Please Post MLB 2005 Impressions

lexbur · Post by **lexbur** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 6:56 pm

Can somebody tell me if it's on a blue disk?

Thanks for the impressions, liking what I'm hearing so far.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:01 pm

No, Lex, it's a DVD.

Silver.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:02 pm

The game is on DVD. It's also a huge game data wise...like 3.5 gb. 5 times what could fit on a cd.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:02 pm

lexbur wrote:Can somebody tell me if it's on a blue disk?

Thanks for the impressions, liking what I'm hearing so far.

It is on a DVD. No blue disk. Is blue for CDs?

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:02 pm

Zeppo where you at...I'm online waitin' for ya bro.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:04 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:I"ve never played PS2 online but lets do it...same name, dbdynsty25

I assume you don't have the voice communicator then? I don't have it yet either but will get if this game is cool.

You will probably kick my ass all over the place because I am just learning the controls, but I can play now and learn from the master!

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:08 pm

Nope, no communicator. Was gonna get one, but I decided to wait.

lexbur · Post by **lexbur** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:10 pm

Cool. Glad to hear it's not on a blue disk like HH last year. Good news for my rickety old PS2.

Thanks guys!

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:32 pm

Parker wrote:The game is on DVD. It's also a huge game data wise...like 3.5 gb. 5 times what could fit on a cd.

Gee, someone looking to "back up" the disc already?

drewman011 · Post by **drewman011** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:43 pm

Does anyone know if you can be a pitcher in career mode?

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:44 pm

wco81 wrote:
Parker wrote:The game is on DVD. It's also a huge game data wise...like 3.5 gb. 5 times what could fit on a cd.
Gee, someone looking to "back up" the disc already?

Well, I always find it interesting to see how much data is in a game, plus my dvdrom drive is right next to my ps2. If I wanted to pirate the game, I would just download it since I have broadband.

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:58 pm

Quick addendum to my earlier post regarding pitchers in exhibition games. To change your starting pitcher you have to go to the lineup screen and then press the L1 or R1 button until your pitching rotation comes up. From there you can change your starting pitcher.

bkrich83 · Post by **bkrich83** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 9:04 pm

Ok just played one game. So far so good. I didn't see any glaring issues to turn me off the game. Graphics, textures, player models, colors, stadiums look good to me. Game plays a little slow, but I found if you hit the X button when the pitcher is walking back up the mound it skips and gets him back ready to pitch quicker.

Ball physics seem good to me. The auto replays are gorgeous. Batter/Pitcher interface I like so far also. Seems to play a pretty damn nice game of baseball so far.

Has anyone checked the franchise mode yet? It's Madden Owners mode deep. For me this is a good thing, as that was about all I liked about Madden this year. I don't know how well all those things are implemented, but on the surface it looks to be pretty deep.

Haven't tried online play yet, but it sounds like it's pretty smooth. I also read somewhere that 989 is supposed to be releasing updated rosters on a weekly basis. That sounds pretty ambitous to me.

I really, really like MVP, but if the gameplay holds up, the franchise mode is as solid as it appears to be, and online play is as good as advertised I may have found my baseball game this year.

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 9:36 pm

If I could draw a freakin' walk I'd love this game. No check swings doesn't help matters.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 9:58 pm

Hey BK...just turn Fast Play on and it skips the whole "catcher throwing back to the pitcher and the guy walking up the mound." It really speeds things up....just like 2004.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 10:00 pm

Slumberland wrote:If I could draw a freakin' walk I'd love this game. No check swings doesn't help matters.

I wonder if the aces draw a realistic amount. I mean you don't see Martinez drawing 6 walks a game.

Anyway it looks like the AI pitchers around star hitters. That is a strong selling point for me. If the walks pan out, I might not be able to hold out until the gamefly rental comes.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 10:05 pm

Can anyone figure out how to use created players in Frachise mode...that is F'n stupid if you can't. Looks like that is true though.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 10:06 pm

I'm having some issues.

First and foremost, Difficulty.

I sat down and played my first two games after work, pumping it immediately to all-star level, since I could tell from my earlier three inning stint that I had the feel of the game.

I won my first two games ever played, at the highest level, 4-3 and then 4-0. This concerns me. Yes, neither game was a blowout...but not once either game did I feel challenged 'by the joystick.' Fielding is easy to the point of boring, pitching is fairly easy as well once you get used to the motion of your pitcher's pitches, and hitting doesn't seem to be all that difficult either. I hit 4 hr's in the two games, and the pitch speeds do seem too slow for me.

So where do I go from here? There is no harder level. I can't say that my wins were due to any spectacular playing on my point...heck, I didn't know what I was doing at first. I'm only gonna get better with the controls, too. And in retrospect, I recall my times with earlier MLB games being somewhat of a homerfest. It's far too early to call this a gamebreaker issue for me, but I am seriously concerned. MVP kicked my ass hard for a few games, and still doesn't ever let me let my guard down.

Anyhow, some other observations/issues.

My first game went extra innings, and Vasquez was hurling away fine into the tenth. Mussina was fine in th esecond game as well (played 2 vs the A's.) Concerned starting pitchers go too long.

