MLB '11: The Show – In Stores Now!

[Frenchy17]

Originally Posted by DonRSD

the leagues always fail because toefer runs them.

2 seasons and 2 failed leagues.

i have no desire to run a league, but whoever does it.....make it only 40-60 games

Actually Don, that was 2 games ago, I ran two for last year's game and they both failed as well. It is because of people quitting because their online connections suck. If it were up to me, I would have another one with the 8-10 people that normally play and we know have good connections. But some of those people wanted more people and then that is where it gets tricky.

[ryandubbz]

Originally Posted by Frenchy17

Actually Don, that was 2 games ago, I ran two for last year's game and they both failed as well. It is because of people quitting because their online connections suck. If it were up to me, I would have another one with the 8-10 people that normally play and we know have good connections. But some of those people wanted more people and then that is where it gets tricky.

Frenchy do it again. Lets do like 8-10 like you say. I could count about 5 people last year that barely were ever online, and that makes it very hard to deal with.

[DonRSD]

Originally Posted by Frenchy17

Actually Don, that was 2 games ago, I ran two for last year's game and they both failed as well. It is because of people quitting because their online connections suck. If it were up to me, I would have another one with the 8-10 people that normally play and we know have good connections. But some of those people wanted more people and then that is where it gets tricky.

i think the length of the season is the main thing.
doing 80 games is way too much.
i think around 32-40 games is sufficient then make the playoffs just like real life format & games played in each series.

Originally Posted by ryandubbz

Frenchy do it again. Lets do like 8-10 like you say. I could count about 5 people last year that barely were ever online, and that makes it very hard to deal with.

also running a tournament (single elimination) will help attract people to the league AND most importantly, let the newbs understand about scheduling games as opposed to learning 'on the fly' when the season starts.

[Icedburden]

Originally Posted by DonRSD

i think around 32-40 games is sufficient then make the playoffs just like real life format & games played in each series.

I agree with this. Once it's springtime/summer I don't know how much time I'll have to play anything. I'll be up to 60-70 hours at work. 40 games sounds like the sweet spot.

[Frenchy17]

I played the demo for a while last night and wow do I stink! I like the new controls but it will definitely take some getting used to.

[Steelmaker]

After playing the demo last night I fear that MLB the Show is dangerously approaching "Madden" territory in terms of saturation. Don't get me wrong. It was good, as the show always is. However I feel they have sort of hit a ceiling in terms of how hard they can push this engine. It essentially feels like I am playing 2010. There's nothing that leaps out at me that shows any kind of marked improvement over the last 2 iterations. Now each MLB: The Show just feels like a roster/stadium update with minor additions here and there.

[toef]

I'd be down for the Yankees in a small 8-10 team league, depending on who is in it. I think there are enough people on the forums and from prior leagues that I trust, but there are others that always seem into it and never stick with it.

