MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

[sfpxgalaxy]

Re: MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

I almost bought it this weekend because it's only CAD$25 on PSN.
I decided to visit the shownation forums to see what was the state of the game.

In the recent activity section, in the first 4 pages you can only see threads about DD.

All these idiotic money grab card collection modes are killing the sport genre for me.

Franchise modes are getting untouched in pretty much all the games (FIFA, NHL, MLB).

Not only publishers/devs don't have any incentive to work on other modes they even have an incentive to NOT work on them and make them the worst experience possible because any time you don't spend on the card collection mode is a potential loss of revenues.

I think in a few years they will remove franchise and career modes completely.
They will lose some customers but games will cost them less to make and the card collectors will compensate by continually spending hundreds or thousands of $ each single year.

This is sad era for sports games.
They became a card collection affair.

[RogerDodger]

Re: MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

I almost bought it this weekend because it's only CAD$25 on PSN.
I decided to visit the shownation forums to see what was the state of the game.

In the recent activity section, in the first 4 pages you can only see threads about DD.

All these idiotic money grab card collection modes are killing the sport genre for me.

Franchise modes are getting untouched in pretty much all the games (FIFA, NHL, MLB).

Not only publishers/devs don't have any incentive to work on other modes they even have an incentive to NOT work on them and make them the worst experience possible because any time you don't spend on the card collection mode is a potential loss of revenues.

I think in a few years they will remove franchise and career modes completely.
They will lose some customers but games will cost them less to make and the card collectors will compensate by continually spending hundreds or thousands of $ each single year.

This is sad era for sports games.
They became a card collection affair.

I disagree that they'd get rid of franchise mode. It's easy to reach that conclusion based on the direction sports games are going in but I don't see it myself. Franchise and season modes are two entirely different beasts. They'd lose sales for a mode that they could conceivably never develop any further and people would still buy for updated rosters as well as minor fixes or improvements. Why would they shoot themselves in the foot like that? Some may say that's the case now. As for the card collecting mode, that was built several years ago now and requires little year-on-year development at this point. Developers are trying to make more money but they're not in the business of losing money by losing customers. Everything is cyclical as well, card collecting modes will eventually run their course and the next big thing will replace it, whatever that might be.

[sfpxgalaxy]

Re: MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

I disagree that they'd get rid of franchise mode. It's easy to reach that conclusion based on the direction sports games are going in but I don't see it myself. Franchise and season modes are two entirely different beasts. They'd lose sales for a mode that they could conceivably never develop any further and people would still buy for updated rosters as well as minor fixes or improvements.

Improvements and fixes mean development time and money.
I haven't bought MLB 18 and NHL 19 and I usually buy them every year. They already lost me. They are losing the franchise and career mode players already by not working on those modes enough. Roster updates are not worth the purchase of a new version.

They slowly prepare the removal of those modes. They started to numb us with very few yearly improvements in the franchise/career modes. The modes are getting stale very quickly because you basically play the same game every year. Therefore the modes are getting less played with each version and they will eventually be justified to remove them.

No other mode available in the game also means that 100% of the customers are playing that micro-transactions lottery game and they can no longer spend time elsewhere in the game...where it's not earning the publisher money.

Gaming in general is becoming a micro-transaction affair.

Eventually you will see charges to create a new game, load a saved game, revive your character....and there will be enough dumb gamers to make it work.

[RogerDodger]

Re: MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

Improvements and fixes mean development time and money.
I haven't bought MLB 18 and NHL 19 and I usually buy them every year. They already lost me. They are losing the franchise and career mode players already by not working on those modes enough. Roster updates are not worth the purchase of a new version.

They slowly prepare the removal of those modes. They started to numb us with very few yearly improvements in the franchise/career modes. The modes are getting stale very quickly because you basically play the same game every year. Therefore the modes are getting less played with each version and they will eventually be justified to remove them.

No other mode available in the game also means that 100% of the customers are playing that micro-transactions lottery game and they can no longer spend time elsewhere in the game...where it's not earning the publisher money.

Gaming in general is becoming a micro-transaction affair.

Eventually you will see charges to create a new game, load a saved game, revive your character....and there will be enough dumb gamers to make it work.

Everything requires some amount of development and time. But that's the price of publishing a video game and you get the return when people buy it. You don't get that return when people DON'T buy it because you ripped out a significant core feature and it is no longer worth their money to buy the game. Right now they make some money off of card collecting modes from people who play that mode but there are no guarantees they'd still buy the game without a franchise mode. And there are no guarantees gamers would continue to pour money into those modes every year ad infinitum. That's a risky business strategy for any company to follow. A video game is a different beast to a mobile game. It needs more than just a card collecting mode to get significant numbers to buy it which is why franchise is going nowhere.

