MLB 2K8 interview

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 2:17 pm

Pitching does sound interesting. How user friendly the controls are remains to be seen. But, it should make for less pinpoint control. I'm looking forward to trying it out.

I'm just a little surprised they dumbed down the batting. Here they are trying to be innovating with the pitching and fielding, but then they make batting only timing based. It just leaves me scratching my head. Why not at least include zone hitting as another option?

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 4:10 pm

At least they got rid of the power swing.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 4:11 pm

I watched some of the vids and I can't get over how the game animations still look poor. I know they didn't do a new engine but it just doesn't look very realistic.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 4:51 pm

sportdan30 wrote:Pitching does sound interesting. How user friendly the controls are remains to be seen. But, it should make for less pinpoint control. I'm looking forward to trying it out.

I'm just a little surprised they dumbed down the batting. Here they are trying to be innovating with the pitching and fielding, but then they make batting only timing based. It just leaves me scratching my head. Why not at least include zone hitting as another option?

As far as the pitching is concerned, I read that, yes, it will be more difficult to pinpoint the control, but when you miss it will be a "meatball" and thus be crushed, as opposed to it missing the strike zone and being a ball.

Hope this isn't the case, but not good if it is.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 4:53 pm

Pete wrote:
sportdan30 wrote:Pitching does sound interesting. How user friendly the controls are remains to be seen. But, it should make for less pinpoint control. I'm looking forward to trying it out.

I'm just a little surprised they dumbed down the batting. Here they are trying to be innovating with the pitching and fielding, but then they make batting only timing based. It just leaves me scratching my head. Why not at least include zone hitting as another option?
As far as the pitching is concerned, I read that, yes, it will be more difficult to pinpoint the control, but when you miss it will be a "meatball" and thus be crushed, as opposed to it missing the strike zone and being a ball.

Hope this isn't the case, but not good if it is.

I hope not as well because that sounds like their other arcade game, "The Bigs".

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 4:53 pm

Pete wrote: As far as the pitching is concerned, I read that, yes, it will be more difficult to pinpoint the control, but when you miss it will be a "meatball" and thus be crushed, as opposed to it missing the strike zone and being a ball.

Hope this isn't the case, but not good if it is.

I get that impression as well.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 5:00 pm

webdanzer wrote:
Pete wrote: As far as the pitching is concerned, I read that, yes, it will be more difficult to pinpoint the control, but when you miss it will be a "meatball" and thus be crushed, as opposed to it missing the strike zone and being a ball.

Hope this isn't the case, but not good if it is.
I get that impression as well.

Not necessarily

"Using careful timing, you then begin the second step, the pitch gesture itself, as indicated by the pitch type (all the gesture patterns are noted onscreen for the pitches available to you. For more on the pitch gestures, check out SportsGamer's in-depth look at MLB 2K8's controls.). Once you've completed the gesture, the formerly expanding ring will begin to rapidly collapse onto a green circle. When the ring is inside the green circle, you let go of the analog stick altogether and let it return to center. This indicates your release timing, and the closer you are to the center, the better off you'll be. Your release timing will be very obvious in the pitch. If you release early, the pitch will go high; release late and your ball might go in the dirt."

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 5:04 pm

I really hope that is the case, Dan!

In 2k7, if you missed by 'a little' to 'some', a lot of them weren't displaced enough to be a ball. If you missed by a lot, you got a meatball. I'm really hoping they made that work better this year.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 5:21 pm

If that is the case, then I guess it would obviously depend on where you aimed and how you released the ball.

Aim low, release early and your pitch will be belt high and smashed. Aim low, release late and your pitch would be low and out of the zone.

I will have to see how inside/outside pitches are effected. Anyone know?

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 5:23 pm

I couldn't be less enthusiastic about a baseball game coming out than I am about 2k8. That said, I'll be there the minute the store opens. LOL.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 5:29 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:I couldn't be less enthusiastic about a baseball game coming out than I am about 2k8. That said, I'll be there the minute the store opens. LOL.

