I really, really want to like this game.

[thiel82]

The series has been one I've purchased every year, and played pretty much daily from Spring to Spring, 365.

But I just cannot get into MLB 15.

I can't figure out exactly why. There's no way I can be the only one feeling this way. I tried to jump back in after a few days off (other than getting the daily bonus) by playing 6-7 games last weekend, and just ended up getting frustrated. Again, I couldn't figure out exactly why.

[LowerWolf]

Re: I really, really want to like this game.

I felt the same way initially. For whatever reason, something just felt off. I couldn't quite explain it. And then one day, it just clicked. This is probably my favorite game in the series at this point.

This one feels a little different than the previous ones. So if you've played them a lot, it takes a little time to adjust, I think.

[jackbquick]

Re: I really, really want to like this game.

The series has been one I've purchased every year, and played pretty much daily from Spring to Spring, 365.

But I just cannot get into MLB 15.

I can't figure out exactly why. There's no way I can be the only one feeling this way. I tried to jump back in after a few days off (other than getting the daily bonus) by playing 6-7 games last weekend, and just ended up getting frustrated. Again, I couldn't figure out exactly why.

You are not alone. I've enjoyed very little about MLB15 and nearly every night go to bed angry or depressed about it.

Specifically, my frustrations relate to hitting and stem from the feeling that even with zone hitting I seem to have little control over the outcome. Squared up good timing hits repeatedly die at the warning track or are easily tracked down in the gap. Occasionally, perfectly squared up baseballs result in weak fly balls. I don't know what I have to do to hit home runs. The home runs I do hit are usually cheap (late timing or PCI not placed on the ball) and leave me with the feeling the CPU is throwing me a bone. I feel no sense of accomplishment or satisfaction when my good actions aren't rewarded and my poor actions are.

This is the only game I play and I had an incredible amount of fun with MLB14 on the PS3. So this year I spent the money to get a PS4 and enjoy The Show in all its graphical glory. The lighting additions and changes to diamond dynasty are fantastic, but beyond that I think this years game is a complete disaster. I search the forums every day with the hope of discovering some tidbit of information to shed light on what I might be doing wrong or enable me to find some satisfaction with the game. Given the money put into this, I've been hesitant to just call it quits but it is getting close to that point.

Finally, I do feel the developers misrepresented the game in one of the pre-release streams when they stated they made changes so that balls wouldn't hang in the air as long, resulting in more extra base hits. I have seen no evidence that this is true as I have experienced a significant decrease in extra base hits from 14. Perhaps what they really meant to say was that they neutered power in this years game and the ball will now come off the bat like a well struck pillow.

[cusefan74]

Re: I really, really want to like this game.

I liked the game from the start, but I was very frustrated the first couple of weeks. Now though, I love it! The hitting felt strange at the start, but I got used to it.

[tcorb95]

Re: I really, really want to like this game.

I was very into MLB 14 but this one has felt different. I haven't been able to put my finger on it except it just feels the exact same every game. The scores may differ and outcomes may change but I just see the same types of plays and hits over and over. I really was hoping for this game to play like IRL baseball and it does by looking at the stats, but it doesn't feel like real baseball. My biggest gripe I guess would be that I want more control over outcomes, things just seem to happen randomly and I'm left getting frustrated over things I can't control.

[Padgoi]

Re: I really, really want to like this game.

I was very into MLB 14 but this one has felt different. I haven't been able to put my finger on it except it just feels the exact same every game. The scores may differ and outcomes may change but I just see the same types of plays and hits over and over. I really was hoping for this game to play like IRL baseball and it does by looking at the stats, but it doesn't feel like real baseball. My biggest gripe I guess would be that I want more control over outcomes, things just seem to happen randomly and I'm left getting frustrated over things I can't control.

This has probably been by biggest issue with the game as well. Everything seems scripted, nothing seems genuine or original. Every game plays out the exact same way. Yes, there are discrepancies, but it's not dynamic the way real baseball is. I've finally got my sliders the way I like them that are yielding realistic results on HoF difficulty, but it still just doesn't feel organic at all. It feels as if certain events are happening ONLY to make the results realistic.

