Who is developing or making MLB 2k9?

[bakesalee]

I haven't had fun, simple, addicting video baseball gaming since MLB2k4. Tell me there's a change in leadership. I need a "one more game" reflex that I haven't had in years. Buying a PS3 for The Show is not in my budget any more.

I feel kind of screwed, because believe it or not, the likes of Home Run King (Sega 2002) and World Series Baseball 2k3 actually got me into buying and playing video games and consoles. I got addicted and now I'm craving something that hasn't existed in what feels like a decade. Now where's the fun?

I spend more time pondering this crap than I do playing video games. This sucks.

[Uifz]

Re: Who is developing or making MLB 2k9?

I don't know what you're smoking, but this year's game has best since the MVP days...It just takes ALOT of time to get used to....But once you learn the game, it's a ton of fun.

[bakesalee]

Re: Who is developing or making MLB 2k9?

I'm smoking pot. What are you smoking?

And also, I thought MVP sucked, that's why I always played 2k. Funny how old MVP players like this game, and an old school 2ker such as myself thinks the new 2k stinks.

[SoxFan01605]

Re: Who is developing or making MLB 2k9?

I don't know what you're smoking, but this year's game has best since the MVP days...It just takes ALOT of time to get used to....But once you learn the game, it's a ton of fun.

lol...well apparently there are a lot of drug abusers on this site and others like it...and they all must have the same dealer because the general consensus is that this game falls short. If you like it, fine, but that doesn't mean it's undeniably good (and certainly not the "best since the MVP days"...yikes).

As for whose making it, I think Visual Concepts (or whatever is the "main" 2K group) took it over after they shut down the 2KLA group. Hopefully it's a step back in the right direction (and not yet another control scheme switch at the expense of other aspects).

[BigBlue]

Re: Who is developing or making MLB 2k9?

I'll tell you the truth; I am enjoying the heck out of this game. True that this game suffers from frame rate issues, but I stayed away from 2k's games since 2004 and I am pleasantly surprised by animations, the new pitching controls and the potential that this game has. I'm looking forward to this game next year.

A few of the things I'd like to see improved for next year are: A consistent frame rate, custom sliders to be used for online play, fewer meatballs resulting in home runs, a tighter strike zone that will result in more base-on-balls, cleaner outfield catching animations (please no more shoulder shrugs will camped under a fly ball), and an improved hitting system that will force the user to aim while swinging (not just 'timed' swinging).

Try some of the slider settings in the sliders thread and you'll find that the game plays a much more realistic game than 'out of the box.'

BigBlue

[baa7]

Re: Who is developing or making MLB 2k9?

Funny how old MVP players like this game, and an old school 2ker such as myself thinks the new 2k stinks.

Thankfully, Kush no longer works on the series. VC took over, so expect an improved effort next spring. And hopefully they'll put pre-2K6 classic pitching back in the game, and especially zone hitting. The timed-only hitting that's been in the series for the past 3 years is horribly simplistic.

[Eddie1967]

Re: Who is developing or making MLB 2k9?

I don't know what you're smoking, but this year's game has best since the MVP days...It just takes ALOT of time to get used to....But once you learn the game, it's a ton of fun.

Agree, not the part about smoking something but this is the best baseball game that I have ever played. From the animations, the game play, and the outstanding controls, this game has come a long way. Can't wait to see what's in store for 2k9. If VC is in charge it should be outstanding.

[Eddie1967]

Re: Who is developing or making MLB 2k9?

I'm smoking pot. What are you smoking?

And also, I thought MVP sucked, that's why I always played 2k. Funny how old MVP players like this game, and an old school 2ker such as myself thinks the new 2k stinks.

LOL!

[bakesalee]

Re: Who is developing or making MLB 2k9?

I'm dying for the reimplimentation of zone hitting. I used to constantly be on the top 10 leader board on legend mode back in the 2k4-5 days. Now it's a crap shoot and I feel like there isn't enough seperation between skill levels.

Thankfully, Kush no longer works on the series. VC took over, so expect an improved effort next spring. And hopefully they'll put pre-2K6 classic pitching back in the game, and especially zone hitting. The timed-only hitting that's been in the series for the past 3 years is horribly simplistic.

