MLB 2K11 My Player and Franchise Mode Improvements (ESPN The Gamer)

[hitstreak13]

Re: Franchise/My Player Preview [ESPN: The Gamer]

I will say that I am a bit disappointed with this information. Injuries shouldn't take up more than half of the franchise news. It should have been in last year anyways. Now, I do like the fact that there will be wear and tear during franchise by overworking aging players, but I just didn't see enough to warrant $60. I guess I will wait to see more information in regards to franchise (i.e. Waivers, options, etc.). I'm hoping that this isn't all that they added this year.

I will give 2k credit though. Overall, it looks like a much improved game from last year. Looks like 360 owners are going to have a solid game this season.

[jeffy777]

Re: ESPN's Jon Robinson My Player/Franchise Preview

Sounding better all the time. It seems like VC is really polishing the game up this year and working out the kinks.

[ryan36]

Re: ESPN's Jon Robinson My Player/Franchise Preview

So my concern is that with pitch count being the only indicator, the ai better take pitches, and we better be able to walk people...

otherwise starters will never get tired.

[bcruise]

Re: ESPN's Jon Robinson My Player/Franchise Preview

This is interesting:

""Last year, it didn't really matter what a fielder's rating was. Everyone basically made the same plays. But this year everything is based on the fielding rating. How we do this is, when the ball is hit, you see the ball shadow, and the worse your fielder rating, the bigger the initial shadow on the ball and the longer it takes to show where the actual ball will land. So for a guy like Andres Torres, the initial ball shadow shows up almost immediately and it's only a tiny bit bigger than the actual spot, so you know you've got it. But with a guy like Pat Burrell, the initial shadow is huge and we delay where the actual ball mark shows up to make it even more of a struggle. Now, if you're missing fly balls, it's because you've got a Burrell-type guy out there on the field."

I hope it affects the AI in the same way it would us (CPU Pat would have trouble finding the ball just like we might). No game has really done this that well IMO.

Like others have said I'm intrigued with the pitch count idea. 2k is thinking outside of the box on ratings just a bit, and and I'm interested to see how it goes.

[jeffy777]

Re: ESPN's Jon Robinson My Player/Franchise Preview

So my concern is that with pitch count being the only indicator, the ai better take pitches, and we better be able to walk people...

otherwise starters will never get tired.

Well, the AI took pitches in 2K10, but walking AI batters was the issue because of the overly accurate pitching. It sounds like they've addressed the pitching accuracy, so I think this will be good.

[hitstreak13]

Re: ESPN's Jon Robinson My Player/Franchise Preview

So my concern is that with pitch count being the only indicator, the ai better take pitches, and we better be able to walk people...

otherwise starters will never get tired.

Very good point Ryan. I wish they didn't get rid of the energy meter (or percentage). I mean, even if it is a game, I dont see the need to get rid of it. They should simply keep it in the pause menu so you can determine whether or not its time to bring someone else in. I am a bit concerned that during simulation, CPU controled teams will be throwing complete games left and right because they had a few 1-2-3 innings, therefore are way below their pitch count.

[JayhawkerStL]

Re: ESPN's Jon Robinson My Player/Franchise Preview

So my concern is that with pitch count being the only indicator, the ai better take pitches, and we better be able to walk people...

otherwise starters will never get tired.

We are going to have to see it in action, and worse, probably do some sliders adjustments. You are right that this could really be exposed as a problem.

I'm hopeful that they finally got the pitching down right.

[SoxFan01605]

Re: ESPN's Jon Robinson My Player/Franchise Preview

Very good point Ryan. I wish they didn't get rid of the energy meter (or percentage). I mean, even if it is a game, I dont see the need to get rid of it. They should simply keep it in the pause menu so you can determine whether or not its time to bring someone else in. I am a bit concerned that during simulation, CPU controled teams will be throwing complete games left and right because they had a few 1-2-3 innings, therefore are way below their pitch count.

If it is entirely based on pitch-count, then yes, it could be a problem. I'm not sure this will be the case though. As some of us said in the other thread about pitch count, it sounded more that the indicators for stamina/energy were removed...it never said that the concept of stamina was. Pitch count mainly determined pitcher stamina in 2K10 anyway, so it seems that, at it's worst, it would probably be at least on-par with 2K10.

I disagree about putting an energy bar in the pause menu. If it is more an indication and tracking change than base function, as I suspect it is, I think it adds a nice layer of strategy to franchise and career modes. Managers and players don't get a bar that pops up that say "you're pitcher has 23% left." Conceptually, if we are relying on pitch count and visual/performance indications to make such decisions, it's far more immersive.

Of course, that depends on how well the system itself works, but again...it's impossible for any of us to say at this point.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: ESPN's Jon Robinson My Player/Franchise Preview

I'm just hopeful that with the DPR hopefully stats won't be so average. Guys like Cliff Lee pretty much consistently went like 13-11 every year. If you had a guy hitting over .280 he was having an incredible year. Stuff like that.

[BlackBetty15]

Re: Franchise/My Player Preview [ESPN: The Gamer]

That actually kind of confused me, because I don't think that is how the DL works. You put the guy on the 15-day DL, and then you can activate him anytime after that. You don't have to put him on another 15 days.

Maybe I am confused.

Maybe for those guys who are on injured 1-2 moths so it exceeds 15 day DL but not 60 day DL?

[BlackBetty15]

Re: ESPN's Jon Robinson My Player/Franchise Preview

Well, the AI took pitches in 2K10, but walking AI batters was the issue because of the overly accurate pitching. It sounds like they've addressed the pitching accuracy, so I think this will be good.

Well they did say being as pinpoint with pitchers in 2k11 would be far and away harder than it was in 2k10. We will see though. I would like confirmation that trade and FA logic is nice in franchise and that hopefully there is better celebrations and end game cutscenes available. I do like that fielding is way more intense, makes my player the first thing I play!

[GrandMaster B]

Re: ESPN's Jon Robinson My Player/Franchise Preview

This wasn't considered the second developer diary was it? Or is that still coming today?

[Mercury112491]

Re: ESPN's Jon Robinson My Player/Franchise Preview

Sounds like they've taken a lot of the ideas from the NBA series and put them in here.

I'm with everyone on the concern of the pitch counts. In the future I'd love to see a game recognize the difference between a 3-2 bases empty pitch and a 3-2 bases loaded pitch. With the latter taking up more stamina to throw just like in real life. Some pitchers can throw 120 pitches with no problem if they haven't been in trouble during the game while others can't go over 85-90 if they've been pitching high pressure the whole time.

[ChampN252]

Re: ESPN's Jon Robinson My Player/Franchise Preview

I just hate how much wrong doing they admitted to in last year's series. No telling what they're doing this time that they will tell us about in the next series.

[mwjr]

Re: ESPN's Jon Robinson My Player/Franchise Preview

Good news on injuries and player progression, but not much there in terms of actually running the franchise.

Is the free agent process fixed?
Are contracts more realistic?

Ugh.