Four Keys to Success for MLB '11: The Show

[Knight165]

Re: I only need 3 corrections, then I'm hooked

I think he meant this version.

M.K.
Knight165

[daflyboys]

Re: I only need 3 corrections, then I'm hooked

I think he meant this version.

M.K.
Knight165

Who knows. If he did, then it's not in the vein of what I'm talking about.

[MLB01]

Re: I only need 3 corrections, then I'm hooked

Wrong. You don't want to assume what will bother someone else or not. I've played games with and without those things and won't go into it here as it is not acceptable and I want to honor that.

What you're talking about is complacency. If they want to continually build on their structure and their model and since it appears that they are interested in making the most realistic baseball game in both gameplay AND appearance (globally), then the things in my list are an almost must, especially when it comes to player movement and flexibility of commands.

Well if cut scenes of players tapping their helmet is bothersome to you, you'll never be completely satisfied anyway.

Also, I was only talking about MLB 10, so take a breath cause ya know what, bottom line is, you're gonna continue to play MLB 10 The Show and you're gonna enjoy it.

[daflyboys]

Re: I only need 3 corrections, then I'm hooked

Well if cut scenes of players tapping their helmet is bothersome to you, you'll never be completely satisfied anyway.

Also, I was only talking about MLB 10, so take a breath cause ya know what, bottom line is, you're gonna continue to play MLB 10 The Show and you're gonna enjoy it.

Like I started it out.... "I'm not overly concerned about cut scenes, ...." And I know you were talking about 10, but I think we're on to what we want to see in 11, no?

I'm breathing just fine and overall, it's now my second favorite BB game. But those things would probably propel it to #1. Probably.

[mlblover15]

Re: I only need 3 corrections, then I'm hooked

the more things we can add visually to bring this game as close to aa real time broadcast from tv as possible the better. this includes commentary to cut scenes to stats, etc. etc.

[Comduklakis]

Re: I only need 3 corrections, then I'm hooked

I think the gameplay is pretty darn solid. My major concerns with the game are more with the Franchise system and the statistical record keeping. CPU logic for trades and free agents signinings needs to be improved. Obviously the training mode and subsequent glitch needs to be fixed. I figure the training option will remain as all sports video games seem fascinated by the idea of letting players improve by leaps and bounds with training or rewards points or whatnot. They just need to make it so it doesn't skew the contract and free agent system like it did with this year's game.

In the franchise offseason they need to improve the information available. Currently minor league stats disappear, so you can no longer view the type of season a young player may have had. Just going by potential rating is dicy. Also contract info disappears. It would be nice to see how much the player made the previous year at all points in the offseason process.

I'd also think there is a need for more statistics and career stat tracking.

As far as gameplay the only real issues I have are fairly minor. Poor positioning by the 3b which results in many down the line extra base hits. I think there are too many on the button line drives hit for outs and not enough gap hits. I'm comfortable with both the pitching and hitting systems, although I'm always open to a few tweaks that might improve them. I wouldn't want to see a return to the MVP style hitting system due to the insane stats that could be compiled with mastery of that system. Even with the so-called lefty power glitch, by holding the stick up and right until two strikes with Garret Anderson (just as an example since I played the Angels) I was good for 50 HRs plus a year. That said I still love that game.

[Woodweaver]

Re: I only need 3 corrections, then I'm hooked

I've always been an Xbox guy and almost pulled the plug on a PS3 last year, but couldn't. Now I'm leaning in that direction and after selling a bunch of components and borrowing a unit and this year's game, I can see what all the hub-bub (bub) is about. But I need 3 corrections for "11" (start the Spinal Tap jokes now!)....

1. Fielding cams.... need the option for something more subtle. Some type of view that pans back and give you more of what's happening on the field at the same time. Cams following the ball around might be good for some golf shots, but not in a baseball game.

2. Better motion/momentum .... movement going to a ball in play or coming off the bag after a catch is way too abrupt, last gen-like in a way. People don't move like that. That includes makes directional changes/cuts.

