MLB 09 The Show Preview

[Computalover]

this game sounds great!! can you tell me, besides the new stadiums are any upgrades to uniforms and stadiums made it into this year's game.. like my fav the orioles.. new uni's and new scoreboards and a big friggin hotel built outside of left field fence.. (really screws up the city view in from the 1st base line..

[mike75]

Re: MLB 09 The Show Preview

The fielding animations are a good thing imo. It's some of the throwing animations that need to be fixed and/or eliminated. One of the reasons the Show is so great is the presentation. The little things that make it look like you are watching a real baseball game.

I actually like animation driven fielding at times. You shouldn't be able to run full speed to pick up a ball at the wall. The fact that an animation slowed him down while he picked up the ball was much more realistic, adds to the atmosphere and just screams real baseball. Would people rather take a player and run him at top speed into the wall without penalty and have the player just automatically pick up the ball in 2/10 of a second and turn a fire a bullet to the cut off man? Not me.

At other times there are shots hit down the baseline where a player in real life has a split second to react to make the play. A third basemen's quick back hand would be impossible for the user to create manually but beautiful to watch as an animation based on a player's attributes. Other animations to feature errors, juggled balls, etc. are also needed to make the game more like true baseball.

I agree that the Show needs to fix some things is in the throwing department. Once I have fielded the ball, the button press should determine how hard a ball gets thrown and not an animation. Predominately the infield throws that end up going slow even though we pressed the button hard and costing us outs. The fix to the short throws and other things look good to me so far. I'm sure the community guys will elaborate in a week for us!

I have no problem with animation driven fielding as long as its used at the appropriate times.

For example I never ever want the CPU to try and stop me from throwing to any base I chose. Like the force out at second with two outs in 07 and 08 versions! Thank god thats been fixed in 09

I have high hopes that the gameplay will be much improved in MLB 09 The Show. I am also pretty sure that 09 gameplay will still not be perfect. But the good news is that Sony is trying to improve the gameplay every year. And I am sure if we find more issues with the gameplay in 09 that Sony will try and fix those in MLB 2010 The Show!

So I guess what I am trying to say is I feel really good that Sony someday will nail down the gameplay and we all will love it!!!

They probablely need a few more years to get the gameplay perfect

[stateprop]

Re: MLB 09 The Show Preview

You know what make this game even sweeter, the ps3 dropping its price this spring to $299. Now i finally have a choice between mlb2k9 vs the show 09. Since mlb2k8 have fail last year and this year i really don't have alot of confidence in 2k to bring a high quality baseball this year.

Im really leaning toward the show this year but it depends on 2k this year which i doubt they bring a high quailty baseball game like the show.

[rudyjuly2]

Re: MLB 09 The Show Preview

For example I never ever want the CPU to try and stop me from throwing to any base I chose. Like the force out at second with two outs in 07 and 08 versions! Thank god thats been fixed in 09

Maybe I'm crazy but I didn't think it was a big issue in '07. I felt the short throw was done worse and a problem in the '08 version. Am I crazy in thinking that '07 wasn't that bad in this aspect?

[texbuk84]

Got damnit!!!!!!!!! im going to have to by a ps3 this year. i've been phinning for some baseball and around these parts, mlb the show is the best series.

[texasgmr]

Can't wait for this!!!!

[longranger]

great preview. this is the only baseball game i have owned and i def. can't wait til this comes out. the catcher pitcher interaction is gonna be awesome.




www.sportstalk4us.blogspot.com

[roolz]

Re: MLB 09 The Show Preview

The information coming out about this game is teasing

[Jdurg]

Re: MLB 09 The Show Preview

The information coming out about this game is teasing

Well, consider it like a good strip-tease. You don't want her to just show up in the buff. Kind of gets rid of the suspense. You want it to be slow and senusal with a few good moments of "OH MY GOD!". Makes the experience more worth it............. ummmm............. the videogame I'm talking about. :o

[MaverickisBack]

Re: MLB 09 The Show Preview

Well, consider it like a good strip-tease. You don't want her to just show up in the buff. Kind of gets rid of the suspense. You want it to be slow and senusal with a few good moments of "OH MY GOD!". Makes the experience more worth it............. ummmm............. the videogame I'm talking about. :o

You are a sick man ....



where can I put my dollars?

[berta.8]

Will they ever convert the attribute bars to a numerical value?!

[SoxChamp]

Re: MLB 09 The Show Preview

Will they ever convert the attribute bars to a numerical value?!

Why?

