has the new (and yet to be there in real life) scoreboard/big screen. So it can't be a real-life shot.

The inner picture (the part with the CSN scorebug) is from a real life broadcast. The outer portion is the video game, which is why you are seeing that mix.

The images were overlayed to show how closely they can now match the colors (Ramone explains this at around 8:15 or so).

# 175 BravesBoy @ 02/05/15 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanjeezy


	One thing I noticed was that the ball marker was at the bottom instead of the top, I'm assuming that means if you want to throw a curveball in the dirt you literally aim in the dirt instead of just barely below the strike zone.

Yea, it seemed to show where the pitch would end up rather than where you wanted to "aim". I'm sure there's still variations in the location still but it was just something that stood out to me

# 176 nemesis04 @ 02/05/15 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adh5199


	Did anyone else notice that the pitcher for the Dodgers that comes in after Kershaw has light skinned arms but a darker face and neck that doesn't match the arms?????? Hope this gets fixed.....

The price you pay when you get early looks at a work in progress. Don't sweat it.

# 177 Gagnon39 @ 02/05/15 10:47 PM

The only thing I guess I'm disappointed with is directional hitting. I, like many of us on here, were hoping that this would basically be MVP's hitting. It seems to me that this is simply the same thing as guess pitch which is already in the game. I really want the ability to change "where" you are swinging AFTER you press the swing button.

# 178 BA2929 @ 02/05/15 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gagnon39


	The only thing I guess I'm disappointed with is directional hitting. I, like many of us on here, were hoping that this would basically be MVP's hitting. It seems to me that this is simply the same thing as guess pitch which is already in the game. I really want the ability to change "where" you are swinging AFTER you press the swing button.

It looks exactly like MVP's hitting to me.

I think you can use it to maneuver where you're guessing prior to the pitch if you want, sort of like pitch guess, otherwise you can just press it in a direction to "go with the pitch" as it's coming to the plate.

That's how it came across to me anyway.

edit: At about 16:35 in the video, you can see that Ramone is still moving the yellow indicators around the strike zone as the pitch is coming in. Even until the last second. Looks like you can look for a pitch in a zone and also "go with the pitch" as well.

# 179 nemesis04 @ 02/05/15 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gagnon39


	The only thing I guess I'm disappointed with is directional hitting. I, like many of us on here, were hoping that this would basically be MVP's hitting. It seems to me that this is simply the same thing as guess pitch which is already in the game. I really want the ability to change "where" you are swinging AFTER you press the swing button.

This is not the same as guess pitch, watch the stream again!

# 180 Armor and Sword @ 02/05/15 10:59 PM

Like always I will wait to play the retail build and try out all the new features and improvements before passing any judgement or forming any opinion.

I have to play the game to truly form my opinion.

Can't wait till the 31st of March!!!!!! WHOOOOOOOT!!!!!

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