MLB 2K8 interview

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:15 pm

Excellent! All I need are some up to date rosters now!!!

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:06 pm

Jackb : I sent a online invite to play like 100x. But you didn't respond. Maybe next time.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:58 pm

Inuyasha wrote:Jackb : I sent a online invite to play like 100x. But you didn't respond. Maybe next time.

Sorry, my man. I saw 2 messages after I got done with my solo game. I wonder if I disabled in game invites? Anyway, I would love to play....Next time.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:59 pm

I dl'ed the patch and now I can enable cut scenes, replays, etc. and use the pole cam and the game is even more fun now. The presentation is outstanding and the pole cam brings me closer to the action. I am having so much fun with this game! Easily my favorite baseball game in a long, long time

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:21 am

Well, I've played two games post patch......

I read a bit on the 2kboards before the first one, and saw a few people claiming that there were more hits through the holes then before.

I played the Giants, and sure enough, more balls seemed to get through the holes! I didn't know if it was a placebo effect, or maybe the slighty better frame rate let me hit the ball a bit better, who knows. Anyway, it was a fun game, back and forth, not selaed until Austin Kearns hit a 2 run homer in the 8th! I think I had 15 hits to the CPUs 12, and the score was 7-5 or something.

I was worried maybe it was TOO easy now.

Then I played the Mariner's, and had one good inning, and that was it. I think I ended up with 7 hits, and I lost 6-2, with Jose Vidro!!!!! hitting 2 homeruns. (I still wonder if the CPU has too much power at times, but I guess anyone can get lucky)

I hope there is another patch though, as my disabled list still doesn't work. I have a AA player who's injured for 45 more days, yet when I try to put him on the disabled list, it won't let me. Yet Zimmerman is out for 8 days, and if I wanted to, I could put him on?!? Makes no sense to me.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:33 pm

Can't wait to play a game tonight.

Any word on when a roster update will be out?

kicko · Post by **kicko** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:41 pm

I also noticed too much contact and power now, which i thought was crazy since it was just a frame rate fix. The only thing i can think of is the fix has made the timing change on the hitting making easier but that would not explain the power increase. Some people are saying the gameplay did not change but it had to have. I never got more then 10 hits a game before the patch .. after i got 17 hits and 3 hr's in 5innings. I was actually getting mad that most of my games were insane pitching duels. Well not any more!

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 2:06 pm

kicko wrote:I also noticed too much contact and power now, which i thought was crazy since it was just a frame rate fix. The only thing i can think of is the fix has made the timing change on the hitting making easier but that would not explain the power increase. Some people are saying the gameplay did not change but it had to have. I never got more then 10 hits a game before the patch .. after i got 17 hits and 3 hr's in 5innings. I was actually getting mad that most of my games were insane pitching duels. Well not any more!

I didn't notice any change and I think all this talk is purely coincidental.
2K said the patch only effected the frame rate and the Padres bug, so this other stuff is just nonsense. You need to play at least a dozen games post patch before you start jumping to conclusions. Pre patch I would get some pitcher's duels only to be followed by some HR derby's. It is possible the smoother framerate is making hitting a bit easier, but if that is the case, just bump up the pitching speed a little to compensate.

kicko · Post by **kicko** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 2:51 pm

Nah Jack, i dont think i have ever seen that many random hits, I had made contact all the time but the usual result was just mostly pop ups. After patch i was noticing shallow pops that would drop. I think the timing on the hitting has changed to be easier for more hits. I also had a few pops that would go all the way back to the wall. Odd stuff anyways.

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:20 pm

Game plays smoother online now. I have played about 3 games and only 1 game was slow, but not that bad.

If anyone is up for a online game, invite me when you see me online.

I haven't started a franchise yet but thinking about using the Wsox in the AL and maybe Padres in the NL. I like to use middle of the road teams in competitive divisions.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 12:09 am

you guys may be right. according to this thread:
http://2ksports.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1753712

the patch may have fixed a bunch of things. the 2k rep isn't saying yet though, until the list is "official". Its weird that they release the patch but they cant yet tell us what it does or does not fix???

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 12:16 am

I am EXTREMELY happy! The patch definitely fixes the framerate. The only studder I see now is after an out when the 1B throws it around the horn.

