Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

[sportyguyfl31]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

Ive played 6 games of my mets franchise and am having a heck of a lot of fun. I do not want to change a thing. I am seeing more pitches by the cpu, by waiting for the type of pitch I want to hit, instead of just going up there and ripping away at the 1st strike I see. Now if they throw a pitch I feel like I can drive on the 1st pitch and I got Beltran up, then I am hacking.

the game plays at a nice pace this way for me..I dont want to make the game so sim that playing through 1 game takes forever.

Ive gotten pitching down pretty nice and my meatballs are waay down..but I do notice one thing still remains that I do not like. The dang hot/cold teams. I played a series against Atlanta when they were "hot" and it was an absolute pain in the behind. I felt like I was pitching to 8 Barry Bondses. Mark Texeria hit an opposite field homer off of Johan Santana on a fastball that I deliberately threw neck high...and Chipper Jones was fielding like he was Brooks Robinson. That's just absurd.

[orion523]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

Ive played 6 games of my mets franchise and am having a heck of a lot of fun. I do not want to change a thing. I am seeing more pitches by the cpu, by waiting for the type of pitch I want to hit, instead of just going up there and ripping away at the 1st strike I see. Now if they throw a pitch I feel like I can drive on the 1st pitch and I got Beltran up, then I am hacking.

the game plays at a nice pace this way for me..I dont want to make the game so sim that playing through 1 game takes forever.

Ive gotten pitching down pretty nice and my meatballs are waay down..but I do notice one thing still remains that I do not like. The dang hot/cold teams. I played a series against Atlanta when they were "hot" and it was an absolute pain in the behind. I felt like I was pitching to 8 Barry Bondses. Mark Texeria hit an opposite field homer off of Johan Santana on a fastball that I deliberately threw neck high...and Chipper Jones was fielding like he was Brooks Robinson. That's just absurd.

Yeah,the hot/cold thing is way overdone.I turn it off.Using the hot/cold feature also nullifies custom sliders because thats how the cpu get the teams "hot" and "cold" it uses slider adjustments.I highly recommend turning this feature off

[CS10029]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

This is good to hear. I suck offensively and a part of me believed that it was the reason why I wasn't seeing as many balls.

The game that I walked four times I scored 6 runs on 6 hits.

Ever since then I've mustered four hits in two games with one walk. I have to believe that my lack of base hits has a lot to do with my lack of success in drawing walks.

That being said, those two games the CPU starter went 9 innings (why not? They shut me out) and they threw 98 and 95 pitches respectively. Not a bad total pitch count for a 2-hit shutout.

I'll take your word for it and I wouldn't doubt it because you are usually level headed with this sort of thing.

If your having a lot of problems hitting try lowering the pitch speed slider. It'll let you get a better read on the ball, allowing you to take more pitches for balls.

I never walk in baseball games, and Im pretty patient. I've been getting like 3 walks a game lately though.

[orion523]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

For some reason it seems like in the first inning of most games the CPU pounds the hell out of the strike zone. After that I see a lot of balls thrown especially if you chase pitches, they will keep throwing pitches off the plate. Also, if you want a ton of balls adjust the corner slider too, that helps.

I would think thats the case because when a pitcher is fresh.he's more accurate.The more tired he gets the less accurate he becomes.But like you said,if you chase a lot of bad balls the CPU will continue to bait you until you get more disciplined

[CMH]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

If your having a lot of problems hitting try lowering the pitch speed slider. It'll let you get a better read on the ball, allowing you to take more pitches for balls.

I never walk in baseball games, and Im pretty patient. I've been getting like 3 walks a game lately though.

My biggest issue is being too early on pitches. Swinging and missing early on a 92 mph fastball just isn't right. But that's my fault. I think with my struggles I've been trying to jump on the ball rather than wait on it.

Then when the CPU throws something off speed I'm terribly in front. When I try to overcompensate I end up being extremely late on the fastball.

It's just about seeing the pitch and reacting at the right time. The pitch speed isn't the problem for me. Just need to wait a fraction of a fraction of a second longer before hitting swing.

[Jistic]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

My biggest issue is being too early on pitches. Swinging and missing early on a 92 mph fastball just isn't right. But that's my fault. I think with my struggles I've been trying to jump on the ball rather than wait on it.

Then when the CPU throws something off speed I'm terribly in front. When I try to overcompensate I end up being extremely late on the fastball.

It's just about seeing the pitch and reacting at the right time. The pitch speed isn't the problem for me. Just need to wait a fraction of a fraction of a second longer before hitting swing.

It all depends on the count for me. Hitters counts, I'm sitting dead red. Pitchers counts, I'm waiting to see the ball first.

The hitting reminds me a LOT of MVP.

[CMH]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

It all depends on the count for me. Hitters counts, I'm sitting dead red. Pitchers counts, I'm waiting to see the ball first.

