MLB 2K8 interview

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:05 am

JackB1 wrote:
Did you max out all the stealing sliders? I get at least one attempted SB by the AI per game. I have thrown them out every time, so I might have to adjust the "steal success" slider. Steals don't happen in real bb as often as you think....check the boxscores.

I had the slider maxed out for a while, and still had zero... ZERO attempts on me. Maybe I'll try it again, but the last time I cranked the slider, along with the run aggresiveness, I had the CPU attempt too many bases on balls that dropped right in front of my catcher, easily getting gunned down.

And Jack, in all the games I've seen with various slider tweaks, I've seen ONE SB attempt. Slightly less than boxscores, no?

Also, as much as I like this game, I find it wrong that you need to max out the steal sliders to get normal numbers, especially given the cover boy!

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:38 am

Gangrel wrote: I had the slider maxed out for a while, and still had zero... ZERO attempts on me. Maybe I'll try it again, but the last time I cranked the slider, along with the run aggresiveness, I had the CPU attempt too many bases on balls that dropped right in front of my catcher, easily getting gunned down.

And Jack, in all the games I've seen with various slider tweaks, I've seen ONE SB attempt. Slightly less than boxscores, no?

Also, as much as I like this game, I find it wrong that you need to max out the steal sliders to get normal numbers, especially given the cover boy!

I agree...you shouldn't have to MAX out a slider to get "normal" numbers. If you max the steal slider, they should attempt a steal EVERY time. That is what MAX means. But I can live with the results I have been getting.
Hopefully they will address this in their upcoming patch.

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:13 pm

Well, I didn't play 2k7, but it appears the lineup logic is still.... broken.

I'm playing the Mmets, who have Jose Castillo injured. So, do they start Damon Easley at second? Nope. Do they start someone else who's "second position" is second? Nope.

They start Greg Zaun, whom they traded for a few weeks earlier (yes, they still have Brian Schneider too).

Oh, and they left him in the leadoff position too..........

All these little things snap me back to reality just as I'm thinking "this is a pretty good ball game!".

I'll live with it, I have no other choice on the 360..... but it would be nice to not have my "baseball reality" suspended so often.

TheGamer · Post by **TheGamer** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:54 pm

Gangrel, you know you can adjust the lineup prior to starting your game right?

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 3:18 pm

Yes, I know. But, I shouldn't have to..... I know, I'm just being grumpy now, but from what I remember of MVP 05, it had better lineup handling usually......

Like, if I was the Mets, why would I trade for Zaun in the first place when you have Schneider on the roster, and some other young catcher?

When the patch and new roster comes out and I restart my real franchise, I guess I'll have to turn on all the "mother goose" options to prevent the AI from making wonky decisions......

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:43 am

I got a chance to Tjung the retail version yesterday. Pitching was fun. The strike zone is ridiculous, or rather the way the umps call it. And the overall look... it's like the dev team misplaced half the textures from last year, and said "f*ck it, let's go with what we've got". Pitching is fun though! I hate the hitting. I'm not sure how this game can be more "interactive" than The Show when you can't even pick the directionality of your swing.

Overall, I liked it better than the demo, though.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:54 am

Slumberland wrote: I'm not sure how this game can be more "interactive" than The Show when you can't even pick the directionality of your swing.

Overall, I liked it better than the demo, though.

Sure you can with the R stick.

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:04 pm

Ah, right... what I meant was, swing high and inside, low and outside, etc. I mean, I lived with a similar deal with MVP, and I loved that game, but they increase the depth in one area and then pull it way back in another.

But don't get me wrong... my main impression was that it was fun. I'd like to see what it's like after the patch.

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:42 pm

Arrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I think I'm going to wait for the patch before I put any more time into this game.

This game is like getting a lap dance..... just a big tease that cost me $60, lol.

I sit here and think "the CPU doesn't seem to get enough hits off of me".... then I play a game where they get 6 or 7 in the first few innings.

I play and say "they hit too many HRs, I need to turn their power down" then I play one that has zero HRs.

I can't hit worth a crap, then I can.....

All leading to freezes. For the third time now, I've had the game freeze on me in the later innings, while playing the field. I've also had one freeze in the menu system. Nothing like sitting and playing for almost an hour, then having the game lock up on you.

I was signed out of my VIP too, so that has nothing to do with it.

Sigh..... I hope the patch comes out soon..... and that it fixes more then just the framerate... (unless that's somehow related to the freezing issue)

Has anybody else had their game lock on them?

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:49 pm

Gangrel wrote:
Has anybody else had their game lock on them?

Not yet

spooky157 · Post by **spooky157** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:08 pm

Gangrel - in 2K7 you can save the game at any point but I don't know about 2K8. Until the patch is released I would think about saving every other inning. Definitely not ideal but it's a temporary solution. I don't think it will boot you out of the game once you save either.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:12 pm

Slumberland wrote:Ah, right... what I meant was, swing high and inside, low and outside, etc. I mean, I lived with a similar deal with MVP, and I loved that game, but they increase the depth in one area and then pull it way back in another.

But don't get me wrong... my main impression was that it was fun. I'd like to see what it's like after the patch.

I actually think the swing stick 2.0 is the best hitting model I've played so far.

Eventually I would like to see it modeled after the skill stick in NHL 08. When you pull the R stick back, the bat should move with it.. no matter what direction you move the stick, the bat should follow, much like how it does in NHL 08.

So when you push the R stick up and down, the bat should be going forward and back...

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:25 pm

MizzouRah wrote:
Slumberland wrote:Ah, right... what I meant was, swing high and inside, low and outside, etc. I mean, I lived with a similar deal with MVP, and I loved that game, but they increase the depth in one area and then pull it way back in another.

