Detailing the Changes to Hitting Coming to MLB The Show 19

[Caulfield]

Re: Detailing the Changes to Hitting Coming to MLB The Show 19

I stink at the longball game so the Dee Gordon & Whit Merrifield contact type guys being hyped has me thinking I now have a chance at averaging 5 runs a game. And now I want to steal Merrifield from KC along with pitcher Keller.

[da_centa_fielda]

They spend most of their time fixing exploits for people that play the game incorrectly to begin with.  At least they touched RTTS this year. But it looks like it's going to get repetitive quickly with those mini games. I'm leaning towards skipping for the 2nd year in a row. But it really depends on RTTS for me at this point.

[HolyHell]

Re: Detailing the Changes to Hitting Coming to MLB The Show 19

This series has been growing stale since the first iteration on the PS4. Looking back at the debut to now, we still have the same terribly boring commentary, same player models, same uniforms design. This year it is no different and like previously said, the game is build around online head to head. I'm not even a franchise player myself. However, that is mostly because I just get bored after a few games because it is the same game every year.

We need another sim from EA, 2K, whomever. I just can't wait to stop buying this game.

[lildicky1]

Re: Detailing the Changes to Hitting Coming to MLB The Show 19

I have been getting this game religiously since 2007. This last version was the first time I skipped on it.

Ironically, I skipped because 2017 Diamond Dynasty was so addicting and time consuming and I needed to really focus in on work and school. However, when I played with a buddy I was so disappointed in the hitting that I was ok with skipping it. Then I saw that hitting problem was felt by all.

That said, the changes to hitting seem promising and I might just pick this up at launch.

[XxRnSxX]

Re: Detailing the Changes to Hitting Coming to MLB The Show 19

Dynamic weather and new commentary would certainly liven this game up.

[RogerDodger]

Re: Detailing the Changes to Hitting Coming to MLB The Show 19

One of the reasons publishers don't mind losing offline players are threads like this. We have an article about hitting improvements, and instead the thread ended up being about lamenting microtransactions.

Regardless how anyone feels about micro transactions, there is not a more consistently negative core gamer than sim and franchise players in sports. this goes whiter they are in their, 'just trying to help the devs make the game better" mode or in the "devs are lazy and publishers are greedy" mode.

This thread is not an outlier. This is what publishers see across all sports games. And negative game bashing threads hurt sales. In fact, that's where the discussion goes, urging others to boycott and make used game purchases to punish the publisher.

Publishers found a better way to generate revenue than placating gamers that really do nothing but complain. There is no path to the perfect sim. They can't even get a release out before "helpful" gamers begin with their wishlists for the next game, which begins what has become the annual process of creating the narrative of what is wrong with the current game, before it ever drops.

And you wonder why devs don't come around. Look at the title of the thread and what has been written. It's not rocket science.

Good developers don’t want to know what their users like, they want to know what gamers don’t like so they can make it better. There’s no bashing in this thread for bashing sake, conversations frequently evolve inevitably onto the issue of countering online exploits precisely because SDS made it clear that some of their additions this year were implemented precisely for that reason. As for their community involvement, they rarely post anywhere including their own forums and the Twitch stream comments pale in comparison. Finally if they could make more money from offline gamers than their online counterparts, the priority would be offline.

[Caulfield]

Re: Detailing the Changes to Hitting Coming to MLB The Show 19

...Finally if they could make more money from offline gamers than their online counterparts, the priority would be offline.

exactly. the bottom line is what it boils down to. Sony doesnt lose sleep or make game decisions based on internet chatter. If they did, they would have out of business 20 years ago. Anyone who thinks DD doesnt have its share of users (or any game from any genre for that matter) that critique the mode hard hasn't visited enough other internet sites to read whats been said. and at the end of the day, no game maker wants their game ignored.
I wont go so far as to say ANY press is good press but thats not far off the marker. "As long as you spell the name right."


I will admit you see more sports games studied, dissected, scrutinized and analysed here on OS but that has more to with this being Operation SPORTS.

[countryboy]

Re: Detailing the Changes to Hitting Coming to MLB The Show 19

I keep reading this concern that SDS focused solely on fixing online exploits and that means the offline user is at the mercy.

But I haven’t seen one thing mentioned thus far by the devs this year in these streams that is beyond the realm of baseball when it comes to fixing online exploits.

Personally it seems that their focus on fixing online exploits this year is leading to a more “sim/realistic” game.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[KnightTemplar]

Re: Detailing the Changes to Hitting Coming to MLB The Show 19

There is no path to the perfect sim. They can't even get a release out before "helpful" gamers begin with their wishlists for the next game, which begins what has become the annual process of creating the narrative of what is wrong with the current game, before it ever drops.

Every year the game gets better. But you wouldn't know it.

