MLB 2K12 Not Phoning It In, But Will We See MLB 2K13?

[Hajmyis]

Kotaku's Owen Good sat down with Mark Little, Senior Producer of MLB 2K12, as they discuss some of the new tools in this years game. Owen also gives his thoughts on whether we will see another 2K Sports baseball game.

In last year's game, we weren't getting enough of the hit types we usually see in baseball," Little, the game's senior producer, tells me. The designers wanted to introduce more of these kinds of outcomes—early swings on outside pitches that actually pull the ball, inside-out swings and the like—but wanted to be sure they happened with the appropriate frequency. So Little and his lead engineer built this tool, which simulates the outcomes in bulk and helps them refine the game's physics.

Little clicks a button and, with a whooshing sound effect, the screen becomes a spray of arcs, like a fireworks finale caught in mid-explosion. A pitch outside still strongly goes to the opposite field, but with the better contact rating, more go to the center of the diamond and some even to left field.

"We were unhappy with the dice roll," Little says, using the term for the background calculation the game made in determining where and how hard the ball would be hit.

[LastActionHero]

Good read. Interesting facts were brought up and makes an interesting but at the same time uncertain future for (Xbox 360) baseball gamers.

[dodgerblue]

Re: Good read about MLB 2k12

"Little was showing me the hitting outcomes tool to demonstrate that Visual Concepts wasn't phoning it in on a foregone conclusion this is the last game for MLB 2K. Little and his lead engineer built this tool and another, over the course of about six months"

Now that's the kind of thing I like to read and gives me hope for the way this game will play!

[bigfnjoe96]

Re: Good read about MLB 2k12

Little was showing me the hitting outcomes tool to demonstrate that Visual Concepts wasn't phoning it in on a foregone conclusion this is the last game for MLB 2K. Little and his lead engineer built this tool and another, over the course of about six months, beginning work on it right after MLB 2K11 shipped last March.

I'm glad to hear Owen talk mention this. It shows VC didn't just mail-it in knowing this maybe the end of the road.

[rudyjuly2]

Re: Good read about MLB 2k12

That was a really good read. The part I liked the most was about increasing the hit types.

In last year's game, we weren't getting enough of the hit types we usually see in baseball," Little, the game's senior producer, tells me. The designers wanted to introduce more of these kinds of outcomes—early swings on outside pitches that actually pull the ball, inside-out swings and the like—but wanted to be sure they happened with the appropriate frequency. So Little and his lead engineer built this tool, which simulates the outcomes in bulk and helps them refine the game's physics. Little clicks a button and, with a whooshing sound effect, the screen becomes a spray of arcs, like a fireworks finale caught in mid-explosion. A pitch outside still strongly goes to the opposite field, but with the better contact rating, more go to the center of the diamond and some even to left field.

I really felt that was the one poor direction 2K11 went in last year. The hitting system was far too rigid - every outside pitch was hit to the opposite field. It seems they are tweaking that and this is an area where I have to see how the demo plays. I want the absurd number of opposite field HRs toned down. The vast majority of HRs in baseball are pulled - there is no disputing this - and it's completely the opposite in 2K11.

What I don't quite understand is why the contact rating has to be higher to pull an outside pitch. Power guys will creep/cheat in to pull those outside pitches for HRs. That's why chin music was invented - to keep them more honest. I know the ability to move the batter around the box has been removed from baseball games for quite some time but I can't help but think we need a subtle addition to this area to allow a little more strategy and prevent users from just pitching outside all day long. Currently the only penalty the game has for pitching outside is allowing a crazy number of opposite field HRs.

I'd love to have an option where a user could select "cheat outside" and allow the user to shift his batter's strike zone over 1/2 a zone or a full zone to get more outside coverage but remove a little inside plate coverage. That would force the user to pitch inside more. Either way, I really grew to dislike last year's hitting model and it's the biggest detriment to me buying 2K12. It still sounds too rigid though.

[peigone]

Re: Good read about MLB 2k12

What I don't quite understand is why the contact rating has to be higher to pull an outside pitch. Power guys will creep/cheat in to pull those outside pitches for HRs.

