MLB 12: The Show

[twofistedslopper]

...Came out today. Anyone else buy it? Disappointed Aoki isn't in the game. And apparently Manny Parra doesn't exist anymore. Guessing they didn't change the playoff format, which is disappointing. Also, doubt the Astros will move to the AL West after the first season in franchise mode. They did make some serious upgrades to ball mechanics however, which makes the game that much more realistic.

 

Still an awesome game. Easily my favorite sports game and the only one I buy on an annual basis.

[Oldcity]

First reaction: Ryan Braun's hair is on the game.

[stoutdude04]

Online is brutal again...very very buggy. Not sure why I keep dishing out 60$ the first day.

[Invader3K]

I'm probably going to skip this year. I have been consistently buying this game the last few years, and it doesn't sound like there are enough changes this year to justify another buy for me right now. Doesn't help that our household has some possible big expenses coming up as well.

[B2k1121]

The new ball physics make this feel like a different game to me. The pitcher's motions and swing follow through also seem to be more realistic or at least more varied. After 1 game the new pitching seems very difficult and almost like I have no control over what happens. Greinke was all over the place, if it's hard with him, I can't imagine what it's like with a bad pitcher. I'll try it for a little while to give it a chance.

 

I wouldn't worry about the rosters. The guys over at Operation Sports http://www.operationsports.com/forums/mlb-show/ create a full minor league roster set every year that should be out around Opening Day. They will add Aoki and Parra and almost all Brewers Minor Leaguers. If you want even more realistic rosters, others will create ones with updated stances/throwing motions, pitching repertoires, equipment, and ratings.

[twofistedslopper]

First reaction: Ryan Braun's hair is on the game.

 

Yes! And Rickie finally has his dreads and more accurate batting stance.

[patrickgpe]

I had a chance to play it for a little bit yesterday. the new pulse pitching is very hard and pretty stupid. I think for now i will put it back into the analog pitching mode. The hitting is pretty difficult, having to control the location with L3 and then swinging with R3.

 

I wish it was like 15 years ago when i had all of the time in the world to practice, these days i get a few hrs a week to play, which is why i don't feel like learning all new hitting and pitching interfaces.

[chadomac]

Just played one game yesterday on All-Star (I played Veteran all of last year's version, as it was my first time playing The Show - but I was really good and it was time to move up the difficulty). Lost 7-3 because I walked about 8 guys during the first two innings due to the pulse pitching. I'm going to give it a few more tries before giving up on it... I actually really loved the analog pitching they used last year for the first time and I'm surprised they changed it.

 

Taylor Green looks nothing like Taylor Green... everyone else looks good but they just used some generic player model for Green. What gives? I hope Operation Sports updates that with their Full Minors Rosters.

 

Also... it should've been 7-4 (or more) because I screwed up a suicide squeeze because bunting is apparently not done the same way this year by holding up on the analog stick. Either that or I have some weird setting in place I need to change. Anyone know where I went wrong there?

[stoutdude04]

You can go into user settings and can play around with it there. Perhap you could try that out.

[chadomac]

I figured it out... there are so many options for gameplay it's unreal. Now deciding whether to stick with pulse pitching or go to the analog pitching introduced last year. I really loved analog when it debuted last year... not sure why they changed it.

[stoutdude04]

Yea, I still use timing and pitch meter...real old school

[twofistedslopper]

Yea, I still use timing and pitch meter...real old school

 

Same here... been playing the game since '06 when it came out.

[JackNicholson1974]

I use X to swing, and X to pitch after I use X,O,Square or Triangle to pick my pitch. I am really old school.

[trwi7]

I use X to swing, and X to pitch after I use X,O,Square or Triangle to pick my pitch. I am really old school.

 

You don't even use the power swing?

[TooLiveBrew]

That's right, trwi. He PLAYS THE GAME THE RIGHT WAY. Unlike you sabr-stat guys -- always trying to just clog the bases & hit a HR!

[chadomac]

Do you guys use the power swing a lot? I usually only use it on a 2-0 or 3-1 count

[trwi7]

Do you guys use the power swing a lot? I usually only use it on a 2-0 or 3-1 count

 

I use the power swing exclusively until I get two strikes.

[TooLiveBrew]

I'm more like chadomac. I've found I hit the ball better if I just essentially ask the video game player to stay within himself & not swing for the fences. If the guy has HR pop, if I put a good 'normal' swing on, it usually has enough carry to get out. Not just talking wall-scrapers here; the guys with HR clout can (obviously) knock it out without the power swing... at least in my personal experience. The power swing just tends to lead to more weak outs than I can stand.

[chadomac]

Yep, I almost always use it in 2-0 and sometimes in 3-1 but that's about it. The contact swing on the other hand... I use that anytime I have 2 strikes and it seems easier to foul off pitches and work a walk or at least get the pitcher's pitch count up.

 

I'm one of those nerds waiting on the Operation Sports rosters before starting my season with the Brewers... so right now I'm just playing exhibition games and deciding whether to stick with pulse pitching or go back to analog. I might try NOT using the contact swing with 2 strikes and seeing if I can still foul off pitches and get that pitch count up.

[TooLiveBrew]

What is "pulse pitching"? I feel like the analog pitching was a new & (relatively) complicated addition to the game, so why are they moving away from it already? It took a while for me to "master" (aka not totally screw up every time), and felt rewarding once I did.

 

The analog style at least makes sense to me, in terms of replicating what it takes to deliver an effective pitch in baseball (release point, arm action, etc). "Pulse pitching" sounds like something that's on an infomercial at 2:27am.

[chadomac]

Yeah... I don't understand why they changed it already either... I really loved analog pitching. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go back to it... it felt like I had a lot of control over the pitches and if you turn up the difficulty it wasn't too easy.

 

Pulse pitching was hard for me at first but I've improved over 3-4 games. It's just a box that you need to time to make sure its at its smallest point when you hit the button... then your pitch goes where you wanted it to go. It doesn't feel like you have as much control over the pitch as analog pitching, in my opinion.

[stoutdude04]

Do you guys use the power swing a lot? I usually only use it on a 2-0 or 3-1 count

 

I use the power swing exclusively until I get two strikes.

 

I've never used power swing. I'm typically ranked top 500 and hit 275.

[chadomac]

 

I've never used power swing. I'm typically ranked top 500 and hit 275.

 

I have no idea what that means (online play maybe?), but yeah you definitely don't need power swing to hit home runs.

[trwi7]

I'm confident enough hitting with two strikes to use the power swing exclusively until I get two strikes. If you connect you can really get some amazing homers. I've had Weeks hit one on the roof of the .300 Club for example.

[patrickgpe]

What is "pulse pitching"? I feel like the analog pitching was a new & (relatively) complicated addition to the game, so why are they moving away from it already? It took a while for me to "master" (aka not totally screw up every time), and felt rewarding once I did.

 

The analog style at least makes sense to me, in terms of replicating what it takes to deliver an effective pitch in baseball (release point, arm action, etc). "Pulse pitching" sounds like something that's on an infomercial at 2:27am.

there is a circle that rapidly changes in size, you press "X" to lock in the target and the ball will appear somewhere inside that circle. the problem with it, even, with the best pitchers the size of the target in the smallest form makes it hard to paint the corners. in the largest form the ball could end up anywhere, it also seems like the ball always appears on the edges of the target and not in the middle.