Anyone else opt for 2K7 over 2K8?

[thextreme1]

I rented 2K8 from Gamefly and enjoyed the gameplay, but the graphics and slowdown were rediculous. So, needing my baseball fix, I went back and played the 2K7 demo and had a great game. The graphics were, at least, twice is good and it was fairly smooth. I didnt have a problem with the gameplay. Looking on these forums and others, using sliders, people have seemed to set the game up nicely with the sliders. That and you cant beat the $10 price tag. I just couldnt justify the extra $50 for 2K8.

So, did anyone else opt out of 2K8 for 2K7?

[lefty1117]

Re: Anyone else opt for 2K7 over 2K8?

Nah. I'm not seeing the graphical difference all that much. Ok maybe the pinstripes are a little blurrier but that's about it. I prefer having more animations, the updated gameplay with the new swing stick and pitching, and the trading card piece. There are still plenty of things I'd like to see improved (in game lineup card needs to be shelved and replaced with a quick-menu) but the gains outweigh the negatives. Of course that's factoring the framerates which again have to be patched into submission (just as they did last year).

[thextreme1]

Re: Anyone else opt for 2K7 over 2K8?

I did like the gameplay, but the graphics are a pretty big downgrade and given it is a sports game, it remains rather important to me. A good ruler to measure by is PNC Park during a day game. In 2K8, the buildings surrounding the park and the bridge, are lower resolution than World Series 2K3 on the Xbox. I just played World Series 2K3 yesterday and there was actually animation on the bridge and the train rolling through. On top of the little details, the lighting is all but non-existant in 2K8. I think they are using one fake light source, whereas 2K7 used either really good baked lighting or realtime lighting and even rim lighting to highlight the players. There are also camera angles missing from 2K7, that highlighted the play like the camera that followed the runner yet showed the action in the field. The homerun celebrations are also gone. The player faces have had a serious downgrade, hence the reason they dont zoom in on the faces anymore.

I am not sure why they didnt leave the 2K7 graphics engine in tact and add some more FSAA. 2K8 wouldve been a perfect game then. They didnt really need to push for 60fps. It moved fine at 30.

Again, I liked the gameplay of 2K8, but the framerate ruined it and I dont think paying $60 constitutes waiting for a patch to make the game smooth. While the framerate isnt gamebreaking, it is annoying enough to warrant concern. It shouldnt be happening 3 years into a consoles lifespan.

[crumpled_heap]

Re: Anyone else opt for 2K7 over 2K8?

Graphics should not be that important.

The gameplay in 2k7 is fundamentally broken because of all the home runs the CPU hits and the complete lack of hit variety.

But all that was fixed for 2k8 thanks to the completely redone hitting engine.

Therefore, 2k8 is the much better game.

[myghty]

Re: Anyone else opt for 2K7 over 2K8?

Isnt there a roster, fieldin position & franchise glitch in 2K7 that are pretty much gamekillers?

[JBH3]

Re: Anyone else opt for 2K7 over 2K8?

I rented 2K8 from Gamefly and enjoyed the gameplay, but the graphics and slowdown were rediculous. So, needing my baseball fix, I went back and played the 2K7 demo and had a great game. The graphics were, at least, twice is good and it was fairly smooth. I didnt have a problem with the gameplay. Looking on these forums and others, using sliders, people have seemed to set the game up nicely with the sliders. That and you cant beat the $10 price tag. I just couldnt justify the extra $50 for 2K8.

So, did anyone else opt out of 2K8 for 2K7?

Nope. No way...w/o the roster control that 2K8 has, and take out slides and new pitching mechanic...2K7 is a distant memory.

[thextreme1]

Re: Anyone else opt for 2K7 over 2K8?

Graphics should not be that important.

The gameplay in 2k7 is fundamentally broken because of all the home runs the CPU hits and the complete lack of hit variety.

But all that was fixed for 2k8 thanks to the completely redone hitting engine.

Therefore, 2k8 is the much better game.

Actually, with the sliders, people have made 2K7 quite playable and have solved the homerun/single issues. In fact, even with the demo the other night, I had a few doubles and tripples and in 8 innings(went into extra innings) the CPU only hit 1 homerun.

Again, dont get me wrong, 2K8 is a good game but not an extra $50 good game for me. I will wait until next year until everything is ironed out or buy a PS3 and get The Show(that part is up to the effort of 2K for next years game).

[thextreme1]

Re: Anyone else opt for 2K7 over 2K8?

