Hey Waco-did you get MLB?

[The Prince of Darkness]

I know that you are a sports game fan, so I figured that you might. I picked it up over the weekend, and I must say that it is pretty darned solid. The graphics and animations are really well-done, but the presentation is fairly bare-boned. You can tell that they wanted to concentrate on getting the fundamentals right. For the most part they succeeded. The pitcher/batter confrontation is definately good stuff. It has the hot/cold zones, the pick pitch location and type, the fly/ground ball influenced batting and the speed is realistic. The pitching uses a meter system which works really well. Choose your location and pick your pitch type. Then you press the button to start the meter, press the button again to pick speed, then press it a third time when it hits the sweet spot. So far I have noticed the pitchers getting realistically tired, and it will affect the speed of the meter which makes it tougher to pitch effectively---nice touch.

So far so good, right. The fielding is the usual fly ball indicator, but the indicator will vary in sizes according to your fielders ability. That was a good touch, but here is the problem with the fielding and it is also one of the two glaring ommissions in the game. You cannot manually set your "d". That means no double-play depth, guarding the lines, or setting up for a bunt. 989 thought of everything including unbelievable cut-off man representations. For them to mess that one up was really weird. Luckily the AI makes the adjustments fairly well for you, especially when it come sto doubleplays, but I have yet to get burned in a bunting situation so we will see if that ever affects gameplay. Hell, for all I know the AI may set your fielders up for a bunt too.

Now for the baserunning. Again really well done except for the other glaring ommission. First for the good though. The baserunner specific controls are excellent. You can actually take control of a specific runner and pick the base that you want him to go to. For instance if you want a guy to go from first to third on a hit to the right side---you just hit the circle to take control of him and then hit left on the control pad to indicate third base. It is just that simple. Of course, you can also choose the generic left or right pad buttons to control all runners. Now for the bad. It say is the manual that you can control the leading of your baserunners. You cannot---it is automatic. Because of this I have yet to steal a base. It really seems like the leads are all the same for everyone, but I could be wrong. Time will tell on that one, but I have yet to steal a base with anyone on the O's.

The game also does all the little things well. The animations are smooth, the number of flyouts/groundouts are realistic, and the AI also seems realistic. Overall I would definately recommend it as long as you can deal with those two problems. At least you know it going in ;) Let me know if you have any other concerns.

[theWacoKid]

I was going to avoid EA like the plague due to their higher pricing, but sony and 989 sports isn't giving me much choice. MLB looks like their best effort, but where's the bells and whistles. The presentation is heavily lacking. They finally got around to including running commentary which their other sports titles lacked, which is really pathetic when you think about it.

MVP's presentation kicks the stuffings out of MLB. I like the graphic treatment better from what I've seen. And they have extras like Homerun Derby and a pitching mini-game along with create a player option. People say EA is overpriced, yes, that's true, but sony's offerings are even more overpriced due to lack of features. Their basketball and hockey are pathetic at $40 and soccer is so-so.

Once Tiger Woods hits Canada, yes, we're still waiting on the game, I'll pick it up. I'm going to EB today and do some game trade-ins. I really need some sports titles, but I want the complete package. TW has some bad load times, but, I'll suffer through as everything else looks intact from the consoles. Create a golfer, running commentary, twelve courses, real courses, some party play modes. Sorry, but Hot Shots Golf isn't a golf game. It's a bit of a goof, stupid characters, goofy reactions, and mediocre golf. Only 6 courses as well. $50 canadian, forget it, I might as well get Tiger at $60 and get the real thing.

MVP has been delayed till early May from what I can tell. I'll probably pick that one up along with Fifa. If MLB was all that was available, I'd go for it, it looks to be a solid game at the core, but sony needs to step up its game and not just port stuff over from the ps2 and cut features. If they had included the career mode from the console, I would've picked it up, which is apparently the console's best feature. But, when I make a great play in the field and turn that double play, I want a bloody replay highlight. If I slam a game winning homer in extra innings, I want some fireworks, and MLB just ain't giving you that, so, sorry, sony, I have to cast my lot with the devil, you just ain't doing it for me.

Overall, I'm suprised the sports titles didn't sell better, especially Tiger Woods. I guess the $50 price tag had something to do with it. Thanks for the impressions on MLB.

