FLUID ANIMATIONS NEEDS TO BE 2K BASEBALL'S GOAL NEXT YEAR - BigBlue's Blog

BigBlue's Blog

FLUID ANIMATIONS NEEDS TO BE 2K BASEBALL'S GOAL NEXT YEAR

Posted on March 16, 2010 at 11:46 PM.

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I'll admit it. I'm a sucker for 2K Sports' titles. I own all of their football titles, basketball games, hockey and baseball games. I even bought Don King Boxing by 2K sports. I'm a big believer of their product. Love sim sports games, always have.

I, like many of my fellow OS gamers, am enjoying the heck out of MLB2K10. Yes, it has its quirks, stutters, and at times questionable AI. But I believe that this is the game we were meant to have last year. And, while I gave last year's title every chance to shine, it became apparent that the game was simply incomplete.

But this year's title erases last year's bad memories (not to mention the snazzy David Wright FATHEAD hanging on my basement wall). To me, the current patch improves the games' rating from a 7 to a solid 8.

BUT . . . this game still needs work. 2K HAS to focus on animation fluidity for next year's title. There is absolutely no doubt about this. It is MLB THE SHOW's fluid animations that set the standard for baseball videogames. Plain and simple.

It is time for 2K to smooth out the animations.
* Eliminate the stop and start running animations.
* Slow down pickoff attempts to a more natural speed.
* Get rid of the hitching in some of the baserunning animations. Baserunners should also round the bases and maintain that arc angle, never always running right on top of the chalk from base to base.
* Slow down that rocket throw from the outfield or from deep in the hole from a shortstop position.
* Enough with the user-controlled rushed throws that look so unnatural, it's virtually impossible for a shortstop to throw to first while facing centerfield.
* Slow down the bat speed going through the zone on a power swing
* Improve the batter's swing animation so that there is no delay between his stride and the movement of his hips while bringing the bat through the zone. And make sure his eyes are on the ball all the way through contact (NEVER LOOKING AWAY)
* It's time for 2K to be the first of the baseball titles that includes a catcher removing and tossing his mask while blocking the plate, or to field a bunt or a popup behind the plate. That would be innovative.
* The players in the dugout clapping their hands should be looking towards the field and not to the heavens. Players in the dugout dont always stare at the jumbotron either.
* If my player hits a homerun, let him shake hands with the coaches in the coaching boxes.

I'm sure there are many other animations that need to be ironed out a bit. In my opinion, 2K Baseball right now is where THE SHOW was a few years ago. Tighten up some of the AI logic, but really GET TO WORK ON ANIMATION FLUIDITY and this game will hit a home run next year. I guarantee it.

BigBlue