I like to say thank you to all the OS staff for this site. I believe you people have set the standard for gaming information. I like for my first post offer a look at ASB2004's game.
ASB2004 XBOX
High Heat has always been the measure of true game play and this year gamers are calling it the best ever. I';m a big fan of High Heat and have played it as game of choice in past years. However, I know what High Heat already offers. And I know if any of the other Baseball games fail me, High Heat can be a last resort to come back to for my season.
The first time I ever played an “All Star Baseball'; game was back in the early 70';s. No, not video but that spin-dial board game with star players from the National and American League categorized by their personal stats. A group of us would draft the stars and play a league at Wrigley Field that was depicted in the game. Well those friends are gone, but the love of playing baseball games still remains with me.
Batting
Go straight to Batting Practice or quick game or any game and practice. You need to understand how to bat in this game. ASB offers you a choice of Normal (ASB Style), Classic (WSB Style), Zone (HH Style) & Easy (Triple Play Style). This is the most difficult part of the game and may be the deciding factor on whether you’ll keep this game or not. Hitting is difficult but there is a medium for all. I have heard from some of the forum posters to try 'exaggerated'pitching to help reduce the speed of the pitches. Sim fans like me will probably shy away from this proposal but kudos to them for identifying this. The pitches do come in slower with a much better read. It';s still hard, but the differences are not crazy and in fact saved the game for me. You';ll be able to tell from a change up and a fastball and see the breaks of the curve and slider. I suggest you try each option in BP or game action to get the feel of it. It doesn’t take away from the sim aspects of the game! A hint to batting is to place your curser between two areas, minimizing the effect of moving your curser. If you place your curser high and inside, you need to worry about low and or outside pitches. Basically minimizing the possibilities of moving your curser. No doubt though the best solution is to follow the ball. You also need to understand the pitchers involved. Sinker ball pitchers stay low in the strike zone. Power pitchers like to ride them high. ASB also offers you the guess pitch. Guessing the location or pitch correctly increases your curser size (hitting and or power).
Defense
Fielding has also been improved from past versions. The new camera view pans out to help you make better reads. The future throw still there from previous editions helps complete the animation sequences at a quicker rate when pressing the button that corresponds with which base to throw to. This works very well when implemented correctly. You';ll still have to be heads up though going to the circle when the ball is in play to catch it. What';s difficult is how to judge line drives. I would play on auto or semi-auto settings in previous ASB versions because I found fielding just to brutal. I ‘m sure Acclaim will be looking to improve more towards next year';s game by concentrating on fielding as a whole, adding new animations. Past titles I just couldn';t use manual fielding. This year I can. ASB also gives you again the option of choosing certain position players to be controlled by you or have the CPU field if you wish.
I';ve also seen off-throws to the base from the outfield. Not sure if the over-throw home was a result from pressing the button hard or it was a random act. I';ve only seen over-throws that sailed high over the fielder';s head or low throws in the dirt. Also, different from last year is a catcher like Piazza, will have difficulties throwing runners out. I was amazed to see some of his throws way off-line, and even some sailing over the infielder's head. Not sure about throws pulling the infielder';s off the base. Errors will be in the game again and there';s an abundance of them. One positive I did notice is when a player stroked a ball into center for a clean hit, the outfielder bobbles the ball and the runner proceeded to 2nd base. The game stat did reflect a hit and an error.
Base Running
Base running has also been improved but is still a mixed bag. It';s still not perfect, but some runners can score from 2nd on a single, and balls batted off the wall will result in doubles. I';ve seen base-running blunders too, such as having two runners on the same bag, but there is a small difference from last year';s game. I did notice runners moving on 3-2 counts, and stealing is not as simple as last year';s game. High Heat still sets the standards as far as base running goes.
Pitching
You will be pleasantly surprised by ASB';s pitching. The CPU will throw more balls, work the count better by trying to set you up, and will even walk you. I was walked 6 times in one game. Eliminating the pitching aid and vibration will increase your difficulty level but it still seems that Acclaim needs to add a little more challenge to this piece game. HH does not guarantee pitch placement, WSB had a new innovative pitch in last year's game, which I liked, and now EA';s MVP is coming up with a new innovative feature. Issuing walks are a lot better than last year';s but I can still get away with not walking a batter all game. I would like to see Acclaim implement a more challenging method. One feature again implemented is by pressing down harder on the pitch button (A) will result in a harder pitch.
