Genre: Sports Rating: ESRB Everyone Players: 1-4 Online/Offline Cooperative and Competitive Extras: PlayStation Move Compatible, Stereoscopic 3D, Custom Soundtrack, Screenshot Capture, Movie Maker
Released on Blu-ray Disc: March 8th 2011
Widely considered the most authentic baseball game available, MLB® 11 The Show™ is set again to provide fans with the best baseball experience this console generation with even more features and modes destine to quicken the heart, raise the stakes, and hurl you further into the true MLB® baseball experience. As the #1 selling baseball franchise in video game history, The Show is proving once again to be the industry’s premier licensed Major League Baseball® (MLB®) game, both critically and commercially.
Leading off on the new features set for PS3 is the addition of the Pure Analog Control System, which includes analog controls for hitting, pitching, and throwing, adding more precision and accuracy to all three disciplines. Pure Hitting allows you to stride and swing using the Right Analog Stick, Pure Pitching functionality incorporates a new Pitch Meter when setting strength and location, and Pure Throwing can be used to make defensive throws by simply pointing the Right Analog Stick in the direction of the base, also allowing for fake throws to keep runners honest.
Next up is the newly added Co-op Mode, which allows up to four-player offline or online cooperative play where gamers can split duties covering either the infield or outfield, while also switching off at the plate or choosing the specific batters they’d like to control. Users can play 1 vs. 2, 2 vs. 2, or 2 vs. CPU. Also adding to the competitive fire is MLB 11 The Show’s Challenge of the Week—a quick, fast paced 2-3 minute, 1-player, online experience, with leader boards and prizes awarded in three tiers.
The fifth generation of Road to The Show returns in version 5.0 bringing a new interactive slider set to the Create Player process, new training modes triggered by the Player Performance Evaluator, Minor League™ substitution logic improvements, advancement system improvements that now compare your stats versus your competition in the organization, and the new No Assist Fielding option to make the fielding experience even more realistic.
New to the MLB 11 The Show broadcast booth is former Dodger first baseman Eric Karros who joins franchise veterans Matt Vasgersian and Dave Campbell to complete the three man crew. Karros currently works as an MLB color commentator on the FOX network as well as KCAL-TV in Los Angeles, where he is part of the pre-game show for Dodger games.
Additional new features for PS3 include stereoscopic 3D functionality in all gameplay modes, a customizable camera editor, stadium specific broadcast camera angles for all 30 MLB teams, new weather elements in the form of rain and dynamic cloud coverage, stadium specific jumbotrons and fireworks, and PlayStation®Move motion controller support, making its debut in the Home Run Derby® mode.
For fans who want to take The Show on the road, MLB 11 The Show for the PSP and PSPgo systems delivers big baseball action in the palm of your hand by utilizing core gameplay features found in the PS3 system version. MLB 11 The Show will also available PlayStation 2, providing the same authentic baseball experience that fans have come to expect from The Show.
Due to hit stores on March 8, 2011, just in time for Spring Training™, as the only officially licensed first party video game exclusively for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™), PlayStation®2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), and the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) go systems, MLB 11 The Show is prepared to deliver a one-of-a-kind experience for all fans, new and old.
NEW FEATURES IN MLB 11 THE SHOW
Pure Analog Control System – The long awaited Pure Analog Controls for The Show have arrived, including analog controls for hitting, pitching, and throwing. Pure Hitting allows you to stride and swing using the R-stick adding a new dynamic to timing. Pure Pitching functionality is similar to the Pitch Meter when setting strength and location, but uses the R-stick requiring a bit more concentration when timing your release point. Pure Throwing uses the R-stick to make throws when on defense. When fielding the ball, simply point the stick in the direction of the base you’d like to throw towards. You can also control how hard you throw the ball by how long you hold the R-stick in the desired direction—the longer you hold it in that direction, the harder the ball will be thrown. This also allows for fake throws to keep runners honest.
