MLB '11: The Show Community Day Gameplay Q&A

[Knight165]

Re: MLB '11: The Show Community Day Gameplay Q&A

Hey Knight, is your information about the historical seasons coming in part III?

Yes....maybe as a slight addition later as I wait for Nem to finish his write up on something as it is tied into it. I don't want to step on his you know what.

No problem, Knight. I'd imagine the time flies by at these events.

How was the Broadcast presentation? I understand there's more stat overlays this year, correct?

Oh, I also wanted to ask about HUM catchers throwing to 2B trying to catch a base stealer. It felt like in 10 that a lot of throws (especially ones with any kind of effort) went high, forcing your SS/2B to jump to catch the ball ... did you guys notice if the throws were more on-line this year?

The stat overlays and such are the last things added. We did see some sneaking on the last day....I don't know how many were added....but we did see the batting averages added back into the pre-game lineup screen.....I think the ht/wt/age on a players first at bat of the year is going to be replaced with avg/hr/rbi from his final stats of the previous year...and the batter walk up will now occasionally have either splits home/road or vsLHP/vsRHP(alternating).
Then there is the new ticker...I will talk about that in my final write up.

M.K.
Knight165

[harvey88]

Re: MLB '11: The Show Community Day Gameplay Q&A

Timing only is exactly what you are used to. It never worked like it was intended to. Thus they fixed it.

So if you want to play like you have, you choose timing only.

If I use timing only, PCI placement will have no bearing on the results which is not what I want. With our current hitting system, the PCI placement still very much influences the type of hit you see, but you can still be off with the PCI and make contact (usually weak) with the ball. This is what I want. It just makes no sense to remove it on HOF and Legend. Why can't we have both true zone hitting and classic hitting? This is the first time that I can recall this game ever removing a gameplay feature from one year to the next. Call it whatever you want, converting the feature to true zone is still in essense removing it. Why not just leave classic batting in the game for all modes?

[EnigmaNemesis]

If I use timing only, PCI placement will have no bearing on the results which is not what I want. With our current hitting system, the PCI placement still very much influences the type of hit you see, but you can still be off with the PCI and make contact (usually weak) with the ball. This is what I want. It just makes no sense to remove it on HOF and Legend. Why can't we have both true zone hitting and classic hitting?

Zone was not working properly in the past. You still got solid contact and even HRs off ball not touching the PCI. What made it vary more was your timing and player ratings. They fixed zone to work like it was originally intended.

I never moved my left stick on HOF and got the same results as anyone else in '10.

[harvey88]

Re: MLB '11: The Show Community Day Gameplay Q&A

Zone was not working properly in the past. You still got solid contact and even HRs off ball not touching the PCI. What made it vary more was your timing and player ratings. They fixed zone to work like it was originally intended.

I never moved my left stick on HOF and got the same results as anyone else.

Moving the left stick definatively made a difference in last years game. I don't ever recall hitting a homerun when the ball wasn't in my PCI. You would get the odd solid hit, but more often then not when the ball wasn't in the PCI you would either miss or make weak contact (chopper, grounder or popup). I think its great that they added the true zone hitting option, but you don't have to remove the classic hitting option.

[countryboy]

Re: MLB '11: The Show Community Day Gameplay Q&A

Moving the left stick definatively made a difference in last years game. I don't ever recall hitting a homerun when the ball wasn't in my PCI. You would get the odd solid hit, but more often then not when the ball wasn't in the PCI you would either miss or make weak contact (chopper, grounder or popup). I think its great that they added the true zone hitting option, but you don't have to remove the classic hitting option.

they fixed the PCI hitting to work as it was intended on higher levels. If you want "classic" hitting you can hit on All-Star or lower and adjust sliders to match that of your skill level.

They are not going to bring back "classic" hitting and they've provided the reason, there's no reason to continue to debate it.

[harvey88]

Re: MLB '11: The Show Community Day Gameplay Q&A

Will it be easier to check you swing when selecting contact swing this year? I love the new contact swing option, will be a great feature to use when trying to battle back in the count when you are down 0-2, 1-2 ect.. Does anyone know if using contact swing will cause you to foul off more tough pitches?

