Update: ESPN Baseball 2K5

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 3:36 pm

I just posted some new info on ESPN Baseball 2K5's two main features (K Zone Pitching and Maximum Fielding) at Sports Gaming Nation.

http://www.sportsgamingnation.com

snaz16 · Post by **snaz16** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 6:56 pm

Personally, I felt that last years game was the best on the field,with the ability to draw walks,etc.,but the animations left a lot to be desired

Its early yet, but from what I've seen so far from Espn visually, has not been impressive at all. If MVP and MLB get the gameplay down(and I would have drawn walks in MLB w/ check swing capabilities), ESPN could be lookin up from the bottom.

skidmark · Post by **skidmark** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 7:05 pm

Looks like they have some kind of cross-hair/meter mechanic for their pitching... we'll see how well they implement that. They do have the right idea by going after pressure situations and increasing the difficulty in coming out of those. Lets just hope they implement it well. I'm still a fan of how high heat handled the pitching interface with a simplified zone pitching format - the catch being that you couldn't hit the corners anytime you felt like it, you had to work for those corners, and you also had to start serving up meat in order to get your composure back if you slumped and were missing a lot. Good to see others grabbing on to the "more to pitching than attempting to paint the corner every pitch" approach.

snaz16 · Post by **snaz16** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 7:45 pm

Ahh, yes, High Heat. So simple yet so brilliant

Just miss the corners and walk 2,but then slide the pitcher to the center or other side of the rubber and nip the corner with the right pitch...wrong pitch,and you got wacked......as Carly Simon sang: Nobody Does It Better

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 11:00 am

skidmark wrote:Looks like they have some kind of cross-hair/meter mechanic for their pitching... we'll see how well they implement that. They do have the right idea by going after pressure situations and increasing the difficulty in coming out of those. Lets just hope they implement it well. I'm still a fan of how high heat handled the pitching interface with a simplified zone pitching format - the catch being that you couldn't hit the corners anytime you felt like it, you had to work for those corners, and you also had to start serving up meat in order to get your composure back if you slumped and were missing a lot. Good to see others grabbing on to the "more to pitching than attempting to paint the corner every pitch" approach.

That was why I liked the ESPN pitching system last year. You had a good combination of control and variability. You'd get on and mow guys down, or be off and drifting out of the zone or over the plate. The problem with any "mini-game" interface (such as the MVP meter, or any basketball freethrow meter) is that if you play enough, usually you can master the interface and then realism goes out the window. Last year, with my Cubs season in ESPN, I pitched well because a) I had a good staff and b) I learned through trial and error what strategies to use.

Glad I kept my copy of last year's games in case EA and Sega disappoint (no PS2 so MLB is out).

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 10:38 am

Brando70 wrote:Glad I kept my copy of last year's games in case EA and Sega disappoint (no PS2 so MLB is out).

I still have last year's copy. All this talk of the new baseball games made me dig it out again. My goal is to complete my season before the new games arrive. I played my 114th game yesterday.

I had been playing with Snate's near default Legend sliders. I played with the sliders a bit over the weekend just for fun and had some nice results. I cranked up the CPU pitcher's ability but lowered the skill level back to All-Star from Legend to compensate. It was very "High Heat-esque" as the increase in CPU pitching variability gave me a lot better hit variety IMO. In fact, if it wasn't for the fact that the CPU outfielders play too deep and all the fielders guard the lines too frequently, I'd say the hitting model is just about perfect for my likes (except for the swing animations, of course).

Pitching, on the other hand, is a mixed bag for me. I haven't been able to throw enough balls once I really got a feel for the controls and sensitivity of pitching. I walk a guy or two a game when I nibble corners on a power hitter or the 8th place hitter with the pitcher on deck, but I never walk a guy I shouldn't no matter what settings I use. I've even changed my pitcher's walk rating to the worst possible and it only helps a little. I really miss High Heat's "random" wildness both in and out of the strike zone.

I also miss High Heat's "fuzzy" baserunning logic. In World Series Baseball the CPU baserunners could be braindead. In ESPN Baseball it is the oppositve as every baserunner has the "smarts" of Derek Jeter and rarely get thrown out on the basepatchs other than on steal attempts.

I really wish the developers would concentrate on things on the field and online play. I really have no interest in "unlockables" or gimmicky pitching meters.

GTHobbes · Post by **GTHobbes** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 1:06 pm

Wish someone would give Sega the message that baseball games don't need a "turbo" button.

laurenskye · Post by **laurenskye** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 1:15 pm

If they don't fix the online play it won't matter.

Diablo25 · Post by **Diablo25** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 1:20 pm

GTHobbes wrote:Wish someone would give Sega the message that baseball games don't need a "turbo" button.

I agree, but you can turn it off.

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 1:34 pm

laurenskye wrote:If they don't fix the online play it won't matter.

The online play for the 2K5 series of games has been much better than the 2K4 games and there's no reason to expect ESPN Baseball 2K5 to be any different. VC wrote new online code for their sports games with NFL 2K5 being the first to implement it.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 2:24 pm

Jason wrote:
laurenskye wrote:If they don't fix the online play it won't matter.
The online play for the 2K5 series of games has been much better than the 2K4 games and there's no reason to expect ESPN Baseball 2K5 to be any different. VC wrote new online code for their sports games with NFL 2K5 being the first to implement it.

Let's just hope they don't use the same online code as College Hoops, especially for leagues.