MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

[rudyjuly2]

Re: MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

You're a better man than me. I can't check swing whatsoever and that's basically how I drew most of my walks in last year's game.

I'm sure I'll adapt, but the difference is extremely noticeable.

I like how check swings are harder this year and more ratings related.

However, you should know that the difficulty/ease in check swings is probably difficulty related. Plus, posters found in the demo that the higher the pitch speed, it was easier to check swing. If you raise the human contact slider, it also makes it easier to check swing (and hit) as well. I haven't had a problem with it but I also raise contact on All Star for myself.

[matt8204]

Re: MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

Wow...112 pages in only a week.

[GoBlue81188]

Re: MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

Well just got to pop in the game for the first time. Went right to RTTS as a SP. Second game, freezes up. I go back start a new one as a 3B and it freezes when I get my second shot in the cage... Hope this isn't a trend.

[Jordanfan23]

Re: MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

Well, I don't know how they continue to improve on this game year after year, but they do, and they have done it again! They took what was the best baseball game ever (MLB 08) and they made it even better!

First off, I haven't had this much fun hitting since the High Heat series. Is it tough, yes. Is it tough to hit real life MLB pitchers? Well, of course, so if realism is what you are looking for in a sports game, there is no reason to complain about the hitting difficulty this year! Like a real MLB player, take some extra BP against a good pitcher!

This has to be the prettiest, most fluid animation dropping, greatest ball physic sports game I have played in 30 years of gaming. It is just polished and fun to play b/c it provides a different experience almost every game.

The practice mode is a great addition, and with the hitting difficulty being bumped up a notch, and the pitch breaks being more distinct and recognizable, a very welcome one that ate up the first 2 hours of my having the game.

Hit variety, fielder speed, drawing walks, anything that needed addressed was, and now the game is as close to perfect as I have seen.

Props to the developers! It's nice to have a game by baseball fans, for baseball fans!

[idesign2]

Re: MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

I know it's my eyes but when using offset I start to struggle in/out.. lol

However I have gotten tons better hitting and thats using the Wide camera. 2 things I started concentrating on:
1: I keep my thumb high off the controller to give me that extra 1/2 second delay because with thumb right on X I was constantly pulling pitches foul. Totally opposite of last year.
2: I make sure I watch the ball come out of the pitchers hand. More times than not I can tell by the release, if the ball is going to start low in strike zone. Then I try and gauge the speed to determine if it will stay flat or drop lower for a ball.
Obviously you have to be quick deciding but it's been better so far.

Thanks for these tips, I'll try them tonight. I've had some difficulty swinging at absolutely everything the pitcher throws. My strategy to this point has been to take pitches until I get a strike. If the pitcher gets behind 2-0, I'm almost guaranteed a meaty pitch, which often results in a hit. But still, in 20 or so games with the demo and 2 games with the retail version, I've drawn maybe 3 walks. I'm reluctant to touch sliders, but I may have to do it.

Right now the only thing that's kinda bugging me is that almost all of my hits are singles. My last game I somehow managed to get 17 hits, and of those all but 2 were singles. I don't see a lot of people here complaining about this, though, so I'm wondering if it's my batting technique. I'll just have to play more and see if that game was a fluke.

[B_rad13]

Re: MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

Played another game today, I have no school this week, and CC is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to hard to hit off of, he was no hitting me with the Rays until the 8th

[CMH]

Re: MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

Thanks for these tips, I'll try them tonight. I've had some difficulty swinging at absolutely everything the pitcher throws. My strategy to this point has been to take pitches until I get a strike. If the pitcher gets behind 2-0, I'm almost guaranteed a meaty pitch, which often results in a hit. But still, in 20 or so games with the demo and 2 games with the retail version, I've drawn maybe 3 walks. I'm reluctant to touch sliders, but I may have to do it.

Right now the only thing that's kinda bugging me is that almost all of my hits are singles. My last game I somehow managed to get 17 hits, and of those all but 2 were singles. I don't see a lot of people here complaining about this, though, so I'm wondering if it's my batting technique. I'll just have to play more and see if that game was a fluke.

I don't have numbers to back me up, but I know for a fact that MLB 08 turned me off because hitting was too easy and everything seemed to be a single up the middle. It was irritating. And I noticed this within the first few games I played. I sold 08 quickly.

This year, after innings in the demo and four games, I don't see that being a problem. Surely there are more singles than extra base-hits (you know this already), but I have had no problems getting extra base hits.

In one of the games the commentators mentioned that my homerun was the only extra base-hit. Well, it was also my only hit of four. So, I didn't see that being an issue. I am definitely seeing a good number of extra base hits, especially doubles. I think getting used to the hitting will help improve those numbers for you.

If not, you can always slow down the outfielder speed. I haven't touched a slider yet and I'm completely satisfied at this point in time.

[idesign2]

Re: MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

If not, you can always slow down the outfielder speed. I haven't touched a slider yet and I'm completely satisfied at this point in time.

