Show '09 vs. Show' 18

[Padgoi]

It's been 9 years, 3,285 days since MLB The Show '09 was released. Take a look at the differences between that game and gameplay of Show '18 being released next Friday.

Gameplay of MLB The Show '09

https://youtu.be/133H6Y4vkYQ

And here's gameplay footage of MLB The Show '18 being released in a week

https://youtu.be/eMeYWgL2LuM

The reason I'm posting this is because, in 9 years, what major differences do you see in gameplay? How about graphics? Shouldn't we be seeing substantial differences in these games? Don't get me wrong, clearly there are changes and improvements, but do these changes really indicate 9 years of growth? And is this solely because of the lack of competition? Is it because of their limited manpower and thus limited resources?

I just don't think we're seeing significant enough changes in the game. I'm going to buy the game if only because I'm desperate for baseball and I've had it with the 2017 iteration of the game. But isn't it about time we, the consumer, expected a bit more from the manufacturer of a product that supposedly undergoes groundbreaking improvements every year, yet we struggle to see vast improvements when comparing products 9 years apart?





Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Blzer]

Re: Show '09 vs. Show' 18

I thought you were going to say how massively different they were, and I was going to jump in to interject.

In all fairness though, they went to the PS4 version keeping in mind they wanted a fully-fledged game with feature-parity to their PS3 counterpart, so they weren't going to rebuild this engine at this time. I do hope they do that for the PS5, though. So things like player models and the like are not going to be massive overhauls.

It does sadden me that nine years ago we saw that beautiful broadcast camera in replay mode, and we still don't have a gameplay version that resembles that one (or just a little bit higher, really). This was also the first year they initiated the time-of-day sky transitions, and I'm still pining for that deep blue going into blackness. I've had numerous gameplay ideas that have never taken fruition, and it's one thing to hear the request as it is another thing to actually develop it or deem it worth their time. I think they are, but I am just one of many. Thankfully the ball physics keep getting worked on, though '10 was a-tro-shus!

You can probably almost say that we are near the point where you mainly yield diminished returns. I'm no longer "impressed" by graphics anymore, at least in the sense that they could show me something literally photorealistic and I will kind of just mutter: "Looks good." That doesn't mean graphics don't mean a lot to me, but it just means we have come so far that there isn't that much to go before games start looking like Avatar.

I think they're just mostly sticking to what they know and what has been proven to be a successful formula. I'd like to see them break that mold next generation, but until then I know exactly what I'm going to get. It's not like the NBA 2K series has seen a visual revelation since 2K9 and 2K18 now, even though their presentation has skyrocketed to something pretty impressive in itself.

By the way, don't read the top comment in the '09 video. Inaccurate, unwarranted, and frankly unwanted.

[Caulfield]

Re: Show '09 vs. Show' 18

I'm probably in the minority but when the Show stops looking & playing like, well, the Show, that's the day I'm out. Thankfully I have a nice collection of over a dozen years (& counting) to fall back on should that day ever arrive. I'm really glad there's some continuity through the years. Having said, I can definitely understand the longing for something different. Which is one thing I do miss about baseball video games pre-Show; the sheer quantity each season.

[TheBleedingRed21]

Re: Show '09 vs. Show' 18

If you don’t see the significant graphical improvment, you need a new tv.

[jeffy777]

Re: Show '09 vs. Show' 18

If you don’t see the significant graphical improvment, you need a new tv.

Maybe a new set of eyes too.

[Jimmydm90]

Re: Show '09 vs. Show' 18

Graphically (especially with the fluidity of animations) it looks like the show has come pretty far. And keep in mind the MLB 18 video you posted is very low resolution. Just look at Ramone and co in the bottom right and see how fuzzy they are.

Sure it's not perfect. There's a still a ways to go in terms of physics and AI. I still see clipping on tag plays. Cloth physics on uniforms needs to get implemented soon. I'd really love each AI player to take on a memory basically like the nemesis system in Shadow of Mordor that effects the way the play and emote. If you hit a towering home run off a pitcher and then show boat with a ridiculous bat flip you're probably going to get some chin music on the next at bat against them. Or maybe a player gets traded and next time he faces off against his original team he's really going to put in the extra effort to show them what they're missing. Or if a player has a shoulder injury that's probably something that should be a recurring issue on and off through out the career.

