Can the next patch realistically save MLB2K9?

[BigBlue]

Is it realistically possible that this game can be saved with a patch? I'm beginning to think that this game was meant to be played online (ala All Pro Football 2K8). Or maybe there's a perfect difficulty level for Offline play where you don't see the quirks that keep popping up as you play the game.

I'm certain that the next patch will address the most popular issues (aggressive ai hitting, First Baseman foot on the bag, Outfielders not catching flyballs while camped underneath them), but I don't expect that a patch will resolve the following:

- Ugly animations like an infielder squared towards homeplate and firing to first base. Or the sloppy first baseman, fielding a ground ball in the hole and constantly errantly flipping the ball to the pitcher who is extremely slow in covering 1B. How about the on-deck batter who runs with bat in hand towards the batter's box like a little-leaguer? Or the Manager who visits the mound and then splits apart while walking back to the dugout? Or the catcher not trying to apply a tag at the plate when the ball clearly beats the runner?

- SLIDERS. A patch will NOT bring back the various sliders that would clearly have resolved the overaggressive CPU batting.

- STAT overlays like viewing pitchcounts for the opposing pitcher (without pausing the game) or knowing who's batting while ONLINE.

- The ability to play an exhibition game and edit the opposing lineup and starter without using a 2nd controller.

- Editing player stances and pitch deliveries.

There are just TOO many issues that need to be addressed that cannot be fixed with a patch. Many, yours truly included, would be satisfied with the patch addressing the most obvious glitches because WE WANT A PLAYABLE BASEBALL GAME ON OUR XBOX 360 and do not want to spend $500 to play ONE GAME!

But I would have been happier had VC simply tightened up 2K8. You know, improve gameplay AI, eliminate meatballs and tone down homeruns. I loved last year's pitching mechanic and its complexity. I loved last year's hitting mechanic and the step influence. Just make it a bit more challenging. Afterall, isn't this what the other game does?

Sorry for the rant, guys. But I'm hoping that a VC developer hops on and reads this because, if I'm not mistaken, there was a thread that the developer is listening. I sure hope they do this time.

BigBlue

[stlstudios189]

Re: Can the next patch realistically save MLB2K9?

I think that the next patch will improve most of the major flaws in the game. I enjoy the game because I can overlook a few of the minor issues and try not to let them bother me. I have fun playing and that might just be because I'm crazy. I have not lost hope for baseball on XBOX! I was very dissappointed at 1st and wanted to buy a PS3 and then after calming down and playing the game some more I have come to accept that it is a 7.5 instead of a 9.5. 2k needs to gain your confidence back and hopefully a patch can do that and of course a 9.5 MLB 2k10 wouldn't hurt.

[BigBlue]

Re: Can the next patch realistically save MLB2K9?

Thanks for the reply, stlstudios. I think the point you make in 2K needing to get my confidence back is a huge statement because that defines what alot of the gamers are feeling right now.

Looking back at what was done to this game and the NHL2K9 game with controls being simplified (modified, dumbed-down, etc), it seems as though VC is not entirely sure with the direction in which they want to take their series. The Basketball game is their bread and butter right now and is defined.

So the next patch will make us all feel better. But what they bring back to us with MLB2K10 and NHL2K10 will probably be the last chance for this developer to win us all back completely. It also wouldn't hurt them to release a football game this year. But that's wishful thinking!

BigBlue

[Bruin26]

Re: Can the next patch realistically save MLB2K9?

I am honestly having a blast in my franchise right now. I seemed to have found a good set of sliders that work for me that keep most games close and competitive through the first 12 games. Not a lot, but I have played them over a short period of time as I was playing mainly exhibition in order to find the right sliders for me. I am getting frustrated with some of the bugs that keep coming up every game though. Not so much that it makes me want to stop playing, which is good and I hope I don't get to that point.

I am playing as Oakland and I think based on what I have heard about Holliday's defense that they have him rated a bit high for his defense, yet even with that fact through the first 8 or 9 games he had 9 errors for me. Only one of which was a throwing error and my fault, all the others were I was right where I needed to be and the ball just bounced off of him. I finally went and made his catch rating 100 and have yet to have it happen since then through the next few games, but man it was frustrating to have it happen for 6 straight games. I even had put my error rating down to 0 to see if that would help.

I hope the patch can help with the AI batting and how often they swing. I think that alone would make for a huge improvement for a lot of people.

