MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

[tnixen]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

Considering you have a tough time being able to check swing, I can see why you would not see something like that!

No I do take a lot of pitches and more often then not they are strikes. Or should I say the blind umpires calls them strikes.

[dalger21]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

How about the balls-to-strikes ratio this year? Don't get me wrong, it's been possible to draw walks previously, but even with extreme patience, sometimes the CPU just pounded the zone like they all were Greg Maddux. The borderline calls didn't help my cause either. My question is, are you rewarded more for showing patience at the plate this year? Drawing more than three BB per game in previous versions of The Show was a rare occurrence. Thanks for any insight on this topic.

You know, I've seen several people say this and I never quite understood it. I play strictly RttS and found that I would average about 100 walks a year. Perhaps it is different for franchise and all of that but I find that I am able to get walks with regularity.

[Knight165]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

You know, I've seen several people say this and I never quite understood it. I play strictly RttS and found that I would average about 100 walks a year. Perhaps it is different for franchise and all of that but I find that I am able to get walks with regularity.

It's not.
I'm HORRIBLE at batting...and because of my tendency to swing at everything(ask Nem!! ).....I K quite a bit(never looking!)....but I also easily get walks when I do actually concentrate.
Last night....I played two innings(had to shut it down...after playing '12, '11..........) and had two walks.

M.K.
Knight165

[nomo17k]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

How about the balls-to-strikes ratio this year? Don't get me wrong, it's been possible to draw walks previously, but even with extreme patience, sometimes the CPU just pounded the zone like they all were Greg Maddux. The borderline calls didn't help my cause either. My question is, are you rewarded more for showing patience at the plate this year? Drawing more than three BB per game in previous versions of The Show was a rare occurrence. Thanks for any insight on this topic.

Pitchers in the game are generally more accurate than real life, but you also have to (try to) eliminate the "user skill" factor before questioning what the game does...

For me, lowering the Strike Frequency slider just does it. My opponents usually have their strike % somewhere between 58 - 64 in games.

I think the one of the best ways to see if you are overly aggressive (i.e., being a hacker) when batting is to see how often you swing at pitches. Once you swing, it's going to be a strike no matter what!! After the game, look at pitcher analysis of the opposing teams. If you are realistically aggressive (i.e., swing like MLB players), then your swing % should not be more than about 50%. Most disciplined hitters who often draw walks in MLB only swing at about 30% of all pitches.... they take A LOT of pitches.

Just to add my data point, I tend to swing about 30 - 40% of all pitches these days. I want to walk a bit more and strike out a bit less than I do right now, but I've made a significant improvement over the past year....

In my experience, walks or the lack thereof often revolved around pitcher confidence. I consider myself a fairly patient hitter and I usually draw my share of walks. But I have my weaknesses -- CHANGEUPS GRRRRRR!!! -- and if I whiff a few times early, the CPU seems to rack up confidence quite quickly. Once their confidence is up, it seems like they're more accurate, which can quickly pile on if the user doesn't make something happen. However, it can go the other way as well if you start to knock the pitcher around early or draw multiple walks.

Anyways, we heard confidence was reworked. I saw a brief comment in the Q&A thread mentioning it was "more stable", but I'd love to hear more impressions from any of the community guys. I think it has enough of an impact on the the pitcher/battle interface to merit some discussion.

I also feel this could be an issue at times with the current confidence system. Better gets better, worse gets worse, leading to runaway situations. Yes it probably does happen IRL, so can be realistic, but it might happen too often in the 1st innings with starters and when the relievers just come in in this game... And it is a good thing the new confidence system appears to be more stable in that regard.

[Qb]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

2 - The new camera angle should help considerably in limiting the effectiveness of changeups. What was once my bane is now something I can read very, very well off the pitcher's hand. I know everyone at CD kept trying to throw me changeups and I wouldn't bite anywhere near as often as in the past.

I'm pretty sure you can get an almost similar batting view with the custom controls in 11. It's amazing what a difference it makes.

As best I can tell from the screenshots, the new default view is similar to the custom view I use. The tilt might be slightly different, but I can tell by the batter's back foot and batter's box at the bottom of the screen that it's pretty close overall. And it does make a difference; I was always jumping early at 12-6s at changeups in '10. Now it's usually when I'm not expecting it (3-1 count... GRRR!!!) or when facing someone throwing gas, both of which can be seen as legitimate.

This leads me to something else. I know this isn't the Q&A thread, but was anything done regarding pitch selection/frequency? I felt like guys -- particularly power relievers -- would throw too many changeups. A lot of those types almost never throw them, but have them in-game to round out the three pitch repertoire. I think what happens is a few swings & misses (or even called strikes) really cranked up the individual pitch confidence leading to more pitches of that type. I can see how that's integral to the an adaptive CPU pitching experience -- ie, go with what's working -- but perhaps the refined confidence makes it more subtle?

[Qb]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

I also feel this could be an issue at times with the current confidence system. Better gets better, worse gets worse, leading to runaway situations. Yes it probably does happen IRL, so can be realistic, but it might happen too often in the 1st innings with starters and when the relievers just come in in this game... And it is a good thing the new confidence system appears to be more stable in that regard.