They've said time and time again that they use the bar method on purpose. It requires you to look at a players overall performance on the field rather than looking at two players, and choosing one that's rated 88 over the guy rated 87 (you know you would do this.)

[ChaseB]

Re: MLB 09 The Show Preview

While I noticed this, I didn't notice it in the same way that you did. It sounds like an improved version of the 2008 installment. He made no mention of improved AI (though he was only there for a short time and didn't read from a features list, instead pointing out what he saw himself), didn't delve into commentary, and he didn't point out signature batting and pitching animations.

Yea, I usually only write what I see because I think that's really the only, or at least, best way to be accurate in what you write for a game. So if I see something bad or good or whatever I'll write about it, and I will usually not look at a press release etc. when writing a preview because it only clouds things. PS, I'm awful at spotting signature batting and pitching animations, never had a good eye for it.

As for the general bias stuff, I can say I did not feel right accepting the airfare/hotel, and most outlets should (and usually do) avoid accepting anything from the people they cover -- it's just general accepted journalistic practice. However, OS isn't in a spot to pay for every trip we make to see a game, at least not yet, so I think the halfway is at least not hiding it from you all if the writing staff does accept something from a company. Also, I won't be reviewing any versions of The Show for basically this reason.

Im a bit worried about some of these early previews?! Doesnt seem like there is any WOW factor about this years version?! I was hoping everyone would come back and be like;"Holy Sh-t this game is the end all be all!" Anyways its still early and Im a lil anxious thats all!

It's not that I'm not impressed with the game, it's just a known commodity at this point. Plus, I rarely, if ever, get too hyped up in what I write in a preview because usually you don't have enough time with a game to want to say "OMG BEST GAME EVER!" -- especially with a sports game because it's so hard to know how a sports game will hold up, even if you really like it during the first hour or two.

Chase, i'm wondering about the hitting, did you use the L stick or just swing w/o using it, i'm wondering if true zone hitting is in this yr. or not, thanks.

I used the L-stick, but since I was so rusty I hit one HR and then I believe one double, otherwise I don't remember many solid hits on my part. As for the true zone hitting, I don't think I would have been able to tell in my time with it.

catcher giving signs is only as good as the catcher AI, which in most games past hasn't been that good.

I agree with that, but you can always shake off the sign, and hopefully a good catcher is different from a bad one in a clear way in the game.

Wow, this game is an easy buy for me once again. However, like most of us, I am eagerly awaiting any additions to franchise mode. I truly hope they added Single A clubs and/or rookie ball teams to go along with the draft and its supplemental picks. I would be disappointed if players started off in double A again. But other than that, game looks top notch and am looking foward to it.

Yes, please ask about Single A or Rookie teams Comm Leaders because I don't get where all those draft picks are going to go.

PItching from the behind the pitcher view is terrible though unless it's actually lined up and not the TV style 3/4 angle. You can't get a feel for the strike zone and a pitch that you think is on the corner could be down the middle or a foot outside.

You just suck at video games Tyler.

It was definitely hit or miss as to when an animation might take over.

Yea, hopefully the being able to branch out of animations helps this. But usually I had a beef with throwing animations (speed-wise) rather than the actual fielding, sans when guys would run over a ball and not pick it up.

Only question... aside from a new pitching camera (which I'm only assuming), have you noticed a new batting or fielding camera? For instance, in the trailers there were some home run cuts that looked like they came from a true-to-life broadcast camera. Was that a real gameplay option, was that just a cut scene, or was that an overall tease that's not even in the game?

The pitching camera appeared to be the same from last year. I didn't really check to see about new camera views though, sorry. And the one HR I hit had a similar cut scene to last year as I pulled it down the line and the camera went into that view behind the batter as he watches if it will go fair or foul.

[Knight165]

Re: MLB 09 The Show Preview

Chase

Thanks for coming back into the thread to answer some questions.

Plus....it's totally understandable to accept the invitation(and therefore lodging and airfare) to preview the game. I wouldn't consider this "payment" at all. Absolutely acceptable IMO.

M.K.
Knight165

[ChaseB]

Re: MLB 09 The Show Preview

Chase

Thanks for coming back into the thread to answer some questions.

Plus....it's totally understandable to accept the invitation(and therefore lodging and airfare) to preview the game. I wouldn't consider this "payment" at all. Absolutely acceptable IMO.

M.K.
Knight165

You always want to avoid somehow being viewed as "indebted" to a company though, that's the bottom line and why it's not good to accept anything -- outside of something like a game for review.