I have always felt that from a simulation standpoint, nothing rivaled the "High Heat" series. I am getting to the point where I think MVP is creeping ever so close, and closing the gap.
I have been playing MVP for months now and the game is still fresh. To give you an idea of the "you never know what you may see." Playing Cards at Nationals...tied 1-1 bottom of the 9th. Nationals have a runner on 2nd, two out. Endy Chavez hits a towering fly to mid left field...Sanders is under it..and...FREAKIN DROPS THE BALL! ARGGGHHH!
Nats win 2-1. Have not seen a dropped fly yet. As a Cards fan I hated it, but loved the fact that anything can occur. You just never know what you may see.
MVP is becoming a "classic."
Your thoughts?
Jeff
MVP vs. High Heat..you decide
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brendanrfoley
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This year's MVP is the best arcade style baseball game I have ever played.
On field, I'm enjoying it more than HH2002 (best of the series IMHO). I won't waste everybody's time breaking it all down (we've had plenty of MVP sploogefest threads), but this is the happiest I've ever been with a hardball game.
'Nuff said.
On field, I'm enjoying it more than HH2002 (best of the series IMHO). I won't waste everybody's time breaking it all down (we've had plenty of MVP sploogefest threads), but this is the happiest I've ever been with a hardball game.
'Nuff said.
It's definitely a classic, but one its own terms. I don't think it can match High Heat's realism, because it's not set up to be that way. You have a lot more user control in MVP. That naturally will influence the sim nature of the game.
But as game that is fun to play and gets all the little things right, it's one of the best ever, in any sports genre. It belongs up their with Inside Drive, NFL 2k1, and the best of the NCAA football games. Figures that they would lose the license in 2006, although EA would probably screw up all the things we like as they convert to the next gen.
But as game that is fun to play and gets all the little things right, it's one of the best ever, in any sports genre. It belongs up their with Inside Drive, NFL 2k1, and the best of the NCAA football games. Figures that they would lose the license in 2006, although EA would probably screw up all the things we like as they convert to the next gen.
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dbdynsty25
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Agreed...it's my favorite hardball game of all time.brendanrfoley wrote:This year's MVP is the best arcade style baseball game I have ever played.
On field, I'm enjoying it more than HH2002 (best of the series IMHO). I won't waste everybody's time breaking it all down (we've had plenty of MVP sploogefest threads), but this is the happiest I've ever been with a hardball game.
'Nuff said.
This really has been a good year for games. NBA Live was damn good, ESPN NHL 2k5 was awesome, Madden 2005 is sweet and now Forza and MVP...I cannot complain this year.
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matthewk
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At least not about the quality of gamesdbdynsty25 wrote:...I cannot complain this year.
I've been a fan of High Heat since it first appeared back in 1999. This year, I truly think that MVP 2005 has surpassed High Heat as the best baseball title of all time. Remember that even as great as High Heat was, it always had it's share of flaws. MVP has some minor ones as well, but I think it manages to squeak by High Heat this time around.
-Matt
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Bill_Abner
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On the field, I think it's close. High Heat 2002 was fantastic but there were issues, just like MVP has issues. Both do certain things extremely well.
Off the field High Heat 2002 fully modded beats up MVP, throws it on the ground and does a booty dance over its bloody corpse.
Off the field High Heat 2002 fully modded beats up MVP, throws it on the ground and does a booty dance over its bloody corpse.
No High Scores:
http://www.nohighscores.com/
http://www.nohighscores.com/
While part of me thinks it is heresy to compare High Heat 2002 with MVP 2005, I have to say that like HH used to do, MVP keeps sucking me in game after game.
Bill is right in that the off the field stuff is much better in HH. For example, bullpen managment is just not an issue in MVP, while in HH, it was a big issue - at times even a bug because everyone in the pen would be tired.
But MVP does a lot right on the field. I wish it had an in-game save, but I do like the fact that if you get a big lead or big deficit and want to just sim the rest of the game, you can. Wish that was in NCAA football!
I feel like I can go down to the basement and play a game and it does not take up too much of my time. It is a great treat to play a game after finishing a project around the house. Finish the project, have a beer or 2 and play a game of MVP. Then go out to dinner or back upstairs.
I have got used to the hitting module and to some extent, the pitching model. I still feel that I give up some scripted HRs when I am throwing a ball away and a waste pitch becomes a HR, but for the most part, I am in control of whether I win or lose. There is room for a lot of baseball strategy, but it never becomes a chore, because the interface is easy enough to navigate and I can quickly find out the information I need (baserunner speed, batter info, fielder settings, pitch counts, etc.)
I am one of those who hopes that EA fits in one more game release before the license goes to Take2 in 2006 - the rumor is about a December release. This game is a few tweaks away from being something even more special. And if it was released in December, that is honestly only a month earlier than it was released this year.
Bill is right in that the off the field stuff is much better in HH. For example, bullpen managment is just not an issue in MVP, while in HH, it was a big issue - at times even a bug because everyone in the pen would be tired.
