MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

[nemesis04]

Re: MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

That was my recommendation on another thread of impressions. I think having the left stick be your batter's eyes like in zone batting, along with the pull back (stride) and up (swing) still implemented would work. I think what would make it as easy as possible would be to have the right sticks direction not effect the outcome of the swing. The left stick should impact the direction and location of your bat and the right stick should impact the stride and swing timing. Maybe this is the direction the devolopers are planning on going in the future, and what we have now is the beginning of the implementation?

Just to let you know the system originally started out with having to use the left stick to aim but was scrapped. There were certain stick scenarios that made using both overly complex. You see the vast majority of people on the board struggling, having to use one stick. Imagine having to involve another stick, worry about timing your stride and having to move the other stick in an entirely different direction in one fluid motion. Train wreck!

[ryan36]

Re: MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

There is a big learning curve to each hitters swing that's for sure...I think that having to push the r-stick the way of the ball is a little hard to get used to...I like that bunting is tied into the r-stick too, I like that a lot. The game is a lot more fluid than last year.

I think it would be awesome if for left-handed batters and pitchers you used the L-stick to bat/throw. It wouldn't be great for fielding, but it'd add a wrinkle, lol

[dasfette]

Just to let you know the system originally started out with having to use the left stick to aim but was scrapped. There were certain stick scenarios that made using both overly complex. You see the vast majority of people on the board struggling, having to use one stick. Imagine having to involve another stick, worry about timing your stride and having to move the other stick in an entirely different direction in one fluid motion. Train wreck!

Thanks for your reply, first off!

However, although I do understand the difficulty SOME may have, it's limiting those who want more of a challenge / a different challenge. Another option still allows for those who do not want to use to shut it off. That is what The Show has been PERFECT about for years. OPTIONS :-).

All I'm saying is the option to do this would only be an option. For those who don't like it, shut it off. No harm, no foul.

[DickDalewood]

Re: MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

Thanks for your reply, first off!

However, although I do understand the difficulty SOME may have, it's limiting those who want more of a challenge / a different challenge. Another option still allows for those who do not want to use to shut it off. That is what The Show has been PERFECT about for years. OPTIONS :-).

All I'm saying is the option to do this would only be an option. For those who don't like it, shut it off. No harm, no foul.

Yup. I LOVE it as is, but you're right, options never hurt.

[stealyerface]

Re: MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

Like russell said, you cant just wait back on a pitch, because your going to be punished with low power and contact. So slowing the speed will only cause u to wait longer before you load up and swing.

Problem people are having is that their is a VERY SMALL time frame to go from loading up to swinging and In a way it's realistic but part of me feels it may become TOO realistic. Split second reactions that create a very high intensity during every second and pure concentration will take away from the relax method many people like. Keep up the competition, just dont make the intensity be on steriods.
__________________

Perhaps lowering the pitch speed until one was used to the default speed on the selected skill level?

~syf

[Mos1ted]

Re: MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

My overall impressions: Take away the analog, and it's the same game as 10, I'm afraid. Sure, lighting is incredible this year, but between the same cutscenes and same commentary, (except this time Dave says Eric's name,) it just gave me that "been there, done that" feeling.

If you want to flame me, go right ahead, I can take it. I just don't feel like spending another $65 on essentially the same game with nicer lighting.

JMO........

Peace.

These have been my thoughts as well. Now grant it, I'm a casual baseball guy; although, I've always kept a baseball game in the library since my NES days (loved the 8-Bit Era baseball game story on the main page). I was looking forward to the analog controls, but they didn't wow me as much as I thought they would. Underneath the surface, it is still the same game as 10 to me.

The graphics didn't look that improved to me (I have a 56" 1080P Samsung that's only 2 years old - before anyone states that it's my TV), the gameplay is essentially the same minus the analog controls, clipping still exists (for a non contact sport, I don't see how this should have been an issue to begin with), and the presentation and commentary are nearly identical. I guess any of the little improvements that went into this game would be missed by a casual guy like me. But I'm glad to see that the hardcore baseball guys are loving the game. It's the same way I feel about the basketball genre. That tells me that this studio is still striving for realism, which is a good thing.


10 was already an excellent game, but I'm not seeing enough improvements (for me personally) to warrant a $65 purchase; especially after I only paid $20 for 10. I had 11 marked on my calendar, but I think I'm going to pass this year and just keep playing 10. One of the advantages of being a casual baseball guy is that I can care less about updated rosters and the likes. I still hope 11 sells well though because that sends a message to the rest of the industry that games that strive on realism can still sell. I'm tired of seeing games, not just from the sports genre but other genres, essentially dumb their games down to appeal to the masses (not naming names here).

[spaceg0st]

Re: MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

Although I'm striking out all the time, I'm really liking the analog hitting. Originally I thought that I would play with zone hitting but I can see that analog may be the way to go. However, my one concern with analog hitting is that the user has no control over the height of the swing. Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about



Why is my PCI over the ball? Was it something I did? If I have "perfect" timing shouldn't I hit the ball. The result of this was a swing and a miss.

