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BrianFifaFan · 09-15-2008, 05:55 PM

Stickied.

Scooter3 · 09-15-2008, 06:17 PM

I would like an option to turn off the neon light under the player fielding the ball, it would look less arcade and more sim...
I can see for myself who is fielding the ball...

edit:
Announce the numerical sequence of each home-run hit in the season...

Scooter...

bakesalee · 09-15-2008, 06:47 PM

I became a fan of baseball, the sport itself, from playing Sega Home Run King (2002), and World Series Baseball 2k3. What I liked about playing these games was it's sheer simplicity. Not that there weren't dozens of little things to pick up later when I was ready, but they weren't required to have fun.

I have stopped buying the 2k series baseball games for many reasons:

a) Zone hitting is gone. The best baseball controls in my mind are the ones that reward the batter, by making the batter not only time the swing, but more importantly move the left stick in the corresponding zone. For example, not moving the left thumb stick into position at all will only result in contact if the ball is thrown down the middle. Zone hitting such as

123
456
789 (where 5 is right down the center).

The reward of knowing your success and failures were a direct result of what you did (forget swing stick), meaning base hits occurred because the cursor or zone hitting was spot on and nothing else attributed to that. Even if the swing stick is more real (it's not), it's very uncomfortable. I can't chill out if I have to be on my toes with flicking this damn thing.

b) The fun factor. The "one more game" addiction. Unfortunately the addiction factor has been removed from 2k baseball. What makes a baseball game addicting? When simplicity meets industry leading graphics, minus any and all clutter (see 2002). Absolutely nothing that wasn't necessary was displayed, but the option to see stuff if desired (balls and strikes of a current at bat) with the press of a button.

Things that were done right, and mysteriously removed from later versions even though these characteristics were what made the game great:

-No doubter home run cam (pans out to show beautiful stadium shot) from 2002 (Home Run King), 2k3, and 2k4.

-Beautiful foul ball cam pan into the lights (looked like a real TV broadcast) 2k3, 2k4

-Zone hitting! The argument can be made that analog stick swinging is "more realistic," but either way you look at it, you'e pushing a controller. Would it be more realistic to move the left and right sticks up and down to make players run? Maybe, but is it fun? No. Is it comfortable? No.

-Industry leading character and/or graphics models. Even as far back as 2002, the batter walkup sequences, reflections, look more realistic than the cartoon stuff that's in 2k now.

-Smoothness. Watch how a pop up plays out in Home Run King. Look at the fielder get into place. DAMN! Sega/2k used to be so F'ing smooth!

-If you control pitcher you can have the pitcher tilt his head towards a base instead of actually throwing to the base - makes for some interesting fake outs, and mental battles. 2k4

Little things you could add, but don't bother with until you bring back the "one more game" addictive gameplay.

-Custom situation soundtracks (enable me to pick a 5 or 10 second clip of a song on my hard drive for different situations such as: walk off, pitcher change, and so on. See NFL 2k5 for reference)

-Make it fun! Seriously. Call up "WOW!" (Sega Home Run King), Blue Shift or Blue Castle, or whoever the hell made the CLASSIC greatness that went on for 3-4 short years beginning in 2002.

-Not sure if this is in the most recent 2k baseball because as I said I no longer buy or play them, but the ability to turn the strike zone off (as in the outline that's displayed on screen) online and offline.

-Speaking of getting rid of the strike zone outline - Immersion factor. Once you get the hang of the game (any game for that matter), we should be able to turn clutter off that's only purpose is to remind us we're playing a video game.

New things that would be a great touch, but again, mean nothing without the reimplementation of your once fun game play:

-Panning into the stadium to start the game, starting with an outside shot of the stadium. Home Run King did this (Gamecube 2002), but see Madden 09 for a different take.

Sega and 2k baseball used to be at the forefront of my entertainment. I actually bought an Xbox 360 thinking this was guaranteed to continue, but also be improved (it could only get better, right?). Little did I know I was taking what I assumed to be a successful baseball game for granted.

Between the years 2002 and 2005 people would spend any free time they had coming over to play the Sega/2k baseball games. They were simple, but had little intricities that although not required to play - if you learned them made the experience that more rewarding.

I know this is pathetic, but I'm writing this because I care. I'm actually mad at the direction of sports gaming, and I'm looking at 2k baseball first, the state of football gaming second. Your company got me into this whole thing (buying video games and consoles) and now I'm craving something that hasn't existed in years and years.