In short, as everyone who has a complaint about the game this year has been saying . . .

IT'S NOT THE WHAT, IT'S THE HOW!!!!

[thiel82]

Re: I really, really want to like this game.

I made it a priority to get a few games in after work today. My Cubs @ Brewers game is the best example of my frustration of the effing game.

I start off hammering Lester. Just gap to gap stuff because, god forbid, the Brewers have anyone that can hit a homerun while being a user team. Jumped up 4-0, KO'd Lester by the 4th.

And then the 8th inning happened.

I'm still up 4-0. Started off getting an out.

-Then the awesome loose OF play happened. Fly ball directly to Gomez in CF. Doesn't catch it. So man on 2b, 1 out.

-Grounder to Segura at SS. He bounces it to 1b, but the man on 2b doesn't advance. 1st and 2nd, 1 out.

-Sac bunt, but Lohse bounces it. Bases loaded, 1 out. 4-0 me.

-PH for the pitcher bounces one right back to Lohse. I throw home for the force (anticipating a 1-2-3 DP to get out of the inning), AND LUCROY DOESN'T TOUCH THE PLATE. Whiffs on the tag. 4-1. Addison Russell then hits a Grand Slam. 5-4 Cubs. I know it's over at this point.

And don't worry guys. I only hit in to 7 DPs in this game. Lost it. Played as the Braves v Oakland later. Gave up a pair of solo shots to Eric Sogard, yet Freddie Freeman gets hangers that I hit on the nail. Those promptly dribbled to Billy Butler at 1b.

[thescottyglasgow]

Re: I really, really want to like this game.

Couldnt agree with everyone more. I always loved playing before I felt like I was controlling all the outcomes. I was never left standing at a spot wiffing a catch or having the ball bounce off me. I never loaded a throw early only half power and bounced it or threw it way over the first baseman. It might be even worse when I load throws full power and watch the guy wait three seconds then lob it to a guy who wont tag anyone anyhow. Catchers and fielders werent ever all of a sudden blind and deaf missing tags while waiting on the runner to get to the base or watching him run by them on the base path. After the sixth inning with my starter still in, watch out. I am going to lose control of the pitches and all these fielding problems will begin. I need a mound visit an inning so he doesnt pee his pants. Last year I felt I had a lot more to show for perfect timing and contact too, not dribblers and weak fly or foul outs but then when I am in the wrong zone with PCI and swing early boom home run. I hate having to hold L1 while rounding bases to make sure auto slow down doesnt kick in even though I directed the runner to go home off the bat. Stealing bases is also not fun because I feel like I accomplished nothing when I can routinely steal second and third with chris davis and pablo sandoval off the computer. All of these things put together have made playing tedious and kills my enjoyment of gliding into a nice catch or making a smooth throw to nab a runner because I have to get to a spot or load a throw super early to make sure the error is not my fault. I used to love turning a nicely timed double play or telling my runner to take a lead and steal on a changeup or curve in the dirt. This year the guy turning the double play will probably lob it to first and I can steal with David Ortiz on fastballs.

[canes21]

Re: I really, really want to like this game.

This has probably been by biggest issue with the game as well. Everything seems scripted, nothing seems genuine or original. Every game plays out the exact same way. Yes, there are discrepancies, but it's not dynamic the way real baseball is. I've finally got my sliders the way I like them that are yielding realistic results on HoF difficulty, but it still just doesn't feel organic at all. It feels as if certain events are happening ONLY to make the results realistic.

In short, as everyone who has a complaint about the game this year has been saying . . .

IT'S NOT THE WHAT, IT'S THE HOW!!!!

I feel like my games have been authentic. I hit a sharp liner off of the 3B's glove that bounced into foul territory for a base hit. It was one of the most organic looking and feeling hits I've ever had in the game. My only complaint right now is I feel like bloopers don't fall enough, but that is probably just something I should fix with sliders. I hit bloopers and some fall, but it seems like the outfielders run way too quickly to get to them at the last second.

