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[Madtown_]

I can keep playing my RTTS while watching the Brewers now (I watch via ps3 on MLB.tv).

So good!

How much does this cost these days; any discount on PS3? I'm now without cable but may just go with the online radio package.

And that's a shame that the lag is still so prominent online. At least the rest of the game is always good.

 

[Afrikan]

are there any stores, online or retail that allow you to buy codes for Digital version of games from the PS Store?

basically, I want the retail for PS3 and the digital version for Vita?

heck I'll take digital for PS3 if there was one. I just want to still be able to save on that $20.

 

[TriGen]

Anyone know if they changed anything for being a C in RTTS? I've always wanted to be able to try to become a great C but having to call every pitch and wait for the slow P is just to time consuming.

 

[The Elite]

Anyone know if they changed anything for being a C in RTTS? I've always wanted to be able to try to become a great C but having to call every pitch and wait for the slow P is just to time consuming.

RTTS is a lot faster on the whole thanks to the 10 gig install. Not sure if that will affect the speed of playing catcher.

 

[The Albatross]

Sorry to reask --

Any word on whether there is a more streamlined manager mode, rather than the "manage every pitch" or "simulate" options?

 

[backbreaker65]

PS Nation Review

http://www.psnation.org/2012/03/05/review-mlb-12-the-show-ps3/

Conclusion:
I know that a lot of people thought that MLB 12 would be “not much different” this year because of the Vita version being developed at the same time, and if you only look at the game cosmetically that could be your first impression. The truth is that there are a ton of updates in place, from the all new OSD assets to the immense amount of added animations, and especially the all new physics, this game plays completely different now, and all with a shiny new coat of paint. I know that in my previous coverage, I’ve brought the new physics up multiple times, but mark my words that when you actually play the game, you’ll notice the difference immediately, and you appreciate the change as much as I do. Clear your schedule, because MLB 12 The Show is going to consume all of your time.


Letter Grade A

 

[The Elite]

I've been playing it all weekend and I wouldn't say the game plays "completely differently" for me. It still retains all the best qualities of The Show.

I'd say the biggest changes come in the form of interface. The 10 gig install is a huge plus for load times. While I haven't had a chance to play online yet (online pass isn't working) the whole having one profile for everything and having the online integrated is huge IMO.

Looking forward to trying out Diamond Dynasty mode too.

 

[Nightz]

Glad to hear about faster load times with the install. That's one thing that's been very off-putting to me with The Show in previous years. How are the load times for the Vita version, btw?

 

[eznark]

How much does this cost these days; any discount on PS3? I'm now without cable but may just go with the online radio package.

And that's a shame that the lag is still so prominent online. At least the rest of the game is always good.

Honestly, I do not know. I think I got grandfathered in at a cheaper rate. It's supposed to be $125 or something, but I pay less than that. They just auto charge my credit card every year.

 

[The Elite]

Glad to hear about faster load times with the install. That's one thing that's been very off-putting to me with The Show in previous years. How are the load times for the Vita version, btw?

Obviously not as good as the PS3 version but not too bad either. I wish RTTS was a little quicker on the Vita but it seems faster than it was on the PS3 last year.

That Auto-Save on the PS3 killed my experience last year.

 

[bigwinnerx]

Posted a page back, but, I seem to have a tracking # from my Newegg order now, so maybe it'll show up earlier than I expected.

 

[The Albatross]

Just picked it up from Amazon. I've only got a PS3, so I'm not going for the Vita version... although it interests me. The ability to quickly play games could be a big plus and I might enjoy the Vita version more.

Lemme ask: Is the Vita Dynasty & Road to the Show identical to the Dynasty/Road To the Show from the PS3 version? Like can I do roster management, player management, etc., everything on the Vita, or is it just the gameplay?

 

[The Elite]

Just picked it up from Amazon. I've only got a PS3, so I'm not going for the Vita version... although it interests me. The ability to quickly play games could be a big plus and I might enjoy the Vita version more.

Lemme ask: Is the Vita Dynasty & Road to the Show identical to the Dynasty/Road To the Show from the PS3 version? Like can I do roster management, player management, etc., everything on the Vita, or is it just the gameplay?