Still I think Mlb the Show has made some pretty big strides over the last 9 years and I'm sure they'll make more strides in the future.

[KnightTemplar]

Re: Show '09 vs. Show' 18

This will quickly become a “things I didn’t get”, wish list. Graphically the 09 game looks pretty awful, compared to 17, but it was pretty good for that time.

[MLB14]

Re: Show '09 vs. Show' 18

They've made strides. They've done very well with the engine they're working with. We don't know their plans for the future. They could be trying to get the most income they can from these past couple and current versions to cache the money it would take to create/use a new engine.

[BigOscar]

Re: Show '09 vs. Show' 18

09 has held up pretty well tbh, kind of shows how far ahead they were at that point as if you look at other sports games from then they look pretty awful. I guess it's helped a lot by the lack of movement, as that's where things have really come along in other games and with the infield in particular on the Show.

You can obviously see the difference between 09 and 18 but it isn't as large as you'd expect it to be. I imagine if you went back 9 years earlier the difference would be far greater, we've definitely got to a level where huge improvement is harder to achieve.

[tinpanalley]

Re: Show '09 vs. Show' 18

I'm going to buy the game if only because I'm desperate for baseball and I've had it with the 2017 iteration of the game.

I'm really not trying to pick on you or discredit you, I absolutely agree with you. It's why I haven't bought or played The Show in 3 years. But that part of what you said is precisely why they can keep making the game however they want without fear of losing money.
Same reason NHL doesn't have to improve.
Same reason Madden doesn't have to improve.
Sorry to use what you said to make a point. But many people say similar things, and it's an important point to acknowledge.

[Impetuous65]

Re: Show '09 vs. Show' 18

We often romanticize about the past and have a nostalgic feeling about a game in the past and how it stacks up with todays efforts. This is big in NBA 2K people often think 2k11 is better than 2K18, but 2K18 is a major AI improvement over 2K11 a lot of moving parts that 2K11 pales in comparison. I chalk that up to 2K devs are risk takers and have a vision and do not develop based on data mining.

SDS, is a risk averse dev team they are very conservative and take baby steps into the big picture. The gap between 9 and 18 isn't that wide of a gap, because of the lack of pushing the boundaries.

SDS, always state we looked at the numbers and I hate that with a passion, because it signals that there are no risk takers and no visionaries, just if we make this will they play it? Lets take a look at the data? if the answer is low numbers they pull back and if the numbers are favorable they will take baby steps to improve the feature.

It just seems to me as soon as Kolbe left so did the risk.

[tinpanalley]

Re: Show '09 vs. Show' 18

we've definitely got to a level where huge improvement is harder to achieve.

I don't actually ever attack these devs for not improving more, as you said it's harder to make big strides anymore, but then it begs the obvious question: why do you need 60 dollars from us?

[Blegh]

Re: Show '09 vs. Show' 18

The game does look the same for the most part but mostly due to the same pitching, hitting, and fielding animations. The game has clearly seen an improvement in player face and field detail. However due to uniforms remaining unchanged, we see small differences.

I'm happy there are others who agree with me that the game plays the same too. Other than the artificial ball physics that RNGs the ball spin, it is mostly unchanged.

[RoyceDa59]

Re: Show '09 vs. Show' 18

One thing I thought would be fixed by now is those janky animations especially when you're at bat. You will see them in between pitches when players transition in and out of their batting stance.

[Drty_Windshield]

Re: Show '09 vs. Show' 18

I still play '10 on PS2 almost ever day... I had all the show games up until and including '14 on PS3 but my PS3 died shortly after and I never got another one. I bought a PS4 Pro today and have '18 on preorder....granted they never re-invented the wheel or anything, but to even incline that the improvements over the years are slacking, is absurd...