Major League Baseball 2K9 Developer Diary: Gameplay

[Shakedowncapo]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Developer Diary: Gameplay

Two things I would love fixed...The computer doing nothing but painting corners(2k7) and not being able to see the ball all the way through the zone(2k7 & 2k8)

Never played 2k8 so I can't speak for my first complaint.

[jeffy777]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Developer Diary: Gameplay

So that's encouraging...especially since it sounds like he's not particularly patient

And I think that's putting it nicely as far as his patience goes

[SoxFan01605]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Developer Diary: Gameplay

And I think that's putting it nicely as far as his patience goes

lol...true enough. Maybe I should have said "especially since it sounds like the guy couldn't lay off a pitch if his life depended on it"

There, that's better.

[mwjr]

I'm not getting the Real-Time atmosphere. How exactly will that be different from the cut scenes we're used to?

[jeffy777]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Developer Diary: Gameplay

I'm not getting the Real-Time atmosphere. How exactly will that be different from the cut scenes we're used to?

The cut scenes we've seen in past games have been pre-rendered scenes, which is why there was a pause in 2K8 when the cutscenes were loading.

This year, the cut scenes will be actual live views of what's happening on the field. For example, if a bat boy was running out to pick up a bat before someone walked up to the plate, you'll actually see the bat boy running back to the dugout when the camera zooms in on the batter coming to the plate.

So overall, it's going to have a much more realistic feel to it, closer to what it would be like if you were watching a real game.

[SoxFan01605]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Developer Diary: Gameplay

I'm not getting the Real-Time atmosphere. How exactly will that be different from the cut scenes we're used to?

It's the same stuff, but not pregenerated. Everything is (in theory) flowing around you. The fans are moving, the bat boy collects the bat after a hit, the dugout and bullpens are live, etc.

Basically it all fits into the moment naturally rather than an event "triggering" the proper cutscene. It makes the environment seem more "alive" that way, if it's done well.

A good example would be if you played 2K9, to look at he benches. The coach is moving, barking at players, the bench is active and celebrating scores, the guy comes out to mop the floor, etc. All of this happens naturally throughout the game and isn't prerendered to happen...it just does.

Hope that helps somewhat

EDIT: Long-windedness strikes again...lol. Jeffy beat me to it

[drterb]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Developer Diary: Gameplay

I'm not getting the Real-Time atmosphere. How exactly will that be different from the cut scenes we're used to?

I believe another aspect of this is the Virtual Director. Since the events happen real-time and are not pre-rendered, different camera angles and views can be used to show similar shots throughout the game. Plus the timing of the camera switches (if it's implemented like I think it will be) will make every cut-away seem like you've never seen it before.

Everything just flows.....

[Blzer]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Developer Diary: Gameplay

To add onto the real time stuff, take things like the crowd, commentary crew, and PA announcer into account as well.

Let's say a player hits a home run. Not only will we finally get to see them rounding the bases the entire way through, but we will get a continuous roar throughout the crowd (perhaps some cuts with them too, cheering and such), the announcers maybe jibber-jabbering about which home run it is for them this season or if the team now tied it up, meanwhile that crowd is still going. Maybe they'll cut to replay while he's rounding the bases so you get the cheering in the background while the commentators are slowing down the pitch and home run, or maybe it will be after he crosses home plate while the crowd is still going and you're hearing the next player being announced as, behind the replay, he is actually walking up to the plate and maybe going through some of his routines, or maybe the catcher went out to talk to the pitcher or something of that nature. As we get away from replay, we can perhaps see the end result of the catcher running back to the plate and the umpire tossing the pitcher a new ball.

Basically, everything happens in real time. I'm not sure about between-inning stuff, but they did say some highlights at the end of innings as well as fading to black like going to a commercial. We'll see on Friday hopefully.

[thegoons21]

Good update. I definitely am excited with VC at the helm.

Just make sure you get Adam Dunn on my Nats....

[johnnyg713]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Developer Diary: Gameplay

To add onto the real time stuff, take things like the crowd, commentary crew, and PA announcer into account as well.