Don't try and reinvent the wheel. Just pop in Sega/2k 2002, 2003, and 2004, and minus some unsightly jaggies and the stuff of the past, the game itself was GOLD.

Scooter3 · 09-15-2008, 07:23 PM

"Text to speech Synthesizers" I hope some day this feature could be included in a baseball game...You could create any player in baseball history...

The following features would allow us to build our own
''Field of Dreams":

1) Text to speech synthesizer...
2) Total edit on all players...
3) Choice of classic uniforms for season & franchise...
4) choice of classic stadiums for season & franchise...
5) Face Tool...
6) Choice of what teams and how many teams you want to include in your season...
7) include all legends in Season AND Franchise...
8) let us send in our last names so they will be included in the name database ( a big success in "The Show")...

Scooter...

King Gro23 · 09-15-2008, 07:53 PM

Yes indeed BLOW OUT THE MEATBALLS, awful idea to make it be a meatball if you mess up on any pitch, and its always a fastball meatball no breaking balls,

Make fielding more of a challenge, MUCH BIG INFIELDS, and bigger field in general wider mainly

BIG IDEA: For pitching I like this whole idea, There should be a pitch marker that is a shaded circle, The worse the control the bigger the circle, the Better the control the smaller the circle and the elite should be able to almost always be able to pin there spots when i say "Elite" i mean control 94- and up.
but still the "elite" will occasionally miss (it's life) and then place the shaded circle where ever and pitch away hopin you hit the zones and Have it like MLB:08 THE SHOW were sometimes your on control and pitch wise and some days your not.

- Way better camera angles of the stadium and home run balls, add blown calls and Instant replay

- Better fans and everything else i stated previously on my last post

kingdevin · 09-15-2008, 08:58 PM

Don't let us know when the ball is going to be a HR (i.e. a cutscene or an indicator letting us know the ball is headed out the park). Leave in the suspense

rjmfigurelli · 09-15-2008, 09:20 PM

This is for 2k Sports Developers.
To Who It May Concern or Forward To Developers,

I found that more and more Baseball Game Manufacturers are catering to ON Line player and forgot player who wish to play the game Off Line.

The baseball game manufacturers may be mislead on the percentage of game player thinking ON Line players are only people buying the game.

However this is not true. There are people who would like to play the game Off Line.

We buy the 2k or The Show since there is no other baseball game to play.

The last true baseball game was High Heat Baseball Game.

2k8 is more of an Arcade than a Sim game. Please change this for 2k9.

2k7 once the game started I was able to pull down the menu go to option move the controller to center or to team you are managing to substitute players. 2k8 you cannot.

2k9 Baseball should have an option to adjust team each team roster once franchise mode season starts. Also able to release player to Free Agency or pickup players from Free Agency and on teams they belong so each team has the right roster .

To make 2k Baseball a great game and not just a game the following changes should be made:
• A better Manager Mode so you can see actual play. Make a Commissioner Mode so adjustments to for each team once the season starts. Which means place more control in the Gamers hands.
• Once the season starts be able to trade from team to team other than the one being managed. At the present the game does not allow trading from team to team other than your own once the season starts.
• Be able to once the season starts bring Free agents player to the assigned teams.
• Be able to override budgets requirements.
• Be able to place players on the Disable List who are actually on the Disable List in real life so to adjust roster to real life rosters during the season.
• Have a 40 Man Roster in September
When in Sim Mode bring back 2k7 option to move the controller from Center or the being managed so you can make changes once the game has started.

I hope the game 2k brings out in 2k9 have some of these changes.
Thank you for your time and consideration of the changes that I have mentioned.

rjmf

bakesalee · 09-15-2008, 11:03 PM

Record real live bat on ball sounds, and replace whatever sounds are used now for bat-ball contact.

Forget all the modes. Concentrate on a fun and addicting game. That's what it's all about right? The game.

Use of hard drive - Custom batter walk up songs. Stadium songs per situation (walk off and blur, "song 2 starts" playing).

Simple controls.

No more batters on base on all 4 corners of the TV. I never want to be reminded I'm playing a video game. Get rid of all fluff.

Bigger fields to better reflect the size of these massive parks.

Bring back that split second "charging the mound" scene that was in 2k4. I know, no fights, but this was just literally 1-sec of batter frustration. Again, 2k4.

