Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

[Qb]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

If you turn down the CPU throw strikes slider, you SHOULD see a lot more balls. Some people are reporting that it isn't making a difference, but I'm personally seeing a HUGE difference.

I have all three 'throw strikes' sliders at zero and I'm one of those seeing no difference from the default settings. I'm batting in the fifth inning, Sean Hill of the Nationals has 2 balls & 39 strikes. I've chased maybe five pitches that MIGHT have been out of the zone. I say 'MIGHT' because the umps seem to call anything remotely close a strike. Any help?

EDIT: Hill finished with 3/69 in a complete game two-hitter...

[NEWYORICAN]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 (360/PS3) Impressions

wow the 360 version looks 10x better than the PS3, I wish I never would have seen these

I'm renting the game for the 360, it's not much better. They regressed on the graphics for sure. I have 2K7 for both PS3 and 360 and I can tell that last years graphics on the 360 looks so much better then this years 360. Actually, the 360 now looks like the PS3 version of 2K7! Those screen shots posted look like they are high resolution and it looks nice.

The game play is better then last year but not by much. Is it worth $60?.....I don't think it is.. I would say $30.00 is more like it.

[ehh]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

I was really worried when people kept saying that they turned the CPU throw stirke sliders all the way down and still saw 90% strikes. Well, that was the first thing I adjusted and, when I turned them almost (not quite) all the way; the result? Less than 60% strikes and about 7 walks. However, it peeves me that they didn't put in a human pitcher control slider.

Nice review, and they do have a slider for this. It's Total Control Pitching Difficulty or something along those lines.

Bigfnjoe, I'm definitely looking forward to your sliders!

[Qb]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

What the heck is going on with my CPU pitchers then? Just finished a game against CWS with DET, faced John Danks (not too good control-wise) who pitched 7 strong and overall they threw 83/96 for 86% strikes. I chased a few, but not enough to make a real difference in the percentage. I have the overall & ahead TS sliders at zero, behind TS at 40ish (thought I would try it closer to default). These are consistent results for me and to sound like a broken record, THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING! I'm starting to really like the game, just wish I was seeing what some of you are...

On the plus side, looks like I've found a nice balance for user pitching as I threw 76S-55B for 131 total pitches (58%) and gave up four runs on six hits overall. I only struck out and walked two, but I think I just need to tinker with the AI Contact a little and find a way to get them to chase with two strikes. I love pitching in this game!

[ehh]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

What the heck is going on with my CPU pitchers then? Just finished a game against CWS with DET, faced John Danks (not too good control-wise) who pitched 7 strong and overall they threw 83/96 for 86% strikes. I chased a few, but not enough to make a real difference in the percentage. I have the overall & ahead TS sliders at zero, behind TS at 40ish (thought I would try it closer to default). These are consistent results for me and to sound like a broken record, THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING! I'm starting to really like the game, just wish I was seeing what some of you are...

On the plus side, looks like I've found a nice balance for user pitching as I threw 76S-55B for 131 total pitches (58%) and gave up four runs on six hits overall. I only struck out and walked two, but I think I just need to tinker with the AI Contact a little and find a way to get them to chase with two strikes. I love pitching in this game!

If you're doing the VIP fix, make sure you're signed in to your VIP when you make these changes and make sure they save. Go in and double check those sliders.

The work very well for me, top notch pitchers like Beckett don't give you anything good to hit. I'd go 3-4 AB's sometimes without seeing a pitch in my wheelhouse.

My last game of the night yesterday was against Dice-K and he threw 97 pitches in 6 innings, I believe 30-35 were balls.

[davewins]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

If you're doing the VIP fix, make sure you're signed in to your VIP when you make these changes and make sure they save. Go in and double check those sliders.

The work very well for me, top notch pitchers like Beckett don't give you anything good to hit. I'd go 3-4 AB's sometimes without seeing a pitch in my wheelhouse.

My last game of the night yesterday was against Dice-K and he threw 97 pitches in 6 innings, I believe 30-35 were balls.

What's the VIP fix?? I am a 2k newbie...

[Lerxt]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

If you're doing the VIP fix, make sure you're signed in to your VIP when you make these changes and make sure they save. Go in and double check those sliders.

The work very well for me, top notch pitchers like Beckett don't give you anything good to hit. I'd go 3-4 AB's sometimes without seeing a pitch in my wheelhouse.

My last game of the night yesterday was against Dice-K and he threw 97 pitches in 6 innings, I believe 30-35 were balls.

I used Daisuke as well last night and it was VERY similar to one of his real life performances. Each inning he was on the mound lasted forever. He (I) was in a ton of 3-2 counts and a lot of batters were fouling him off. He gave up 5 runs on 11 hits in 6 innings. Classic Daisuke line. It kind of sucked because the game lasted so long, but it was so real that I was engrossed in the entire game. Made me stay up WAY to late! The more I play this game, the more excited I am about this baseball gaming season.

