Did they get baserunning right yet?

[Stoud]

The last version of this game I played was 2k4, and I was absolutely dissappointed in it. It looked like the shell of a game that should have come out instead of it. From what I hear, 2k5 was very similar.

However, looking at videos and previews of 2k6, it appears the batting and pitching mechanisms are fixed and much better than before, good enough for me at least. My only question before I consider 2k6 in March is this: Did they fix Baserunning?

I remember in 2k4 I couldn't even control baserunning at all. Stealing a base was so impossible, it was like trying to control a baserunner on some weird foosball version of baseball. There was one track and you always got thrown out because the animations and programming didn't allow you to take off at any decent time. My question to whether they fixed this or not is really more of an "did they finally add real baserunning in any way shape or form that isn't entirely embarassing?". For me, Baserunning is a big part of the game.

The only other question I'd have bnesides this is whether or not the fielding has improved. I seem to remember a limited ability to even SEE the field, let alone the ball in 2k4. It was more liek chasing shadows on an 8 bit game.

Has any of this been fixed or improved?

[Blzer]

Re: Did they get baserunning right yet?

A few snippets I've gathered from my long-lasting review of 2K5:

Fielding has also made a change for this year. It�s not too different from last year, this year�s main difference involves t eh way your controller maps out the leaping/diving aspects of the game. Maximum Fielding� is now incorporated into this game�similar to MVP�s style of leaping and diving, if not the exact same thing. The right-analog stick is now used to perform such stunts, and this year, leaping finally has use, as you can make leaping catches this year. If you do not choose to use the right-analog stick, you can always just press A for a standard dive or leaping catch. My only complaint with this is that they seem to leap/dive to far, resulting in robbing hits that shouldn�t have ever been robbed. Everything else feels very similar to last year�s game in terms of fielding.

Baserunning has probably made the biggest change overall, possibly even bigger than pitching. This year, they have scrapped the standard baserunning window with the red dots on the diamond. Now, the border of your television screen is the baseball diamond, with picture-in-picture baserunning included this year. Controls are very hard to do at first with this new feature, but once you get the hang of it, it�s not too bad. The main problem with it is being able to control runners individually, but it just takes time to learn and develop. Kush has also made the attempt to add user-controllable sliding, which, is also, a nice rip from EA�s right-analog stick technique used to slide into bags, where you can choose to slide feet first or head first, and hook slide either way with either type of slide. It is definitely fun, but it is not anything unseen before. The final change to baserunning would be the all new BaseBurner� mode, where you are now in a 3rd person perspective of one of your baserunners just me a single flick of the right-analog stick before a pitch. It�s quite simple, actually. You control the runner, and you can choose a command for the batter to do while at bat, be it swinging, taking, bunting, or just being selective. Once the ball is put in play, the camera tries its best to swivel around your baserunner to keep the ball on screen. This was very intuitive, and it is very fun to use while playing. Definitely recommended.

I hope this answers any questions you had.

[baa7]

Re: Did they get baserunning right yet?

The base stealing in 2K5 was FANTASTIC: best ever in a video baseball game. I HOPE they left it as is. The base running controls could have been more intuitive, but worked fine once one got the hang of them

[Stoud]

Re: Did they get baserunning right yet?

A few snippets I've gathered from my long-lasting review of 2K5:

I hope this answers any questions you had.

Wow, that did pretty well at answering questions. I think I might actually like 2k6, if it's anything like it sounds like. Infact, the very idea of switching from hitting to baserunning with the flick of an analog stick sounds freakin' awesome.

Thanks for the info.

Any news on the view of the field while balls are in play? I'm basically wondering what it looks like when a ball gets hit to the OF, is it an entirely top down view? or is it more like every other game now?

[Blzer]

Re: Did they get baserunning right yet?

Any news on the view of the field while balls are in play? I'm basically wondering what it looks like when a ball gets hit to the OF, is it an entirely top down view? or is it more like every other game now?

You can see some videos of it, but basically, it's a camera that has a nice F.O.V. with a pivotal point from right behind the plate, and will raise or lower depending on the trajectory of the ball.

Last year, it would pan all over the place and follow the ball closely. I like the look of the camera much more this year.

[jim416]

Re: Did they get baserunning right yet?

