MLB 2K9 News Post

MLB 2K9 First Hands-On (Gamespot)

10:47 PM - January 26, 2009 by johnnyg713

Gamespot has posted their hands on preview of MLB 2K9.

Quote:


	"Like all of the core titles in 2K Sports' roster of sports games, MLB 2K9 has been pulled into internal development. The result is a baseball game that, at least graphically, has been built from the ground up. Producers told us that while the AI code has been modified and built from previous entries in the MLB 2K series, the look and feel of the game are new."

Game: Major League Baseball 2K9Reader Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 38 - View All

Major League Baseball 2K9 Videos

Member Comments

# 41 MJeter02 @ 01/27/09 03:41 AM

I'm a little worried because of the new screenshots, the Lincecum ones were amazing...now we get these. If you go to this link youll see a jose reyes screenshot from 2k8 and it looks about 10 times better than the new one.... http://2ksports.com/screens/new/all/534 if starting from the ground up means the game is gonna look terrible, im not a fan. lets hope these new screen shots are just early and there is work to be done in the next month...

# 42 Stroehms @ 01/27/09 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayhawker


	Well, I forced myself to use it and not just avoid it after I got my guy's ratings up. I was playing solo, so I wanted provide the right kind of challenge for myself. Knowing i coud lose it just added that extra big of adrenaline which would just increase the chance I would screw up a pitch at some point. It would be awfully hard to follow my home rules when playing online, though. And let's just say that the Cardinals rotation needed some boosting.

Amen to that bro. lol.

# 43 ExtremeGamer @ 01/27/09 07:47 AM

It's starting to sound impressive. Love controlling all 30 teams, haven't done that since ASB 2004.

# 44 HK-47 @ 01/27/09 09:08 AM

[quote=dorismary;2039123009]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HK-47


	They've dumbed down the controlls for the lame pick up and play users. In NHL2k9 they called it bring FUN and SIM back into the game and I like it Glad they lessened all the kid gimmic swing and pitch junk.

How is swing stick and total controll pitching a "kid gimmic"?

2k8 had more hit variety than any 2k baseball game I've played.I could finally pull the ball down the line or go the other way, unlike past 2k games where all the hits were either a single up the middle or a homerun to left/right field.

I pray to God

that 2k doesn't go back to the nintendo button smashing "so easy a cave man can do it" controlls.

# 45 boomhauertjs @ 01/27/09 09:34 AM

As a big fan of the NBA 2k series, I'm hopefully optimistic about this game. The short development cycle has me worried. Hopefully, we'll get a demo before the release date.

# 46 Scooter3 @ 01/27/09 10:21 AM

I hope they offer a cheat for the player cards, I don't like jumping through hoops.

I want to know if their 2K8 list of legendary players will be offered in the 2K9 game. If so it would be great if offered in Season and Franchise.

I hope to hear something about 2K9's Create-A-Player options, I hope they offer a face tool so you can create any minor league player or legendary player from the past.

This game is in the right hands and I'm feeling good about 2K9.

Scooter....

# 47 cnelly4 @ 01/27/09 10:27 AM

The gloves look like plastic blow-up toys that you can use in the water.

# 48 Pared @ 01/27/09 10:44 AM

Ha, the gloves remind me of the Bud Light commercials when the guy is playing softball at first.

I've said things continue to sound good but we'll have to wait and see the game in motion first. That was one of the biggest problems with 2k8.

Finally, that looks nothing like Jose Reyes. At all.

# 49 therizing02 @ 01/27/09 10:52 AM

I LOVE the fact that there will be no "new exciting big features". When that happens, the dev team usually goes back to fine tuning the game and adding the "little things" that are often overlooked by the developers.

However, my biggest concern will probably not get addressed until someone gets to play more than an inning with this game.

Meatballs and the ability to basically throw a strike whenever you wanted. The ease of pinpointing location with any pitch regardless of a pitcher's rating has plagued baseball games since High Heat. HH was able to replicate the intensity of the pitcher/batter battle like no other.

Some days pitchers are just "off". Some days pitchers are "on". I'd like to see baseball video games replicate this. While easing the pitching controls for 09 may sound good in theory, will it be too easy to throw strikes? When we try to make it more difficult by changing sliders, will all misses be meatballs that end up going 450ft. PLEASE TELL ME 2K YOU HAVE FIGURED THIS OUT! NOT EVERY MISSED LOCATION IS A MEATBALL!!!

The best case scenario for me would be to use the classic pitching meter, select the pitch and location, and throw. The CPU determines if the pitch will be a ball or strike based on above everything else, the pitchers ability to throw the selected pitch. Other factors to consider should be the game situation and how a pitcher performs in that situation, variable umpires, whether the pitcher is on/off that day, and the batter's ability to read pitches. Is it that difficult?

I just don't want my "stick skills" to determine whether or not a pitch is a ball or a strike.

# 50 Blzer @ 01/27/09 10:54 AM

I think the problem that people have with going to more simplistic controls is that it will be even easier to throw strikes while pitching and make contact while hitting.

I would agree, but then there's the matter of the game being 60 FPS (meaning a larger array of hit variety and perhaps a more precise timing window) and the possibility that, hey, perhaps VC will finally include an option to hide the ball cursor while pitching? I really hope that they do. I also hope there's a Variable Pitching option like 2K3 and 2K4, where even if you hit your spot like intended, it still has a chance of missing just a bit.

I still don't like the style of hitting, though. I wouldn't mind as much if fly ball and ground ball influence were out of the equation, but I'd still much prefer zone hitting altogether. It saddens me that true zone hitting isn't actually in this game (at least for the swing stick).

