MLB 15 The Show News Post

MLB 15 The Show Video - Online Problems of a Different Sort

02:27 PM - July 24, 2015 by RaychelSnr

It's fair to say The Show has made huge strides this season when it comes to online play. The developers behind the game struggled for many years just to provide a lag-free, consistent experience online. However, for the most part we now finally have that consistent experience with MLB 15: The Show.

There are still some pockets of lag and random disconnects, but it's not at the forefront of what is hindering The Show's online play anymore. Instead, now the folks making the game have to deal with issues every other sports game deals with on a yearly basis: gameplay shortcoming and exploits.

So that's what we'll be taking a look at here in this video.

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Member Comments

# 1 dynastymgrguy @ 07/24/15 03:53 PM

Great video post. Thanks. I have really enjoyed DD this year. The lag issues last season drove me away quickly. This year, 90% of the time, lag is not a glaring factor in my wins and losses. However, two of the points you brought up (bunting exploits, and base-stealing exploits) have not really been an issue in my online games.

The group I'm in (DD 1550+ points), I find that the competition is usually serious about competing without taking advantage of exploits. I've played over 70+ games and rarely have been defeated by anyone who exploits bunts or stealing. My wins and losses are scores in the range of 3-2 1-0, 4-3, etc (and a rare 7-1, 6-2). At the higher levels, I am not seeing amateurish gamers. Of course, I could face one tonight, but hopefully not.

As far as holding a runner, I don't care if they still on me with two outs. Especially if I'm facing a poor hitter or a slow hitter. I'll get them out with pitching or just good defense.

And for the bunt exploit, pitch UP in the zone (to get popup), or get a few foul balls out of the hitter. If they are still trying to bunt on two strikes (which another fail bunt equals an out), then you know what kind of person you're facing and can start to put together a strategy against his/her style of game play.

I have also just gone and hit a batter that does the stupid bunting fakes. My way of saying, "Grow Up".

# 2 ChaseB @ 07/24/15 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by misterkrabz


	If a running takes an extended lead they should have to 1) time his release when stealing a base and 2) have to manually return the runner with a button press. I would also add the the 3rd basemen animation when receiving a throw form the catcher makes it nearly impossible to get a moderately fast runner on when stealing. He catches the ball too far in front of the bag. This has cause me more angst than bunting. I have had success slide stepping and pitching out when trying to catch runners stealing second. Bunting could be fixed by forced the batter to line up his reticle with the pitch just as hitting. Just having a generic bunting animation is kind of stupid.

Here's a big ol' hug from me.

# 3 dregos @ 07/24/15 05:59 PM

Great video. Hope the devs are paying attention.

# 4 9erFan4Life @ 07/24/15 11:30 PM

One player you can pick off is Manny Muchado. If he gets a lead at either 1st or 2nd there is a good chance you can get him. I've done it a couple of times and am not sure why it's just him that I can pick offf

# 5 HustlinOwl @ 07/25/15 01:14 AM

Online franchise is a mess

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

# 6 bobloblah1980 @ 07/25/15 11:51 AM

base stealing has been broken for a couple years! any player with speed over 85 is automatic. only chance of remotely catching guys is to have a 0 steal ability slider

# 7 cschauble @ 07/25/15 12:15 PM

I completely agree with everything in the video. When I'm facing a bunt cheeser I simply concede the game because it is zero fun.

I would like to add another source of frustration. A frequent occurrence for me is having a base-runner complete non-responsive to commands. Example: I will hit a double and the guy goes from 1st to 3rd but continues on home even though I've stopped him with my controller. I've lost countless outs/runs over this issue. I'm sure it's tied to the lag in the game but I've seen it completely ruin the experience for me numerous times.

# 8 ChaseB @ 07/25/15 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9erFan4Life


	One player you can pick off is Manny Muchado. If he gets a lead at either 1st or 2nd there is a good chance you can get him. I've done it a couple of times and am not sure why it's just him that I can pick offf

Quote:

Originally Posted by HustlinOwl


	Online franchise is a mess Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yeah I was mostly sticking to on field stuff but I know there are some Online Franchise issues dealing with pitcher stamina and so on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cschauble


	I completely agree with everything in the video. When I'm facing a bunt cheeser I simply concede the game because it is zero fun. I would like to add another source of frustration. A frequent occurrence for me is having a base-runner complete non-responsive to commands. Example: I will hit a double and the guy goes from 1st to 3rd but continues on home even though I've stopped him with my controller. I've lost countless outs/runs over this issue. I'm sure it's tied to the lag in the game but I've seen it completely ruin the experience for me numerous times.

The baserunning is a fair one. I sometimes run into the issue where advance all runners does not seem to work quite right or sending runners back doesn't function as I feel it should. I sometimes wonder if that's lag or just responsiveness of the mechanic though. Like if a baserunner at one base just gets there before someone is at another base it's not "smart" enough to know I still want both to advance even though only one is at the next base so far -- thus it only advances one runner rather than both.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clarke99


	If a player speed is 95+ they should be able to steal like they do in this video. Some players like mentioned hamilton or Jarrod dyson steal at will that's sim.

There's a degree to which I agree. Billy Hamilton steals roughly 60 percent of the time he gets on first base and this year he's successful 88 percent of the time. Dyson steals around 50 percent of the time and he's at about 95 percent success rate this season.

