MLB 2K9 News Post

Major League Baseball 2K9 Developer Diary: Gameplay

07:44 AM - February 10, 2009 by bronco92

MLB 2K9 Gameplay Producer, Jonathan Rivera, drops by today to blog about some of the new AI improvements and enhancements you'll find in this year's version of 2K baseball.

Quote:


	"Signature style is something that we�ve been doing quite a while now across our sports titles, and we expanded on that this year even more for MLB 2K9 with over 300 new signature animations. When we announced that Tim Lincecum was going to be our cover athlete, we were all pretty excited to have a Cy Young winner represent our game, but even more than that it was going to be a great opportunity to really nail his signature delivery."

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# 41 Blitzburgh @ 02/10/09 02:00 PM

That was a very impressive read! I love everything he mentioned. I especially liked the stealing and base running controls and how you wil finally see how fast the runner is when you look over at him! I always hated not knowing if the runner was a threat or not.

# 42 tmac55 @ 02/10/09 02:01 PM

Really like what I am reading so far and I am pumped for this game. It has to be better than 2k8 and it seems like they did enough to tweak its nuances.

Now for some videos and a demo hopefully before release. As a 360 owner, it would be nice to have a solid game for the summer of baseball.

# 43 mdiggitydawg @ 02/10/09 02:02 PM

big question for me...how soon can bigfnjoe get his sliders up after the release ? i've come to live and die by them in my franchise. I seriously hope this is a good game, was pretty down on it last week especially compared to the Other game...now I have hope...must be the whole Obama as president thing !

# 44 Blzer @ 02/10/09 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericjwm


	No one knows for sure on here. But the dude answering Q's on GameSpot mentioned that he didn't notice any time of day progression. VC started over & changed alot, so they might of temporarily removed it for 09.

Also keep in mind of this screenshot:

Remember that the guy playing IS indeed doing franchise mode, so he didn't set the time of day for this game. This must have been a 7:00 start, and at the first inning already being dark... tsk tsk.

# 45 The Living Legend @ 02/10/09 02:09 PM

I agree with Baa and the hitstick it is a overglorifed button setup, i can deal if its implented properely, all the fluff is good and dandy about real time crowd, but sorry to reiterate, but if the animations and glitches like things popping in and out still plague this game, or People run then immedialty stop, or lets say a slap hit to right side of the field to move a runner over can happen since lets just say field proportions are wrong, things of that nature are More important then that crap on the article.

# 46 Blzer @ 02/10/09 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitzburgh


	That was a very impressive read! I love everything he mentioned. I especially liked the stealing and base running controls and how you wil finally see how fast the runner is when you look over at him! I always hated not knowing if the runner was a threat or not.

I wish that would only come up if you had his Inside Edge scouting report.

# 47 myghty @ 02/10/09 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blzer


	Remember that the guy playing IS indeed doing franchise mode, so he didn't set the time of day for this game. This must have been a 7:00 start, and at the first inning already being dark... tsk tsk.

Maybe it wasn't included in the Beta copy?

# 48 The Living Legend @ 02/10/09 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blzer


	Also keep in mind of this screenshot: Remember that the guy playing IS indeed doing franchise mode, so he didn't set the time of day for this game. This must have been a 7:00 start, and at the first inning already being dark... tsk tsk.

Ugh if this is true then it blows because its something that should be a required item by now, its way to hard to have it then go back and see night the entire game again. Ugh

# 49 Blitzburgh @ 02/10/09 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baa7


	I guess I don't understand why people are so accepting of this. I'll try to be very clear: 2K8 introduced an innovative hitting system unparalled in baseball games. But it goes beyond that. There are few stick movement features in video sports games that mimic the actual physical activity it's attempting to copy, to the degree 2K8's swing stick mimics hitting a baseball. The closest comparison I can think of is the way the RB running is mapped to the R stick in 2K football. So imagine if there had been an NFL 2K6, but VC decided to go back to the way running was in 2K4. Football gamers would have hit the roof. With last year's system, you approached hitting the way an MLB player does (minus the aiming of course). The key component was the pulling back on the stick, which emulated the leg lift/timing mechanism hitter's use as the pitch approaches. That timing mechanism is 50% of hitting. And it's never been included in a baseball game. We had the perfect system, and now it's gone. That's like Michaelangelo carving the statue of David, and then taking a chain saw hacking the thing in two.

While I agree with you that it was probably very realistic. I could never get the timing down on it. I just moved the slider all the way to 0 and played it that way. I think they should of made it an option for guys that liked it though just like they did with the pitching mechanics. All in all this game should look, feel & sound like a whole new ball game in my opinion!

# 50 Blitzburgh @ 02/10/09 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blzer


	I wish that would only come up if you had his Inside Edge scouting report.

Maybe but remember if you were actually pitching in the majors the catcher and coaches would remind you to keep an eye on the runnner. We don't have that luxury since it's a video game so I think some sort of "tip" is very helpful. I also think on exibition games or quick play inside edge reports should be active for all players. That would be a nice way to learn each player for when you face them in Franchise if you don't have their report.

# 51 bifflefan28 @ 02/10/09 02:36 PM

From what I read I'm definitely picking up this game and another baseball game I won't mention.

# 52 bigfnjoe96 @ 02/10/09 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baa7


	Joe keeps pointing out that it's possible it's still an option, so hopefully. But is zone hitting possible if you don't use the stick? That would be a reason to use it.

Baa supposedly Zone Hitting can be used with Classic Hitting or Total Control Hitting:

Quote:


	Lastly, we implemented zone hitting as an alternate control scheme. Zone hitting is where you have a cursor and you have to put the cursor in the same zone that the ball crosses the plate in addition to your regular swing. Zone hitting works with either the Classic swing (press A button) or Total Control (RStick). We also added a �sweet spot� to the cursor, if you lineup the �sweet spot� of the cursor where the ball crosses the plate, the hitter will get an additional boost to your hit.

