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The RS version of this game is an abortion almost all the way around. From “perfectly” released pitches that either miss on the other side of the zone or are grooved down the middle so these ubiquitous steroid-version “post season” cards can hit them to the moon with [censored] timing to base runners behaving like they’re Forrest Gump playing the game for the first tIme ever instead of Hall of Famers. How many times have I seen TY F-in COBB stand on first base picking his nose until the pitcher releases the ball so he can be thrown out stealing. How many times has Kaline...KALINE!... done a little hamster dance before throwing the ball so the runner “just has time” to score? Yes. Quite the simulation you’ve built.

Tonight, I lost to a guy who never timed ANYTHING. Just meatball exploitation and mistimed bleeders all over the field. He came close to nothing in the first two AB’s against Prestige Palmer, went into the pause screen then came back making contact on everything because he obviously missed directional hitting. Right on cue came the perfectly released meatball he completely failed to time with Super Correa and hit out. The ball floated out like the [censored] Hindenburg. With these ridiculous power ratings, that happens all the time.

Me on the other hand? Good PCI placement the entire game with a wad that were timed next to perfect and came off the bat like the ball was made of lead. I’m not playing the game when it goes there. I’m participating in virtual ratfuckery.

There’s another thread I was glad to see, about how this game often ruins people’s entire days because when you “play” it, you‘re constantly reminded how you’re masturbating to what’s little more than a visually stimulating virtual slot machine with addictive content bait built in to keep you coming back for your “reward” hit. It wouldN’t bother me as much if the cards I want weren’t tied to online play...and the PS Plus membership, of course. Then I’d just grind the computer never havIng to tolerate this BS on top of dashboarders quitting half the time just to screw me out of the stats these jagoffasaur developers demand I collect in their online sewer to obtain the cards. Did I mention the toxicity of the online “experience” in general? I mean, they got rid of direct messaging met players, didn’t they? Yet, let’s try to force-herd more players into the cesspool! Brilliant. I digress.

I agree that homeruns “should” be a major part of this game, but a bomb fest shouldn’t be the only way to compete without bunt spamming. It’s obvious that so many players are switching back to directional, just laying on power swing, and are being rewarded for it. Ridiculous.

Someone else pointed out that the devs probably never play the asinine online version unless they’re required to at work. I understand why; who wants to take their work home with them? Grudging empathy aside, it shows.

I’m 54 and barely hit 700 for a minute earlier this year before I quit playing online, again. Best ones for me to that point were LS collection Pedro, the 99 Sabathia, and the Angels collection Nolan. The AS Skenes card is ridiculous, too. I P5’d him mostly offline and never gave up a run to the CPU in 100 IP. Retired it to keep the 0.00! Happy hunting!

Guess Pitch is definitely on, at least it was overnight. My first opponent of the year ambushed me with the stupid thing before I realized what was up. This had better be a f**king oversight. Between the high school command of "perfectly released" pitches, the incessant number of bleeders finding every hole, and the beer league softball fielding/scores, I won't be enduring that, too.

*Last year I played well over 100-games in RS. This year: fewer than 20.

*I used to despise the marketplace but now find flipping cards by far the most rewarding and enjoyable part of this beautifully presented digital abortion. In the last week, I’ve made 3-million stubs and purchased Gehrig, Wagner, and Chapman. I’ve yet to use them online and might not!

*In years past, RTTS was my zombie escape mode. Not this year. Thanks for ruining that, too, SDS. Asshats.

*When I occasionally feel like I am “forced” to actually play one mode or another to finish card collecting, it feels like a dreaded filthy chore; one to be endured rather than an enjoyable leisure activity and my day is invariably worse when I turn it off in disgust.

I’m not a gaming expert or anything, but I can’t imagine having your customers hate playing your product is a sustainable business model…unless there’s another factor involved.

At first it was confusing when I realized that I kept playing this steaming slot machine pile despite hating it. Then I learned something about algorithms, group status (Making WS! Getting the banner!), gambling psychology, and ultimately dopamine addiction.

I don’t post much but I do lurk. So many complain and say they’re going to quit. Then someone else will predictably chime in saying, “you’ll be back next week/year” or even dig out an old post where the person said the same thing the previous month! Of course they’re almost always right. How many people joke about how the game blows geriatric sheep but how “addicting” it still is?!?

It runs far beyond MLB 21. The Dopamine Drip is designed into all of our contemporary digital simulators, platforms, and devices. In this game, and I assume others, its tube runs from the constantly refreshed content. They know it. This years game is something to be ashamed of. Do you suppose the flood of content, especially with the TA programs, is a coincidence?

I no longer rage at the game. It’s inanimate. It’s SDS itself that deserves the pitchforks.

@Cubsfan217_XBL After finishing that tedious TA, I refuse to use any of them on principle. Horrible notion for a supposed “simulation” game.

Zip. Zilch. Zero. For shitz and giggles I decided to try a few innings with Maddux using the cheeseball “classic” interface in an RS game. Almost the same level of command as with the meter’s “perfect release.” Half the time it feels like there’s a little force field around the strike zone keeping you from throwing a quality strike until the location roulette gremlin decides it’s time for a “perfect” meatball. This is a joke. Why not just go back to 1995 and take user input out of the equation completely? That would be infinitely less frustrating than this input abortion. It’s not like we’re having much effect on the pitch outcome anyhow. Why bother pretending any further?

@allmustfall16 said in Who plays or played real baseball in there life?:

I was all state in high school baseball. Also played for the team that had the most wins in a row in US history. My hometown was on sports center when we did it.

I played college Football, but quit my freshmen year.

Baseball was always my best sport. But I had some personal stuff going on and struggled as a senior. When I was a junior I hit .428 with 12 HRs

You forgot to mention the book!

For a relatively cheap option, I had good luck with SS Lofton. He has a surprisingly good bat swinging away against pinched infields, too, not to mention that defense. He’s robbed a few HR for me.

I finished the LS in June so hadn’t been paying much attention to it. Turns out I had pulled three Petrickas along the way and had them collecting dust. A few people are a bit happier now…

@dbub_PSN 23

I’ve hit 27 once; non-perfect game, too. I managed to P5 AS Skenes without giving up a run in 100 IP! Kind of surprised and now I don’t want to use him to keep it intact! The 23+ k/9 thing made me laugh, too. It’s funny how most of my stud pitchers average right around 23.3 k/9, seemingly regardless of their K ratings. Explains the “magic innings” where I suddenly can’t get a swing and miss!

On the offensive side, I finally scored 100 runs. Was on my way again with a season-ineligible HOF card God Squad this week when SDS farted and kicked me offline after scoring 40+. Pissed me off and haven’t played since!

There are fewer legends this year than there have been in a long time. Far too many recycled players with multiple cards. Im just speculating but I suspect it has to do with economics. Sony has made cuts across the board b/c growth has stagnated/corrected post-pandemic and the isolation surge. Happening across the gaming environment. Except for the Negro League players, this year’s version of the game has been a noticeable step back across the board. I imagine it has to do with these budget and staff cuts. Seems that would apply to budgets allocated to players for usage rights. Another factor could be the corporate partnership with Topps.