MLB 09: The Show Revealed

[Baked]

MLB 09: The Show Revealed
Expanded Road to the Show, Franchise among improvements.
by Jeff Haynes

December 19, 2008 - Baseball fans have been turning their eyes to Sony's baseball franchise for the past few years, as the yearly installment of The Show has provided some of the most realistic gameplay of the sport around. Looking to build upon that success, SCEA has been hard at work on the latest build of the franchise, MLB 09: The Show. As initially reported on ESPN.com , MLB 09 will have a ton of additional visual enhancements such as more than 700 new gameplay animations, which will include more than 150 personalized pitcher and batter routines, 400 new presentation animations and wear and tear on the field.

Road to the Show seems to have been expanded as well, with new steal and lead off systems and interactive training mini-games to improve player skills. Coach interaction will be expanded in this mode as well. Franchise has gotten a significant boost with features like salary arbitration, waiver transactions and player personalities affecting team play. Online will support flex scheduling, and players will also be able to customize crowd chants to include trash talk that can play for specific batters. Finally, the game will also include a new fielding mechanic that is based around a player's fielding attributes that will help determine just how well they make a play on a ball.

MLB 09: The Show will be released on March 3.

Link

Sweet! MLB 08: The Show was amazing, can't wait for the 09 version. I wonder who's gonna get the cover.

 

[purbeast0]

On another note ...

Madden 2010 will be out in August 2009 and NBA 2K10 will be out in October 2009.

They are to be bigger and more badass than the 2009 versions!

 

[iamwiz82]

I'm still hooked on 08 so I'll definately pick up 09.

 

[Kev]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
On another note ...

Madden 2010 will be out in August 2009 and NBA 2K10 will be out in October 2009.

They are to be bigger and more badass than the 2009 versions!

Actually Madden gets worse every year so you're a little off there.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: Kev

Originally posted by: purbeast0
On another note ...

Madden 2010 will be out in August 2009 and NBA 2K10 will be out in October 2009.

They are to be bigger and more badass than the 2009 versions!

Actually Madden gets worse every year so you're a little off there.

well at least we know you have not played madden 09.

 

[Feldenak]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I'm still hooked on 08 so I'll definately pick up 09.

 

[RedRooster]

That's the one game I would seriously consider getting a PS3 for. It looks amazing every year.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: Kev

Originally posted by: purbeast0
On another note ...

Madden 2010 will be out in August 2009 and NBA 2K10 will be out in October 2009.

They are to be bigger and more badass than the 2009 versions!

Actually Madden gets worse every year so you're a little off there.

well at least we know you have not played madden 09.

Yeah every year it get a shitload better, but there is so unbelievably much wrong with it that it doesn't really help.

They need a new engine. 100% rebuild, scrap everything, it looks like shit and plays like shit. It honestly feels exactly the same as the N64 version with better visuals.

I wish they would use that havok(?) engine video posted a while ago. That looked so realistic...man.

 

[blurredvision]

As briefly mentioned in the OP's quote up top, they are introducing Trash Talk 2.0, which lets you record your own chants and heckles to play during games towards specific players. The best part is that they supposedly have some tech that takes your voice, and mixes it so that it sounds like it's coming from the crowd from a distance rather than just playing your recorded voice through the speakers. Very, very smart of whomever thought to do that.

I liked the stadium sounds feature on NCAA Football 09, but it just played the songs and whatnot, and for me, it simply sounded like an overlay track instead of being pumped from the stadium speakers.

 

[ric1287]

I really hope they had different crowd reactions to different scenarios. If i hit a walk off bomb in game 7 of the WS, i want the crowd and players to go nuts, not just a 10 second celebration and then the credits.

 

[tdawg]

Originally posted by: RedRooster
That's the one game I would seriously consider getting a PS3 for. It looks amazing every year.

It's pretty much the one game I used to justify a PS3.

 

[blurredvision]

Originally posted by: ric1287
I really hope they had different crowd reactions to different scenarios. If i hit a walk off bomb in game 7 of the WS, i want the crowd and players to go nuts, not just a 10 second celebration and then the credits.

