MLB 2K8 Wishlist

[JBH3]

Re: MLB 2K8 Wishlist

Something else I was thinking about last night while watching Game 5....

It's annoying that nearly pitcher in a baseball has 5 pitches. In real life most pitchers are two-pitch pitchers and the great ones are three-pitch pitchers. Sure, every pitcher has a 4th pitch that they throw once or twice a game, but this can be abused in video games.

It would be great if they could implement a pitch-allotment meter or something. "Realistic Pitch Arsenal" or something similar could be the feature's name and it could be turned off.

Let's say you're pitching with Joba Chamberlain next year. He's mostly a fastball-slider pitcher with an rare curveball that he started throwing later in the year and a change up that I don't believe he threw once in the bigs.

Yet in 2k7, despite low ratings for his curve and change, they are too effective in the game and you can throw them as often as you want. Same goes for Fausto Carmona, who throws a change-up far too often in 2k7 and it's deadly. I feel like I'm facing Santana, not a hard-throwing sinkerballer.

Assuming Chamberlain is a starter next year, it would be nice to have this limiting feature we're you start the game and you're allowed to throw unlimited fastballs, unlimited sliders, but you only get 8 curveballs for the game and two change ups.

A scale would probably be the best method, a pitcher's two best pitches can be thrown unlimited times. A third pitch can be thrown 10-15 times unless it's rated 85+, his 4th pitch 5-10 times. Or you can do a ratio scale. Once you throw 10 fastballs you get a curveball if it's your pitchers 4th best pitch. Something needs to be done to make this more realistic.

Obviously a great deal of research would have to be done to get this accomplished accurately.

That is a sweet idea! I like that.

[ckarlic]

Re: MLB 2K8 Wishlist

WISHLIST

FRANCHISE

-Minor League options for players. (3 options then he is on waivers)

-Rule 5 draft.(when the likes of Johan Santana and Shane Victorino have been acquired via Rule 5 I think it is a must for a baseball game...Otherwise we're not playing a baseball franchise)

-Better FA signing period. No trade clauses, team/player option contracts.

-Progression needs to be completely overhauled. I won the MVP w/ Utley and his OVR rate goes down???

-more injuries...Not enough occur. Not to where it is simulative to real baseball.

-Just completely re-do your franchise MLB 2K7. Screw the new menu system crap, and give us a real franchise....Relocating teams, expansion drafts, managing ALL finances, stadium upgrades. Remember that game MVP?

GAMEPLAY...Where do I begin...

-Players that don't run through each other.

-Do away w/ those stupid animations where after the defensive player made their play they do what looks like a pee pee dance.

-Make the pitcher walk back to the mound after a play at 1st.

-Make a fielder walk back to position after they made a play.

-Make fielding exist. Not every 3B can bear hand it and throw it to 1st on a dime.

-TAKE OUT SLIDES!!!!!!!!!!

-PITCH COUNTS!!! Predominantyl...after about 6-7 innings starting pitchers on average have thrown about 70-80 pitches. In MLB 2K7 your SP would have thrown maybe 40-50. Not realistic!!!!

dude im liking your ideas and where you are going with this. Especially this one:

-Just completely re-do your franchise MLB 2K7. Screw the new menu system crap, and give us a real franchise....Relocating teams, expansion drafts, managing ALL finances, stadium upgrades. Remember that game MVP

[Blzer]

Re: MLB 2K8 Wishlist

Something else I was thinking about last night while watching Game 5....

It's annoying that nearly pitcher in a baseball has 5 pitches. In real life most pitchers are two-pitch pitchers and the great ones are three-pitch pitchers. Sure, every pitcher has a 4th pitch that they throw once or twice a game, but this can be abused in video games.

It would be great if they could implement a pitch-allotment meter or something. "Realistic Pitch Arsenal" or something similar could be the feature's name and it could be turned off.

Let's say you're pitching with Joba Chamberlain next year. He's mostly a fastball-slider pitcher with an rare curveball that he started throwing later in the year and a change up that I don't believe he threw once in the bigs.

Yet in 2k7, despite low ratings for his curve and change, they are too effective in the game and you can throw them as often as you want. Same goes for Fausto Carmona, who throws a change-up far too often in 2k7 and it's deadly. I feel like I'm facing Santana, not a hard-throwing sinkerballer.

Assuming Chamberlain is a starter next year, it would be nice to have this limiting feature we're you start the game and you're allowed to throw unlimited fastballs, unlimited sliders, but you only get 8 curveballs for the game and two change ups.

A scale would probably be the best method, a pitcher's two best pitches can be thrown unlimited times. A third pitch can be thrown 10-15 times unless it's rated 85+, his 4th pitch 5-10 times. Or you can do a ratio scale. Once you throw 10 fastballs you get a curveball if it's your pitchers 4th best pitch. Something needs to be done to make this more realistic.

Obviously a great deal of research would have to be done to get this accomplished accurately.

You know what's unfortunate? They do have this in the game (it's called Inside Edge). It just doesn't work right.

