Fun MLB 2K9 Sliders

[Village Idiot]

My last 12 games (6-6): W 1-0, L 6-3, W 8-3, L 5-4, W 4-3, W 9-1, L 13-7, L 11-1, W 2-0, L 1-0, W 5-4, L 7-6.

Hope you enjoy as much as I do. Not particularly hard, not particularly easy - which, to me, is the whole idea.

Camera:
Batting: 1, 8.
Pitching: 1, 6, 4.

Pitcher Stamina: 35

Human Batting:
50
50
50
100
100
75
45
45
45
45
45

CPU Batting:
50
30
50
100
100
75
50
50

Human Pitching:
60
70
50
50
50
75
75
75

CPU Pitching:
50
50
0
0
75

Human Running:
50
0
50

CPU Running:
100
90
80
100
100
50

Human Fielding:
35
50
60

CPU Fielding:
35
60

[Village Idiot]

Re: Fun MLB 2K9 Sliders

Oh, one other thing while I'm still thinking about this:

I probably don't even have to say it, but 10 games minimum, please, before judging. I'd even recommend 40 games - like, start a new 'chise and really play for once instead of nitpicking everything. I mean, go ahead and hit 15 friggin' homers on opening day if you can. Go ahead and throw that no-hitter if you can. Hell, do both! Do both for five games in row, if you can!

In fact, that's the whole idea: bat to score 20 runs and draw ten walks; pitch to throw a no-hitter with 15 Ks. Play this way every game for 40 games. (Isn't that how you want to play, instead of all this talk about "sim" this and "sim" that, and "pitch-counts" this and "glitch" that?) It is precisely when you play for these ends - that is, when you play with a strategic seriousness that demands perfection - that you will get "sim" results.

And forgive me if I continue, but I need to get this off my chest, now that I'm at it. I won't be too long.

Let me start by saying I am 31 years old. I have been gaming all my life; I'm an Atari 2600 guy, then Nintendo, then Genesis, and so on to 360 and PS3. Point is, I'm an older guy when it comes to gaming, and gaming is my #1 hobby.

That said, when I think of the word "sim," I relate it to what I used to do with old Genesis and PS1 games. We didn't "sim" on NES Ice Hockey or Tecmo Bowl. Even Bill Walsh College football for Genesis, I remember mostly still playing for that pure fun of childhood.

Then we get rolling a bit with Madden and the NCAA series kicks off. NCAA 99, for instance, is the first game I remember "simming" with. And the idea, then, was to play in such a way that allowed for challenging and realistic outcomes. The reason I had to do this was because if I didn't, I would win 93-0 on the road against the #1 team in the nation.

Now there are still guys today who have a similar problem. They are much better gamers than I am. That is, I don't have any problem losing games anymore. That's what "simming" games was about: it was about how it wasn't possible to lose, so I had to play in such a way that made it fun. "I'm simulating real football," is what I said. (For the record, I'm not saying I "invented" the concept of sim, but in a sense, I did. Everyone feels me on that, don't they? I would expect everyone to have had the same basic experience.)

Today, though, the games already are "sims." We don't have to play "sim" anymore, we can just play, knowing the games have built-in systems of dynamic ratings that are in flux from play to play, pitch to pitch, and shot to shot.

I don't have to "worry" about Justin Verlander starting the season 11-0 with a 0.94 ERA. Why? Because 1) it would not be "unrealistic" if he did; 2) there is half a season to play. (And isn't it funny how just when you start to think about something being too easy, you proceed to dick up so bad that you lose a game!) And 3) he could get hurt.

And in terms of this game, pitching from the stretch is much harder than pitching from the windup, as it should be. Guys with good composure ratings get rattled pretty easy, and let's not forget the meatball is gone, and it has been replaced, in my experience, with very wide balls - just as we asked for. If you're truly going for a no-hitter and 15 K's, you'd better be damn awesome at this game. I mean, honestly. Think about it. We've all gotten cracked around like some A-ball scrub on the mound. None of us have "mastered" pitching. So what's the beef? What is there to "sim"?

It seems to me most of the complaining around here is done not by people trying to "play sim," but by people who are not getting "sim" results. Why? Because they're too busy dropping fly balls in the outfield and missing throws at first base!

FACT: When you are dominant on the mound, there are not issues on defense. Most often, in fact, you don't even have to move the stick.
THEREFORE: when you have issues on defense, your pitching blows.

That's hyperbole, yes. The point is only that when you allow baserunners, for whatever reason - an error, a hit, a fly ball that gets past the OF - it was because of your pitching.

Notice that when the most horrendous errors occur, what is the result of the play? For example, maybe you allowed three straight hits. The fourth batter then flies out to RF, but it hits him in the face and it takes a while for you to get the ball in. You're all pissed, it's a "glitch," this game blows. But STFU, and look what you have. Maybe only one run came in. Maybe, if you hussled, you got an out, and now it's 1st and 3rd with one away. One pitch groundball out, inning over, with only one run allowed. That's after three hits.

And let's not forget, supposedly you're so ****in' good that you can throw strikes on every pitch! Wow!

I'm trying put about a year's worth of frustration with you guys into one post and it isn't going to happen. All I'm trying to stress is that "playing sim" is what we used to do when the games couldn't beat us. Now, with sliders, they absolutely can. Believe me, I've gone through stretches of scoring 5 runs in 10 games. I'm sure a lot of others can say the same. So why are we torturing ourselves like this? To get "realistic" results?

How ironic is it that real life guys put up bigger numbers than all of us! SportsCenter hasn't caught up, they still call things "video game numbers" for Kobe's 82 points or something, and I haven't scored more than 40 with anyone on NBA 2K9!