Yup. They need to be the same in order to transfer saves.

The Vita version doesn't have the new Diamond Dynasty (fantasy baseball team) mode however. I think that is one of two things that differs between the two versions. Can't quite recall the second at this moment.

Edit: The second is true broadcast presentation. You don't get any cutscenes. I would have liked at least some presentation options.

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

Any good deals on the game? I feel like an idiot for not jumping on the $48 Newegg deal when I had the chance. This series takes forever to go down in price.

 

[The Albatross]

Yup. They need to be the same in order to transfer saves.

The Vita version doesn't have the new Diamond Dynasty (fantasy baseball team) mode however. I think that is one of two things that differs between the two versions. Can't quite recall the second at this moment.

Edit: The second is true broadcast presentation. You don't get any cutscenes. I would have liked at least some presentation options.

Aaah, yeah. The Diamond Dynasty thing doesn't really catch me... I can do without it. I never got into the Madden cards/team thing because it seemed like just a money milker.

With the broadcast presentations, I'm not that upset about that either because after like 10 games, I turn a lot of them off anyway just to get through games quicker.

I had no interest in getting the Vita, but now I'm really interested for this. It would be fitting: MLB '09 s what pushed me to get a PS3, so maybe MLB '12 will be the system seller for me for Vita. I'd love to see some more integration with games over Vita & the main console... I'd kill to do my recruiting, etc, from NCAA Football on the Vita, but that's almost impossible with NCAA football being 3rd party

Any good deals on the game? I feel like an idiot for not jumping on the $48 Newegg deal when I had the chance. This series takes forever to go down in price.

Sadly with the Amazon 2 for $80 deal, I don't think that there's much more than that. I searched all over and couldn't find. Amazon's deal is $59.56... a savings of $0.03

 

[eznark]

Aaah, yeah. The Diamond Dynasty thing doesn't really catch me... I can do without it. I never got into the Madden cards/team thing because it seemed like just a money milker.

With the broadcast presentations, I'm not that upset about that either because after like 10 games, I turn a lot of them off anyway just to get through games quicker.

I had no interest in getting the Vita, but now I'm really interested for this. It would be fitting: MLB '09 s what pushed me to get a PS3, so maybe MLB '12 will be the system seller for me for Vita. I'd love to see some more integration with games over Vita & the main console... I'd kill to do my recruiting, etc, from NCAA Football on the Vita, but that's almost impossible with NCAA football being 3rd party

I bought a Vita solely for the Show interoperability (cross platform play is a damn lie) and have been downright thrilled.

 

[Adr1an]

My copy shipped today. Should arrive tomorrow.

Gonna be my first MLB game.

 

[Miggytronz]

Add me on PSN if you guys like.

Mikasangelos.

 

[Mr. Enigma]

Also I will say this. The sounds are incredible this year. The ball popping the mitt and the ball hitting the bat sounds great. You can even hear the ball hitting the bat in different ways depending on how well your contact was.

Great stuff.

 

[acheron_xl]

I saw that Walmart.com has the bundle for sale. I really hope that they have it in store when I stop by on my way home from work at 4am. I want to dive right in and don't want to venture out into the waking world to get it.

 

[Nightz]

Just got an email saying that my order has shipped. I am excite.

 

[Lothars]

I am really excited I am getting the bundle pack and I haven't played an MLB the show since 2010 but I mainly am getting this one for the Vita version but I can't resist the PS3 version either.

does anyone know the size of the digital version for the vita?

 

[Meier]

I bought 9 and 10 but for PS3 (and whatever version launched alongside the PSP, been awhile) but I skipped 11 due to the fact they really haven't added a lot to the series. Picked up 12 for the Vita -- think that'll work just fine for me. Love the idea that if I really do feel the need to get the PS3 version that I'll be able to continue where I am with my player.. that's a pretty phenomenal feature.

 

[The Albatross]

My copy shipped today. Should arrive tomorrow.

Gonna be my first MLB game.