Gameplay/ Stats Issues
I hear stories about “bugs'; that have been witnessed by many of you gamers whether they are game play or in stats. I know all games will have them. My concern is that these ';bugs'; play a major role that would either crash the game, or hinder it in some way as being unplayable. Thus far, I haven't seen anything alarming that would kill the game but I'm early in my franchise so hopefully nothing will occur at a later time to destroy it. One annoying issue is the bunt/foul tip/out. It doesn't happen all the time but it does happen. It seems the game registers it as a pop up rather than a foul tip strike.
Another issue was length of time playing a game. I';ve heard many say from 35, 45, 50+ minutes. If your expecting the game to play like a sim, then you will need to prepare for 45 + minutes. And once you complete, you may find yourself viewing the day';s box score, news, and events. Plan on at least an hour of game time with ASB. The In-game save does make it more forgiving, permitting you to save the game and play it at a later time. This feature will be a blessing when you have to drop out unexpectedly. And those past annoyances of not being able to save your in-game options and profiles, is now a thing of the past. Go to Profiles and Game Options menu and save your options!
I have decided for my personal profile and game options as Exaggerated Pitching, Veteran caliber play, Normal batting, Manual fielding, and Manual positioning.
Franchise
Once you've decided if ASB is acceptable your on your way to one of the finest, deepest franchises ever created for a console game. The best thing is even though your not liking to play, you can manage your team, which is almost as good. You';ll notice stadium specific ambiances. Scheduled events like opening day in Tokyo and games played by the Expos in Puerto Rico, and a presentation that will rival a televised game. Other choices include new stadiums for your team as you go deeper into your franchise. You have the choice of picking to General Manage one team or all teams. All teams will disable player injuries and CPU trades, but pretty much play as the season plays out if you wish. In one team control, you won';t be able to move players around that easily. Making moves may expose players on waivers or disallow other moves due to budget restraints or roster integrity (meaning you need a MI or CI or other position available on your 25-man team). Another feature offered in ALL GM Franchise is the ability to place players on the DL as it happens in the major leagues. Trevor Hoffman was just recently placed on the 60-day and so off to the DL he goes in my franchise. A note, they must be active to be placed on the DL. ASB also offers you a Rule Book explaining the Waivers process, Free Agency, Rule 5 draft, Amateur Draft, and Contract Negotiations.
Here are some pluses and minuses that you will or won't be able to do in ASB GM Franchise.
ALL GM Control
+ Keep rosters up to date with real life (Trading, Signing Free Agents, Negotiate Contracts)
+ Able to place active players on DL that real-life players go through
- Limits you or simplifies hard decisions on ASB''s franchise logic (Free Agency, Contract Negotiations, Rule 5 Draft, the Waiver Wire)
+ Able to edit players (Active/Non Active) as your season is in progress
ONE GM Control
+ Participate in ASB';s new franchise logic (contract negotiations, the waiver wire, amateur draft, Rule 5 draft, Free Agency)
+ Experience all type of injuries to random players and their effects within your franchise
+ Able to edit players as (Active/Non Active) as your season is in progress
- Unable to move position players from free agent list that may compromise roster integrity
Creating/Editing Players
Creating players has its good and bad but editing players in this game is easy. The good is the features offered are similar to last year, but you have more available options and faces to assign. I believe the number is 570. The bad is ASB';s create a player will generate players at random ages. I would get 19-year olds to 35-year old players. This made it difficult knowing that players like Matsui, Contreras, Millar, Reed, and Cone were required to have their real-life age, especially with franchise in mind. After some players created I was able to pull out a 26 year old player for Matsui, a 31- year old Contreras, and so on. This was done in the Main Menu roster page. It was quicker but took a good 15-minutes to complete, not to mention some of the scrubs I left on the free agent list. The process was annoying but once I was happy to obtained all the players needed, I went into franchise controlling all teams. The rosters reflect your 40-man team with players left off of your roster too. Players not on the team';s 40-man roster will not appear in ASB's rosters. I was surprised to see some of the blue-chips in there but for the most part. With X-box live you can get roster updates but that's a luxury for those with it. So after creating my players, I sat down, pulled out USA';s Baseball/Football magazine and updated each teams prospect list. Every year, USABBFB would update the organization';s top prospects from each team. One week they would do NL East, the next week NL central, and so on. It would list their age, height/weight, position, throwing arm/hitting. But the best part is the short summary provided for each player's strengths and weakness. If the prospects were pitchers, it would even tell you types of pitches and pitching delivery motions. I knew I had an excellent guide for editing players. When going into the rosters and looking for a 19-year old switch-hitting short-stop to create Jose Reyes, and not finding one, it made this more of a chore than I had hoped since you can';t modify their position, throwing arm, or batting (lefty/righty). I had to make trades looking for prospects fitting the bill for each player';s personalities. An excellent feature in this game that I can';t remember ever seeing is that I can go straight into spring games and play the games and follow up later with the players editing later on or well into my franchise.
