MVP NCAA Impressions

[JackDiggity]

Got this from OS.

Howdy OS!

Just wanted to pop in and thank you again for your support. As Dr.Jones mentioned in another thread, the MVP dev team visits these boards often, and we're all real glad everyone is digging the game.

So, to answer a couple of the common questions out there.

1. Tutorials - Yes, tutorials are boring, but many of the questions/concerns in your posts are answered there. They are located on the Main Menu under MVP Videos. Even if you saw them on a website months ago, watch them again, especially if you're playing Dynasty, to make it easier on yourself.

2. Load and Fire - Yup, there's a learning curve, but as many of you have found out, it's worth it. AND, for those of you that are set in your ways, our Zone is a good alternative and Classic is available too. Thanks for your feedback on this and to those of you that are giving Load and Fire a shot.

3. Precision throw control - Didn't see this one coming, huh? Yeah, it's more difficult than just hitting a button, but you spend a good portion of your time in the game fielding and we wanted to add some depth to it. I use PTC exclusively and turn A LOT more DP's in this year's game than last year's. Keep working on it. It soon becomes second nature. My advice is...
"don't rush it" Just like in real ball, you can't throw the ball, until you have control of the ball. And Classic throwing is there if you want it. Good stuff on throw velocity. It's something we have already been looking into

4. Xbox 360 BC - Obviously, we want as many people to play MVP as possible. Many of us have 360's too remember. All I can say is that the "powers that be" are working on it. I wish I had more for you, but I don't. If we hear anything, ya'll will hear about it too.

Alrighty. Well, we're real close to hitting full swing with 07, so please hit up the 07' wish list. Thanks Sully I don't think I need to telll you that your time spent expressing your thoughts, opinions, and wishes will be spent in vein. Is that the right vein?

Dr.Jones and I, and maybe some other incognito MVPers will hop in from time to time when we can. So until then...


Thanks again,
Trey and the MVP Dev Team
__________________
Trey Smith
Producer
MVP Baseball
Electronic Arts

"It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping!"

[tjung0831]

I hate to threadjack, but if this game proves anything is that if Take Two can put out a great playing football game, it won't matter that they don't have an NFL license.

No one can say how well this game will sell, I think that no matter how much people like it, 2K6 baseball will still outsell it. So if you're looking to prove to Take Two that a niche game can sell, I'd say the jury's still out on that one.

I'm not so sure that 2K6 will outsell MVP 06.

[MizzouRah]

I can't find it at any of the 3 Best Buys I went to today.. sounds like it's selling well.

I'm heading to Kansas City tomorrow for the week, so I'll see if I can snag a copy there.

[kicko]

i got mine at Walmart, they had like 30 copies

i am loving the game, usually with MVP05 i would always try and keep the game up to date with reality. With this one i don't really care, it gives me the freedom and has made it more fun for me

[Inuyasha]

I haven't started a dynasty yet, just playing exhibitions thus far to get use to the controls and gameplay.

I think any MLB game would outsell a college game just because of the pro teams.

I think this is a kind of game that is perfect when you're in a period where nothing is really coming out. This would happen to me with the College basketball 2k games where I would play them for a few weeks until the next big thing came out and would never touch them again.

It's a nice game, great innovation, but I just can't live without pro teams when it comes to baseball games.

[MizzouRah]

I'm that way with text games (ootp, puresim), but with a console I actually think I'll play more games than I did with MVP due to the shorter seasons and recruiting. The release timing was perfect, imo.

[JackB1]

What are u guys using for hitting camera? The "center" is way too close and the "hitters eye" is better, but still feels too close. I like to feel the depth of the distance of the mound to the hitter. I seem to like the "other angle" camera the best for that reason. Also, it emphasized the righty/lefty thing. You have a easier time hitting a righty pitcher as a leftly batter due to the angle. When it's righty vs righty, you really feel like you might "bail out" on a high and tight heater. Anyone else try this camera?

[tjung0831]

What are u guys using for hitting camera? The "center" is way too close and the "hitters eye" is better, but still feels too close. I like to feel the depth of the distance of the mound to the hitter. I seem to like the "other angle" camera the best for that reason. Also, it emphasized the righty/lefty thing. You have a easier time hitting a righty pitcher as a leftly batter due to the angle. When it's righty vs righty, you really feel like you might "bail out" on a high and tight heater. Anyone else try this camera?

