MLB 2K11 Devs Flattered But Not Impressed by MLB 11 The Show Adopting Analog Controls

[vln13]

Check out this Destructoid article, which reveals the reaction from MLB 2K11 developers, on MLB 11 The Show's adoption of analog controls.

[CENTER]

"I don't think there's anything wrong with taking what other people do [well]," he told me, acknowledging that the pitch and swing analyzers with ball trails in MLB 2K10 originated from EA Sports' previous-generation classic, MVP Baseball 2005. The folks at Visual Concepts felt reassured to see The Show -- a franchise that has long been viewed as superior to MLB 2K -- taking after a 2K Sports innovation.

But Bailey pointed out that analog controls aren't inherently good or bad; "it's how it's done, not what you do." From what he's heard of MLB 11, he doesn't think too much of its analog pitching:

Every single one of their pitches is going to be down-up. Well, you know, as a 2K player, that's going to get boring to me, because that's a four-seam fastball -- that's the easiest pitch in our game."

vln13: The MLB 2K11 designers said they were "flattered" by MLB 11 The Show adopting their controls, but felt as if their design was superior based on the fact that their pitching gesture system is more complex. However, Samit Sarkar, the author of the article, seemed to differ from Bailey's opinion, stating The Show's mechanic is interesting and varied in its own way. He will post his impressions of The Show later this week.

This is not to mention the fact that pitching is only a third of the analogue equation, and that 2k's hitting was sub-par last year and it doesn't look like they focused on improving that aspect of the controls.

To me, this is just another case of a less recognized game trying to get attention in a little bit of a cheap way, kind of like how the developers of NBA Elite tried to do with the far superior NBA 2K11. We all know how much their arrogance backfired on them. Any time a developer tells you how you should play the game, in my opinion, red flags should go up. I thought MLB 2K10 made great strides from 2K9 and I pre-ordered both The Show and 2K11. Before I play either game, I cannot make any assumptions about the quality of either control scheme or game as a whole; however, when these kinds of jabs are taken, I cannot help but wonder if there is a tone of desperation here.

[kt-od]

Re: Destructoid: 2k11 Devs on The Show's Pitching Mechanic

Interesting read. Thanks for posting. I'm not sure, but this might get closed, because comparison threads are against TOS.

[ryan36]

Re: Destructoid: 2k11 Devs on The Show's Pitching Mechanic

Interesting read. Thanks for posting. I'm not sure, but this might get closed, because comparison threads are against TOS.

Nah, I just moved this to the baseball-other forum. Comparisons are allowed here

[ryan36]

Re: Destructoid: 2k11 Devs on The Show's Pitching Mechanic

Well, r-stick implementation in baseball is not a 2k innovation, its an EA innovation.

Bailey's pissed because the Show took the one thing that's unique about 2k other than commentary. The Show is attacking the 2k advantage. That being said, I think the Show's mechanic will add more variability to the pitchers, allow more ratings based differentiation , and inherently handle the problem in 2k of pinpoint pitching with a perfect gesture.

Also, the Show's mechanic will have some logic about where the ball misses. In 2k, you screw up the gesture by 20% the location will be 20% off, in some random way. The Show's mechanic seems to have release point as an intrinsic part of the mechanic.

I love 2k's gesture system and the fast pace of the games...that's the bread and butter of 2k, and what made it fun for me last year, quick games (relatively realistic), and great commentary. I play the Show for a whole different reason

[Redsox2011]

Re: Destructoid: 2k11 Devs on The Show's Pitching Mechanic

Well 2ks will be more enjoyable I think. More fun moving the stick in a similar motion of the pitch, but everything besides commentary is inferior to The Show.

[McCannFann]

Re: Destructoid: 2k11 Devs on The Show's Pitching Mechanic

ROFL! Okay, so before I even begin to read the rest of the article, the headline cracked me up.

"MLB 2K11 devs flattered but not impressed by MLB 11 adopting analog controls"

This strikes me as funny, because it makes the guys at 2K sound as if they're really making a standout product (you know, in a good way). Oh, the arrogance...

[bcruise]

Re: Destructoid: 2k11 Devs on The Show's Pitching Mechanic

Let the corporate trolling begin as 2k fires the first shot!