As for being same-old-same-old franchise mode, I can only speak for myself but after playing well over 120 games this year I'm deeper into my franchise than any before.

I get your cynicism, I understand why it's easy to have that view point but the same corporate mentality that drives micro transactions still drives video game sales - and that's why they need a franchise mode, because they'd lose sales without it that they wouldn't make up through microstansactions.

[CMH]

Re: MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

Bought it for $20 because why not. I haven't played The Show in 2 or 3 years? Can't remember.



A lot of the things remain the same like some bad animations. It's these little things that make people feel like the game has not improved as much. I know they add new animations all the time, but they need to remove the animations that make no sense. I still see shortstops sometimes use a weird fielding animation where they stick their glove out to field a hard grounder. Would like to see them actually use their legs a bit and look like they are trying to position themselves in front of the ball.



Also swings still have a very unnatural flow. There's a major hiccup in the bat through the zone, like the batter is chopping at the ball and then somehow adds a loop. This is not a good swing but it's every swing in the game: https://www.operationsports.com/wp-c...us-30jan18.jpg




If we are going to have signature stances, there should probably be signature swings too. Would love to see that.



The presentation options look great though I'm disappointed that broadcast is NOT broadcast. There should absolutely be an option to play the full broadcast view the game once had. Right now it's like Broadcast LITE which is a nice option too but don't call it Broadcast.


Also broadcast needs a lot of different cut-away angles. You can show the same things but show them from different cameras during the game.


I would love to see strike zone inspired themes (some people might hate this), but there should be theme with the strikezone always on and the circle that pops up with the MPH next to it. Sort of like this though this image is missing the MPH. Hard to find a picture of it: https://fivethirtyeight.com/wp-conte...h-03.jpg?w=575



We should have an option with the interconnecting lines: http://cdn1.thecomeback.com/wp-conte...04/KZone-1.jpg


An option with the pitch track on-screen during the at-bat: http://www.insidesocal.com/tomhoffar...NSPORTS14c.jpg


OPTIONS for anyone groaning right now. It's on the television it should be in the game. As an option.


Also what is with the short arms again? I swore this was resolved a few years back but guys once again have Jose Altuve arms. I can't tell what it is but it looks like a shoulder / back issue actually. Like this still of Correa looks wrong. http://www.playstationlifestyle.net/..._z-555x312.jpg


He's either wearing a jersey three sizes too big or his back is just too huge. Work on those skeletons please SCEA. Everyone looks half a foot too short and most of the faces are truly awful. It's what separates you from the basketball games. Heck, even Madden has better player models and that's saying something.


The Show looks beautiful when it comes to stadiums, the grass, the colors, the jerseys (from the stiches to the fonts, I can kiss them). But the player models...woof! I'm not going to be crazy and say it's PS2 like. It's not. There's just something wrong with the skeletons and how animations interact with those skeletons. I know it's a lot of work to upgrade and re-do but you cannot go into the PS5 era with these models.




Otherwise, the baseball is really good. I'm having fun with it. And the broadcast team is nice. For the first time ever I find Vasgersian more entertaining. I don't know if it's the other guys helping him, better lines, or the immersion, but whatever it is, Matty V. can stay. I actually like him for once.

[KingOfLanglade]

Re: MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

All I can say is, what a game! I bought OOTB as well this year assuming it would be my choice come August when TS became stale/repetitive. However, it’s just the opposite! I am still seeing new hit types, and in turn dynamic gameplay every night. I have never had more fun, and realism with any sport’s title than I have with this edition of TS.

[CMH]

Re: MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

Would love to see replays shown in a more broadcast style with multiple angles and tracking happening seamlessly. Like this replay

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoSlyw8hfb0/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1j8x0or8te9r

I rather watch a replay than the same canned trot around the bases that cuts to the manager after touching third.

A replay keeps every trot fresh. And multiple angles really keep it super fresh.


Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[CMH]

Re: MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

Let me add that my thoughts are mostly to improve the experience especially the broadcast one. I'll admit I'm not convinced SCEA cares to improve the broadcast experience but that's just how I feel based on seeing broadcast features cut.

With all that said, I'm having a lot of fun with the actual baseball and the presentation is still very good. It's been many years since I could say that about The Show.

Consider me a happy consumer because I'm playing my favorite sport in video game form and not feeling bored to death.


