MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #4 - Revamped Fielding System, Animations, Sliders & Videos

[rudyjuly2]

Love the new sliders and elimination of football catches. I was still hoping for a more zoomed out fielding camera where I could actually track the ball the entire time but I do like the new ball marker system. Can't wait to see how this works out.

[bcruise]

I liked that landing indicator video - it looks like that could definitely make you think twice about having a poor fielder in the game in the late innings. Soriano's circle probably takes up all of Left Field....

But as I mentioned the last time this came up, the AI needs to be subject to this for the feature to truly be successful, IMO. It'll be great for online games as is, but if the AI fielder runs directly to the exact landing spot in single-player games regardless of rating and how large their circle is, it's only going to be a source of frustration for the user because they have to jump through a hoop that the AI doesn't.

This is the step no baseball game (to my knowledge) has taken yet, and I will be watching anxiously to see if this one takes that leap.

[bigfnjoe96]

Looks like we may have ourselves a helluva a Fielding System people. Man I can't wait to test drive this bad boy.. Also love that they put back some sliders that were remove EX: Throw Accuracy & Throw Speed

Very nice DD...

[NINJAK2]

Great DD! Game is looking nice!!!

[drterb]

WOW. This looks outstanding. I love the different animations that Sandoval and Longoria had fielding the same type of ground ball. Longoria was smooth and in control, nice throwing animation with a one hop to the first basemen. Sandoval looked like a spaz on all levels which fits his defensive game perfectly.

I didn't realize Garrett Jones was such a bad fielder, but I liked seeing him struggle to make that catch where Ichiro made it easily. I would like to see this demonstrated a few more times though. Show Ichiro making a tough play and then show Garrett Jones getting a similar play and have the ball drop or have him misplay it completely. In addition, show Jones miss the same fly ball he got in the video.

The Betancourt Rollins comparison was nice. It looked like the throw meter disappeared once Betancourt booted the ball. I'm not sure if I like that, but we'll see in a couple of weeks. I would've also like to see Rollins boot the ball, but then recover in time to get the runner. Other than that, Rollins looked silky smooth as he should.

Did Miller Park get rid of the electronic out of town scoreboard in left field?? They used the Wrigley/Fenway out of town scoreboard in the first 5-7 years, but they changed to an electronic left field scoreboard a few years ago. Maybe they changed back. I live in Milwaukee and I don't even know.

I'm not sure I'm a fan of if you're in the green (light or dark) on the throw meter it's 100% accurate. There should still be a chance (very slight) that you throw the ball off line (see Chuck Knoblauch). Hopefully sliders can affect this.

AWESOME sliders!! If they work....

Other than that, GREAT stuff in this diary. Easily the best one so far.

[JayhawkerStL]

Not only was the DD great, the video they showed looked great. The game really does have a nice look and feel to it. These new changes in fielding are going to go a long way in making every game feel fresh.

Good, good stuff. Imagine if the gameplay video had been day time, featured five minutes of of defense, and highlighted a HR without a tell, a chopper up the line, and a sac bunt while on offense.

The atmosphere in the forum would have been a heck of a lot different for the same game.

[Mike Smoove]

Not trying to nit pick but does anyone else feel the field is too small ?

[jeffy777]

Quote: Originally Posted by bcruise

But as I mentioned the last time this came up, the AI needs to be subject to this for the feature to truly be successful, IMO. It'll be great for online games as is, but if the AI fielder runs directly to the exact landing spot in single-player games regardless of rating and how large their circle is, it's only going to be a source of frustration for the user because they have to jump through a hoop that the AI doesn't.

I think ratings will balance it out, but honestly I don't mind if the AI has a slight advantage because I often find AI in baseball games to be too easy any way.

Quote: Originally Posted by Mike Smoove

Not trying to nit pick but does anyone else feel the field is too small ?

It all depends on the camera angle. Folks in the other gameplay thread were saying the field looked nice and huge from the batting camera.