Had a spectacular game vs Colorado, where I beat them 3-2 in 11 innings.. wow, what a game!

Can't wait for the next roster update to really dig into a franchise.

Edit: One thing I forgot.. more balls being thrown by the CPU post patch as well.

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 12:55 am

as George Bush would say, this game got more Awesomer.

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:07 am

Well, I can confirm the hitting hasn't changed, based on my "one really good game, 2 really bad" post patch, lol.

Also, I have figured out the DL "bug". The DL works properly if you have the player on your MLB roster, but not on any minor league one.

So, in order to place my AA player on the DL, i had to first promote him all the way up to the majors, then put him on the DL........

I hope this gets fixed in the next patch.

I also hope the roster comes out soon so I can finally restart my "real" 'chise...... (for whatever reason, the term 'chise really annoys me,....

)

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:16 am

It seems to me that the hit variety has changed a little since the patch. I have seen more hits thru the infield than before both for the CPU and for myself. Maybe they adjusted the infielders range and ability to make diving plays. This was something that was seen 4-5 times per game, at least by the CPU, but now has calmed down.

I have really started to pitch around the CPU power hitters as they seem to hit a HR every game if I do not. Sometimes, no matter where you pitch it they will launch it. I was playing the Jays and Frank the Tank hit two out on me. One was a pitch inside at his ankles that he somehow hit out of the park in RF.

The game definitely plays smoother and I will be interested to see the other things the patch addressed. Like many, I am waiting for new rosters so I can start my Reds 'chise.

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:25 am

That's one thing I've wondered about. sometimes the CPU jacks a HR off me, and when I look at the replays the ball seems to be in a location that would make it very hard to hit a HR, such as low, outside pitches, etc.

It doesn't happen all the time, but enough to make me say "hmmmmmm".

I remind myself it's video game ball, and not a physics simulator...........

brendanrfoley · Post by **brendanrfoley** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:31 am

The more I play this game, the better it gets. It really is much better than many of its critics give it credit for.

kicko · Post by **kicko** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:57 am

JackB1 wrote:you guys may be right. according to this thread:
http://2ksports.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1753712

the patch may have fixed a bunch of things. the 2k rep isn't saying yet though, until the list is "official". Its weird that they release the patch but they cant yet tell us what it does or does not fix???

I have no idea now if anything else has really changed. I am offically confused by 2k (imaging that)

I played last night on default all-star sliders and to me the game was exactly the same on the field as pre-patch, however

I played with my own set and things were different again, so maybe they adjusted the sensitivity of the sliders and not actual machanics on the field. Either way i am pleased but i am kind of pissed my tweaked sliders go not carry over to my franchise making me figure out wtf they are since 2k doesn't like to use numbers on sliders anymore... maybe next year they will be called ksport k?

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:39 am

kicko wrote:
JackB1 wrote:you guys may be right. according to this thread:
http://2ksports.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1753712

the patch may have fixed a bunch of things. the 2k rep isn't saying yet though, until the list is "official". Its weird that they release the patch but they cant yet tell us what it does or does not fix???

I have no idea now if anything else has really changed. I am offically confused by 2k (imaging that)

I played last night on default all-star sliders and to me the game was exactly the same on the field as pre-patch, however

I played with my own set and things were different again, so maybe they adjusted the sensitivity of the sliders and not actual machanics on the field. Either way i am pleased but i am kind of pissed my tweaked sliders go not carry over to my franchise making me figure out wtf they are since 2k doesn't like to use numbers on sliders anymore... maybe nest year they will be called ksport k?

I wish they would explain exactly what was fixed in the patch so I can adjust my sliders accordingly. I didn't really notice any gameplay differences yet though.

icvu42 · Post by **icvu42** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 12:23 pm

JackB1 wrote:I wish they would explain exactly what was fixed in the patch so I can adjust my sliders accordingly. I didn't really notice any gameplay differences yet though.

I wish they would too. Reading these threads has me confused. I am 20 games into my season and have the game playing perfect (except for the cpu few steals) and wouldn like to know if this patch adjusts anything with gameplay before I download it.

How much better is the framerate compared to signing out of your profile? I don't mind doing that and the game plays smooth that way so I am heistant to download something that may or may not affect my gameplay.

