MLB 2006 The Show Demo at EBGames for a Pre-Order

[AJColossal]

I assumed that the two functions of guessing the pitch location and the swing itself were separate and not related. If I see the "lock" symbol, I still swing in that direction, and I've definitely had some good results when doing so.

[10spro]

I've been reading your impressions folks with interest. I had my money on 2K though, and I'd like to ask if anyone has gone online yet and your impressions as well. Online Please.

[Boom]

OK! I decided I wanted to make a few roster changes. Some cosmetic and some pertinent, so I went ahead and quit my SEASON and start up a FRANCHISE instead.

I made the changes, such as going and getting Gonzo off the Bewdogs roster (not even sure why he's on that team..he's been a Rockie and never traded..wierd), changing Barmes' socks from long pants to high socks, and a few roster moves of moving players up and down within the organization.

Started up the franchise and began playing. I'm always noticing more things that I've been missing and some are quite obvious. Like for instance, I just now noticed that not only is Barmes' stance correct, but his batter walkup is spot on too. That's just nuts!

During my first game of the season the PA announcer made note of the scores from the teams in my farm system. Very cool indeed.

I'm getting the hitting and base-running down and have made some more nice plays in the field utilizing the right analog stick's dive and jump controls.

Total package wise I'm not sure there's ever been a better baseball game to date. MVP is very good on the field, but lacked considerably in the presentation department. High Heat 2002 has for the most part always been my favorite baseball game, but obviously no presentation there as well as the glitch of not recording saves properly brought it down a tad.

While playing MLB 06 I've never felt more like I'm actually at the ballpark watching a real game. It's just crazy how much the atmosphere and presentation combine a great telecast with the feeling of actually being at the ballpark. It's phoenominal.

While the gameplay might not be quite up to speed with MVP 05, I don't think it's far off either. Given the huge leap in all other aspects of the game's total package I can't NOT put it above MVP 05 IMO.

I've been playing this damn game ALL day long... OFFLINE. That's what's really crazy. I love football games to death, but I've grown to the point that I have to play them online or not play them at all. I think I'm actually going to prefer MLB 06 offline.

[Slumberland]

Anyone got any insight on the fielder bugs yet? In my last game I was charging a line drive and it went right by me without my centerfielder even putting a glove up. I've seen Chris fielding concerns about roster issues and such over at OS, but in my mind this is the number one problem, and it pops up every game. What is the deal!?

[AJColossal]

And the strange thing is I've really only had one debatable fielding quirk in 10+ games, and it was different than what you guys have been describing. And some of you guys are seeing this 1-2 times a game? I have not seen anything like this whatsoever in my experiences.

A couple games ago, I had a low liner take one hop to Edmonds, and I was preparing myself to see the ball go by him like you guys have seen, but it didn't happen. He caught it no problem.

Has anyone been experimenting with assisted fielding? Does that help?

[sportdan30]

I've been reading your impressions folks with interest. I had my money on 2K though, and I'd like to ask if anyone has gone online yet and your impressions as well. Online Please.

Have you seen the new POTD over at IGN for MLB 2K6? It's looking pretty good. I'm passing on the Xbox version, but can't wait to pick it up for the 360!

[10spro]

I've been reading your impressions folks with interest. I had my money on 2K though, and I'd like to ask if anyone has gone online yet and your impressions as well. Online Please.

Have you seen the new POTD over at IGN for MLB 2K6? It's looking pretty good. I'm passing on the Xbox version, but can't wait to pick it up for the 360!

Yeah, that's the version I am aiming at Dan.

[dbdynsty25]

I have a feeling, fielding ratings have something to do with this little error you guys are talking about. I see line drives short hopping outfielders and then going by, but only crappy fielders. The same balls are stopped by the better defenders. For example...the ball rolls by Matt Diaz when I have him in the outfield, but the same ball will not get by Andruw. I've learned to prepare for it, so i know when it will likely happen. It will not happen when your better fielders are doing the fielding.

