MLB '14: The Show

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

New screenshot really shows off the depth of field in the PS4 version. PS4 on top, PS3 on bottom.

[markprior22]

Can't hardly wait until May 6!

[TroyF]

I saw a confirmation last night someplace that Vita saves would move over to PS4 the same way it worked with the PS3 last year. With some traveling coming up, that made my decision easy. I'll be purchasing the Vita version next week and will start a career as a pitcher in it. Then I'll move that one over to the PS4 and continue it via remote play along with any other career I start with. Looking forward to next week and next month.

[FBPro]

Oh yeah, can't wait. I've reserved vita version for 4/1 and then the PS 4 version for 5/6.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Trade in option available through Gamestop. $19.99 if you want to pick up the PS3 version now and get the PS4 version when it comes out. Think I'll probably just follow Troy's lead and pick up the Vita version today since I'll want to use it for cross saves.

GameStop announces MLB 14: The Show trade-up program | Joystiq

[TroyF]

Grabbed the Vita version last night and put in about an hour.

I started off an RTTS career with a starting pitcher. I opted to start with the attributes of a real player and chose Strausberg. He was an 18 year old rated at 60 with massive velocity, an above average fastball, good curve ball and mediocre changup.

I used pure analog pitching and went through my 3 game TOPPS Showcase twice. I was the starting pitcher in each game and threw three innings each time.

My first go around was mediocre: 9 IP, 7 hits, 5 runs, 4 ER, 5 walks, 10 strikeouts

I was listed as a second round pick.The draft started off in the second round and I waited awhile until the DBacks picked my in the middle of the second round.



My second go around went much better: 9 IP, 4 hits, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts.

I was listed as an early first rounder and was taken with the White Sox with the 3rd or 4th pick in the draft.

After the draft, you have an option to sign, go to a 1 or 2 year JUCO or a 3 or 4 year College. If you opt to go the college route, you get some training points and then get to do the Showcase over.

I didn't start my career after that. Will have some more thoughts later tonight.

[Sun Tzu]

Sounds pretty rad. Keep us in the loop.

[BillJasper]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Trade in option available through Gamestop. $19.99 if you want to pick up the PS3 version now and get the PS4 version when it comes out. Think I'll probably just follow Troy's lead and pick up the Vita version today since I'll want to use it for cross saves.

GameStop announces MLB 14: The Show trade-up program | Joystiq

Pay $80 for a $60 game! What a deal!

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by BillJasper

Pay $80 for a $60 game! What a deal!

Obviously not for everyone, but there's plenty of eager beavers who simply can't wait that month to get a console version of the game. They wouldn't be doing it if there wasn't a market. But I agree with you.

[TroyF]

Went through the TOPPS showcase again and got picked by the Blue Jays. Started my first game and had a line of: 7IP 8 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 8K. (I'll need to ramp up the difficulty on control) Didn't have time to really delve into how the points are awarded this year, but I'm sure it's the same as last year or similar.

There were zero times in the game where the coach gave me some stupid command or some smart command. The grading system is done for each batter. For the most part I agreed, though the picky will find problems. For example, back to back hitters gave me this: 2 outs in the inning, their leadoff hitter and speed demon hits a high chopper off the plate to third and beats it out by a step. The game grades that as "poor pitching" and gives me a -3 points or something. The following hitter I really make a mistake with. My 1-2 fastball is thrown center cut and the slap hitter with little power crushes it. My left field makes a jumping catch against the wall to get me out of the inning. "good pitching" +7 points.

Nitpicks aside, it was a fun game. Prices for the stubs are as follows:

1,000 - 99 cents
6,000 - 5 bucks
13,000 - 10 bucks
30,000 - 20 bucks
80,000 - 50 bucks.


Not sure what you would need to complete a superstar player or what prices in franchise are for things. Rosters will not have Tanaka until he pitches later this week. The Rockies top two pitching prospects are not in the game. (I'm sure roster makers have already figured this out, I'm not bothered as I'm only screwing around right now)

Will give more info as I dig deeper.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by BillJasper

Pay $80 for a $60 game! What a deal!

