MLB 12 The Show Video - Pulse Pitching, Zone Analog Batting, Broadcast Presentation

[Knight165]

Quote: Originally Posted by Black59Razr

LOL, sorry for posting this video just now. I thought this big *** thread was a few days old! My bad! Tons of great things in this game! However, at 4:55, right at the crack of the bat on a line drive, you can see the left fielder instantly turn his back and start running blindly. He stops running at the perfect spot, and poof, there is the ball. So much for new ball physics. The OF still knew exactly where this hard line drive would end up. Then, at 3:00, the left fielder makes a highlight catch at the warning track, with an absolutely perfect, nonchalant, route. I know outfielders take different routes to the balls in 12, so I hope this video is the exception and not the norm. That is, unless the new routes to the ball are just ascetic, and they will all run the perfect straight line to the ball if there is no time to mess around. Then, at 7:25, looks like the cut-off logic is still jacked up. Why is the cutoff man setup to take a throw to 1st base on a bases empty single to left? Because of this, I will only play 500 games, burn through 3 discs and 1 PS3!

I'm not sure what this has to do with ball physics though.

M.K.
Knight165

[Pared]

Quote: Originally Posted by Russell_SCEA

The art has actually changed a lot since you guys last saw it. It might be changed again, if it hasn't that's what the game will ship with also. It's not nearly as visible from the pitchers view which is why the "ants" are still there.

Still keeping fingers crossed! Honestly if it did change, it looks to have come right back full circle.

No pun intended... of course. Heh.

[nomo17k]

Quote: Originally Posted by Black59Razr

I know outfielders take different routes to the balls in 12, so I hope this video is the exception and not the norm. That is, unless the new routes to the ball are just ascetic, and they will all run the perfect straight line to the ball if there is no time to mess around. Then, at 7:25, looks like the cut-off logic is still jacked up. Why is the cutoff man setup to take a throw to 1st base on a bases empty single to left? Because of this, I will only play 500 games, burn through 3 discs and 1 PS3!

Just out of curiosity, is there any sports game, baseball or otherwise, which does a more or less (im)perfect job of fielders reaching the ball landing location? I mean, fielders moving in organic ways... I just want to check that out if there are games like that.

[Black59Razr]

Quote: Originally Posted by Knight165

I'm not sure what this has to do with ball physics though. M.K. Knight165

I was hoping the new ball physics would create a new awareness levels in the OFs.

More realistic ball physics means the ball will do more unpredictable things; slice, hook, dive, sail, etc. Therefore, the OFs will have a harder time making plays (so I hoped)

However, based on early video evidence, the OFs have been pre-ordained with the knowledge of this unpredictability. They are just as aware of where the ball will land as they were in 11; regardless of this new unpredictability. Therefore, new ball physics does not effect gameplay. Its just for ascetics.

Its like if you played OF in a softball league, then switched to a baseball league, you would have a hard time judging the spin of the ball. Flyballs do crazy things in baseball, compared to softball. The OF would not be able to play as aggressively as he did when he played softball.

Quote: Originally Posted by nomo17k

Just out of curiosity, is there any sports game, baseball or otherwise, which does a more or less (im)perfect job of fielders reaching the ball landing location? I mean, fielders moving in organic ways... I just want to check that out if there are games like that.

You need look no further than MLB 11 The Show's RTTS mode. In RTTS, user OFs did not have the ball indicator appear instantly, therefore, you did a less perfect job. The user OF could not simply run full speed to the perfect spot at the crack of the bat. I wish they could put this logic into the CPU as well.

A perfect real life example is the last play of the season for the Red Sox. Carl Crawford trapped a line drive, costing them the season. That ball was extremely catchable; but he was unable to commit due to the line drives unpredictability.

If it was The Show, Crawford would have made the perfect read at the crack of the bat, making the catch, and going to the Playoffs; thus changing the course of history forever!

[Blzer]

Quote: Originally Posted by Black59Razr

I was hoping the new ball physics would create a new awareness levels in the OFs. More realistic ball physics means the ball will do more unpredictable things; slice, hook, dive, sail, etc. Therefore, the OFs will have a harder time making plays (so I hoped) However, based on early video evidence, the OFs have been pre-ordained with the knowledge of this unpredictability. They are just as aware of where the ball will land as they were in 11; regardless of this new unpredictability. Therefore, new ball physics does not effect gameplay. Its just for ascetics. Its like if you played OF in a softball league, then switched to a baseball league, you would have a hard time judging the spin of the ball. Flyballs do crazy things in baseball, compared to softball. The OF would not be able to play as aggressively as he did when he played softball.

Well I mean, unless you're talking about Soriano out there, it's not like the outfielders are just going to become bat **** stupid.