Take your time with this game. You REALLY have to practice. It's hard. My first MLB The Show broke me as a human being, and I really struggled (MLB '09). I put in effort into MLB '10 and still didn't really progress much, but enjoyed it more. Skipped '11, but looking forward to '12.

 

[Dmncnby2k9]

ESPN review is up. They always do a good job summing things up.
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/21368/review-mlb-12-the-show-better-than-ever

Review: MLB 12 The Show better than ever
By Steve Berthiaume

MLB 12 The Show contains even more realistic ball action -- like the spin off Albert Pujols' bat.
Each year, Sony Computer Entertainment America and San Diego Studio produces the best sports video game available and each year those developers find a way to make their game better. Tuesday's release of MLB 12 The Show will demonstrate this but even this franchise's most dedicated followers will immediately recognize they are seeing a game they've never seen before. Put away your previous versions of the MLB The Show series: For 2012, the bar has again been raised, and this time with vigor.

The game's programmers have completely replaced last year's code and thus changed the way the baseball behaves with what they call True Ball Physics, which uses actual math for a spinning baseball that ricochets off bases, the pitching rubber and other field surfaces. The spin of the baseball off the bat is now accurate with realistic RPMs and the ball gains or loses energy like a real baseball, resulting in more hit type varieties. Line drives rise or sink and infield chops quickly become difficult to handle. My friend John Totten and I have played countless The Show games over the years, so I asked him for his '12 version impressions after a day of heated, head-to-head competition.

"Hitting a hooking line drive just inside the left-field line was something I had never seen before, and introduced an element of the unknown that I do not recall experiencing often in previous games," he said. "The overspin/underspin of a groundball based on the level of contact was an excellent added subtlety. I was surprised when a groundball did not make it through the infield, especially up the middle. Those balls simply lost pace due to underspin, as they should have. Line drives to the outfield showed tail and hook. In the past, every line drive to the outfield stayed on the same trajectory."

Trust me when I say this; Given the way the ball now spins in MLB 12 The Show, you will value the defensive abilities of your fielders as never before. Outfield defense was especially adventurous and fielding line drives or chasing balls in the gaps and down the lines is more challenging.

The game acts, looks and sounds unlike the series has before; from completely different bat, ball and glove sounds to the TruBroadcast Presentations, which are available only on the game's PS3 version. The line between watching the video game and watching an actual baseball game has been blurred using new camera angles and audio that realistically simulate a television broadcast. You'll see more reaction shots after pitches and hear a new "buzz" of the ball and "pop" of a catcher's mitt while a bouncing, spinning baseball hitting green grass sounds just as it should.

Among MLB 12 The Show's many other changes I liked was the Swing/Pitch info box, which now pops up automatically after each pitch and remains onscreen until the next pitch, no more pressing L3 every time you want feedback. Baserunners have new situational awareness and react differently when near a batted ball or another player. Bullpen management continues its brilliant evolution. You can now warm up a relief pitcher or simply select Stretch and Toss, which has the pitcher stretch and play catch without getting warm enough to enter the game. You can also save a reliever's energy once he does begin to warm up by selecting Ready and Waiting, which has the pitcher throw a pitch in the bullpen for every game pitch thrown to maintain readiness. No more overheating relievers before they get into the game.

As always, there are new systems with which to pitch and hit the ball. Let me go on record: I hate them. I'm a button man; always have been and always will be. Last year The Show introduced analog batting featuring a stride and swing method. MLB 12 The Show has advanced to Zone Analog Batting, which allows you to control where you swing in the zone with the left analog stick as you step into the pitch and swing with the right analog stick. Sound hard? It is. I hit like a blindfolded Mario Mendoza and gave up. However, if you were a fan of analog hitting in last year's version you'll enjoy it all the more this year.

New as well is Pulse Pitching, an interactive timing mechanic with an interface that consists of a pulsating circle that flashes around the baseball as you are adjusting the desired location of your pitch. With this method you try and hit the X button when the meter shrinks to the smallest possible size around the baseball. This controls the accuracy of your pitches; the smaller the cursor the more accurate the pitch will be, with the speed of the meter's pulsating depending on the game difficulty setting and the pitcher's attributes and performance.

