**MLB 08: The Show (PS2) First Impressions Thread**

[Pared]

Re: @ Pared

Alright, well my apologies for side-tracking the PS2 impressions thread. Enjoy the game, fellas.

[Rod_Carew29]

@ Pared

no apology is neccessary...I'm bigger than that.....

there was no side track...you asked and I replied...lol

I'm trying to enjoy this version of the game...it's gonna take a while to tweak some things....

Alright, well my apologies for side-tracking the PS2 impressions thread. Enjoy the game, fellas.

[baa7]

Re: **MLB 08: The Show (PS2) First Impressions Thread**

You said hitting felt easier in 07 than in 06, does it feel any harder in 08?

bsb, I don't want to say hitting is easier, because it's a judgment thing in some ways. But I've been playing 06 for the past month. The moment I started up a game with 08, I noticed it was much easier for me to make contact. It just seems more forgiving if you've aimed in the wrong zone.

I play on Allstar in both versions, so I'm going to bump the difficulty up in 08 to HOF and see how that plays. Which is my preference anyway, seeing I like 9-zone hitting better. Past that, if it comes down to it, I'll lower the contact ratings of the players on my team. I'm pretty sure that's all it'll take.

[philliesfan980]

Re: @ Pared

Can someone please sim a few seasons to see how things play out?

[Krebstar]

Re: @ Pared

Can someone please answer a question for me. In franchise, are pretty much all games played at night except for on Sunday? Or, are there a few more afternoon games thrown in the middle of the week. Last year, there were hardly any.

[soltrain]

Re: @ Pared

Can someone please answer a question for me. In franchise, are pretty much all games played at night except for on Sunday? Or, are there a few more afternoon games thrown in the middle of the week. Last year, there were hardly any.

It's based on the actual team schedule.

[baa7]

Re: **MLB 08: The Show (PS2) First Impressions Thread**

You said hitting felt easier in 07 than in 06, does it feel any harder in 08?

Yup, HOF with the pitch speed slider up is definitely all the challenge I will need with this game I will say though that the player contact ratings are IMO too high, just like 06. There are a ton of players with their contact slider bars 2/3 to 3/4 full who have no business being rated that high.

[bsb13]

Re: **MLB 08: The Show (PS2) First Impressions Thread**

Yup, HOF with the pitch speed slider up is definitely all the challenge I will need with this game

Sounds good.

I'll be getting my hands on it maybe later today, but probably tomorrow.

[Krebstar]

Re: @ Pared

It's based on the actual team schedule.

So, was it last year? I'm not trying to be sarcastic, I'm really wondering. I remember starting with several teams last year just to see and teams hardly had any day games. Could be that I think there are far more actual day games than there are, though.

[duke776]

Re: @ Pared

So, was it last year? I'm not trying to be sarcastic, I'm really wondering. I remember starting with several teams last year just to see and teams hardly had any day games. Could be that I think there are far more actual day games than there are, though.

I remember Kolbe said something about it, they fixed it for the ps3 version, but couldn't fix it for the ps2 version. If I remember correctly it had somethin to do with the clock in the game, so if the game was a 12 o'clock start it would read it as 12 midnight, not 12 noontime, therefore it would be a night game. I could be wrong because I'm going of memory but I'm pretty sure he said that.

[Rod_Carew29]

Even Though Some Things in the PS2 Version Are Ticking Me Off...

here are some things that I like or was pleased with:

waiting back on a pitch...and not using the stick to control the ball...there is a difference in how hits that are ripped, slapped or slammed to the opposite field sound and look trajectory-wise....

In an earlier game against the Angels, John Lackey hit my leadoff batter, Carl Crawford in the 3rd inning. The next inning, Kazmir hit Erick Aybar in the butt (I did it on purpose)...two innings later...in the top of the 5th, my catcher Dioner Navarro was hit in the back by Lackey...Navarro looked like he was going to the mound, but didn't.

In the same inning in the midst of a rally, Lackey hits Baldelli...no warnings and no, I didn't feel like retaliating.

I also notice that you can hit a batter when you're not even trying and/or throwing that close...yesterday, I hit Bobby Abreu in the side of the helmet.....he stayed in the game and on the first pitch to the next batter, stole second...lol

The check swing engine has been totally cleaned up...the response is crisp and there aren't all of those called strikes by the umps.

The break of the pitches and the flight of the ball are more defined....so much so, that when following the ball, you can tell in that split second if it's going to be a strike or not...I am sure they made a conscious effort to not have a high percentage of balls literally RIGHT OFF the black.

And sliders SLIDE, curves REALLY curve, slurves SLURVE big time...you don't have to neccessarily starte them wayyyyy out here for them to break where you want....

In an exhibition a few minutes ago....my Rays vs. Boston in FLorida, my starter, Edwin Jackson struck out 4 batters in a row...and 6 out of 10.

The four in a row were: Varitek, Drew, Youkilis, Lugo (looking)

The six out of ten were: Manny (looking), Lowell (single), Varitek, Drew, Youkilis, Lugo (looking), Ellsbury (walk), Pedroia (single), Ortiz (lined out to short) and Manny (looking again).

[koebner]

Re: **MLB 08: The Show (PS2) First Impressions Thread**

I think the control over all feels more responsive than 07.I agree that the batting"feels" right in terms of how the ball comes off the bat.
There is a good amount of foul balls,and good hit variety.
The contact slider might have to come down a bit,but probably doesn't need to be zeroed out,like last year.It seems the ball comes off the bat like a rocket-maybe pitch speed is the cause.
Overall, I think this game needs fewer tweaks than last year,slider-wise.
I like the arrows that indicate how a pitch will break when using the meter,and the tweaked guess pitch setup.You can now use the swing feedback even if you make contact,which I like as well.

[usmgoldeneagles]

Re: **MLB 08: The Show (PS2) First Impressions Thread**

I just got this today and I can't hit. I guess it's because I haven't played in about 9 or 10 months, but I can't catch up with the fastball. This is on all star. I started guessing fastball everytime, to try and get the hang of it and that's helping a little.

[JLiven61]

Re: **MLB 08: The Show (PS2) First Impressions Thread**

Guys gotta tell you I really like the manager mode. I played a three game series at home St. Louis facing Washington. In game one, Braden Looper 3 hit the Nats and thanks to a two-run triple by Pujols the Cards won 3-0. In game two Hill for Washington scattered seven hits and beat me (St. Louis 4-1). In the series finale the Cards were trailing 4-1 in the seventh when the Cards erupted for 5 runs (which included three doubles) and won going away 7-4.

What is so enjoyable is a video game has finally gotten "walks" right. In that big 7th, Washington reliever Ayala walked three straight batters and then was taken out. Have you ever seen the CPU in any game (With the exception of the classic High Heat series)walk three straight?

Great game.

J

[Rod_Carew29]

@ usmgoldeneagles

LOL!
Keep at it, you'll get adjusted...I went through the same thing coming off of almost 2 years playing MVP 2005.....lol

I remember when I reluctantly (turned out I was right) played MLB 2006...damn, I couldn't hit a fast ball to save my life....I struck out like 8 times with the first nine batters....LOL

I just got this today and I can't hit. I guess it's because I haven't played in about 9 or 10 months, but I can't catch up with the fastball. This is on all star. I started guessing fastball everytime, to try and get the hang of it and that's helping a little.