New Pitching Controls Again!

[SFGiantsPBA]

Last year, MLB 2K8 confused gamers with a pitching system casual fans saw as overly complex. MLB 2K9 changes all that as the developers of the game are really looking to simplify the pitching experience while at the same time bringing more realism to the mound.

Interview with Tim Lincecum about MLB 2K9

[BigH2k5]

Re: New Pitching Controls Again!

Interview with Tim Lincecum about MLB 2K9

I fully agree. Don't go the route of NHL2K9 and remove control

Just get rid of the damn every pitch turns into a fastball meatball down the middle when a pitch is missed.

[Trevytrev11]

Re: New Pitching Controls Again!

Already posted right below:

http://www.operationsports.com/forum...interview.html

[Crash Davis]

Re: New Pitching Controls Again!

let me be the first to say GREAT!!!!, that pitching was tedious, and im as hardcore baseball as the next guy, but between the meatballs and the big learning curve im glad its gone.
I personally hope they just have a shortened version of it, I like the idea it was just very poorly executed.

[ckarlic]

Re: New Pitching Controls Again!

let me be the first to say GREAT!!!!, that pitching was tedious, and im as hardcore baseball as the next guy, but between the meatballs and the big learning curve im glad its gone.
I personally hope they just have a shortened version of it, I like the idea it was just very poorly executed.

Agreed.I too am a hardcore gamer but I could never get the feel for total control pitching. Even though it is simplistic, I think the Show does a great job when it comes to pitching. I like the fact that when I miss my mark, it is not always a meatball that ends up in the seats.

[kubankaos]

Re: New Pitching Controls Again!

Umm, what is the big deal about changing to the classic pitching if you don't like the new controls?

Also there really wasn't a big learning curve if you used the tutorial. At first I was lost and then I used the tutorial for about 10-15 minutes and figured out the system. Not unless 10-15 minutes is a huge learning curve.

[rjmfigurelli]

Re: New Pitching Controls Again!

I agree in 2k9 we must have more control like High Heat Baseball.

Playing off line have fielding and hitting by the CPU while I control the pitching in franchise mode.

While playing off line be able to sign FA for other team other than your own. In this way have correct roster.

Put players on DL who actually on the DL in real life for all teams.

In 2k8 I place the controller in the middle to see actual play, however 2k8 left me with no controls over the action like in 2k7.

In 2k7 I could stop play move the controller from center to my team adjust my field, warm up pitchers, have batter bunt or steal in the running game. Cannot be done in 2k8.

rjmf





rjmf

[baa7]

Re: New Pitching Controls Again!

Umm, what is the big deal about changing to the classic pitching if you don't like the new controls?

I agree, and I don't understand why some people insist on suggesting it has to be one or the other.

That said, I assume there will be two sets of controls as usual: classic, and some simplified(?) version of last year's new controls. If that's the case, then I'm all for that. I found last year's new pitching controls to be entirely pointless. Rotating the R stick this way and that bears absolutely no relationship to throwing a baseball.

If anything, the R stick should be used to emulate the pitcher's rocking motion, windup and release ala the way it's used in a game like Tiger Woods when swinging at the golf ball.

[mannyblue2008]

Re: New Pitching Controls Again!

Think KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid. I think too much stress is put upon how good the user is and that in effect determines what the pitcher on the mound does. I think it should be dumbed down so that the timing just has to be there. Just pull back the stick and let it go nice and fluid. No perfect movements...no straight up and back perfectly to throw that great fastball. It should be just fluid and time based so you are just timing the release point.

What they really need to do with pitching in baseball games is make it more attribute dependent. They are making it way too mechanical. All the big league pitchers have great mechanics that is why they are in the big leagues!! They know HOW to throw a curveball, split, change, etc. Some times they just don't have it on the mound and the pitches don't do what they want to do and/or go where they want them to go. Sure it can be mechanical. That's what pitching coaches are for and I honestly think they need to implement better mound visits with pitching coaches. Make good rated pitching coaches help out pitchers better then mediocre ones. This should be very small and not game changing.

Bottom line I think they need to do away with all these special movements and take control out of the users hands. I know it's not as fun because you really aren't controlling as much but you still are if you think about it. You are controlling what pitch to throw and where to throw it. It's up to attributes based on stats and randomness to determine the outcome of the pitch. This would result in more realistic pitch counts and games if it's all implemented accurately to the pitcher's real life stats/attributes.

[baa7]

Re: New Pitching Controls Again!

I think it should be dumbed down so that the timing just has to be there. Just pull back the stick and let it go nice and fluid. No perfect movements...no straight up and back perfectly to throw that great fastball. It should be just fluid and time based so you are just timing the release point.

That's exactly what should happen -- just like properly timing a swing in a golf game while making sure you don't rush it or hesitate too long at the top. And ideally, pitchers should have various motion and release speeds that match their real-life motion and release.

[CMH]

Re: New Pitching Controls Again!

That's exactly what should happen -- just like properly timing a swing in a golf game while making sure you don't rush it or hesitate too long at the top. And ideally, pitchers should have various motion and release speeds that match their real-life motion and release.

Yea, that keeps the button presses minimal and still gives the user a sense of control.