They offer, people either buy or don't. I actually think it's pretty cool for them to offer anything at all. It could cost 120 bucks. If it's worth less than a buck a day to play your favorite game early, good for you. For some people, this is the only game they'll buy all summer. If they want to buy this game and sacrifice some cd's or a couple cases of beer, good for them.

For me the Vita was the perfect choice. I'll be doing a little bit of traveling this summer and will be able to play the game on the road. The career saves transfer over to the PS4 and back, so I can have a couple of careers to play through. So for me the 60 dollar game is actually going to cost me 100. Some thing that's probably too much as well, but tis my life, right?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by TroyF

They offer, people either buy or don't. I actually think it's pretty cool for them to offer anything at all. It could cost 120 bucks. If it's worth less than a buck a day to play your favorite game early, good for you. For some people, this is the only game they'll buy all summer. If they want to buy this game and sacrifice some cd's or a couple cases of beer, good for them.

For me the Vita was the perfect choice. I'll be doing a little bit of traveling this summer and will be able to play the game on the road. The career saves transfer over to the PS4 and back, so I can have a couple of careers to play through. So for me the 60 dollar game is actually going to cost me 100. Some thing that's probably too much as well, but tis my life, right?

Other nice thing is that the save does transfer between all versions, so the upgrade is even more appealing when you factor in that option.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

dola

Fun video from the developers about new things in the game. My favorite out of the list is that the computer will attempt the hidden ball trick on occasion.

MLB 14: The Show Video Rolls Through Many New Features and Improvements | pastapadre.com

[dave731]

Any word on whether online co-op franchise made it in this year? The offline co-op has gotten a lot of love in recent years...will probably be a reason to buy for me if online co-op franchise is in.

[SirFozzie]

Online franchise is in, as is a Madden-Cards lie dnasty mode.

For those of you who've played it, how do you add a pitch during the season? I was looking for the option in the training menus and I don't see it.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Online franchise is in, as is a Madden-Cards lie dnasty mode.

For those of you who've played it, how do you add a pitch during the season? I was looking for the option in the training menus and I don't see it.

Go into training and then hit the triangle button.

[dave731]

What about co-op franchise online? I saw they added online franchise but I always had the most fun playing with a friend on the same team back in the All Star Baseball days.

[TroyF]

I decide to create the reincarnation of Walter Johnson in the game. Sadly, I can only pick train rather than big train for a nickname. Anyway, I create the fastball throwing Johnson and go through the showcase. My projection is middle of round one and I go to. . . the Washington Nationals. WOO HOO. Can't make this stuff up.

On another note, if you've never seen Walter's delivery, it's well worth checking this link out. Can you imagine what major league coaching staffs would do if they saw this motion?


http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-...walter-johnson

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by TroyF

I decide to create the reincarnation of Walter Johnson in the game. Sadly, I can only pick train rather than big train for a nickname. Anyway, I create the fastball throwing Johnson and go through the showcase. My projection is middle of round one and I go to. . . the Washington Nationals. WOO HOO. Can't make this stuff up.

On another note, if you've never seen Walter's delivery, it's well worth checking this link out. Can you imagine what major league coaching staffs would do if they saw this motion?


http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-...walter-johnson

We need a dynasty

I have watched multiple videos and have no clue how he got the velocity he did on his fastball. It is compact and effortless, but he has extremely long arms and it is almost like the whip like motion translated into the ability to throw, what was likely a mid 90's fastball.

[Icy]

I have the PS$ preordered already, trying to contain myself from buying the Vita version too while i wait.

[FBPro]

Originally Posted by Icy

I have the PS$ preordered already, trying to contain myself from buying the Vita version too while i wait.

I didn't resist, I figured even when I get the PS4 version I can still play the vita version on the go.

[Icy]

Originally Posted by FBPro

I didn't resist, I figured even when I get the PS4 version I can still play the vita version on the go.

