MLB 11 The Show News Post

Four Keys to Success for MLB '11: The Show

07:14 PM - September 2, 2010 by RaychelSnr

Baseball's pennant push is in full swing, and several teams are feverishly trying to claw their way to a division title. For those of us whose teams have already been eliminated from postseason consideration (my beloved Tigers included), the only baseball we really have to look forward to right now is next season's entry of Sony's stellar MLB: The Show franchise. While this year's title was an excellent addition to the series, there are definitely some nagging issues holding the game back from the elusive "GOAT" status.

With plenty of time still left in this year's development cycle, I figured I would put together a couple critical aspects of the game that should be altered for the upcoming season.

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Member Comments

# 1 Dannyray64 @ 09/02/10 07:23 PM

I like the playoff mode idea. What the game really needs is a create a stadium and create a team mode.

# 2 Heroesandvillains @ 09/02/10 07:32 PM

I have to applaud the passion here, but I'm hung up on one thing.

I've read discussion on this quite a bit, from SEVERAL experienced users, but I just don't get it. Could the hitting system use some tweaking? Yes, but not an overhaul.

Big leaguers hit well timed pitches into gloves all of the time. I emphatically disagree that just because the PCI is dead on the ball, and timing says "superb", that a basehit should be all but guarenteed.

I hit on legend, and my team batting average .280. If anything, next year's game may reflect a less offense oriented league, as mirrored by this year's real life pitch-fest. I look forward to this, myself.

Otherwise, great ideas my friend.

# 3 asu666 @ 09/02/10 07:41 PM

I love the save auto-load idea. I hope the quality control is better next year too. The proposed trade save bug killed MLB 10 for me because I didn't feel like starting over and my MLB 09 franchise was solid.

# 4 reduced price @ 09/02/10 08:00 PM

In the spirit of the play-off mode. I think its a wonderful idea. In that vain, I have seen the WS celebration of The Show. They really missed the boat here in that, after playing 162 games and getting through to the promised land. The WS celebration is sadly lacking. They need to kick this up more than a few notches, IMO

# 5 stlstudios189 @ 09/02/10 08:13 PM

playoff mode would be awesome

# 6 GoldenGlove @ 09/02/10 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heroesandvillians


	I have to applaud the passion here, but I'm hung up on one thing. I've read discussion on this quite a bit, from SEVERAL experienced users, but I just don't get it. Could the hitting system use some tweaking? Yes, but not an overhaul. Big leaguers hit well timed pitches into gloves all of the time. I emphatically disagree that just because the PCI is dead on the ball, and timing says "superb", that a basehit should be all but guarenteed. I hit on legend, and my team batting average .280. If anything, next year's game may reflect a less offense oriented league, as mirrored by this year's real life pitch-fest. I look forward to this, myself. Otherwise, great ideas my friend.

I'm hitting 250 as a team and I am last in the league in the HR department on Legend. Hitting is rough for me mainly because of the high strike zone. I think the zone is too big. With guess pitch off its very hard to cover the zone when the CPU rarely misses their spots and everything is on the black.

Just my 2 cents

# 7 Heroesandvillains @ 09/02/10 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenGlove


	I'm hitting 250 as a team and I am last in the league in the HR department on Legend. Hitting is rough for me mainly because of the high strike zone. I think the zone is too big. With guess pitch off its very hard to cover the zone when the CPU rarely misses their spots and everything is on the black. Just my 2 cents

I agree that the strikezone covers far too much of the hitters chest. We're on the same page there.

.250, though low, is still within striking distance of realism. A good series or two week stretch, and you'll be back in business.

I'd like to be 2 or 3 hit every once in a while. I tend to always get my hit per inning. Though, I've played with teams other than the Yanks (the team I franchise with), and find overall batting average lower (along with low hit outings).

The hitting system, all in all, is very good. I just would like to see less of an emphasis on the Power attribute, in regards to hits.

# 8 GoldenGlove @ 09/02/10 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heroesandvillians


	I agree that the strikezone covers far too much of the hitters chest. We're on the same page there. .250, though low, is still within striking distance of realism. A good series or two week stretch, and you'll be back in business. I'd like to be 2 or 3 hit every once in a while. I tend to always get my hit per inning. Though, I've played with teams other than the Yanks (the team I franchise with), and find overall batting average lower (along with low hit outings). The hitting system, all in all, is very good. I just would like to see less of an emphasis on the Power attribute, in regards to hits.

Yes, I know 250 is a realistic number, but at times I feel helpless at bat.

I can only speak for Legend since that's the difficulty my season is on... their are too many weak foul pop outs for my liking. And it seems like whenever the CPU is in a jam a weak pop up is on the way. Its just deflating to get a rally going and see one of your best hitters foul out. If I get the bases loaded with nobody out I'm lucky if I score a run. 1 game I got shut out and I had 12 hits. Legend tests my faith...

# 9 johnpreyes @ 09/02/10 11:47 PM

I'm not in love with your hitting system idea. Not every perfectly timed swing should be hammered, it also should depend on where the ball was in relation to the strike zone as well as the pitcher's attributes.

What the developers need to focus on are tweaking bugs and / or animation glitches (ie wall suction animation, 1st and 3rd baseman animation on balls hit down the line), improve the commentary, improving the AI's logic on setting lineups and (maybe) lowering the default fielder speed.