When an online opponent pulls the plug, turns off his console, give me THE WIN, and THE STATS. It's pretty hard to record a no-hitter, or perfect game on my online record when no kid in America is willing to sit through it.

Rankings based not on how many games played. OK so I can't have a record of 120 wins, 13 loses after the game's been out a week, because I have responsibilities. But don't let that keep me from having a shot at #1. I could be 12-0, and merit a better record than some unemployed kid who spends 10 hours a day playing.

Home run cam in real time. Near home run, border line foul same thing. See 2k3/4.

Cleaner, simpler presentation - Sega Home Run King (2002).

No intro shots of inside the hallways with fans. Ugly. Pan into the stadium, or a camera above the stadium getting a shot of the city surrounding the stadium (Home Run King).

Check swings like 2k3, where batter naturally checked on it's own if you pulled off the swing button. You didn't have to "try" to check swing. See what happens when you don't keep things simple? Not fun. Not addicting. Sloppy.

Improved lighting. Last years iteration of 2k baseball looked the least life like of all the Sega/2k baseball games I've played since I started in 2002.

I never played WSB '99, because I started in 2002, but like someone else said "Just give us WSB '99 with next gen graphics." Yeah well I'm saying the same thing. I think we all agree the gameplay was at it's finest many years ago. Whether it be 1999 for him, or 2002 or 2003 for me - just bring us back the stuff you hooked us on in the first place while taking advantage of this "next-gen" technology that has usually let me down. Nothing but broken promises.

09-15-2008, 05:55 PM	#25
BrianFifaFan Semi-retired OVR: 50 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Dayton,OH Posts: 4,144 Blog Entries: 7	Re: The MLB 2K9 Developers Are Listening Stickied. __________________ Note to Tiburon Marketing: A great product sells itself, no "back of the box" features required! (See Fifa...)

09-15-2008, 06:17 PM	#26
Scooter3 MVP OVR: 15 Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Willis, Texas	Re: The MB K Developers Are Listening *I would like an option to turn off the neon light under the player fielding the ball, it would look less arcade and more sim...* *I can see for myself who is fielding the ball...* *edit:* *Announce the numerical sequence of each home-run hit in the season...* *Scooter...* __________________ "a mean motor scooter and a bad go getter" Mark Twain: " Man is the only animal that blushes, or needs to." U.S. Army Veteran Last edited by Scooter3; 09-15-2008 at 06:56 PM.