It's based on player ratings. Just like in real life you can can perfect timing and still miss under or over the ball.

Then this is already stupid. First of all, ANYONE playing in the world series shouldn't miss that badly when THE PLAYER has timed, AND flung the Right Stick up in the right direction. It just feels like a dice roll now. What reward is there for the batter? When you do well enough to recognize the pitch, time it, AND swing in the right direction, you SHOULDN'T have to HOPE the computer does the rest in order for you to get a good hit.

Analog hitting = FAIL

[Mr. Franchise]

Re: MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

One word to describe the demo. Dissapointment. Feels like 2K all over again only with horrible commentary.

[slickdtc]

Re: MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

Love the analog pitching. It feels perfect to me. I like that if you miss too far left, the pitcher will too. If you miss under your mark, the pitcher will too. It's not just, oh I missed the mark, the ball is going to go somewhere. It's going to go where you attempted to throw it, just with the added inside/outside/over/under influence.

Analog hitting looks like it can be really fun and deep, but I think I'll be going with Timing this year. I've never been a good hitter, at least when I come here and read that everyone plays on Hall of Fame and I've been on Veteran forever and still struggle at times. And I've always felt analog hitting kills my plate patience.

I like the fielding. Analog is just a new procedure, but you can tell they really stepped up the fielder ratings and throwing meter is actually functional (I'm coming from MLB 09). It's a lot of fun, brings me back to MVP NCAA 06.

[slimm31]

Re: MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

I have played the demo 4-5 times. And while yes some of what is there is what has been for the last few years, there is more than enough new to make the game fresh and BETTER. If you have not had a chance to play with the camera editor, do it. It is the best way to inject something new into the game if thats what you are looking for. In my case i always had troubles with low pitches, using the camera editor i can adjust the camera INSTEAD of a slider to keep the game genuine, for me at least. It also adds so many more presentation options that you customize to your liking. I think they added just enough this year to make the game fresh without canibalizing what has been an already superb product.

[Entiae]

Re: MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

I understand this frustration about the stride but it's one of my absolute favorite parts of the analog batting. The load/stride makes it feel so much more like you're facing a real entity on the mound, a real person that you're competing against, not just a ball coming at you.

True. I don't think it's a bad system.. but still. If it frustrates me, I don't think I'll use it. But again, I don't think it's a bad system.

Same here. It makes total sense to have to focus on your stride. People ask and ask for as real experience we can get out of a video game and IMO this is a pretty good representation.

You're absolutely right. My problem is when I go from batting with a player that has a short step to someone like Posey. That's when I lose focus on the actual pitch and just try to get the timing right. That obviously won't give me good results.

But I think I will use in in RTTS. There I won't have that problem.

[Skyboxer]

Re: MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

IMO, player ratings should affect PCI size ONLY. I played high school ball, and am not exactly talented, but I still can swing a bat higher or lower in the zone at will. Whether I will connect is the hard part.

The easy solution would be to mix the timing and influence (left/right) of analog hitting with full-control PCI with the left stick. The PCI would still be moveable, and would have heavy influence on contact. Timing would still mean A TON. Pushing up to the left/right would help boost contact on inside/outside pitches.

IMO, simple solution and MORE OPTIONS!!!

They could just add LS use for bat location.
main thing is once all outcome is determined by the user you might as well eliminate ratings all together except for power speed etc....

[Skyboxer]

Re: MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

True. I don't think it's a bad system.. but still. If it frustrates me, I don't think I'll use it. But again, I don't think it's a bad system.



You're absolutely right. My problem is when I go from batting with a player that has a short step to someone like Posey. That's when I lose focus on the actual pitch and just try to get the timing right. That obviously won't give me good results.

But I think I will use in in RTTS. There I won't have that problem.

Yeah I plan on doing a lot of BP with my players to practice.

[bcruise]

Re: MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

They could just add LS use for bat location.
main thing is once all outcome is determined by the user you might as well eliminate ratings all together.

Bingo. At that point the game becomes entirely arcade. Not arcade in a bad sense (as is typically used on this board), necessarily, but simply meaning that the user has absolute control of what happens at the plate regardless of who's batting. That's not really the kind of game I want.

[Skyboxer]

Re: MLB 11 The Show Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

Then this is already stupid. First of all, ANYONE playing in the world series shouldn't miss that badly when THE PLAYER has timed, AND flung the Right Stick up in the right direction. It just feels like a dice roll now. What reward is there for the batter? When you do well enough to recognize the pitch, time it, AND swing in the right direction, you SHOULDN'T have to HOPE the computer does the rest in order for you to get a good hit.

Analog hitting = FAIL

I've seen plenty of MLB players miss pitches and then you see them with expressions of "How did I miss that!!"

It's a video game. It's never going to match playing for real and I think that gets lost in the discussion to often.