New to MLB:TS. Any tips or advice for a newbie?

[Romain El 82]

Hey all,

I've played the MLB2K series on XBox the past few years (mainly because the commentary is miles ahead of anything I've ever seen in any sports game and I really enjoyed having to use the analog sticks for pitching and hitting) but this year I went ahead and got The Show. As such I'm used to controls and gameplay for the 2K series.

I did the drills a bunch the other day, but mostly my timing on hitting (I use the analog sticks for both hitting and pitching), accuracy of pitches and baserunning in general are things I need to work on. I don't play online so you won't have to worry about running into me there. Until the OS rosters are done I'll just be doing play now games, then delving into franchise mode.

Any suggestions? Advice? Tips? The game looks beautiful and the hit variety and sound is amazing.

I just wish I could import the pitching mechanic from 2K into the Show, along with the commentary. Matt Vaskershian (I know I spelled that wrong) just makes it seem like I'm playing Paint Simulator 2014...

[fearwhatnow]

Re: New to MLB:TS. Any tips or advice for a newbie?

Hey all,

I've played the MLB2K series on XBox the past few years (mainly because the commentary is miles ahead of anything I've ever seen in any sports game and I really enjoyed having to use the analog sticks for pitching and hitting) but this year I went ahead and got The Show. As such I'm used to controls and gameplay for the 2K series.

I did the drills a bunch the other day, but mostly my timing on hitting (I use the analog sticks for both hitting and pitching), accuracy of pitches and baserunning in general are things I need to work on. I don't play online so you won't have to worry about running into me there. Until the OS rosters are done I'll just be doing play now games, then delving into franchise mode.

Any suggestions? Advice? Tips? The game looks beautiful and the hit variety and sound is amazing.

I just wish I could import the pitching mechanic from 2K into the Show, along with the commentary. Matt Vaskershian (I know I spelled that wrong) just makes it seem like I'm playing Paint Simulator 2014...

First of all choose the Dynamic difficulty.
Here are my settings:
Pitching - Meter with human pitch control/consistency up 2 values (Meter mechanic fan since MVP2005)
Batting - Timing, Guess Pitch off
Fielding - Auto (Let the cpu do the job)
Throwing - Buttons (Simple, let the ratings take control)
Baserunning - Auto

Imo these settings are newbie friendly. Alongside Dynamic difficulty I think you'll have fun games without any frustration. Combine it with QC and you're good to go!

[WizardOfAwes]

Re: New to MLB:TS. Any tips or advice for a newbie?

Main thing is to just be patient IMO. It's a pretty tough game to get the hang of and you will have some very frustrating games. Just stick with it and you'll get used to it. It's not the best sports game for nothin'.

[SickDL]

Re: New to MLB:TS. Any tips or advice for a newbie?

First of all choose the Dynamic difficulty.
Here are my settings:
Pitching - Meter with human pitch control/consistency up 2 values (Meter mechanic fan since MVP2005)
Batting - Timing, Guess Pitch off
Fielding - Auto (Let the cpu do the job)
Throwing - Buttons (Simple, let the ratings take control)
Baserunning - Auto

Imo these settings are newbie friendly. Alongside Dynamic difficulty I think you'll have fun games without any frustration. Combine it with QC and you're good to go!

Can I ask why you say gues pitch off?. Does it have a negative effect when you gues it wrong or dont gues all the time.

Just started playing tge show. And basicly have the setting like in your post.only have fues pitch on classic if im right.
Would hitting be easier if I would turn gues pitch off

[Mabster]

Re: New to MLB:TS. Any tips or advice for a newbie?

Guess pitch does punish you for guessing incorrectly. It's seen as a crutch by a lot of people. When turned off you actually learn to recognize pitches and when to swing at good ones instead of relying on guess pitch to tell you you should swing because you guessed right.

[WhatRobEats]

Re: New to MLB:TS. Any tips or advice for a newbie?

Guess pitch does punish you for guessing incorrectly.