# 10 vln13 @ 09/02/10 11:50 PM

I agree about hitting mechanics on higher difficulties - there should be more control. However, I think a kind of semi-arcade mode should be added to hitting for people who play a lot of other sports titles but who may be less into the series. It takes a good deal of practice to reach the higher levels, and even an experienced hitter like me, if I play, say, Madden, for a week and then come back to The Show, it is a bit too difficult for me to reacquaint myself with hitting well. I think there should be more adjustments to fielding as well. Too often the right stick does something completely counter intuitive when I try to dive or jump for a ball. Also, on pitching, I wish there were a way to use the current two press system without having to deal with a distracting meter that takes your attention away from the game. Sorry to disappoint you, Christian, but The Show's World Series presentation is a little disappointing, and hasn't changed for three years. And if you want to try it out, just boot up a franchise with the Yankees and sim through the World Series, and they automatically go 135-27 and sweep all the opponents in the playoffs. I would like to see an upgrade in presentation and commentary. The trio are all very good, but they have been around too long, and need a change. The commentary engine is no where near as good as 2ks, and an MLB today feature would be much appreciated with live stats and commentary. Maybe they can also licence some real network graphics packages as well.

# 11 HustlinOwl @ 09/03/10 12:00 AM

AI's logic on lineups and what would that be? Year 15 of franchise what do they use, simply because they are not putting say a Werth batting 5th, but 7th that is not necessarily broken.

Dont agree with the hitting at all, simply because you get meatball perfect does not mean it should be a HR all the time and same way with an early pitch in a coldzone of the batters attributes means a weak hit. No need to change for the simple sake of changing. Playoff mode would be a good addition to the series however online, franchise and collision detection should be their main areas of focus.

# 12 johnpreyes @ 09/03/10 12:03 AM

So you're perfectly satisfied with AI's logic? I'm not saying I have the solution on how this could be improved but the devs could look into an improvement.

# 13 dodgerblue @ 09/03/10 12:05 AM

I like the playoff mode, kind of surprised this hasn't been implemented already.

Agree to a point on the hitting, i would actually like to see an analog hitting swing stick a la 2k (prob get some flak for this)

The weakest link imo remains fielding. The reaction is too slow to make the quick bang bang plays. You end up watching a lot of the action. Perhaps fewer animations?

also, I love mlb today and the commentary in 2k10. The show could improve in these areas.

# 14 HustlinOwl @ 09/03/10 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnpreyes


	So you're perfectly satisfied with AI's logic? I'm not saying I have the solution on how this could be improved but the devs could look into an improvement.

I'm fine with it, like I said year 15 what would you like for them to do with a league full of fictional players and if you have issues then simply play 30 team control

# 15 DJ @ 09/03/10 12:11 AM

I disagree about the hitting, but would like one change. I think they should remove the Power swing and just give us one button to press. Like someone else mentioned, just because you hit a "meatball" with good timing and square on the bat, doesn't guarantee that you are going to reach base. That's what makes The Show great, that unpredictability.

I do agree with you in regards to living rosters, loading rosters and a Playoff Mode. All would be welcomed additions.

# 16 johnpreyes @ 09/03/10 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HustlinOwl


	I'm fine with it, like I said year 15 what would you like for them to do with a league full of fictional players and if you have issues then simply play 30 team control

Just because you're fine with it doesn't mean the developers shouldn't look into a way to improve it. That's all I'm asking for, what is with the majority of the people on this board being averse to change? I'm just wondering, what do you think should be improved in MLB 11?

# 17 HustlinOwl @ 09/03/10 12:21 AM

like I said, online, some of the quirks in franchise mode ala training glitch years 2013, and collision detection which would require player models to be reconfigured

# 18 Scribe1980 @ 09/03/10 12:26 AM

1. Practice mode within franchise. I'm not a RTTS guy, so if I can't get back in the groove right away when I'm away from the Show for a week playing Madden (as a prior poster suggested), I'm toast that first game. Practice would bring back the batting eye much more quickly.

2. Weather, weather weather! Complete with rainouts and makeup DH's. The inferior 2K series has had it for years.

3. Auto-suction at the walls (much discussed). Have even seen it when there IS no wall.

Otherwsie, best baseball game I've ever played. Can be even greater.

3.

# 19 Artman22 @ 09/03/10 03:34 AM

I agree with everything. These are some great ideas. I agree that batting feels too scripted at times and it needs some different options.

# 20 Dazraz @ 09/03/10 04:20 AM

With MLB the Show the developers have a tough job with next years release to bring out a title that looks & feels fresh. The current iteration is one of the best overall sports simulations ever released. Therefore I can't see too many dramatic changes that may risk that status.

In regards to batting despite playing countless games I still can't make my mind up on whether I like it. Sometimes it feels just right while others it does, as you say, feel random.

Playoff Mode is a great idea although as it stands the Playoff presentation is nothing to write home about. For a game that has so much attention to detail on the presentation elements it's amazing that it does't step up another level in the post season. As for the World Series celebrations that area needs a load of work.

I think the commentary needs to be freshened up. There was very little change to the content from 09 to 10 & it now feels stale & repetitive. A more insightful dynamic style commentary such as on MLB 2K10 is required. One thing that really annoys me is when a pitcher is being introduced 3 quarters of the way through the season & the commentators are still talking about what he done last season & not focusing on what he has done in the current campaign.

Broadcast style weekly news show. I think every top sport game should have this feature.

Rain delays/Washouts. Still amazes me this basic feature is not included.

When the looking at the stat screen having a ranking figure next to the stat if they are placed in the leagues top 50. For example:-

HITS HR AVG.
Jeter 91 (4) 20 (17) .277 (-)

The figure in the brackets representing the rank. A small niggle for me. I like to be able to see how my players are doing relative to the rest of the league without having to troll through the League Leaders page.

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