And much like Tiger Woods or NBA 2K's free throw system, you can make the location dependent on how exact you make the motion.

Meatball pitches should be kept to only those motions that are so severely off that you're just making a joke of yourself out there on the mound. Well, meatball pitches in general need to go. They are not real. No one throws a 76 mph fastball by mistake down the middle.

Meters are too archaic and allow for the user to master the system too easily. If they use the right stick movement for location then they just need to make it an exact science. They have the frames to do it. The sliders can make it even more difficult.

Great control pitchers have a bigger window of perfection and hitting their spots, and as talent goes down the timing window decreases substantially.

And sliders, sliders, sliders. I can already see something like this being too forgiving out of the box. Sliders that make it extremely difficult to get the timing down perfect would be huge.

Oh well, guess we just need to wait to see what they are doing.

[jfsolo]

Re: New Pitching Controls Again!

Think KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid. I think too much stress is put upon how good the user is and that in effect determines what the pitcher on the mound does. I think it should be dumbed down so that the timing just has to be there. Just pull back the stick and let it go nice and fluid. No perfect movements...no straight up and back perfectly to throw that great fastball. It should be just fluid and time based so you are just timing the release point.

What they really need to do with pitching in baseball games is make it more attribute dependent. They are making it way too mechanical. All the big league pitchers have great mechanics that is why they are in the big leagues!! They know HOW to throw a curveball, split, change, etc. Some times they just don't have it on the mound and the pitches don't do what they want to do and/or go where they want them to go. Sure it can be mechanical. That's what pitching coaches are for and I honestly think they need to implement better mound visits with pitching coaches. Make good rated pitching coaches help out pitchers better then mediocre ones. This should be very small and not game changing.

Bottom line I think they need to do away with all these special movements and take control out of the users hands. I know it's not as fun because you really aren't controlling as much but you still are if you think about it. You are controlling what pitch to throw and where to throw it. It's up to attributes based on stats and randomness to determine the outcome of the pitch. This would result in more realistic pitch counts and games if it's all implemented accurately to the pitcher's real life stats/attributes.

I pretty much agree with this. I prefer the even more simplistic Earl Weaver, High Heat model, if I guy didn't have his stuff that day, he was going to struggle, and there is nothing the User could really do about it, besides taking him out.

And struggle didn't just mean a bunch of fat ones down the pipe and over the fence. It meant balls a foot off the plate, at the neck, at the ankles. Things that led to walks and high pitch counts, and short nights for starters. Just like real baseball.

For some reason many, many gamers fell in love with the hitting and pitching of MVP, and still long for it. This is always going to be puzzling to me, as it is my opinion that they both were really horrible.

[wsu_gb23]

Re: New Pitching Controls Again!

just use the meter-pitching. There is no reason to get all fancy with the controls like they had last year for pitching.....when I throw a pass in a football game I don't have to flip the stick to get the proper rotation on the ball, or when I go to shoot in an NBA game I don't have to flick the stick exactly the right way to make the ball spin and swish through the net.

Why do I need to make semi-circles, half circles, press up, up, down down, left right, left right, and release to throw a pitch?!

[King Gro23]

Re: New Pitching Controls Again!

im curious to see how it unfoils,

I think it should be a three step series.
With vc making the game and all there really good, but any who

Step 1. Move the left thumbstick to locate the pitch target not cursor, target, it should be squares like the 17 zones (9 in zone/ 7 out) like bottom image

Step 2. Select a pitch, and say you choose zone low and out strike via 11% (left grid) and you choose slider, this means your pitch will break into the zone you selected not start in the zone you select.

Step 3. Pull down the RS thumbstick, and let signature ani's come in to play, hold down thumbstick till release of pitch and let go at release. LIKE NBA 2k9 free throws ! Perfect timing gets it in the zone like a perfect pitch in that zone, slightly early - high in the selected zone maybe just a lil above it MAYBE no meatball like, Slighty late- lower in zone maybe more strategic to get late release for lower pitches. Bad releases- no meat balls just un hittable bad pitches like low dirt balls, high, chin music, wide out /in

[Trevytrev11]

Re: New Pitching Controls Again!

im curious to see how it unfoils,

I think it should be a three step series.
With vc making the game and all there really good, but any who

Step 1. Move the left thumbstick to locate the pitch target not cursor, target, it should be squares like the 17 zones (9 in zone/ 7 out) like bottom image

Step 2. Select a pitch, and say you choose zone low and out strike via 11% (left grid) and you choose slider, this means your pitch will break into the zone you selected not start in the zone you select.

Step 3. Pull down the RS thumbstick, and let signature ani's come in to play, hold down thumbstick till release of pitch and let go at release. LIKE NBA 2k9 free throws ! Perfect timing gets it in the zone like a perfect pitch in that zone, slightly early - high in the selected zone maybe just a lil above it MAYBE no meatball like, Slighty late- lower in zone maybe more strategic to get late release for lower pitches. Bad releases- no meat balls just un hittable bad pitches like low dirt balls, high, chin music, wide out /in

They would definitely need to implement a warm up pitch feature with this system. I could see it taking a few to several pitches to get a new pitchers release point down..or even a current pitcher at the start of every new inning. Kind of like going from a guy in NBA 2K with a long/normal release to Marion's quick release.