Jack i got your message last night but I was playing a dynasty game which was a real nail biter. How does the game play online? I've read mixed reviews. I'm using angle 3 for the batting interface, haven't tried much else.
I did pop in MVP last night just to compare and without a doubt MVP is a much smoother experience. However The college game just has more of a fun factor to me right now, maybe because it's new I suppose.

[UMDDogs]

I'm that way with text games (ootp, puresim), but with a console I actually think I'll play more games than I did with MVP due to the shorter seasons and recruiting. The release timing was perfect, imo.

Exactly the reason I will play it more than a MLB game.

I love the shorter season and the recruiting.

[kevinpars]

One tip for those with slowdown or stuttering issues - I notice a big difference between playing a game in one of the team stadiums or Rosenblatt and playing in a created stadium using small or medium. I see a big difference at 720p.

I would love this game to have a custom league option next year. Not necessarily to create a 162 game league like MLB, but an option to create a Cape Cod League or something along those lines with 10-20 custom teams and a 30-100 game schedule.

[JackB1]

So are u saying there is less slowdown at 720?
Is there less when you play at a created stadium?
What do u mean by "small or medium"?

One tip for those with slowdown or stuttering issues - I notice a big difference between playing a game in one of the team stadiums or Rosenblatt and playing in a created stadium using small or medium. I see a big difference at 720p.

I would love this game to have a custom league option next year. Not necessarily to create a 162 game league like MLB, but an option to create a Cape Cod League or something along those lines with 10-20 custom teams and a 30-100 game schedule.

[icvu42]

When I was cycling through the fielding options I saw that there were four listed:

automatic,
assisted,
manual
MVP

Anyone know what MVP fielding is? It doesn't state in the book.

Thanks.

Rick

[Jason]

Anyone know what MVP fielding is? It doesn't state in the book.
Rick

Unlike manual fielding where the game starts moving your players in the direction of the ball, MVP fielding is completely manual. I stopped using it as I felt the infielders didn't react quick enough for hard ground balls.

[Bill_Abner]

I blogged this today and just wanted to share. I had no idea this was how college baseball was played and it really made me appreciate the lack of dingers in this game.

The lack of power in MVP NCAA 06 now makes a whole lot more sense.

Steve Bauman and I talk baseball a lot. I mentioned to him the neatness of MVP NCAA, but also the fact that there seems to be a lack of power in the game. Being the baseball stat geek heads that we are, we started to look up some college baseball stats. I freely admit to not being a college baseball junkie so I thought, as did Steve, that we'd see a lot of offense, little pitching, and a lot of homers due to the aluminum bats. Wow were we wrong. Well, sorta.

In looking at the Big 10, USC, Fresno State, and Arkansas State (to give us a fairly wide sample) a few things seem to ring true throughout:

* Homers are rare, particularly when compared to MLB. Most teams average less than a homer per game. Most teams will have one guy that is their slugger. It was rare to see a team with 2 legit HR threats. Ohio State hit 43 homers in 63 games. Muderers Row they are not.
* Doubles are also low. Again, teams are hitting 1-2 per game, tops.
* If you don't hit .300 in college, you suck.
* There are a LOT of singles hit in college baseball. Lots.
* Walks are high. The teams we looked at averaged about 5 per game
* There are a lot of runs being scored as most teams average at least 6 per game. OSU beat Penn State last year 29-2. You do see some low scoring pitcher's duels, but for the most part games have a combined 10-12 runs per game.
* The reason for this, it appears, is that the bullpens are devastatingly bad. Most teams, even good ones, have 1 or 2 solid starters (who also serve as relief pitchers when needed) but the rest of the staff is filled with 5+ ERA guys. That was a common theme with most teams.
* Most teams, in the Big10 at least, have a team BA of .300 or higher. If your team hits under .300 as a team, your team cannot hit. Purdue was worst in the Big10 with a .290 BA. Colorado eat your heart out...
* In the Big10, team ERAs hover around 5. OSU lead the league with a 3.98, but 5 teams came in over 5 with Michigan State having the worst at 5.68. Interesting stuff, the Big10 Stats. (http://bigten.collegesports.com/spor...5/lgteams.html)

So, based off this statistical sample, there is a lot of small ball being played in college baseball. Lots of singles, (a lot of hit batters as well) horrid pitching depth, and a lot of runs.

There are power hitters in college ball, don't get me wrong. There' sa 1B for Arkansas State with Bonds-like numbers -- but those guys are very rare. Most hitters will hit less than 8 homers in a 60 game season and its very common for a guy that hits over .300 to hjave a SLG% of less than .500

Anyway, I just thought this was interesting, and I think if you want to tweak any settings to reflect the college game that stuff like this should be kept in mind.