3. Throwing motions .... I know I had this question answered about pre-determining where you're going to throw, but that's not always realistic. I should have the option to do that or to stop, set and throw, without it looking like a hornet just crawled into my cup! The off-balance, wrong-footed throw should be programmed into certain types of situations and angles, not when I purposely stop and push the button to throw to a base.

*additional minor* I'm not overly concerned about cut scenes, but the constant helmet taps, whether rounding the bag during a HR or when going back to the dugout after striking out should be minimized.


----now I have to learn how to not strike out so much!

1 and 3 are already in the game.

-High and/or broadcast camera

-Wait for the ball to get into the fielder's glove when catching before hitting the throw button, and he'll come to a set position and throw.

[cardsleadtheway]

Re: I only need 3 corrections, then I'm hooked

I think the gameplay is pretty darn solid. My major concerns with the game are more with the Franchise system and the statistical record keeping. CPU logic for trades and free agents signinings needs to be improved.

I am not busting your chops here. I really want to know how you would go about this? I hear "improve trade logic" all the time, but no one ever suggests how; therefore, I wouldn't expect the developers to improve it. So how would you, or anyone that feel this way, go about improving it?

[Knight165]

Re: I only need 3 corrections, then I'm hooked

I am not busting your chops here. I really want to know how you would go about this? I hear "improve trade logic" all the time, but no one ever suggests how; therefore, I wouldn't expect the developers to improve it. So how would you, or anyone that feel this way, go about improving it?

I actually see both sides of this...and thankfully, so do the guys at SCEA.
They are CONSTANTLY trying/testing/tweaking the trade logic.
Here is the problem with games that have both real players and generated ones....the "name" players such as Joe Mauer, we see as guys who wouldn't get traded...because he just signed a 10 year 155 gazillion dollar deal IRL.We freak if he gets moved.
In the game however, if his name was Joe Blow....and had just one year left on his contract with a team that has 10 holes to fill and just 25 million a year to do that....won't be able to keep such a player...so trades him, we would be fine with that.
That's just one aspect.

The guys on the dev team have to try and juggle both of those things and yet still make it interesting enough to a player that he feels like it's not locked in(and I don't mean that you often see the same trades in simming a season multiple times to test...obviously a team is filling the same need every time you are simming that year over and over each time)....

I give grief where it is due and props where it is due and I give a little bit of both to Kolbe and the guys on this part of the game. It's tough for certain.

M.K.
Knight165

[Rwings832]

Re: I only need 3 corrections, then I'm hooked

I actually see both sides of this...and thankfully, so do the guys at SCEA.
They are CONSTANTLY trying/testing/tweaking the trade logic.
Here is the problem with games that have both real players and generated ones....the "name" players such as Joe Mauer, we see as guys who wouldn't get traded...because he just signed a 10 year 155 gazillion dollar deal IRL.We freak if he gets moved.
In the game however, if his name was Joe Blow....and had just one year left on his contract with a team that has 10 holes to fill and just 25 million a year to do that....won't be able to keep such a player...so trades him, we would be fine with that.
That's just one aspect.

The guys on the dev team have to try and juggle both of those things and yet still make it interesting enough to a player that he feels like it's not locked in(and I don't mean that you often see the same trades in simming a season multiple times to test...obviously a team is filling the same need every time you are simming that year over and over each time)....

I give grief where it is due and props where it is due and I give a little bit of both to Kolbe and the guys on this part of the game. It's tough for certain.

M.K.
Knight165

Thank Knight, and its always good to hear from someone who has an insight for how the developers are trying to improved the game.

I guess I would just be happy with some more classic stadiums, and could always work to improve the sim part of the game. I do really like the game how it is.