[The Prince of Darkness]

I was going to avoid EA like the plague due to their higher pricing, but sony and 989 sports isn't giving me much choice. MLB looks like their best effort, but where's the bells and whistles. The presentation is heavily lacking. They finally got around to including running commentary which their other sports titles lacked, which is really pathetic when you think about it.

MVP's presentation kicks the stuffings out of MLB. I like the graphic treatment better from what I've seen. And they have extras like Homerun Derby and a pitching mini-game along with create a player option. People say EA is overpriced, yes, that's true, but sony's offerings are even more overpriced due to lack of features. Their basketball and hockey are pathetic at $40 and soccer is so-so.

Once Tiger Woods hits Canada, yes, we're still waiting on the game, I'll pick it up. I'm going to EB today and do some game trade-ins. I really need some sports titles, but I want the complete package. TW has some bad load times, but, I'll suffer through as everything else looks intact from the consoles. Create a golfer, running commentary, twelve courses, real courses, some party play modes. Sorry, but Hot Shots Golf isn't a golf game. It's a bit of a goof, stupid characters, goofy reactions, and mediocre golf. Only 6 courses as well. $50 canadian, forget it, I might as well get Tiger at $60 and get the real thing.

MVP has been delayed till early May from what I can tell. I'll probably pick that one up along with Fifa. If MLB was all that was available, I'd go for it, it looks to be a solid game at the core, but sony needs to step up its game and not just port stuff over from the ps2 and cut features. If they had included the career mode from the console, I would've picked it up, which is apparently the console's best feature. But, when I make a great play in the field and turn that double play, I want a bloody replay highlight. If I slam a game winning homer in extra innings, I want some fireworks, and MLB just ain't giving you that, so, sorry, sony, I have to cast my lot with the devil, you just ain't doing it for me.

Overall, I'm suprised the sports titles didn't sell better, especially Tiger Woods. I guess the $50 price tag had something to do with it. Thanks for the impressions on MLB.

What put me over the top was the fact that I purchased NFL Street. Since I already have TW and NFL Street I refuse to give EA any more biz. I will say this much though. Sony has a nice foundation with MLB. It is easy to add bells and whistles down the road. The hard part is to get the pacing, pitcher/batter interface, and fielding right. They have all of that down. I really love some of their little touches like varying sizes of the ball landing icon and the ability to command your baserunner to take an extra base with one press of the button. Those are really awesome features that I just cannot believe that nobody thought of until now. Even with its faults MLB is still, by far, the best handheld baseball game that I have ever played.

[theWacoKid]

Well, just got back from EB, did some wheeling and dealing, took advantage of trade in offers, and pre-ordered Tiger Woods and MVP Baseball. Trade ins take the sting out of the $60 price tag. Two games with taxes $136.78. Ouch! Traded in 7 of my old games and $11.27 instead. In canada, until the end of the month, you can trade 3 games in for any psp game provided the games have a minumum $10 trade in credit, otherwise, you can trade in 5 games with a minumum trade in credit of at least $5. I'll have to check out my collection and see what else needs trimming. I wouldn't mind up picking up Fifa Soccer. Tiger Woods got delayed yet again, now April 22 for canada. Brutal.

I'm glad you're liking MLB. The core game sounds solid, but, I'm a little disappointed with sony and their lack of attention to detail. They're coming off a bit like noobs in the handheld sector.

[theWacoKid]

Okay, blockbusters had MLB in so I rented it. Boy, do I suck at it. I'm having a very hard time picking up on the pitch speed and location. And there's some bad baserunning AI by the cpu. I shouldn't have to manually move a runner from third base to home on a base hit to the outfield. Have you tried online yet. I had no trouble accessing the lobby. There were three guys there but I didn't bother playing. Still, its a cool feature. My name is remy for online in case you see me there.

The play by play was quite good, and I like the fast forward feature, but, man, I'd like a few more bells and whistles on the presentation end.

[The Prince of Darkness]

Okay, blockbusters had MLB in so I rented it. Boy, do I suck at it. I'm having a very hard time picking up on the pitch speed and location. And there's some bad baserunning AI by the cpu. I shouldn't have to manually move a runner from third base to home on a base hit to the outfield. Have you tried online yet. I had no trouble accessing the lobby. There were three guys there but I didn't bother playing. Still, its a cool feature. My name is remy for online in case you see me there.