Isnt there a roster, fieldin position & franchise glitch in 2K7 that are pretty much gamekillers?

Fixed with a patch.

[thextreme1]

Re: Anyone else opt for 2K7 over 2K8?

Look, I am not trying to put down anyones purchase of this years game. I just didnt think it was worth the extra $ for me. I like great graphics in sports games. I figure it is one of the few genres of games that should look real by now and it helps the overall presentation, which by the way, is totally lacking in 2K8.

Again, it was my decision, and I just wondered if anyone else made the same decision.

[mikepoundstone]

Re: Anyone else opt for 2K7 over 2K8?

I agree with you! 2K8 is awful. The new controls are nice but I think people like it because of the stupid cards. There is no excuse for a game to look this bad.

[boxcarracer2552]

Re: Anyone else opt for 2K7 over 2K8?

I agree with you! 2K8 is awful. The new controls are nice but I think people like it because of the stupid cards. There is no excuse for a game to look this bad.

Yep, that's exactly why people like 2k8. Not because of the reasons they just stated. [/sarcasm]

[Sportsforever]

Re: Anyone else opt for 2K7 over 2K8?

I got 2K7 last year and couldn't play it until after they patched it and I had been playing a Padres franchise up until 2K8 was released. I may pop 2K7 back in to just take a look at it, but I really couldn't see myself going back. In my opinion, here is where 2K8 "improved" on 2K7:

Better:
- Animations, especially in the field and on the bases.
- Hitting model...I really enjoy the hit variety and foul balls. I have had 10-12 pitch at bats and that NEVER happened in 2K7.
- Pitching...I think a lot of folks have covered this, but the pitched really is a gem this year.
- Frame rate. What, you say? I know I'm in the minority and I am not trying to say that I have the "magic" disk and others aren't seeing this, but on my system and viewing it with my eyes the game is smoother than last year's, especially with the fix. Again, this is subjective so I'm hesitant to even throw it on the positive side.
- Franchise mode: For the most part they have fixed the big things and gave us roster control and minors. Definately an upgrade.
- The feeling that anything can happen when fielding/throwing. I hated last year how you couldn't throw the ball away, but this year they nailed it.

Worse:
- Graphics...definately a downgrade.
- Presentation...way too choppy and incomplete.
- Sliders...seems like a few important ones don't work!
- The lack of CPU SB's...

Looking at that list, I don't know if I would want to play 2K7...but to each his own.

[mikepoundstone]

Re: Anyone else opt for 2K7 over 2K8?

That's why 75% of the threads on here are about the cards?

[HK-47]

Re: Anyone else opt for 2K7 over 2K8?

That's why 75% of the threads on here are about the cards?

I looked back 4 pages and only saw 6 thread topics with the word card(s) in it.

[Sportsforever]

Re: Anyone else opt for 2K7 over 2K8?

I got 2K7 last year and couldn't play it until after they patched it and I had been playing a Padres franchise up until 2K8 was released. I may pop 2K7 back in to just take a look at it, but I really couldn't see myself going back. In my opinion, here is where 2K8 "improved" on 2K7:

Better:
- Animations, especially in the field and on the bases.
- Hitting model...I really enjoy the hit variety and foul balls. I have had 10-12 pitch at bats and that NEVER happened in 2K7.
- Pitching...I think a lot of folks have covered this, but the pitched really is a gem this year.
- Frame rate. What, you say? I know I'm in the minority and I am not trying to say that I have the "magic" disk and others aren't seeing this, but on my system and viewing it with my eyes the game is smoother than last year's, especially with the fix. Again, this is subjective so I'm hesitant to even throw it on the positive side.
- Franchise mode: For the most part they have fixed the big things and gave us roster control and minors. Definately an upgrade.
- The feeling that anything can happen when fielding/throwing. I hated last year how you couldn't throw the ball away, but this year they nailed it.

Worse:
- Graphics...definately a downgrade.
- Presentation...way too choppy and incomplete.
- Sliders...seems like a few important ones don't work!
- The lack of CPU SB's...

Looking at that list, I don't know if I would want to play 2K7...but to each his own.

I popped in 2K7 tonight for the first time since 2K8 came out...while I was surprised in that the graphics weren't as different as I expected (player models and lighting were definately better), the big difference I saw was in the frame rate. 2K7's 30 FPS runs SO much smoother...I didn't remember it being so smooth. Part of that might be I was signed out of my VIP, but it was still smoother than 2K8.