So can it save it? Well so far, it needs help, but for me not really saved since I am still enjoying myself with it. I never wanted to play every game in my franchise before this. I usually used to play one or two games a series so I could play through more seasons, but I really don't even want to simulate since my games have been so fun so far.

In case anyone is wondering, I am 8-4 so far.

[baa7]

Re: Can the next patch realistically save MLB2K9?

The ability to play an exhibition game and edit the opposing lineup and starter without using a 2nd controller.

Go into team management, edit the CPU team BEFORE you set up a game, don't save to a save file, then play the game. No second controller needed.

The fielding AI, fielding glitches and fielding animations cannot be fixed with a patch. That's 50% of the game they'd have to essentially rewrite and replace. So the answer to your topic question is no.

[BigBlue]

Re: Can the next patch realistically save MLB2K9?

Again, thanks for the responses.

Baa, I know that you were an advocate of the STEP INFLUENCE slider, so I'll ask you this. Would you be playing MLB2K9 today if it was everything 2K8 was with improved framerate, the new commentary, zone hitting (9 zones, pure right stick aiming in the 9 zones) and no meatballs with toned down home runs?

I certainly would have been happier!

BigBlue

[bobbysco13]

Re: Can the next patch realistically save MLB2K9?

In terms of a patch "saving" this title, I'm not sure. What is growing on me is online play though. I, unlike other gamers, have not always found this game to be a homerfest even on default "quick ranked match" online. I love that you can read pitches and wait for your pitch and location. I just had a 2-1 win last night in 10 innings, with AJ Pierzynski crushing the only homerun of the game for the walk-off win. The homerfest is alleviated somewhat online by good pitchers who don't throw strikes every pitch. I understand many things cannot be changed or fixed with a patch, but hopefully some of the initial online league problems will be rectified once the patch is released.

[celtic78]

Re: Can the next patch realistically save MLB2K9?

2k needs to take a page from the nhl 09 team and get really good patches out if theyre games are going to be such garbage...the game was great before, but now its a hundred times better. both online and off.

[TahJay561]

Re: Can the next patch realistically save MLB2K9?

Is it realistically possible that this game can be saved with a patch? I'm beginning to think that this game was meant to be played online (ala All Pro Football 2K8). Or maybe there's a perfect difficulty level for Offline play where you don't see the quirks that keep popping up as you play the game.

I'm certain that the next patch will address the most popular issues (aggressive ai hitting, First Baseman foot on the bag, Outfielders not catching flyballs while camped underneath them), but I don't expect that a patch will resolve the following:

- Ugly animations like an infielder squared towards homeplate and firing to first base. Or the sloppy first baseman, fielding a ground ball in the hole and constantly errantly flipping the ball to the pitcher who is extremely slow in covering 1B. How about the on-deck batter who runs with bat in hand towards the batter's box like a little-leaguer? Or the Manager who visits the mound and then splits apart while walking back to the dugout? Or the catcher not trying to apply a tag at the plate when the ball clearly beats the runner?

- SLIDERS. A patch will NOT bring back the various sliders that would clearly have resolved the overaggressive CPU batting.

- STAT overlays like viewing pitchcounts for the opposing pitcher (without pausing the game) or knowing who's batting while ONLINE.

- The ability to play an exhibition game and edit the opposing lineup and starter without using a 2nd controller.

- Editing player stances and pitch deliveries.

There are just TOO many issues that need to be addressed that cannot be fixed with a patch. Many, yours truly included, would be satisfied with the patch addressing the most obvious glitches because WE WANT A PLAYABLE BASEBALL GAME ON OUR XBOX 360 and do not want to spend $500 to play ONE GAME!

But I would have been happier had VC simply tightened up 2K8. You know, improve gameplay AI, eliminate meatballs and tone down homeruns. I loved last year's pitching mechanic and its complexity. I loved last year's hitting mechanic and the step influence. Just make it a bit more challenging. Afterall, isn't this what the other game does?

Sorry for the rant, guys. But I'm hoping that a VC developer hops on and reads this because, if I'm not mistaken, there was a thread that the developer is listening. I sure hope they do this time.

BigBlue

My God how can you remember so many problems?

I'm definitely gonna be satisfied with 2k7

[BigBlue]

Re: Can the next patch realistically save MLB2K9?

My God how can you remember so many problems?

