MLB 2K9 Post-Patch Impressions (360 & PS3 merged)

[jbrown]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Official Patch 2 Available, Impressions Here (360 Only)

I have played 5 post patch games with some tweaks to the default legend sliders. I still have to get the hitting sliders a little better but here are my results. (I lost all 5 games). I am Boston.

Game #1
R H E
Red Sox 2 4 1
---------------------
Blue Jays 4 12 0

Game #2
R H E
Red Sox 2 10 0
---------------------
Blue Jays 3 7 0

Game #3
R H E
Red Sox 0 7 0
---------------------
Rangers 4 9 0

Game #4
R H E
Red Sox 4 9 2
---------------------
Rangers 7 10 0

Game #5
R H E
Red Sox 2 8 2
---------------------
Rangers 5 7 0

To me it is good overall on the CPU offense side. I just need to work on the HUM offense side.

Just finished my 6th game.

R H E
Orioles 2 5 0
---------------------
Red Sox 3 13 0

I tied it up on a rbi single by Baldelli scoring Bay in the bottom of the 9th. Then won it (first win post patch) with a gapper by Ortiz scoring ellsbury from second in the bottom of the 10th.

I had 9 k's and 2 walks with beckett in 7 innings giving up 2 earned runs. Delcarmen pitched 2 scoreless innings with 2 k's and 1 walk and Saito pitched a perfect 10th.

I walked once each with Ortiz, Bay and Varitek.

I struck out once each with Ortiz, Youklis, Lowell and Baldelli.

I stole one base with Ellsbury.

I hit two doubles.

Two of the five hits I gave up with becket were extra base hits. A double by Wiggington and a triple with Jones.

Overall it was a very fun game to play. I felt my self getting tense in the bottom of the 9th with two outs before I tied it up. Then a sigh of relief.

[Spanky]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Official Patch 2 Available, Impressions Here (360 Only)

Also I have a little problem in my franchise after the patch. I have two brad penny's and two jon lester's. The fatigue is always the same for both of them. Just kind of quirky if you ask me. I haven't tried to do anything to get rid of "extras yet". Just weird.

You have to turn the cloning option off from the main menu.

[stlstudios189]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Official Patch 2 Available, Impressions Here (360 Only)

I agree the AI stll is too aggressive at the plate.

Also the games take forever to complete. 45 minutes to an hour.

do you use quick play mode, I tried a game and it took much less time, but, I like the presentation too much to use it.

[MizzouRah]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Official Patch 2 Available, Impressions Here (PS3 Only)

Pre-patch: routine throws in the infield actually took some patience and skill; instead of accepting this and adjusting, gamers complained non-stop about the "glitches" with fielding (all of which are still there, proving it was never a "glitch" to being with; what has been done is that fielding is just easier now).

Post-patch: With almost all suspense removed, defense is downright boring. What, am I playing The Show?

Pre-patch: I thought pitching was perfect. To me, there was nothing like aiming a 2-seamer for the top-right corner and have it dart out of the zone at the last moment, or aiming a slider at someone's knee and have it break into the zone; but gamers complained it was too easy to hit your spots.

Post-patch: you can still throw a strike any time you want, so I'm not sure what was accomplished by making it so pitches tend to float 6-8 inches away from where you aimed them. I guess it's more "realistic" or something, but, from where I'm standing, now there's REALLY no reason to ever throw a ball. Why should I aim for the black (let alone someone's knee) if I really have no idea where the pitch is going to go? So, instead of trying to pinpoint my pitch where I want it to go, I'm trying to pinpoint my pitch having "corrected" for the new "realistic" inaccuracy. Huh? What? In other words, nothing's really any different except where I aim: i.e., I'm not walking more batters, I'm not throwing more balls, I'm not having any more or less success - so what just happened? Instead of aiming a pitch where I want, and taking my chances with that pitch, I'm aiming "somewhere else." Awesome!

Pre-patch: I never had any problems with AI batters being "too aggressive." They tended to swing at strikes and take balls; they also tended to take "good" strikes and swing at "good" balls. But apparently I'm an idiot, or have a special copy of the game, or something.

Post-patch: I don't see much difference here, truth be told, except for the fact that I have in my mind every time I think about throwing a ball, "the AI will take more balls" from the patch notes. So, there again, no reason to throw a ball.

Pre-patch: Something about too many home runs.
Post-patch: Well my team is last in the league in HRs, as well as first in the league in HR allowed, so ... here's to staying in both places.

And there's my impressions.

