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ESPN's Jon Robinson has posted his MLB 12 The Show hands-on preview, as he talks about the new Pulse Pitching, Zone Analog Batting, collision awareness and much more.

Quote:
Another big gameplay improvement comes in the form of the new "Pulse Pitching" dynamic. If you're not a fan of last year's analog pitching, you can go back to the old-school buttons, only with a new level of intensity that really helps up the challenge of pinpointing pitches. Basically, after selecting your pitch and location, you'll need to hit X to pitch the ball (same as classic pitching). Only now, there is a giant pulsating X on the screen in the location of your pitch, and you need to time your button press when the X is at its smallest point in order to throw the ball accurately. The more you're off, the bigger the X will be when you throw the ball, making your pitch wild, or even worse, left hanging right over the plate for someone like Albert Pujols to crush over the fence. I was a fan of the analog pitching last year, but I have to say, after about four games of switching back and forth between the analog and the pulse, I ended up playing the rest of the games with the pulse pitching and I don't think I'll go back to the analog once the game ships. It just feels right to me.

Game: MLB 12 The ShowReader Score: 9/10 - Vote Now
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MLB 12 The Show Videos
Member Comments
# 101 econoodle @ 12/14/11 06:22 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell_SCEA
Real Time + Broadcast = "True Broadcast"

interesting
no more cut scenes?
 
# 102 Russell_SCEA @ 12/14/11 06:25 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rules
Still not much in the way of a COMPLETE overhaul of the commentary.

Working weather?

Rain delays / games getting called?

Double headers?
Commentary is a huge focus this year, however if you are expecting new announcers and for our audio team to completely be able to replace over 7 years of accumulated lines you are setting your hopes way to high.

Working weather, I have no idea what that means.

We aren't fans of rain delays and games getting called in a video game baseball.
 
# 103 ghm125 @ 12/14/11 06:31 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell_SCEA
Commentary is a huge focus this year, however if you are expecting new announcers and for our audio team to completely be able to replace over 7 years of accumulated lines you are setting your hopes way to high.

Working weather, I have no idea what that means.

We aren't fans of rain delays and games getting called in a video game baseball.
thank you!
 
# 104 tnixen @ 12/14/11 06:34 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell_SCEA
Commentary is a huge focus this year, however if you are expecting new announcers and for our audio team to completely be able to replace over 7 years of accumulated lines you are setting your hopes way to high.

Working weather, I have no idea what that means.

We aren't fans of rain delays and games getting called in a video game baseball.
I think by "working weather" he means can a game start out sunny and then start raining in the 4th inning. Or maybe a game starts out in the rain and then the sun comes out later in the game. A better word for it would be "dynamic weather"

Or I could be wrong too
 
# 105 Russell_SCEA @ 12/14/11 06:37 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by tnixen
I think by "working weather" he means can a game start out sunny and then start rainning in the 4th inning. Or maybe a game starts out in the rain and then the sun comes out later in the game. A better word for it would "dynamic weather"

Or I could be wrong too
O dynamic weather, not this year.
 
# 106 Russell_SCEA @ 12/14/11 06:42 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheHammer19
We the fans DO want rain delays and doubleheaders. That is what happens in the MLB. We want a realistic game.

Very obvious, but we don't and until we can design a compelling way to do it we won't. It's never at the top of the list to begin with so the chances are slim year to year. That is until someone comes up with a compelling design that makes sense.

On the realistic note the game will never be "realistic" if it was everyone would suck at the game. There is a fine line between what people think they want in "realism" standards and the contrast between fun.
 
# 107 DodgerFanatic2K3 @ 12/14/11 06:53 PM
Did a player search option make it in this year ??

Can spring training be completely skipped this year to avoid custom line-ups from being scrambled ?
 
# 108 sydrogerdavid @ 12/14/11 06:57 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by DodgerFanatic2K3
Did a player search option make it in this year ??

Can spring training be completely skipped this year to avoid custom line-ups from being scrambled ?
I would like to know this as well, in addition to a trade search function. Did that make it in?
 
