MLB 2K9 News Post

Major League Baseball 2K9 Video: Cardinals @ Cubs Top 1st

01:57 AM - February 13, 2009 by Steve_OS

OK, here is the very first gameplay video from Major League Baseball 2K9. Pay no attention to my sliding skills (or lack thereof), while trying to swipe second... Pushed the wrong analog stick, the wrong way...

Anyways, the bottom of the 1st will be posted in the morning, along with some franchise screenshots. We'll have plenty of videos to come tonight and over the weekend as well. Remember to keep conversation on topic, please.

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

# 101 HealyMonster @ 02/13/09 12:19 PM

wow, im very unimpressed with the videos. the presentation seems to have taken a step back, the pregame intro is ridiculous. gameplay looks to be about on par with last years and the bat sound will get annoying after, well it already is annoying.

# 102 Eddie1967 @ 02/13/09 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renegade44


	wow, im very unimpressed with the videos. the presentation seems to have taken a step back, the pregame intro is ridiculous. gameplay looks to be about on par with last years and the bat sound will get annoying after, well it already is annoying.

Hmm, I'm starting to smell something here.

# 103 brendanrfoley @ 02/13/09 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renegade44


	wow, im very unimpressed with the videos. the presentation seems to have taken a step back, the pregame intro is ridiculous. gameplay looks to be about on par with last years and the bat sound will get annoying after, well it already is annoying.

I needed a good laugh today. Thanks!

# 104 krazzed @ 02/13/09 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renegade44


	wow, im very unimpressed with the videos. the presentation seems to have taken a step back, the pregame intro is ridiculous. gameplay looks to be about on par with last years and the bat sound will get annoying after, well it already is annoying.

I only agree with you on one thing, which is the bat sound, which I can deal with. I'm just curious, what was so bad about the presentation? I thought it was amazing. The gameplay looked better than last years, and I hope that it plays better as well.

# 105 Blzer @ 02/13/09 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodweaver


	I figured it was probably user error. But, don't you normally stop at the base when you are stealing even if you don't slide?

I remember when MLB 2K5 first came out and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why it was my players would keep running. I figured that the only fix was to slide at the base that I wanted to stop at.

I turned out that you can press the L & R triggers a specific number of times to pre-determine the number of bases that you want to go, with a number indication of which base it was you were going to (1, 2, 3, H). So if I hit a shot in the gap and I want to go for third, I would press L once (2) and L a second time (3). If I decided that I only wanted to hold up at second, regardless of where I'm at (say I'm rounding first), I would just press the R trigger (2) to reassign where I want to go.

I believe that this year baserunning is assigned to the right analog stick in the same fashion, only you can predetermine it with one input. So if you want to go all the way home, you press down on the right stick. Chances are what happeend with Steve is that he was mistaken for a second that the right analog stick was for sliding (as it has been since 2K5), and he could have pressed the button left or down, thus setting that "pre-determine number of bases" thing in motion. If he did either of those, the baserunner would automatically round second and head toward third.

That's my explanation, which IMO is as good as any.

# 106 AJD114 @ 02/13/09 12:34 PM

Look at how the players can go into the dugout unlike in MLB the show. The Show needs to fix the little thing that matter and make it more real feeling.

# 107 AJD114 @ 02/13/09 12:36 PM

But I do hate 2k's stadium announcer voice a lot. Sounds very corny.

# 108 Blzer @ 02/13/09 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brendanrfoley


	Why are people complaining about the Cardinals' double, and how quickly the center fielder reached the ball? Not only was the center fielder playing deep, but he was shaded heavily to left center. Oh, and the throw to second? Used the cut off man. Looked like a bang-bang baseball play to me.

Fielder speed is extremely quick in this early-going of videos, something that I would instantly turn down on the slider set as soon as I get my hands on this game. The same goes for baserunning speed.

Now there's no throwing speed slider, correct? I just wish it were at least adjustable, because everything feels very fast.

Also, putting the ball in play seems awkward for two reasons: 1) obviously, the sound of the bat hitting the ball; 2) the ball seems to be jumping off the end of the bat quite well. If it were on the barrel with a proper sound, I think this game would instantly feel much better.

I think 2K10 is the VC gem that we're all waiting for, but this is a good first step.

# 109 jagsfan82 @ 02/13/09 12:39 PM

didn't I read that the pitches were going to be colored when they left the pitcher's hand, not after the ball is in the catchers glove?

# 110 Blzer @ 02/13/09 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krazzed


	I only agree with you on one thing, which is the bat sound, which I can deal with. I'm just curious, what was so bad about the presentation? I thought it was amazing. The gameplay looked better than last years, and I hope that it plays better as well.

I'm sure this isn't what he's talking about, but I wish they would keep the score overlay up at all times, especially during cut scenes. I understand why they would have to move it out of the way when the ball is put in play just for the sake of being able to see what's going on, but when it goes away for the cut scenes it takes you out of that TV broadcast even for a second. It would be much better if it could stay up.