Stoud,

The baserunning, for me, had a high learning and frustration control, far more than any game I've played. It was the kind of "throw down your controller" frustration until you got used to it. Some gamers can pick it up quicker than others, but, I believe a weak point of the gameplay, especially in critical situations with two, three, men on base. It could get confusing if you didn't play the game a lot and got completely used to it (second nature kind of thing).

[baa7]

Re: Did they get baserunning right yet?

The baserunning, for me, had a high learning and frustration control, far more than any game I've played. It was the kind of "throw down your controller" frustration until you got used to it. Some gamers can pick it up quicker than others, but, I believe a weak point of the gameplay, especially in critical situations with two, three, men on base. It could get confusing if you didn't play the game a lot and got completely used to it (second nature kind of thing).

True, but that's a bit like saying a Jag's not a great car because it's yellow, and you prefer silver. Baseburner mode was perhaps the most innovative and exhilarating a game play addition in a baseball game in the last 5 years.

[jim416]

Re: Did they get baserunning right yet?

baa7, perhaps, but it was frustrating for many.

[Blzer]

Re: Did they get baserunning right yet?

baa7, perhaps, but it was frustrating for many.

They didn't give it enough of a chance and gave up.

In the beginning, I really was frustrated because I couldn't stop my baserunners. I thought the only way to stop them was to retreat them after rounding the bag or slide. Turns out that you can pre-destine where you want your runner to end up, which I didn't notice until a couple of weeks later. Eventually, it became one of the better features of this baserunning mode ever.

[jim416]

Re: Did they get baserunning right yet?

Your sort of proving my point. It was very frustrating to pick up on. It had a high learning curve and you really had to stick with it. I had a heck of a time with it and even after playing many games would still get confused at times, mainly because I didn't play the game everyday.

[Erratic]

Re: Did they get baserunning right yet?

Your sort of proving my point. It was very frustrating to pick up on. It had a high learning curve and you really had to stick with it. I had a heck of a time with it and even after playing many games would still get confused at times, mainly because I didn't play the game everyday.

I wouldn't consider it a high learning curve, I would consider something that if 2k5 was the baseball game you owned then you wouldn't really have trouble with it... You didn't need to play a lot, you just needed to play it, as it could be difficult to switch between games and whatnot

[Blzer]

Re: Did they get baserunning right yet?

Your sort of proving my point. It was very frustrating to pick up on. It had a high learning curve and you really had to stick with it. I had a heck of a time with it and even after playing many games would still get confused at times, mainly because I didn't play the game everyday.

No no, you don't understand. You see, it took me two weeks to realize that there's a number in the baserunning window for your player, and that number corresponds to which base you choose for your player to go to. With a simple squeeze of the L-trigger or the R-trigger, you could advance or retreat which base you choose your player to later go to.

At first I just didn't understand what was going on. Stupid me.

Of course there will be a learning curve, but it certainly wasn't high at all. Those that played MLB 2005 the year before that would have had that much more of a breeze with it, mainly because the face button wouldn't change as you advanced bases (now that was a pain). Controls became very easy and fun, though.




My biggest nag with the design that they use is that the scoring interface has to disappear with a ball in play in order for it to work. I wish there was a way that they could keep it there, but I guess they can't.

[bcruise]

Re: Did they get baserunning right yet?

I loved the baserunning in 2k5, IMO second all-time only to last year (and this year's) MVP, and only second because of the somewhat clunky "running around the screen" setup. Queueing up bases to run to was a great innovation to both games (quick question - do people even realize MVP has this too?). Controlling one runner was a breeze (after you got the controls down) because of the camera following that runner, but it got a little tough to manage with three or four squares moving around the screen.

[baa7]

Re: Did they get baserunning right yet?

it got a little tough to manage with three or four squares moving around the screen.

It did... and this may sound crazy, but I found that both realistic and a little bit fun. You do see guys in MLB games getting all screwed up running bases, with two guys ending on second and what have you. Plus I actually enjoyed the challege of managing all that in the heat of the moment -- as intense as playing Far Cry or Halo and having a ton of aliens pouring down on top of you.

Baseball and a FPS... all in one game!

[baa7]

Re: Did they get baserunning right yet?

baa7, perhaps, but it was frustrating for many.

Okay, sure, you bet... but all those frustrated people who quit playing 2K5 missed out on a great gaming experience: baseburner mode. I’m at the point where I won’t steal bases unless I use it. Signaling with the d-pad and stealing a base from the batter cam perspective is just so lame and so easy now in comparison. Don’t know if I could go back to stealing bases that way in any baseball game now.