Here are some names of players created or modified.
Hideki Matsui B-
Jose Contreras B-
Kevin Millar B-
Rick Reed C+
David Cone C (will be bumped to C+ if he makes team)
(Most blue-chip prospects edited are rated C+ or lower. Only one prospect, Teixeira from the Texas Rangers was given a B- rating)
Graphics/Animations
ASB features the best stadium experiences and graphics by far. The details make it special and Acclaim even uses a stadium tour to show off their accuracy. Player faces are pretty much on the money, and many of the familiar batting stances resemble the stars. New animations are included in the game not seen in previous titles although subtle changes. Foul-tips to the back stop, or down the line, a HR fair or foul, and outfield catches are some new features. I may have missed many (I hope) for it will only add to the experience in the games played. There are missing animations or missing frames that is visible on some plays. This creates that 'vacuum'; effect that still exists. Not a game killer, but it detracts from the beauty of the other animations seen in the game. I can pull hits, hit line-drives, grounders, pop ups, ropes in the alley, down the line, up the middle, and hit opposite field. The ball physics are very good and look true to form. The animations or game visuals can go from spectacular to puzzling. All in all ASB does it pretty good however, the other giants are about to hit the market, and the waited expectations of these remaining baseball games are perceived to be much tighter and brilliant in their animations and graphics.
Audio/Presentation
Brennaman and Lyons return to call the play by play. Their script is similar to last year with added statistical information. This is not a bad thing. Although I’m not a great fan of the two, they do an admirable job and clearly call a good game. It';s still to early to call them the best duo since the other games have yet to be released, but they clearly beat HH';s rendition. The crowd pretty much reacts to game situation but, at times, fall suspiciously quiet. You';ll hear team specific chants and stadium rally calls, and stadium specific noises, which really adds to the atmosphere.
The layout and menus are all new, and presented in a “baseball nostalgic'; setting. Baseball fans will love this. The menus are easy to navigate and user-friendly. I must say it looks brilliant as this presentation from Acclaim really uses this title to showcase baseball';s history and the game&#';s greatest legends.
Conclusion
Acclaim upgraded the pitching AI, offered other batting styles of play, tweaked the base running AI, added a new fielding camera, offered you the deepest franchise ever in a console game, options to control one team or all teams in franchise, offered you MLB past stars, Negro League stars, and many other new baseball features and game situtions not even explained. It ';s too early to call ASB2004 the new baseball champ but they clearly have offered a quality baseball game from last years. Thanks to Mr. Dick Smalls in identifying speed pitch reduction (Exaggerated). I like ASB, and for the time being, keeps High Heat on the side as a discount purchase. However, ASB will have its competition once WSB, MVP, MLB, or later this year, Inside Pitch hit the markets. A season play is in place and there';s no doubt I need practice before opening day. Once the other games arrive, I will give them a long look too. If ASB is forgotten by March 31, there is one thing I can always do with ASB is manage a season (just for the franchise alone) or show my sons a glimpse of some of the greatest players taking batting practice in the most authentic stadiums around.
