MLB 2K10 News Post

Major League Baseball 2K10 Interview (ESPN)

09:03 PM - January 26, 2010 by Steve_OS

ESPN's Jon Robinson has posted an interview with Ben Bishop, Producer of Major League Baseball 2K10.

Quote:


	John: "MLB 2K9 was pretty much panned across the board. What did you think of the final product when it shipped and how did the failure of last year's game help shape the direction of '2K10?'" Ben: "MLB 2K9 was certainly a challenging project for us because of the fact that we switched developers and the game came to us (Visual Concepts) a little later than we expected and it was a new code base. There was a big period of adjustment as we just tried to get our heads wrapped around what was there and what we could do in the time that we had. In a lot of ways, there were things that we just had to leave on the table and know that we had to get the game ready by a certain period of time, and we really feel that with '2K10' we were able to go back and get to all these things that were left on the table and start fresh with a code base that we were now familiar with. When you look at it, '2K10' is a lot of what we wanted '2K9' to be, but we just weren't ready to get it there. The game has really evolved a lot this year, everything from the visuals to the gameplay mechanics to being able to add things like My Player, as that was certainly a big weakness for us last year, not being able to play through a player's career. I really think we've turned things around this year and now we can continue to move in the direction we want for the series."

Game: Major League Baseball 2K10Reader Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 33 - View All

Major League Baseball 2K10 Videos

Member Comments

# 61 jeffy777 @ 01/27/10 12:18 PM

I take everything from these kind of interviews with a grain of salt. It's just PR fluff, basically.

# 62 SoxFan01605 @ 01/27/10 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveDQ


	I'm really looking forward to seeing the game play. These article aren't exactly rich with content, but you get the impression from Ben Bishop that they care about the product and are trying to correct things. I'm looking forward to it. These names that keep popping up that are getting interviewed are veteran VC guys. I trust things will shape up.

I hope you're right. I'm not getting that impression at all (though, to be fair, I'm not getting the opposite impression either). It, as someone pointed out earlier, sounded like the same stuff we've been hearing for years now.

Of course the game's developer is going to say they improved upon the year prior. When the two things they are touting as what sets them apart are how My Player clutch performance improves team budgets and the best part of franchise is simming through it...it's hard not to scratch your head on what they are thinking. Now, I'm not placing too much on what was said (as Jeffy mentioned, it's mostly just PR), but I do wonder if they really know what their fanbase wants.

--------------------------------------------------------------

As for the whole defensive swing debate, as I said earlier...2K baseball has always been about maximizing user control so this doesn't really bother me and I can see at as a potentially useful feature.

While I agree it's probably best achieved with ratings affecting the regular swing (I've gotten amazing duels in the other game without such a mechanic), I don't fault them for trying to offer more in this regard (as long as it's not overpowered...I can see how it could be ridiculously arcade if everyone is fouling stuff off left and right with 2 strikes).

I think people are piling on this more because of the absence of the check swing and to be fair, they have a point. If you're going to go through the trouble to program a manual function for fouling off pitches, it's baffling to not include one for holding off on them.

# 63 DaveDQ @ 01/27/10 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoxFan01605


	I hope you're right. I'm not getting that impression at all (though, to be fair, I'm not getting the opposite impression either). It, as someone pointed out earlier, sounded like the same stuff we've been hearing for years now. Of course the game's developer is going to say they improved upon the year prior. When the two things they are touting as what sets them apart are how My Player clutch performance improves team budgets and the best part of franchise is simming through it...it's hard not to scratch your head on what they are thinking. Now, I'm not placing too much on what was said (as Jeffy mentioned, it's mostly just PR), but I do wonder if they really know what their fanbase wants.

I actually like the idea of a player's performance increasing the budget. What I gather from that is big plays creates buzz. Buzz sells tickets. Ticket sales increases the budget. I was pretty ticked off when I went to Fenway a couple years ago and Ortiz was out and Colone pitched. Not to mention they got shut out by the Mariners! At home!

Anyway, what's wrong with a up and coming guy generating buzz for the team?

# 64 Blzer @ 01/27/10 01:00 PM

I just hope there aren't less foul balls with the standard swing as a result of having the defensive swing as an option. Because some people here are saying "you don't need to use it if you don't have to," but I disagree in that it may be necessary if you want to hit a borderline outside pitch foul or in play.

# 65 Juiceman @ 01/27/10 01:08 PM

A couple takeaways for me: 1) They sound confident that with a couple last tweaks they’ll get up to 60 fps. That’s good news. 2) Basically redesigning the programming for fielding. That’s good news as well. 3) It doesn’t sound like My Player will be of much interest to me. 4) Still no gameplay.