I like how Don still feels a need to call me out 2 years later, even though he was one of the first people to drop out of that first league, and then he joined a whopping 0 of the others that started after. I guess his life is boring enough that he still feels a need to hold an online grudge.

~~~~

As for the demo, I like the new pitching controls, but I don't really like the analog controls for batting. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but it seems like you have to prepare for the swing ahead of time by holding down, and then pushing it up when you want to swing. The reason I find this annoying is that it freezes the batter in his sort of "ready to swing" pose, and looks pretty unrealistic (compared to the more fluid batting stance animation seen when you're not holding down on the analog stick).

I only played it for a few minutes, so maybe I'm doing something wrong (maybe the pulling down/pushing up should be one quick motion as the pitch is coming at you, instead of pulling down as the pitcher starts his windup, then waiting to push up).

[toef]

Originally Posted by Steelmaker

After playing the demo last night I fear that MLB the Show is dangerously approaching "Madden" territory in terms of saturation. Don't get me wrong. It was good, as the show always is. However I feel they have sort of hit a ceiling in terms of how hard they can push this engine. It essentially feels like I am playing 2010. There's nothing that leaps out at me that shows any kind of marked improvement over the last 2 iterations. Now each MLB: The Show just feels like a roster/stadium update with minor additions here and there.

I only played the demo for about 15 minutes last night, but I felt the same way. If it weren't for the new controls, I wouldn't have realized I wasn't playing last year's version.

Based on what I've read of the game though, most of the improvements seem to be things you can't necessarily pick up on in just a single demo, but will appreciate over the course of a season of playing. Or at least that's my hope.

[Frenchy17]

Originally Posted by Steelmaker

After playing the demo last night I fear that MLB the Show is dangerously approaching "Madden" territory in terms of saturation. Don't get me wrong. It was good, as the show always is. However I feel they have sort of hit a ceiling in terms of how hard they can push this engine. It essentially feels like I am playing 2010. There's nothing that leaps out at me that shows any kind of marked improvement over the last 2 iterations. Now each MLB: The Show just feels like a roster/stadium update with minor additions here and there.

I couldn't disagree with this more! With the new controls it felt like a whole new game to me. As far as pushing the engine, what more can they really do? They have the stadiums pretty much down to a tee. Compare the fans on MLB the show to the fans in a Madden game and tell me who is slacking on pushing the engine. It is supposed to be a simulation of baseball, they listened to the fans and adding analog controls, rain, and some other things. Those seem like major additions to me compared to what Madden or NCAA throws out there each year. What more do you want?

[Frenchy17]

Originally Posted by toef

As for the demo, I like the new pitching controls, but I don't really like the analog controls for batting. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but it seems like you have to prepare for the swing ahead of time by holding down, and then pushing it up when you want to swing. The reason I find this annoying is that it freezes the batter in his sort of "ready to swing" pose, and looks pretty unrealistic (compared to the more fluid batting stance animation seen when you're not holding down on the analog stick).

I feel the same about pitching, after getting used to it I found it easier to throw some pitches for strikes than before like sliders and curveballs. As far as batting, I think it is more fun and actually looks more realistic. Unless of course you hold down the whole time the pitcher is in his windup. I would say 95% of batters in baseball have some sort of pre-swing movement and do not stand the box as a stiff the whole time like before. If you hold down as the pitch is released and then swing, it looks more realistic in my opinion.

[toef]

Originally Posted by Frenchy17

I feel the same about pitching, after getting used to it I found it easier to throw some pitches for strikes than before like sliders and curveballs. As far as batting, I think it is more fun and actually looks more realistic. Unless of course you hold down the whole time the pitcher is in his windup. I would say 95% of batters in baseball have some sort of pre-swing movement and do not stand the box as a stiff the whole time like before. If you hold down as the pitch is released and then swing, it looks more realistic in my opinion.

I'll give that a try later. I think hitting was so hard that I was pre-loading on the down part of the swing much too soon, just so I could focus on the up part.

The base-throwing is going to take a bit of getting used to, but I think I like it. I'm not sure if it's related to throwing too hard, but I seemed to be overthrowing the cut-off men a lot. I guess that's something else to get used to (instead of just hitting a button and the throw automatically going where you want it to).

[Frenchy17]

Originally Posted by toef

I'll give that a try later. I think hitting was so hard that I was pre-loading on the down part of the swing much too soon, just so I could focus on the up part.

The base-throwing is going to take a bit of getting used to, but I think I like it. I'm not sure if it's related to throwing too hard, but I seemed to be overthrowing the cut-off men a lot. I guess that's something else to get used to (instead of just hitting a button and the throw automatically going where you want it to).

I agree with that, how do you throw to the cut-off man anyways?

[toef]

Originally Posted by Frenchy17

I agree with that, how do you throw to the cut-off man anyways?

L1 + the analog stick seemed to be working for me... sometimes.

[Jellybeans]

I'll probably get it.

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by Frenchy17

I couldn't disagree with this more! With the new controls it felt like a whole new game to me. As far as pushing the engine, what more can they really do? They have the stadiums pretty much down to a tee. Compare the fans on MLB the show to the fans in a Madden game and tell me who is slacking on pushing the engine. It is supposed to be a simulation of baseball, they listened to the fans and adding analog controls, rain, and some other things. Those seem like major additions to me compared to what Madden or NCAA throws out there each year. What more do you want?

They can stop releasing and charging full price for a "new" version of essentially the same game. Release a yearly roster update/tweaks here and there to keep things current and charge 20 bucks. You may like the new controls and that's great. But you cannot deny that they are really having to stretch to try and come up with new reasons (excuses) to bring a new one out every year. They've taken the franchise as far as they can for this generation.

[Frenchy17]

Originally Posted by Steelmaker

They can stop releasing and charging full price for a "new" version of essentially the same game. Release a yearly roster update/tweaks here and there to keep things current and charge 20 bucks. You may like the new controls and that's great. But you cannot deny that they are really having to stretch to try and come up with new reasons (excuses) to bring a new one out every year. They've taken the franchise as far as they can for this generation.

essentially you can say what you are saying about every sports game out there!

[Clark Kent]

Mauer is only on the cover again because of Hamilton's past problems. As a reigning MVP and one of the most popular players in the game, Hamilton would have been a no-doubt pick if Sony was 100% sure he wouldn't relapse. But the admitted drug problems means Sony could have a huge problem if the face of their videogame was arrested or had a problem while he was on the cover.

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by Frenchy17

essentially you can say what you are saying about every sports game out there!

True but the difference between MLB and the other sports games is MLB is about as perfect as you can get this generation. Games like Madden could be improved exponentially, it's just that EA chooses to focus on the stupid crap instead of areas that show real improvement year over year.

[Clark Kent]

EA's exclusive license with the NFL seriously hurts the innovation possible.

[lacubs]

got a question i got the demo and when the game out can i change the pitching to the old style?