MLB 2K9 To Have Revamped Pitching System
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When Tim Lincecum was announced as the cover athlete for MLB 2K9 no details on what to expect from the game were provided. Up to now all that has been known is the cover athlete and about the move to Visual Concepts. Jon Robinson with ESPN has an interview with Lincecum that also includes mention of how 2K9 is aiming to simplify the pitching controls.
Last year, MLB 2K8 confused gamers with a pitching system casual fans saw as overly complex. MLB 2K9 changes all that as the developers of the game are really looking to simplify the pitching experience while at the same time bringing more realism to the mound.
Last year the analog stick pitching was met with very mixed reaction. While some enjoyed it and saw it as innovation (except for the flawed meatball concept) others found it complicated and distracting.
It seems likely to me that MLB 2K9 will take the same route that NHL 2K9 did. The studio move leading to a much more consistent overall gaming experience. Easier to pick up and play, cleaner gameplay, and some added features. It may not reach the level of the competition but it should be a better offering and get the franchise back on track.
November 26, 2008 at 7:40 am
This is great news, sounds like 2K is going back to basics which is a good idea. Fix pitching, fix the framerate, fix online, improve commentary. Then I'll buy it again.
November 26, 2008 at 8:13 am
hmmm when i had a ps2 i bought my 1st and only baseball game which was the show and i was really hooked on it but i think it was just because of the the "superstar mode"(i forget what it was called) but now that i have a 360 im hesitant on picking up another one due to the lack of "the show"
November 26, 2008 at 8:14 am
above post was more of a rant than a comment and had nothing to do with the article so completely disregard it
November 26, 2008 at 8:33 am
I think that 2k7 was a great game and still play that. I'm about 5 seasons into my franchise mode. 2k9 would have to be pretty fantastic for me to pick it up. As usual, I'll be reading reviews before I decide (much like I decided 2k8 wasn't worth it). I usually skip years between sports game purchases anyway.
November 26, 2008 at 8:50 am
I understand what you're getting at though with Road to the Show. Some of the flaws of 2K8 could've been overlooked if it had a secondary mode like that.
November 26, 2008 at 10:02 am
innovation doesnt always mean better and i think that was proved with 2k8
November 26, 2008 at 10:13 am
I am glad that 2K is looking into the pitching. I support the drive for innovation but programmers should have known that last year's mechanics were crap.
I enjoy The Show's pitching mechanic. Simple with timing playing a major role. However, if there is a new mechanic that is simple yet creates challenges in terms of spotting pitches, etc. I am all for it.
I hope to hear more news on these titles. I am pumped for baseball season…
November 26, 2008 at 10:24 am
Dear EA Sports ….. Whatever happened to MVP Baseball!!!!! Yo Pasta whats up with that?????????
November 26, 2008 at 10:27 am
2k bought up the rights for a few years.
November 26, 2008 at 10:47 am
1) Pitching mechanics more managable
2) A real physics engine where the ball comes off the bat realistically, and not only in 12 predetermined directions.
3) Fix online lag.
If those happen, I'll be right there to buy this on the first day
November 26, 2008 at 1:09 pm
MLB 2K9 has a lot to improve on the pitching/ hitting interface. The game was absolutely frustrating on out pitches (0-2, 1-2 counts) last year. There are only a handful of players in MLB who can drive an out pitch out of the park.
They need to make pitching a general direction (down and away, up and away) risk reward concept. Basically you can try to nibble or you can throw to contact by moving the cursor closer or farther from the corner. The key is that the pitch may end up a variable radius depending on pitch excution, pitcher control, or game situation. And please let us setup hitters.
On the flip side the hitting window needs to shrink or enlarge depending on pitcher deception (ie. Lincecum), pitcher stuff, and situation (Manny Rameriez good, Soriano bad).
They may want to rent MVP05 for some guidance.
Last part of my rant. Someone please fix the progression system. On 2K8 you couldn’t find a pitcher with an era under 4 after 4-5 years and every hitter was Albert Pujouls.
November 27, 2008 at 1:02 am
I liked last years pitching. It was difficult to place the ball exactly where you wanted it… like it should be. I didnt play last years game a ton (I played the Show mostly) but I thought the pitching mechanic was very good.
November 27, 2008 at 2:09 am
I agree. I liked 2K8's pitching system. And for those who didn't like it, you could always go to options and choose to use the "classic" pitching controls instead
November 27, 2008 at 2:10 am
Me too.
What I want to see in 2K9 is better online play (no lag) and better AI (where they actually steal bases and walk you once in awhile).
November 27, 2008 at 3:38 am
simple isn't always better look how nhl 2k9 turned out! but i think that 2ksports needs to start from scratch
November 27, 2008 at 4:00 am
Man I liked the pitching controls in 2k8 I hope they are atleast in the game if not by default.I dont want to just press a button to throw a pitch thats boring and easy.