This feature fails for two reasons: First, it gives you a throbbing headache after about two innings of staring at it, but more importantly your opponent can see exactly how close each pitch came to its ideal location as both players see the size of the pulsating meter around the ball. The player who is batting, seeing a wide meter around the baseball as the pitch is being delivered, instantly knows that the command of the pitch will be poor and is therefore given a clear sign that he doesn't need to swing. This is not a factor with the traditional pitching meter but in the case of Pulse Pitching, when both players are focused on the strike zone, it seems the video equivalent of the guy in the white T-shirt in Toronto's center-field bleachers: a giveaway.

MLB 12 The Show has a complete set of visual tutorials for all new methods of hitting, pitching and throwing and it speaks to what has always been The Show series' greatest strength: It never FORCES you to change the way you play the game. Every year, new controls are added or enhanced while always leaving you the option of staying with the buttons and systems that you've always enjoyed, a practice that other sports video franchises, like EA's Madden or NCAA Football has not always followed. My friend Gus Ramsey's annual review of Madden on Bill Simmons' podcast has become one of The Sports Guy's biggest hits.

"Since around 2004 the look of the Madden franchise has been almost the same, but the game play has changed in an effort to make the game more realistic," Gus says. "Sometimes to great success, other times, not so much. In '04 they added the ability to direct the lead blocker on runs, a true challenge of digital dexterity to be sure. In '06 they added the Truck Stick, a departure from the popular R1 juke button. '06 also brought on the hideous Passing Cone, the New Coke of video game experiments. We've also seen the elimination of the sprint button, which left players instinctually pressing the R2 button with no results."

I don’t recall MLB The Show developers ever demanding you change your button options or patterns, always offering new variations but never abandoning preferred methods enjoyed over time. A great lesson for all developers of sports video games: You can offer all the new ideas you want but don't force me to switch my buttons or I'll be forced to stop buying your game.

You won't want to miss seeing Giancarlo Stanton mashing home runs in his new home ballpark.
The Show is a series that strives for authenticity yet pitcher repertoires is one area the developers consistently seem to miss their mark. In 2011 Boston's Daniel Bard threw 68.7 percent fastballs, 24.8 percent sliders and 6.5 percent changeups. Bard's weapons were essentially a four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball and a slider. As the numbers prove, he rarely threw a changeup and often limited himself to just the four-seamer or slider in a game's most crucial points. In MLB 12 The Show, however, Bard has FIVE pitches: four-seam fastball, slider, cutter, two-seam fastball and a circle change. Bard admits he'll have to mix in more two-seam fastballs and changeups as he moves from the Red Sox bullpen to the rotation but five pitches for a guy who essentially has relied on two is a swing and a miss at realism. It gets worse.

In 2011, Mariners closer Brandon League threw 67.4 percent sinkers, 21.3 percent split-finger fastballs and 11.3 percent sliders. With two strikes, League went to his splitter a whopping 40 percent of the time. It is his big "out pitch" and one of the effective splitters in baseball; except in MLB 12 The Show, where both League's splitter and sinker don't exist. Nor does the cut fastball of Diamondbacks reliever Bryan Shaw, which earlier this spring Arizona closer J.J. Putz compared to Mariano Rivera's. Last season, 58.3 percent of all pitches thrown by Shaw were cut fastballs. MLB 12 The Show does not include a cutter among Shaw's three pitches, unfortunate for a pitcher who in last season's NLDS spotlight appeared in four games and faced 13 batters without giving up a base hit.

This is not just a pitch selection issue. Cleveland’s Vinnie Pestano last season had an immensely effective combination of 79.9 percent fastballs and 20.1 percent sliders. Pestano's fastball, which is actually a cutter, averaged 92.6 miles per hour and maxed at 95.5 mph. In MLB 12 The Show, not only does Pestano not possess a cutter, his four-seam fastball is just 88 mph. Pestano joked during our Twitter conversation, "Don't know whats more upsetting ... that my 2 seamer is harder than my 4 or my pitching clutch is only 54. #pickitupdigitalme." Pestano's fellow Indians reliever Joe Smith joked, "That's what you get for being a righty specialist."