I'm half-kidding with some of this, as some of it just involves tweaking sliders. Overall, though, I definitely could have done without this patch, especially since it didn't do dick with any of my problems with Franchise mode.

Good post, I'm pretty much feeling the same way. All I really cared about was the OF issue and being able to pick runners off 2nd base too easily.. everything else felt great.

I'll give it some more time, but it's early impressions for me is it's not as fun.

[jeffy777]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Official Patch 2 Available, Impressions Here (360 Only)

I'm getting more strikeouts now. I was trying to nibble the corners on the first pitch, which was resulting in a lot of first pitch hits, but it seems the AI is more likely to take the first pitch if it's right down the pipe (go figure)

[jerm21]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Official Patch 2 Available, Impressions Here (360 Only)

anyone notice the cleats are different?

and we have an interracial umping crew now! it's not dominated by whites! except like previous years, the black umpire has white arms. looks weird!

[Checmate101]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Official Patch 2 Available, Impressions Here (360 Only)

Havne't played the game since this morning, my tv has been ate up by the kids. So have the progression lighting been fixed. I read from a poster that he think it has. Anybody else notice it?

[Padgoi]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Official Patch 2 Available, Impressions Here (360 Only)

I agree the AI stll is too aggressive at the plate.

Also the games take forever to complete. 45 minutes to an hour.

I respect your opinion and no offense when I say this, but it's comments like this EXACT ONE that make people like Brinkman say stupid **** like, "the games are too long so we're gonna make the CPU throw all strikes and swing at everything." Everyone was complaining about unrealistic pitch counts and over-aggressive CPU hitters, you can't have it both ways. Either the game takes 45 minutes and you get realism or the game takes 20 and each team throws 50 pitches per game. I think we would ALL prefer realism so again, no offense but we don't need comments like this giving the programmers the wrong ideas.

[zpq12]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Official Patch 2 Available, Impressions Here (360 Only)

I respect your opinion and no offense when I say this, but it's comments like this EXACT ONE that make people like Brinkman say stupid **** like, "the games are too long so we're gonna make the CPU throw all strikes and swing at everything." Everyone was complaining about unrealistic pitch counts and over-aggressive CPU hitters, you can't have it both ways. Either the game takes 45 minutes and you get realism or the game takes 20 and each team throws 50 pitches per game. I think we would ALL prefer realism so again, no offense but we don't need comments like this giving the programmers the wrong ideas.

Exactly.

[bkrich83]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Official Patch 2 Available, Impressions Here (PS3 Only)

Since the patch having a lot of fun.

Had a pitchers duel Jake Peavy vs. Roy Oswalt in Petco. Astros won 2-1.

Next game was completely different. Rangers vs. Indians in Arlington. Sure tell a difference in how the parks played. At Arlington the ball jumped out of the park. Indians win 11-7.

Here's my first highlight.

http://community.2ksports.com/community/media/viewer.cfm?mediaid=30639

[silverandblack]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Official Patch 2 Available, Impressions Here (360 Only)

My only issue is that the aggressivness still seems to be there.

Cubs/Orioles game I played earlier

Roberts and Jones swung and hit the 1st two pitches Zambrano threw.

A splitter on the inside corner to Roberts and A 2 seamer going away from Jones. Both grounded out to 3B...but I was hoping at least with not a fastball down the middle, I was hoping they'd at least take the pitch.

Not a game killer for me...but kind of annoying is all.

Just wish they'd bring back the CPU Take Pitches slider they had in the game last year.

I just happen to be playing the orioles now (why i'm commenting) and I got Roberts to take a first pitch fastball on the inside corner and a second pitch curve on the outside corner to start himself 0-2... Pie, the next guy up, took first pitch curve on the inside corner.

I think everyone is getting different results (my buddy was just complaining that the AI agressiveness was no different)... the only explanation for that has got to be the gestures and the sliders being used to influence that part of the game. I definitely see a difference, post patch.

[JBH3]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Official Patch 2 Available, Impressions Here (360 Only)

I have baserunner speed at 90 and I have only stolen 1 out of 6 bases with ellsbury. I think you HAVE TO steal on an off speed pitch. All 6 of my attempts were on fastballs or pitch outs. The only one that was successful was on a bad throw.

Getting thrown out on a pitch out I can understand. We should still be able to steal on a FB. I find myself only being able to to steal during certain pitchers wind-ups. Which is fine for someone w/ mariginal good speed i.e. 70/75, but someone like Rollins or Victorino or Ellsbury - who can steal on just about anyone - shouldn't have to pick these specific battles.