[Artman22]

Re: Four Keys to Success for MLB '11: The Show

This is a great game. To me the most important missing spark is presentation, especially the commentary team. New commentators is in desperate need at this point for the franchise. It needs to seem like they're talking to each other. More stat overlays during games. A nice weekly show. A lot more active jumbotron screens like in real games. Better bench interactions with the real players on the bench. Ability to argue calls with some type of reward or punishment. The possibility of hearing the players voices while arguing with umps. I believe these things would bring some new excitment to this good game of baseball. They're other things that can be improved in this game, but presentation to me is slacking a bit and could use some work..

[Comduklakis]

Re: I only need 3 corrections, then I'm hooked

I actually see both sides of this...and thankfully, so do the guys at SCEA.
They are CONSTANTLY trying/testing/tweaking the trade logic.
Here is the problem with games that have both real players and generated ones....the "name" players such as Joe Mauer, we see as guys who wouldn't get traded...because he just signed a 10 year 155 gazillion dollar deal IRL.We freak if he gets moved.
In the game however, if his name was Joe Blow....and had just one year left on his contract with a team that has 10 holes to fill and just 25 million a year to do that....won't be able to keep such a player...so trades him, we would be fine with that.
That's just one aspect.

The guys on the dev team have to try and juggle both of those things and yet still make it interesting enough to a player that he feels like it's not locked in(and I don't mean that you often see the same trades in simming a season multiple times to test...obviously a team is filling the same need every time you are simming that year over and over each time)....

I give grief where it is due and props where it is due and I give a little bit of both to Kolbe and the guys on this part of the game. It's tough for certain.

M.K.
Knight165

Well I have no knowledge whatsoever of video game development. I just play em'. So I have no idea how to answer the question of how to improve trade logic other than to say to make it realistic. Obviously in the case of a situation like NBA2k where guys are being traded four and five times during the season, often for the same guys and back to original teams, the logic is flat broken. Thankfully The Show isn't that bad. However, to take Mauer as an example, the Twins just opened up a new stadium. They are title contenders. Mauer is a hometown kid who is the face and heart of the franchise and he signed a big contract. One month into the season, you trade him??? That to me seems pretty basic. And whether it's joe blow the CPU created player or Mauer, don't stockpile guys at the same positions and don't trade stars if you are contending and have the budget. So again I don't know the programming side of it, I just ask for a more logical system. How they do that is up to the smart people that make the game.

[Knight165]

Re: I only need 3 corrections, then I'm hooked

Well I have no knowledge whatsoever of video game development. I just play em'. So I have no idea how to answer the question of how to improve trade logic other than to say to make it realistic. Obviously in the case of a situation like NBA2k where guys are being traded four and five times during the season, often for the same guys and back to original teams, the logic is flat broken. Thankfully The Show isn't that bad. However, to take Mauer as an example, the Twins just opened up a new stadium. They are title contenders. Mauer is a hometown kid who is the face and heart of the franchise and he signed a big contract. One month into the season, you trade him??? That to me seems pretty basic. And whether it's joe blow the CPU created player or Mauer, don't stockpile guys at the same positions and don't trade stars if you are contending and have the budget. So again I don't know the programming side of it, I just ask for a more logical system. How they do that is up to the smart people that make the game.