[Inuyasha]

I have a feeling, fielding ratings have something to do with this little error you guys are talking about. I see line drives short hopping outfielders and then going by, but only crappy fielders. The same balls are stopped by the better defenders. For example...the ball rolls by Matt Diaz when I have him in the outfield, but the same ball will not get by Andruw. I've learned to prepare for it, so i know when it will likely happen. It will not happen when your better fielders are doing the fielding.

You may be right. I've played alot of random games with different teams and so far haven't seen glitches but errors.

For example, I was playing the Braves and one ball went right through the 2bmen's legs while he tried to field it. I haven't seen this with any other teams I played against.

I was online last night but it kept dropping so I'll try back again tonight. Maybe they fixed the online glitches from last night.

So far really really like the game. I think I'll need a wireless ps2 controller though to keep playing it on the big screen when I can. Hope to get the psp version by next month.

[Boom]

I've played a couple more games and I just cannot get over how much I have grown to love this game. I'm not having the issues with the outfielder letting the ball go right by any more, and I think the angle I'm taking has a lot to do with me cutting the ball off now.

one thing I have never noticed while playing this game is infielders not reacting to the ball? I think I read some reviews and some early impressions where people felt their infielders would just let balls go by that they felt should have been fielded. I haven't come across this at all.

The right analog stick has become 2nd nature to me and I'm making great diving stops in the infield and have climbed the wall again to rob a HR.

I have noticed a couple of freak glitches here and there, but they're not everyday occuring so I am able to look past them. A couple of freak things I have noticed though are:

(1) Garret Atkins hit a line drive basehit to left field. The ball went through the LF's legs and nobody (including the left fielder) chased the ball down. I could have taken a Sunday stroll along the bases and still hit an inside the park homerun.

(2) Can't remember the batter, but playing in San Diego I hung a curveball and the batter nailed it. The audio went dead, the framerate started skipping and when everything came back, the batter was on first and not credited with a HR.


There's some cool things I've noticed too that were nice to see. On a double play ball, Barmes thew the ball over Helton's head with his throw to first turning the db. Most games in this case would credit the team with an error, but the game didn't. Very nice to see the correct scoring on that play.

Also, while playing in San Diego. When they called to the bullpen for Hoffman to come in they had the intro to "Hells' Bells" over the pa and the crowd went absolutely nuts.

Just loving this game right now!

[Leebo33]

Also, I changed the batting view to "offset center". This rather surprised me because in other baseball videogames, it just never felt right. However, for whatever reason I pick up the ball much better than any of the other views in the game. Now, a curve looks like a curve and a slider a slider. In addition, I'm having less trouble with the low pitches. I can generally tell if they're a ball or a strike.

I'm really enjoying this batting view as well for exactly the reasons you described. My walks are increasing and my strikeouts are decreasing.

This game is reminding me how much I enjoy a good zone hitting model. I'm even going to go on a limb and say that it has the best zone hitting model ever.

I still can't get over that I'm playing something this good on a PSP.

[Inuyasha]

This is the first game where I can actually walk people pitching more than once or twice a game.

edit:
this offset camera makes hitting easier it seems.

[Slumberland]

I'm glad many of you aren't having problems with fielding, but it's still torturing me... especially since I'd be ready to proclaim this my favorite baseball game ever if it weren't for this single issue. I had Cliff Floyd try to field a ball which took one hop and then seemed to pass through his right leg and go to the wall... so 'tried to field' is something of an overstatement. Twice today I had Xavier Nady in right try to field a ball that was hit to his left... I think any human being in the world who saw the two plays would agree that I couldn't have taken better angles, but when he got to the ball the glove never came up to make a play. And I had Reyes let a ball go right past him as well. These aren't ruled as errors, either.

AAAARGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!

Could it be my PS2? Does it have to read the disc to pull up the proper animation to field a ball?

[Inuyasha]

I'm glad many of you aren't having problems with fielding, but it's still torturing me... especially since I'd be ready to proclaim this my favorite baseball game ever if it weren't for this single issue. I had Cliff Floyd try to field a ball which took one hop and then seemed to pass through his right leg and go to the wall... so 'tried to field' is something of an overstatement. Twice today I had Xavier Nady in right try to field a ball that was hit to his left... I think any human being in the world who saw the two plays would agree that I couldn't have taken better angles, but when he got to the ball the glove never came up to make a play. And I had Reyes let a ball go right past him as well. These aren't ruled as errors, either.

AAAARGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!

Could it be my PS2? Does it have to read the disc to pull up the proper animation to field a ball?

Are you placing your player over the baseball marker on the field? The only times I miss a routine catch is if I have a player with a low rating and if he is a little over or behind the baseball marker, he may drop it.

Maybe if nothing helps, try to exchange your disc since it may be a flaw with the cd.

Also, I found that they did a great job with how wind effects the ball. I had a few fielders fight the wind to catch the ball.

[Slumberland]

It's not on pop flies... it's on line drives and some ground balls.

[sportdan30]

Also, I changed the batting view to "offset center". This rather surprised me because in other baseball videogames, it just never felt right. However, for whatever reason I pick up the ball much better than any of the other views in the game. Now, a curve looks like a curve and a slider a slider. In addition, I'm having less trouble with the low pitches. I can generally tell if they're a ball or a strike.

I'm really enjoying this batting view as well for exactly the reasons you described. My walks are increasing and my strikeouts are decreasing.

This game is reminding me how much I enjoy a good zone hitting model. I'm even going to go on a limb and say that it has the best zone hitting model ever.

I still can't get over that I'm playing something this good on a PSP.

Glad to hear that camera angle works for you as well. Before, I never had any time to react if the ball was down in the zone nor could I tell if it was a ball or strike. I think with this angle also, the pitcher appears further away than say the "cather" cam. Gives you a half a second longer to make a decision. By the way, I'm finding that the CPU pitcher likes to generally throw the ball down in the zone, so that's where I tend to look for a pitch.

[kicko]

the only thing that kind of bugs me is the number of pass balls and the hits in the gap that bounce too much always for groung rule doubles, anyone have an idea on fixes???

[Leebo33]

I'm also seeing way too many ground rule doubles, but the amount of doubles is realistic so I haven't mentioned it. I'm just happy to see a lot of doubles because they were so hard to get in the last version.

[drbaseball]

Count me in as a fan as well. I am SO loving this game.

This is the first time I've ever played the MLB series. I picked it up for the PSP on Wednesday, loved it so much that I actually picked up a PS2 yesterday...just for this one game.

My one challenge is how to throw, both traditional throws and pre-loads. I am playing with auto fielding. Often when I go to throw there is so sort of hesitation or no throw at all. This is especially true with double plays.

How exactly do you throw...and how exactly do you pre-load? Is it even possible to pre-load using auto fielding?

Thanks.

[MizzouRah]

Well, I'm in the middle of my first season game, vs the Phillies (down 3-1 in the 4th inning) - and I think I was wrong when I said using "wide" ump settings make them call a "wide" open game. I think "wide" means strikezone and "tight" would be the correct setting. I've noticed a lot of borderline strike calls and finally the announcer said, "Looks like the ump has a wide strike zone today." I'm convinced the "tight" setting will make him call a tight strikezone hence more walks.

I'm on veteran, pitch count slider maxed, errors +2 for both teams.


Actually I might alternate "wide" and "tight" consistency every other game for more varitation.

[AJColossal]

Well, I'm in the middle of my first season game, vs the Phillies (down 3-1 in the 4th inning) - and I think I was wrong when I said using "wide" ump settings make them call a "wide" open game. I think "wide" means strikezone and "tight" would be the correct setting. I've noticed a lot of borderline strike calls and finally the announcer said, "Looks like the ump has a wide strike zone today." I'm convinced the "tight" setting will make him call a tight strikezone hence more walks.

I'm on veteran, pitch count slider maxed, errors +2 for both teams.


Actually I might alternate "wide" and "tight" consistency every other game for more varitation.

MizzouRah, that is not what I found to be true at all. Tight strike zone to me was nearly unplayable. WAY too many balls at the ankles called strikes. TO me it was basically last year's horrendous strike zone.

Wide strike zone is the way to go. True, sometimes there are some strange calls for strikes, but for the most part, it is the best strike zone for drawing walks.