I'm definitely gonna be satisfied with 2k7

They all happened to me while playing one game last night (offline vs CPU). The CPU first baseman's sloppy flip to an uncovering pitcher happened twice. UGLY!

BigBlue

[DaveDQ]

Re: Can the next patch realistically save MLB2K9?

The question for me is, "Is there a patch in the works?" Surely they aren't waiting to hear what the community is saying and then making one, right? If that's the case, it'll be a while.

My biggest hope would be for the AI at bat situation. They just swing too often.

Other than that, I'm ok with the game. A lot of these "issues" we are hearing about have never happened with me. The situation with the AI outfielder running into the wall happened in the demo, but not once in the retail version (for me).

Now, it's not good to have that in the back of your head, but it should be known that these things don't happen often, if at all.

[baa7]

Re: Can the next patch realistically save MLB2K9?

Would you be playing MLB2K9 today if it was everything 2K8 was with improved framerate, the new commentary, zone hitting (9 zones, pure right stick aiming in the 9 zones) and no meatballs with toned down home runs?

Even without step influence, I like the zone hitting in 2K9. It's more responsive than The Show's. The bat cursor is ridiculous, but the hit variety and the ability to set the difficulty level = a very nice system. But the moment the ball's in play, the game falls apart. The AI is awful, and after five years I simply can't stand the horrendous fielding animations any longer. 2K8 had fewer fielding issues, but again the fielding animations haven't been fixed for five years now, so I don't see much difference between the two games in that regard.

However, apart for the CPU hitter aggressiveness issue, the thing that absolutely kills the game for me is the fact VC removed stance and pitch rating editing. It's simply inexcusable. That, and the fact they slowed down pitch speeds. Fastballs are much slower this year, even at 100 speed, and there's simply not enough speed variation between a 70 mph pitch and a 90 mph pitch. I'd switch back to 2K8 for those reasons, yes.

[tmac55]

Re: Can the next patch realistically save MLB2K9?

I think this question could vary respectively by person.

If you are a gamer who enjoys the game and doesn't catch the little flaws as much as your hardcore crowd, then I am assuming a good solid patch could save the game for you. It would simply make the game solid and you wouldn't even be worried about the small things.

If you are in the crowd of gamers, who think this game is so far gone, then I doubt any patch could clean up this mess that they perceive in the game.

I, for one, love this game and A simple fix of AI aggressiveness, and some fielding improvements for the AI close to the wall, would make this game an 8 in my books. They have really put the fun factor back in the game this year, and with a good solid patch like the first NBA 2K9 patch, this could really help the game.

[Trevytrev11]

Re: Can the next patch realistically save MLB2K9?

The question for me is, "Is there a patch in the works?"

Yeah, we're 7 full days post official release and about 10-11 days after some got the game early and brought many of these issues to our attention. I'd be nice to hear something...even just aknowledgement from the development team (and not Ronnie at the 2K boards). Though I am sure they will wait to see what they can patch before announcing that there will be a patch at all. But it would be nice just to hear from someone from the team of where they are and what they realistically think can and can't be fixed

[JayhawkerStL]

Re: Can the next patch realistically save MLB2K9?

I'm not sure what is meant by save. In my opinion, the patch for last years game made it a really fun to play, and I enjoyed the heck out of it. But it was too late, as the initial impressions even turned folks against this game before it came out.

There are plenty of things I'd like to see the patch address. But there are far too many folks that really want 2K to waste their time with stupid BS like editing the stances. I really appreciate that the OP made a point of addressing the actual things that affect enjoyment of the game.

Not being able to bring up your opponents' line-ups is pretty inexcusable. Not being able to edit your opponents line-up and starting pitcher at the start-up screen is mind boggling. Only getting 30 seconds to make adjustments to your line-up in an online game is terrible.

The fact that they made total control pitching so easy is pretty awful as well. You can use the classic pitching and start throwing balls, but that is giving up one of the things we all loved abut 2K8. So I'd like to see a patch address that, as well as the AI aggressiveness.

But even if they hit all of these issues, it's too late to generate more sales. They missed the boat once again. It's too bad, as last year's game would have been even more fun if there were more folks playing it after it got patched. The same is about to happen this year.

But in the big picture, I don't really care. I'll enjoy the game for what it is, and hope for better next year. Since it is VC, I'm pretty hopeful for what they will put out.

But if they could just somehow make it possible to look at your opponents line-up, it would make a huge difference in enjoying the game.