Wow. I kinda feel like a dummy. I've been playing The Show every year since PS2 and I never realized that guessing wrong punished you. Welp, time to turn that feature off.

[SickDL]

Re: New to MLB:TS. Any tips or advice for a newbie?

Guess pitch does punish you for guessing incorrectly. It's seen as a crutch by a lot of people. When turned off you actually learn to recognize pitches and when to swing at good ones instead of relying on guess pitch to tell you you should swing because you guessed right.

I see what you mean. Youre better off learning to recognize pitches.

Thanks

[jkra0512]

Re: New to MLB:TS. Any tips or advice for a newbie?

Check your ego at the door and don't be too headstrong to start on the lowest settings. I see a ton of people start out at all-star because they think they're too good for the lower levels.

[@legendm0de]

Re: New to MLB:TS. Any tips or advice for a newbie?

My advice from experience enjoy knocking yourself out with the training mode for batting. I used legend difficulty with extreme low contact sliders for a purer contact when (for the third time) "contact" is actually made. The learning curve for me was very steep b/c of the sliders and I spent about 2 and half weeks in batting mode training before I focus on taking my skills to competitive games, actually an extensive time in Play Now mode before entering franchise.. maybe an additional week I took doing that.

I enjoyed the training mode very much, and I also, using the analog batting controls as well like you are. This was from MLB 12' where analog controls as they are now were first introduced to the game, and I never had any sort of experience analog batting. I don't recommend difficulty or slider and setting tinkering that you are not comfortable with, but for the sake of taking a qualified swing to the plate when you enter competitive games, (in franchise, etc) take the time to go into Training Mode.

[eF 5ive]

Re: New to MLB:TS. Any tips or advice for a newbie?

Don't ask if the roster is done yet.

Take the first pitch.

[Romain El 82]

Re: New to MLB:TS. Any tips or advice for a newbie?

Don't ask if the roster is done yet.

Take the first pitch.

I play the NCAA Football series, so I've been around the block and know that the rosters will be done when they're done, and not when pestering people want them to be completed.

Thanks for all the advice so far guys, I've played a few play now games, starting with the Astros, then moving to the Cubs and then Brewers (I play as the Pirates).

It just seems that I'm missing my spots like crazy while pitching, and after using the top 3 Pirates pitchers I've determined it's me and not the pitchers. Any advice for using analog pitching? Or should I just up the accuracy?

[@legendm0de]

Re: New to MLB:TS. Any tips or advice for a newbie?

I play the NCAA Football series, so I've been around the block and know that the rosters will be done when they're done, and not when pestering people want them to be completed.

Thanks for all the advice so far guys, I've played a few play now games, starting with the Astros, then moving to the Cubs and then Brewers (I play as the Pirates).

It just seems that I'm missing my spots like crazy while pitching, and after using the top 3 Pirates pitchers I've determined it's me and not the pitchers. Any advice for using analog pitching? Or should I just up the accuracy?

I don't do analog pitching, I use meter but one thing I'd recommend toying with to enjoy pitching plus alleviate laying balls over the plate. Turn vibration off, which will eliminate the buffer zone that keeps you from throwing off of the plate, which when pitching you might actually want to do at times. Beyond helping throw away from the strike zone, I find it very fun to enjoy that freedom to throw where you want, completely. You will still miss marks for getting your mechanics and timing wrong, but it won't result in meatballs everytime. There is a learning curve, it will take a few live games or training perhaps to get comfortable throwing like this.

[BSUFAN]

Re: New to MLB:TS. Any tips or advice for a newbie?

Guess pitch does punish you for guessing incorrectly. It's seen as a crutch by a lot of people. When turned off you actually learn to recognize pitches and when to swing at good ones instead of relying on guess pitch to tell you you should swing because you guessed right.

Agreed, I have never used the guess pitch , basically with out it your train your eyes to recognize certain pitches and therefore a better at bat, IMO.