Major League Baseball 2K9 Review

[Muskrat]

...and from a 'casual' standpoint, I like that the cpu doesn't let a strike arbitrarily go by (ie: 1st pitch strikes). I've never understood why, when most pitchers throw strikes on the first pitch, more batters don't exploit this. If I want a strikeout, I have to really work for it (9 games in) by throwing some balls to set up strikes, I have 25 K's now in 9 games (yeah, 3K's per game is low...I'm still learning).

[Trevytrev11]

Quote: Originally Posted by Muskrat

...and from a 'casual' standpoint, I like that the cpu doesn't let a strike arbitrarily go by (ie: 1st pitch strikes). I've never understood why, when most pitchers throw strikes on the first pitch, more batters don't exploit this. If I want a strikeout, I have to really work for it (9 games in) by throwing some balls to set up strikes, I have 25 K's now in 9 games (yeah, 3K's per game is low...I'm still learning).

Just because a pitch is a strike doesn't neceassarily mean it's a good pitch to hit. Most pitchers don't just toss fastballs down the middle on their first pitch and then batters just take that pitch. They attack the edges of the zone because they know hitters are looking for a pitch they can drive, which is usually something over the heart or middle of the plate.

There are hitters who will take 99% of the time regardless of the pitch and location and there are some that will swing at almost anything, but most hitters go up and look for a pitch in a location to drive when the count is even or in their favor (approach changes when they have two strikes)..most hitters hit fastballs better than any other pitch (it's straighter) and therefore more often than not will sit on that pitch when the count is even or in their favor. If they get it on the first pitch, they will jump on it, but if it is something else, they will lay off. This is what the game does not do. They will swing at bad strikes because it's a strike instead of because it's a pitch to drive.

Hopefully that makes sense...A slider at the knee's on the corner is a pitchers pitch because it's tough for the hitter to hit solid. It's not a pitch many guys can drive on a regular basis. So why would a hitter continue to swing at that pitch?

I don't think strikeouts is the issue...the hitters swing and miss. It's the fact that they swing at everything and every count, which makes pitch counts and the batter vs. pitcher experience unrealistic.

[Trevytrev11]

Quote: Originally Posted by Muskrat

Iand provide the sliders for tweaking by the hardcore fans. To me, this is what 2k9 does...

Unfortunately for one major aspect of the game, slider tweaks do not work to allieviate the problem.

[Muskrat]

Quote: Originally Posted by Trevytrev11

Just because a pitch is a strike doesn't neceassarily mean it's a good pitch to hit. Most pitchers don't just toss fastballs down the middle on their first pitch and then batters just take that pitch. They attack the edges of the zone because they know hitters are looking for a pitch they can drive, which is usually something over the heart or middle of the plate. There are hitters who will take 99% of the time regardless of the pitch and location and there are some that will swing at almost anything, but most hitters go up and look for a pitch in a location to drive when the count is even or in their favor (approach changes when they have two strikes)..most hitters hit fastballs better than any other pitch (it's straighter) and therefore more often than not will sit on that pitch when the count is even or in their favor. If they get it on the first pitch, they will jump on it, but if it is something else, they will lay off. This is what the game does not do. They will swing at bad strikes because it's a strike instead of because it's a pitch to drive. Hopefully that makes sense...A slider at the knee's on the corner is a pitchers pitch because it's tough for the hitter to hit solid. It's not a pitch many guys can drive on a regular basis. So why would a hitter continue to swing at that pitch? I don't think strikeouts is the issue...the hitters swing and miss. It's the fact that they swing at everything and every count, which makes pitch counts and the batter vs. pitcher experience unrealistic.

I understand what you are saying, and it makes sense, but why should the AI not swing at a slider on the outside edge on the first pitch but then swing at the same pitch later in the count. I get that later in the count, say 0-2, you would have to swing at that pitch, as you are protecting the plate...I just don't have as big a gripe about swinging at strikes...again, this is from a casual fan who is not looking for a picture perfect recreation of the season. I want to see one of my guys with a .410 average, another with 80 home runs, and maybe yet another with a stolen base per game (that will never happen..I don't steal)...you get the point.

I at least understand the griping about the pitch counts and aggressive AI more than the people who have their panties all in a twist because the batting helmets are wrong or this jersey or that jersey isn't available.