But don't get me wrong... my main impression was that it was fun. I'd like to see what it's like after the patch.
I actually think the swing stick 2.0 is the best hitting model I've played so far.

Eventually I would like to see it modeled after the skill stick in NHL 08. When you pull the R stick back, the bat should move with it.. no matter what direction you move the stick, the bat should follow, much like how it does in NHL 08.

So when you push the R stick up and down, the bat should be going forward and back...

Do you guys do anything with the left stick while hitting? I am having a horrible time breaking the habit of moving the left stick to where the ball is being pitched.

I found some sliders at OS that play a good game except for my hitting skill. I need to tweak that. Also, I think I will drop the CPU infielder reaction as there are too many diving plays that cut off some of my singles.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:32 pm

MizzouRah wrote: I actually think the swing stick 2.0 is the best hitting model I've played so far.

Crazy talk!

Unless by 'best hitting model,' you mean like, y'know, for a model she hits pretty well:

Maybe she can pose well enough to make it look like a baseball swing, but she has no real idea what she's doing.

I enjoy parts of 2k8, but I'm pretty sure putting the meat of the bat to the ball where it is pitched is far more important to hitting than making sure you step back just before the ball leaves the pitcher's hand...

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:51 pm

spooky157 wrote:Gangrel - in 2K7 you can save the game at any point but I don't know about 2K8. Until the patch is released I would think about saving every other inning. Definitely not ideal but it's a temporary solution. I don't think it will boot you out of the game once you save either.

Oh, you can save in 2k8 too. But there is no way i'm signing out of my profile, playing a few innings, signing back in to save, then signing back out a few times a game, lol.

I like the game, but not THAT much. I'll see what the patch does.... (and i'll probably end up playing later today anyway, sigh. I've got no will power)

As for SS2.0..... there is some talk on OS that the direction you pull BACK on the stick affects the direction your player steps back. Instead of moving around in the box, a la MVP, some posters claim you can step back to the left, or the right to help pull or push the ball.

I tried it a few times in my game, but didn't notice any difference in the step back animations, but others swear that they do..........

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 2:01 pm

webdanzer wrote:
MizzouRah wrote: I actually think the swing stick 2.0 is the best hitting model I've played so far.
Crazy talk!

Unless by 'best hitting model,' you mean like, y'know, for a model she hits pretty well:

Maybe she can pose well enough to make it look like a baseball swing, but she has no real idea what she's doing.

I enjoy parts of 2k8, but I'm pretty sure putting the meat of the bat to the ball where it is pitched is far more important to hitting than making sure you step back just before the ball leaves the pitcher's hand...

LOL!

It needs work, but I'm hitting the ball, so I'm happy.

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 3:48 pm

i feel so dirty..... I registered on the 2ksports forum to register the bug about the DL not working properly...... lol.

However, in their Patch thread, there was an update an hour ago that "full online leagues are now available, and the patch is soon behind"

So, maybe we'll see something this week?!?

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webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:48 am

I hadn't played this game in a while as I was focusing on The Show for a while, but I popped it in last night and played three incredibly enjoyable games against the CPU. I know the REAL patch isn't out yet, but an updated I dowloaded fixed some things. The step and swing feedback text no longer overlap, and I seemed to get much less hitching during the cut scenes. Maybe even a bit less stutter overall, and I stayed signed-in to my account.

Anyway, playing all-star defaults except for all of cpu throw strikes sliders minimized, I won one game against Cleveland and lost two vs Toronto. All of the games except the last were close, but I lost the last by double digits. I really love the show, but I like the more potent CPU offense in this game, and I still love the pitching and fielding here too. For not playing it for a while, I had begun thinking I like this game less than I really do. Shame on me.

I actually think I'll be keeping and playing both titles this year.

brendanrfoley · Post by **brendanrfoley** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:23 am

FYI, a poster over at OS says the game downloaded an update this morning and that he's no longer seeing stutter during gameplay. So there's a chance the patch is out.

Perfect timing, really. I believe this may be the weekend I finally (finally!) get a 360. It's been a long, long wait. But that will just make it all the more worth it.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:32 am

brendanrfoley wrote:FYI, a poster over at OS says the game downloaded an update this morning and that he's no longer seeing stutter during gameplay. So there's a chance the patch is out.

Perfect timing, really. I believe this may be the weekend I finally (finally!) get a 360. It's been a long, long wait. But that will just make it all the more worth it.

Excellent news!

I lost a game last night trying to get a card, albeit an exhibition game. Was up 5-3 at Fenway with the Reds. Instead of bringing in Cordero, whose card I already have, I brought in Stormy Weathers. Well, Boston proceeds to tie it in the 9th and win it in extra. Stupid cards!

They should update some of the cards with a download as Milton and someone else I can't recall, has a card but is not even on the team.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:00 pm

brendanrfoley wrote:FYI, a poster over at OS says the game downloaded an update this morning and that he's no longer seeing stutter during gameplay. So there's a chance the patch is out.

Interesting. If it's the one I dl'ed last night, It's defintely better, but not perfect. It's similar to what would happen if you signed out of VIP...much better, but not totally gone.

EDIT: But I will say that the game seemed 'better' overall when I played last night.

TheGamer · Post by **TheGamer** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:17 pm

I haven't been prompted to download the update.

kicko · Post by **kicko** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:45 pm

i hope it patches this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RED7vS70i_4&NR=1

one of the more funny glitches in 2k8

i still love the game.

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:12 pm

I didn't get prompted for a download either.