[Jason]

How does the game play online? I've read mixed reviews.

I've played a few online games with the PS2 version and had no problems at all. The gameplay was smooth and lag-free. My only complaint is that you can't change your starting pitcher or edit your lineup before an online game.

[Diablo25]

I blogged this today and just wanted to share. I had no idea this was how college baseball was played and it really made me appreciate the lack of dingers in this game.

The lack of power in MVP NCAA 06 now makes a whole lot more sense.

Steve Bauman and I talk baseball a lot. I mentioned to him the neatness of MVP NCAA, but also the fact that there seems to be a lack of power in the game. Being the baseball stat geek heads that we are, we started to look up some college baseball stats. I freely admit to not being a college baseball junkie so I thought, as did Steve, that we'd see a lot of offense, little pitching, and a lot of homers due to the aluminum bats. Wow were we wrong. Well, sorta.

In looking at the Big 10, USC, Fresno State, and Arkansas State (to give us a fairly wide sample) a few things seem to ring true throughout:

* Homers are rare, particularly when compared to MLB. Most teams average less than a homer per game. Most teams will have one guy that is their slugger. It was rare to see a team with 2 legit HR threats. Ohio State hit 43 homers in 63 games. Muderers Row they are not.
* Doubles are also low. Again, teams are hitting 1-2 per game, tops.
* If you don't hit .300 in college, you suck.
* There are a LOT of singles hit in college baseball. Lots.
* Walks are high. The teams we looked at averaged about 5 per game
* There are a lot of runs being scored as most teams average at least 6 per game. OSU beat Penn State last year 29-2. You do see some low scoring pitcher's duels, but for the most part games have a combined 10-12 runs per game.
* The reason for this, it appears, is that the bullpens are devastatingly bad. Most teams, even good ones, have 1 or 2 solid starters (who also serve as relief pitchers when needed) but the rest of the staff is filled with 5+ ERA guys. That was a common theme with most teams.
* Most teams, in the Big10 at least, have a team BA of .300 or higher. If your team hits under .300 as a team, your team cannot hit. Purdue was worst in the Big10 with a .290 BA. Colorado eat your heart out...
* In the Big10, team ERAs hover around 5. OSU lead the league with a 3.98, but 5 teams came in over 5 with Michigan State having the worst at 5.68. Interesting stuff, the Big10 Stats. (http://bigten.collegesports.com/spor...5/lgteams.html)

So, based off this statistical sample, there is a lot of small ball being played in college baseball. Lots of singles, (a lot of hit batters as well) horrid pitching depth, and a lot of runs.

There are power hitters in college ball, don't get me wrong. There' sa 1B for Arkansas State with Bonds-like numbers -- but those guys are very rare. Most hitters will hit less than 8 homers in a 60 game season and its very common for a guy that hits over .300 to hjave a SLG% of less than .500

Anyway, I just thought this was interesting, and I think if you want to tweak any settings to reflect the college game that stuff like this should be kept in mind.

Bill, I would definately agree with everything you said. I played 3 years of college ball and follow the college game close enough to know the tendencies you listed are pretty spot on...especially the "if you don't hit .300 - you suck" statement So far I am loving this game more than any MVP version. Dare I say its the most fun I've had since High Heat!? Back to my Villanov Dynasty...

[JRod]

Bill,

If that's the case then there needs to be a lot of slider tweaking. I don't think I've seen a game on All-Star where the CPU hasn't gone yard on me.

I'm seeing far too many pitcher's duals early on in the ball game. Once you get a pitcher tired it's a different story. As for small ball. I'm seeing a lot of doubles and triples.

[JackB1]

great stuff Bill. I will keep all this in mind when I tweak the sliders in MVP NCAA .

So how's about a little mini review about what u think of this game? I know you are liking the walks With AI ball set at +10 and AI control at -15, I get about 3 per game. If I was more selective I'm sure I would
get 5, like you said.

Anyway, I just thought this was interesting, and I think if you want to tweak any settings to reflect the college game that stuff like this should be kept in mind.

[JackB1]

sounds like "manual" is really assisted and
"MVP" is really manual

Anyone know what MVP fielding is? It doesn't state in the book.
Rick

Unlike manual fielding where the game starts moving your players in the direction of the ball, MVP fielding is completely manual. I stopped using it as I felt the infielders didn't react quick enough for hard ground balls.

