MLB 2K9 News Post

Major League Baseball 2K9 Video: Tigers @ Indians

01:11 AM - February 19, 2009 by Steve_OS

After playing with the sliders even more, I am confident we will be able to tweak the AI to swing at balls inside and outside the strike zone. I'm seeing more strike 3's "looking" as well as swinging. Here is a new Major League Baseball 2K9 video, that shows a little bit of it. After capturing the video, I went ahead and took control of the Indians and mowed down the AI batters, striking out 4 of 6, before calling it a night. Enjoy.

Game: Major League Baseball 2K9Reader Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 38 - View All

Major League Baseball 2K9 Videos

Member Comments

# 41 ShowTyme15 @ 02/19/09 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwinginAs12


	Does anyone know if you can play spring training like The Show? - demooooooo?

One of the producers at the Q&A said there is no spring training this year

# 42 Qb @ 02/19/09 01:53 PM

Thanks for another vid, Steve. I don't doubt your statement that you're able to tone done the AI batting aggressiveness via sliders, but that video did not show it off particularly well. There were only two called strikes, both of which were perfect pitches on the black outside & at the knees...

Perhaps it was due to the hits being mostly looping fly balls (an issue?), but I noticed that runners did not go from 1st to 3rd on two occasions that they probably would have IRL. One for sure on the single to right when the runner from 2nd came in to score and the throw went home. The guy on 1st would go for 3rd everytime. Hopefully the baserunning aggressiveness slider and perhaps other tweaking can help with this...

PS - Oh crap, I told myself that I wasn't going to over-analyze the videos. Oh well...

# 43 stealyerface @ 02/19/09 02:40 PM

I am sure it was a function of the cpu vs cpu gameplay, but I am not sure that the throw from right field should have been cut off. I think they had a play at the dish on that guy who scored from second on the single with the bases loaded.

Still, these appetizers are making my mouth water for the main course come March 3rd. Cannot wait!

syf

# 44 Trevytrev11 @ 02/19/09 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Padgoi


	As everyone else said though, those flyballs that looks like routine flyouts and then bloop in front of outfielders are starting to get annoying.

I agree.

1st - Lazy fly out to LF
2nd - Lazy fly single to left
3rd - Lazy fly single to right
4th - HBP
5th - Lazy fly single to right (though called a "soft liner" by Thorne
6th - K
7th - K

I counted three foul balls in the inning, all of which were hit in the air.

I trust Steve when he says the hits in the video's aren't indicative of what he is seeing as far as variety when he plays...Hopefully this game was due to the fact that Verlander is more of a flyball pitcher (3 Fly Ball outs to every 2 Ground out last year)

# 45 HealyMonster @ 02/19/09 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevytrev11


	I agree. 1st - Lazy fly out to LF 2nd - Lazy fly single to left 3rd - Lazy fly single to right 4th - HBP 5th - Lazy fly single to right (though called a "soft liner" by Thorne 6th - K 7th - K I counted three foul balls in the inning, all of which were hit in the air. I trust Steve when he says the hits in the video's aren't indicative of what he is seeing as far as variety when he plays...Hopefully this game was due to the fact that Verlander is more of a flyball pitcher (3 Fly Ball outs to every 2 Ground out last year)

dude, I have been screming this from the gate but nobody wants to listen, flyballs have been an issue for this game for a long time now and we get all these videos that are flyball fests and somehow "this isnt the case" with the game?

# 46 coachpars @ 02/19/09 04:24 PM

First it was framerate, Then it was batters swing at everything, now its all we see is flyballs. Steve said there was good hit variety. Ill take his word for it. cmon guys its all speculation until we play it for ourselves.One of our own has played it( steve) and he has debunked most of these complaints... Cmon Demo!!!!!

# 47 Alonzo @ 02/19/09 04:34 PM

I am pretty sure 2k9 is gonna be a decent game, most of the things are looking very good. I like the commentary, the graphics, sound and presentation...gameplay is probably 10 times better than last year

BUT I won't order the game until I have played the demo with full working sliders in it. 2-3 things are concerning me, CPU hacks at EVERYTHING, it's not toned down as mentioned in the topic, sorry Steve.
MLB-players don't swing at everything, they take 1st pitch strikes even if it's hittable at times.

