MLB 2K12 Impressions (Kotaku)

[khronikos]

Re: New, very in-depth preview from Kotaku

I thought this was a very honset preview, and it made rethink the past games. 2k has got it right most of the time. I have played the show and it is a over hyped game, that can only claim better garphics. 2k has had many faults, manliey bugs and gliches, but the game play has been better, and more intertaining. as far as this being their last year, I dont think it will. 2k can still makes baseball games, and if they dont make one, I would miss certain aspects of their series.

I had to laugh pretty hard at this. I for one hope both games remain competitive but there is something that is pretty lacking from what I have heard so far this year. I am always looking for a game on my PC but 2K really needs to step up. Not impressed although I love the booth in this game. Other games could take note for that aspect.

[Dazraz]

Nice thoughtful review.

It seems MLB 2K12 will once again be a game with some stand out features countered by some glaring moments of awfulness.

[peigone]

Re: New, very in-depth preview from Kotaku

You can throw 100% fastballs if you want, just don't expect to be successful with that strategy as in real life.

I think you misunderstood me. I realize throwing 100% fastballs is going to get you in trouble. I'm simply against game programming that adds predetermined modifiers which cause your players to take ratings hits that affect their onfield performance. My fastball shouldn't suddenly turn red (?!) after 30 pitches and start losing its effectiveness, just because I'm supposedly throwing it too much.

Whether these devs call it "momentum" or "confidence" or "effectiveness," they just never get this stuff right. As long as I can turn it off, fine. But a lot of games don't even give you that option, and I'm saying there had better be a way to just shut it off.

[rudyjuly2]

Re: MLB 2K12 Impressions (Kotaku)

This was the best preview I've read on the game so far. 2K's strength has been the fun of its analog pitching and it got some nice upgrades here.

First, the breakpoint changes on the pitches are nice. It's very true that the amount of break on the ball should be different depending on where you throw it. This will make each pitch more interesting as well as more realistic than last year.

I love the fact that you can't spam the same pitch or the same location. I always try to mix it up even if I know the game wouldn't necessarily punish me for it. Now they do. How they penalize you for doing this is something we'll have to see for ourselves but I do like the intent.

Individual pitch confidence is something I like. It will now be in both baseball games and it helps to create a different game every time you go out there. Often times in real life a pitcher will find a pitch not working well so he has to adjust. Each outing will now be more dynamic. Again, how this is accomplished has always bothered me a little. Giving up bloop singles is something that can be argued. Same goes for intentionally throwing a ball on an 0-2 pitch. If I hit my target why am I penalized? This will always be an issue for both baseball games but I accept it because it's probably very hard to do different.

The one area I didn't understand was the author's claim that the throwing system last year resulted in all of these over throws. What game was he playing? I'd crank throwing errors to 100 and unless you hit the red you never made an error. My complaint was the exact opposite. I made one throwing error every 50 games once you got used to the system. Throws in the green resulted in 0% errors which was very wrong. There should always be a small chance for error.

[peigone]

Re: MLB 2K12 Impressions (Kotaku)

I love the fact that you can't spam the same pitch or the same location. I always try to mix it up even if I know the game wouldn't necessarily punish me for it. Now they do. How they penalize you for doing this is something we'll have to see for ourselves but I do like the intent.

Individual pitch confidence is something I like. It will now be in both baseball games and it helps to create a different game every time you go out there. Often times in real life a pitcher will find a pitch not working well so he has to adjust. Each outing will now be more dynamic.

These are great points. The question remains how well it's implemented, and if the system can be shut off if it feels overdone and scripted, as it does in most other sports games.

[tril]

I like the way the pitching mechanics sound except for the colored stripes tthat pop up in certain areas, indicating that youve pitched to a certain location too much.
hopefully you can turn the indicators off but keep the same pitching mechanic. that would present even more of a challenge.
I alos like the real world pitch ratings update.

