Question for manage mode users

[tessl]

Re: Question for manage mode users

As a long time serious baseball sim hobbyist, this thread has gotten me closer to taking the dive and buying MLB The Show and giving Manager Mode a spin. As I'm sure you know, many Diamond Mind and OOTP players look at The Show as merely an arcade game, which lacks the realism and competent AI that is required for a serious sim. As a former skeptic, this thread is opening my mind to this game. If this truly is a realistic sim of baseball, with good CPU AI, then the incredible graphics will make The Show a must buy.

The injury thing is concerning, however. It sounds like this needs to be addressed pronto.

Have you all found the development team responsive to your (our) niche of manager mode players? If the developers showed some interest and attention, there is an untapped market our there that would start paying attention, I'm sure.

I've never played OOTP but my understanding it has a very deep franchise mode. From the videos I've seen the game of the field is micro league baseball graphics.

I can't say whether you will like mlbts manage mode but I love it. I suspect you will find franchise mode isn't as deep as OOTP but the combination of a functioning franchise mode which does a pretty good job - not perfect - of replicating MLB and fantastic graphics is worth $60. If you aren't sure pick up a cheap copy of mlbts 18 and give it a try.

Are the devs responsive to manage mode concerns? Slowly over the years it has progressed a lot but it tends not to get as much attention as other modes.

[JHodges57]

Re: Question for manage mode users

I've never played OOTP but my understanding it has a very deep franchise mode. From the videos I've seen the game of the field is micro league baseball graphics.

I can't say whether you will like mlbts manage mode but I love it. I suspect you will find franchise mode isn't as deep as OOTP but the combination of a functioning franchise mode which does a pretty good job - not perfect - of replicating MLB and fantastic graphics is worth $60. If you aren't sure pick up a cheap copy of mlbts 18 and give it a try.

Are the devs responsive to manage mode concerns? Slowly over the years it has progressed a lot but it tends not to get as much attention as other modes.

OOTP is excellent for fictional seasons. If you're interested in real seasons, it's pretty bad, particularly for pitchers who rarely have results close to their real life numbers real life. I still use it for fictional.

[CoachCraven]

Re: Question for manage mode users

As a long time serious baseball sim hobbyist, this thread has gotten me closer to taking the dive and buying MLB The Show and giving Manager Mode a spin. As I'm sure you know, many Diamond Mind and OOTP players look at The Show as merely an arcade game, which lacks the realism and competent AI that is required for a serious sim. As a former skeptic, this thread is opening my mind to this game. If this truly is a realistic sim of baseball, with good CPU AI, then the incredible graphics will make The Show a must buy.

The injury thing is concerning, however. It sounds like this needs to be addressed pronto.

Have you all found the development team responsive to your (our) niche of manager mode players? If the developers showed some interest and attention, there is an untapped market our there that would start paying attention, I'm sure.

Concerning injuries, as I mentioned earlier I've played every single game with the Braves through 3 seasons since The Show 17. The only injuries are the "Player X strained a muscle in warm-ups" variety, and even those don't happen enough. I sit anyone on a cold streak, or even just randomly sometimes, and have managed to have comparable at-bat numbers at the end of the seasons. It's not perfect, but I can live with it. I can play that much because I do most of my work from home and can have the laptop open while managing a game.

With my second franchise (the Angels, started in The Show 18) I play the first game with the Ace, then sim all the way through the rotation to the number 2 Pitcher second start, then sim to the 3rd start for number 3, etc. rinse and repeat. The injuries are much more realistic for the franchise itself.

I love the game. A long time ago I started doing coach mode in all my sports games as it got boring pounding the cpu with stick skills. But with the death of NCAA football games this is really my only remaining choice for that, as 2K took out the little work around and Madden's coach mode is inferior.

[CoachCraven]

Re: Question for manage mode users

I'd like to know what's in your game that isn't in mine. All bunts are hit too hard hence the force outs. Quite honestly, there is no difference in players with 90+ bunt ratings and those with ratings below 40.

