MLB 2K12 Demo Available Now, Post Impressions Here

[DirtyJerz32]

Re: MLB 2K12 Demo Available Now, Post Impressions Here

Man, the more I play this demo...the more I like it. It just has a "fun" feeling to it. Can't wait to see what the finished product will be like.

Sent from my SGH-i917 using Board Express

This is all the matter to me. With baseball games if I'm not having fun, I'm not playing it.

[BoTiger]

I'm glad I played the demo because if this game is an improvement over last year's, I'd hate to see that game. I'll stick to "The Show".

[tvman]

Re: MLB 2K12 Demo Available Now, Post Impressions Here

I'm glad I played the demo because if this game is an improvement over last year's, I'd hate to see that game. I'll stick to "The Show".

Well bully for you.

[thaSLAB]

Re: MLB 2K12 Demo Available Now, Post Impressions Here

My overall impression: a decent, fun, pick-up-and-play game

That said, I still don't find it to be my cup of tea. There are things that this series does well, and others not so well. From the demo, I can see some improvement from last year as it should be, but for the most part a lot of the things that turned me off to the series are still there.

Pluses

+ Commentary, of course. That's speaking from the series aspect, not the demo(s) that they always manage to omit their strongest suit from.

+ Stat tracking. They almost hit you over the head with them at times (which isn't a bad thing.)

+ Stadium accuracy (as it relates to physical details) - graphically, they are hit or miss.

+ I actually like the baserunning controls

Minuses

- The overall hurky-jerky animation transitions, funny looking running/diving animations, and zombie stares. Definitely gives you notice that you are playing a video game. Graphics themselves are not horrible, that is just the art style they went with.

- The game doesn't seem to know what speed to play at... meaning, sometimes animations are way too fast (the return throw from the catcher), other times its like a slosh pit (fielding in the outfield.)

- The fielding camera sometimes causes you to almost field "blindly". As if it can't keep up with the ball when put into play.

- The AI seems to struggle with basic baseball motions. I saw some wonky things like outfielders running towards 3rd base for no apparent reason, after a fly ball. The AI pauses on routine plays in the infield.

- The pitch usage concept is definitely overdone, IMO. Maybe it's just the implementation, but the punishments or bonuses don't seem to have a rhyme or reason, other than to get you to mix it up. Problem is (and I LMAO as I type this) "sometimes mixing it up, means going to the exact same pitch in the exact same location." - if its an effective pitch, you shouldn't be penalized just because you threw it twice in a row.


Anyway, my negatives are getting too long, which is why I say it's not my cup of tea, but by no means is it the worst thing ever.

[jeagles5]

Re: MLB 2K12 Demo Available Now, Post Impressions Here

Has anyone played both Demos from PS3 & Xbox360 to compare?

[dolemint]

Re: MLB 2K12 Demo Available Now, Post Impressions Here

I like the thought process behind implementing this kind of a system it's just that devs always overdo it. Same as with the pitcher confidence thing and that basically goes for all games.

Agreed about the pitcher confidence being overdone (at least in past years, probably this one too though).

I think the new system of mixing up the pitches is in place partly because of the perfect game challenge. I read that the winner tended to spam a particular pitch in a certain location, so this appears to be their response to that abuse. It didn't feel overdone in the demo, but then again it's only 3 innings. It felt truer to real life which is a good thing.

One thing that might cause concern down the line is the upgrading/downgrading of pitches. Seemed like any kind of hit will lower a pitch's rating but the only way to increase it is to pitch a strikeout with it. By the 7th inning your pitches could be sorta crappy if your guy's not a strikeout pitcher, even if he's having a pretty good game.

[Cavicchi]

Re: MLB 2K12 Demo Available Now, Post Impressions Here

I said my piece earlier about that penalty business for using pitches, and I just don't think it belongs in any baseball game.

Overall, I don't see that much difference from 2K11, except the infield plays look more reasonable and not all those soft liners. Now, for me, and this is just me, auto fielding is what kills 2K11. If they improved it, then I could see getting the game, even though I am already committed to buying The Show.

The demo showed reasonable auto fielding in the few games I played, but that could change in the final version or when playing franchise mode.

I was surprised Yu Darvish was not on the Rangers. Maybe he'll be in the final version. Anyway, 3 innings is way too short to really get to know a game. You can't use pitch hitters and can't use your bullpen. I know about the commentary, so that wasn't necessary for me, it's great!

What I would have liked to see is after hitting a HR, the next batter up giving him a high five or something, as opposed to not even seeing the next batter. Hitting a homer seemed kind of cut and dry.

If they are going to penalize us for using a pitch too often or if it gets hit, then I want to see how that affects the CPU pitchers as well.