This may sound crazy, but I think certain pitchers get certain calls that other pitchers don't on this level. Schilling wasn't getting a lot of close calls in his favor that I swear his reliever wasn't getting. That's awesome if they actually programmed the game like this.

[MizzouRah]

Well, I'm in the middle of my first season game, vs the Phillies (down 3-1 in the 4th inning) - and I think I was wrong when I said using "wide" ump settings make them call a "wide" open game. I think "wide" means strikezone and "tight" would be the correct setting. I've noticed a lot of borderline strike calls and finally the announcer said, "Looks like the ump has a wide strike zone today." I'm convinced the "tight" setting will make him call a tight strikezone hence more walks.

I'm on veteran, pitch count slider maxed, errors +2 for both teams.


Actually I might alternate "wide" and "tight" consistency every other game for more varitation.

MizzouRah, that is not what I found to be true at all. Tight strike zone to me was nearly unplayable. WAY too many balls at the ankles called strikes. TO me it was basically last year's horrendous strike zone.

Wide strike zone is the way to go. True, sometimes there are some strange calls for strikes, but for the most part, it is the best strike zone for drawing walks.

This may sound crazy, but I think certain pitchers get certain calls that other pitchers don't on this level. Schilling wasn't getting a lot of close calls in his favor that I swear his reliever wasn't getting. That's awesome if they actually programmed the game like this.

I'll agree to disagree, I alternate games and on tight the ump will call a strict strikezone and on wide who knows what will be a strike or a ball on borderline pitches. Meaning a normal ball might be called a strike on the wide setting.

These are the sort of things I would love for Chris to answer along with some of the slider meanings.

I'm 0-2 to start the season on two good games.. damn Phillies.

[Inuyasha]

the only thing that kind of bugs me is the number of pass balls and the hits in the gap that bounce too much always for groung rule doubles, anyone have an idea on fixes???

I wonder if the ground rule doubles have to do with the stadium your playing at. In a series at the Padres, I had about 3 ground rule doubles for the whole series. At the other parks I played at so far in my season, i've had none.

I've also seen a lot of passed balls/wild pitches too. But they've all happened alot in one game or did not happen at all.

[BasketballJones]

Well you guys got me peaked and now I'm hooked. I'm 15 games into dynasty with a fantasy draft:

1 + I think it runs smoother than last year so I don't anticipate any freezes, which I figured out how to fix from last year. Simulate all the games for that day to go on to the next day (if interested), but why play last years..

2 + Double switches and the ability to move players within the lineup to other positions to accomodate the double switch. Beats the DH strategy.

3 + Runner aggression, more first to third for both human & cpu.

4 +- L1, when I have multiple runners I can't get the better to take the extra base. I've tried holding it and pumping it what works best?

5 + Fielding glitch? Looks like realism to me. You ever had a line drive hit right at you and it goes through you like your invisible. The ball has eyes.

6 Ground rule doubles. I just started playing home games at PNC and the ground rule doubles in left center is the trade off for the shorter field.

7- Fantasy drafting & Lineups, the AI is stupid. Carlos Delgado caught rather than replacing the 2nd string catcher. CPU drafts too many strong players at the same position, leaving stars on the bench and the infamous ficticious palyer at the weaker position.

8 +- Editing player. I resolve this by editing the players 2nd position and at times the primary and I get rid of the stupid names and replace it with a past player I can identify with. But be careful I changed Trot Nixon and he became a right-handed throwing outfielder and that is something not editable on a real player.

+++++ To you guys for critiquing the game honestly. We do have the College MVP 06 game which is good, but this one has the addicting qualities.

[Leebo33]

I'm not convinced that the umpire setting really matters in the long run. I've been using tight lately and I'm still drawing the same amount of walks. The wide setting gives you more variety, but you do get strike calls on balls outside the zone so I think it evens out in the long run.

What intrigues me is the pitch count slider. Does this affect the CPU while pitching, batting, or both? I'm not sure I like it increased from default. I could be wrong, but to me it just seems to add more swings and misses and foul balls to increase the pitch counts. I'm seeing less offense when I turn it up due to more K's. There are more pitches thrown, but I'm not really seeing more walks and the ball/strike ratio seems to get out of whack.

I'm liking this game more and more each night.