Bunting is no longer an option for me. I've given them plenty of time to work out.

Bunts are working for me as well. I'm sorry they aren't for you. That would be really annoying. I'm using NOMO's sliders, but I am not sure if he is.

[JHodges57]

Re: Question for manage mode users

Bunts are working for me as well. I'm sorry they aren't for you. That would be really annoying. I'm using NOMO's sliders, but I am not sure if he is.

I've tried adjusting sliders, but I don't see any difference in MoM. I've adjusted the sliders to all extremes. All batting sliders maxed out while all pitching sliders set to 0, and vice versa, and there was no difference in game play. As far as I know, sliders have no impact in MoM.

[forme95]

Re: Question for manage mode users

I've tried adjusting sliders, but I don't see any difference in MoM. I've adjusted the sliders to all extremes. All batting sliders maxed out while all pitching sliders set to 0, and vice versa, and there was no difference in game play. As far as I know, sliders have no impact in MoM.

Nomo confirmed long back that sliders do affect the game. You have to match human and CPU sliders. I believe it is only certain sliders. I can also confirm that sliders do in fact make the game play different. However, Manage mode is played on All-Star and no other difficulty.

[JHodges57]

Re: Question for manage mode users

Nomo confirmed long back that sliders do affect the game. You have to match human and CPU sliders. I believe it is only certain sliders. I can also confirm that sliders do in fact make the game play different. However, Manage mode is played on All-Star and no other difficulty.

Yes, human and AI sliders are set the same when I change them, but how can it be explained even with the extreme adjustments, nothing happened?

When I had pitcher sliders set to 0 and batter sliders all the way up, and fielding sliders all set on 0, I watched the Nats beat the Mets 1-0 with 3 hits combined between the 2 teams.

[CoachCraven]

Re: Question for manage mode users

Yes, human and AI sliders are set the same when I change them, but how can it be explained even with the extreme adjustments, nothing happened?

When I had pitcher sliders set to 0 and batter sliders all the way up, and fielding sliders all set on 0, I watched the Nats beat the Mets 1-0 with 3 hits combined between the 2 teams.

A big thing preached in Nomo's thread was sample size. A game or two isn't enough to get an accurate picture. I know it gets tedious going through multiple games when they don't seem right. I was thinking the old sliders weren't going to work my first couple of games with 19, but being about 25 games in now I feel good about them. I don't mean to be giving you the hard sell on those particular sliders, but rather perhaps give you hope that it may not be as bad as it seems.

[tessl]

Re: Question for manage mode users

The problem with sliders is they tweak gameplay for months after release. In 18 it wasn't until late in the process when they got gameplay fixed. Sliders become a wild goose chase.

[CoachCraven]

Re: Question for manage mode users

The problem with sliders is they tweak gameplay for months after release. In 18 it wasn't until late in the process when they got gameplay fixed. Sliders become a wild goose chase.

True, but a few subtle adjustments along the way kept the gameplay pretty solid. There are enough people in the community doing work that it wasn't hard to keep up.

[forme95]

Re: Question for manage mode users

Now that I have a few series in, I will give my feedback.

Offense is plenty, maybe to plenty. Game, animation, and variety are better then last year. Still AI management issues in regards to seeing the same pitchers in a series or leaving a reliever out to long is still present. Along with wild pitches that shouldnt be advanced on, that are is still present. Example, I had Santana (spd 32) on first and a pitch that went right behind the catchers butt and he advanced to 2nd without worry. Just shouldnt happen. I had no issues with bunting. Got some, lost to some. It goes as intended unlike years past when it was useless to even try. No in game injuries or pregame injuries. Had 3 rain games and 0 delays.

To combat injuries, I will play (manage) a rotation and then sim a rotation (simming day by day). I have to see injuries. Its a must for me. Everything else I can figure out how to live with. I do not look for perfect real in life stats and compare it to the game. As long as everything stays within reason (so far looking that way) it is my franchise universe and I will not go into a slideritis about it. Stats stay within reason if you play out a whole season. THAT I have noticed with MLBTS. You can not try and get real life stats. Game just doesnt work that way and never will. However, the game does not stray far from realism.

