MLB 10 The Show: Can I Stop Worrying, and Learn to Love the Juice?

[Steve_OS]

Kotaku's Owen Good, chimes in with his usual Saturday update. Today's column is about "The Show Shop" in RTTS in MLB 10 The Show, and how buying Training Points for your RTTS character presents the same dilemma as choosing to use PEDs in real life.

"My hardline stance against performance-enhancing drugs in sports is a convenient one, informed only by my experience as a fan. I've never been faced with the choice or even the opportunity to get an unfair edge in baseball. Until now.

This week I started over as a new player in MLB 10 The Show's immersive, addicting Road to the Show, creating my favorite type: lefthanded starting pitcher, 18-year-old phenom fresh from his high school prom. The draft randomly sent me to Philadelphia and I unpacked my bags in AA Reading. And I got shelled in my first three relief appearances.

The point of the singleplayer mode is to develop your guy with training points awarded for solid performances. Three games in, I think I had earned about 120 total - the minimum you can put toward any one attribute is 40. Opponents were hitting .350 off me. My WHIP looked better as an ERA - 2.95, my ERA looked like an advertisement for a radio station (Sports Talk Nine Fifty, the Torch!) and I was looking at a long tour in the minors. My last guy spent two full seasons on the farm, and he was great.

Then I noticed "The Show Shop." Playing and reviewing MLB 10, I'd never heard of it before this week. Sony sent me some literature on new features, but I tossed it long ago. I wasn't even sure it was a new feature, but I do know it wasn't highly promoted. So I knew what I'd likely find inside."

[netjam99]

Re: MLB 10 The Show: Can I Stop Worrying, and Learn to Love the Juice?

Thats a good article, I enjoyed it and yeap he raises a good point.

[El_MaYiMbE]

Re: MLB 10 The Show: Can I Stop Worrying, and Learn to Love the Juice?

This article makes me want to start an RTTS just to see if I can "juice" my way into the MLB roster! LoL.

Very good article.

[countryboy]

Great article.

[ruserl88]

Re: MLB 10 The Show: Can I Stop Worrying, and Learn to Love the Juice?

i only use PEDS (pez?) when i'm starting out with the 40year old rookie , seeing if i have time to get him to the show for a cup of coffe

[MatrixTN]

Re: MLB 10 The Show: Can I Stop Worrying, and Learn to Love the Juice?

Never used that feature. Nice Dr. Strangelove reference, Steve.

[Chizzypoof]

Re: MLB 10 The Show: Can I Stop Worrying, and Learn to Love the Juice?

Good article. I like the self realization at the end.

[Reaman]

Re: MLB 10 The Show: Can I Stop Worrying, and Learn to Love the Juice?

Thank you for posting, great article!

[JoeMimic]

I think it comes in handy when you want a guy to be a phenom type pitcher who throws hard from the beginning and rises through the ranks very quickly. What if I want to be a Strausberg? It's not possible without the show shop because it takes forever to build your velocity up which really isn't realistic because a lot of guys who throw hard, are already throwing hard when they start. Sure there are a lot of guys who build up a couple of MPH but there are guys who throw at 93-95mph from the get go.

[acts238shaun]

Re: MLB 10 The Show: Can I Stop Worrying, and Learn to Love the Juice?

I hate starting out with poor durability/speed when in reality, most players are their fastest and most durable in their late teens and their 20's. because of this I will occasionally buy a few points just so I don't tire every two games and so I have a chance to steal bases right away.

I hope next year they allow player shells not related to position, low power w/high speed or high power w/ poor defense and contact, etc.

[H8ff0000]

Re: MLB 10 The Show: Can I Stop Worrying, and Learn to Love the Juice?

I hope next year they allow player shells not related to position, low power w/high speed or high power w/ poor defense and contact, etc.

This sounds like a really good idea

[[Icy]]

Re: MLB 10 The Show: Can I Stop Worrying, and Learn to Love the Juice?

For the the points purchase idea would be fine if you could use those points for any new RTTS career. Right now you purchase them for a single RTTS player, and if for any reason your careers freezes, or you find it boring etc, and want to start anew one, you have lost those points and your well earned $.

You could even say that if you get bored of one career it's your fault, but... when the RTTS freezes in your career and it becomes corrupt, we shouldn't be punished losing our paid points and instead we should be able to use them again in a new career.

Else it's like if you paid $60 and you could only play as the Yankees, then if you want to start a franchise with the Marlins, you need to pay $60 again for a new game.

[Juiceman]

Re: MLB 10 The Show: Can I Stop Worrying, and Learn to Love the Juice?

This article reminded me why I hate that gear and boost gear is available for purchase in NHL 10. I can't stand these boost purchase things. At least RTTS is just a one player mode. NHL 10 boosts can be used online and creates disparity because one guy decided to spend money and boost his player and the other guy is actually trying to play games to boost up his player. Juicing is a great analogy. It's hardly different at all other than there are zero consequences in a video game.

[Antec]

Re: MLB 10 The Show: Can I Stop Worrying, and Learn to Love the Juice?

The Juiceman is opposed to juicing?!!!

[WTF]

Re: MLB 10 The Show: Can I Stop Worrying, and Learn to Love the Juice?

For some odd reason, I went forth and juiced early on in my career... just to see how it felt. Needless to say, the measely 1000 points really didn't "fulfill" my desires... and makes me want more. I can see how the juice really draws you in.

If the "juice" that I bought, were able to be transferred to another player, I'd buy some more juice. But alas, it's stuck on a CF that I want to play SS, but the coach seems content with where I'm at.