Can't wait to see how SCEA answers....I'd imagine it will involve Kevin Butler though.

[vln13]

Re: Destructoid: 2k11 Devs on The Show's Pitching Mechanic

Let the corporate trolling begin as 2k fires the first shot!

Can't wait to see how SCEA answers....I'd imagine it will involve Kevin Butler though.

The nice thing about the dudes at SCEA is that though they try to publicize their product (and the marketing dept. does a great job with funny commericals with the aforementioned VP) they don't seem to resort to cheap jabs.

[ryan36]

Re: Destructoid: 2k11 Devs on The Show's Pitching Mechanic

Some people at SCEA have been known to take a shot at 2k, but not speaking as a representative of a company on a well-known website, lol.

I'll probably buy both games this year. But it shows how 2k has a complex...as I said , the Show lifted their number 1 selling point. I'm not willing to say The Show will do it better, because I haven't played it yet. But it's gotta make 2k mad.

[jeffy777]

Re: Destructoid: 2k11 Devs on The Show's Pitching Mechanic

Bailey's pissed

I didn't get that impression at all.


"I don't think there's anything wrong with taking what other people do [well]," he told me, acknowledging that the pitch and swing analyzers with ball trails in MLB 2K10 originated from EA Sports' previous-generation classic, MVP Baseball 2005. The folks at Visual Concepts felt reassured to see The Show -- a franchise that has long been viewed as superior to MLB 2K -- taking after a 2K Sports innovation.

[JayhawkerStL]

Re: Destructoid: 2k11 Devs on The Show's Pitching Mechanic

Well, I did come away with the same impression as Bailey when I saw videos on how the show's mechanic works. It might be a better system than 2K's, but sure doesn't look like what I really liked about 2K's version.

I'm not sure there is anything wrong with a 2K dev pointing out why he still thinks their mechanic works better. He's trying to help sell the game.

But sure, Sony has never used marketing to poke fun at a competitor. Cough, Kevin Butler, Cough.

[SoxFan01605]

Re: Destructoid: 2k11 Devs on The Show's Pitching Mechanic

Nice one...Bailey not only claims SCEA copied their system, but copied it poorly...lol. I personally think that, if SCEA is going to be accused of being derivative of anything, it's MVP 07 and not 2K, but no biggie.

I don't think a dev chirping about who copied what (regardless of his intent) means a whole lot. I can understand what he's doing and would even agree that 2K could still have a more interesting system. We'll see.

I just hope Mr. Bailey gets that pitching difficulty is about more than the control scheme. You could wiggle that stick to your heart's content in 2K10 and still paint the corners with darn near every pitch. If VC got that taken care of, he can yap all he wants about the competition...lol

[N51_rob]

Re: Destructoid: 2k11 Devs on The Show's Pitching Mechanic

I sometimes wish that EA Sports would hire the two voice actors 2K used for football comentary. If a game design is that good other companies should copy it. If it's makes your game better or appeals to a wider audience than IMO you would be stupid not to.

[Blzer]

Re: Destructoid: 2k11 Devs on The Show's Pitching Mechanic

As a fan of 2K's games back in the past and admittedly being loyal fan of their products for the last decade, this comment from their designer really irks me. I honestly think The Show has implemented a better system, and although it's not how I personally would have implemented it myself (I have another system in mind with the right stick completely), it will lead to more pitches not going where you want them to go.

Listen Mr. Bailey: meatballs aside, your pitching system in 2K8 was so fun and versatile. Where that went, I'm not sure. But the fact remains that it's not so much the "how" that I care about, it's more a question of "will this pitching format authentically represent pitching in baseball, down to the inaccuracies involved?" 2K has taken away a lot of the variabilities in their formula they've had since 2K2, and it becomes too easy to become too perfect with it. If you want to talk the talk, I'd say go back to the 3-step pitching in 2K8.

[nemesis04]

Re: Destructoid: 2k11 Devs on The Show's Pitching Mechanic

The only thing those two pitching systems have in common is that they use the right stick. If anything the one in the Show most resembles MVP NCAA with its own spin to it. It definitely is not as cut and dry as he made it out to be with the up and down, lol.

Both systems will have admirers and adversaries!