[bcruise]

Re: Detailing the Changes to Hitting Coming to MLB The Show 19

Good developers don’t want to know what their users like, they want to know what gamers don’t like so they can make it better. There’s no bashing in this thread for bashing sake, conversations frequently evolve inevitably onto the issue of countering online exploits precisely because SDS made it clear that some of their additions this year were implemented precisely for that reason. As for their community involvement, they rarely post anywhere including their own forums and the Twitch stream comments pale in comparison. Finally if they could make more money from offline gamers than their online counterparts, the priority would be offline.

You're absolutely right that they want to know what's wrong so they can fix it, but I feel like it's equally important to point out what's good so they don't change what people are enjoying about the game - it's not about brown-nosing the devs or anything like that that those of us who compliment the game get accused of. When all communication is negative it makes it seem like everything about the game is terrible and needs to be overhauled, which is most often not the case. There needs to be a balance in both IMO.

And, like Jayhawker, I fail to understand how a thread about hitting devolving into MTX disapproval adds to these types of discussions in any way.

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Detailing the Changes to Hitting Coming to MLB The Show 19

So my understanding is that the Power attribute now raises the ball exit velocity ceiling like it always has, unlocking higher bat exit velocities more often. The contact attribute now helps raise the ball exit velocity floor, unlocking low ball exit velocities less often.

That... actually makes a lot of sense to me, especially when Contact directly combats H/9. H/9 will open up bat exit velocity floors, and HR/9 will close bat exit velocity ceilings more often. So they nerfed the importance of power by buffing everything else. I like it.

I am concerned about what they said about pitching, I mean there are a few guys out there that can throw 5 effective pitches, but overall I like what they've done with hitting and pitching this year. Most potential issues I may have with the balance can be solved with sliders.

[KBLover]

Re: Detailing the Changes to Hitting Coming to MLB The Show 19

I am concerned about what they said about pitching, I mean there are a few guys out there that can throw 5 effective pitches, but overall I like what they've done with hitting and pitching this year. Most potential issues I may have with the balance can be solved with sliders.

I'm thinking that using those weaker pitches as show pitches or maybe get-me-overs on counts where the hitter won't be looking for it (like 2-0 and you throw a meh forkball - as long as it's lower in the zone, the hitter might just spit on it and you get to use it and grab a strike) is going to be needed.

Probably have to use them sparingly like a pitcher that throws a pitch 4% (1 in 25 pitches) of the time or something, but enough so that they are used and then you can get back to your better stuff.

Relievers might be an adventure, though. But, I'd imagine they'd be very highly rated if they are solid with highly rated pitch #1 and #2 so they could be used a lot and still effective.

[RogerDodger]

Re: Detailing the Changes to Hitting Coming to MLB The Show 19

Every year the game gets better. But you wouldn't know it.

You’d know it if you’d read all my posts on here this year. I’ve played over 200 games in my 18 franchise, thrown every pitch and faced every AB from spring training onwards. It doesn’t mean somebody like me doesn’t have legit concerns. Those of us who posted our wish lists for months are probably seeing next to none of those things addressed and I’m talking beyond what we’ve seen so far in the first two streams but the writing seems on the wall. I’d love to see hitting improve but when they introduced the idea by saying they’d taken their feedback from watching online streaming, hardly builds confidence. I’ve been down a road like this before with other sports games to justify scepticism.

If it helps, to provide balance I liked the defensive stream

[bigwill33]

Re: Detailing the Changes to Hitting Coming to MLB The Show 19

I keep reading this concern that SDS focused solely on fixing online exploits and that means the offline user is at the mercy.

But I haven’t seen one thing mentioned thus far by the devs this year in these streams that is beyond the realm of baseball when it comes to fixing online exploits.

Personally it seems that their focus on fixing online exploits this year is leading to a more “sim/realistic” game.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

We all have. And it’s having a base runner slip every single time they try and retreat back to the bag on a steal attempt and pitchout. Just like rocket bunts, this is an overreaction to nerf online cheese tactics and the implementation goes beyond the realm of not only actual baseball, but general realism. It screams of “we didn’t know how to fix an issue that we created, so we broke something else intentionally in the name of it.”

[Cycloniac]

Re: Detailing the Changes to Hitting Coming to MLB The Show 19

I'm thinking that using those weaker pitches as show pitches or maybe get-me-overs on counts where the hitter won't be looking for it (like 2-0 and you throw a meh forkball - as long as it's lower in the zone, the hitter might just spit on it and you get to use it and grab a strike) is going to be needed.

Probably have to use them sparingly like a pitcher that throws a pitch 4% (1 in 25 pitches) of the time or something, but enough so that they are used and then you can get back to your better stuff.

Relievers might be an adventure, though. But, I'd imagine they'd be very highly rated if they are solid with highly rated pitch #1 and #2 so they could be used a lot and still effective.

My guess is they will have an algorithm dependent on the number of pitches in a player's arsenal

For a reliever, I think the dropoff from pitch 1, to pitch 2, to pitch 3 will be more slight.

If a starter has 5 pitches, I think the disparity between pitch 1 and 2, and pitch 5 will be more drastic. Or they may just increase the pitch cofidence penalty this year.