MVP Impressions

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 12:36 pm

There were 2 times during my last game where I felt cheated Both times involved fielding.

The first instance I thought my SS had a grounder easy. For some reason it went right by him instead, and I gave up what ended up being the game winning run. I swore he was in line to pick it up, so I didn't move him hard for fear of overrunning the ball. It just felt like the game shuold have given him the ball.

The second time was when the CPU hit a hard liner btween the CF and LF. I was in control of the LF, but the ball bounced off the wall and away from me, towarsd the CF. Instead of making a play at the ball, my CF just jogs towards it slowly. I finally switched to him manually, but if I don't I think the CPU should make the play by itself instead of slowing down. I've seen hints of this before, but this time it really got to me.

Other than that I've been having fun so far. In my first game after asking about being able to jump on the CPU early I scored 3 1st inning runs in a 10-6 win. My second game ended up in a 7-5 loss, thanks to the fielding strangeness.

kevinpars · Post by **kevinpars** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 12:56 pm

Actually, I did load my settings before playing the game where i saw 11 passed balls. I have been burned by the settings issue in lots of 2K games so I have learned my lesson. Why all sports games can't just autoload your settings file when you boot up is beyond me. I also have problems with the stat tracking. I have yet to see a save recorded correctly in franchise mode in 2k5. THis can be a good game next year, but I just don't think it is there yet.

As for the other point, s*** yeah, I have read this thread. I know all the good stuff about MVP. I just can't pitch. Hitting is no big deal, the model changed a little from last year (you can't just push up on the stick all the time to hit HRs) but hitting is cool. I don't love the hitting model but it is pretty intuitive. YOu can get that great feeling of guessing a pitch and then crushing it and feeling like you outsmarted the pitcher and you can get that feeling that no matter what you do the pitcher is one step ahead of you.

I always buy and sell games. Call it an obsession. I think my record is 4 for NCAA Football 2000 for the psx. I have a compulsion about finishing things. If I start a bad book or a bad movie or a bad game, my mind tells me that I have to finish it no matter what. The only way to stop the compulsion is to get rid of the book/game/movie. Sometimes i end up giving up on good books/movies/games simply because I don't want to get in the trap of doing something that is not fun and just frustrating and I give up too soon. I could see a shrink or I could have a high rating on half.com. I chose half.com.

As for the person talking about pitch counts in MVP, I have to say that i didn't see it. I saw plenty of long counts - especially if you crank up the foul ball slider.

Leebo is so right about ptching in MVP. You can't live on the corners because your mistakes will be crushed. Plus, if you get predictable, even if you throw a perfect pitch it will be crushed if the batter guesses correctly.

And MVP does look real good in 720P. No complaints there. I was replaying a close out at first in one of the spring training stadiums and noticed that during the play a train was going by on the track outside the stadium. That attention to detail is very immersive and EA deserves credit for doing it right.

Boom · Post by **Boom** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:07 pm

I've seen instances of the first situation you described once or twice. It kind of gets on my nerves yes, but it doesn't happen enough to take anything away from this game from me. It just stinks because in that instance there's nothing YOU can do about it.

The second scenerio you describe I have no issues with. I understand that I'm in control. Should the cpu controlled CF make a better play on the ball? Yeah, probably. However, I know that I can take control of him and take care of it. Plus, if I see a ball in the gap between to outfielders that I KNOW I'm not going to be able to catch, I instincly switch to the fielder that I know I'll be able to get to it more quickly with.

I know which way the ball is going to roll along the wall, or which way it'll bounce based on the direction and speed the ball is traveling. I just make the adjustment and move to where I feel I can get to it most quickly. You just gotta take the proper angle and cut your losses on balls in the gap.

There has never been a single sports game that I have been completely 100 percent satisfied with. MVP 2005 may be as close as I've ever gotten to that mark.

Boom · Post by **Boom** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:07 pm

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:56 pm

kevinpars wrote:Leebo is so right about ptching in MVP. You can't live on the corners because your mistakes will be crushed. Plus, if you get predictable, even if you throw a perfect pitch it will be crushed if the batter guesses correctly.