[countryboy]

Re: MLB '11: The Show Community Day Gameplay Q&A

Will it be easier to check you swing when selecting contact swing this year? I love the new contact swing option, will be a great feature to use when trying to battle back in the count when you are down 0-2, 1-2 ect.. Does anyone know if using contact swing will cause you to foul off more tough pitches?

I don't know the answer to the check swinging of the contact swing option, but its my understanding that contact swing is like a "defensive" swing thus it would lead to fouling off more pitches.

[EnigmaNemesis]

Will it be easier to check you swing when selecting contact swing this year? I love the new contact swing option, will be a great feature to use when trying to battle back in the count when you are down 0-2, 1-2 ect.. Does anyone know if using contact swing will cause you to foul off more tough pitches?

Yes, contact will foul off tough pitches with a good hitter, and if good solid contact is made you can get those nice bloop singles.

[harvey88]

Re: MLB '11: The Show Community Day Gameplay Q&A

Yes, contact will foul off tough pitches with a good hitter, and if good solid contact is made you can get those nice bloop singles.

Awesome! Thats one thing that I found the show always lacked was bloop singles just over the infield. If you watch a MLB game its amazing how many bloop singles you see. Hopefully we see a few more choppers this year too.

[Chai2112]

Re: MLB '11: The Show Community Day Gameplay Q&A

Are the errors fixed? Namely, in last year's game, if you're an outfielder and a routine fly ball is coming your way, if you would move the outfielder all around the place so that the ball would just drop near him, it would never be ruled an error when it clearly should be. Has that been fixed?

[nemesis04]

Re: MLB '11: The Show Community Day Gameplay Q&A

Are the errors fixed? Namely, in last year's game, if you're an outfielder and a routine fly ball is coming your way, if you would move the outfielder all around the place so that the ball would just drop near him, it would never be ruled an error when it clearly should be. Has that been fixed?

I did not run around to purposely not catch a ball so I can't answer this for you, sorry!

[EnigmaNemesis]

I don't know the answer to the check swinging of the contact swing option, but its my understanding that contact swing is like a "defensive" swing thus it would lead to fouling off more pitches.

Defensive swing would be a wrong way of looking at it. Your power goes down but your contact rating goes up. It is great for timely situational hitting to get the runner over by putting the ball in play on a grounder, sac fly or that clutch bloop base hit with a runner on third.

Yes you have a higher chance to foul off balls due to having a higher contact rating, but that is not it's primary intent.

[harvey88]

Re: MLB '11: The Show Community Day Gameplay Q&A

Defensive swing would be a wrong way of looking at it. Your power goes down but your contact rating goes up. It is great for timely situational hitting to get the runner over by putting the ball in play on a grounder, sac fly or that clutch bloop base hit with a runner on third.

Yes you have a higher chance to foul off balls due to having a higher contact rating, but that is not it's primary intent.

Thanks for clarifying that. I was under the impression that it was more of a defensive swing mechanic, something to use when you are down in the count to try and battle with the pitcher or extend an at bat. From what you are saying it seems like it will be best utilized with a runner on third with less than 2 outs to try and cash in a run, or with a runner on second to try and advance him to third.

[EnigmaNemesis]

Are the errors fixed? Namely, in last year's game, if you're an outfielder and a routine fly ball is coming your way, if you would move the outfielder all around the place so that the ball would just drop near him, it would never be ruled an error when it clearly should be. Has that been fixed?

Errors have been redone completely. In fact I was messing around in the outfield and took a few balls off the arm or leg by misplaying them. Even missed a few all together.

The margin for error is definitely tightened up. So do not screw around out there.

Was nice to see less than stellar fielders misplaying a ball off their glove trying to reach for a non routine play like a sharp tailing liner away from them.

Nem will cover this more in his write up I am sure.

[nemesis04]

Re: MLB '11: The Show Community Day Gameplay Q&A

Thanks for the info. Can't wait to check it out. Do you find value in timing only hitting with pitching maxed out for online play?

Hard to say really, I am going to try them all out!