You seem to be answering to another poster as well in your reply here, but quoting my reply....so I'll just stick to what I was trying to get across.
Your reply here confirms what I thought and that is ...that you are absolutely falling into the trap of "the name". You are taking real life situations...ie...."they are in contention"(they may or may not be in the game...so this is absolutely irrelevant to what the CPU should be looking at..."he is the face of the franchise" and "he is a hometown kid"(the game does not recognize this.....and ironically enough, I've argued for some sort of "star system" or "franchise tag" to be implemented in the game to remedy this situation in some way...but considering right now that the game looks at every player the same way in regards to it's budget/importance to team/contract/age/potential.....you can only really look at this in terms of logic...and "the new stadium" angle(would be cool...but c'mon)
So...let's look at the game and the way it looks at the Twins.
In my roster set....Mauer(player A) has a 5(1/5) year contract. He never gets dealed in the first few years....so I'm guessing with the set you are using he is in the last year of his contract and coming up for free agency.(1/1)
He is already making 12.6 million a year and is by far their best player.
In most sets I've seen....the Twins have 20 or 21 or their best rated players also in 1/1 contracts meaning they need to resign quite a bit of them or grab other players off the FA market.
More than half of those guys are making less than 1 million, I believe and the next closest guy to Mauer is making half his salary. I believe it's Mauer at 12.6......Hudson at 6 mil.....Thome at 5.8...and then a big dropoff...so there isn't really a lot of money coming off their current payroll.
Most of those low money players, I don't believe are arbitration eligible...so I'm guessing it's going to be FA money.
They usually have between 23 and 26 mil in excess to start season 1, so it's probably a little less than that at FA time.
You can see the quandary that the CPU is in.
At least it has enough sense at this point to realize it's not going to resign Player A at the 20 mil per he's going to ask and looks to shed contract for prospect.
Now....I know it sounds like I'm defending the CPU logic to the hilt...but I'm not...trust me...that's why I have a PS3 that I have just patch #1 on...where I put the CPU trades to AUTO...but with 30 team control, it brings the trade offer up on the screen and I allow it or reject it. But with the "Mauer" scenario as you put it...especially dragging real life points into it...just doesn't fly. Sorry.
Ways I think the trade logic can be improved?
-Star system...a player with 9 or 10 stars(editable in the editor) would be nearly impossible to pry from a team in contention...and would ask for the moon and stars if they are rebuilding.(this would be a Jeter, Rivera, MAUER) type player
-Tighten up the trade period...I agree...I think the big trades start too early...and there should be a flurry and a lot of talk at the deadline
-Have current performance(stats) play a bigger role in trades(and FA)
-Have a GM "smartphone" in place...where you would receive messages when a team is shopping a player...perhaps with a list of players the CPU GM is interested in from your team. This would serve multiple purposes....cause the CPU GM of the third team the CPU is looking at for trade to perhaps try and up it's offers and it's less "in your face" when a big trade comes down......you kind of know it's coming down the pike.

I'm sure there are plenty of others...and again...I'm not defending the CPU all the way...but when guys start involving names with the current system, it just doesn't make sense to me.

With the stockpiling...yes...I see it...but I believe it might have something to do with secondary positions and the CPU wanting to try and convert one player to somewhere else...but then never does!
I know they added this with CP and wanting the CPU to use one or more as a RP.

M.K.
Knight165

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: Four Keys to Success for MLB '11: The Show

Knight, if my mind were as complex as yours, you would have just read my mind!!!

[Comduklakis]

Re: Four Keys to Success for MLB '11: The Show

Knights, I was responding also to another poster as well as you. But as for Mauer, the attempted trade by the Twins was in may 2010, the first year of my franchise. I actually like when the CPU acts like a real life team and moves a star player when the team is rebuilding. I hold almost no one to be sacred to a franchise. My issue is when star players are traded when the team is in contention and when the player isn't in the last year of a contract or doesn't have a contract that is weighing the team down. One of my favorite parts of 30 team control in NBA 2k was playing GM and working the salary cap to create cap space for Free agents for some teams, pick up pieces for the stretch run for others, stockpile draft picks, etc. I certainly don't begrudge the CPU doing the same thing, if it's done logically and appropriately. My complaint is that I seen inappropriate moves like teams with proven closers offering 3 year contracts for 43 year old Billy Wagner or rebuilding teams offering seven million dollar a year deals to Troy Glaus. Or of course the stockpiling of multiple top players at the same position. I understand the game doesn't understand the intangible benefits that Mauer brings to the Twins, and I advocate a system like you that does take that into account. But I'm not actually hung up on names. I'd be just as upset if Joe Blow had signed a big long term deal with a contending team and then was immediately traded.

At the same time, it's possible my standards for logic in free agency and trades is higher than the current programming capablilities. It's why I do appreciate the 30 team option.