Still, it's more than just speed that should matter. And those steal percentage ratios are still much lower than they are in Show when it comes to online games. It turns more into a routine that guys will steal second and third rather than a mini-confrontation where both sides are trying to battle each other, which takes a lot of the fun and intensity out of it.

# 9 nomo17k @ 07/25/15 10:36 PM

This is a very nice compilation of the issues that detract from the fun. Hope developers are aware.

To be fair to the devs, I think a lot of the issues mentioned are new (or re-introduced) this year, and the developers have plugged up a lot of game balance issues before (e.g., bunting, stealing)... but by attempting to improve parts of the game (e.g., fielding not always being played in haste, widening the gap of fast and slow runners), new issues have arisen.

Anyways it's great someone have done this without needless back and forth of calling out.

Thanks for the work!

# 10 ChaseB @ 07/25/15 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nomo17k


	This is a very nice compilation of the issues that detract from the fun. Hope developers are aware. To be fair to the devs, I think a lot of the issues mentioned are new (or re-introduced) this year, and the developers have plugged up a lot of game balance issues before (e.g., bunting, stealing)... but by attempting to improve parts of the game (e.g., fielding not always being played in haste, widening the gap of fast and slow runners), new issues have arisen. Anyways it's great someone have done this without needless back and forth of calling out. Thanks for the work!

Yeah I think that's a well said way to put it in terms of some issues. And again I think some of these issues are intensified online, where as offline they are not as big a problem (though obviously the CPU/AI has different issues).

Did I say issues enough times? One more just in case: issues

# 11 jeffmc_scea @ 07/27/15 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dregos


	Great video. Hope the devs are paying attention.

We are! I even took notes. Thanks for all the feedback and the great video. People play much differently against each other online, raising issues we can't predict.

# 12 ChaseB @ 07/28/15 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffmc_scea


	We are! I even took notes. Thanks for all the feedback and the great video. People play much differently against each other online, raising issues we can't predict.

Thanks for watching. If you ever want clarification on anything feel free to PM me.

# 13 AnEternalEnigma @ 07/28/15 04:09 AM

I just rage quit a game against a prick who was steal/rundown cheesing. He'd get in rundowns, knowing my catcher would likely rainbow lob the ball to third, which he did, allowing the runner to score because throwing animations are so slow online.

Anytime I see a DD team with Dee Gordon at the top, I pretty much know what to expect. I'm this close to no longer playing this game online because of the speed cheesers.

# 14 ChaseB @ 07/28/15 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnEternalEnigma


	I just rage quit a game against a prick who was steal/rundown cheesing. He'd get in rundowns, knowing my catcher would likely rainbow lob the ball to third, which he did, allowing the runner to score because throwing animations are so slow online.

The rundowns is another good one. You start to try to hold on to the ball until the last second because of the ability for the runner to turn around quickly, but it ends up hurting you a lot of the time.

# 15 HustlinOwl @ 07/28/15 12:36 PM

also look at pitch outs on steals and how runner can stop on a dime and retreat to original base, I have never seen a base stealer doing this in a game

# 16 Wolverines05 @ 07/28/15 12:43 PM

really great vid Chase!!! I'd love for the devs to develop a new mechanic for bunting that incorporates a PCI.

# 17 ChaseB @ 07/28/15 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HustlinOwl


	also look at pitch outs on steals and how runner can stop on a dime and retreat to original base, I have never seen a base stealer doing this in a game

Yeah this is another good one. I don't think you should not be allowed to go back at all because there's still a chance you accidentally pressed the steal button. That being said, you more or less know you're going to be able to swipe the bag based on your jump. So if a pitch out or a bad jump occurs you can generally react quick enough to run back if the catcher throws to second, so it's not really fair to the defense.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolverines05


	really great vid Chase!!! I'd love for the devs to develop a new mechanic for bunting that incorporates a PCI.

Thanks for the feedback! I originally thought about just doing the video purely on steals and bunts because they really are the two biggest issues, but felt it might get a bit boring detailing each of the scenarios/reasons why both are unbalanced online.

# 18 jeffmc_scea @ 07/28/15 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HustlinOwl


	also look at pitch outs on steals and how runner can stop on a dime and retreat to original base, I have never seen a base stealer doing this in a game

There is an exploit/bug related to the stop animation. It allows the runner to change directions much too quickly. This happens offline as well and will be addressed. Thanks again for all the feedback.

# 19 AnEternalEnigma @ 07/28/15 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffmc_scea


	There is an exploit/bug related to the stop animation. It allows the runner to change directions much too quickly. This happens offline as well and will be addressed. Thanks again for all the feedback.

Thanks for contributing here. It does mean a good bit when a developer openly interacts about these very frustrating things.

Another thing that is frustrating is when there's a chopper at the plate. The catcher just springs right up and won't go after the ball until the stand-up animation is complete. Causes a lot of singles that shouldn't be.

# 20 ChaseB @ 07/28/15 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnEternalEnigma


	Another thing that is frustrating is when there's a chopper at the plate. The catcher just springs right up and won't go after the ball until the stand-up animation is complete. Causes a lot of singles that shouldn't be.

Yeah, there are a couple examples of that in the video Enigma, so I assume he was/is aware of that one as well.

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