# 109 Bobhead @ 12/14/11 07:53 PM
I will admit that I'm also somewhat saddened by the shortage of "weathery stuff." I don't really care about dynamic weather personally, but In the 300 games I've played I'd estimate the number of rainy games to be in the single digits, or at least extremely low doubles. Also, rain delays add another dimension to scheduling and strategy, similar to injuries and stuff. It's not a big deal to me at all, just throwing in my 2 cents since the topic is already on the table.

Also

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheHammer19
True dat homie.
This post literally had me dying laughing.
 
# 110 SoxFan01605 @ 12/14/11 08:09 PM
Really, if we can't get the strategy aspect of managing delays in, I just want to be able to manually select the weather like we can in exhibition. You'd see a lot less complaints about a lack of rain, for example, if people could just choose to play in the rain.
 
# 111 rudyjuly2 @ 12/14/11 08:35 PM
I like the sounds of pulse pitching and I like the fact the default pitch speed has been slowed down. Still hoping the sliders are on a 20 point scale instead of 10 so we have more control over this area. My reflexes need pitch speed to be slower than even 0 was offering the last couple years. I just end up too frustrated with fast pitch speeds as I can't work walks and pull average fastballs at the same time.
 
# 112 nomo17k @ 12/14/11 08:38 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobhead
I will admit that I'm also somewhat saddened by the shortage of "weathery stuff." I don't really care about dynamic weather personally, but In the 300 games I've played I'd estimate the number of rainy games to be in the single digits, or at least extremely low doubles. Also, rain delays add another dimension to scheduling and strategy, similar to injuries and stuff. It's not a big deal to me at all, just throwing in my 2 cents since the topic is already on the table.
Knight mentioned that the devs are aware of the lack of rain days, so we are likely to see an improvement there...

As for rain delay and stuff, it would be nice if they eventually make it into the game. But I also like the way Russell_SCEA put it, doing it when it's ready..... rather than adding hodgepodges of features just to satisfy all our wishes... it's good to know they are aware of our wishes.


One thing I forgot to mention myself for the feedback threads and don't remember if anyone has brought it up: Does AI still use strict 5-man rotation?

I just checked GS stats for recent years and kinda surprised this often less and less these days, but when there are off days, managers often (as least used to) skip 5th starter. So instead of 33 games (as in MLB11), some top of the line starters pitch like 34 - 35 games in a season.

That kinda relates to the strategy aspect, picking starting pitchers according to schedule....
 
# 113 knich @ 12/14/11 08:43 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell_SCEA
Commentary is a huge focus this year, however if you are expecting new announcers and for our audio team to completely be able to replace over 7 years of accumulated lines you are setting your hopes way to high.

Working weather, I have no idea what that means.

We aren't fans of rain delays and games getting called in a video game baseball.
Working weather means not going an entire season in franchise and having 1 rain game playing with the Yankees. I think the Yankees had more rain days than any other team in major league baseball last year.

Why aren't you fans of rain delays? Rain delays have been done quite well in other baseball video games. We certainly hope that you become fans of rain delays because it really does add to the realism of the game.

We certainly appreciate what you done for the videogame community and you have a fantastic game. We just think it can be even better.
 
# 114 NJ2NC @ 12/14/11 08:51 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell_SCEA
Commentary is a huge focus this year, however if you are expecting new announcers and for our audio team to completely be able to replace over 7 years of accumulated lines you are setting your hopes way to high.

Working weather, I have no idea what that means.

We aren't fans of rain delays and games getting called in a video game baseball.
I don't think games should be called, but if something along the lines of ....it's raining and the announcers say we are going to have a delay, and we are given the time of the delay and option of bringing the starter out to pitch with a greater chance of injury, or replace him.
 
# 115 spit_bubble @ 12/14/11 08:59 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell_SCEA
Very obvious, but we don't and until we can design a compelling way to do it we won't. It's never at the top of the list to begin with so the chances are slim year to year. That is until someone comes up with a compelling design that makes sense...
Rain delays would be tough, too many factors involved. How long of a delay? Does the game get pushed back? Do they call the game after "x" amount of innings?

