MLB 10: The Show

[Gilgamesh]

Chicubs21

And I like Yeti's idea of picking shitty teams.  Either way, I think it'll be awesome.

[Powdered Toast Man]

Fellas, I really want to play in the league, but I don't know how much commitment I'll be able to give it with the baby due in three weeks and my test in mid April.  I think I'll pass, but it sounds like a lot of fun.

[Weebs]

Some patch was released today for the game.  I have no idea what it does, though.  Apparently there were some problems with Player Potential being way off, but I read that was supposed to be fixed with a Roster Update.  Today's patch was 334 MB so I'd imagine it's something fairly significant.

ETA:  Looks like they fixed a bunch of minor issues that are viewable on the Online portion of the game.

[Weebs]

DPD

I haven't played a good game of online, virtual baseball since MVP 2005, but damn was that last one fun.  It was Cubs vs. Phillies, Zambrano vs. Halladay on Hall-of-Fame setting with Guess Pitch turned off.  After falling behind 4-0 after two innings, Soto led off the third inning with a single, and Fontenot followed with a 2-run HR to LF before Zambrano came up and made it back-to-back jacks to trail only by one.  Despite his heroics, I pulled Zambrano because he was getting pounded.  Marshall shut down the lefty-heavy Phillies lineup for two innings before giving up a solo shot to Victorino, and eventually an RBI single to Rollins.  Seeing as how grim a 3-run deficit can look in virtual baseball, I didn't think I had much of a chance to come back.  Little did I know, Fontenot would hit his second HR of the game, and after a Soriano single in the 6th, Soto would follow with his second hit, a two-run HR to LF to tie the game 6-6.  Going into the top of the 7th and still down one, I put in HoffPOWER to pinch-hit for SeanBearPig, and he promptly hit a deep drive to RF that Victorino was unable to catch off the wall, resulting in that slow motherfucker hustling to third for a triple.  Kosuke came up, drew a 4-pitch walk, and Theriot came through with a weak ass ground ball that just got past Polanco and Rollins to give the Cubs the lead.  Guzman, Grabow and Marmot (who had 3 straight Ks on his disgusting slider) would combine for 3 scoreless innings to finish it up.  This game kicks so much ass.

[Kermit IV]

Let me guess.  Weebs ONLY uses Power Swing.

I'm pretty sure I'm "BadKermit" on PSN.  No space.

[Weebs]

Let me guess.  Weebs ONLY uses Power Swing.

I'm pretty sure I'm "BadKermit" on PSN.  No space.

Only when I'm up in the count.  It was really obvious when this guy was going to throw something good to hit.  I hit 4 HRs and he hit 3.  The cool thing was that all his HRs came on pitches that legitimately should have been hit out.  Marshall hung a curveball right over the plate, I threw a fastball up in the middle of the zone to Rollins, and one up and away to Ibanez.  It wasn't like in MVP where you could throw a curveball low and away and watch it get pulled 450 ft.

[Yeti]

I played about 4 RTTS games last night and one franchise game. I started my career as a RF/1B (I regret choosing that as my second position) pretty pedestrian. In 12 ABs, I have 2 hits and 5 Ks. Awesome! It's basically the same thing, but there are a couple differences I love. First, in your first season it doesn't throw you in ST with the MLB team so you can face MLB pitching and fail miserably (as I did). You start out in AA. The other thing that they changed, and I LOVE LOVE is the baserunning. Previously it said you press "Forward" to advance. Well, what the fuck is forward? Who's perspective? Camera's? Because the camera angle changes all the fucking time. Same concept this year, but instead of just letting you flail in the wind, they put a indicator on there showing which direction advances you and which direction makes you go back. It changes as the camera angle changes, but you can easily just follow the green arrow. Maybe I'll actually do baserunning this year.

As far as the game, I don't notice too many changes. One animation I enjoyed was people reaching over the stands for foul balls. I was able to squeak out a 4-3 victory over Atlanta in the first game. Z gave up 2 over 6 innings (threw 100 pitches and 40 were balls, sigh), while Caridad gave up the other run. In surprising fashion, I didn't have to hit homeruns to score, which is big for me. Zambrano even got a couple RBIs, but only got a single because I'm a PANK when it comes to baserunning. I get so confused. Baker got a bunt single when I was trying to move someone to 3rd (WTF). I enjoyed it.

In regards to swings, I use power swings too often. I get it set in my head that I'm going to jack it out so I prepare to use it. (There's no fucking way I can decide while the ball's in flight) The part that frustrates me is that you can't check your swing (rightfully so) and I have such shitty vision at the plate that I'll swing at one that could be 2 feet outside. I even swung at a ball that hit me on RTTS, sigh. I should just stop being a chode and use the normal swing more often, but it's very gratifying when once in every 30 ABs I knock out a HR and get to say "Fuck you" to the pitcher.

