MLB 2K11 Preview (Destructoid)

[Flaxseed Oil]

Destructoid has just posted their Major League Baseball 2K11 preview.

"Another change that looks to help fielding is the introduction of new animations. The increased variety, especially for bobbled balls, makes the game more fluid and realistic. It’s not 100% there yet -- I saw inconsistencies like a big step and a laser-like throw from a fielder who was maybe ten feet from his first baseman, which really pulled me out of the action -- but I’m hoping that such nagging issues can be ironed out between now and the release date.

I found the game’s visuals to be alternately impressive and off-putting. Many of the player faces are accurate, while others are off -- this remains an issue across most sports games -- and all of them suffer from dead eyes and stiff mouths, irregularities that scream “uncanny valley.” Numbers on the backs of jerseys are textured to stand out from the shirts themselves, but there’s a strange upward distortion of text on players’ chests. Team-specific camera angles for the behind-the-pitcher view are a nice touch, and the revamped player models look great. C.C. Sabathia is a hulking brute on the mound, just as he should be."

[rudyjuly2]

Re: Destructoid preview of MLB 2K11

Loved how they said pitching will be harder plus variable strike zones. The outfield defense intrigues me.

[tmac55]

Re: Destructoid preview of MLB 2K11

The pitching and fielding changes are important to me. Also, the animations mentioned should be interesting too as everything on the ground was pretty playable last year in the infield. Hopefully this leads to errors, which by the sound of it (throwing meter changes), it could.

Overall, this is intriguing and if they fixed franchise mode and progression, their approach of improving last year's effort over innovating could pay off.

[hitstreak13]

Re: Destructoid preview of MLB 2K11

I'm so excited about pitching being more difficult. The fielding is what gets me excited. Can't wait to read more reviews.

[jeffy777]

Re: Destructoid preview of MLB 2K11

This year, Visual Concepts is aiming to improve on the solid foundation of MLB 2K10, polishing what’s there by addressing underlying issues. I played a few innings of Major League Baseball 2K11 earlier this week, and from my hands-on time, I can say that the studio is on the right track.

Another change that looks to help fielding is the introduction of new animations. The increased variety, especially for bobbled balls, makes the game more fluid and realistic.

Team-specific camera angles for the behind-the-pitcher view are a nice touch, and the revamped player models look great. C.C. Sabathia is a hulking brute on the mound, just as he should be.

On the pitching front, subtle changes seem like they’ll provide a ramped-up challenge. In MLB 2K10, it was way too easy to pitch with pinpoint accuracy -- even with sub-par hurlers -- once you got good enough. Visual Concepts has introduced variance for missed analog-stick gestures, so even if your gesture is off in a particular manner each time, you won’t be able to easily predict the behavior of the pitch: it might break more or less. Real pitchers can’t simply aim a pitch at a particular spot and get it there every time, and even MLB 2K pros won’t have that luxury anymore. There’s now a variable strike zone, too, which brings in the time-honored “human element” of umpires.

YEAH!

[bigfnjoe96]

Re: Destructoid preview of MLB 2K11

Nice read. Thanks Flaxseed. Some things that stood out for me:

This year, Visual Concepts is aiming to improve on the solid foundation of MLB 2K10, polishing what’s there by addressing underlying issues. I played a few innings of Major League Baseball 2K11 earlier this week, and from my hands-on time, I can say that the studio is on the right track.

Visual Concepts has introduced variance for missed analog-stick gestures, so even if your gesture is off in a particular manner each time, you won’t be able to easily predict the behavior of the pitch: it might break more or less. Real pitchers can’t simply aim a pitch at a particular spot and get it there every time, and even MLB 2K pros won’t have that luxury anymore. There’s now a variable strike zone, too, which brings in the time-honored “human element” of umpires.

Ratings now play a more significant role in the game, thanks to a tweaked throwing meter and a new method for catching fly balls.

Another change that looks to help fielding is the introduction of new animations. The increased variety, especially for bobbled balls, makes the game more fluid and realistic.

Team-specific camera angles for the behind-the-pitcher view are a nice touch, and the revamped player models look great.

[jeffy777]

Re: Destructoid preview of MLB 2K11

Man, this is like music to my ears. It sounds like VC is making some great progress.

[Flaxseed Oil]

Re: Destructoid preview of MLB 2K11

I do like the idea of a variable strikezone finally....pitching in 2k10 got too easy. I went 25-2 with My Player once.

[hitstreak13]

Re: Destructoid preview of MLB 2K11

Man, this is like music to my ears. It sounds like VC is making some great progress.

Amen. This is the first time since 2k7 that I am actually considering purchasing. Also, the fielding and pitching controls sound incredible. This may be the first baseball ever were you will be forced to substitute a weak, power hitting outfielder for a defensive one in order to perserve that one run lead .

Very excited to read more on this.

[JayhawkerStL]

Re: Destructoid preview of MLB 2K11

It's great to hear that pitching ha been addressed. I'm awfully anxious to test drive this bad boy.

[dolemint]

Re: Destructoid preview of MLB 2K11

Definitely happy about the pitching news. Unpredictability and variable strike zones (and umpires' acting human)... lol it's almost like they actually paid attention to my complaining!

We could have a game here!

Team-specific camera angles for the behind-the-pitcher view are a nice touch

Does anyone know what this means? That each team has a slightly different camera angle for pitching? Wouldn't it make more sense if each STADIUM did if they're going for TV broadcast authenticity? I guess I don't see the point of each team having one, as don't most of us generally play with our favorite team?

[bigfnjoe96]

Re: Destructoid preview of MLB 2K11

Team-specific camera angles for the behind-the-pitcher view are a nice touch

Does anyone know what this means? That each team has a slightly different camera angle for pitching? Wouldn't it make more sense if each STADIUM did if they're going for TV broadcast authenticity? I guess I don't see the point of each team having one, as don't most of us generally play with our favorite team?

I'm pretty sure the writer meant to say Stadium Specific

[nemesis04]

Re: Destructoid preview of MLB 2K11

Nice read, some promising information there! Thanks for the link.

[EnigmaNemesis]

Re: Destructoid preview of MLB 2K11

In their position, it seems prudent to focus on improving the existing game instead of trying to grab gamers’ attention with flashy new features. We’ll have to see if that approach pays off.

This is definitely good to hear.

[Blzer]

Re: Destructoid preview of MLB 2K11

I hope I'm reading it right and they are erring toward the side of "variable strike zones" over "variable umpires." They might mean the same thing, but what I would like is that gray area on the edges of the zone which aren't always a ball or strike. I'm just hoping they didn't mean different umpire strike zones that are still black and white, despite the fact the zones themselves are actually set differently.

This preview has definitely excited me, though! Nothing about different batting cameras yet it seems. I just hope we can save our camera settings this year, for goodness sake.