I played some games on default All-Star today and I took some notes:

The CPU will swing at balls and take more pitches if you throw balls. I struck out 6 Phillies with Matt Morris and the pen and walked 3. Here's are the ways I struck out the CPU:

- Polanco on a pitch WAY outside in the middle and then again on a 3-2 pitch high out of the strike zone.
- Padilla with 3 straight fastballs high out of the strike zone
- Thome and Lieberthal on 2 high fastballs out of the strike zone followed by change ups way outside
- called third strike on Bell with a half way charged up change up right down the middle.

I won the first game 7-0 with St. Louis. The only bad thing I saw was an error on Thome on a foul popup was not credited in the box score.

I struck out 5 and walked 5 Braves in game two that I lost as the Cubs vs. Atlanta. I gave up a bases loaded triple in the 9th of a 2-2 game.

My biggest problem right now is that is that I am firmly stuck between All-Star and Pro. I can't score much on All-Star even jacking my power up to 50 (the seven runs scored today was a high for me). I like the pitching on All-Star.

Bill_Abner · Post by **Bill_Abner** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 2:39 pm

Im working on a set of Pro Level house rules (like I did with NCAA 2004) that is working very well for me right now. I just lost 12-4 to the Padres (with the Reds) but it was a great game til the 8th when SD scored 4 and then 4 more in the 9th off the lowly Reds pen.

I think I fanned 6 Padres and walked 3, and drew 3 walks and fanned 7 times. Overall I'm liking the game quite a bit despite the pain in the ass console interface. I think I miss that about High Heat 2002 the most - best GUI for a baseball game ever. Give me my spreadhseet damn it.

When I'm content with the house rules I'll post them here and on the blog.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 4:57 pm

Holy crap. I just hit 4 homeruns on default All-Star with Baltimore at Seattle.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 5:50 pm

I'm getting some framerate issues when I play MVP on the new HDTV. Has anyone else had that problem at 720p or is it just my particular tv?

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 5:56 pm

I'm starting to hit too many HR'a on all-star now. And as I've mentioned before, the overwhelming 'sweetness' of that up and in pitch is a bother. Basically, I can nail that thing hard like 80% of the time, and like 50% of those hits are homeruns.

You can certainly hit when the pitches go to other areas, but it's not nearly that easy to do so. Thus I've seen a direct correlation between my offense output and how ofter the CPU throws inside. Yes, I understand that sitting and waiting for your pitch is important in baseball, but HOW effective it is in this game for that one location makes hitting really become of process of A- look for that pitch, B- Adjust to something else if A didn't arrive, each and every time up there, because the reward is so high.

And as I surminsed and seems to be mentioned on the onlin ethread, human players ain't gonna throw ya there much, leading to much lower scoring affairs.

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 6:07 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:I'm getting some framerate issues when I play MVP on the new HDTV. Has anyone else had that problem at 720p or is it just my particular tv?

I've heard quite a few people mention framerate issues while running at 720p, yet run smooth at 480p.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 6:28 pm

I am getting absolutely hammered on All-Pro right now. I had trouble scoring already, but now for some reason my pitching has just gone to hell. I'm actually still striking guys out, but giving up too many dingers and extra-base hits. I think I'm probably trying to nibble too damn much, and Leebo is right, you get punished badly when you miss on a corner pitch (especially you are early on the meter). I was tempted to start my Cubs franchise over, but I'm going to take a lesson from the HorriBulls and work my way out of a bad start. It would help if Nomar and now Prior weren't hurt.

Granatofan · Post by **Granatofan** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 6:36 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:I'm getting some framerate issues when I play MVP on the new HDTV. Has anyone else had that problem at 720p or is it just my particular tv?

I'm getting the stutters on my HDTV. And mine doesn't support 720. Does it downconvert to 480 or upconvert to 1080. I can't go back to non HD though because 1. it is gorgeous in HD and 2. I have a much harder time picking up the pitch when batting.