What I hate more than the weird pitch-type numbers is the location of some of these pitches. Nobody and I mean nobody intends to throw a splitter that will ultimately hit the top of the zone ever. This is just one of many cases that annoys the hell out of me.

[Trevytrev11]

Re: MLB 2K8 Wishlist

You know what's unfortunate? They do have this in the game (it's called Inside Edge). It just doesn't work right.

What I hate more than the weird pitch-type numbers is the location of some of these pitches. Nobody and I mean nobody intends to throw a splitter that will ultimately hit the top of the zone ever. This is just one of many cases that annoys the hell out of me.

Bingo! This has been a gripe I have stated time after time. The only time a pitcher intentionally tries to go up in the zone is with a fastball. Curveballs, changeups, splitters, sliders, etc. flatten out when they are thrown up in the zone and become extra hittable for a hitter. There is a reason they call it a hanging curveball. It just sits right in the hitters eyesight saying "Hit me".

I understand that pitchers miss pitches up in the zone when they make a mechanical mistake, etc, but you should never see a catcher call for a changeup up and in. In real life that pitch call doesn't even exist.

And fastballs up in the zone are usually thrown intentionally by guys that can throw the ball by hitters. Guys like Beckett and Sabathia not guys like Maddux and Moyer.

I really wish they would talk to pitchers/catchers/coaches about the mentalitly of pitchers and the purpose of pitches in each count. They could learn how to tilt pitches to adjust hitters sight lines and throw set up pitches (a fastball up and in to set up the offspeed away).

In 2K7, the only pitcher who I felt pitched like their real life counterpart was Glavine. He would work away 90% of the time with fastballs and changeups and occasionally bust you inside to keep you honest. Everyone else was a crapshoot. I felt like I was facing Glavine. With everyone else, it just seemed random. Maddux throwing pitches up in the zone isn't realistic.

Also, like you said BLZR, they have the tools with Inside Edge, but something is drastically wrong with how it is implemented. Most pitchers throw fastballs much more often than this game demonstrates. Even guys liek Maddux/Glavine/Moyer throw there fastball 65-75% of the time. In this game, it's probably closer to 35-45%.

And as someone said, guys who rarely use pitches, will use them all of the time in this game. Take Maddux again. he can throw a curve in real life and will throw it maybe 3-5 times a game. It's a pitch he throws after a guy has fouled of severl pitches or to a guy who is seeing the ball well. It's more of a suprise pitch. Hitters know they are going to see sinkers, cutters and changeups, so when he drops a big curve, it's a suprise. However in this game, it's just as likely to see the curve than the fastball. Same with Rivera. In real life he is a cutter machine and will now throw the 2-seamer inside, but in the game he has a changeup and uses it.

You prepare to swing early and get the bat head out against Rivera because that is how he throws, but then he comes in throwing junk.

[JaSnake16]

Re: MLB 2K8 Wishlist

You know what's unfortunate? They do have this in the game (it's called Inside Edge). It just doesn't work right.

What I hate more than the weird pitch-type numbers is the location of some of these pitches. Nobody and I mean nobody intends to throw a splitter that will ultimately hit the top of the zone ever. This is just one of many cases that annoys the hell out of me.

Totally agree with this, I hate the fact that catchers in this game will call high sinkers with IE on, what sinker ball pitcher will intentionally want to throw their sinker up so that it breaks belt high. Sinkers up are mistakes, sinker ballers pound the knees so hitters will beat the ball in the ground. Which also brings up the point of bat ball physics, Webb for example will thow his sinker down and in on the fringe of the zone but a hitter will jack the ball out of the ballpark. Once in a game against say Gary Sheffield OK, Twice wait a minute, Deep ball to left by Omar Infante, Cmon. they are called ground ball pitchers for a reason. And when I play as him or Carmona or Wang they should get results like them. Hopefully this is one thing that they addressed in development.

[Trevytrev11]

Re: MLB 2K8 Wishlist

Totally agree with this, I hate the fact that catchers in this game will call high sinkers with IE on, what sinker ball pitcher will intentionally want to throw their sinker up so that it breaks belt high. Sinkers up are mistakes, sinker ballers pound the knees so hitters will beat the ball in the ground. Which also brings up the point of bat ball physics, Webb for example will thow his sinker down and in on the fringe of the zone but a hitter will jack the ball out of the ballpark. Once in a game against say Gary Sheffield OK, Twice wait a minute, Deep ball to left by Omar Infante, Cmon. they are called ground ball pitchers for a reason. And when I play as him or Carmona or Wang they should get results like them. Hopefully this is one thing that they addressed in development.

Good point.

Honestly, I think what you are saying is more of a function of the fact that as a hitter, you don't get to aim your swing. It is aimed for you. So instead of you aiming your swing down and the ball moving slightly below your aim for a grounder, I guess it's up to whatever the game wants to do.

I mean if you think about this game, how are groundballs, flyballs, line drives and swing and misses (above or under the ball) determined? It's all random. They may have some stat's that it is based on, but what are the odds that Frank Thomas hits a flyball vs. a ground ball vs. a swing and miss against a guy like Johan Santana?