I've seen the beanbag flip issue raised earlier, allowing for 2 infield hits to the right side that should have probably been outs.

There are some AI issues with what to do on 3rd base, it seems. I had the CPU pull up on what looked to be an easy score, and I also had a runner on third stand there when the CPU hit into a 4-6-3 DP with no outs and no score early in the second game.

I alao agree the baserunning is a little herky-jerky, but it is perhaps something I could get used to.

Potentially big RUNDOWN problem (another test we forgot to mention that we apply to baseball vid games) I was trying to tag up from third, but I couldn't get my runner to go. When he finally did, the ball was in the catcher's mitt before I was halfway down the line. Dead, right? Wrong. I turned around, they threw the ball back to third, I turned around again and ran a full three quarters of the way home along the basepath for the run. No throw! He held it at third! Big bummer.

1 walk by me, 2 by the cpu combined thru 2 games.

I'm also missing the easy MVP interfaces for pitcher replacements, and the pitcher stamina indicator right on the main screen.

The good? It seems to play a solid game of baseball, in the mode many of us are used to. Nothing really innovative about the title, though, except perhaps the franchise stuff, which looks great. I also appreciate the nice, smooth, animations and lack of stuttering that plagues MVP, and I prefer the more realistic look of both the players and the stadiums.

Two games, I know. I also didn't turn off hot and cold zones and left the pitch indicator on fade. I'll turn these off completely from now on, but this usually (the pitch marker especially) only calls for an initial adjustment of a half a game or so before you become used to it.

So far I give it a hearty so-so.

bkrich83 · Post by **bkrich83** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 10:07 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:Hey BK...just turn Fast Play on and it skips the whole "catcher throwing back to the pitcher and the guy walking up the mound." It really speeds things up....just like 2004.

Thanks DB!!

J_Cauthen · Post by **J_Cauthen** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 10:08 pm

You guys are weighing in with some great points concerning this game. It's very helpful to someone like me who is luke warm on baseball, but enjoys a good baseball game when the season hits. I mistakenly rented the PS1 version of the game yesterday and couldn't really gauge anything from it. The graphics were so pitiful that I couldn't bring myself to play it.

I've decided to hold off on playing baseball games until after the Final Four is over. I just don't have the hankerin' to play it with the fervor needed to give it my all.

However, this doesn't mean that I'm not getting a charge out of reading your impressions of this game, and other baseball games. I have no inclination toward any of them right now, although I've pretty much ruled out MVP... at least the Xbox version. I couldn't tweak it enough in Pro level to allow me to compete, yet I had my way with the CPU in rookie.

The one thing that troubles me the most about MLB 2005 so far is the lack of a check swing. I'm a big check swinger - I'll be striking out with abandon without it, I fear.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 10:29 pm

Well, MLB isn't for me.

You cannot create players in Franchise/Season mode. You cannot carry more than 10 pitchers...if you try to, the game will use them as bench players, not as pitchers. So you can only pinch hit with them...you can't warm them up or anything...they treat them like normal players.

That is the dumbest thing I've ever seen and I will not play it. It's too bad too because I like the gameplay a shitload more than MVP. God I hope ASB is decent this year.

(this is all assuming I'm not missing something in the lineup configurations when trying to start a season/franchise)

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 10:45 pm

First, DB, I'm stunned. I know you were foaming over this game, so it takes an honest man to admit that a game you coveted so badly doesn't work for you. So many people look past flaws in games that they really wanted, trying to will them to be good in their minds. I applaud your candor.

Second, I feel for you, man. It's a big-time bummer to be let down by a game that you wanted so badly.

Hope ASB or WSB delivers for you, man.

Take care,
PK

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 10:51 pm

I am so pissed right now PK, you have no idea. I love the gameplay...but f***...why can't anyone get rosters right. If you can't carry 11 or 12 pitchers on your 25 man roster, like real life....that sucks ass.

It's inexcuseable...especially since the Braves will be starting a guy at 1b that's no in the game...I've gotta create him. Another reliever will make the team and he's nowhere to be seen either.

It's not about manning up and admiting it's not for me...it's about 989 f***in' something else up. They obviously spent too much time on graphics and animations (cuz damn they are pretty) and not enough on the fundamentals of baseball...ROSTERS.

bigmoe · Post by **bigmoe** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 10:51 pm

Thats to bad cause I think you were really waitin on this game from your previous posts. One question....you said game play is much better than MVP if you were lookin to just play out a season without all the franchise stuff,so far you would pick MLB?Also its been said MVP has the best hit variety so far how does MLB stand up?...thanks...c...ya

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 10:56 pm

BigMoe,

Yeah man I was just waiting for this game to drop. It hasn't disappointed me at all in the gameplay department. But if I can't mirror the real-life Braves...I don't want anything to do with it. It's things like that, that make or break games for me.

Regarless, so far, it's better than MVP in my book. The hit variety is on par with MVP, although I think MVP you get a more realistic variety (more dribblers and check swings, etc). Both games have a good hit variety, that's for sure. I definitely dig the fielding in MLB better than MVP.