Is it coincidence that I've not seen a ground-ball single so far, not to mention groundouts? hit variety could be a problem as well.

Like I said, I want the demo before I even consider ordering this game.

# 48 DaveDQ @ 02/19/09 04:53 PM

In this video, the pitches being hit are on their way down, like a curve. That might explain the lifting of the ball when hit.

You can definitely see the change in batter behavior. I saw two strikes called and the batter swung on a very low pitch on the last strike out.

# 49 NumberOneRB @ 02/19/09 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renegade44


	dude, I have been screming this from the gate but nobody wants to listen, flyballs have been an issue for this game for a long time now and we get all these videos that are flyball fests and somehow "this isnt the case" with the game?

Watch the G4TV XPlay Hands-On video and your tune will change. There are groundballs galore in that video. I think the fact that in each short video we see dynamics of both is probably a good sign to the good hit variety Steve had been suggesting.

# 50 myghty @ 02/19/09 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renegade44


	dude, I have been screming this from the gate but nobody wants to listen...

# 51 AftershockFx @ 02/19/09 06:25 PM

Is there anyway we could see some AAA play of any team ? I'm curious to see what the Stadiums look like. I also want to know if they have announcing for AAA like they do the MLB levels.

# 52 krazzed @ 02/19/09 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AftershockFx


	Is there anyway we could see some AAA play of any team ? I'm curious to see what the Stadiums look like. I also want to know if they have announcing for AAA like they do the MLB levels.

And what minor league stadiums there are

# 53 stealyerface @ 02/19/09 07:06 PM

This last video we watched was cpu vs cpu. You guys do realize that there is a new batting mechanic this year, in that you can determine where the bat is hit, or at least the direction, by manipulating the L stick up-down-left-right, etc... Am I the only one who attributes most of the fly balls that we see get hit to the guy playing the game holding up and in on the L stick trying to jack everything over the fence to show off the homerun balls? Maybe we should wait to see a video or two of Steve not using the L stick at all, and see what type of hit variety there is with no persuasion on the direction to which the player is aiming. During the G4 runup, I saw lots of grounds balls. On the previous videos, I see plenty of groundballs, and some lasers to the outfield.

Perhaps we try not to base the entire game on a pre-release beta build, that may in fact be an even earlier version of what some people are getting now, and wait to see the final release version before we judge it. Does that somehow not make sense?

syf

# 54 The Living Legend @ 02/19/09 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stealyerface


	This last video we watched was cpu vs cpu. You guys do realize that there is a new batting mechanic this year, in that you can determine where the bat is hit, or at least the direction, by manipulating the L stick up-down-left-right, etc... Am I the only one who attributes most of the fly balls that we see get hit to the guy playing the game holding up and in on the L stick trying to jack everything over the fence to show off the homerun balls? Maybe we should wait to see a video or two of Steve not using the L stick at all, and see what type of hit variety there is with no persuasion on the direction to which the player is aiming. During the G4 runup, I saw lots of grounds balls. On the previous videos, I see plenty of groundballs, and some lasers to the outfield. Perhaps we try not to base the entire game on a pre-release beta build, that may in fact be an even earlier version of what some people are getting now, and wait to see the final release version before we judge it. Does that somehow not make sense? syf

I agree, you cant win either way, if the video showed mistly ground balls people would complain to many ground balls, if there were to many hits, people would complain. 2k cant win anyway, if anything i am going by what i saw on the G4 video, that looked like a good mix of things. But if anything we will have to wait for the game to come out.

# 55 stealyerface @ 02/19/09 08:05 PM

And there you have it...in a nutshell.

If there was a perfect 50-50 ratio of grounders to flyballs in all the videos we have seen, it would be unrealistic. If there were too many balls hit to rightfield against a power-throwing lefty, it would be unrealistic. If the wind blew the dust in the infield to the west in Chicago, it would be a travesty because everyone knows the wind actually blows in from the Northeast... It will continue to be a macabre march of the same, unwarranted cheap shots that seem to fester until release day.