[Qb]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

If you're doing the VIP fix, make sure you're signed in to your VIP when you make these changes and make sure they save. Go in and double check those sliders.

The work very well for me, top notch pitchers like Beckett don't give you anything good to hit. I'd go 3-4 AB's sometimes without seeing a pitch in my wheelhouse.

My last game of the night yesterday was against Dice-K and he threw 97 pitches in 6 innings, I believe 30-35 were balls.

I'm not doing the VIP fix, as I don't have much of a problem with the framerate (it's a little choppy but I guess it just doesn't bother me). I'm starting to see a little improvement in this game; Adam Wainwright has thrown 12B-32S for 73% through three innings. I think your suggestion of lowering pitch speed some has helped me judge the ball a little better, but I wasn't chasing that much to begin with so it seems that there is some change.

I think it might be that I upped some of the user hitting sliders as I've been struggling to hit. He went to 3-1 on Soriano (walked me, yeah!) and 3-2 on Ramirez (damn 3-2 curve for the K) in consecutive at-bats after I homered with Fukudome. Possibly the engine is advanced enough that if the AI pitcher doesn't feel threatened, he won't pitch outside the zone...

AI TS sliders are:

OVERALL - 10
AHEAD - 5
BEHIND - 40 (?)

BTW, why couldn't they include numbers next to the slider bars?!?!?!

[davewins]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

Possibly the engine is advanced enough that if the AI pitcher doesn't feel threatened, he won't pitch outside the zone...

Very interesting and possibly correct theory.

I am a 2k newbie so please bare with me...What determines how a pitcher will attack the batter?? THe user vip, batter's edge, or both??

[Qb]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

Very interesting and possibly correct theory.

I am a 2k newbie so please bare with me...What determines how a pitcher will attack the batter?? THe user vip, batter's edge, or both??

I thought so. High Heat was great with that aspect. I remember CPU pitchers constantly pitching around Brian Giles in HH04.

As for your question, I don't think anyone knows for certain. I have the 'AI uses Inside Edge' options turned off for both batters and pitchers. In 2K7 it seemed to pervert the results, so to speak. What I mean is that the AI would throw to your hitters' cold zones in a disproportionate manner and AI batters would have too much success in their hot zones, even when it was a 'smart' pitch. My initial impressions of 2K8 were much the same.

[marino13]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

What the heck is going on with my CPU pitchers then? Just finished a game against CWS with DET, faced John Danks (not too good control-wise) who pitched 7 strong and overall they threw 83/96 for 86% strikes. I chased a few, but not enough to make a real difference in the percentage. I have the overall & ahead TS sliders at zero, behind TS at 40ish (thought I would try it closer to default). These are consistent results for me and to sound like a broken record, THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING! I'm starting to really like the game, just wish I was seeing what some of you are...

On the plus side, looks like I've found a nice balance for user pitching as I threw 76S-55B for 131 total pitches (58%) and gave up four runs on six hits overall. I only struck out and walked two, but I think I just need to tinker with the AI Contact a little and find a way to get them to chase with two strikes. I love pitching in this game!

Turn down the ai pitching corner slider to 5. it worked for me.

[merff11]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

Can I assume that all sliders are posted by number of clicks? For instance above post says to set pitching corners to 5, would that be 5 clicks from the left of the slider?

[Qb]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

Turn down the ai pitching corner slider to 5. it worked for me.

Thanks, I'll try that in my next game. I think I have it around 25 right now. I wish there was an 'Umpire Strike Zone' slider as when the CPU go for the corners, they almost always get a favorable call...

[Metsui]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 (360/PS3) Impressions

wow the 360 version looks 10x better than the PS3, I wish I never would have seen these

Now it's starting to make sense. I was wondering why some were saying the graphics look awful. Must be a PS3 thing.

[Qb]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

OK, lost another close one, 5-3 to STL with the Cubs. Gave up a 2-run HR to Pujols on a perfect low & away first-pitch slider in the 8th. A tough one to swallow for sure. Feels like I have the CPU hitting and my pitching right about where I want them for now. The AI pitching was better, throwing 24B-88S for 78%; I went for 43B-83S (65%). We each had 7Ks and one BB, although the CPU hit me twice when Wainright started to fatigue and I hit Pujols early on with an oops-pitch when my thumb slipped off of the R-stick.

Final line was STL 5R-8H-0E and CHI 3R-8H-1E. I hit HRs with Fukudome and Soriano (my 1st two dinger game) and Pujols hit the aforementioned heartbreaker. Things are looking up, if I can just get the CPU to throw out of the zone even more often, I will be quite pleased with the gameplay.

AI TS sliders were:

OVERALL - 10
AHEAD - 5
BEHIND - 40 (?)

Going to try lowering 'AI Corner' to 5 as marino13 suggested before my next game...