# 53 jeffy777 @ 02/10/09 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Padgoi


	Does this not concern anyone else or did I miss something?

No, I'm not concerned yet because I haven't seen it in action or tried it, so it's to soon to really say whether this new method it's going to be good or not.

# 54 bigfnjoe96 @ 02/10/09 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blzer


	Also keep in mind of this screenshot: Remember that the guy playing IS indeed doing franchise mode, so he didn't set the time of day for this game. This must have been a 7:00 start, and at the first inning already being dark... tsk tsk.

So in the beginning of April, 7pm games still offer natural light?

# 55 jeffy777 @ 02/10/09 03:13 PM

^^^ We heard you the first time, lol

# 56 Knight165 @ 02/10/09 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigfnjoe96


	So in the beginning of April, 7pm games still offer natural light?

Ummm...yep.

....http://www.timeanddate.com/worldcloc...&afl=-13&day=1

M.K.
Knight165

# 57 The Living Legend @ 02/10/09 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Padgoi


	Just to put this point out there again so people realize that this is a bit more significant than the daytime-nighttime transition in terms of gameplay: 2. Am I the only one who is truly concerned about the pitching description? He says they removed the meatballs (which is good) and that if you mess up the gesture now, it will result in fastballs being straighter and slower and curveballs not curving as much. This concerns me greatly because it SOUNDS like a meatball, just with a different description. Instead of having a straight ball right down the middle, a fastball will be straighter and slower - that sounds like a glorified meatball . And a curveball won't curve as much - ALSO sounds like a glorified meatball. I'd be happy if he said, "if you mess up the gesture and release too early, the pitch will sail high and the pitch won't have as much bite. Likewise, if you hold the gesture too long, the pitch will be in the dirt." But he didn't say that. He said the pitch won't have as much bite, which in essence means it will be more hittable. Again, to me, this isn't real baseball. If I'm pitching and I mess up my gesture (delivery), the pitch is definitely not going to have as much bite, that's true. But there's a DAMN good chance that pitch won't be near the strike zone either! Once again, he doesn't mention a THING about strikes being difficult to throw or working the count (as the pitcher) or pitches being balls if the gesture is wrong, just that the pitch won't have as much bite, which sounds like bad gestures will once again result in pitches over the plate and smashed. Does this not concern anyone else or did I miss something?

I think it will be a mixture of both, you probably wont get a pitch right down the pipe but it will be damn close but nowhere nearly as much as last years.

# 58 bigfnjoe96 @ 02/10/09 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wsu_gb23


	not to be cynical, but has 2K EVER made a good baseball game? 2K baseball was happening during the MVP era, and everyone knows how good the MVP series was...how did MLB ever decide on giving the exclusive license to 2K for baseball? What title/titles did they base their decision on? Just a Jack Handy deep thought there...

Sorry but MVP had 1 good year. MVP 05. 2K when developed by Blue Shift made some great baseball games. All their games received 8's & better from reviewers with World Series Baseball 2k3 being recognized as 1 of the best baseball games ever.

Now in reference to the License, I'm pretty sure money had something to do with it... Ya Think???

# 59 bigfnjoe96 @ 02/10/09 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baa7


	Thanks. Now, I guess there's no Power swing button any more, is there? That's about the only reason I'd go back to button hitting.

No Power Swing Button. 1 Button Hitting...

# 60 Trevytrev11 @ 02/10/09 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Padgoi


	Just to put this point out there again so people realize that this is a bit more significant than the daytime-nighttime transition in terms of gameplay: 2. Am I the only one who is truly concerned about the pitching description? He says they removed the meatballs (which is good) and that if you mess up the gesture now, it will result in fastballs being straighter and slower and curveballs not curving as much. This concerns me greatly because it SOUNDS like a meatball, just with a different description. Instead of having a straight ball right down the middle, a fastball will be straighter and slower - that sounds like a glorified meatball . And a curveball won't curve as much - ALSO sounds like a glorified meatball. I'd be happy if he said, "if you mess up the gesture and release too early, the pitch will sail high and the pitch won't have as much bite. Likewise, if you hold the gesture too long, the pitch will be in the dirt." But he didn't say that. He said the pitch won't have as much bite, which in essence means it will be more hittable. Again, to me, this isn't real baseball. If I'm pitching and I mess up my gesture (delivery), the pitch is definitely not going to have as much bite, that's true. But there's a DAMN good chance that pitch won't be near the strike zone either! Once again, he doesn't mention a THING about strikes being difficult to throw or working the count (as the pitcher) or pitches being balls if the gesture is wrong, just that the pitch won't have as much bite, which sounds like bad gestures will once again result in pitches over the plate and smashed. Does this not concern anyone else or did I miss something?

I'm not too concerned. The don't say the ball will go straight down the middle, just straighter. I take this as a 2 seamer won't run in as much or a cutter won't cut as much. I believe it will still be thrown towards your desired location, just not as a high quality as a pitch. I'm also thinking instead of a 94 MPH fastball it will be 90MPH, not a 75MPH BP fastball down the middle.

As far as curveballs. Pitchers usually mess up one of two ways. They don't get the bite on their pitch and the pitch flattens out and hangs up in the zone. Of they just miss their location. It sounds like they are going with #1, but I'm guessing location will be off as well.

In both cases, we don't know how the location of the pitch will be impacted by a bad gesture, just the quality of the pitch (slower, flatter pitches). Hopefully, they don't all miss location towards the center of the zone and instead miss in the direction they were intended.

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