Co-Op Mode (Online & Offline) – Play co-op 1 vs. 2, 2 vs. 2, or 2 vs. CPU, offline or online! In two-player Co-op mode, players are given different selectable duty sharing options. Once the user is at the selection screen, they will be able to choose up to four-player involvement with a maximum of two per team. Online Co-op mode allows a maximum of two consoles and up to four players (two per team) to play a head-to-head online game. The PlayStation®Network (PSN) account used for online game stats and record is the user logged into the XMB and PSN on each console. Users can also play an unranked co-op game with two players on two different consoles or on the same team versus the CPU.
3D Experience – MLB 11 The Show features the most advanced stereoscopic 3D technology, available in all gameplay modes.
PlayStation®Move Support (PS3) – Swing for the fences with your PlayStation Move motion controller in MLB 11 The Show, available in Home Run Derby® only.
Challenge of the Week – Challenge of the Week is a quick, fast paced, 2-3 minute, one-player, online experience, with leader boards and prizes awarded in three tiers. There will be one challenge a week and multiple monthly challenges, summing up the points awarded in the four weekly challenges and two semi-annual grand prizes. Each PSN user will get one free try a week, with each subsequent try having a small fee associated with it—think arcade machine. Prizes include authentic MLB gear signed by MLB players, like Joe Mauer, as well as ticket packages and Sony electronics.
Road to The Show 5.0 – The fifth generation of Road to The Show brings a new interactive slider set to the Create Player process, new training modes triggered by the Player Performance Evaluator, Minor League substitution logic improvements, advancement system improvements that now compare your stats versus your competition in the organization, and the new No Assist Fielding option to make the fielding experience even more realistic. With No Assist Fielding, if you don't react, the game won't do it for you! A new set of base running controls have been added, along with improvements to the existing base running system. Road to The Show also boasts improved camera angles and a full audio upgrade.
Eric Karros Joins The Broadcast Booth – MLB 11 The Show welcomes the 1992 National League Rookie of the Year and former Los Angeles Dodger first baseman, Eric Karros, to the three-man broadcast booth joining veterans Matt Vasgersian and Dave Campbell. Karros currently works as an MLB color commentator on the FOX network, as well as KCAL-TV in Los Angeles, where he is part of the pre-game show for Dodger games.
Camera Editor – MLB 11 The Show is pleased to introduce the Camera Editor, a brand new feature giving players the ability to customize any pitching or batting camera to your own personal specifications. You can not only view the action your own way by customizing the camera’s angle and zoom, but you can modify each pitch meter’s placement and size as well! Use over 35 presets, including all 30 MLB home broadcast views as your starting points for creating your perfect cameras.
Stadium Specific Broadcast Cameras – Want to pitch or hit from the same camera perspective you’re used to seeing while watching your favorite team play on TV? MLB 11 The Show now offers the ability to do just that. All 30 MLB teams have their home broadcast view available for batting and pitching. Use broadcast cameras specific to each stadium you play in or build a custom camera similar to your favorite team's broadcast camera and take it on the road—it's all up to you!
Weather Elements and Stadium Ambiance – MLB 11 The Show continues to bring the most true-to-life experience now including weather elements in the form of rain and dynamic cloud coverage. The rain element takes into account stadium location and can affect the on-field action and play results. Additionally, different cloud variations are included—grey, partly cloudy, or complete cloud coverage, as well as the dusk to darkness aspect of the sky. There is also new night cloud coverage and majestic sunsets. Complementing stadium ambiance are newly designed fireworks, playing after the home team hits a Home Run or wins the game.
Stadium Specific Jumbotrons – Completely redesigned, stadium specific jumbotrons are now available in MLB 11 The Show. They reflect the actual look and feel of all real-life ballpark jumbotron displays. Each stadium's jumbotron board and out of town scoreboard is displayed exactly as seen in each MLB stadium.