09-15-2008, 06:47 PM	#27
bakesalee Pro OVR: 8 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Chicago	Re: The MLB 2K9 Developers Are Listening I became a fan of baseball, the sport itself, from playing Sega Home Run King (2002), and World Series Baseball 2k3. What I liked about playing these games was it's sheer simplicity. Not that there weren't dozens of little things to pick up later when I was ready, but they weren't required to have fun. I have stopped buying the 2k series baseball games for many reasons: a) Zone hitting is gone. The best baseball controls in my mind are the ones that reward the batter, by making the batter not only time the swing, but more importantly move the left stick in the corresponding zone. For example, not moving the left thumb stick into position at all will only result in contact if the ball is thrown down the middle. Zone hitting such as 123 456 789 (where 5 is right down the center). The reward of knowing your success and failures were a direct result of what you did (forget swing stick), meaning base hits occurred because the cursor or zone hitting was spot on and nothing else attributed to that. Even if the swing stick is more real (it's not), it's very uncomfortable. I can't chill out if I have to be on my toes with flicking this damn thing. b) The fun factor. The "one more game" addiction. Unfortunately the addiction factor has been removed from 2k baseball. What makes a baseball game addicting? When simplicity meets industry leading graphics, minus any and all clutter (see 2002). Absolutely nothing that wasn't necessary was displayed, but the option to see stuff if desired (balls and strikes of a current at bat) with the press of a button. Things that were done right, and mysteriously removed from later versions even though these characteristics were what made the game great: -No doubter home run cam (pans out to show beautiful stadium shot) from 2002 (Home Run King), 2k3, and 2k4. -Beautiful foul ball cam pan into the lights (looked like a real TV broadcast) 2k3, 2k4 -Zone hitting! The argument can be made that analog stick swinging is "more realistic," but either way you look at it, you'e pushing a controller. Would it be more realistic to move the left and right sticks up and down to make players run? Maybe, but is it fun? No. Is it comfortable? No. -Industry leading character and/or graphics models. Even as far back as 2002, the batter walkup sequences, reflections, look more realistic than the cartoon stuff that's in 2k now. -Smoothness. Watch how a pop up plays out in Home Run King. Look at the fielder get into place. DAMN! Sega/2k used to be so F'ing smooth! -If you control pitcher you can have the pitcher tilt his head towards a base instead of actually throwing to the base - makes for some interesting fake outs, and mental battles. 2k4 Little things you could add, but don't bother with until you bring back the "one more game" addictive gameplay. -Custom situation soundtracks (enable me to pick a 5 or 10 second clip of a song on my hard drive for different situations such as: walk off, pitcher change, and so on. See NFL 2k5 for reference) -Make it fun! Seriously. Call up "WOW!" (Sega Home Run King), Blue Shift or Blue Castle, or whoever the hell made the CLASSIC greatness that went on for 3-4 short years beginning in 2002. -Not sure if this is in the most recent 2k baseball because as I said I no longer buy or play them, but the ability to turn the strike zone off (as in the outline that's displayed on screen) online and offline. -Speaking of getting rid of the strike zone outline - Immersion factor. Once you get the hang of the game (any game for that matter), we should be able to turn clutter off that's only purpose is to remind us we're playing a video game. New things that would be a great touch, but again, mean nothing without the reimplementation of your once fun game play: -Panning into the stadium to start the game, starting with an outside shot of the stadium. Home Run King did this (Gamecube 2002), but see Madden 09 for a different take. Sega and 2k baseball used to be at the forefront of my entertainment. I actually bought an Xbox 360 thinking this was guaranteed to continue, but also be improved (it could only get better, right?). Little did I know I was taking what I assumed to be a successful baseball game for granted. Between the years 2002 and 2005 people would spend any free time they had coming over to play the Sega/2k baseball games. They were simple, but had little intricities that although not required to play - if you learned them made the experience that more rewarding. I know this is pathetic, but I'm writing this because I care. I'm actually mad at the direction of sports gaming, and I'm looking at 2k baseball first, the state of football gaming second. Your company got me into this whole thing (buying video games and consoles) and now I'm craving something that hasn't existed in years and years. Don't try and reinvent the wheel. Just pop in Sega/2k 2002, 2003, and 2004, and minus some unsightly jaggies and the stuff of the past, the game itself was GOLD. Last edited by bakesalee; 09-15-2008 at 07:08 PM.

09-15-2008, 07:23 PM	#28
Scooter3 MVP OVR: 15 Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Willis, Texas	Re: The MLB 2K9 Developers Are Listening *"Text to speech Synthesizers" I hope some day this feature could be included in a baseball game...You could create any player in baseball history...* *The following features would allow us to build our own* *''Field of Dreams":* *1) Text to speech synthesizer...* *2) Total edit on all players...* *3) Choice of classic uniforms for season & franchise...* *4) choice of classic stadiums for season & franchise...* *5) Face Tool...* *6) Choice of what teams and how many teams you want to include in your season...* *7) include all legends in Season AND Franchise...* *8) let us send in our last names so they will be included in the name database ( a big success in "The Show")...* *Scooter...* __________________ "a mean motor scooter and a bad go getter" Mark Twain: " Man is the only animal that blushes, or needs to." U.S. Army Veteran Last edited by Scooter3; 09-15-2008 at 07:26 PM.

09-15-2008, 07:53 PM	#29
King Gro23 MVP OVR: 21 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Cleveland, OH	Re: The MLB 2K9 Developers Are Listening Yes indeed BLOW OUT THE MEATBALLS, awful idea to make it be a meatball if you mess up on any pitch, and its always a fastball meatball no breaking balls, Make fielding more of a challenge, MUCH BIG INFIELDS, and bigger field in general wider mainly BIG IDEA: For pitching I like this whole idea, There should be a pitch marker that is a shaded circle, The worse the control the bigger the circle, the Better the control the smaller the circle and the elite should be able to almost always be able to pin there spots when i say "Elite" i mean control 94- and up. but still the "elite" will occasionally miss (it's life) and then place the shaded circle where ever and pitch away hopin you hit the zones and Have it like MLB:08 THE SHOW were sometimes your on control and pitch wise and some days your not. - Way better camera angles of the stadium and home run balls, add blown calls and Instant replay - Better fans and everything else i stated previously on my last post