This is really why some sort of aiming mechanism is needed. It gives that control to the hitter instead of to the game. If you think Rivera is going to throw a cutter up and in, you can aim your swing there in order to get the bat head out in front of the ball.

[SgtDillznick]

Re: MLB 2K8 Wishlist

Good point.

Honestly, I think what you are saying is more of a function of the fact that as a hitter, you don't get to aim your swing. It is aimed for you. So instead of you aiming your swing down and the ball moving slightly below your aim for a grounder, I guess it's up to whatever the game wants to do.

I mean if you think about this game, how are groundballs, flyballs, line drives and swing and misses (above or under the ball) determined? It's all random. They may have some stat's that it is based on, but what are the odds that Frank Thomas hits a flyball vs. a ground ball vs. a swing and miss against a guy like Johan Santana?

This is really why some sort of aiming mechanism is needed. It gives that control to the hitter instead of to the game. If you think Rivera is going to throw a cutter up and in, you can aim your swing there in order to get the bat head out in front of the ball.

This is precisely how I feel about this game. Hitting is too random and just way too damn easy. Anybody who can sit there with a straight face and honestly say that 2k is on the right track with their hitting engine is just lying to themselves. The hitting and ball physics are absolutely abysmal. I should not be hitting 450 foot opposite field blasts with a guy like Placido Polanco on a cut fastball in on the fists. Maybe fighting it off for a single the opposite way ala Derek Jeter is one thing, but an opposite field HR. The game should not simply produce a HR just because I timed my down-swing and up-swing on the right analog stick perfectly.

Just stop it already with the "timing is everything" approach. It is not everything. Believe me, I know. I play baseball myself. It's about hand-eye coordination. How do you simulate the hand-eye coordination part of hitting in a video baseball game? A cursor system with analog controls (ala Pro Yakyuu Spirits 4). Plain and simple.

And please, learn how to code some decent bat-on-ball physics. Look at MVP Baseball. I know everyone here likes to bash EA games, but *** ****. They must have had some world class physicists on the MVP team from 03-05, because those bat on ball physics were damn near perfect.

[K_GUN]

Re: MLB 2K8 Wishlist

care to explain the LEFTY bug from MVP 04?

[SgtDillznick]

Re: MLB 2K8 Wishlist

care to explain the LEFTY bug from MVP 04?

I guess I should have clarified; "MVP Baseball 2005".

Who knows? Probably a decimal point in the wrong place. That'll always get ya.

[kumala]

Re: MLB 2K8 Wishlist

just apply the physics and hitting from mlb power pro. You think its arcadish, but it really isnt. Best batting cursor interface. if they combine the graphics of 2k with power pro gameplay. winner.

[michaeldu]

Re: MLB 2K8 Wishlist

How about a World Series sneak peek of 2k8. That would be my wish. I can't wait to see where they have taken this game. 2k7 has it's flaws, but I can't stop playing it.

[ohyeahbaby123]

Re: MLB 2K8 Wishlist

Don't know if this has been brought up before, but I think that pitching and batting need to be redone. In this game, it is way too easy to through a pitch on the corners, but yet it is way too easy to hit those types of pitches. I mean, if I through a sinker with Brandon Webb low and on the inside corner, the only thing a hitter should do with it is ground-out or strike out. On the other had, it shouldn't be too easy to throw that pitch like it is in 2k7.

Just my 2cents

[SgtDillznick]

Re: MLB 2K8 Wishlist

just apply the physics and hitting from mlb power pro. You think its arcadish, but it really isnt. Best batting cursor interface. if they combine the graphics of 2k with power pro gameplay. winner.

Yeah, I'm with you there man. I have MLB Power Pros and agree that the game is just fun, even with cartoony graphics.

Just so you know, Power Pros and Pro Yakyuu Spirits are one in the same almost. In Japan, they have two baseball games; a Power Pros game where Japanese baseball is represented in the cartoony style, and Pro Yakyuu, which has the same gameplay and depth as Power Pros but the graphics are realistic. In other words, it's the game you are looking for.

[kumala]

Re: MLB 2K8 Wishlist

Yeah, I'm with you there man. I have MLB Power Pros and agree that the game is just fun, even with cartoony graphics.

Just so you know, Power Pros and Pro Yakyuu Spirits are one in the same almost. In Japan, they have two baseball games; a Power Pros game where Japanese baseball is represented in the cartoony style, and Pro Yakyuu, which has the same gameplay and depth as Power Pros but the graphics are realistic. In other words, it's the game you are looking for.

sgt. i have been a import bgamer for a long time. and these games besides high heat, were the only ones in which I played whole seasons. it was just exciting to play each game. to me how can 2k take a look at power pro and include some of the things from there into 2k8. graphics are great, but with no gameplay, I am just taking visual tours of the game. i wanted to get into the game because of the graphics but I just couldn't get into it.

[kumala]

Re: MLB 2K8 Wishlist

I also feel mvp 2005 was the best hitting that i have used since high heat. Its more realsitic than 2k7.