# 51 bigfnjoe96 @ 01/27/09 10:55 AM

Nice honest preview from Gamespot.

Pitching:It sounds like it's been tighten, yet simplified. Though I loved having to time your release when pitching, @ times it did seem unrealistic when you missed timed your release, including MEATBALLS.

Hitting:I'm not sure if the writer understood what he was doing. He mentions you don't have to time your back-swing, yet he mentions you can push the R-Stick down & hold your back swing stance. We'll you could do the same thing in 2k8. Since he didn't mention anything about Step Influence I'm gonna say it's still in the game until I hear other wise *plug for Chase to check to see if it's still in the game*

Fielding:Seems like they haven't changed too much with fielding, which is fine with me. I just hope Fielding Ratings play a bigger part in the game. Meaning if you sux on the field , your making amazing diving stabs like a seasoned Gold Glover

Inside Edge/Sabermetrics:I've never really used IE because it never felt like it tied into Player Ratings. If VC has found a way to implement IE/Sbaermetrics that makes Player Ratings more realistic this could help a lot with realistic Stats & hopefully realistic Fielding which I've complained about forever.

You can control up to 30 teams in your franchise:

Presentation: In addition, all of the cutaways during gameplay--from the crowd, to the players warming up in the batter's circle, to the bat boy running up to home plate will be real-time renders, not pre-rendered cut-scenes.

I am totally stoked about this feature. Imagine NO CUT SCENES

Card Feature: I'm glad they've simplified this feature. Hopefully they offer some nice goodies for unlocking cards..

Though I'm liking what I've read, I'm gonna stay cautiously optimistic, until more info hits the airwaves..

# 52 Motown @ 01/27/09 11:26 AM

Does this game have HR Derby & World Baseball Classic? thanks

# 53 brendanrfoley @ 01/27/09 11:29 AM

I get confused at times about what people on this board want. Let me explain...

Since 2K8's release, we begged Visual Concepts to focus on the core baseball experience. It seems they have to a great degree. Taking what VC says at face value, for now...

The pitching interface has been streamlined and improved. For all the complaints about "meatballs" last year, they seem to have been removed. If the developers have made it more difficult to throw strikes in return (by hiding the pitch cursor or some other manner), it should deliver a great experience.

On the hitting end, it sounds like little has changed... except the promise of greater hit variety. 2K8's hitting engine was brand new, and wasn't too bad. It appears VC tweaked and enhanced it... while adding a MVP style swing influence (which was in last year's version, by the way).

The addition of Sabermetric stats is wonderful news, as well. OPS, RC, RC/27, ISO etc. A developer wouldn't implement these stats unless they were striving for a realistic experience.

As for the visuals? It may not look as "pretty" as The Show. But, if it looks like the Longoria screenshot in game and moves at a silky smooth 60fps, it is going to look very nice.

# 54 Rebel10 @ 01/27/09 11:30 AM

Hm, I could have sworn I read early on that fielding was going to be worked on extensively... And I'm disapointed to read that it seems the same as last year.

I hate to be negative, but I've been burned three straight years on this baseball game and it's the only choice for me. So, this is really shaping up to be just like the last few years.... "2K continues to make improvements to this game..." blah blah, and it'll be mediocre and there will be a few deadly flaws that make it nearly unplayable.

I wonder if they've fixed the busted manager mode that's been busted for three years. Doubtful.

# 55 brendanrfoley @ 01/27/09 11:32 AM

One more thing... the crowd looks much, much better in these screen shots. The pics of Hunter and Longoria show an evenly spaced, robust crowd in the background.

# 56 brendanrfoley @ 01/27/09 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rebel10


	Hm, I could have sworn I read early on that fielding was going to be worked on extensively... And I'm disapointed to read that it seems the same as last year. I hate to be negative, but I've been burned three straight years on this baseball game and it's the only choice for me. So, this is really shaping up to be just like the last few years.... "2K continues to make improvements to this game..." blah blah, and it'll be mediocre and there will be a few deadly flaws that make it nearly unplayable. I wonder if they've fixed the busted manager mode that's been busted for three years. Doubtful.

Just out of curiosity, what don't you like about the fielding mechanics?

# 57 HK-47 @ 01/27/09 11:42 AM

[quote=dorismary;2039123115]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HK-47


	Hi Howie Its not Rocket Science , Its basics it what got the MLB and NHl 2k series in trouble ! Its also the reason the show wont go the KIDDY route , not my opinion just a fact . Change or options are good but if the dont work properly why bother and 2k / vc now knows this . Cant wait for solid FUN and SIM games Stay heathly and you gotta draw more walks this year, Patience !

WTF are you talking about?Seriously?Kiddy gimmics?Kiddy route?

I think your just bashing 2k8's controlls because you suck at using them.

Say hello to Mr.Jones for me...Oh wait, never mind!

# 58 HK-47 @ 01/27/09 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motown


	Does this game have HR Derby & World Baseball Classic? thanks

It might, cause 2k6 had it...It probably won't though, cause I think it would have been on the features list, cause the WBC is something that would help sell the game.

# 59 bigfnjoe96 @ 01/27/09 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dorismary


	Of course not which stinks for us ps3ers

Since you can see the future, could you let me know what's today winning lottery #'s...

# 60 boomhauertjs @ 01/27/09 12:04 PM

Why does it matter to PS3ers if MLB 2k sucks? You have a great game in The Show. For us 360ers, all we got is 2k (which is why I haven't bought a baseball game since MVP 2005).

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MLB 2K9 First Hands-On (Gamespot)