I'm with you. I don't have an issue with the theory behind it, but I often felt it was too exaggerated, especially for the CPU*. At any rate, I'd love to hear more impressions on the revamped confidence system.

* Maybe because the CPU successfully executes pitches more often than I do? Or because I swing & miss more?

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

QB, Nomo, etc...

Great topic guys!!! Hopefully the CES invitees and/or Devs can come in and continue the conversation. I love reading about this stuff.

[ped3328]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

It's not.
I'm HORRIBLE at batting...and because of my tendency to swing at everything(ask Nem!! ).....I K quite a bit(never looking!)....but I also easily get walks when I do actually concentrate.
Last night....I played two innings(had to shut it down...after playing '12, '11..........) and had two walks.

M.K.
Knight165

Having realized I was just as bad hitting while playing The Show as in real life when I played sandlot baseball, I decided on pitching exclusively. When it's my turn to bat, I simply switch to pitching for the other team. It's pretty gratifying when I hear Soupy say '' That was a pretty good pitch''! It may be an odd way of playing the game but I'm having more fun doing it that way.

[nemesis04]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

This leads me to something else. I know this isn't not the Q&A thread, but was anything done regarding pitch selection/frequency? I felt like guys -- particularly power relievers -- would throw too many changeups. A lot of those types almost never throw them, but have them in-game to round out the three pitch repertoire. I think what happens is a few swings & misses (or even called strikes) really cranked up the individual pitch confidence leading to more pitches of that type. I can see how that's integral to the an adaptive CPU pitching experience -- ie, go with what's working -- but perhaps the refined confidence makes it more subtle?

My last game I played at the event was the Tigers and Yanks at Yankee Stadium. It was Verlander (CPU) and Sabathia (me). I took an early 4-0 lead in the first three innings and Verlander's confidence was never below 50%. Sabathia bled runs through 6.5. The big blow was a 3 run Home run in the 6th and the lead trailing 6-4. That event brought his confidence down between 40-50%. Last year that would have been lights out and Sabathia probably would have not been able to get out of the inning. Verlander stayed in and completed 8 full innings and his confidence never really went above 75%.

Fast forward to the bottom of the ninth trailing 6-4 and the Tigers bring in Valverde to close it out. He predominantly used his fastballs and very rarely went off speed with anything. Anyway to start the 9th Swisher grounded to short for the first out. Valverde's confidence was pretty high which would be expected starting off the inning with an out. Andrew Jones was up next and I kept him instead of pinch hitting for him with a lefty. After working the count I hit a long drive into the left field seats 6-5 now. As Andrew Jones rounds third the Jumbo-tron flashes "Its not over yet!" talk about motivation! Martin gets up and Valverde is pounding the inside of the Zone, confidence was still high considering he gave up a bomb. I actually picked up a pattern during this at bat and was able to hit a sharp single down the third base line just past a diving Inge. His confidence only dropped a little (the cocky bastard that he is). Gardner got up and I hit a deep drive to left center which was caught just before the warning track. 2 outs man on first and Valverde's confidence is pretty solid. Jeter steps up to the box, I knew I was going to get pounded down and in. Still going with his fastball, ball 1 down and ball 2 just misses in. It took all my power not to swing, lol. The third pitch he took a little off and I barely fouled it off down low. Remember that pattern I mentioned, it was back and the next pitch was deposited into the left field stands! Yanks win 7-6!! No dance for Papa Grande today!

The biggest thing I noticed with the confidence in this game was even though it was high at times, pitchers were still beatable and still lost control at certain points. So full confidence did not mean lights out like in the past!

[Pared]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

I watched the bottom of that 9th inning. It was nuts.

The PS3 was so pissed it rage quit as soon as Jeter hit it out.

[PsychoBulk]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

My last game I played at the event was the Tigers and Yanks at Yankee Stadium. It was Verlander (CPU) and Sabathia (me). I took an early 4-0 lead in the first three innings and Verlander's confidence was never below 50%. Sabathia bled runs through 6.5. The big blow was a 3 run Home run in the 6th and the lead trailing 6-4. That event brought his confidence down between 40-50%. Last year that would have been lights out and Sabathia probably would have not been able to get out of the inning. Verlander stayed in and completed 8 full innings and his confidence never really went above 75%.