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09-15-2008, 08:58 PM	#30
kingdevin MVP OVR: 10 Join Date: Mar 2005	Re: The MLB 2K9 Developers Are Listening Don't let us know when the ball is going to be a HR (i.e. a cutscene or an indicator letting us know the ball is headed out the park). Leave in the suspense

09-15-2008, 09:20 PM	#31
rjmfigurelli Rookie OVR: 4 Join Date: Dec 2005 Blog Entries: 1	Re: The MLB 2K9 Developers Are Listening This is for 2k Sports Developers. To Who It May Concern or Forward To Developers, I found that more and more Baseball Game Manufacturers are catering to ON Line player and forgot player who wish to play the game Off Line. The baseball game manufacturers may be mislead on the percentage of game player thinking ON Line players are only people buying the game. However this is not true. There are people who would like to play the game Off Line. We buy the 2k or The Show since there is no other baseball game to play. The last true baseball game was High Heat Baseball Game. 2k8 is more of an Arcade than a Sim game. Please change this for 2k9. 2k7 once the game started I was able to pull down the menu go to option move the controller to center or to team you are managing to substitute players. 2k8 you cannot. 2k9 Baseball should have an option to adjust team each team roster once franchise mode season starts. Also able to release player to Free Agency or pickup players from Free Agency and on teams they belong so each team has the right roster . To make 2k Baseball a great game and not just a game the following changes should be made: • A better Manager Mode so you can see actual play. Make a Commissioner Mode so adjustments to for each team once the season starts. Which means place more control in the Gamers hands. • Once the season starts be able to trade from team to team other than the one being managed. At the present the game does not allow trading from team to team other than your own once the season starts. • Be able to once the season starts bring Free agents player to the assigned teams. • Be able to override budgets requirements. • Be able to place players on the Disable List who are actually on the Disable List in real life so to adjust roster to real life rosters during the season. • Have a 40 Man Roster in September When in Sim Mode bring back 2k7 option to move the controller from Center or the being managed so you can make changes once the game has started. I hope the game 2k brings out in 2k9 have some of these changes. Thank you for your time and consideration of the changes that I have mentioned. rjmf

09-15-2008, 11:03 PM	#32
bakesalee Pro OVR: 8 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Chicago	Re: The MLB 2K9 Developers Are Listening Record real live bat on ball sounds, and replace whatever sounds are used now for bat-ball contact. Forget all the modes. Concentrate on a fun and addicting game. That's what it's all about right? The game. Use of hard drive - Custom batter walk up songs. Stadium songs per situation (walk off and blur, "song 2 starts" playing). Simple controls. No more batters on base on all 4 corners of the TV. I never want to be reminded I'm playing a video game. Get rid of all fluff. Bigger fields to better reflect the size of these massive parks. Bring back that split second "charging the mound" scene that was in 2k4. I know, no fights, but this was just literally 1-sec of batter frustration. Again, 2k4. When an online opponent pulls the plug, turns off his console, give me THE WIN, and THE STATS. It's pretty hard to record a no-hitter, or perfect game on my online record when no kid in America is willing to sit through it. Rankings based not on how many games played. OK so I can't have a record of 120 wins, 13 loses after the game's been out a week, because I have responsibilities. But don't let that keep me from having a shot at #1. I could be 12-0, and merit a better record than some unemployed kid who spends 10 hours a day playing. Home run cam in real time. Near home run, border line foul same thing. See 2k3/4. Cleaner, simpler presentation - Sega Home Run King (2002). No intro shots of inside the hallways with fans. Ugly. Pan into the stadium, or a camera above the stadium getting a shot of the city surrounding the stadium (Home Run King). Check swings like 2k3, where batter naturally checked on it's own if you pulled off the swing button. You didn't have to "try" to check swing. See what happens when you don't keep things simple? Not fun. Not addicting. Sloppy. Improved lighting. Last years iteration of 2k baseball looked the least life like of all the Sega/2k baseball games I've played since I started in 2002. I never played WSB '99, because I started in 2002, but like someone else said "Just give us WSB '99 with next gen graphics." Yeah well I'm saying the same thing. I think we all agree the gameplay was at it's finest many years ago. Whether it be 1999 for him, or 2002 or 2003 for me - just bring us back the stuff you hooked us on in the first place while taking advantage of this "next-gen" technology that has usually let me down. Nothing but broken promises.

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The MLB 2K9 Developers Are Listening