2k has done a good job with baseball, and I look forwardto tis game, as well as the other baseball title.
thats the only sports game that Ill by both titles cause they both have very unique disinctive takes on baseball.

[RogueHominid]

This sounds really exciting. Granted, when confidence and momentum are involved there are always differences between the ideal and the real product we purchase, but I love the sound of the overhauls to pitching, hitting, and fielding. I'm really excited to see the demo; I might finally have a reason to play something other than Madden.

[Rules]

Re: MLB 2K12 Impressions (Kotaku)

Those impressions sounded like a death sentence to the franchise. Competition is important just look at what happened to Madden and NCAA Football when complacency settles in.

[BigBlue]

I'm probably in the minority when I say this. But all 2k has to do for me to buy the game in March is bring back check swings, add cancel throw feature, and make player movement more fluid. My buds and enjoy mlb2k11 so much we still play it online, unranked w custom sliders. Don't ruin this game, 2k!

BigBlue

[Blzer]

Re: MLB 2K12 Impressions (Kotaku)

I'm probably in the minority when I say this. But all 2k has to do for me to buy the game in March is bring back check swings, add cancel throw feature, and make player movement more fluid. My buds and enjoy mlb2k11 so much we still play it online, unranked w custom sliders. Don't ruin this game, 2k!

BigBlue

My list:

- Add pressure-sensitive check swings
- Add option to hide pitching cursor
- Allow more customizable batting camera control
--- Do they have an option to have the fielding camera when batting, and not the one that they give us?
- Option for one-button zone hitting

The last one is key, and I need to be a little more expansive on the concept: in this game, although the classic swinging option only has you use X, the game decides which kind of swing it wants to use for you (contact, power, defensive). It isn't just mapped as one swing type. Now, I wouldn't mind if they had power, contact, and defensive swings all mapped to separate buttons, because that way I would just use one swing type, and adjust my sliders as such (like how I do with The Show, and it works out fine). The other big thing is the zone hitting. I want to use my skills in attempting to make contact with the ball, not just direct where I want it to go.

Those 4+ things would keep me coming back year after year. Until then, every year it just becomes a "wait and see."

[JustOpinions]

Re: New, very in-depth preview from Kotaku

]The graphics look nicer judging from whats been released already,[/COLOR] but it could be the new lighting or something. They also said they revamped some of the fielding and it's supposively had a more realistic touch put into it. I'm sort of hoping if they go out, they go out with a bang, not a product that they put little effort into.

????????? haha I needed a laugh today...

[Eski33]

The visuals dont look that much different than last years game. The navy looks to light on the Tigers uniforms and the stripe on the pants is too thick.

Not to harp on little things but MLB2K has been a disappointment. I, for one, hope the third party exclusivity ends. Not so 2K will stop making games but so that other third party developers can partake. I am ready for the return of MVP.

[bosnian19]

Re: MLB 2K12 Impressions (Kotaku)

just from that little gameplay thats been seen i like it

[BLAKExx1129xx]

Re: New, very in-depth preview from Kotaku

Very honest sounding review. The reviewer sounds very cautious and makes some statements that don't give me a lot of optimism about any graphical improvements.

I really was hoping that 2K would put it together, but it sounds like they didn't have the desire or resources to make it happen.

If all you care about is graphics, keep walking.

[Money99]

Re: MLB 2K12 Impressions (Kotaku)

This article was very bitter-sweet for me.
I loved how honest it was (by both the reviewer and 2K producer), and I loved hearing how they're trying to fix all the little things to give us a solid baseball game.
But it certainly did sound like this is Take-Two's swan song with baseball.
I'm sure everyone working on the game is anticipating 2K13, but who knows what the Suits in HQ are thinking.

I'm very excited for 2k12 though. I love the gesture-pitching.
If they can fix the lack of throwing errors, I'll be happy.

But I'm dying to know more about the My Player mode. I love that feature in NBA2K12.
I hope it's as deep for MLB.