MLB 2K11 Developer Diary #3 - Pitching and Hitting

[rudyjuly2]

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

I'm largely incapable of changing my approach at the plate based on different batters. With sluggers I'm probably less patient but overall I find it hard to change. I did love the slower pitch speed in 2K10 which allowed me to work pitchers (batting angle helped a lot too). I normally had the cpu pitcher's working 15+ pitches per inning.

[jfsolo]

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

Given the last few years, as a 360 only owner, I had pretty much written off playing a baseball game during this generation of systems. The info we've gotten over the last few days has rekindled a fire that has been essentially extinguished since High Heat bought the farm. I will wait until the OS brethren play the game for a week or two, but this is looking promising.

As to the specific topic at hand, I always turn every hitter into a super patient, work the count batter, as I am obsessed with trying to get every opposing starting pitcher over 100 pitches by the fifth or sixth inning, or forcing any reliever to throw 15+ pitches in a inning.

[utahman19]

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

I do have one concern about the variable strike zone. I hope that it is consistent throughout the game, i.e. the ump consistently gives the outside corner of a right handed batter, calls it tight inside, etc. I want to be able to figure out the strike zone of the umpire for each game, not have to deal with a zone that changes pitch-to-pitch or AB to AB. A strike zone that is not by-the-book is fine, just as long as it is consistent throughout the game and I can adjust to it both as a batter and pitcher.

[jeffy777]

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

I do have one concern about the variable strike zone. I hope that it is consistent throughout the game, i.e. the ump consistently gives the outside corner of a right handed batter, calls it tight inside, etc. I want to be able to figure out the strike zone of the umpire for each game, not have to deal with a zone that changes pitch-to-pitch or AB to AB. A strike zone that is not by-the-book is fine, just as long as it is consistent throughout the game and I can adjust to it both as a batter and pitcher.

Thing is though MLB umpires aren't always consistent from AB to AB.

[utahman19]

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

Thing is though MLB umpires aren't always consistent from AB to AB.

I understand that, but they are close enough. If an ump has been giving the pitcher the outside corner, he will still give the outside corner but might tighten it up a bit. I don't want to go from a very tight outside corner to a very loose outside corner between at-bats. Or from having the low fastball called a ball and a high fastball a strike, to the low ball a strike and high a ball. Or a small overall strike zone one inning to a large zone the next. Give the "ump" his strike zone for the day, and stick close to it.

I like the idea, I just hope that it will not vary much throughout a game. Changes from game to game is great, but within each game it should be consistent and you can figure out of what the zone is. Adapt and adjust to what the "ump" is calling for the day, just like in real baseball.

[AmazingMets]

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

I understand that, but they are close enough. If an ump has been giving the pitcher the outside corner, he will still give the outside corner but might tighten it up a bit. I don't want to go from a very tight outside corner to a very loose outside corner between at-bats. Or from having the low fastball called a ball and a high fastball a strike, to the low ball a strike and high a ball. Or a small overall strike zone one inning to a large zone the next. Give the "ump" his strike zone for the day, and stick close to it.

I like the idea, I just hope that it will not vary much throughout a game. Changes from game to game is great, but within each game it should be consistent and you can figure out of what the zone is. Adapt and adjust to what the "ump" is calling for the day, just like in real baseball.

this comment still is a good rebuttal to your wish.

Thing is though MLB umpires aren't always consistent from AB to AB.

[JayhawkerStL]

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

I don't think you are going to see the sort of consistently off strike zone that people like to talk abut seeing in real games. For one, it doesn't exist nearly as concrete as people like to think.

What they have done is, if the ball is 100% in the zone, you are going to get a strikes. If the ball is 100% out of the zone, you are going to get balls called. It's all of those pitches that you try to pain the corners that are gong to be iffy. And they are iffy in real life, too.

I have not seen anything where they are going to have imaginary wider or more narrow strike zones based on different umpire profiles. That might be cool, but completely unnecessary.

I guess that someone could actually mine some data and come up with realistic numbers on balls and strikes now that many broadcasts have that info. Of course, that would mean we need a ton of nice solid strikes called balls just because. I don't know the numbers, but it would certainly be an interesting feature.

But it would have to be backed up with real data, or the stats could go wonky as all get out. And you could not imagine the number of comeback code threads we would see.

[duke776]

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

What they have done is, if the ball is 100% in the zone, you are going to get a strikes. If the ball is 100% out of the zone, you are going to get balls called. It's all of those pitches that you try to pain the corners that are gong to be iffy. And they are iffy in real life, too.

This is one thing I'm very very happy about. We all know last year with how if you just nipped the corner, you'd automatically get a strike. I mean I'm fine with it being a strike sometimes and other times not (like how they have made it for 2k11), but last years just completely widened the strike zone way too much. I had actually forgotten about this until it was mentioned in the dev diary. This should also help with the user throwing more balls too, color me excited.

[rudyjuly2]

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

This is one thing I'm very very happy about. We all know last year with how if you just nipped the corner, you'd automatically get a strike. I mean I'm fine with it being a strike sometimes and other times not (like how they have made it for 2k11), but last years just completely widened the strike zone way too much. I had actually forgotten about this until it was mentioned in the dev diary. This should also help with the user throwing more balls too, color me excited.

Totally agree. The strike zone was almost hard to miss last year because you got every call as a pitcher.

[SoxFan01605]

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

This is one thing I'm very very happy about. We all know last year with how if you just nipped the corner, you'd automatically get a strike. I mean I'm fine with it being a strike sometimes and other times not (like how they have made it for 2k11), but last years just completely widened the strike zone way too much. I had actually forgotten about this until it was mentioned in the dev diary. This should also help with the user throwing more balls too, color me excited.

Agreed. Between the easy calls and the pinpoint accuracy, it wasn't uncommon to rack up 10+ k's with almost anyone. This should help a lot. I like variable strike zones, and it seems they decided to take a very fair approach to it for all users. Fully variable (like the other game) can lead to clear cut strikes being balls, and vice-versa which seems to frustrate a lot of people. This way, you still get some suspense on the borders, but lose the frustration of missing obvious calls. Sounds like a good balance IMO and should add a lot to the pitcher/batter matchup as you said.

[Spanky]

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

Anyone remember when they released the demo last year? 1 week before? 2 weeks before? we have to be getting close, you'd think.

[rudyjuly2]

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

Anyone remember when they released the demo last year? 1 week before? 2 weeks before? we have to be getting close, you'd think.

It came out a week before release on the 360. The PS3 didn't see the demo until after release unfortunately.

[jeffy777]

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

Yep, one week before last year on 360, so I'm guessing maybe March 1st (next Tuesday).

[Wavebird99]

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

Yeah we probably wont see a demo until next week.

[spenceh1]

Is there any way to turn off pitch suggestion in MLB 2k11?