Rain outs on the other hand, they would factor into a season nicely, and would force a manager to shuffle things around to compensate.

Where's the wishlist thread?
 
# 116 Rules @ 12/14/11 09:05 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by tnixen
I think by "working weather" he means can a game start out sunny and then start raining in the 4th inning. Or maybe a game starts out in the rain and then the sun comes out later in the game. A better word for it would be "dynamic weather"

Or I could be wrong too
Yep this is exactly what I was saying. Thanks for translating my post.
 
# 117 Rules @ 12/14/11 09:06 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell_SCEA
Very obvious, but we don't and until we can design a compelling way to do it we won't. It's never at the top of the list to begin with so the chances are slim year to year. That is until someone comes up with a compelling design that makes sense.

On the realistic note the game will never be "realistic" if it was everyone would suck at the game. There is a fine line between what people think they want in "realism" standards and the contrast between fun.
Rain delays, games being called and double headers have been done before just not by you guys.
 
# 118 bcruise @ 12/14/11 09:10 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by spit_bubble
Rain delays would be tough, too many factors involved. How long of a delay? Does the game get pushed back? Do they call the game after "x" amount of innings?

Rain outs on the other hand, they would factor into a season nicely, and would force a manager to shuffle things around to compensate.

Where's the wishlist thread?
From the human perspective, sure it would be nice. But keep in mind that for that to work, the game's scheduling logic (currently only used to generate a set-in-stone schedule at the beginning of each year) would have be able to handle re-scheduling of games, whether and when to have double-headers, whether the game even needs to be played if it's late in the season (I know some meaningless games late in the season just get straight-up cancelled occasionally, because MLB simply doesn't have a place in the schedule to move them to). Even the real MLB struggles with this stuff at times, and trying to program all of this extra logic in would undoubtedly take away from development on other things.

And that's probably just the tip of the iceberg - the first things I can think of off the top of my head that would make this a royal pain to implement.
 
# 119 Rules @ 12/14/11 09:18 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell_SCEA
Commentary is a huge focus this year, however if you are expecting new announcers and for our audio team to completely be able to replace over 7 years of accumulated lines you are setting your hopes way to high.

Working weather, I have no idea what that means.

We aren't fans of rain delays and games getting called in a video game baseball.
I'm talking about how none of the announcers sound like they were even in the same state more or less in the same ballpark when their lines were recorded. None of it sounds natural and this is one area that should have been fixed before other none requested features are designed into the game. If that is corrected then I will have little complaints. However, if it is like NCAA Football where once you have heard the lines a million times, at what point is the series going to be viewed as stale?

Not being fans of rain delays is a problem as this happens in actual baseball games. I understand those who would not like it but it could be a feature that is turned off for those who prefer more of an arcade experience.

The Show is built on a great foundation and I am just hoping that it doesn't turn into another Madden where the next great feature = to a gimmick year to year that isn't really apart of the sport. This is a game that is known to be more sim so why move away from it when that is the big draw?
 
# 120 Rules @ 12/14/11 09:34 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by bcruise
From the human perspective, sure it would be nice. But keep in mind that for that to work, the game's scheduling logic (currently only used to generate a set-in-stone schedule at the beginning of each year) would have be able to handle re-scheduling of games, whether and when to have double-headers, whether the game even needs to be played if it's late in the season (I know some meaningless games late in the season just get straight-up cancelled occasionally, because MLB simply doesn't have a place in the schedule to move them to). Even the real MLB struggles with this stuff at times, and trying to program all of this extra logic in would undoubtedly take away from development on other things.

And that's probably just the tip of the iceberg - the first things I can think of off the top of my head that would make this a royal pain to implement.
I agree 100% but it has been done before by another baseball game. Yes it requires a ton of work but once you build it in, then all they have to do is tweak it year to year. To me, this is just one area The Show has a glaring weakness. Don't get me wrong, I love the series!!!! I'm just a big weather guy when it comes to sports games.
 


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