The play by play was quite good, and I like the fast forward feature, but, man, I'd like a few more bells and whistles on the presentation end.

It is a good game despite its shortcomings(we say that about alot of games these days don't we). As far as the baserunning just press the left flipper to advance all runners if you have a guy on third. You are right, though. It drives me crazy that I cannot steal a base. I hate to do it but I am going to have to adjust the cpu's throwing strength to combat that glitch. It is unbelievable to me that you could have a game with such an excellent foundation, and they could screw up a couple basics that have been accounted for in baseball games for years.

As far as online I am ashamed to say that I have yet to as much as try my PsP online. I feel like an idiot even asking this but if I went to a place that has free wireless internet(my girlfriend's bar)would I be able to play you? That is exactly how much I know about the wi-fi features of my new toy. Dude I don't even know a soul in my area that has one yet, so I can try the ad hoc games.

As far as the speed I cheated because I was having the same problem. I put the cpu pitching speed down just one notch and it has made a difference(many less k's for me). I have a question for you, though. When you are batting and you pick your location and pitch type are you supposed to pick them at the same time? For instance do you hold the right flipper and press the analog stick in a direction WHILE hitting a corresponding pitch button. Or...do you press the right flipper and press the analog stick in a direction THEN release the stick and hit a corresponding pitch button. Does that make any sense? You know how if you guess the correct type of pitch you hear a little beep and the corners of the strike zone light up, and if you guess the right location you get a little lock-on indicator? Well...I don't recall ever getting both on the same pitch, so I think that I may be doing it wrong---unless I have never guessed both right.

[theWacoKid]

It is a good game despite its shortcomings(we say that about alot of games these days don't we). As far as the baserunning just press the left flipper to advance all runners if you have a guy on third. You are right, though. It drives me crazy that I cannot steal a base. I hate to do it but I am going to have to adjust the cpu's throwing strength to combat that glitch. It is unbelievable to me that you could have a game with such an excellent foundation, and they could screw up a couple basics that have been accounted for in baseball games for years.

As far as online I am ashamed to say that I have yet to as much as try my PsP online. I feel like an idiot even asking this but if I went to a place that has free wireless internet(my girlfriend's bar)would I be able to play you? That is exactly how much I know about the wi-fi features of my new toy. Dude I don't even know a soul in my area that has one yet, so I can try the ad hoc games.

As far as the speed I cheated because I was having the same problem. I put the cpu pitching speed down just one notch and it has made a difference(many less k's for me). I have a question for you, though. When you are batting and you pick your location and pitch type are you supposed to pick them at the same time? For instance do you hold the right flipper and press the analog stick in a direction WHILE hitting a corresponding pitch button. Or...do you press the right flipper and press the analog stick in a direction THEN release the stick and hit a corresponding pitch button. Does that make any sense? You know how if you guess the correct type of pitch you hear a little beep and the corners of the strike zone light up, and if you guess the right location you get a little lock-on indicator? Well...I don't recall ever getting both on the same pitch, so I think that I may be doing it wrong---unless I have never guessed both right.

I haven't used the guess pitch feature yet. I'm still on rookie level, lol. I keep forgetting you need a wireless router setup to access the internet with the psp. As far as hot spots go, I haven't tried out any locally. One piece of advice I will give you, there's a power save feature with the wifi setting you need to turn off. It saves on the battery but makes logging on a total crap shoot. What's the point of saving on battery when your signal strength is so low you can't do anything online. Online was fairly easy. You need to set up a user account for the game, and then log in. Quite painless actually. Its a very neat feature. I'd like to try it out on a racing title, those are my fav games to play online. I'm not really big into sports online, too many cheaters, cheapers, quitters and moronicly competitive types out there.

I knew about advancing your runners with the triggers, but, my stupid runner from third started advancing home and then held up and went back to third. Arggghhh. By the time I realized dumbo wasn't going to advance it was too late to send him. It bummed me out, I wind up with bases loaded and then hit into an inning ending double play.

Yeah, I might have to knock the cpu pitching speed down. It's just that I get no sense of speed with the pitches. Fast doesn't seem fast and the low pitches are hard to figure. You'll have the commentary say the ball was in the dirt, yet it clearly wasn't based on what you can see. Also, my fielders seem slow as molasses making throws. The transitions are awfully slow. Its brutal turning a dp, so I must be doing something wrong.