Regarding defensive swinging, here’s how I picture it assuming pushing up on the right stick is a normal swing (RH batter at bat and up and out is swinging at the outside of the plate and up and in is trying to pull) or if that push/pull is done on the left analog stick that’s fine too… for my explanation it doesn’t matter. You wait for a pitch and as it’s coming in and you have a split second to react. You can go up to bat and just swing away or you can go up to bat and actually watch the count and know the pitcher tendencies and place your bet on what pitch you’ll get. By 'place your bet' I just mean you’re thinking you know what to expect for the next pitch. If you have a 2-2 count and maybe expect and outside fastball and plan to swing at that and all the sudden you get an inside slider that you (in that split second) think will hit the inside edge of the plate, well you have to swing or you’ll strike out, so you push left on the right stick to fight it off at the last second and hope for a foul – although the way I understand it is that just because you swung defensively by pushing left or right doesn’t mean you won’t miss completely and strike out, or pop up, or hit a slow dribbler on the ground. It’s simply a way to fight off that pitch you were not expecting and stay alive. Now, this all potentially works for me if the pitch speed is fast enough and that’s a big ‘if’ I suppose. Does it make sense to implement this? Too hard to say without trying it out. I’d have to see how it feels.

A.J. Pierzynski is a really good example of a guy who will just work the count until he gets something he likes. I am not saying he purposely hit fouls or anything (maybe he does and maybe not), I’m just saying he fights off pitches really well and it makes for some long at-bats. Does that mean he just makes a lot of bad contact with the ball if he's hitting a lot of fouls? I don’t think so. I do think batters know they just need to get a piece of it to stay alive in some at-bats. Whether that’s defensive swinging or not I don’t think it matters. It’s more about how you play the pitch you’re getting. If pushing to the left or right feels good and natural, then I don’t care what it's called. As long as it plays out accurately.

# 66 nemesis04 @ 01/27/10 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blzer


	I just hope there aren't less foul balls with the standard swing as a result of having the defensive swing as an option. Because some people here are saying "you don't need to use it if you don't have to," but I disagree in that it may be necessary if you want to hit a borderline outside pitch foul or in play.

I wonder how they are going to pull this off visually? Is a defensive going to be a flat footed swing attempt or look like a contact swing? Can you even make solid contact on a defensive swing in this game?

# 67 bigfnjoe96 @ 01/27/10 01:18 PM

I'm not sure why people keep saying Ben claims the best Feature in Franchise is Super-Sim. He was asked:

What's the biggest new addition to Franchise mode?
His answer was:

There are a lot of little things, but I think the biggest feature people will enjoy the most is SuperSim.

Not sure what's wrong with this statement. This is his opinion. For many people the addition of 40 man rosters & Call-Ups is the biggest NEW addition.

Am I missing something

# 68 nemesis04 @ 01/27/10 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigfnjoe96


	I'm not sure why people keep saying Ben claims the best Feature in Franchise is Super-Sim. He was asked: What's the biggest new addition to Franchise mode? His answer was: There are a lot of little things, but I think the biggest feature people will enjoy the most is SuperSim. Not sure what's wrong with this statement. This is his opinion. For many people the addition of 40 man rosters & Call-Ups is the biggest NEW addition. Am I missing something

I think because people who enjoy franchise like to tinker and spend the time with it. He was touting a feature that kind of rushes you through it so to speak. Some are finding it ironic maybe.

# 69 jerm21 @ 01/27/10 01:41 PM

Franchise Insight will be coming shortly. (from Ronnie's twitter)

That mean another week? haha no i'm pumped, should be coming out today!

# 70 DaveDQ @ 01/27/10 01:43 PM

One of the dilemmas that always pop up during these months before a game's release is jumpin to conclusions. With 2K's history of letting some down, I think maybe some tend to default to the negative.

This article is not supposed to be substance. You can't blame 2K for that. Blame Robinson for not digging into the guts of the issue. If he knew 2K9 had glitches, why not address some of those and ask what they did to resolve them? No, you can't do that. That would threaten the possibility of future interviews.

# 71 nemesis04 @ 01/27/10 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveDQ


	One of the dilemmas that always pop up during these months before a game's release is jumpin to conclusions. With 2K's history of letting some down, I think maybe some tend to default to the negative. This article is not supposed to be substance. You can't blame 2K for that. Blame Robinson for not digging into the guts of the issue. If he knew 2K9 had glitches, why not address some of those and ask what they did to resolve them? No, you can't do that. That would threaten the possibility of future interviews.