November 27, 2008 at 4:21 am
If there was ONE great thing about MLB 2K8, it was the pitching system. It was very realistic if you took the time to learn it. This is bad news if they are doing away with it.
November 27, 2008 at 5:02 am
I hope they at least keep it as an option to keep the pitching from MLB 2K8. That was one of the best things from MLB 2K8, the things that I didn't like so much was that 2K just forgot they released the game and made no attempt to fix, update, or add the cards that were supposed to be pretty big. That was the reason I ended up trading 2K8 before the end of the season was because if 2K wasn't going to care about the game, then why should I.
November 27, 2008 at 5:02 am
darkheath….are you kidding me? adjusting sliders did nothing for me I had my power down to about idk ummm 5 or 0 and my contact at 5 and I was still hitting shots all game and I was playing it on I forgot what the top diff. level is Veteran or HOF….anyway if you like miller and morgan than i dont know whats going on I guess me being a since birth yankees fan I love watching and hearing Michael Kay's amazing enthusiastic commentating…..and the anwser for your stupid ass question " Have you ever watched a game on TV?" Yeah d!ckhead but I tend to stray away from the boring ESPN presentations where Miller and Morgan "ZzZzZzZz" oh sorry i dozed off…..hint hint BRING BACK MVP or 2K step up your game…….
November 27, 2008 at 6:12 am
The pitching controls in Mlb 2k8 was by far the best ive ever played. it was confusing at first but after you started understanding it you realized how much realistic and lifelike it was. there taking a HUGE step back by simplifying the pitching controls. wow lets hit X for fastball and 0 for changup (the show). I would rather have Pitching to be hard and lifelike instead easy and arcade style. This game had some flaws But pitching wasnt one of them. By the way people who couldn't use the new pitching system are babies
November 27, 2008 at 11:21 am
I think the pitching and throwing is fine just tweak it a liittle i liked it. it was much morre real
November 27, 2008 at 12:14 pm
batting batting batting and the presentation along with commentating are all horrible…..the pitching system they added last year was absolutely horrid i hated every second of it…..this game is not good i am a die hard baseball fan and i am so sick of 2k sports and this horrible nightmare of baseball games they spit out…..bring back mvp please if these people focus on pitching again i will be out of choices and buy myself a ps3 for the show…..thanks guys have an awsome thanksgiving
November 27, 2008 at 12:42 pm
mike… sheesh.. I'm so sick of hearing how "horrible" the game is. I've been playing the apparent "Holy Grail" of baseball, MVP 2005, and in every aspect but one does it pale in comparison to MLB 2k7. That one aspect it the inclusion of the whole minor league system. That I love. But everywhere else, it's not even a contest. The presentation is the best I've seen in a sports game outside of NFL 2k5. I really like Miller and Morgan (Miller mainly, for his laid-back style), because they really sound like watching a baseball game. As a matter of fact, i wish they had more random commentary in the game. Have you ever watched a game on TV?
The other thing you mentioned, batting, I haven't had much problem with other then having to adjust the sliders a little for frequent HRs. But now I get a very realistic simulation of baseball. This game still amazes me and it's almost 2 years old (I didn't get 2k8). These games have come a long way in just a few short years.
November 27, 2008 at 12:47 pm
people who couldn't use the new pitching system are babies.
November 27, 2008 at 12:50 pm
It's the NFL's fault we don't have MVP Baseball anymore.
Because they auctioned off their exclusive rights to the highest bidder (EA naturally), 2K… in an effort to save the company, snatched up the MLB exclusive 3rd party rights. Sony is still allowed to make an MLB game for their own system (The Show).
November 29, 2008 at 9:35 am
ok mike, granted. it was a dumbass question. sorry. I have no idea who Mike Kay is. I've never lived in a baseball town (until now, denver, but they are more into hockey and football here) so my only experience watching games is on the big networks or Cubs/Braves games and I have yet to hear anything that I would consider upbeat or enthusiastic. Bear in mind, I'm talking about the 98% of the game that nothing much is going on.
Where I'd LOVE to see more enthusiastic commentary, especially in real life, is in the baseball stadiums themselves. There's nothing more mundane in this life than the stadium announcer at a baseball stadium. They really need to do something about that.
Anyway… perhaps the reason I get decent games and still lose occasionally to the computer is I'm just not nearly as good as you. That is a distinct probability. But I've been getting good games from 2k7.
December 2, 2008 at 5:05 am
I wish 2K still made football games. The presentation was fantastic.
December 31, 2008 at 3:56 am
learn how to pitch its so simple if u cant pitch with the analog stick u arent skilled….theres no reason to go bak to the other easy simple and not challenging stlye of pitching …no reason!
December 31, 2008 at 3:56 am
style*
February 10, 2009 at 9:34 pm
I enjoyed 2k7 a lot more than 2k8. I was ranked seventh nationally online at one point with a 56-0 record!
March 13, 2009 at 5:58 am
come soon??