The MLB 2K9 Developers Are Listening

[ab713]

Bring back the hit stick form MVP 06 NCAA. The batter actually begins his motion if you pull the stick back. Currently the batter does nothing when you move the stick back; makes it feel like your just pushing a button and not actually going through the fluid swing motion.

[Damanjinx]

Well there may be ray of sunshine? didnt VC make the best baseball games? So im assuming that whole engine that was made by Kush was kept with Kush correct? So most likely the new MLB2k9 will look pretty be much nothing like last years and there going to be starting from Scratch right? If so this is the best news...., that engine was dated and flat out garbage. I really hope they just get a decent baseball game together like they did with the hockey. PLEASE OH PLEASE just give us something good you owe it to us fans after screwing us for the last couple of years.

[7stringking]

CPU pitchers need to throw MORE BALLS!.....Just like their real life counterparts....Obviously the CPU needs to steal as well.

A manager mode that lets you watch the game instead of text would be nice.

[bakesalee]

Exactly! Sega/2k games 2002-2k4 were very simple on the field, and very deep off. I can't comment on WSB pre-2k3 because I was new to the scene. There's something great about this, and is key to the addiction factor.

Also 2k, look how great the stadiums looked pregame and during game in Sega Home Run King. When a fly ball hovered deep center in the old Expos stadium, you could almost see the puke on the concrete. In my opinion there hasn't been a drastic enough improvement in stadium appearances since this title.

Follow the presentation of HRK. Simple, no clutter, almost to the point of not playing a video game - which is good. Immerse me. These games were all simple on the field, and unlimited depth off.

Quote: Originally Posted by brendanrfoley

I had a chance to read through most of these posts and there is a lot of good stuff here. I think I can support the general "back to basics" argument. High Heat 2004 and WSB '98 are two of the best playing (on the field) games ever created. I'd also use MLB Power Pros as inspiration. Off the field, the game is ridiculously deep. ON the field, it's pretty basic -- and plays great. Now that I think of it... port Power Pros and slap realistic graphics on it.

[Artman22]

please get rid of the organ music. Also change the bat sounds.

[sput]

This cannot be stated enough: the gameplay needs tweaked. Back in the World Series Baseball days, particularly 03, I was an undergrad and my buddies and me used to miss class because we didn't want to stop playing. The game had an infectious joy to it. The game was a representation of the sport. Now, the 2k series has become a chore to play. The batting system is broken in that there isn't enough hit variation (if I have another game where I hit a dozen hard grounders to short I think I'll shut off my x-box for good) or control. Now, who knows where my hit might go? Chances are it's either going to be a screamer down to the short stop or a homerun.

Defense, as well, is awful now. Somehow or another all the fun of making an amazing diving/leaping catch has been drained away. It's pressing a button and watching a canned animation. Running, probably one of the most exciting parts of baseball, has become one of the most tedious exercises in gaming. I feel like I have no control over when players go or how they advance or retreat.

Atmosphere, unfortunately, is nonexistent. There are sounds of the ball park (beer vendors, heckling, etc.), and that's nice, but the presentation is abysmall. The introduction, including the previous-gen tour of the stadiums, along with a terribly jolted and repetitive narration, is a joke around here. When the intro scene fires up we all laugh and repeat the lines ad nauseum. This level of gaming should not be so easily mocked.

Give us the option of cursor hitting. Some won't use it, many of us will.

Simplify, simplify, simplify. This isn't rocket science. Cherry pick the best elements of the lionized games we've loved. Throw them together and improve upon.

Game 7 of the National League Champion Series should feel like Game 7 of the National League Champion series.

And, most importantly, take pride in your work. I think this is the point most members of the forum are trying to push in all of the games. We're in an era now of monopolized genres and all we ask, year in and year out, whenever we open our wallets and pay a chunk of our hard-earned cash, is that you try and put out a quality product. At the end of the day, can your developers say: we have put out a product that exemplifies the best of our ability? This is your art and you're asking for a load of cash in a depressed economy. I think you'll find, as most savvy businessmen/women do, leaving a customer satisfied and happy is the best way to keep said customer.

-J

[Crash Davis]

GET YOUR FRAMRATES TO 60FPS EVERYWHERE! this is PS3/360 here not N64. Smooth visuals are a must. Cutscenes can look smooth too.

Bring back 2k7 Graphics one of the most beautiful looking sports games ever.
Player Models were solid in 2k7 2k8 was terrible

Make the swing stick darn near idenctical to EA sports' NCAA baseball
not every hit goes to the wall, it should somewhere along the lines like this:
50% singles
30% Extra base hits
20% Home Runs

And thats only when you time your swing right, obviously take into consideration the hitter, the potential, the age etc...
Free tip - an average MLB players peak of his career is between 28-30
meaning a player should gradually improve upto that age area, peoples value goes down and they get weaker around 34-35
That news right there should be a legend if you will for how players careers should be simulated.

Keep the fielding throw meter, however improve dives, and obviously overall motions, but a button to dive should be an option as opposed to the stick

Get rid of the pitching with the stick at least the brinkman version, The idea of pitching with a stick is interesting but until its somewhat user friendly its not going to be successful. you can always use a pitching meter like MVP/The Show have while working on a stick, offer the stick version you come up with but also a meter just incase and gradually improve the stick pitching.

AUTHENTIC STADIUMS!!! UPDATED YEARLY!
you can make a thread on here asking people from each city to tell you about specifics and trust me/us will tell you.
example, no skyscrapers outside of the rogers centre thats just one of many things wrong with stadiums those apartments were made in 2005 and in 2k8 it still wasnt there.

Due most likely to framerates, pitches coming in look awful its very unrealistic, The show captures a very real batter experience, with 2k it always felt like you were just guessing/swinging at everything. not good for A SIMULATION GAME.
Pitchers are supposed to work you, aim for corners set people up etc...
heres another tip that will help you take this as serious as a heartattack if you want real baseball simulation,

GENERAL PITCHER MENTALLITY:

The Count = The usual pitch (Ball or Strike)

B-S:
0-0 = 50/50
0-1 = 60% BALL/40%strike
0-2 = 90% BALL/ 10% Strike

1-1 = 30% Ball/ 70% Strike
1-2 = 60% Ball/ 40% Strike
1-3 = 10% Ball/ 90% Stike

1-0 = 30% Ball/ 70% Strike
2-0 = 20% Ball/ 80% Strike
3-0 = 10% Ball/ 90% Strike

There it is take this as a reference when making up a pitchers mentality this is generic some pitchers are a bit different but for the most part this should be standard for majority of pitchers

KEEP the franchise set up, the hall of fame part of skybox is awesome, having franchises that play 20-29 game seasons are great. the trophies are great, the end cutscene of winning the world series is great although more than one would be awesome, perhaps make a new one but get the same feel as you have had since 2k5, the World series trophy the MVP award all great things and worthy of keeping.


Thats a strong start of many things wrong with this game if you started this first you would regain some fans not just me.

[BigBlue]

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE Stop wasting precious time and resources creating silly games like Stickball (WTF?) that are not going to sell and get back to basics. Improve the sports games that need to be your cash cow, turn a profit, and then release the silly 'Stickball,' 'The Bigs,' and other games for fun.

I mean really, Stickball? I can't imagine ANYONE spending hard to earn cash (especially during these financial times) on this crap. Wake up 2K!!!!!!

BigBlue