MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

[HealyMonster]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

Everything seems promising so far, im still not holding my breath but they are talking a good game thus far. Cant wait to see some actual gameplay of this game in action.

One thing I am curious about is pitch counts for the CPU. Things seem perfect while your pitching. Its going to be cool to have accurate pitch counts,etc. The only thing though is, I am not a normal hitter in baseball video games and Im certain most of us are like this. How will the game even out for people who go up there hacking? I mean, I feel like every CPU pitcher is going to pitch a complete game or something because Im quite simply not going to take as many pitches as a real life batter or even the cpu. Has anyone heard of how they are going to manipulate this?

[JayhawkerStL]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

One thing I am curious about is pitch counts for the CPU. Things seem perfect while your pitching. Its going to be cool to have accurate pitch counts,etc. The only thing though is, I am not a normal hitter in baseball video games and Im certain most of us are like this. How will the game even out for people who go up there hacking? I mean, I feel like every CPU pitcher is going to pitch a complete game or something because Im quite simply not going to take as many pitches as a real life batter or even the cpu. Has anyone heard of how they are going to manipulate this?

There's always The Bigs.

But this complaint sounds like a guy in my football league that wanted help running the ball. When i looked at his stats, he was average nine yards a carry, but he would only run it four times a game. So his game didn't seem realistic.

You could try just playing the Home Run Derby for your baseball fix.

[CMH]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

Everything seems promising so far, im still not holding my breath but they are talking a good game thus far. Cant wait to see some actual gameplay of this game in action.

One thing I am curious about is pitch counts for the CPU. Things seem perfect while your pitching. Its going to be cool to have accurate pitch counts,etc. The only thing though is, I am not a normal hitter in baseball video games and Im certain most of us are like this. How will the game even out for people who go up there hacking? I mean, I feel like every CPU pitcher is going to pitch a complete game or something because Im quite simply not going to take as many pitches as a real life batter or even the cpu. Has anyone heard of how they are going to manipulate this?

Good question, but I think that's more a function of needing to adjust. Or you can always mess with the sliders. I think it's like fouls in basketball games. You either want a lot of them or you don't. Somehow the stats are going to be affected by this. I'm sure if you are the type to swing so much that the CPU throws 50 pitches in a complete game (just a random number) then you can adjust the stamina to meet that.

Personally, I want the game to ship with the CPU pitch counts matching real life numbers. Yes, video gamers tend to be hackers, but that's our fault, not the game's. Changing the game to meet our arcade-like needs would be taking the game away from the realism we want.


edit: Just to add to this, developers can't really plan for our patience. If we are hackers, we are hackers. They don't know how we'll play the game. What's more important to me is that VC does the little things right to ensure the CPU throws enough pitches in a game.

If the CPU doesn't throw enough balls then that's the game's fault, not ours. If hitters don't foul off enough pitches, that's the game's fault, not ours. Basically, I can be as patient as I want, but if every CPU pitcher is going to be Cliff Lee then it won't matter what they do to pitch counts.

They say that they've made huge adjustments to this. I'm inclined to believe that have if they are pushing pitch counts so much. It was easy to get away with stamina/energy because it was abstract. But, now that they are relying on concrete numbers that can't lie. If the pitch counts are off, and a gamer is playing realistically, I imagine more people will be upset over this than they've ever been over stamina/energy declining over the course of the game.

[JayhawkerStL]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

Personally, I want the game to ship with the CPU pitch counts matching real life numbers. Yes, video gamers tend to be hackers, but that's our fault, not the game's. Changing the game to meet our arcade-like needs would be taking the game away from the realism we want.

It really does take a willingness to change your approach to playing the game.

Last year I just really worked on trying to find reasons to take pitches. Early in the count, I was looking for one pitch. If it was low, or a breaking ball, I just took it, regardless if it was a strike. What I found after some time was that my approach was really beginning to mimic my days from playing high school baseball.

Over time, as you take more pitches, you really start to get a feel for what different pitches look like, and it becomes easier and easier to read balls and strikes. At that point, hitting becomes such a joy. I've read how a lot of people want hitting gutted and re-done, but I think it is near perfect.