Smith enjoys The Show series but is used to seeing his digital repertoire miss the mark. In 2011, the real Smith threw 69 percent sinkers and 31 percent sliders. In MLB 12 The Show, Smith's video game version doesn't possess a sinker. He's instead been given a four-seam fastball and a changeup, two pitches he doesn't throw. "With guys who have been around for a few years and the big names in the game they are pretty accurate," said Smith. "Young guys seem to have to 'pay their dues' so to speak before they give them really high ratings. But I would say all in all they do an excellent job."

Agreed. Pitch selection nitpicking aside, MLB 12 The Show is not just a step forward for the series but a broad jump. This year in Road to The Show, your player will begin as a touted Double-A prospect. As of this weekend, the servers were still being tuned so I was not able to sample the game's new Diamond Dynasty mode, but based on advance publicity if you're a fan of EA's FIFA Soccer Franchise's Ultimate Team mode you'll be thrilled with Diamond Dynasty, which allows gamers to create personalized team names, colors, uniforms and fully customizable logos with up to 1000 layers of detail. As for baseball's new 10-team playoff format, the developers tell me they're not ready to make a public comment yet and will address the issue when they feel the time is right, choosing instead to let the game's new features "have their day in the sun."

There may be occasions in which you'd be rightfully content to continue playing a previous year's version of a sports video game rather than committing the cash to buy the new edition. With MLB 12 The Show, this is not one of those years. This is a different game than the series has ever seen and is beyond a doubt its best yet.

 

[Mutagenic]

I'm coming around on the Vita version more and more. It must have been a glitch the first time I played that wasn't showing players on the big screen at Turner Field, but they show up now. It's almost surreal at times to watch these players execute the same animations as in the PS3 version. During one play, I hit the ball down the third base line with Chipper and the ball hit the third base bag and bounced back into the infield. I didn't play much of '11 but never remembering this happening. So yeah, I'd say the new physics are a welcome addition.

 

[Mr. Enigma]

If there is one thing The Show does bad, it is the pitch repetoire thing. I remember in The Show '11, Jonny Venters didn't even have a sinker (and had a full head of hair).

 

[Liquidsnake]

Also I will say this. The sounds are incredible this year. The ball popping the mitt and the ball hitting the bat sounds great. You can even hear the ball hitting the bat in different ways depending on how well your contact was.

Great stuff.

About to pick this up in 1 hour and 15 min.

 

[turnbuckle]

I'm coming around on the Vita version more and more. It must have been a glitch the first time I played that wasn't showing players on the big screen at Turner Field, but they show up now. It's almost surreal at times to watch these players execute the same animations as in the PS3 version. During one play, I hit the ball down the third base line with Chipper and the ball hit the third base bag and bounced back into the infield. I didn't play much of '11 but never remembering this happening. So yeah, I'd say the new physics are a welcome addition.

I'm starting to get worried about how often this seems to be happening. Really hope they don't do this so often just to highlight the new physics.

 

[SnakeswithLasers]

I know that co-op franchise is confirmed, but is it online co-op?

 

[ConradCervantes]

Woke up today with my hype meter through the fucking roof. I'm going to be sitting by my front door Wednesday night waiting for my bro to show up with my Vita copy. AGGGGHHHHH!!!

 

[backbreaker65]

Been playing for a minute.

Graphics/Lighting has improved on a minor level, but the player faces are phenomenal.

Commentary has improved banter about bio is in, and OSD commentary as well.

New GUI for analog pitching feed back red and yellow the same for analog fielding coupled with arrow towards bases to signify accuracy in throwing. The larger the better the thrower.

Plays similar to previous years but with one big caveat "BALL PHYSICS" AND "SMOOTHER FASTER ANIMATIONS" makes a world of difference. I'll chime in with more later. Very Good game so far.

and oh the new default batter view makes judging pitching a lot easier.

a patch is available once you start 1.05

 

[Flunkie]

Wait wtf, Vita version doesn't have Diamond Dynasty?! NOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[Mutagenic]

I'm starting to get worried about how often this seems to be happening. Really hope they don't do this so often just to highlight the new physics.