[Powdered Toast Man]

I played about 4 RTTS games last night and one franchise game. I started my career as a RF/1B (I regret choosing that as my second position) pretty pedestrian. In 12 ABs, I have 2 hits and 5 Ks. Awesome! It's basically the same thing, but there are a couple differences I love. First, in your first season it doesn't throw you in ST with the MLB team so you can face MLB pitching and fail miserably (as I did). You start out in AA. The other thing that they changed, and I LOVE LOVE is the baserunning. Previously it said you press "Forward" to advance. Well, what the fuck is forward? Who's perspective? Camera's? Because the camera angle changes all the fucking time. Same concept this year, but instead of just letting you flail in the wind, they put a indicator on there showing which direction advances you and which direction makes you go back. It changes as the camera angle changes, but you can easily just follow the green arrow. Maybe I'll actually do baserunning this year.

As far as the game, I don't notice too many changes. One animation I enjoyed was people reaching over the stands for foul balls. I was able to squeak out a 4-3 victory over Atlanta in the first game. Z gave up 2 over 6 innings (threw 100 pitches and 40 were balls, sigh), while Caridad gave up the other run. In surprising fashion, I didn't have to hit homeruns to score, which is big for me. Zambrano even got a couple RBIs, but only got a single because I'm a PANK when it comes to baserunning. I get so confused. Baker got a bunt single when I was trying to move someone to 3rd (WTF). I enjoyed it.

In regards to swings, I use power swings too often. I get it set in my head that I'm going to jack it out so I prepare to use it. (There's no fucking way I can decide while the ball's in flight) The part that frustrates me is that you can't check your swing (rightfully so) and I have such shitty vision at the plate that I'll swing at one that could be 2 feet outside. I even swung at a ball that hit me on RTTS, sigh. I should just stop being a chode and use the normal swing more often, but it's very gratifying when once in every 30 ABs I knock out a HR and get to say "Fuck you" to the pitcher.

I heart the fact that it took Z 6 innings to throw 100 pitches.  In 2K, I couldn't get to 100 pitches unless I at least made it to the 9th inning.  I watched more videos on YouTube last night.  I just can't get over how smooth everything looks.  I saw a video of somebody playing at a kiosk in a store as the Sox against the Cubs.  Pierre hit a shitty grounder to Aramis and oh sweet Jebus how spot on that animation was for Aramis's field and throw to first.  Unreal.  I absolutely love this game and I haven't even gotten ahold of it yet.

[Kermit IV]

Re: Yeti's post.

The check-swing works amazingly well on a normal swing.  It's pretty much the only way I've taken any pitches.

[Slaky]

Re: Yeti's post.

The check-swing works amazingly well on a normal swing.  It's pretty much the only way I've taken any pitches.

I found it a lot easier to read the strike zone this year. I have no problem getting to 3-0. I do notice that they seem to come back with a couple strikes after that at least but in the one game I played I took at least one base on balls.

[Gilgamesh]

I haven't gotten a chance to play this game yet, but I feel so much better having purchased this over 2k10, like I did last year.

I've righted that wrong.

[Kermit IV]

Re: Yeti's post.

The check-swing works amazingly well on a normal swing.  It's pretty much the only way I've taken any pitches.

I found it a lot easier to read the strike zone this year. I have no problem getting to 3-0. I do notice that they seem to come back with a couple strikes after that at least but in the one game I played I took at least one base on balls.

It's MUCH easier.  But I'm still a hacker.  I really like that they don't always call pitches that hit the edge of the zone strikes.

[Weebs]

Re: Yeti's post.

The check-swing works amazingly well on a normal swing.  It's pretty much the only way I've taken any pitches.

I found it a lot easier to read the strike zone this year. I have no problem getting to 3-0. I do notice that they seem to come back with a couple strikes after that at least but in the one game I played I took at least one base on balls.

I agree.  I think they may have lowered the default pitch speed a bit, because it seems like I have a lot more time to decide where the pitch is going.  Of course, it's become a habit for me to almost always do a check swing, even if I know it's 2 feet out of the zone.

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: Yeti's post.

The check-swing works amazingly well on a normal swing.  It's pretty much the only way I've taken any pitches.

I found it a lot easier to read the strike zone this year. I have no problem getting to 3-0. I do notice that they seem to come back with a couple strikes after that at least but in the one game I played I took at least one base on balls.

It's MUCH easier.  But I'm still a hacker.  I really like that they don't always call pitches that hit the edge of the zone strikes.

So there's a little human error programmed in there?  Awesome.

Question:  do they have a lot of signature styles?  How does it compare to 2K?

[Weebs]

Re: Yeti's post.

The check-swing works amazingly well on a normal swing.  It's pretty much the only way I've taken any pitches.

I found it a lot easier to read the strike zone this year. I have no problem getting to 3-0. I do notice that they seem to come back with a couple strikes after that at least but in the one game I played I took at least one base on balls.

It's MUCH easier.  But I'm still a hacker.  I really like that they don't always call pitches that hit the edge of the zone strikes.

So there's a little human error programmed in there?  Awesome.

Question:  do they have a lot of signature styles?  How does it compare to 2K?

They have batting and pitching animations for some pretty fringe players, like Brandon Wood on the Angels.  Hell, even Michael Barrett somehow got his stance in there.