[baa7]

Re: Who is developing or making MLB 2k9?

Now it's a crap shoot and I feel like there isn't enough seperation between skill levels.

If you do play 2K8, run the pitch speed slider up to 100. That combined with tweaking the step influence slider (a great feature -- got to give Kush props for that one) will provide a pretty stiff challenge. It's still not the same challenge as zone hitting, but it's not bad.

[bakesalee]

Re: Who is developing or making MLB 2k9?

baa I think we agree a lot on 2k baseball. I hope it's steered back in the right direction before the next-next-generation comes (you know where everything takes a graphical leap, but everything else takes 7 steps back again) so we can face each other online.

[baa7]

Re: Who is developing or making MLB 2k9?

baa I think we agree a lot on 2k baseball. I hope it's steered back in the right direction before the next-next-generation comes (you know where everything takes a graphical leap, but everything else takes 7 steps back again)

Yeah, I don't know what's happened to 2K's games. They've definitely gone downhill since next-gen. But I think the bigger issue is that Sega is no longer involved. Take Two is the real culprit, I'm guessing. Seems like they're a penny-pinching outfit or something. They don't seem to hire any real programming talent, and there's no quality control or marketing to speak of.

I'm hoping -- but not expecting -- that VC starts over from scratch next year, by going back to the series' earlier roots: sim gameplay (as opposed to the HR fest the game has become), and a choice of several hitting and pitching controls. They also need a new game engine. The one being used now goes all the way back to 2K3 at least, and it's limitations were already obvious 3 years ago. 2K baseball is just like their hockey series: it feels like playing a last-gen game that's been continually tweaked, in order to cover up and hide the game engine's deficiencies.

[FedEx227]

Re: Who is developing or making MLB 2k9?

See there's a trend in that though. You mentioned 2k baseball and hockey as taking steps back in years.

Developer for each of those series was Kush Games, they are no longer. Thats why I forsee a real improvement with 2k9 and VC (NBA 2k series).

Also Ben Brinkman was not at all what he was made out to be and he cut and ran.

[Woodweaver]

Re: Who is developing or making MLB 2k9?

baa I think we agree a lot on 2k baseball. I hope it's steered back in the right direction before the next-next-generation comes (you know where everything takes a graphical leap, but everything else takes 7 steps back again) so we can face each other online.

Yeah, this is a common problem when moving to a next gen console. Unfortunately, due to changes in architecture, both hardware and software, many features do not necessarily "carry over" as easily as others. Additionally, most sports titles generally have much shorter development cycles than most other types of games. So, many of these "old" features are dropped (and hopefully added back later) in favor of the graphical improvements. These graphical improvements are obviously the most "visible" next gen upgrades, and marketing and fans alike scream if they don't see them immediately. Case in point was the first rev of The Show for the PS3. Everyone was saying, "This is just a port of the PS2 version!"

Ideally, VC would take all the time they needed to build a new engine capable of taking full advantage of the next gen consoles with all the existing features and a bunch of new ones, but the reality of that path would be no new 2k baseball for at least a another year...maybe two (unless they had another team working in parallel in some back room for the past couple of years). What this means for next springs version...who can say. But I would not expect miraculous turn arounds if they do release something.

I think Brinkman did a great job considering what he was given to work with, and he ceratainly did not cut and run. It was stated many times here on OS that, due to factors beyond his control, VC decided to close 2KLA and move development of the baseball game to NoCal. Because of family and lifestyle issues, he decided not to follow.

[FedEx227]

Re: Who is developing or making MLB 2k9?

Looking back at past threads I was wrong about my cut and run statement but it doesn't change the fact he was nothing but disappointing in his 2k run. He lied about demo release dates, pumped himself up as this great video game reformer, was real accessable before the game came out then was nowhere to be found once the game was finished or I should say released because anybody who owned the original game would not call it finished. Didn't have a thing to say about the horrenous frame rate issue that plagued the early game, then wasn't fixed until almost a month and a half afterwards.

Also his ideals on the game were awful I remember one quote where he said he wanted pitchers to throw all strikes because he didn't want to wait a full at-bat to swing, so in turn we have 2k8 where if you draw a walk you are a god. No doubt he improved it, but it didn't make anywhere near the jumps it should have in the 2 years.