Let's say a player hits a home run. Not only will we finally get to see them rounding the bases the entire way through, but we will get a continuous roar throughout the crowd (perhaps some cuts with them too, cheering and such), the announcers maybe jibber-jabbering about which home run it is for them this season or if the team now tied it up, meanwhile that crowd is still going. Maybe they'll cut to replay while he's rounding the bases so you get the cheering in the background while the commentators are slowing down the pitch and home run, or maybe it will be after he crosses home plate while the crowd is still going and you're hearing the next player being announced as, behind the replay, he is actually walking up to the plate and maybe going through some of his routines, or maybe the catcher went out to talk to the pitcher or something of that nature. As we get away from replay, we can perhaps see the end result of the catcher running back to the plate and the umpire tossing the pitcher a new ball.

Basically, everything happens in real time. I'm not sure about between-inning stuff, but they did say some highlights at the end of innings as well as fading to black like going to a commercial. We'll see on Friday hopefully.

I never thought of how a score would play out in terms of presentation. If a homerun plays out that way then that would be amazing.

[Asp86]

I still wish these sports titles would bring in to count the score of a game late. Where fans will start walking up the steps and out of the arena because it's a blowout. If it's a blowout, you rarely hear crowd cheers because of the lack of fans in the stands. If it's not close, the fans should pretty much be taken out of the game. Meaning it should be so silent in the stadium with some side chatter. Obviously if it's the home team, you'd be hearing plenty of excitement.

[allBthere]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Developer Diary: Gameplay

this is the only thing that bothers me: influencing outside pitches to pull will result in poor hits -

now a lot of people will say 'duh?' but I've always had great satisfaction out of pulling outside pitches, and my favorite players from the past made careers off of it. Joe Carter, Frank Thomas and Vlad Guerrero did this and many more - many players are bad at hitting inside pitches, the old saying 'they like to extend their arms'. as pathetic as it sounds, if you can't hit an absolute bomb to left center w/ and outside pitch (low or mid), it's a possible deal breaker to me.

[mwjr]

It's the same stuff, but not pregenerated. Everything is (in theory) flowing around you. The fans are moving, the bat boy collects the bat after a hit, the dugout and bullpens are live, etc.

Basically it all fits into the moment naturally rather than an event "triggering" the proper cutscene. It makes the environment seem more "alive" that way, if it's done well.

A good example would be if you played 2K9, to look at he benches. The coach is moving, barking at players, the bench is active and celebrating scores, the guy comes out to mop the floor, etc. All of this happens naturally throughout the game and isn't prerendered to happen...it just does.

Hope that helps somewhat

EDIT: Long-windedness strikes again...lol. Jeffy beat me to it

OK, I think I get the idea. I haven't seen 2K9, but I *think* I get it.

Wouldn't that slow things down? My concern from a gameplay perspective is the stuttering that would occur, e.g. when you're throwing the ball around the horn after a K. Would this real-time atmosphere help?

[DickDalewood]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Developer Diary: Gameplay

I still wish these sports titles would bring in to count the score of a game late. Where fans will start walking up the steps and out of the arena because it's a blowout. If it's a blowout, you rarely hear crowd cheers because of the lack of fans in the stands. If it's not close, the fans should pretty much be taken out of the game. Meaning it should be so silent in the stadium with some side chatter. Obviously if it's the home team, you'd be hearing plenty of excitement.

I swear on my life this is not to start a game vs. game war, but The Show actually does have that this year. One of the producers actually went into depth about the research they did for which stadiums would have fans start leaving at the end of games, getting up, walking out, and which ones would still have a certain amount of die hards in the stands, staying faithful to their team, etc. The amount of statistical data they put in to it was very cool.

Again, no game wars please, just wanted to respond to your thought.

[Shakedowncapo]

Re: Major League Baseball 2K9 Developer Diary: Gameplay

Man im telling you...If by year three, they don't have the bat sounds = to the hit...Im gonna **** bricks.