I would approach contact and power swings differently. Mainly, it either needs to be one swing type, or three, with larger penalties for using contact or power instead of normal. But if you spend time considering the ramifications of the swings, I think you can approach an at-bat wit ha plan suited to each hitter's skills and the situation.

It seems like most folks chose to just use power 90% of the time. I chose contact most of the time, but increased the power slider. They guys using power swings were forced to increase the contact slider to achieve realistic results.

But batting does raise an issue about realistic results. Once I really improved my patient approach at the plate, it's not like I could suddenly become a free swinger when I was hitting with Vladamir Guerrero. It's actually as unrealistic as hacking with Albert Pujols.

I'm not really sure what the answer is, to be honest.

[jeffy777]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

Last night, I worked 3 walks in one inning at the plate in 2K10......so the game is more than willing to walk you if you're patient. But if you hack at everything, then there's not much the AI can really do. Either you're going to make contact or strike out. The AI pitchers select their pitches quite realistically, so if you're down 0-2 you can usually expect them to try to get you to chase some junk out of the zone. You just have to learn to be patient and fiddle with the camera settings until you can read pitches better. I used to be a hacker as well, but the camera angle in 2K10 (combined with a lot of practice) really helped me. I like the the Hitter 3 camera zoomed all the way in. IMO, it's perfect for reading pitches. Another tip to help you become more patient is to go up there and take pitches until you get at least 1 strike. If you do this, you'll often find yourself in a good hitter's count (not all pitchers throw first pitch strikes) or sometimes a pitcher will even walk you on 4 straight pitches if you're lucky.

I really liked the hitting in 2K10 (I hope it doesn't change too much), and the Pitcher vs. Hitter matchup was really well done. As for pitching, I didn't like the user pitching because of the pinpoint accuracy making it too easy to dominate, but I thought the AI pitching was pretty good in terms of pitch selection.

[CMH]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

It really does take a willingness to change your approach to playing the game.

Last year I just really worked on trying to find reasons to take pitches. Early in the count, I was looking for one pitch. If it was low, or a breaking ball, I just took it, regardless if it was a strike. What I found after some time was that my approach was really beginning to mimic my days from playing high school baseball.

Over time, as you take more pitches, you really start to get a feel for what different pitches look like, and it becomes easier and easier to read balls and strikes. At that point, hitting becomes such a joy. I've read how a lot of people want hitting gutted and re-done, but I think it is near perfect.

I would approach contact and power swings differently. Mainly, it either needs to be one swing type, or three, with larger penalties for using contact or power instead of normal. But if you spend time considering the ramifications of the swings, I think you can approach an at-bat wit ha plan suited to each hitter's skills and the situation.

It seems like most folks chose to just use power 90% of the time. I chose contact most of the time, but increased the power slider. They guys using power swings were forced to increase the contact slider to achieve realistic results.

But batting does raise an issue about realistic results. Once I really improved my patient approach at the plate, it's not like I could suddenly become a free swinger when I was hitting with Vladamir Guerrero. It's actually as unrealistic as hacking with Albert Pujols.

I'm not really sure what the answer is, to be honest.

I can't remember if this was in MLB 2k10 or if I just did it so much that it became second nature, but starting with MLB 2K9, I used the Inside Edge reports to gauge how I approach the plate with a hitter.

If you pressed right (I think) a few times, it would show you if a hitter was patient or aggressive at the current count. (The reports that appear just under the score overlay)

So, if you had Nick Swisher batting up, the report would say something like "Patient on 0-0 counts." Then that would adjust with every pitch. I used that to determine my approach and it was a lot of fun.

I haven't played 2K10 in months so I can't say for sure it's still in the game, but I'm sure I changed my approach because of Batter's Eye - which I think was the best system in reading pitch type/balls and strikes in video games.

The pitcher vs. batter duel is what always makes MLB 2K my favorite of the baseball games. 2K has lacked in a lot of things and it's frustrating, but the duel always keeps me coming back.