Ted

GridIronGhost · Post by **GridIronGhost** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 7:25 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:I'm getting some framerate issues when I play MVP on the new HDTV. Has anyone else had that problem at 720p or is it just my particular tv?

Yes I have some too, but it's not as bad as the PC version. I can live with it. What pisses me off is that they said the game was going to be smooth this year...60FPS I beleive they said...LIARS!

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 7:49 pm

Brando70 wrote:I am getting absolutely hammered on All-Pro right now. I had trouble scoring already, but now for some reason my pitching has just gone to hell. I'm actually still striking guys out, but giving up too many dingers and extra-base hits. I think I'm probably trying to nibble too damn much, and Leebo is right, you get punished badly when you miss on a corner pitch (especially you are early on the meter). I was tempted to start my Cubs franchise over, but I'm going to take a lesson from the HorriBulls and work my way out of a bad start. It would help if Nomar and now Prior weren't hurt.

I'm not scoring runs once again. I can wait for a high inside pitch, but I can't catch up with it or pop it up deep.

Like you though, I'll hopefully work through this before getting fired. I've lost 4 in a row now and I'm 7.5 games out of first. Pujols is on the 15 day DL and it's really hurt the overall pscyhe of this team.

Heck, I'm rated an "F" right now as manager.

Todd

TRI · Post by **TRI** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 11:52 pm

webdanzer wrote:I'm starting to hit too many HR'a on all-star now. And as I've mentioned before, the overwhelming 'sweetness' of that up and in pitch is a bother. Basically, I can nail that thing hard like 80% of the time, and like 50% of those hits are homeruns.

You can certainly hit when the pitches go to other areas, but it's not nearly that easy to do so. Thus I've seen a direct correlation between my offense output and how ofter the CPU throws inside. Yes, I understand that sitting and waiting for your pitch is important in baseball, but HOW effective it is in this game for that one location makes hitting really become of process of A- look for that pitch, B- Adjust to something else if A didn't arrive, each and every time up there, because the reward is so high.

And as I surminsed and seems to be mentioned on the onlin ethread, human players ain't gonna throw ya there much, leading to much lower scoring affairs.

Another poster at operation sports uses the same strategy on ALL STAR and in a single game he hit 9 solo home runs and only had nine hits in the game. If you do this you can probably get as many as 5 to 10 home runs a game on ALL STAR

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 1:29 am

TRI wrote:If you do this you can probably get as many as 5 to 10 home runs a game on ALL STAR

TRI, how many times can *you* do it on All Star? Does raising the pitch speed make it harder for you?

Hell, I just went back to Pro. I'm using Heelfan's Pro sliders except I have human pitching at -50, -50 and the pitch speed at default. I just had three of the best games ever. I started a dynasty with LA and won 5-4 in extra innings, lost 1-7, and came back from down 5-2 to win the rubber game 7-5 vs. SF. I'm really not convinced that Pro "-50,-50" pitching is much easier for me than default All-Star except you can throw more balls on All-Star and the CPU will swing a miss more. Mistakes are still crushed by the CPU frequently enough. For now, I am just going to play on Pro and just make it harder to hit as I get better.

TRI · Post by **TRI** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 1:46 am

Leebo33 wrote:
TRI wrote:If you do this you can probably get as many as 5 to 10 home runs a game on ALL STAR
TRI, how many times can *you* do it on All Star? Does raising the pitch speed make it harder for you?

Hell, I just went back to Pro. I'm using Heelfan's Pro sliders except I have human pitching at -50, -50 and the pitch speed at default. I just had three of the best games ever. I started a dynasty with LA and won 5-4 in extra innings, lost 1-7, and came back from down 5-2 to win the rubber game 7-5 vs. SF. I'm really not convinced that Pro "-50,-50" pitching is much easier for me than default All-Star except you can throw more balls on All-Star and the CPU will swing a miss more. Mistakes are still crushed by the CPU frequently enough. For now, I am just going to play on Pro and just make it harder to hit as I get better.

The last game I played I hit 3 home runs. Brad Ausmus had 2 and Lance Berkman had 1. Mulder, the Cardinals pitcher in that game threw a lot of pitches up and in that I just missed so I could have hit more home runs.