[allBthere]

Quote: Originally Posted by BlyGilmore

Point blank, gamers should not need to put the extra time and effort into going out and finding sliders, or playing with sliders themselves, to get a passable game of baseball. I stand by my statement - sliders are for tweaking and perfecting. They are not for fixing flaws the developers should have fixed on their own. I cannot think of another product people can spend their hard earned dollars on where people make excuses for it being broken just - because you have the option of fixing it yourself. Would you tell somebody who opened up a brand new Dell to crack open the case, grab a their soldering iron (yeah i spelled that wrong sliz) and fix it themselves? "Come on! That loose chip isn't Dell's fault! Just spend the next hour putting it back in place and you'll be fine! Crybaby!"

the main difference is that 2k9 isn't broken...at least in my eyes. a typical game of mine I throw 85-95 pitches and the other team 95-120. That's not 'passable'? the game isn't for you...that's fine, but it's not broken imo either.

[Pared]

Quote: Originally Posted by Muskrat

I understand what you are saying, and it makes sense, but why should the AI not swing at a slider on the outside edge on the first pitch but then swing at the same pitch later in the count. I get that later in the count, say 0-2, you would have to swing at that pitch, as you are protecting the plate...I just don't have as big a gripe about swinging at strikes...again, this is from a casual fan who is not looking for a picture perfect recreation of the season. I want to see one of my guys with a .410 average, another with 80 home runs, and maybe yet another with a stolen base per game (that will never happen..I don't steal)...you get the point. I at least understand the griping about the pitch counts and aggressive AI more than the people who have their panties all in a twist because the batting helmets are wrong or this jersey or that jersey isn't available.

Have you ever seen baseball? (I don't mean this with disrespect so don't read that sentence that way.) In baseball, batters take pitches down the plate all the time.

[Muskrat]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pared

Have you ever seen baseball? (I don't mean this with disrespect so don't read that sentence that way.) In baseball, batters take pitches down the plate all the time.

Yes, I have seen baseball...in fact, last year I only missed watching maybe 4 Cubs games on MLB.com (I live in New York..no WGN). I have been a baseball fan for over 20 years and understand that players take pitches. BUT player take pitches because they don't know what's coming, or maybe they do and have problems hitting that pitch or location, or they expect something easier to handle later in the at-bat. I get it. But taking a pitch is based on a human element. Taking a first pitch strike that you can hit, simply because it's "what you do", to me, has always seemed a bit silly. If you think you can handle the pitch, why not go for it? Now, from an AI perspective, the AI knows what you are pitching and whether they can hit it or not..after all, we are playing the AI's game, so the only way the AI will take a pitch it can hit is for the programmer to put into place something that stops the AI from swinging at first pitches...simply because in baseball, that's what happens.

It appears that there are mechanisms in place in the game to get the AI to not be as aggressive, and those mechanisms are simply not working, THAT is a problem that should be remedied. The AI is simply swinging at pitches that it can hit...I can't fault it for doing that, I can fault the programmer for improper implementation of mechanics that are in place to preclude this from happening.

[Rocky]

Quote: Originally Posted by BlyGilmore

Point blank, gamers should not need to put the extra time and effort into going out and finding sliders, or playing with sliders themselves, to get a passable game of baseball. I stand by my statement - sliders are for tweaking and perfecting. They are not for fixing flaws the developers should have fixed on their own. I cannot think of another product people can spend their hard earned dollars on where people make excuses for it being broken just - because you have the option of fixing it yourself. Would you tell somebody who opened up a brand new Dell to crack open the case, grab a their soldering iron (yeah i spelled that wrong sliz) and fix it themselves? "Come on! That loose chip isn't Dell's fault! Just spend the next hour putting it back in place and you'll be fine! Crybaby!"

Nobody is making excuses for anything being broken. If it can be remedied with sliders, it's NOT broken. Period. That's what they are there for. If you feel like the CPU gets too many hits, then lower the slider and there is no problem. That analogy is terrible for the simple fact that games which I think are unplayable without sliders (again NCAA Football 2009...much more unplayable than this game out the box, NBA2K9) are capable and in many cases, enjoyable to alot of people with default sliders.

Point blank, the issues that MLB 2K9 has (wonky fielding, AI not taking strikes, lack of customization) can't be fixed with sliders. But don't give this rationale that sliders are meaningless or you shouldn't have to adjust them. They're apart of video games just like Franchise, CAP, Editing Players, etc.