MLB The Show 18 - Dev Stream #1: Gameplay & AI Archive
The first MLB The Show 18 developer stream is in the books and focused on Gameplay and AI.
Continue on to watch an archive of the stream and to check out the TGT recap.
Recap:
Hosted by developers Nick Livingston, Lance Leahy, Stephen Hass
Show agenda: Hitting, gameplay, AI, new legend, & trailer breakdown
Trailer breakdown (11:29)
First player shown is Babe Ruth.
New legendshown: Troy Percival.
Legend Lee Smith shown.
Road to the Show info coming March 8.
New suite of hairstyles, skin improvements for player creation.
Legend Dock Ellis shown.
Legend Pee Wee Reese shown.
New situation awareness animations.
Legend Don Sutton shown.
Legend Benito Santiago shown.
Judge's Chambers in NY shown.
Babe Ruth shown again.
Post-play animation shown.
Legend teams teased.
Improved tag system.
All New Tagging Engine (17:50)
- Set Up Tags
- Running Tags
- Standing Free Tags
Gameplay focus this year is on 'competitive gameplay,' per Leahy.
Designer Chris Gill joins the stream: "Complete overhaul with our tag system." "Tags were a big problem last year." Aiming to eliminate exploits and frustrations, especially in online competitive games.
Examples of tag system improvements from 17 v 18 shown.
Same person who wrote tag system wrote running system.
Hundreds of new animations and months of new logic added.
Catcher Efficiency (26:38)
- Blocking
- Pick-ups
- Branching Throws
Gill: "Online games need to be fair, need to balanced." Want to make it where users cannot blame the game for a loss.
Hundreds of new animations added for catcher blocking.
Examples of catcher improvements from 17 v 18 shown.
Pitcher Fielding Efficiency (34:14)
- Covering Home
- Pick-ups and More Urgency
Examples of pitcher fielding efficiency improvements from 17 v 18 shown.
Hitting Engine Upgrades (47:52)
- Opposite Field Power
- Timing Window
- Contact & Power Swing
- Exit Velocities
- Swing Analysis
- Plate Coverage Indicator (PCI)
- Online & 2P Games
- Physics
PCI discussed, disclosed. Importance of power in regards to PCI shown in charts.
Opacity of the PCI has been lowered since the closed Alpha took place.
Contact will now be graded this year.
Lead AI Engineer Jeff McArthur joins the show in place of Hass to discuss physics, which he helped write and place into the game.
After an audit of the improved physics added into MLB The Show 17, proper air density now included/updated into the game.
Entering in proper real-life data on home runs into the game will now see home runs landing in virtually the same spot in game as in real life.
McArthur leaves and Hass returns.
New legend revealed: 9-time All-Star Vladimir Guerrero.
The next MLB The Show 18 news will come on February 12 as part of the weekly GameStop Monday release.
Check out our previous MLB The Show 18 developer livestream archive & TGT Recaps:
- Stream #1: Gameplay & AI
- Stream #2: Custom Batting Stance & The Little Things
- Stream #3: Presentation & Commentary
- Stream #4: Diamond Dynasty
- Stream #5: Road to the Show
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