Player Performance Evaluator – The Player Performance Evaluator is an enhanced mechanism for providing point bonus opportunities for Road to The Show players, similar to the previously used in-game dynamic goals, but with an emphasis on making each at bat, or batter faced, a critical point earning opportunity. A player’s hitting and/or pitching performance is evaluated on an at-bat by at-bat basis to determine the amount of training points awarded.
User Settings (with ADVA) – The new User Settings system has been created for MLB 11 The Show to provide a streamlined options interface that houses all game options. The system consists of four preset configurations geared towards various user experiences with the ability to create custom configurations from any of the presets. The presets are Beginner, Experienced, Expert, and A.D.V.A. The Association for Disabled Virtual Athletes (ADVA) is the first video game based online competitive sports organization designed specifically for handicapped individuals, making it possible for them to participate in the sports they love, within an environment that fits their needs. MLB 11 The Show offers a default settings option that makes the game more playable and accessible to those with disabilities. The default settings were selected based on consultation by the organization. There is also a new Online User Setting that allows you to set your gameplay style, separate from your opponent. Settings include, pitching interface, hitting interface, cameras, and more.
Online League Upgrade – Building on the foundation of the current online system, MLB 11 The Show offers improved create league functionality with flexible divisions, a new schedule creator, and the ability to use a custom roster for your league. Commissioners can also set Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) controlled teams allowing for more flexibility and have an opportunity to reset or simulate games. There is also a new commissioner role management screen allowing users to provide responsibilities to other members of your league, like resolving games, resetting games, simulating games, and more.
The Show XP System – The new online scoring system unifies your online gaming experience by making all ways to play games (league and exhibition) count towards your MLB status. Users will now gain XP status regardless of whether they win or lose. A win renders more points to the winner, but the user on the losing end will still receive 25% of the points that the game is worth. Time invested will also play a factor. No longer will you receive full points for only completing a two inning game.
Player Vault – Now users can upload a single player, outside of a full roster, for others in the The Show community to download, use, and rate.
Tutorial Movies – The tutorial movies showcase and explain the new controls for five of The Show’s latest features—Pure Hitting, Pure Pitching, Pure Throwing, the Camera Editor, and the Fake Throw System. They can be viewed in the frontend menus or the in-game pause menu.
In-Game Bottom Ticker – Keep tabs on all the action during your Major League season with the addition of The Show's new in-game bottom ticker. You'll now get score updates of games in progress, pitching matchups for games yet to start that day, and final score results highlighting win/loss/save info and notable offensive performances—all recreated just as you would see at the bottom of your screen in real-life. Additionally, you’ll be able to set the ticker to display Friend Updates, so you can keep up with what your friends are up to in The Show.
New Presentations – The Show continues to add to an already expansive presentation base by adding more ways to accurately mirror real-life broadcasts. This year, watch for new pitch-by-pitch sequences that look back at, say, all seven pitches in an at-bat that led to a walk, or a montage of a pitcher's last six strikeouts.
Retooled Fielder Ratings – Improved fielder ratings make defensive substitutions play an even larger role within gameplay. Leave your designated hitter (DH) in the outfield and risk having his shaky glove in the outfield! This year you’ll see an even larger separation in performance by Gold Glovers versus those players less known for their fielding prowess.
CORE FRANCHISE FEATURES
MLB® All-Star Break (includes Home Run Derby® and MLB® All-Star Futures Game™) – Fully implemented in our season modes and available as a stand-alone mode, Home Run Derby follows the MLB rules and flow. The MLB® All-Star Futures Game™ will also be available within season modes in its correct timeframe (just before the Home Run Derby). See if your Road to The Show player is invited to either the Home Run Derby or the Futures Game!
Catcher Calling the Game – The catcher will give a sequence of signs and users will have the ability to change their indicator. Specifically for Road to The Show, the feature will allow a catcher to calling the game. This feature will give a new level of control to the catcher where he will have responsibility to select pitches and position himself to block balls that are in the dirt or wild.