Marketing rules the roost!

# 72 SoxFan01605 @ 01/27/10 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveDQ


	I actually like the idea of a player's performance increasing the budget. What I gather from that is big plays creates buzz. Buzz sells tickets. Ticket sales increases the budget. I was pretty ticked off when I went to Fenway a couple years ago and Ortiz was out and Colone pitched. Not to mention they got shut out by the Mariners! At home! Anyway, what's wrong with a up and coming guy generating buzz for the team?

You're missing my point. It's not the feature itself (although tying it to "clutch" moments rather than overall ability seems a stretch. Plus the fact that team budgets increasing isn't the same as increased revenue...but that's admittedly a nitpick) but the fact that it was talked about as though it is a big deal. Same as the whole supersim thing. I think it's a useful feature, but when I think of things I want to see improved in a franchise mode, skipping through games in more detail is not high on my list.

I think it's simply perspective. Clearly there are some who are optimistic about this game, so anything mentioned sounds like it could be a good addition. Then there are those of us who have danced this dance before and are a bit more skeptical. So you see a potentially useful feature, while I see potentially more evidence that they just don't get it. I'm not saying I'm down on the game, but it's hard to be high on it either, given the history and tangible info being virtually nil to this point.

# 73 bigfnjoe96 @ 01/27/10 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemesis04


	I think because people who enjoy franchise like to tinker and spend the time with it. He was touting a feature that kind of rushes you through it so to speak. Some are finding it ironic maybe.

I agree Nem, but you also have those people who don't go all out in Franchise Mode (Play 162 games, FA Signing & all those things Franchise Heads Love) that will use-it & are probably happy it's been added.

This is always tricky for devs because you have 2 segments of the gaming community. Hardcore Sim Heads & The Casual Gamer who both want to be catered to some how

# 74 nemesis04 @ 01/27/10 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigfnjoe96


	I agree Nem, but you also have those people who don't go all out in Franchise Mode (Play 162 games, FA Signing & all those things Franchise Heads Love) that will use-it & are probably happy it's been added. This is always tricky for devs because you have 2 segments of the gaming community. Hardcore Sim Heads & The Casual Gamer who both want to be catered to some how

I have no problem with the feature as it will be helpful for some. I just think if they have a beefy list of franchise improvements, I am not sure if that would be the one I would be focusing on. I think the majority of the franchise people enjoy spending the time with the feature.

# 75 bigfnjoe96 @ 01/27/10 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemesis04


	I have no problem with the feature as it will be helpful for some. I just think if they have a beefy list of franchise improvements, I am not sure if that would be the one I would be focusing on. I think the majority of the franchise people enjoy spending the time with the feature.

...

# 76 EL_GABE @ 01/27/10 02:24 PM

What's wrong with super sim? I think its usefull. I aim big franchise player. And I don't end up playing all 162 games ..I think is a good little addition but still wating 2 see the insight

# 77 Knight165 @ 01/27/10 02:35 PM

Did they not have a sim option in last years franchise?

M.K.
Knight165

# 78 SoxFan01605 @ 01/27/10 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvp90805


	What's wrong with super sim? I think its usefull. I aim big franchise player. And I don't end up playing all 162 games ..I think is a good little addition but still wating 2 see the insight

Nothing at all. Some of us are just hoping that it's not the key feature as the developer suggested. Like you said, we'll find out more with the insight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knight165


	Did they not have a sim option in last years franchise? M.K. Knight165

They did, although I believe it was just standard "sim to next game" stuff in 2K9. This is apparently more in-depth than previously though...more like sim with some MoM type functionality from the sounds of it.

# 79 a walrus @ 01/27/10 07:20 PM

# 80 a walrus @ 01/27/10 07:44 PM

Being able to hold off on any type of swing is a larger part of real/sim baseball then being able to pre-determin a swing type.How many hitters in mid count can shortin up their swing by choking up on the bat & finding more sucess at the plate.Players who can do this well are in the HOF.I like the addition of a new swing type , however by removing a very essential part of batting ..we may see Manny become Tony. & Evan becom Paul or Adam become Wade.Boggs Gwynn & Molitor used a defensive approach every at bat for the most part.With check swings in , this defensive swing could add to the overall pitcher batter dual.With check swings out ,hitting becomes a very slippery slope.

Ok coach I can choose the type of swing I want , but I can't hold off on it.Sorry I struck out , sorry I can't strike out."well son , just hold off on the pitch......Coach I dont want to play anymore.

« Previous 1 2 34Next »

More Links

Major League Baseball 2K10 Interview (ESPN)