I didn't either, bought mine yesterday

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Whoooo. PS4 footage is up. Even in Youtube format, you can tell some big differences in the lighting model. Someone created a gif of the batter. It's about as good as it gets. I would suspect that some would mistake this for a TV telecast.



Full video below. Only a month to go.

[Sun Tzu]

Yeah. I thought that was a gif of a telecast when it first started loading.

I don't think I've been more excited about a sports game for quite some time.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Sun Tzu

Yeah. I thought that was a gif of a telecast when it first started loading.

I don't think I've been more excited about a sports game for quite some time.

The timing of the PS4 supply couldn't be better to take advantage of it. Stock is good at all major retailers, so most people will be able to pick up a console on release day.

One thing I did hear in the video was that online franchises are the only game mode where saves will not transfer to next year's version of the game. Not a big deal to me because I'm a single player of the game, but might be a bit frustrating to some.

[Mike Lowe]

My league is going to do a manual roster next year, based on OSFM '14 and our transactions throughout the 2014 season. We're also going to create some international FA's to add in.

All we should have to do is update player ratings for existing players, delete retired players, and create our rookies. It's obviously more in depth than that, but that's our plan!

[Julio Riddols]

Holy fucking shit that is beautiful. I've decided my next gen system will be a PS4. That is just flat out preposterous.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Mike Lowe

My league is going to do a manual roster next year, based on OSFM '14 and our transactions throughout the 2014 season. We're also going to create some international FA's to add in.

All we should have to do is update player ratings for existing players, delete retired players, and create our rookies. It's obviously more in depth than that, but that's our plan!

Just curious as I've never gone into this part of the game. How long does it take to set something like that up?

[HomerSimpson98]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

Holy fucking shit that is beautiful. I've decided my next gen system will be a PS4. That is just flat out preposterous.

+1. As soon as the prices get into Homer's broke ass pay scale of course or I win the lottery.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Sun Tzu

Yeah. I thought that was a gif of a telecast when it first started loading.

Yeah - I totally mistook it. I'm not even a baseball game fan, but whoa.

[TroyF]

Some more thoughts on teh game and on Walter Johnson's new career:

1) I'm playing on variable difficulty. In starts 1-4 I moved up the ladder pretty quickly. Starts 5-11 have seen me go up/down/up/down. I'm guessing it'll stabalize when it finds the sweet spot.

2) If you select a current starting pitcher, you get 3 of his pitches. (you don't get to pick either) Just a word of warning if you decide to pick a Darvish or something like that.

3) I have purchased zero upgrades for Walter Johnson. He started out incredibly hot in AA. The third game was the best game I've ever pitched in The Show on any difficulty. 9IP, 1 hit, 2 walks, 16 K. The hit was a clean shot to the gap that went for a double.

He threw 5 games in AA. 38 IP, 22 Hits, 4 runs, 3 earned runs, 7 walks, 50 srikeouts.

After that came a promotion to AAA. 6 games thus far in the AAA career. 46 IP, 34 hits, 8 runs, 6 earned runs, 8 walks, 58 K.

The Nationals are stacked in their starting rotation, so I think I'm down in AAA until an injury happens. I have three pitches, Fastball, Curve Ball, Change Up. I use my fastball over 50% of the time. Placing it inside, outside, up and down. I'll usually only throw one change up an at bat. If I guy has a 5 pitch at bat against me, he might see 3 fastballs, 1 changeup follow by another fastball. The curve is thrown as a first pitch quite often, especially to poor hitters. Hitters WILL swing out of the zone on first pitches more this year.

I have not added any pitches at this point. I have my fastball control at 75+ now and the break/control of my other pitches at 50 or better. I'm debating between a 2 seam fastball or a slider for my 4th pitch. Not sure I'll ever go to five as I really want the fastball to be the star of the show.

Overall, very fun game and i'm glad I picked up the Vita version.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Put in a pretty good chunk of play on the Vita version over the last week or so. I'm playing my RTTS as a SS.