Other than the bloopers being inconsistent, everything feels organic to me.

[Jr.]

Re: I really, really want to like this game.

I feel like my games have been authentic. I hit a sharp liner off of the 3B's glove that bounced into foul territory for a base hit. It was one of the most organic looking and feeling hits I've ever had in the game. My only complaint right now is I feel like bloopers don't fall enough, but that is probably just something I should fix with sliders. I hit bloopers and some fall, but it seems like the outfielders run way too quickly to get to them at the last second.

Other than the bloopers being inconsistent, everything feels organic to me.

That's one of my biggest issues as well. The OFers just cover too much ground. I have fielder speed at 3.. anything lower and I feel like there are too many triples in the gap, despite seeing more bloopers fall.

Also, I've never had a broken bat hit. Broken bat physics need some adjusting as well. I would venture to say that most bloopers are from broken bats, so with the game eliminating hits on broken bats, it eliminates a lot of bloopers with it.

[LowerWolf]

Re: I really, really want to like this game.

I slowed the whole game down. Fielder speed at 0, baserunner speed at 0, arm strength at 0. That's working really well for me.

I probably have a few too many doubles (I play on Veteran) but I set my timing to 0 and that's helped with that.

[canes21]

Re: I really, really want to like this game.

That's one of my biggest issues as well. The OFers just cover too much ground. I have fielder speed at 3.. anything lower and I feel like there are too many triples in the gap, despite seeing more bloopers fall.

Also, I've never had a broken bat hit. Broken bat physics need some adjusting as well. I would venture to say that most bloopers are from broken bats, so with the game eliminating hits on broken bats, it eliminates a lot of bloopers with it.

I had a broken bat single earlier. The ball landed behind the mound and died. As for broken bat weak liners that fall right outside the infield dirt, yea, never seen one in game.

[capa]

Re: I really, really want to like this game.

I was thinking of posting a thread like this a month ago but decided not to. I don't know what it is this year. I feel...disappointed I guess.

I think I was surprised with all the new, or unfixed, issues with this year's game. We all know them...bunts, squeeze plays, broken bats, balls warping from stands to player, pickoffs thrown into the stands, toppers hit in front of the plate, balls back through the middle hitting pitcher, etc. I guess I felt like the game did a great job on looking better but that a lot of things got overlooked that I don't understand why or how. Maybe they don't show up as often when playing head to head, but they sure do when playing vs cpu. I don't know.

I didn't get excited about this year's game after playing it a few times. Don't get me wrong...it still is a quality title and the second best representation of a sports game in the video game world. But there is just too much "wrong" this year and that is disappointing.

Just my $.02...

C

[nick_sr]

Re: I really, really want to like this game.

My outfielders dropping routine popups nearly made me return this game a few days. I officially quit mut today so the show will have my ful attention from now on n i hope my i get a better feeling. I stopped playing 14 after 2months n wish not to do the same this year.

[Padgoi]

Re: I really, really want to like this game.

I was thinking of posting a thread like this a month ago but decided not to. I don't know what it is this year. I feel...disappointed I guess.

I think I was surprised with all the new, or unfixed, issues with this year's game. We all know them...bunts, squeeze plays, broken bats, balls warping from stands to player, pickoffs thrown into the stands, toppers hit in front of the plate, balls back through the middle hitting pitcher, etc. I guess I felt like the game did a great job on looking better but that a lot of things got overlooked that I don't understand why or how. Maybe they don't show up as often when playing head to head, but they sure do when playing vs cpu. I don't know.

I didn't get excited about this year's game after playing it a few times. Don't get me wrong...it still is a quality title and the second best representation of a sports game in the video game world. But there is just too much "wrong" this year and that is disappointing.

Just my $.02...

C

These are just a few of what has been plaguing this series for years. And the problem is, they never seem to get fixed. If they can't fix these glaring issues, perhaps it's time for an entire rewrite, but if they can, they need to stop focusing on making the game pretty and having fans catch balls in the stands and focus on the GAMEPLAY!