[tvman]

Re: MLB 2K12 Demo Available Now, Post Impressions Here

I let the demo play out and just watched, Feliz vs Westbrook.

Game played out pretty well, there were a few pinch running subs etc. everything seemed fine. It gets into the 8th inning and Feiz is still pitching, comes up to bat makes an out then the next inning Lowe is in to pitch It appears as though they haven't fixed that.

[liberaluser]

Doesn't the game already penalize you for getting pitches hit against the batter (the red numbers next to pitch type)? The color coded alerts that make pitches completely worthless could, in the long run, ruin the pitching game that 2k is so praised about.

[orion523]

Re: MLB 2K12 Demo Available Now, Post Impressions Here

I think it's great, I especially love the batter/pitcher battles which really seem to have depth, drawing you in to every at bat. I could care less if the jersey's don't wrinkle realistically enough, gameplay is what matters and this game has that area nailed.

[BA2929]

Re: MLB 2K12 Demo Available Now, Post Impressions Here

I let the demo play out and just watched, Feliz vs Westbrook.

Game played out pretty well, there were a few pinch running subs etc. everything seemed fine. It gets into the 8th inning and Feiz is still pitching, comes up to bat makes an out then the next inning Lowe is in to pitch It appears as though they haven't fixed that.

8th inning? They tied from the 4th on?

I never went past the 3rd in any of my games, but then again I was destroying the CPU. Too bad the default difficulty is PRO on these demos. Can't really seem to get a feel for how the CPU will play on PRO.

[archangelkatana]

as far as innings, if you have a lead after the 3rd inning then the demo ends, if the game is tied it will go until someone has the lead. The game is similar to last year, but I did see some good defensive plays as furcal went past second base, and flipped it back behind his back to descalso to start a double play against me. I thought that was a nice looking play done by the computer. I did hit a homer with beltran in my first game. Carpenter was very tough to hit off of for me, even using the rangers. Carpenter seemed to work much faster against me than the computer did when using colby lewis against me. I am looking forward to the mlb season very much, and will pick up mlb2k. Just not sure if I will pick it up immediately or later in the year. The million dollar challenge is really cool, and I wish I was good enough at video games to actually win it. But considering they have paid it out twice in a row, it is real. I don't see any other companies offering rewards for being good at their game. Honestly it is probably the one video game that could make a huge impact on your economic situation. I look at it like a 60 dollar lottery ticket. And even if you dont win the game is still fun enough for me to buy. I hope the game is improved over all. I have enjoyed the last two years, but then again I have never played the show since I have the 360. 2ksports has always put out quality games in my opinion, and the inseason updates they do for sports games are really great, especially since they let their users create rosters and such to keep older games like college hoops 2k8 alive and kicking. Whereas the competition seems to abandon old games and make them pretty much useless after one year. I even picked up a copy of espn 2k5, and all pro football 2k8 the other day for a couple dollars, and I enjoyed them even now on my 360.

[rudyjuly2]

Re: MLB 2K12 Demo Available Now, Post Impressions Here

I was surprised Yu Darvish was not on the Rangers. Maybe he'll be in the final version.

I don't think any player can be included in the game until they have played one MLB game. Darvish probably won't be on the Rangers roster until the first roster update after game one.

One other thing that's always annoyed me is the confidence level of the pitcher. They get rattled a little too easily on default and when they do its like they completely fall apart making it very hard to pitch. I'd rather it be more subtle. Furthermore, when you hit Select to make a visit to the mound the confidence shouldn't be fully restored either. This is three years in a row that a visit to the mound calms the pitcher down 100% as though the pitching coach pulled a magic trick.

[nemesis04]

Re: MLB 2K12 Demo Available Now, Post Impressions Here

One other thing that's always annoyed me is the confidence level of the pitcher. They get rattled a little too easily on default and when they do its like they completely fall apart making it very hard to pitch. I'd rather it be more subtle. Furthermore, when you hit Select to make a visit to the mound the confidence shouldn't be fully restored either. This is three years in a row that a visit to the mound calms the pitcher down 100% as though the pitching coach pulled a magic trick.

That whole scenario from the cut scene all the way to the end result of it affecting stamina/fatigue needs to be blown up and redone! You should not even have a choice on which element it affects at all.

[DaveDQ]

Re: MLB 2K12 Demo Available Now, Post Impressions Here

I said my piece earlier about that penalty business for using pitches, and I just don't think it belongs in any baseball game.

I see what they are after though and I like it. If you have a pitcher that has a mean curve and fastball and he can't get his curve working, he's in trouble. I like that aspect of it. It really makes you concentrate on nailing your pitches.