Ok folks, Im going to base some of my observations on what needs to be improved in MLB 2K8 just based on the MLB 2K7 DEMO that I recently downloaded. So these areas of concern are just based on the actual physical gameplay, control and feel of the game.
I think 2K needs to really buckle down for next years version of 2K8 and tighten the core gameplay, control, and fluidity. Very similar to the way the EA team worked on Madden 08 to address that laggish and sluggish feeling from their 06 and 07 versions.
MLB 2K has struggled for many years with their baseball game. It has been the black sheep of the family struggling to keep up with the stellar reputations of their NFL 2K, NBA 2K and NHL 2K siblings ( not to mention the fantastic College Hoops series )
With each year of MLB 2K, the game has come closer and closer but still cant hit the mark. The demo of MLB 2K7 seems to have such promising visuals and interaction that sucks you into the world of baseball and all of its nuances but its on the field that game completely falls apart. It seems as if the 2K team has taken so much time to painstakenly replicate the visual motion capturing of the real movements that they totally forget how to smoothly intergrate it with the controls and gameplay. It seems as if the game is an endless array of directing a series of motion capture sequences that never really gives the player that instantaneous tight control of the action. To make matters worse, the game seems to emply dozens of cinematic camera angles that covers the action as it unfolds making the player feel as if he is actually watching a movie rather than playing the game.
I love the direction this game is headed...with the pitching ratings going up and down as you play based on your effectiveness at throwing them. I love the Inside Pitch stuff. I love the commentary. But the actual gameplay needs work.
FIx basics....add some more sounds, like the popping sound of the mitt as the first basemen catches a bullet from the shortstop, or snares a line drive out of mid air.
Give the players a feeling of weight and momentum rather than this floaty laggy feel to the movements.
Add some old school adjustable fielding camera angles that give the player that zoomed back ariel, slightly top down view of the entire field when the ball is hit in play.
Add more signature windups, stances, fielding animations....and make them tight and smooth.
Tweek the framerates!....If feels as this game drops down to 15 FPS on my 360 Elite at certain times during the action.
I cant help to say this but, 2K should take some examples from both EA's exceptional NCAA Baseball game and Sony's incredibly smooth and fluid, MLB the SHOW to see how to really give responsive, playable control to back to the player and still make a very sim like baseball game.
Please 2K....make a better game in 2K8 that is all around more playable
I think 2K needs to really buckle down for next years version of 2K8 and tighten the core gameplay, control, and fluidity. Very similar to the way the EA team worked on Madden 08 to address that laggish and sluggish feeling from their 06 and 07 versions.
MLB 2K has struggled for many years with their baseball game. It has been the black sheep of the family struggling to keep up with the stellar reputations of their NFL 2K, NBA 2K and NHL 2K siblings ( not to mention the fantastic College Hoops series )
With each year of MLB 2K, the game has come closer and closer but still cant hit the mark. The demo of MLB 2K7 seems to have such promising visuals and interaction that sucks you into the world of baseball and all of its nuances but its on the field that game completely falls apart. It seems as if the 2K team has taken so much time to painstakenly replicate the visual motion capturing of the real movements that they totally forget how to smoothly intergrate it with the controls and gameplay. It seems as if the game is an endless array of directing a series of motion capture sequences that never really gives the player that instantaneous tight control of the action. To make matters worse, the game seems to emply dozens of cinematic camera angles that covers the action as it unfolds making the player feel as if he is actually watching a movie rather than playing the game.
I love the direction this game is headed...with the pitching ratings going up and down as you play based on your effectiveness at throwing them. I love the Inside Pitch stuff. I love the commentary. But the actual gameplay needs work.
FIx basics....add some more sounds, like the popping sound of the mitt as the first basemen catches a bullet from the shortstop, or snares a line drive out of mid air.
Give the players a feeling of weight and momentum rather than this floaty laggy feel to the movements.
Add some old school adjustable fielding camera angles that give the player that zoomed back ariel, slightly top down view of the entire field when the ball is hit in play.
Add more signature windups, stances, fielding animations....and make them tight and smooth.
Tweek the framerates!....If feels as this game drops down to 15 FPS on my 360 Elite at certain times during the action.
I cant help to say this but, 2K should take some examples from both EA's exceptional NCAA Baseball game and Sony's incredibly smooth and fluid, MLB the SHOW to see how to really give responsive, playable control to back to the player and still make a very sim like baseball game.
Please 2K....make a better game in 2K8 that is all around more playable
Comment