Absolutely. I have the same concerns. Also, the timing on the pulse pitching seems off. It might be by design, but pressing the button while the circle is smallest usually doesn't result in the circle appearing the smallest during the pitch, thus throwing your accuracy off.

 

[Square Triangle]

are there any stores, online or retail that allow you to buy codes for Digital version of games from the PS Store?

basically, I want the retail for PS3 and the digital version for Vita?

heck I'll take digital for PS3 if there was one. I just want to still be able to save on that $20.

Gamestop offers the digital code same day as it's retail release. The $20 off wouldn't apply though.

 

[storybook77]

Absolutely. I have the same concerns. Also, the timing on the pulse pitching seems off. It might be by design, but pressing the button while the circle is smallest usually doesn't result in the circle appearing the smallest during the pitch, thus throwing your accuracy off.

Could be ratings based.

 

[Purexed]

Seems like pulse pitching is a lil half-baked right now. Thank god the legacy options are still in.

 

[DarkFlow]

Gamefly shipped this out today for me. Since It's a sony game I'm guessing there is a online pass, but that's okay because I don't normally play online anyway. This is one of the few games that my move controller gets any use out of.

 

[The Elite]

I'm starting to get worried about how often this seems to be happening. Really hope they don't do this so often just to highlight the new physics.

I've been playing all weekend and haven't had it happen once. :/

 

[Mutagenic]

Could be ratings based.

Could be, depending on how proficient each pitcher is with the type of pithch being selected. But if I want accurate control, I go legacy.

 

[TriGen]

I'm really tempteded to go out at midnight since I'll be up all night anyway, but my only option around here seems to be going out in 15 inches of snow to Wal-Mart. I just know that it will be a huge hassle to deal with them, there's no way I bet they will have it out or even a box near by so I'll have to wait for them to try to hunt it down in the back, which they will surely make difficult, decisions, decisions.

 

[backbreaker65]

Absolutely. I have the same concerns. Also, the timing on the pulse pitching seems off. It might be by design, but pressing the button while the circle is smallest usually doesn't result in the circle appearing the smallest during the pitch, thus throwing your accuracy off.

Pulse pitching

The only thing the end-user controls is when to properly time the pulse. Small equals better accuracy, large equals worse accuracy. After that it is all ratings based. Learn your pitchers break and its break distance. It's pretty good when you get the hang of it, you throw more walks at a more realistic pace.

 

[Flunkie]

Tempted to go at midnight for ME3, The Show(s), Unit 13, and to pick up some PSN cards for Journey and Vita stuff.

Or I could you know, save money. -_-

 

[goldlion054]

Bough a PS3 today just so I could play a real baseball game (and to hve a Blu Ray player). Pretty excited to dig into this. I've had to deal with shitty 2K games for years and it felt bad.

 

[The Elite]

As of 8pm est tonight, my online pass still doesn't work for either system. Seems odd with some people grabbing it in just a few hours.

 

[BFIB]

Bough a PS3 today just so I could play a real baseball game (and to hve a Blu Ray player). Pretty excited to dig into this. I've had to deal with shitty 2K games for years and it felt bad.

You are in for quite a treat. Welcome to The Show!

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

Anyone have a screen/vid of the new batting cam?

 

[lowhighkang_LHK]

As of 8pm est tonight, my online pass still doesn't work for either system. Seems odd with some people grabbing it in just a few hours.

Damn. I'm about set to get this but I really wanted to see how the online was. I tried it in 2011 but there would be a clear lag from when I pressed the button input to the actual swing. Making hitting online and going back to offline a clusterfuck of timing adaptations.

 

[goldlion054]

You are in for quite a treat. Welcome to The Show!

Thanks man. I imagine it will feel like my first time all over again

 

[Jas]

My order shipped from Amazon, can't wait!

Someone from Operation Sports recorded a commercial for the Show with their phone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f6sGXeE-9w&feature=youtu.be

Cubs fans might enjoy it