The hitting reminds me a LOT of MVP.

Yes, it does. And thinking back on it I sucked at MVP's hitting system too.

Not sure what to think of that. I have no problem getting hits galore in zone hitting systems (never had this sort of problem with The Show or High Heat). But these timing only systems kill me.

[sportyguyfl31]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

Not sure if this works for anyone else, but my offense began to improve when I sat on the 1st two pitches in the early innings. I would only swing if I got a meatball or if the location hit my batters eye (which I always keep centered)..this pays off later in the game.

Also, it is super important to go with the pitch....I try to drive anything I see that's middle of the plate and out, and I try to turn around anything coming inside.

Sometimes, you are going to react wrong and get fooled, but that's baseball

[Village Idiot]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

Yeah,the hot/cold thing is way overdone.I turn it off.Using the hot/cold feature also nullifies custom sliders because thats how the cpu get the teams "hot" and "cold" it uses slider adjustments.I highly recommend turning this feature off

I haven't seen that option in this year's game. Do you remember where it is?

[Village Idiot]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

Not sure if this works for anyone else, but my offense began to improve when I sat on the 1st two pitches in the early innings.

Actually, I take that a step further and don't swing until I have two strikes. The absolute last thing I want is for their pitcher to have an inning where he only has to throw a handful of pitches. By waiting for that second strike, you're guaranteed he'll throw at least 9, and with a few fouls balls, a few balls, and a hit or two, that number can spike to 20 and 25 pretty quick.

It can get a little boring at times, but I'll do anything to avoid getting to the 6th or 7th inning and having the starter sitting on 55 pitches or something. I want him at 90 by that point. You're not going to get that swinging at everything, that's for sure.

And like you said, the more you sit there and watch, the better your timing will be later in the game.

[sportyguyfl31]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

I haven't seen that option in this year's game. Do you remember where it is?

I dont see it anywhere..i guess we are stuck with it grrrr

[sportyguyfl31]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

Also, is there no way to see how often you throw a particular pitch? Last year you could, but I havent figured out how to do it in this one, if you can.

[tswells]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

The World Series celebration is new and very cool, it lasts about 2-3 minutes. The players receive the actual trophy, and the World Series MVP receives his trophy. New audio from the Joe and John. At least I think this is new, I don't remember it from 2k7.

It was an awesome game. I (Seattle) beat the Dodgers 2-0 in game 7, in LA. Felix Hernandez had a CG, 1 hit, 1 BB, 10 SO. Clay Billingsley pitched for LA, 7.2 IP, 5H, 2R, 4 BB, 5 K. My two runs came on an Atkins HR and a Jose Lopez double.

This game's really grown on me. After the learning curve and the struggle to find good sliders I love how it plays.

[sportyguyfl31]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

Ive had to adjust the AI batting a little. The 1 thing 2k seems to insist on having the CPU do, is hit these absurd cannon shots. There are times when the CPU can ONLY score on homeruns. I'm not talking HR's on mistake pitches, or trying to get cute and attempting to sneak something into a guy's hot zone on a 2-0 count.

I'm talking about the perfectly placed ball on the black with 2 strikes that is golfed 400 out to the deepest part of the park by guys like Mike Cameron.

Now this happens now and again, but in this game it seems to happen-major leaguers are going to beat your best pitch ocassionally. I like that you cant just pound a guy's cold zone all game long, like you could on MVP.

However, in this game, the absurd cpu rocket shot happens on average, once a game. Ive played 9 games in my franchise and I'm giving up a homerun a game on average. There isnt a homer hit in every game a team plays. That just isnt realistic

[sportyguyfl31]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

Ive had to adjust the AI batting a little. The 1 thing 2k seems to insist on having the CPU do, is hit these absurd cannon shots. There are times when the CPU can ONLY score on homeruns. I'm not talking HR's on mistake pitches, or trying to get cute and attempting to sneak something into a guy's hot zone on a 2-0 count.

I'm talking about the perfectly placed ball on the black with 2 strikes that is golfed 400 out to the deepest part of the park by guys like Mike Cameron.

Now this happens now and again, but in this game it seems to happen-major leaguers are going to beat your best pitch ocassionally. I like that you cant just pound a guy's cold zone all game long, like you could on MVP.

However, in this game, the absurd cpu rocket shot happens on average, once a game. Ive played 9 games in my franchise and I'm giving up a homerun a game on average. There isnt a homer hit in every game a team plays. That just isnt realistic

Dont mean to quote myself but I am now indecisive...Im not sure if my recent rash of getting bombed is just one of those things that is going to even out over playing 162 games and playing the ocassional power line up or not(dang phillies)..because I have had games where I have thrown gems, and Billy Wagner has been completely lights out closing, through 10 games..hmmm