Thats my $.02 on it. Enjoy your franchise and remember, just have fun. Its a video game after all.

[tessl]

Re: Question for manage mode users

Now that I have a few series in, I will give my feedback.

Offense is plenty, maybe to plenty. Game, animation, and variety are better then last year. Still AI management issues in regards to seeing the same pitchers in a series or leaving a reliever out to long is still present. Along with wild pitches that shouldnt be advanced on, that are is still present. Example, I had Santana (spd 32) on first and a pitch that went right behind the catchers butt and he advanced to 2nd without worry. Just shouldnt happen. I had no issues with bunting. Got some, lost to some. It goes as intended unlike years past when it was useless to even try. No in game injuries or pregame injuries. Had 3 rain games and 0 delays.

To combat injuries, I will play (manage) a rotation and then sim a rotation (simming day by day). I have to see injuries. Its a must for me. Everything else I can figure out how to live with. I do not look for perfect real in life stats and compare it to the game. As long as everything stays within reason (so far looking that way) it is my franchise universe and I will not go into a slideritis about it. Stats stay within reason if you play out a whole season. THAT I have noticed with MLBTS. You can not try and get real life stats. Game just doesnt work that way and never will. However, the game does not stray far from realism.

Thats my $.02 on it. Enjoy your franchise and remember, just have fun. Its a video game after all.

Thanks for the review. It's unfortunate wild pitches are still an issue. In mlbts 18 I acquired catcher with a very high blocking attribute and there were still too many wild pitches.

I'll probably buy 19 eventually but no hurry. Again, thanks for the review from a trusted source.

[tgreer]

Re: Question for manage mode users

Now that I have a few series in, I will give my feedback.

Offense is plenty, maybe to plenty. Game, animation, and variety are better then last year. Still AI management issues in regards to seeing the same pitchers in a series or leaving a reliever out to long is still present. Along with wild pitches that shouldnt be advanced on, that are is still present. Example, I had Santana (spd 32) on first and a pitch that went right behind the catchers butt and he advanced to 2nd without worry. Just shouldnt happen. I had no issues with bunting. Got some, lost to some. It goes as intended unlike years past when it was useless to even try. No in game injuries or pregame injuries. Had 3 rain games and 0 delays.

To combat injuries, I will play (manage) a rotation and then sim a rotation (simming day by day). I have to see injuries. Its a must for me. Everything else I can figure out how to live with. I do not look for perfect real in life stats and compare it to the game. As long as everything stays within reason (so far looking that way) it is my franchise universe and I will not go into a slideritis about it. Stats stay within reason if you play out a whole season. THAT I have noticed with MLBTS. You can not try and get real life stats. Game just doesnt work that way and never will. However, the game does not stray far from realism.

Thats my $.02 on it. Enjoy your franchise and remember, just have fun. Its a video game after all.

Are you on default sliders or last years Nomos? I am through 8 games and its fantastic. (Except my record)

[forme95]

Re: Question for manage mode users

Are you on default sliders or last years Nomos? I am through 8 games and its fantastic. (Except my record)

I am currently using default with injury @ 6.
I don't use Nomos only because his is based off CPU vs CPU which plays different then manage mode. Nomos are to try and exact real life sim which they will never over 162 games. They are great for CPU and Nomo has tons of knowledge and I am by no means knocking what he does. Also, his requires to many adjustment throughout the season. Default plays fine for me. I may make slight tweaks here and there, but I never stray far from default. Nor do I want to constantly adjust sliders. Therefore, if I do +/- a slider, it's a set and forget.

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

[JHodges57]

Re: Question for manage mode users

The problem with sliders is they tweak gameplay for months after release. In 18 it wasn't until late in the process when they got gameplay fixed. Sliders become a wild goose chase.

Funny you should mention this. Just this morning I was telling my wife that in the last version the game play didn't get straightened out till really late last year so messing with sliders wasn't worth it.