Has any sports game ever got something like this right? I find it annoying year after year that these developers do not put in context specific post-game celebrations. It's expected that other single player games have an ending movie to provide some sort of closure or sense of accomplishment, but sports games basically say, "Hey, you won the Super Bowl/World Series/etc, congrats. Let's not waste time, go ahead and get started on your next season."

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: tdawg

Originally posted by: RedRooster
That's the one game I would seriously consider getting a PS3 for. It looks amazing every year.

It's pretty much the one game I used to justify a PS3.

same here, god dammit. Its the only game that has ever even been played on my system.

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: Kev

Originally posted by: purbeast0
On another note ...

Madden 2010 will be out in August 2009 and NBA 2K10 will be out in October 2009.

They are to be bigger and more badass than the 2009 versions!

Actually Madden gets worse every year so you're a little off there.

well at least we know you have not played madden 09.

Yeah every year it get a shitload better, but there is so unbelievably much wrong with it that it doesn't really help.

They need a new engine. 100% rebuild, scrap everything, it looks like shit and plays like shit. It honestly feels exactly the same as the N64 version with better visuals.

I wish they would use that havok(?) engine video posted a while ago. That looked so realistic...man.

I think you're thinking of Backbreaker, a game that uses the NaturalMotion engine. The tackles look insane.

 

[tdawg]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: tdawg

Originally posted by: RedRooster
That's the one game I would seriously consider getting a PS3 for. It looks amazing every year.

It's pretty much the one game I used to justify a PS3.

same here, god dammit. Its the only game that has ever even been played on my system.

I love the RTTS and can't wait to see what improvements have been made for '09. I was so addicted to that mode, I have hardly touched any other mode in the game.

 

[BW86]

I've only played '07 and its the buggiest game I have. How does '08 stack up against '07?

 

[Muadib]

MLB 08: The Show is outstanding. I've gotten 2 non game players to get the PS3 after watching me & my nephew play.

 

[Baked]

More news on MLB 09: The Show!

MLB 09 The Show - Hear Yourself Cheer In-Game

Posted by Alex Armour // Manager, Public Relations

mets

In case you didn?t catch this early story on ESPN last Friday, MLB 09 The Show was officially announced today, ready to arrive this coming Spring on the PS3, PSP, and PS2. As the market leader in the baseball category, the team did not want to rest on their laurels and churn out a lackluster effort. For this year, the team is including a number of new features and visual detail to once again bring the best and most realistic sports gaming experience available.

Last year we allowed players to import their own music from the PS3 hard drive so they could listen in game. Now, the team has gone a step further by creating the ?My MLB Music? feature. This will allow players to use the in-game music editor to create snipits of music that can be saved and used as customized walk up music for their favorite players. Additionally, have you ever screamed at your TV at a bad (or good) play when engaged in a sports game? Well now your voice can be heard IN THE GAME by allowing users to record their own fan chants and yells and integrate them seamlessly into the ambient crowd noise. It?ll sound like you?re really there.

philliesrays

Of course the team is all over the details and as the leading baseball game simulator out there, how could they not? Transitional lighting is now included so players will see the lighting and shadows change gradually from a late afternoon game into night. There are also many more details within each stadium including unique jumbotron animations, realistic fan reactions, and wear and tear on the field. Also for the New York fans out there - you?re probably curious to know how your new stadiums will look like for the Yankees and the Mets? Well wonder no further as MLB 09 The Show will have them in the game, in full detailed glory.

yankees

But back to the features. Our exclusive ?Road to the Show? mode has been improved with an all-new practice mode, Franchise mode has been expanded to include 40 man rosters, and the new online season leagues are available, allowing friends to get together in a league and pool MLB players together for an in-game fantasy draft.

We?ll be talking much more about this game and showing the goods as we get closer to launch next Spring. In the meantime, enjoy some of these great screen grabs to get an early peek at what the team currently has going.

Link

The screen grabs look fantastic!

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: destrekor

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: Kev

Originally posted by: purbeast0
On another note ...

Madden 2010 will be out in August 2009 and NBA 2K10 will be out in October 2009.