[icvu42]

* If you don't hit .300 in college, you suck.

Through 3 games of my dynasty, I'm batting .218

I must really suck.

Rick

[Diablo25]

Bill,

If that's the case then there needs to be a lot of slider tweaking. I don't think I've seen a game on All-Star where the CPU hasn't gone yard on me.

I'm seeing far too many pitcher's duals early on in the ball game. Once you get a pitcher tired it's a different story. As for small ball. I'm seeing a lot of doubles and triples.

FYI, I have been using Footballforever's sliders that I got from OS and they are pretty nice. I started a dynasty with them and two games in I've only given up 1 HR. They are challenging and realistic.

From OS:

AA Sliders

Gameplay Tuning
User Pitch Meter Difficulty: -45 *
Pitch Speed: 5
CPU Pitcher Ball Rate: 22 *
User Pitcher Fatigue: -9
CPU Pitcher Fatigue: 7
User Pitch Control: -50
CPU Pitch Control: -50
Bullpen Fatigue Rate: 0
Bullpen Fatigue Grace: 0
User Batting Contact: 25
CPU Batting Contact: -20*
User Batting Power: 20
CPU Batting Power: -15*
User Bunting Ability: 0
CPU Bunting Ability: -4*
User Foul Ball Frequency: 50
CPU Foul Ball Frequency: 50
CPU Swing Frequency: -18
Wide Effect On Hit Balls: 0
Analog: Normal Swing Timing: 0
Analog: Power Swing Timing: 0
Analog: Contact Swing Timing: 0
User OF Speed (Manual): 2*
User OF Speed (MVP): 0
CPU OF Speed: -10*
User IF Speed (Manual): -3
User IF Speed (MVP): 0
CPU IF Speed: -11*
User Throw Speed:1*
CPU Throw Speed: -11*
User Throw Accuracy: -1*
CPU Throw Accuracy: -26*
User Catch Errors: 8*
CPU Catch Errors: 35*
User Dive Difficulty: 0
CPU Catch Effort: -10*
User Hustle Boost: 0*
User Baserunning Speed: 3
CPU Baserunning Speed: -1
User Runner Aggression: 0
CPU Runner Aggression: 15
User Runner Steal Speed: 5
CPU Runner Steal Speed: -6
User Runner Steal Delay: -6
CPU Runner Steal Delay: 3
CPU Steal Rate: 50 *
Runner Injury Frequency: 0
Pitcher Injury Frequency: 0
Batter Injury Frequency: 0
Fielder Injury Frequency: 5
Pitching MG Difference: 0

[Bill_Abner]

Bill,

If that's the case then there needs to be a lot of slider tweaking. I don't think I've seen a game on All-Star where the CPU hasn't gone yard on me.

I'm seeing far too many pitcher's duals early on in the ball game. Once you get a pitcher tired it's a different story. As for small ball. I'm seeing a lot of doubles and triples.

FYI, I have been using Footballforever's sliders that I got from OS and they are pretty nice.

I have a base slider set I am using that I like a lot so fr. I ned to play more games before settling but I give up maybe 1 homer a game and about 3-8 runs. I walk several times and still manage to whiff my fair share.

I do NOT use the L-Trigger Power swing as you need almost insane timing to make that work. I just boosted User Power a tad and take normal swings. I played 3 games today, beating Arkansas State 8-4, losing to Fresno State 6-5, and losing to Middle Tenn State 5-2. I play on AA lvl and use zone hitting for the time being. I totally suck at analog hitting.

As for a mini review, Jack, I have been posting thoughts on the blog, but a mini review would sound something like, "having blast, the sound sucks, and it plays more like college ball than MVP 05 played like MLB." That's as mini as it gets.

[JackB1]

can u share your sliders?

I have a base slider set I am using that I like a lot so fr. I ned to play more games before settling but I give up maybe 1 homer a game and about 3-8 runs. I walk several times and still manage to whiff my fair share.

[Badgun]

I can't find it at any of the 3 Best Buys I went to today.. sounds like it's selling well.

I'm heading to Kansas City tomorrow for the week, so I'll see if I can snag a copy there.

It probably is selling well, but I know for a fact that my Gamestop only got 5 copies as opposed to 40 or so of MVP 05. The fact that you don't see it on store shelves doesn't mean it's selling well, it more than likely means most stores didn't stock but a few copies of it. This will also happen with the Arena Football game that comes out soon.

[fsquid]

when will we know Sales figures.