MLB 09 The Show: Lighting
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The latest Playstation Blog has some details on the process behind the lighting in MLB 09 The Show. There are even some screenshots included that display sort of how they come together step-by-step. You can check out the full blog posting here.
Lighting was a major focus for us this year, and we implemented a Global Lighting model. What does that mean? It means that objects are lit by their surroundings. It means that when players are in shadow, they can still get light from the sunlight hitting the dirt just beyond the shadow’s edge, or a bright wall behind them. It means that in stadiums, red floors cast red light on neighboring objects. It is another step towards that realism we all want in our baseball game.
Coming out of the community preview event this was probably the most discussed improvement made to the game due how drastically it enhances the experience. From the demo you can get a feel for the nighttime progression and the screenshots have highlighted some other examples. But you really need to experience the different lighting situations and in various stadiums to understand the scope of what SCEA has done with the lighting this year.
February 21, 2009 at 12:33 am
Dont forget about Motorstorm Pacific Rift. Great game and they just came out with first patch.
February 21, 2009 at 12:44 am
It doesnt matter what the controls are if they work seamlessly and intuitively to the baseball experience. The Show does just that and does it very well with a very similar thought process to being on the field.
2k tried a new concept with their pitching and it was seriouly flawed. Kudos for the effort, but boos for the execution.
2k's swing stick has been crap and a check swing is basicaly non-existent. The Show nails this and does it to where you dont even think about it, because it works intuitively they way a real ballplayer thinks on the field. That is what makes a real baseball sim and not an arcade game that invents some gimmick that you have to master, even if it is counter-intuitive to what a real ballplayer thinks.
February 21, 2009 at 1:00 am
Woods, so you actually played The Show 08. That's even more revealing….and sad. The huge majority appreciate how good it is as a baseball sim.
Apparently, you didnt and like 2k's game better. Oh well to each his own, but you wont get any credibility around here.
I never played the older Sony baseball games, 08 PS3 was my first, but why mess with the basic controls when you get it right.
I played 2k7 a lot and had fun with it, but it doesnt have the true sim feel and AI someone of my experience wants. Plus the swing stick is a gimmick with no checkswing basically. It was too easy to locate your pitches too, but at least you didnt have the idiot meatballs of 2k8. That was broken and 2k admitted to that and have supposedly now changed it for 2k9.
Before that I played MVP 05 PC modded for a few years. That game is outstanding with the mods. Good without. But, The Show takes the game to another level for those of us that prefer a true sim experience with next gen graphics. But you had to love the flexibility of the PC mod experience.
February 21, 2009 at 3:46 am
Well first of all, I've never stated that 2k8 was better than 08 the show, I never even said it was a bad sim – I simply stated that the game was a PORT, which it is. and it is essentially the SAME exact game as MLB THE SHOW 06 for the PS2…
and since you yourself have stated that 08 was the first time you'd even played it…why are you even trying to discuss this?
again – I'm not discussing previous installments of the 2k series, just 2k9. those other games were horrible, bad, sucked, terrible, the worst…we agree. but 2k9 is another story and you know it.
February 22, 2009 at 11:52 am
Whoever wants to play a great baseball game has about a week to get a PS3!Save your 64 dollars from MLB2k and get a PS3.Dont be let down again!!!!!!!!!!
February 23, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Man this sidewinder due ain't listening to no one but himself. Stop arguing with him.
February 26, 2009 at 3:16 am
I have no idea how anyone can say the player models in 2k9 look good at all. I saw a screen shot of Josh Beckett and well….it looked nothing like Becket. Those screen shots from The Show are very impressive though.