User Controlled Pick-Offs – Want to surprise a base runner with a quick move or lull him to sleep? The pick-off mechanism allows users to choose from a quick, casual, or deceptive pick-off type. In exhibition, season, and Road to The Show modes, you have the ability to decide which move you want to make as a pitcher. As a base runner in Road to The Show you now have to pick up on the pitcher’s move or get thrown out leaning!
Sounds of The Show – Customize your game experience by adding your own music and sounds to the game. With the Music Editor, you can edit Music and apply it to areas such as Home Runs, between inning music, and much more. Also available is the User Recorder that allows you to record your own audio and apply it to areas like team cheers/jeers, and team chants/yells. Whether it’s team or player specific, the sounds of The Show allows you to make your MLB 11 The Show audio experience the way you want it.
Movie Maker – The movie maker gives the user the ability to select up to ten replays to add to a single movie and do all their editing from this menu. The user can record their movie on a created timeline and then pause their movie, choosing different camera angles of their plays.
Classic Stadiums – In addition to all current MLB stadiums, five Minor League™ venues are available, as well as classics parks, including Forbes Field, Crosley Field, Polo Grounds, Shibe Park, Sportsman Park, and Griffith Stadium.
Online League Play – Create leagues with up to 30 teams with full stat tracking, point benefits and rewards. Gamers can customize leagues including choosing players, teams, length of schedule, and much more. (Note: There are no cross platform leagues available)
MLB.com Headline News – Stay on top of news around the league and receive all current happenings in sports today. Information is updated a few times each hour with news, trades, and events from 31 different feeds, each containing 25 unique items. Select general MLB headlines for updates from the entire league so news is not missed while online with MLB 11 The Show.
Key Modes – Rivalry, Road to The Show, Season, Home Run Derby, and All-Star Game are once again available to provide players a chance to challenge friends or the A.I. in a variety of settings.
Mascots – Every team mascot is available, performing signature moves during each game to pump up the crowd and rally the team.
Pitch Grips – MLB 11 The Show details various pitch grips and arm angles that a pitcher has when throwing each pitch. 17 different pitch types including four fastball variations (four-seam, two-seam, cutter, split), six breaking pitches (10-4 curve, 12-6 curve, slider, sinker, slurve, screwball), four change-ups (straight, circle change, palmball, forkball), and three specialty pitches (knuckle, knuckle-curve, and gyro).
Roster Vault – The Roster Vault gives users the ability to create their perfect roster offline by adjusting player attributes, appearance, accessories, etc. Users can then save this roster to their memory card or PS3 hard drive and then upload online to share with others allowing The Show community to share and judge any roster.
Slider Vault – Gives users the ability to create their perfect game settings offline by adjusting game sliders. Gamers can then save these adjustments to memory and, when online, upload to for other users to try and let the online community be the judge on finding the perfect game.
Unrivaled Player Creator – An infinite amount of options for creating players including everything right down to your own face with EyeToy® (PS2 only). But it doesn’t stop there. You can also adjust your personal rituals, swings—even emotions as you create mini-you.
MLB® Player Motion Captures – Authentically captured motions from dozens of professional athletes including Joe Mauer, Dustin Pedroia, David Wright, Ryan Howard, and more. This is on top of the hundreds of accurate personalized pitching deliveries and batting stances.
Umpire Personalities – Each umpire will have his own definition of the strike zone, and it’s up to the gamer to figure out if the umpire is calling the zone high, low, or giving the corners.
That's the rallying cry that led the Giants to their first World Series title since moving to San Francisco. And as a guy who grew up going to games at Candlestick with his dad, the virtual collection of misfits and (more importantly) champions was the first thing I wanted to see when I turned on "MLB 11: The Show."
And I wasn't disappointed.
From Brian Wilson crossing his arms into an X and pointing to the sky in celebration after a save to the way Tim Lincecum's hippie hair flaps in the wind to Pablo Sandoval's quirky walk-up animation to the cyber kayakers in McCovey Cove, the Giants received an overhaul worthy of their new status as diamond kings.