Considering we still have pre-determined knowledge of where the ball is supposed to land off the bat, I guess the computer is given the exact same ordinance. Sometimes they will take a second to react to a ball, and sometimes they might slightly misplay a bounce off a wall or something (or dive at a ball that they can't catch, which I've seen), but they won't ever, say, start running in for a ball that will end up behind them. That's just not in the game's design logic. I understand this happens in baseball, but you also want to make sure that they still do make their catches from time to time as well. These players are professional, after all.

That warning track shot is not only a pretty easy catch to make in baseball (with a "nonchalant" effort), but it's also one of the most fun plays to make. The only two parameters that make it difficult are: 1) lack of knowledge of where the wall is; 2) lack of knowledge of where the other outfielder is. Otherwise, it's a cakewalk.

[ParisB]

Quote: Originally Posted by Black59Razr

I was hoping the new ball physics would create a new awareness levels in the OFs. More realistic ball physics means the ball will do more unpredictable things; slice, hook, dive, sail, etc. Therefore, the OFs will have a harder time making plays (so I hoped) However, based on early video evidence, the OFs have been pre-ordained with the knowledge of this unpredictability. They are just as aware of where the ball will land as they were in 11; regardless of this new unpredictability. Therefore, new ball physics does not effect gameplay. Its just for ascetics. Its like if you played OF in a softball league, then switched to a baseball league, you would have a hard time judging the spin of the ball. Flyballs do crazy things in baseball, compared to softball. The OF would not be able to play as aggressively as he did when he played softball. You need look no further than MLB 11 The Show's RTTS mode. In RTTS, user OFs did not have the ball indicator appear instantly, therefore, you did a less perfect job. The user OF could not simply run full speed to the perfect spot at the crack of the bat. I wish they could put this logic into the CPU as well. A perfect real life example is the last play of the season for the Red Sox. Carl Crawford trapped a line drive, costing them the season. That ball was extremely catchable; but he was unable to commit due to the line drives unpredictability. If it was The Show, Crawford would have made the perfect read at the crack of the bat, making the catch, and going to the Playoffs; thus changing the course of history forever!

I understand what you're saying, and agree.

As soon as you hit a gapper, you know right away if it's going to get caught or drop based on the "jogging" animation the cpu controlled outfielder is doing, as well as the route he's taking. It's missing that suspense element.

If he's not going to catch it, it's obvious because he goes off target to play the bounce off the wall perfectly (which is annoying). If he is going to catch it, there's this nonchalant animation to him.

[Black59Razr]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blzer

Well I mean, unless you're talking about Soriano out there, it's not like the outfielders are just going to become bat **** stupid. Considering we still have pre-determined knowledge of where the ball is supposed to land off the bat, I guess the computer is given the exact same ordinance. Sometimes they will take a second to react to a ball, and sometimes they might slightly misplay a bounce off a wall or something (or dive at a ball that they can't catch, which I've seen), but they won't ever, say, start running in for a ball that will end up behind them. That's just not in the game's design logic. I understand this happens in baseball, but you also want to make sure that they still do make their catches from time to time as well. These players are professional, after all. That warning track shot is not only a pretty easy catch to make in baseball (with a "nonchalant" effort), but it's also one of the most fun plays to make. The only two parameters that make it difficult are: 1) lack of knowledge of where the wall is; 2) lack of knowledge of where the other outfielder is. Otherwise, it's a cakewalk.

Perhaps I am expecting too much in this aspect of the game.

What do you think about the Carl Crawford example from a few posts back? Don't you agree the game is lacking that level of realism?

In 11, you would see a canned animation of an outfielder taking a step back on a line drive, then run forward for a single in front of him. And sometimes you would see a defender take a step in, then run back for a ball over his head. This would happen about once every 75 games. What I am asking, is for this to occur at a more realistic pace; perhaps once per game.

I think the would create a butterfly effect in a positive way. If you dramatically increase the frequency of these 'canned' animations of player's misjudging line drives, there would be many, many more hits. This would require tweaking almost every other aspect of the game.

But if I am in the minority in thinking OFs are vacuum cleaners in The Show, it would not be something worth taking a look at.

[Black59Razr]

Quote: Originally Posted by ParisB

I understand what you're saying, and agree. As soon as you hit a gapper, you know right away if it's going to get caught or drop based on the "jogging" animation the cpu controlled outfielder is doing, as well as the route he's taking. It's missing that suspense element. If he's not going to catch it, it's obvious because he goes off target to play the bounce off the wall perfectly (which is annoying). If he is going to catch it, there's this nonchalant animation to him.

Oh, ya. In 11, if you had runners on base with less than 2 out, and you scorched a deep flyball, all you had to do was look at the angle of the outfielder to determine if you should advance the runners or not. It was obvious almost instantly if they were going to attempt a catch or a car-rum. Its like, nobody in the stadium knows if that ball will bounce of the wall for a double, or if it will be caught for an out. Nobody, except for the OFs. So you can just cheat and watch their routes to get a read on their clairvoyance.