Why did I bring this up? Oh, right. Playing lots of games - and with some passion, some demand for perfection.

I'm tellin' you, go into a game with these sliders looking for a 22-0 no-hit win. 10 HRs. 10 BBs. 6 triples. The works. 15 Ks on the mound. 74 pitches. CG.

When you try to do this, and "succeed," what funner thing is there? Why do we play?

And yet, when you try to do this, and "fail," if you find yourself, say, in a 5-5 game late in the 7th ...

wow ... "sim."

[boomhauertjs]

Re: Fun MLB 2K9 Sliders

Can you upload these to 2k share?

[pokerlife]

Re: Fun MLB 2K9 Sliders

Good post man! Lot of valid points and a fresh view on a lot of thing.
Just play the game and have fun baby!

[stlstudios189]

Re: Fun MLB 2K9 Sliders

I might have to try these.

[bronco4434]

Re: Fun MLB 2K9 Sliders

Love the post man!! I totally agree with you. Now I know you said to try 40 games before making any comments, but I have used these for about 10 and really like them. For me its like MVP reborn. What a lot of people forget is that both MVP 04&05 were not perfect. The left handed batting glitch and they were also were arcade coming out of the box. I loved the MVP series and this game is as close as another developer will come. Your sliders have made this game both fun and a thinking mans game. Great work!!!

[jake44np]

Re: Fun MLB 2K9 Sliders

So do you use the hit stick with these?

[Apache]

Re: Fun MLB 2K9 Sliders

great sliders. i have a lot fun using them.you can work on the pitch count. the pitching is good. have changed any sliders after the second patch.really great sliders.i have one problem i can not hit homeruns. i am using the right stick without the left stick.i can not use the left stick because it destroys my timeing.thank you good job done.

[GoBlue!]

Re: Fun MLB 2K9 Sliders

Thanks for the these - they work well.

I agree with what you have posted also. I'm the same age and it always frustrates me that people are more worried about making their games match what they see on TV then just enjoying playing them. You summed it up very well.

[Juiceman]

Re: Fun MLB 2K9 Sliders

I have never played 2k9, but this is one of the best posts I've read on this forum. I may not post a lot, but I lurk a ton. I'm 30, so maybe that's why I'm seeing eye-to-eye, but you really hit a home run, man. Great post.

It's interesting, many people seem to like 2k9 and many dislike it with passion. I am really wanting some 360 baseball, so I might pick this up this weekend and use those sliders.

[teambayern]

Re: Fun MLB 2K9 Sliders

great post! seriously, can you post these on 2k share?

[Guffers]

Re: Fun MLB 2K9 Sliders

Posts like these are the reason I love this forum. I shelved this game weeks ago but Village Idiot you inspired me to grab it and try again, with new sliders and a new mindset. I played two games back to back last night and had a great time, won my first game 2-1 then lost 0-2. Both were real finger nail biters with the games coming down to a pitch or two.

Thank you for the brilliant post and the great sliders! I can't believe I hadn't seen this post earlier.

[Juiceman]

Re: Fun MLB 2K9 Sliders

Posts like these are the reason I love this forum. I shelved this game weeks ago but Village Idiot you inspired me to grab it and try again, with new sliders and a new mindset. I played two games back to back last night and had a great time, won my first game 2-1 then lost 0-2. Both were real finger nail biters with the games coming down to a pitch or two.

Thank you for the brilliant post and the great sliders! I can't believe I hadn't seen this post earlier.

Hey Guffers, seeing as you shelved the game and now enjoy it - overall would you say it's worth the purchase? I have been playing the show on my PSP handheld, and while it's great I would rather be playing on my 45" TV with a 360 controller! Would love to hear your opinion now of 2k9!

[2kballer]

Re: Fun MLB 2K9 Sliders

Love the post! Really like the sliders. One game i blew out the CPU by 8 then the next game i win in the bottom of the ninth with 2 outs. About all my games have been close and all of them have been extremely fun to play! keep it up.

[Guffers]

Re: Fun MLB 2K9 Sliders

Yeah I really would say its worth it. I play on a PS3 and have the Show as well, which is a stunning game but 2K9 offers a different experience. On the outside it appears to be quite arcadey but underneath the hood you have an extremely deep Inside Edge feature that really lets you scout every team and plan ahead for your games. The pitching system is excellent once mastered and the presentation is fantastic, although still features some strange sights (players walk straight through each other constantly, occasional wierd glitches)

If you go into this game looking for problems you will find them but if you approach it with the attitude that VillageIdiot described then your going to have a blast. Input his sliders and just play the game with a mind to win and not to nitpick. I've played around 5 games with these sliders and am having a blast. Each game has been quite realistic and I've won maybe 40% which I love. Results have varied from 2-1, 2-0, 4-2, 6-5, 6-1 etc. Also since taking this new approach I've seen zero fielding errors, ZERO.

The only other advice I can offer is to perhaps turn the pitch recognition and meter speed sliders down until you can get the gestures mastered because pitching became much tougher post patch, which is a very good thing. Also if you want realistic pitch counts on your behalf you will need to throw deliberate balls because the AI will still hack at most pitches in the zone, although it does feel realistic to me. Strikeouts looking are possible, you just need to set the batter up and fool them. Inside Edge is your friend!

On the batting side of things I've noticed that these sliders have improved things for me considerably. Its now possible to work into hitter's counts and to draw walks, I drew 4 in my last game. Hitting seems fairly tough though, I average around 8-9 hits per game and very few home runs, which feels right to me. Before on default Pro I was hitting it out of the park way too much.

I hope all of this helps, overall just have fun Juiceman!! There is a great game in there you just have to know where to look.