You're right, it doesn't make any sense. Contact ability has absolutely nothing to do with being able to pull a pitch. Shouldn't that skill be based on a player's Inside Edge spray chart ratings... you know, the performance system they hype every year as the meat and potatoes of their game? Sounds like a fix they've come up with based on game engine limitations, without giving any thought to whether it makes sense from a real-life baseball perspective.

[Paulinho]

Re: Good read about MLB 2k12

I plan to give this game a try but i am kinda worried it will be a bad purchase. I usually buy The Show but i recently sold my PS3 leaving me with only a 360. I have a few questions for those who have played both...

1. I hate the fielding in The Show, just simply hate it. I always felt MVP Baseball had the best fielding gameplay, how does 2k compare to The Show/MVP?

2. I enjoy playing GM and simming seasons, building my minors and downloading fully loaded minor league rosters from the fellas over on The Show board. Will i be able to do that in 2K? Is simming years into career mode realistic like The Show or pure garbage like NBA 2k12?

[rudyjuly2]

Re: Good read about MLB 2k12

1. I hate the fielding in The Show, just simply hate it. I always felt MVP Baseball had the best fielding gameplay, how does 2k compare to The Show/MVP?

Mixed bag here. 2K implemented an outfield fly ball system that has less suction and makes it more interesting and I liked it. But the infield still has a lot of suction although I don't mind it. Furthermore, there were very, very few fielding errors in 2K11. Also, if you kept your meter in the green you NEVER made a throwing error. Once you got used to the system every throw was in the green. Overall fielding was bad in 2K11 imo. I hope this was fixed for 2K12.

[lnin0]

Re: Good read about MLB 2k12

If you add it up it does indeed sound like the end of MLB2K and maybe MLB on the 360, period.

[queensbomber]

Re: MLB 2K12 Not Phoning It In, But Will We See MLB 2K13?

I dont think it will be the end of MLB on 360 period...Someone will end up making a game for the 360 or maybe that good old MLB videogame competition will be back like in the early 2000's when we had a slew of games to choose from.
Either someone will get the exclusive rights again or everyone will be in on making games. I doubt its the latter but we'll see. Technology wise its a great time to make baseball games but just like everything else in this country, competition is going down the drain.

[bosnian19]

Re: MLB 2K12 Not Phoning It In, But Will We See MLB 2K13?

i hope your able to check swing on this game

[peigone]

Re: MLB 2K12 Not Phoning It In, But Will We See MLB 2K13?

i hope your able to check swing on this game

For button hitting, the check swing works PERFECTLY FINE. Push the swing button as the pitcher is winding up and then -- very important here -- push it quickly again BEFORE he releases the ball. The 2K devs DID NOT mess it up like everyone says, they simply designed 2K11 for the psychically adroit.

[bosnian19]

Re: MLB 2K12 Not Phoning It In, But Will We See MLB 2K13?

For button hitting, the check swing works PERFECTLY FINE. Push the swing button as the pitcher is winding up and then -- very important here -- push it quickly again BEFORE he releases the ball. The 2K devs DID NOT mess it up like everyone says, they simply designed 2K11 for the psychically adroit.

swing button? i thought on 2k you could only hit with the analog?

[jeffy777]

Re: MLB 2K12 Not Phoning It In, But Will We See MLB 2K13?

swing button? i thought on 2k you could only hit with the analog?

No, there's classic button controls too.

[jimmyl008]

Re: MLB 2K12 Not Phoning It In, But Will We See MLB 2K13?

For button hitting, the check swing works PERFECTLY FINE. Push the swing button as the pitcher is winding up and then -- very important here -- push it quickly again BEFORE he releases the ball. The 2K devs DID NOT mess it up like everyone says, they simply designed 2K11 for the psychically adroit.

Not only do you have to press the button insanely quickly (or pull the stick back on analog), but even if the swing is checked all pitches are called strikes. Even those clearly far from the zone. Maybe by MLB 2K15 we'll have a working check swing mechanism.