Imagine that...a retail game that looks better than its demo. hmmm...seems like I heard this a few times before. Oh Yea! in the demo impressions thread! (I am just kidding yall! No stoning please!) No the vids look real good, I am def gonna have to change up some batting stance this year though.
Well, that's always been my issue with demos from early builds. If I didn't see those videos on Gametrailers and only went by the demo, I wouldn't be buying it. Demos from early builds can actually do more harm than good.
Thanks to the Gametrailers videos though, I'll be getting this for sure.
It is. Although while I know this is pretty trivial, and probably only applies to Sox fans, I wish they would one day get the rights for the Citgo sign. Or at least "fake" it as other games have done in the past like ASB.
Honestly, the nitpicking is a good sign. Gamers are never going to be satisfied. When they are nitpicking, it means a lot of things look good while some things need work.
When they are flat out dismissing the product, THAT is when you have problems.
I will buy the game Tuesday and probably just play MLB Today games throughout the season. Awesome stuff.
Finally got a chance to see the videos. One word...WOW! None of that seems to come through in the demo as far as the looks go (though not bad, the demo looked a step or two below those vids). This game is looking really great. Fenway looks awesome! And I'm really loving the camera after you hit the ball.
You know what I love most about these videos? In Part I, there's a shot down the third base line that hits the part of the wall that juts into fair territory and bounces back towards short - costing the runner a likely double.
As Red Sox fans can tell you, that happens a lot throughout the course of a season and I don't recall ever seeing it in 2K9 or 2K10. The improved physics between the ball, grass, d irt and walls is apparents and I have high hopes that 2K11 will be a much improved game.
I'd love to buy the game, but I am absolutely horrid at controlling baserunning as well as manual fielding. I prefer auto baserunning and at least a big help on fielding so that all I would need to do is choose which base to throw to. Does anyone know if this game has both, or is it still just a slight assisted fielding mode where they sort of start you in the right direction but then you have to take control?
C
As a Show owner the past 3 years, that's how I play the game. Auto baserunning and auto fielding. With base running, I just found I made too many errors in judgment and was clumsy with the controls. As far as fielding, well... I just hate the ps3 controller. I have big hands, the analog sticks are too soft and that thing does not agree with me. So fielding just never felt right. It was either too difficult or too easy. I just finally set it at auto (too easy) and figured that the stats of the game would get the fielding right and I'd decide where the ball should be thrown. At any rate, after playing the 2k demo, I really think the fielding that they've implemented is just fun. I like doing it and I'm going to keep it at the demo settings when I get the full game. Base running... I think I'd still like auto, but I'm not going to let that sway me. But honestly, I don't know if 2k offers 'auto base running'. I need someone else to chime in on that one.
If you take the time to see exactly what the developer intends in regards to baserunning, it is really an efficiently great system. You can quickly set the base each runner is headed to.
MLB 2K8 was the first game in which I felt like I had great control over what runners were doing, and I rarely goofed it up. I find the system to be ingenious. At some point, it clicked, and I doubt I could go back to another system. I find it more of a draw than the analog controls were. It's just the best method of controlling separate runners out there.
I think fielding is going to be great for everyone. As I predicted in my blog post, the added user control leads many to wish for auto-fielding. If you play the demo on Hard, fielding is crazy hard. But on normal, it is only a bit more difficult than the "auto-fielding" in place last year.
But from playing on both difficulties, I feel safe assuming that there is going to be a slider or setting that is going to be satisfy everyone. I definitely want more of a push than what the hard difficulty allows for. And OF speed might need a boost.
But there is an organic feel to fielding that was begun last year. You can preload throws, but there is an advantage to letting your guy get set and make a throw, too. I also got the feeling that preloading increased the chances that an IF would bobble the ball. So on close plays, the chances of an error go up. I love it.
I thought 2K was on the verge of great fielding last year, and it seems to be coming to fruition this year.
It may be because this is my 1st year on 360 and my 1st with the 2K franchise, but from playing the demo. I think 2K is on the path to having the best in-game play of any baseball game to date. I as a real life baseball player, really get the feel of being a part of what's going on. When I scoop a grounder and fire to 1st, seeing the way my infielder proper turns over with the throw, brings about this crazy excitement.
I know game play graphics are an awesome part of any simulation, but I could never see that overshadowing the on-field play, which from hearing stories of past 2K titles and playing this years dumb-down demo version. Couple with 2K/V.C. rep when it comes to simulating real life sports. Would seem to be what the game will eventually get right.
These vids really show off the graphics and animations. The game is looking spectacular from a visuals point of view.
Two things still bother me though. The bats still seem overly long...out of proportion a bit, and the swing still seems a bit stilted. Just not fluid enough or something. Like they are sweeping the bat through the strike zone...hard to explain, but it doesn't seem like a major league swing to me. Certainly not a game breaker, but I wish they'd update the swing animations next year.
I'd love to buy the game, but I am absolutely horrid at controlling baserunning as well as manual fielding. I prefer auto baserunning and at least a big help on fielding so that all I would need to do is choose which base to throw to. Does anyone know if this game has both, or is it still just a slight assisted fielding mode where they sort of start you in the right direction but then you have to take control?
Overall, the game does look like it has made big strides and is looking great. Maybe I'll get for the PC...
C
One of the Developer Insights stated they remodeled all the swing animations, but I still don't see any noticeable difference. Either they didn't actually remodel the majority of the swing animations like they said, or the animators lack the talent to truly make them look noticeably improved. I tend to believe that its a general talent issue, and these overall animation quirks won't be fully remedied until better talent is found.
And Dirty Jer has the retail copy on the 360 and has stated that the graphics are the same as the demo just like I stated it would be.
A different stadium and teams in this video does not mean the demo was not what we are getting
This reminds of the HH baseball days. Graphics in those games were atrocious for that time(a decade ago), but played a great game of baseball between the chalk lines.
I overlooked all those horrendous graphics to get in my opinion the best game play of baseball games back then.