I just happen to be playing the orioles now (why i'm commenting) and I got Roberts to take a first pitch fastball on the inside corner and a second pitch curve on the outside corner to start himself 0-2... Pie, the next guy up, took first pitch curve on the inside corner.

I think everyone is getting different results (my buddy was just complaining that the AI agressiveness was no different)... the only explanation for that has got to be the gestures and the sliders being used to influence that part of the game. I definitely see a difference, post patch.

I've noticed A LOT of the agressiveness comes from the team you're playing, AND the batters success in PREVIOUS ABs.

For instance, playing the Nats yesterday Lastings Milledge came up in his 1st AB taking pitches. However, after being retired twice in the game and getting into counts which favored me the pitcher I noticed he started hacking on his third AB. Maybe I'm looking too deep into things, but I've seen this kind of dynamic w/ other batters too. Another one in that same game was Elijah Dukes.

Dukes was getting behind in the count taking piches, and I struck him out his 1st two ABs. On the third AB he had a runner on the corners, and was hacking at everything - it worked too as he crushed a double to clear the bases and give WAS a 3-2 lead; they won 5-2.

[TopDog]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Official Patch 2 Available, Impressions Here (360 Only)

I started a franchise yesterday with the Braves and was getting good results in game 1 (default All Star). I held a 2-1 lead thru the 5th inning when Lowe started to come apart a bit. His pitches are TOUGH to locate since he doesn't have a straight fastball and EVERY pitch of his has movement.

Philly took a 6-2 lead and I was able to cut it to 6-3 in the 7th. Well, I come up in the 8th inning with the bottom of my order and go down 1-2-3 and the game ENDS. Get the usual cut scenes and end game stuff, all the while i'm going WTF, did I just space out???

I go back to the box score, and sure enough Philly pitchers have 8 IP while my pitchers have logged 7. Loving the results of the patch, but to have this happen in game one of my franchise is mystifying. Out of the 25 or so exhibition games I've played with this game I'd never had this happen yet.

[brendanrfoley]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Official Patch 2 Available, Impressions Here (360 Only)

Played a wonderful game last night, Red Sox vs. Rays.

Use Inside Edge, throw to cold zones, throw balls on purpose and throw pitches hitters have a hard time hitting. I did that, and here was Jon Lester's pitching line:

7IP, 6K, 1BB, 6 Hits, 2 Runs, 97 pitches.

I'm thrilled. Pitching successfully is hard, and I appreciate the challenge.

[icicle22]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Official Patch 2 Available, Impressions Here (360 Only)

3 games post patch as the Indians. Pitching is 100% improved. I got 7 strikeouts with CLiff Lee in one game and 4-5 in the next two games with Carmona and Pavano and tons of strikes looking. I love this aspect of the game now.

However, I am not happy with the toned down hitting. Previously I played with custom sliders and would hit 2-3 homeruns in a game, with the occassional 0-1 homerun game. I was okay with this. I had room to pull the sliders back and make it more realistic as I improved. However, my first game with these slider post patch has netted me nothing but singles and an occasional double. Balls that I normally crushed were routine flyballs. So in an effort to see if I can adjust this, I moved the power slider all the way to 100 and played 2 more games and still only hit flares and singles with one doule to the gap. I crushed the ball on 3-4 different occasions and it only hit the wall 2-3 feet up from the ground. None of hits really feel powerful now. It's like they seriously de-juiced the ball.

Sadly, this is the main reason I had chosen 2k over the show as the hitting in the show just felt weak....I never felt like I was really ripping into the ball like I did with 2k9. Now, 2k9 is feeling like the show.....never really feeling like I am crushing the ball or driving it now. All bloop singles, squib hits or flyballs. In fact, I see a lot more weak dribblers in front of the plate.

Now in fairness, the hit variety seems better...as I like seeing all types of hits. But in 3 games, I have not hat that satisfying smash hit to the gap, down the line or deep into the seats. Neither has the CPU. I do not fear hanging a pitch anymore....it will just be a single.

While many complained it was a homerun fest prior to the patch, I actually like the power of the hits, and I could tone it down via sliders.

At this moment, power sliders maxed and I just don't feel "it" anymore and there is nowhere to go from 100!

So now 2k9 feels more like the show....and while to some that might be good, I liked that the 2 games felt uniquely different....now neither feels satisfying to me from a hitting point of view.

Any suggestions? Anyone else noticing a "major" drop in power?