PS do not get rid of pulse pitching. Imo it's the perfect way to pitch in this title.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[CMH]

Re: MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

As I'm playing, I'm noticing much better looking swings. I don't know what I was seeing at first. Weird but good. Don't mind being wrong if the result is a better looking game.

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[DamnYanks2]

Re: MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

Let me add that my thoughts are mostly to improve the experience especially the broadcast one. I'll admit I'm not convinced SCEA cares to improve the broadcast experience but that's just how I feel based on seeing broadcast features cut.

With all that said, I'm having a lot of fun with the actual baseball and the presentation is still very good. It's been many years since I could say that about The Show.

Consider me a happy consumer because I'm playing my favorite sport in video game form and not feeling bored to death.


PS do not get rid of pulse pitching. Imo it's the perfect way to pitch in this title.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Thought this was an excellent game. You echoed how I feel. I cant play madden or NBA 2k against the CPU it's just boring to me.

This is the only sports game I can seriously get into playing by myself. I play on legend. And the pitchers are just so intelligent how they mix up pitches and throw my timing off. I feel like I have to constantly make adjustments like a real hitter.

No other sports game reels me in like this one. Not even close. Definitely got my money worth.

Edit: and as yankee fans I appreciate how the team feels on here. Definitely feels like them. Sometimes they bash homeruns. Sometimes it's a struggle bringing in runners. Love it.

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[RogerDodger]

Re: MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

I love the game - as you'll know if you've seen me in here posting since 18 was released and before that - but something happened in my game yesterday which I absolutely hate.

Usually when the CPU tries to pick me off at 1B it shows the camera from the perspective of the pitcher and you see the runner go back to 1st with a swipe (or not) from the fielder covering the bag. On one occasion yesterday the camera didn't do that but pulled back to the ball-in-play perspective (which for me is the high camera) and instantly I knew my guy was going to be tagged out.

I know the debate about whether things are pre-determined have been done to death and will continue to rage, but as much as I love the game I wish that stuff like this didn't happen. It's rare but it adds fuel to the fire that whether my guy was tagged out or not wasn't organic - but pre-determined.

[Caulfield]

Re: MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

I know the debate about whether things are pre-determined have been done to death and will continue to rage, but as much as I love the game I wish that stuff like this didn't happen. It's rare but it adds fuel to the fire that whether my guy was tagged out or not wasn't organic - but pre-determined.

If it's rare then it doesn't add fuel to the fire. IMO the people who see stuff that's not rare and makes'em think 'predetermined', IMO they're playing on the wrong skill level.

[RogerDodger]

Re: MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

If it's rare then it doesn't add fuel to the fire. IMO the people who see stuff that's not rare and makes'em think 'predetermined', IMO they're playing on the wrong skill level.

Only the second time I’ve had something happen in 200 games that I was bothered by and in hindsight I probably tried to give my baserunner a lead a bit too early. The CPU isn’t stupid when you make it obvious what your intentions are.

[hooah212002]

Re: MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

I haven't played an MLB game in a loooong time, close to maybe 15 years and even longer since I owned one (for that I'd have to go back to the original RBI baseball on NES), i just played with some friends on their game system. I just bought myself a new tv and ps4 pro for xmas and saw this was on sale and seemed well rated, so i figured I'd give it a try. I fired up a franchise and before i knew it I had played 11 games and couldn't put it down.

I don't play online because I'm not very good at video games and it seems most complaints are about the online play, but the offline franchise play is phenomenal (mind you, i haven't turned up the difficulty settings because did i mention I'm not very good at video games?). They got little nuances of each players batting stance and pitching motion (except for Rizzos sexy hip thrust) that really helps with immersion. The graphics are amazing and the controls are tight.

That said, my experience comes from not having played year after year like you guys and I agree with and have the same complaints about Madden. I can empathize with people that get upset with only having a moderately better game every year due to there being no competition. Even still, MLB The Show 18 in and of itself is pretty damn good if you ask me.

(my opinion might change once i turn up the difficulty and start losing games and throwing my controller)

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[countryboy]

Re: MLB The Show 18 First Impressions

This is what I love about baseball and in turn the Show.

In my previous game, I was shut down by Jose Quintana. He went 8 innings, allowing no runs on 2 hits, striking me out 10 times, while walking no one. Quintana isn't a poor pitcher by any means, but he's struggled this year.

Game I just finished was versus the Dodgers with Clayton Kershaw on the mound. We get the victory over Kershaw knocking him out after 6 innings scoring 4 runs off of him with 2 homeruns and only struck out twice while walking 5 times.

Baseball is a funny, intricate game, and The Show/SDS do a damn fine job of capturing and replicating the game.