About the controls:
Quote:
The biggest change to the game comes with the addition of pure analog control. That's right, buttons are about as hip these days as players wearing stirrups, so Sony has finally changed the control scheme for hitting, pitching and throwing to be all analog-based (although if you want to play old-school and use buttons, you can still find last year's controls in the options menu).
"This is the feature everyone has wanted in our game for years, but we didn't want to do it until we could do it right," says longtime "MLB" producer Chris Gill as he sits down to demo the game for me inside Sony's San Diego studio. "People have been asking for a new way to play the game, and now everything you do, whether you're swinging the bat, throwing to first or pitching the ball, it's all done with the right analog stick."
What this means is for hitting, gamers pull back on the stick to start the batter's stride, then push forward to swing the bat. This is all about timing, since if you start your stride too early, pause, and then swing, your stride will be off and you'll lose power. Start your stride too late, and you're going to be behind on the ball when you finally swing. It takes a few innings to get used to, but by my second game, I hit a few homers and felt comfortable enough to start really enjoying the new approach.
More about pitching controls:
[Show spoiler]
Quote:
In terms of pitching, the meter the game has been using for years has been revamped a bit to incorporate the new controls. Once pitch and location are selected, gamers will pull back on the right analog stick. This causes the ball on the meter to drop toward a line about three-quarters of the way down. As soon as the ball hits the line, the pitcher will then press up on the right stick, but here's the twist -- if your location is on the outside part of the plate to a right-handed batter, you'll need to press up and to the right in order to guide the ball into the target that will appear at the top of the meter. This is all about mastering the stick, as you'll need to not only time the movements right but also hit your spot. This really adds to the pressure of each pitch. One mistake, and you might fire the ball right down the middle, then watch it fly by your head so fast you get virtual whiplash.
Another cool aspect to the analog mechanic is the fact that the velocity of each pitch is actually determined by the speed with which you press up on the right stick. So if you're looking to add some extra oomph to a Matt Cain fastball, all you have to do is push up harder during your delivery. Obviously, if you're pressing up faster, it will be more difficult to pinpoint location at the top of the meter, but this really adds to the fun and complexity of the system. After a few innings, I had the new system down good enough to feel cocky, and then I messed up and gave up a 420-foot shot to Josh Hamilton. But this actually made me smile, since I knew I still had some work to do (and really, no one should be able to master a new pitching system that fast and I was stupid to think I could).
More about hitting controls:
[Show spoiler]
Quote:
Before each swing, you can also try to guess the pitch and location just like last year, as well as choose whether you want to take a normal swing, swing for power or hit for contact. Hitting for contact is what's new here, as this is more about simply trying to put the bat on the ball and advancing the runners than anything else -- your batter will take a severe power penalty when selecting this option. On top of that, if gamers want an additional challenge at the plate, Sony has added true zone hitting into the game. Here, hitters can select the option of not only needing to fine-tune the timing of the stride and swing, but will also need to move a cursor onto the ball as it reaches the plate in order to make contact. According to Gill, this is an option the hard-core fans have been wanting for years. "Again, if we were going to do it, we wanted to make sure we did it right," he explains.
