After watching the gameplay videos that were released the other day I feel I can now give some opinions on what I think of the new updated Presentations so far.
I really like what Sony has done with the Presentation this year compared to last year. I love the look of the new Stat Overlays and all the new camera cuts to the players are so cool! The statium sound is a lot more realistic then last year. It really sounds alive in the statium. Love that you hear more organ music playing and I LOVE the new Bat, Ball and Glove sounds. It really brings the statium to life.
However as improved as the Presentations are in MLB 12 The Show I still feel it can be done even better and more like a real TV baseball broadcast does it.
Some of the things that can be improved are for example.
When a batter hits a Home Run in Season and Franchice Modes there should be a Stat Overlay " 19 Laynce Nix 15TH Home Run This Season" pop up on screen when the camera is still focused on the batter that just hit the Home Run! Currently you get a drop down box from the top scorebar with the Home Run info when the camera is already focused on the next batter at Home Plate. Have a look at the screen shot below for an example of what could be done in MLB 13 The Show. This Stat Overlay popup could either be shown when the batter is rounding the bases or when the batter is crossing Home Plate like in the screen shot below.
Another improvment that needs to be made is in those videos I saw a few times where a batter hit a double and there was never any Stat Overlay showing how many doubles on the season it was for the batter. And at the sametime the announcers were to busy talking about something else and did not even once mention that the batter just hit a double or even a hit for that matter. That needs to be fixed! When a batter hits a Double, tripple, Home Run, Stolen Base I want to see a stat overlay and hear the announcers talk about it. And I am talking everytime not just at random times like it currently is.
Watching those videos I also saw something that needs to be removed!
A runner stole second base and when the next batter was at Home Plate a drop down menu displayed from the top scorebar saying something like "Angels Stolen Base (17)" and then right after that with the camera on the base stealer a Stat Overlay popped up with almost the same info. So what I would ask Sony is why do we need the Drop Down menu from the scorebar and the Stat overlay popup? I would much rather just have the Stat Overlay popup and remove the Drop Down Menu from the top scorebar! You don't need both. And the Stat Overlays with the camera on the player are so much more like what you see on a real TV broadcast and is all you need. In the future I would like to see Sony get rid of that Drop Down menu from the top Scorebar and just use the cool looking Stat Popup Overlays with the Camera on the players
Heck you could even have a cool looking popup Overlay for the weather report aswell.
Another thing that needs to be changed is the way the game begins when you first get to see the statium. Looking at the videos it looks almost just like it does in MLB 11 The Show. The camera view is basically the same and the onscreen displays look a little different but still looks and feels like basically last year. However I do like how the camera pans when they show the fielders at their positions. And while the starting linup display is some what new I still think it needs a lot more flash to the Presentation. Like for example have the announcer go though the whole linup and show a picture of the batter when his name is said. Maybe we could also see fans walking into the statium and buying food before the first pitch.
Also I would like to see 3 dots for outs on the top scorebar instead of "1 Out". Small change but would make the game feel even more fresh to look at
I also would like the Pitch Count always shown somewhere either on the top scorebar or even that box next to the batter that shows the MPH and pitch type and swing.
And last I want to see stats like 1 for 2, 0 for 2 , 2 for 2 on the inbetween inning batter due up overlay under the batters photos.
That just about sums up how I feel about the new Presentations in MLB 12 The Show. MLB 12 The Show looks like a really nice improvment over 11 but like I said there is still room for lots of improvment!
I really hope Sony plans to build on what they have done with the Presentations in MLB 12 The Show in MLB 13 The Show too.
If Sony can use all my feedback for MLB 13 The Show I would be so happy and greatfull and I am sure most of you would be too