Major League Baseball 2K10 Hands-on (IGN)

[DaveDQ]

Quote: Originally Posted by EnigmaNemesis

We will agree to disagree on this one. It is the same feature from 2K7, even the same name.

Sure, it's not a big deal really. I'm going to mess with the 2K7 demo and use that up stick to knock off pitches. I'll test it on the lower rated players to see how much of a difference that makes.

Quote: Originally Posted by brendanrfoley

A quick note about the aforementioned "slowdown." The version of MLB 2K10 played by IGN, Gamespot and others is far from final. Those sites played it two weeks ago (the build is likely a month old at this point) and optimization is typically the last thing that happens during development. MLB 2K9 ran smoothly (for the most part) and I expect no worse from 2K10.

2K9 ran ok except for that slowdown when a ball was hit to the outfield. Also, the foul bowl animation where the stands would reach for the ball looked nice, but it slowed the game down a lot.

Your optimization comment is something I have come to hope for but that is probably the most used comment we see right before a game is released. That hope often lets us down too. I agree with you, I just don't trust it will happen.

[brendanrfoley]

Again, I'd take the "graphics have taken a hit" line with a grain of salt.

To start, screens show slightly improved player models and lighting over 2K9. The person who wrote the preview also talked-up many new features as "new" when they are in fact not (button-base throwing, hurry up baseball).

I get the sense this person played little (or none) of 2K9. In that case, if 2K8 is his last real frame of reference, the graphics have taken a hit. But 2K9 is at times a very pretty game that could look much better with solid animations.

I need to see the game in motion before passing judgement.

[Trevytrev11]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blzer

I think TrevyTrev will like the defensive swing mechanic, and it sounds appropriate with the control gesture you have to do. I hope they worked on cursor hitting, though... I'd much prefer that over the swing stick if there's no left stick skill for making contact.

It depends.

It sounds more like a tool used mainly to foul of pitches than one where a hitter is shortening up and trying to execute something on purpose. And I think there is a difference. Fouls, IMO, should be based on timing (for left and right) and I guess randomness as far as fouling balls back with a timing only system. In a cursor system, they should be 100% physics based at the relationship between the bat and ball, speed of the pitch, etc. would determine this.

My hope was for a shortened swing, which had a slightly larger window of contact opportunity at the cost of a reduction to power. I'm looking for more of a Jason Kendall 2 strike swing or a hit and run swing...not an automatic foul ball swing.

[EnigmaNemesis]

Quote: Originally Posted by Trevytrev11

It depends. It sounds more like a tool used mainly to foul of pitches than one where a hitter is shortening up and trying to execute something on purpose. And I think there is a difference. Fouls, IMO, should be based on timing (for left and right) and I guess randomness as far as fouling balls back with a timing only system. In a cursor system, they should be 100% physics based at the relationship between the bat and ball, speed of the pitch, etc. would determine this. My hope was for a shortened swing, which had a slightly larger window of contact opportunity at the cost of a reduction to power. I'm looking for more of a Jason Kendall 2 strike swing or a hit and run swing...not an automatic foul ball swing.

Exactly.

[Trevytrev11]

It sounds like they skipped 2K9 and are comparing this to 2K8. Anyone else feel that wasy from they way the describe the improvements and changes from last year?

[brendanrfoley]

Quote: Originally Posted by Trevytrev11

It sounds like they skipped 2K9 and are comparing this to 2K8. Anyone else feel that wasy from they way the describe the improvements and changes from last year?

Two posts above ya', buddy .

This is one of the more embarrassing previews I have read in a while and there is no doubt in my mind the person who wrote it spent extremely limited (if any) time with 2K9.

[myghty]

Quote: Originally Posted by ckarlic

Not a big fan of pitching and hitting with the analog sticks. For the life of me I can never get the timing down and the hang of it. I hope they still have the option to use other methods.

Im pretty sure they'll have the other options from the past for pitching & hitting but for me personally I do like the anolog controls. Thats the only thing that keeps me curious for this game.

[HK-47]

2K/VC need to let me preview the game.

I'm not too far from Sand Diego.