Boom · Post by **Boom** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 2:06 am

TRI,
We got the idea. people at OS can hit 8 of 9 hits in a game over the fence. You don't like it because pitchers pitched you up and in a bit and you hit 3 homeruns. Had you not missed so much you coulda had more (if my aunt had a dick she'd be my uncle).

Fair enough. Maybe MLB 2K5 (powered by ESPN) is more you speed.

This is the first time in about 3 years that I've even been remotely pleased by a baseball title. While most people loved HH 04 I wasn't all that big on it...especially on the console. After playing HH02 and 03 on the PC so damn much, 04 was just almost unplayable me.

Glad to see MVP finally put baseball back on the map.

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 2:31 am

TRI wrote: The last game I played I hit 3 home runs. Brad Ausmus had 2 and Lance Berkman had 1. Mulder, the Cardinals pitcher in that game threw a lot of pitches up and in that I just missed so I could have hit more home runs.

So 3 is your answer. All of this "I could have hit more" talk doesn't mean s*&t if you didn't do it, so just say 3.

kevinpars · Post by **kevinpars** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 11:52 am

This is the first time in about 3 years that I've even been remotely pleased by a baseball title. While most people loved HH 04 I wasn't all that big on it...especially on the console. After playing HH02 and 03 on the PC so damn much, 04 was just almost unplayable me.

I have to agree completely. I also feel like Bill Abner in that I actually liked the Excel like interface of the old High Heat games.

But the MVP interface is workable. The key being that you can find out what you need to know during a game (pitch count, runner speed, etc).

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 3:29 pm

Saw a ball roll into the ivy at Wrigely for a ground rule double today. It would have been a lot cooler if it hadn't happened against me during a key moment in the game and if Burnitz hadn't let it get past him like a dumbass.

Also saw my first knuckleball pitcher today (one of the Reds relievers) and I don't think I even made contact on a single goofball pitch. It really floats all over and almost seems to stop in midair.

I may have to go down to Pro for a bit, or maybe back to All-Star defaults with just a couple key sliders changed. I'm just not good enough to hack Pared's slider set right now, it's clearly designed for people who have been playing MVP the last couple of years.

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Mon Mar 07, 2005 8:07 pm

Thought I'd start putting the MVP impressions back where they belong

Is there any way to check stats by team? I'd like to know where I am as a team with respect ot the rest of the league in categories such as HRs and BA, but I can't find any sort of team rankings. Hopefully I'm just missing something.

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Mon Mar 07, 2005 8:07 pm

doh! Double post.

jujuhound76 · Post by **jujuhound76** » Mon Mar 07, 2005 8:26 pm

matthewk wrote:Thought I'd start putting the MVP impressions back where they belong

Is there any way to check stats by team? I'd like to know where I am as a team with respect ot the rest of the league in categories such as HRs and BA, but I can't find any sort of team rankings. Hopefully I'm just missing something.

You can only look at team stats in the Standings screen. MVP is very weak in the Team Stats dept. Go to Around the League, then Standings, then scroll to your right and you will see BA, HR, RS, RA, ERA and a few other stats for your division. There is no sort function and no way to look at all of the teams in MLB or all of AL/NL at the same time.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Mon Mar 07, 2005 9:19 pm

jujuhound76 wrote:
matthewk wrote:Thought I'd start putting the MVP impressions back where they belong

Is there any way to check stats by team? I'd like to know where I am as a team with respect ot the rest of the league in categories such as HRs and BA, but I can't find any sort of team rankings. Hopefully I'm just missing something.
You can only look at team stats in the Standings screen. MVP is very weak in the Team Stats dept. Go to Around the League, then Standings, then scroll to your right and you will see BA, HR, RS, RA, ERA and a few other stats for your division. There is no sort function and no way to look at all of the teams in MLB or all of AL/NL at the same time.

Yes, it is highly annoying that they did it like this -- a strange oversight considering I know whether a single-A prospect from the other league is out for six days with jock itch.