ASB2004 XBOX
High Heat has always been the measure of true game play and this year gamers are calling it the best ever. I';m a big fan of High Heat and have played it as game of choice in past years. However, I know what High Heat already offers. And I know if any of the other Baseball games fail me, High Heat can be a last resort to come back to for my season.
The first time I ever played an “All Star Baseball'; game was back in the early 70';s. No, not video but that spin-dial board game with star players from the National and American League categorized by their personal stats. A group of us would draft the stars and play a league at Wrigley Field that was depicted in the game. Well those friends are gone, but the love of playing baseball games still remains with me.
Batting
Go straight to Batting Practice or quick game or any game and practice. You need to understand how to bat in this game. ASB offers you a choice of Normal (ASB Style), Classic (WSB Style), Zone (HH Style) & Easy (Triple Play Style). This is the most difficult part of the game and may be the deciding factor on whether you’ll keep this game or not. Hitting is difficult but there is a medium for all. I have heard from some of the forum posters to try 'exaggerated'pitching to help reduce the speed of the pitches. Sim fans like me will probably shy away from this proposal but kudos to them for identifying this. The pitches do come in slower with a much better read. It';s still hard, but the differences are not crazy and in fact saved the game for me. You';ll be able to tell from a change up and a fastball and see the breaks of the curve and slider. I suggest you try each option in BP or game action to get the feel of it. It doesn’t take away from the sim aspects of the game! A hint to batting is to place your curser between two areas, minimizing the effect of moving your curser. If you place your curser high and inside, you need to worry about low and or outside pitches. Basically minimizing the possibilities of moving your curser. No doubt though the best solution is to follow the ball. You also need to understand the pitchers involved. Sinker ball pitchers stay low in the strike zone. Power pitchers like to ride them high. ASB also offers you the guess pitch. Guessing the location or pitch correctly increases your curser size (hitting and or power).
Defense
Fielding has also been improved from past versions. The new camera view pans out to help you make better reads. The future throw still there from previous editions helps complete the animation sequences at a quicker rate when pressing the button that corresponds with which base to throw to. This works very well when implemented correctly. You';ll still have to be heads up though going to the circle when the ball is in play to catch it. What';s difficult is how to judge line drives. I would play on auto or semi-auto settings in previous ASB versions because I found fielding just to brutal. I ‘m sure Acclaim will be looking to improve more towards next year';s game by concentrating on fielding as a whole, adding new animations. Past titles I just couldn';t use manual fielding. This year I can. ASB also gives you again the option of choosing certain position players to be controlled by you or have the CPU field if you wish.
I';ve also seen off-throws to the base from the outfield. Not sure if the over-throw home was a result from pressing the button hard or it was a random act. I';ve only seen over-throws that sailed high over the fielder';s head or low throws in the dirt. Also, different from last year is a catcher like Piazza, will have difficulties throwing runners out. I was amazed to see some of his throws way off-line, and even some sailing over the infielder's head. Not sure about throws pulling the infielder';s off the base. Errors will be in the game again and there';s an abundance of them. One positive I did notice is when a player stroked a ball into center for a clean hit, the outfielder bobbles the ball and the runner proceeded to 2nd base. The game stat did reflect a hit and an error.
Base Running
Base running has also been improved but is still a mixed bag. It';s still not perfect, but some runners can score from 2nd on a single, and balls batted off the wall will result in doubles. I';ve seen base-running blunders too, such as having two runners on the same bag, but there is a small difference from last year';s game. I did notice runners moving on 3-2 counts, and stealing is not as simple as last year';s game. High Heat still sets the standards as far as base running goes.
Pitching
You will be pleasantly surprised by ASB';s pitching. The CPU will throw more balls, work the count better by trying to set you up, and will even walk you. I was walked 6 times in one game. Eliminating the pitching aid and vibration will increase your difficulty level but it still seems that Acclaim needs to add a little more challenge to this piece game. HH does not guarantee pitch placement, WSB had a new innovative pitch in last year's game, which I liked, and now EA';s MVP is coming up with a new innovative feature. Issuing walks are a lot better than last year';s but I can still get away with not walking a batter all game. I would like to see Acclaim implement a more challenging method. One feature again implemented is by pressing down harder on the pitch button (A) will result in a harder pitch.