And then of course we have to put up with the driveby shootings from some SONY forum ogres who fly in here with 10 posts under their belts and rip off an attempt at some hit and runs with regards to a game that they will never purchase. More often than not, the posts are riddled with misspelled words and terrible grammar, which means that the rest of us who look forward to some stimulating banter, have to weed through the mire of garbage left behind by the ogrish.

I do, however, think it is funny that trying a driveby in a forum, and misspelling half the words in the post, is akin to pulling up to the corner and instead of whipping out the Tek-9 from the window of the Escalade, is more like packing your Red Ryder in your mom's Oldsmobile Cierra Wagon.

I am pleasantly surprised, and cautiously excited about this year's game. Yes, I am among those who have been burned by hoping for more than was delivered, but so far, I am looking forward to a new year, a new game, and from what I have seen, and whole new direction from 2k baseball.

syf

# 56 PVarck31 @ 02/19/09 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kGinGreen


	What? BTW what does post count have to do with anything? I've been posting on this forum for years. I also don't even own a PS3, and can spell better than you can. Just because someone points out something that is true, doesn't make them a fanboy or a sony ogre? It just makes you one with responses like that. Did you watch that video man? I was just posting that because it's true. I could care less about the other game and don't even plan on buying it. Some people seriously need to get a life and learn how to have a constructive discussion without the lame insults. ARe you really saying we can't point out problems we see with this game? And we are sony ogres if we are?

You have been posting here for years? It says you joined in December of 08. Are you a previously banned user. Hmmm

# 57 stealyerface @ 02/19/09 08:45 PM

I had started my post before you even responded. I wasn't speaking towards you or your post. When I hit the "Post Reply" button, your post was above mine. I realized that this was going to happen, but figured you would realize that your post was not one of the offending cheap shot drive-bys of which I was referring to. You didn't. So, for whatever it was worth, I hadn't even seen your post while I was in the midst of responding to the guy who posted above you.

syf

# 58 Alonzo @ 02/19/09 08:59 PM

@stealyerface

you would have probably posted the same about mlb 2k8 when someone mentioned flaws about the game by gameplay-videos. Sorry, but all we hear is insults and excuses.

The fact is that most of the guys on the board really commend the majority of the things we've heard and seen so far from 2k9, but do you really think 2k9 won't have any flaws? Even the show 09 will have some...

The thing is, the hardcore-gamers just wanna know if the flaws are there, if thex are fixable and if they are possible game-breakers.

It has nothing to do with fanboyism, the show is a must buy for me, but I would be stupid if I wouldn't want mlb 2k9 to be a great game, 2 great games are better than 1, aren't they?

# 59 Metsui @ 02/19/09 09:02 PM

Why are the players' arms and legs so short in the Show? That looks terrible.

# 60 stealyerface @ 02/19/09 09:03 PM

That's the trouble. You get a great forum thread going, where guys who have posted here for many years are going back and forth and having a peaceful, meaningful dialogue, and then the creeps show up with the "2k ain't ever gonna make a good game as the Show cause there gameplay sux". posts.

And just like the d-bag in school that everyone said to ignore, well, sometimes you just can't.

Anyway, I think we all have to agree that from the very small snapshots we have seen, the game is on its way. Remember, for the most part, we have seen 1/2 innings or short one inning videos. Uh, I have seen, watched and played in games that the pitcher recorded his first nine outs on flyballs. This is sometimes known as a guy who is a "Flyball" pitcher. He is not going to pound the ball past you, he is going to make you hit the ball off balance, and in the air. Derek Lowe is a sinkerball pitcher who will make you beat the ball into the ground. Jamie Moyer is not. So, I think watching a 1/2 inning of baseball where there are no ground balls, is entirely feasible.

Have we come to ask so much of a video game that what we expect belies reality?

syf

« Previous 1 234 Next »

More Links

Major League Baseball 2K9 Video: Tigers @ Indians