Fast forward to the bottom of the ninth trailing 6-4 and the Tigers bring in Valverde to close it out. He predominantly used his fastballs and very rarely went off speed with anything. Anyway to start the 9th Swisher grounded to short for the first out. Valverde's confidence was pretty high which would be expected starting off the inning with an out. Andrew Jones was up next and I kept him instead of pinch hitting for him with a lefty. After working the count I hit a long drive into the left field seats 6-5 now. As Andrew Jones rounds third the Jumbo-tron flashes "Its not over yet!" talk about motivation! Martin gets up and Valverde is pounding the inside of the Zone, confidence was still high considering he gave up a bomb. I actually picked up a pattern during this at bat and was able to hit a sharp single down the third base line just past a diving Inge. His confidence only dropped a little (the cocky bastard that he is). Gardner got up and I hit a deep drive to left center which was caught just before the warning track. 2 outs man on first and Valverde's confidence is pretty solid. Jeter steps up to the box, I knew I was going to get pounded down and in. Still going with his fastball, ball 1 down and ball 2 just misses in. It took all my power not to swing, lol. The third pitch he took a little off and I barely fouled it off down low. Remember that pattern I mentioned, it was back and the next pitch was deposited into the left field stands! Yanks win 7-6!! No dance for Papa Grande today!

The biggest thing I noticed with the confidence in this game was even though it was high at times, pitchers were still beatable and still lost control at certain points. So full confidence did not mean lights out like in the past!

I need to speak with the devs about realism because this series is clearly going backwards on that score.

You are telling me, Papa Grande, the Papa Grande, author of a perfect season of saves, 49 from 49, was manhandled like that by of all people, Andruw Jones!

I simply dont believe it.

Im done with this game

[thaSLAB]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

I watched the bottom of that 9th inning. It was nuts.

The PS3 was so pissed it rage quit as soon as Jeter hit it out.

And rightfully so!

signed,

Tigers Fan

[Knight165]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

Having realized I was just as bad hitting while playing The Show as in real life when I played sandlot baseball, I decided on pitching exclusively. When it's my turn to bat, I simply switch to pitching for the other team. It's pretty gratifying when I hear Soupy say '' That was a pretty good pitch''! It may be an odd way of playing the game but I'm having more fun doing it that way.

ped.....We may be in luck in the future.
I asked Kolbe(who may have been just saying YES to everything knowing he'd never have to deal with me again!!!!) if they could put an option in for AUTO hitting and/or AUTO pitching, so that you didn't have to really hand over control to the CPU for half an inning(and have it possibly make moves for you) and he seemed to think it was doable.
I'll definitely put it on the list I plan on sending for '12.

M.K.
Knight165

[nomo17k]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

ped.....We may be in luck in the future.
I asked Kolbe(who may have been just saying YES to everything knowing he'd never have to deal with me again!!!!) if they could put an option in for AUTO hitting and/or AUTO pitching, so that you didn't have to really hand over control to the CPU for half an inning(and have it possibly make moves for you) and he seemed to think it was doable.
I'll definitely put it on the list I plan on sending for '12.

M.K.
Knight165

I hope that sort of flexibility gets in in future as well... Just like we can change in-game which team to take control of, it would be great if we can choose "how" we take control of (wanna control players? just managerial decisions? that sort of thing...). I like watching CPU vs CPU games more than doing full MoM, but sometimes I want to intervene and decide on player substitutions myself, which I can do by taking control of the team as we can right now, but cannot do like MoM...

When the MoM mode gets revamped I'd like the devs to think ahead of having that capability.

[EnigmaNemesis]

My last game I played at the event was the Tigers and Yanks at Yankee Stadium. It was Verlander (CPU) and Sabathia (me). I took an early 4-0 lead in the first three innings and Verlander's confidence was never below 50%. Sabathia bled runs through 6.5. The big blow was a 3 run Home run in the 6th and the lead trailing 6-4. That event brought his confidence down between 40-50%. Last year that would have been lights out and Sabathia probably would have not been able to get out of the inning. Verlander stayed in and completed 8 full innings and his confidence never really went above 75%.

Fast forward to the bottom of the ninth trailing 6-4 and the Tigers bring in Valverde to close it out. He predominantly used his fastballs and very rarely went off speed with anything. Anyway to start the 9th Swisher grounded to short for the first out. Valverde's confidence was pretty high which would be expected starting off the inning with an out. Andrew Jones was up next and I kept him instead of pinch hitting for him with a lefty. After working the count I hit a long drive into the left field seats 6-5 now. As Andrew Jones rounds third the Jumbo-tron flashes "Its not over yet!" talk about motivation! Martin gets up and Valverde is pounding the inside of the Zone, confidence was still high considering he gave up a bomb. I actually picked up a pattern during this at bat and was able to hit a sharp single down the third base line just past a diving Inge. His confidence only dropped a little (the cocky bastard that he is). Gardner got up and I hit a deep drive to left center which was caught just before the warning track. 2 outs man on first and Valverde's confidence is pretty solid. Jeter steps up to the box, I knew I was going to get pounded down and in. Still going with his fastball, ball 1 down and ball 2 just misses in. It took all my power not to swing, lol. The third pitch he took a little off and I barely fouled it off down low. Remember that pattern I mentioned, it was back and the next pitch was deposited into the left field stands! Yanks win 7-6!! No dance for Papa Grande today!

The biggest thing I noticed with the confidence in this game was even though it was high at times, pitchers were still beatable and still lost control at certain points. So full confidence did not mean lights out like in the past!

The atmosphere was so amazing, even I as a Red Sox fan cheered and jumped. Was pretty damn E P I C!!!