Gameplay/ Stats Issues
I hear stories about “bugs'; that have been witnessed by many of you gamers whether they are game play or in stats. I know all games will have them. My concern is that these ';bugs'; play a major role that would either crash the game, or hinder it in some way as being unplayable. Thus far, I haven't seen anything alarming that would kill the game but I'm early in my franchise so hopefully nothing will occur at a later time to destroy it. One annoying issue is the bunt/foul tip/out. It doesn't happen all the time but it does happen. It seems the game registers it as a pop up rather than a foul tip strike.
Another issue was length of time playing a game. I';ve heard many say from 35, 45, 50+ minutes. If your expecting the game to play like a sim, then you will need to prepare for 45 + minutes. And once you complete, you may find yourself viewing the day';s box score, news, and events. Plan on at least an hour of game time with ASB. The In-game save does make it more forgiving, permitting you to save the game and play it at a later time. This feature will be a blessing when you have to drop out unexpectedly. And those past annoyances of not being able to save your in-game options and profiles, is now a thing of the past. Go to Profiles and Game Options menu and save your options!
I have decided for my personal profile and game options as Exaggerated Pitching, Veteran caliber play, Normal batting, Manual fielding, and Manual positioning.
Franchise
Once you've decided if ASB is acceptable your on your way to one of the finest, deepest franchises ever created for a console game. The best thing is even though your not liking to play, you can manage your team, which is almost as good. You';ll notice stadium specific ambiances. Scheduled events like opening day in Tokyo and games played by the Expos in Puerto Rico, and a presentation that will rival a televised game. Other choices include new stadiums for your team as you go deeper into your franchise. You have the choice of picking to General Manage one team or all teams. All teams will disable player injuries and CPU trades, but pretty much play as the season plays out if you wish. In one team control, you won';t be able to move players around that easily. Making moves may expose players on waivers or disallow other moves due to budget restraints or roster integrity (meaning you need a MI or CI or other position available on your 25-man team). Another feature offered in ALL GM Franchise is the ability to place players on the DL as it happens in the major leagues. Trevor Hoffman was just recently placed on the 60-day and so off to the DL he goes in my franchise. A note, they must be active to be placed on the DL. ASB also offers you a Rule Book explaining the Waivers process, Free Agency, Rule 5 draft, Amateur Draft, and Contract Negotiations.
Here are some pluses and minuses that you will or won't be able to do in ASB GM Franchise.
ALL GM Control
+ Keep rosters up to date with real life (Trading, Signing Free Agents, Negotiate Contracts)
+ Able to place active players on DL that real-life players go through
- Limits you or simplifies hard decisions on ASB''s franchise logic (Free Agency, Contract Negotiations, Rule 5 Draft, the Waiver Wire)
+ Able to edit players (Active/Non Active) as your season is in progress
ONE GM Control
+ Participate in ASB';s new franchise logic (contract negotiations, the waiver wire, amateur draft, Rule 5 draft, Free Agency)
+ Experience all type of injuries to random players and their effects within your franchise
+ Able to edit players as (Active/Non Active) as your season is in progress
- Unable to move position players from free agent list that may compromise roster integrity
Creating/Editing Players
Creating players has its good and bad but editing players in this game is easy. The good is the features offered are similar to last year, but you have more available options and faces to assign. I believe the number is 570. The bad is ASB';s create a player will generate players at random ages. I would get 19-year olds to 35-year old players. This made it difficult knowing that players like Matsui, Contreras, Millar, Reed, and Cone were required to have their real-life age, especially with franchise in mind. After some players created I was able to pull out a 26 year old player for Matsui, a 31- year old Contreras, and so on. This was done in the Main Menu roster page. It was quicker but took a good 15-minutes to complete, not to mention some of the scrubs I left on the free agent list. The process was annoying but once I was happy to obtained all the players needed, I went into franchise controlling all teams. The rosters reflect your 40-man team with players left off of your roster too. Players not on the team';s 40-man roster will not appear in ASB's rosters. I was surprised to see some of the blue-chips in there but for the most part. With X-box live you can get roster updates but that's a luxury for those with it. So after creating my players, I sat down, pulled out USA';s Baseball/Football magazine and updated each teams prospect list. Every year, USABBFB would update the organization';s top prospects from each team. One week they would do NL East, the next week NL central, and so on. It would list their age, height/weight, position, throwing arm/hitting. But the best part is the short summary provided for each player's strengths and weakness. If the prospects were pitchers, it would even tell you types of pitches and pitching delivery motions. I knew I had an excellent guide for editing players. When going into the rosters and looking for a 19-year old switch-hitting short-stop to create Jose Reyes, and not finding one, it made this more of a chore than I had hoped since you can';t modify their position, throwing arm, or batting (lefty/righty). I had to make trades looking for prospects fitting the bill for each player';s personalities. An excellent feature in this game that I can';t remember ever seeing is that I can go straight into spring games and play the games and follow up later with the players editing later on or well into my franchise.