Also, all of the visual aids aren't so stunning. The swing feedback graphic is something right out of an arcade game, and if we can't turn off the names under the players, the pitching cursor, or the pitch analysis (a post-pitch effect of where the ball ended up), then it takes away from making it look like you're watching a game live.

# 111 JBucc @ 02/13/09 12:50 PM

Nice vids.

+I really like how the game looks. It's not full of fancy bloom or other effects, just looks really "plain" in a good way.
+Commentary sounds good
+The crowd looks nice
+I'm glad they changed the motion for 2 seam fastball. I could not throw that pitch last year to save my life. It always came out as a poor 4 seam.

-It did seem like some frames were missing between transitions
-Outfielders looked too fast, but sliders should fix this
-The little effects like the firework explosion thing after a ball crossed the plate look out of place
-On the foul ball in the first vid you can see how the pitcher still goes into that slow-mo running after the ball goes foul
-This one is kind of subjective, but the vids just didn't seem exciting. All the presentation stuff is done well, but it just sort of seems like they're going through the motions, with no passion.

? Maybe this has been answered somewhere but with the right stick controlling baserunning can you control your slide still? It looked weird when he went for a steal and just strolled past the defender instead of sliding.

# 112 mwjr @ 02/13/09 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brendanrfoley


	Why are people complaining about the Cardinals' double, and how quickly the center fielder reached the ball? Not only was the center fielder playing deep, but he was shaded heavily to left center.

There's still no way a CF gets to that ball before it hits the wall. It's impossible.

All of the hits to the OF get there in a real hurry, and the OFers are just as quick getting to the ball.

# 113 mwjr @ 02/13/09 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevytrev11


	Most stadiums, at least the handfulls of ones I have been to do not use the Organ at all. Most use newer technology to play their music and use other computer generated sound effects. In the past few years I've been to Oakland, SF, Old Busch, Houston and Arlington and I cannot recall once hearing any organ music at all.

Actually, most will use a combination of both, with most of them now opting for the traditional sound effects and real music in between at bats. However, most will use an organ in between pitches, not as often as they used to, but they're still there

# 114 Papa Burgundy @ 02/13/09 12:57 PM

One thing I know is, Wrigley Field looked awesome in this vid.

# 115 stealyerface @ 02/13/09 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott4171


	Now I know why they didn't put out game vidz until now. The sound of the crack of the bat is horrible, they still haven't changed it. The animation is not fliud, its all herky jerky. The pitching overlay on the left side is way to big and it takes up most of the left side of the screen when pitching. The announcing is not good but better then last year. Lastly, the crowd id still non existant, what a shame..

Quote:

Originally Posted by sask3m


	This game still stinks as far as i'm concerned, it looks terrible, the players are still twichy and jerky, the bat sound is terrible and the catcher catching the ball sounds more like mike tyson working out on the heavy bag. Also whats up with the bright green flash on strikes and blue flashes on balls, i don't get it. I think the best thing 2k could do with this game is find the closest garbage can.

*yawn*

Imagine a Spring without dandelions in your yard. Imagine a summer without the mosquitos. Imagine a trip across the bridge with no fear of being eaten.

Someday.

syf

# 116 brendanrfoley @ 02/13/09 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike360


	Do you really lose chunks of animation from that though ? i thought the encoder wouldn't drop animation.

Well, the video we're watching only displays every-other frame.

Watch the HD videos posted in the forum. It's ten times as smooth.

# 117 brendanrfoley @ 02/13/09 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBucc


	Maybe this has been answered somewhere but with the right stick controlling baserunning can you control your slide still?

Sliding is controlled by hitting a direction on the left stick and pressing the X (Square on PS3) button.

# 118 Woodweaver @ 02/13/09 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brendanrfoley


	Well, the video we're watching only displays every-other frame. Watch the HD videos posted in the forum. It's ten times as smooth.

Twice the frames makes it ten times smoother!?! Those are some good frames.

# 119 brendanrfoley @ 02/13/09 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodweaver


	Twice the frames makes it ten times smoother!?! Those are some good frames.

LOL. I realized I should have said "twice" as smooth as soon as I posted.

And no, Steve's videos aren't the ones encoded at 60fps. The GCHD videos are.

# 120 Motown @ 02/13/09 04:58 PM

After watching the clips...The ground friction of the baseball STILL rearing it's ugly head w/ this series. the field dimensions are STILL inaccurate. they're too damn small. the ball gets to the wall waay too fast.

Things i'm diggin' are the real-time camera switches...OFF THE CHARTS...LOVE 'EM

sig styles...that's about it. hopefully this game has came a long way since the clips, & the PS3 version is on par...of close to the 360.

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