-I really like the point awarding system thus far. There's still the occasional time where I feel like I should have got more points for an out early in the count where I made good contact, but overall, I think the system is very good.

-Really good pace on the games. I've got through a lot of games at a quick pace.

-I've had difficulty turning a double play too often when I'm the one covering the bag. May get better as I increase my stats.

-I literally had the 'one more game' thing going on yesterday. Put in about 5 hours of gameplay yesterday. Lots of fun.

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by HomerSimpson98

+1. As soon as the prices get into Homer's broke ass pay scale of course or I win the lottery.

We're shipmates.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

New trailer that was released last week. Just f'n unbelievable. May can't come soon enough because this is why I bought a PS4.



Love the dynamic camera on offense. Probably will stick with the old camera options on defense.



Hunter Pence takes on Yasiel Puig in a full game on the PS4 with quick counts. Puig plays the game a lot and he's definitely into the game. Pence is obviously new to the game.

[Icy]

Enjoying it a lot in the VITA, can't wait for the PS4 version.

I'm mainly a RTTS player, but the Quick Counts feature has made it possible for me to start a dynasty (with the Marlins) as a full game now takes around 40 minutes instead of an hour and a half.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Video of the Pence/Puig HR Derby.......

[BillJasper]

Some long load times...

Why is it so choppy?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by BillJasper

Some long load times...

Why is it so choppy?

Will be interesting to see final load times on the retail copy.

The video is a copy of the original off IGN. Likely the choppy nature is from that. This is the original stream, but it's nearly 6 1/2 hours long, which is the reason a lot of people are grabbing bits and pieces and posting them instead.

[Logan]

Gameplay looks good.

Also doesn't look anywhere near as good as a lot of pics, just like always.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Features and enhancements for PS4 version. 4 more days.......

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Only a couple more days. Really excited to get the PS4 version now that my RTTS player from the Vita version has just been promoted to the majors. Want to see the big ballparks on the PS4 version.

[FBPro]

Can't wait!!! Taking the second half of Tuesday off and all day Wednesday....Whoo Hoo!!

[MizzouRah]

way to go with quick counts.. awesome feature

[Terps]

Ugh, I have to wait until Saturday before I can play it.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Terps

Ugh, I have to wait until Saturday before I can play it.

I have to wait until Monday before I have any significant time to play it.

[FBPro]

Played a little today, alot more tomorrow and then a marathon session this weekend as my wife is working through monday!!

[BYU 14]

Got a little time in as well. No spring Football tomorrow, so I will play more then.

Haven't played for a couple of versions, but easy getting back into the controls and it is absolutely gorgeous on PS4. Quick count is probably the best idea ever for this series..

[jbergey22]

Doesnt appear the online functions are even working or certainly not working like they should be. I cant even challenge a friend to a game nor can I even get into one of the lobbies and challenge him there because they have a max of 32???

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Doesnt appear the online functions are even working or certainly not working like they should be. I cant even challenge a friend to a game nor can I even get into one of the lobbies and challenge him there because they have a max of 32???

To be honest, I'm not even sure why they attempt online play with this franchise. The core players are single player mode and it's clearly the part of the game that receives the accolateds. Anyone who attempts to use the online play option usually is disappointed. I've personally never played the online gameplay and probably won't anytime soon barring playing with some of my friends who are also going to have Google Fiber in my area later this year.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Finally taking it for a spin. Forgive me if some of this stuff is in the PS3 version as I've only played the Vita version thus far.

-Visuals are obviously a huge difference even from the previous PS3 versions I've played. Just fantastic stuff.

-Like on the console version how it gives you +/- feedback on why you received a certain point score for everything in RTTS. Didn't have that on Vita.

-MUCH better load times than the Vita version. My load times and frame rate were a bit slow when I was playing exhibition games while waiting for data to load. Once data was loaded, have had very little if any frame rate issues and the load times are really good.

-Presentation is a big step up as well. Things like your series stats when you come up to bat are a really nice touch. I'm sure I'll run into more as I play it more.