Rick

kicko · Post by **kicko** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 1:06 pm

i think its actually better with the patch then signing out. I think you can notice it in the outfield, sometimes on fly balls before the patch a player might do an odd framerate shuffle, thats something i dont see anymore.

NoJoke · Post by **NoJoke** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:35 pm

Anyone have any tips on how to throw the cutter? No matter how much I practice it, in a game it is always a meatball.

Speaking of meatballs, what is the difference between the green flash meatball and the red flash meatball?

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:49 pm

NoJoke wrote:Anyone have any tips on how to throw the cutter? No matter how much I practice it, in a game it is always a meatball.

Speaking of meatballs, what is the difference between the green flash meatball and the red flash meatball?

One of my first criticisms of the game was that I didn't necessarily like how some pitches might have motions that are hard to execute for the user, and if those pitches were a pitcher's best, it would 'unfairly' make such a pitcher less effective. Specifically, it was driving me batty that I couldn't throw Mariano Rivera's right handed cutter, and it's obviously his best pitch.
I don't know if that is the one that is giving you trouble, but IMO that motion is one of the most unnatural for someone to make with their right thumb. It's just hard to do smoothly.

But, I'm good at it now! What I do for any pitch that I'm having trouble with is to pause the game and go into the pitching tutorial just to practice the motion for a few times, and here's what you do:

LOOK at your thumb and make the motion. Sure, you'll botch the release because you are not looking at the screen at the time, but you'll 'feel' in your muscles how the accurate motion differs from how you had been doing it. Do that a couple of times, and then try to do it without looking at your thumb.

Once you get the hang of it, you might only have to do it once or twice to re-accustom yourself to it, if that.

What I do is when I bring Mo in, take one or two 'practice pitches' just to make sure I have the motion down. It's like giving yourself a bullpen session.

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:18 am

webdanzer wrote:
NoJoke wrote:Anyone have any tips on how to throw the cutter? No matter how much I practice it, in a game it is always a meatball.

Speaking of meatballs, what is the difference between the green flash meatball and the red flash meatball?
One of my first criticisms of the game was that I didn't necessarily like how some pitches might have motions that are hard to execute for the user, and if those pitches were a pitcher's best, it would 'unfairly' make such a pitcher less effective. Specifically, it was driving me batty that I couldn't throw Mariano Rivera's right handed cutter, and it's obviously his best pitch.
I don't know if that is the one that is giving you trouble, but IMO that motion is one of the most unnatural for someone to make with their right thumb. It's just hard to do smoothly.

But, I'm good at it now! What I do for any pitch that I'm having trouble with is to pause the game and go into the pitching tutorial just to practice the motion for a few times, and here's what you do:

LOOK at your thumb and make the motion. Sure, you'll botch the release because you are not looking at the screen at the time, but you'll 'feel' in your muscles how the accurate motion differs from how you had been doing it. Do that a couple of times, and then try to do it without looking at your thumb.

Once you get the hang of it, you might only have to do it once or twice to re-accustom yourself to it, if that.

What I do is when I bring Mo in, take one or two 'practice pitches' just to make sure I have the motion down. It's like giving yourself a bullpen session.

See that's the great thing about this game. No two motions are exact, so that means no two pitches will be exact. but you can master a motion thus mastering a pitch. But that's like real life! If you're pitching a ball, you can try to get your arm to do the same motion every time resulting in the outcome you want, but it's not always going to happen since your pitching motion will vary from pitch to pitch. You can master a pitch, like a fastball, which is simple, but something like a slider will be more difficult.

Oh yeah, did I say I absolutely F'n Love this game! Most fun I've had since MVP05. Basically this game is MVP05 on steroids! ....... Ok, maybe I shouldn't use steroids and baseball in the same thread

brendanrfoley · Post by **brendanrfoley** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 1:16 am

I can't agree with the above post more. The more I play this game, the more it truly feels like a 'next-gen' MVP Baseball.

I played another game today, my third since downloading the patch. I look forward to learning 'what' they addressed. Aside from the framerate, the game feels much smoother. The strikezone is more consistent (and makes sense), there are more groundballs (that I see, at least), and computer is a little less trigger happy at the plate.