Here are some names of players created or modified.
Hideki Matsui B-
Jose Contreras B-
Kevin Millar B-
Rick Reed C+
David Cone C (will be bumped to C+ if he makes team)
(Most blue-chip prospects edited are rated C+ or lower. Only one prospect, Teixeira from the Texas Rangers was given a B- rating)
Graphics/Animations
ASB features the best stadium experiences and graphics by far. The details make it special and Acclaim even uses a stadium tour to show off their accuracy. Player faces are pretty much on the money, and many of the familiar batting stances resemble the stars. New animations are included in the game not seen in previous titles although subtle changes. Foul-tips to the back stop, or down the line, a HR fair or foul, and outfield catches are some new features. I may have missed many (I hope) for it will only add to the experience in the games played. There are missing animations or missing frames that is visible on some plays. This creates that 'vacuum'; effect that still exists. Not a game killer, but it detracts from the beauty of the other animations seen in the game. I can pull hits, hit line-drives, grounders, pop ups, ropes in the alley, down the line, up the middle, and hit opposite field. The ball physics are very good and look true to form. The animations or game visuals can go from spectacular to puzzling. All in all ASB does it pretty good however, the other giants are about to hit the market, and the waited expectations of these remaining baseball games are perceived to be much tighter and brilliant in their animations and graphics.
Audio/Presentation
Brennaman and Lyons return to call the play by play. Their script is similar to last year with added statistical information. This is not a bad thing. Although I’m not a great fan of the two, they do an admirable job and clearly call a good game. It';s still to early to call them the best duo since the other games have yet to be released, but they clearly beat HH';s rendition. The crowd pretty much reacts to game situation but, at times, fall suspiciously quiet. You';ll hear team specific chants and stadium rally calls, and stadium specific noises, which really adds to the atmosphere.
The layout and menus are all new, and presented in a “baseball nostalgic'; setting. Baseball fans will love this. The menus are easy to navigate and user-friendly. I must say it looks brilliant as this presentation from Acclaim really uses this title to showcase baseball';s history and the game&#';s greatest legends.
Conclusion
Acclaim upgraded the pitching AI, offered other batting styles of play, tweaked the base running AI, added a new fielding camera, offered you the deepest franchise ever in a console game, options to control one team or all teams in franchise, offered you MLB past stars, Negro League stars, and many other new baseball features and game situtions not even explained. It ';s too early to call ASB2004 the new baseball champ but they clearly have offered a quality baseball game from last years. Thanks to Mr. Dick Smalls in identifying speed pitch reduction (Exaggerated). I like ASB, and for the time being, keeps High Heat on the side as a discount purchase. However, ASB will have its competition once WSB, MVP, MLB, or later this year, Inside Pitch hit the markets. A season play is in place and there';s no doubt I need practice before opening day. Once the other games arrive, I will give them a long look too. If ASB is forgotten by March 31, there is one thing I can always do with ASB is manage a season (just for the franchise alone) or show my sons a glimpse of some of the greatest players taking batting practice in the most authentic stadiums around.
That was awesome! Have you ever thought about working for a gaming mag?
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