[NINJAK2]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

Everything seems promising so far, im still not holding my breath but they are talking a good game thus far. Cant wait to see some actual gameplay of this game in action.

One thing I am curious about is pitch counts for the CPU. Things seem perfect while your pitching. Its going to be cool to have accurate pitch counts,etc. The only thing though is, I am not a normal hitter in baseball video games and Im certain most of us are like this. How will the game even out for people who go up there hacking? I mean, I feel like every CPU pitcher is going to pitch a complete game or something because Im quite simply not going to take as many pitches as a real life batter or even the cpu. Has anyone heard of how they are going to manipulate this?

Sim can often be determined by how you play a game as well. If you go up hacking at every pitch you will not get a sim like experience. IRL hitters are often patient. If that is how u plan to play, it is not 2k's fault you won't see accurate pitcher fatigue.

[Redemption]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

But batting does raise an issue about realistic results. Once I really improved my patient approach at the plate, it's not like I could suddenly become a free swinger when I was hitting with Vladamir Guerrero. It's actually as unrealistic as hacking with Albert Pujols.

I'm not really sure what the answer is, to be honest.

dynamic camera angles? Change the camera angle based on the batters discipline so that the lower the discipline, the more difficult the camera angle is to read pitches (this would obviously have to be a feature implemented by 2k, as the user having the change the camera angle every batter would be a huge pain)

[Scottdau]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

The funny thing is when you bat you are really using your plate approach. What I am saying is when I play the Giants I try to be patient at the plate even with Sandoval, but in real life Sandoval is a free swinger. Maybe I will start batting the way the real player bats in real life.

[Blzer]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

dynamic camera angles? Change the camera angle based on the batters discipline so that the lower the discipline, the more difficult the camera angle is to read pitches (this would obviously have to be a feature implemented by 2k, as the user having the change the camera angle every batter would be a huge pain)

This is what I want, and I have some pretty good ideas for it as well but it would take hours of explanation (and we all know how confusing Blzer's explanations can be ).

[tvman]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

The funny thing is when you bat you are really using your plate approach. What I am saying is when I play the Giants I try to be patient at the plate even with Sandoval, but in real life Sandoval is a free swinger. Maybe I will start batting the way the real player bats in real life.

No,no Sandoval will be a much more disciplined hitter this year, aggressive yes but more disciplined.

[Scottdau]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

No,no Sandoval will be a much more disciplined hitter this year, aggressive yes but more disciplined.

I hope not. I want him free swinging. When you try to change someone they usually do bad. I want him to be swinging. I really think the divorce was the key factor in his bad year. This year Sandoval will be the Panda again.

[econoodle]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

I'm right with you, pal. The only game in this series I haven't bought since the jump to this generation is 2K9 and I've enjoyed every other one from a little (2K6, 2K7) to alot (2K8, 2K10). This is all the while getting The Show every year. There's aspects of this series that are better and in my opinion, the gesture-based pitching is the second best implementation of analog controls in a sports game, just behind the Skill Stick in the NHL series. It's absolutely awesome and adds a level of immersion to pitching that no game can match (the only game I've ever actually enjoyed pitching in).

This game is looking really great, pre-release. And I know any true fan of baseball has room in their library for two outstanding games. Especially when they are so different in how they approach the game.

truer words...

[Blzer]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

I hope not. I want him free swinging. When you try to change someone they usually do bad. I want him to be swinging. I really think the divorce was the key factor in his bad year. This year Sandoval will be the Panda again.

I know we've talked about this over and over before, and I've noticed you still haven't changed your mind on the matter.

There's a difference between being a free swinger and going to the plate with zero mentality. Sandoval showed much of the latter last year.

[Scottdau]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

I know we've talked about this over and over before, and I've noticed you still haven't changed your mind on the matter.

There's a difference between being a free swinger and going to the plate with zero mentality. Sandoval showed much of the latter last year.

Not the place, but you are wrong. This game is going to be really good. I have faith in 2k.