They are to be bigger and more badass than the 2009 versions!

Actually Madden gets worse every year so you're a little off there.

well at least we know you have not played madden 09.

Yeah every year it get a shitload better, but there is so unbelievably much wrong with it that it doesn't really help.

They need a new engine. 100% rebuild, scrap everything, it looks like shit and plays like shit. It honestly feels exactly the same as the N64 version with better visuals.

I wish they would use that havok(?) engine video posted a while ago. That looked so realistic...man.

I think you're thinking of Backbreaker, a game that uses the NaturalMotion engine. The tackles look insane.

yep, thats it.....damn. We need to start a petition to either have EA buy them out/lease the engine or for the NFLPA to give them licensing.

 

[blurredvision]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: destrekor

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: Kev

Originally posted by: purbeast0
On another note ...

Madden 2010 will be out in August 2009 and NBA 2K10 will be out in October 2009.

They are to be bigger and more badass than the 2009 versions!

Actually Madden gets worse every year so you're a little off there.

well at least we know you have not played madden 09.

Yeah every year it get a shitload better, but there is so unbelievably much wrong with it that it doesn't really help.

They need a new engine. 100% rebuild, scrap everything, it looks like shit and plays like shit. It honestly feels exactly the same as the N64 version with better visuals.

I wish they would use that havok(?) engine video posted a while ago. That looked so realistic...man.

I think you're thinking of Backbreaker, a game that uses the NaturalMotion engine. The tackles look insane.

yep, thats it.....damn. We need to start a petition to either have EA buy them out/lease the engine or for the NFLPA to give them licensing.

There was a rumor a while back that Madden was going to switch to the Euphoria engine. Euphoria is the engine seen running in Backbreaker, and it also is used in GTA4 to create on-the-fly animations.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: blurredvision

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: destrekor

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: Kev

Originally posted by: purbeast0
On another note ...

Madden 2010 will be out in August 2009 and NBA 2K10 will be out in October 2009.

They are to be bigger and more badass than the 2009 versions!

Actually Madden gets worse every year so you're a little off there.

well at least we know you have not played madden 09.

Yeah every year it get a shitload better, but there is so unbelievably much wrong with it that it doesn't really help.

They need a new engine. 100% rebuild, scrap everything, it looks like shit and plays like shit. It honestly feels exactly the same as the N64 version with better visuals.

I wish they would use that havok(?) engine video posted a while ago. That looked so realistic...man.

I think you're thinking of Backbreaker, a game that uses the NaturalMotion engine. The tackles look insane.

yep, thats it.....damn. We need to start a petition to either have EA buy them out/lease the engine or for the NFLPA to give them licensing.

There was a rumor a while back that Madden was going to switch to the Euphoria engine. Euphoria is the engine seen running in Backbreaker, and it also is used in GTA4 to create on-the-fly animations.

that alone would fix about 80% of what sucks balls about madden.

 

[Inspector Jihad]

yeah, madden has sooooooo many problems that ruin it. i still buy it just about every other year though.

 

[tdawg]

Really looking forward to this. I can't wait to see the improvements with the RTTS; I missed the fact that you didn't actually practice to improve your player, so it'll be interesting to see how this is implemented (will still be nice not to have to play all the practice, to get back to the games quicker).

I think it'd be interesting to have a more user-controlled baserunning, in that you could control the direction and speed with the left thumbstick, so you could be trotting around first only to see the ball get by the outfielder and jam the stick towards second to sprint there. There could be a simple baserunning mechanic in that you point to the left stick to the point representing the base on the diamond and your speed is controlled as you move the stick further from center, and then an advanced mechanic where you can control the direction of your baserunner so you can dodge tags, control the rounding of bases, etc. Could be an interesting twist.

They could also put in user-controlled celebrations, like UEFA 2008 and FIFA '09 have, so if you throw a no-hitter, make a big play, or hit a home run / game-winning hit, whatever, you could celebrate and give the game some atmosphere.

They definitely need to fix the throwing error issue within RTTS as well as the fact that if your player is fielding and your pitcher throws a strike, the at-bat reloads and the batter starts again with a 0-0 count.