But MVP does a lot right on the field. I wish it had an in-game save, but I do like the fact that if you get a big lead or big deficit and want to just sim the rest of the game, you can. Wish that was in NCAA football!
I feel like I can go down to the basement and play a game and it does not take up too much of my time. It is a great treat to play a game after finishing a project around the house. Finish the project, have a beer or 2 and play a game of MVP. Then go out to dinner or back upstairs.
I have got used to the hitting module and to some extent, the pitching model. I still feel that I give up some scripted HRs when I am throwing a ball away and a waste pitch becomes a HR, but for the most part, I am in control of whether I win or lose. There is room for a lot of baseball strategy, but it never becomes a chore, because the interface is easy enough to navigate and I can quickly find out the information I need (baserunner speed, batter info, fielder settings, pitch counts, etc.)
I am one of those who hopes that EA fits in one more game release before the license goes to Take2 in 2006 - the rumor is about a December release. This game is a few tweaks away from being something even more special. And if it was released in December, that is honestly only a month earlier than it was released this year.
Well, I'm a dissenting voice. I am ready to claim WSB on the PSP as the next HH if they fix a few minor issues and add franchise mode next year. But MVP just isn't doing it for me. It just feels too scripted, but that may be due to my skills or my slider settings (although I think I've tried them all by now). I still hate the hitting model (when playing, how often do you think "I'm going to uppercut this next pitch.") It seems like half of my outs are line-outs to the infield.
Plus it just takes too long to finish a game. That little lag between pitches (the second or two before the icon buttons appear) really adds up in the end. I see it's chock full of potential, and I love the attention to detail, but slogging through a game of MVP remains a chore for me. WSB on the PSP, however, definitely has that "one more game" appeal.
One of the other aspects that made HH the classic was all the unexpected little things that could happen in a game. I seem to get that much more with WSB - stuff like a liner catching the pitcher in the face and having to leave the game or the CPU pulling a squeeze bunt.
I still hope to warm to MVP, but it just isn't happening yet.
Plus it just takes too long to finish a game. That little lag between pitches (the second or two before the icon buttons appear) really adds up in the end. I see it's chock full of potential, and I love the attention to detail, but slogging through a game of MVP remains a chore for me. WSB on the PSP, however, definitely has that "one more game" appeal.
One of the other aspects that made HH the classic was all the unexpected little things that could happen in a game. I seem to get that much more with WSB - stuff like a liner catching the pitcher in the face and having to leave the game or the CPU pulling a squeeze bunt.
I still hope to warm to MVP, but it just isn't happening yet.
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dbdynsty25
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There are things that happened in High Heat games that I've still never seen happen in either MVP or MLB. These events usually involve walks. I still have High Heat 2004 and this winter I walked 4 straight batters "unintentionally" to begin a game. That's just not something that you would ever do in any other game. Certainly not in the first inning with a fresh pitcher. I also feel like the lefty/right and groundball/fly ball ratios matter more in High Heat than any other game. I don't think any other game captures "fuzzy" CPU baserunning quite as well either. Of course, High Heat had some of it's own shortcomings (I always thought it was too easy to hit with power the other way and pitch movement was unrealistic).
I think MVP is (was
) real close. It's an amazing videogame IMO. It just needed a little fine tuning in AI and some more human pitching randomness. The hitting model isn't my favorite, but it is what it is. However, I did enjoy everything else about batting (hitter's eye, pitch speeds and breaks, etc.)
I think MVP is (was
) real close. It's an amazing videogame IMO. It just needed a little fine tuning in AI and some more human pitching randomness. The hitting model isn't my favorite, but it is what it is. However, I did enjoy everything else about batting (hitter's eye, pitch speeds and breaks, etc.)Oops, yes, that's MLB not WSB. Lost in acronym hell these days.
DB, I have seen texas leaguers in MLB, both hits and caught. You're right about slow rollers, though. Can't say I've seen any now that you mention it.
Leebo's right about the walks, which I forgot to even mention as my biggest beef with MVP - even with accuracy sliders set all the way down it is next to impossible to draw one and nearly as tough to throw one. MLB is a little better, particularly when it comes to throwing them, but still could be improved.
With the ini hacks for the PC version of last year's MVP the walk issue was made much better. I don't have this year's PC version so maybe someone has fixed it there as well. But on the console side there doesn't seem to be a way to fix.
DB, I have seen texas leaguers in MLB, both hits and caught. You're right about slow rollers, though. Can't say I've seen any now that you mention it.
Leebo's right about the walks, which I forgot to even mention as my biggest beef with MVP - even with accuracy sliders set all the way down it is next to impossible to draw one and nearly as tough to throw one. MLB is a little better, particularly when it comes to throwing them, but still could be improved.
With the ini hacks for the PC version of last year's MVP the walk issue was made much better. I don't have this year's PC version so maybe someone has fixed it there as well. But on the console side there doesn't seem to be a way to fix.