Are you really going to purchase this? I know you are a MLB player.

I will definately wait to hear what you guys have to say about this one.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:46 pm

Pete wrote:Are you really going to purchase this? I know you are a MLB player.

I will definately wait to hear what you guys have to say about this one.

Yes...I buy every baseball game every year...so nothing will change this year.

greggsand · Post by **greggsand** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:52 pm

Using the stick for pitching sounds great. Baseball games have become so BUTTON heavy it takes 20 games to get it all down.

g

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:22 pm

More on pitching. I'm actually VERY excited about this game and will be a my local gamestop when this game arrives.

http://www.gametap.com/home/read/article/3912

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 8:04 pm

On the occasion when I can stomach OS and all the 60 page threads dissecting 3 screenshots, I've seen a poster, KushGamer who recently quite 2ksports posting on the game.

He says all the fears of meatballs is grossly over blown, and that you "really need to screw up the motion of the stick" to get a meatball.

I for one am going to wait for the demo before I get excited over the meatballs..... lol.

Another tidbit from him (he's still answering some questions, even tho he doesn't work for them anymore) is they overhauled the sliders and took out ones that "didn't make sense" and made sure the ones that are left "do something". Also, there's a foul ball slider this year.

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 8:07 pm

but no zone hitting right like the show?

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:10 pm

I'm weary that 2k (Kush) can pull of these controls. They look more complicated then functional. After NHL 2k, I don't have faith in 2k putting out a game with over complicated controls.

Gurantsu · Post by **Gurantsu** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:46 am

Last night I returned Assassins Creed and put all of the money on MLB 2K8. I always liked the series, the improvements look good, and the inclusion of minor league teams is a no brainer for me.

Speaking of which, I'm still plaing last years version. In fact, my Orioles are up 2 games to 0 over the Phillies in the World Series. There has been some awesome playoff games, including the final one against the Yankees that got me to the WS, where the game was won in the bottom of the ninth with an RBI double by Melvin Mora.

Good stuff and I'm looking forward to the next version.

TheGamer · Post by **TheGamer** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 11:21 am

Gurantsu wrote: In fact, my Orioles are up 2 games to 0 over the Phillies in the World Series. There has been some awesome playoff games, including the final one against the Yankees that got me to the WS, where the game was won in the bottom of the ninth with an RBI double by Melvin Mora..

well I guess that's all the evidence we need that MLB 2k7 is unrealistic. the orioles in the WS, yeah right. oh wait a minute, I'm a Cub fan, who am I to talk.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 11:23 am

JRod wrote:I'm weary that 2k (Kush) can pull of these controls. They look more complicated then functional. After NHL 2k, I don't have faith in 2k putting out a game with over complicated controls.

That's my main concern. However, we will have the ability to use the old controls, so it shouldn't be major gripe. I'm most interested in seeing if the batting and pitching interface has improved.

TheGamer · Post by **TheGamer** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:43 pm

here's an interesting report of on the franchise mode and sliders for 2k8. it these sliders work, this is very innovative on the part of 2k. I particularly like the progression and regression sliders and the ability to control the rosters of the other teams without having to control the whole franchise.

http://www.vetzballin.com/modules.php?n ... =0&thold=0

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:50 pm

TheGamer wrote:here's an interesting report of on the franchise mode and sliders for 2k8. it these sliders work, this is very innovative on the part of 2k. I particularly like the progression and regression sliders and the ability to control the rosters of the other teams without having to control the whole franchise.

http://www.vetzballin.com/modules.php?n ... =0&thold=0

I keep getting more and more excited for this game!

2k could really save me some $$$ if they release a good baseball game once again.

TheGamer · Post by **TheGamer** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:03 pm

MizzouRah, my bad, I should have stated I found that link over at OS.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:28 pm

That sounds very cool!

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:33 pm

TheGamer wrote:MizzouRah, my bad, I should have stated I found that link over at OS.

No sweat!