I had to do this last year with 2K8 and it worked, but I'm very reluctant to do that with The Show. I have much more faith in the SCEA team in getting things right than I ever was with the 2K guys. I'm also not rushing to any conclusions, because I really haven't played a representative sample of games yet.

I do have questions for people who ARE seeing a good variety of hits: what batting method do you use? Do you use the left stick to pick your spots? Do you use guess pitch or guess location? Or do you simply press X and let the AI figure it out? Do you ever use the power swing button? Have you noticed a difference in hit variety based on different difficulty levels? Is there better hit variety in All-Star as opposed to Veteran, for example?

[Russell_SCEA]

Re: MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

Check swings work fine. I haven't had any problems being subtle enough with it. Maybe I'm going crazy, but it seems to me that the later you are on the swing, the least likely the hitter will hold up. I tend to be early, so maybe that's why I can check easily. Maybe SCEA can confirm this.

As for walks. There are plenty. Patience is important. Just because it's 0-2, doesn't mean it's a done deal. Last game I played, I got Lackey to throw over 100 pitches before being taken out with a runner on first and no outs in the 5th inning (Scoscia should have never put him in there to start the 5th!) Lackey also walked me five times in the process and the inning prior, he got into four full-counts. It just wasn't his day. I could tell off the bat with the way he was missing the corners. So I sat and waited for good pitches.

Correct

[Blzer]

Re: MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

I was hoping it would be something pressure sensitive like High Heat. The more you hold X, the more your player will go around. I see myself tapping X very lightly at times and getting a mixed bag, it's kind of tough. I live on check swings in this game!

Guess you'll have to ask yourself... did I go? Huh? Did. I. Go?

[arichzona]

Re: MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

couple more things that make this game hard to turn off....

1) wind at wrigley..... when it is blowing out - damn, the HR's fly out of there; as they should.

2) maybe my imagination but the ball seems to really carry in Coors as well.

Granted, I have had the game for 24 hours but I know when I tattooed a ball and when it should be a fly ball to left or center... nicely done.

[VonRye]

Re: MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

I picked up my copy yesterday afternoon and got to start a RTTS career (3B-drafted by Florida). I found hitting in spring training to be very difficult vs. MLB pitchers. Once I was assigned to AA, hitting has become better. I'm hitting over .400 in about 7 games, but I only have 1 extra base hit (2B). I'm finding the new baserunning controls to be overly difficult, especially when the camera pans. Twice I was headed to second base on a single to left and had my guy stop and start going back to 1st even though I was holding the left stick to the right. Both times I was forced out by the left fielder. If this doesnt get better, I'll have to sim baserunning completely, which sucks because I love stealing bases.

I started my starting pitcher RTTS career right before bed and only was able to pitch in a couple spring games....so not much on the impression side there so far.

[CMH]

Re: MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

I had to do this last year with 2K8 and it worked, but I'm very reluctant to do that with The Show. I have much more faith in the SCEA team in getting things right than I ever was with the 2K guys. I'm also not rushing to any conclusions, because I really haven't played a representative sample of games yet.

I do have questions for people who ARE seeing a good variety of hits: what batting method do you use? Do you use the left stick to pick your spots? Do you use guess pitch or guess location? Or do you simply press X and let the AI figure it out? Do you ever use the power swing button? Have you noticed a difference in hit variety based on different difficulty levels? Is there better hit variety in All-Star as opposed to Veteran, for example?

All-Star
No Slider changes.
L-Stick and X
NO Guess Pitch or Location
NO Power Swing

You will find that a good number of the people on OS do not use the power button or guess pitch. There are users that do use both or one or the other, but there was a recent thread asking this question and most people seemed to never use power or the guess pitch/location modifiers.

I have no comment on L-stick and X or just pressing X. I know one of our users, Jim, uses X exclusively. And he's said he's been happy with hit variety. I use L-Stick and X and I've been happy with hit variety.

I also can't comment on difficulty. Though, I've seen some people talk about Legend being fair (though, most of these people were good enough to consistently win on Hall of Fame. I'm not that good at this game). I've seen people say All-Star is better than HOF, and it goes vice versa. With so many different talent levels - and, most importantly, preferences - it's really difficult to say which will be the level that will satisfy your individual desires.

If you want advice, all I can say is that you need to play more games and become a better hitter. The hit variety will come as you recognize pitches and do different things. I would imagine if you're struggling then you'll see similar types of hits that are a result of poor contact.

[DanSF49]

Re: MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

I saw something that amazed me last night. I was playing my Mets at the Yanks, Santana vs CC. I had a 2-0 lead in the 7th on a Wright HR, then Santana started struggling gave up a bomb to Damon then a triple to Jeter. So I decide to go to the pen and bring in Putz. As Jerry Manuel was walking out to the mound Santana started walking off and flipped him the ball and Manuel caught it and turned and looked at him like don't try to show up a true Gangsta and then it showed Santana walking towards the dugout shaking his head and looking all kinds of pissed off about being taken out of the game. One word for this game AMAZING!

[The Bimmer]

Re: MLB 09: The Show - Impressions

This is the BEST video game that i have ever played, PERIOD!