Some Road To the Show stuff:
-there's an option to disable fielding assist
-player sliders allow for more realistic players (sacrifice speed for power, or vice versa)
-dynamic goals are gone, replaced by a player performance evaluator, which will analyze your entire at-bats (pitches seen, swing timing, level of contact, etc)
-performance evaluator triggers what type of training you do
Some online league stuff:
-online stability is improved, and Sony is doing everything in their power to ensure a smoother, lag-free experience
-leagues now offer flexible divisions (2, 4 or 6 teams in a division) and the option of having computer-controlled teams, to fill in the league (and give people games they can play when other real-life opponents aren't around)
-the new XP system used for rankings will give points to people even when they lose, to hopefully encourage them to at least finish a game (the winner, of course, gets more points, but you get nothing for quitting)
Some random tidbits:
-there is rain in the game (FINALLY!) and it actually affects gameplay
-there's a new co-op mode, which seems hard to explain
-there's a "Challenge of the Week" mode, allowing you the chance to win real-world prizes which include autographed baseballs (a weekly prize), or a trip to the ASG or World Series (a monthly prize); challenges are fast-paced, take 2-3 minutes
-Move support will be included for the Home Run Derby
-every stadium will have its exact broadcast cameras available, or you can use the camera editor to set the batting/pitching cameras to any angle you want
Graphically the game can't really get too much better, so I'm glad they're focusing on actually adding some new content to the game rather than polishing the graphics and re-releasing '10.
Move support for HRD only is fine with me, because I wouldn't actually want to use it for the real parts of the game (it'd probably require the game to be a bit too arcadey).
I like that they're finally including rain. For realism, I hope they also include rain-outs, and/or rain delays (so you have to manage your pitchers effectively during delays, or double-headers).
Not sure how I feel about the analog controls, but after playing NHL '11 for a while, I can't really imagine going back to just hitting buttons in that, so maybe it'll be the same for MLB: The Show.
Looks awesome, have they announced who's getting the cover?
Joe Mauer will be on the cover again.
Wal-Mart had the covers for the game up earlier today, but whether it was the real cover or not, it's since been taken down. Click the spoiler to see it.
Wal-Mart had the covers for the game up earlier today, but whether it was the real cover or not, it's since been taken down. Click the spoiler to see it.
[Show spoiler]
What??? Joe...again? Josh Hamilton should be on it.
I'm so happy we have some news on this game. The new features seem great. And I'm definitely looking forward to it. I hope they have other small fixes or additions like ball girls/better flags/ better mascot animations. Would love to see the Phanatic riding on the field with his four wheeler. Or maybe an addition with fans running on to the field and getting tasered lol jk The new analog system seems a lil difficult but I'm sure I'll get used to it in no time. Day one buy for me cant wait.
What??? Joe...again? Josh Hamilton should be on it.
Yeah, no kidding. Him or my main man Pujols should get it. No one cares about Joey "fugetaboudit" Votto, so he's not an option.
Has Pujols ever made the cover?
Besides them fixing the lag in online play (I have great connection and it's ALWAYS a problem in my games), the addition I'm most excited about is the online leagues with computer controlled teams. My dad and I both play the game, but we didn't want to join a league with all human controlled teams. This is a fantastic new feature.
Can't complain about rain, and the new RTTS 5.0 system either. This game is going to be great.
This is awesome news, I love the show '10 (infact i'm still playing franchise mode, My Jays just won the 2021 world series!)
I don't think i'd get much use out of analog controls, I like pressing a button to hit, throw, etc. Glad to see rain has been added, it should be awesome to play in light drizzle and wind (I wonder how sensitive the umps will be to delaying the game?)
Kinda don't get why Mauer is on the Cover, It should have either been Hamilton or maybe the home run leader Jose Bautista
I do wish that they would add both a create your own team feature (complete with logo mascot etc) and a build a new stadium feature in franchise mode. The build a new stadium feature is something i belive was mentioned years ago as apossible inclusiion in a future game - guess it's not in '11?
I was surprised Mauer will be back again, too. But I think we're all forgetting the opportunity for one thing... a new ad that gives KB the chance to get his revenge on Mauer.
Ya i see why now, but i always thought the MVP was put on the cover, but this is from that blog:
Mauercontinues to be a driving force in Major League Baseball as the premier all-around player in the game and just in case you need convincing, here his 2010 stats—third consecutive Gold Glove, recorded his 1,000th career Major League hit, and finished third in the AL with a .327 batting average, not to mention his 43 doubles rank second on baseball’s all-time list for doubles by a catcher…not too shabby.
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MLB '11: The Show – In Stores Now!
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