Major League Baseball 2K11
It's a situation no pitcher wants to face: bases loaded and Rangers star Josh Hamilton walking up to the plate. But this was the jam I found myself in during my hands-on time with MLB 2K11. As the controller began to rumble I felt the strike zone shrink and the gravity of the situation began to sink in.
In order to regain my pitcher's composure (and mine), I called for a meeting at the mound. Red Sox skipper Terry Francona met with my hurler, Clay Buchholz. These timely meetings are not just for show, as my controller stopped shaking, giving me a better chance of escaping the situation. MLB 2K11 game designer Sean Bailey said that each pitcher has a composure rating, which dictates many factors during these tense situations. "Everyone has a different composure rating," Bailey said. "A guy like (Phillies ace and MLB 2K11 cover athlete Roy) Halladay never loses composure. In our game, the composure rating has different tiers of what's going to happen. First, the ball starts shaking when you're aiming in the corners. If you're pitcher continues to struggle, the strike zone completely goes away." So with my composure regained, I faced the task at hand. But as someone not too familiar with gesture pitching (using the right analog stick to pull off different pitches), I felt this would be a no-win situation. A mistimed gesture might result in a hanging slider or a flat curveball, which big-time sluggers like Hamilton usually hit a long way. But the satisfaction -- and difficulty -- of pulling off a perfectly placed two-seam fastball or straight changeup really came through. I couldn't just paint the corners as easily as I could with button-based pitching. So when I induced Hamilton into a soft liner to second, that feeling of accomplishment was more palpable than in my past experiences with button-based pitching. But for those who like the more traditional configuration, Bailey said those options are present. As with other 2K Sports titles, the designers didn't skimp on the little things. Just like authentic baseball broadcasts, each game will have a different center-field camera angle depending on which ballpark you're playing in. Visual Concepts has also added more than 4,000 animations to this year's iteration. Shaky infielders are more prone to bobble grounders while inept outfielders need more time to judge where pop-ups will land. Another change that ups the feeling of immersion has to do with a pitcher's stamina. In baseball video games, a stamina bar usually dictates how much energy a hurler has in the tank. But how realistic is that? "We started realizing that terms like stamina and energy are arbitrary to a gamer," Bailey said. "If you have 40 stamina, how many more pitches can you throw?" So Visual Concepts removed these video game terms and opted to go with a real-world barometer: pitch count. Each hurler will have a predetermined pitch count, which if exceeded will affect his performance. This isn't limited to your pitcher's current start. If you continue to exceed his allotted pitch count, he will tire much faster in his next start, putting more pressure on your bullpen. Long-term decisions are limited to your rotation. Position players will ask for off days throughout the season. If you don't adhere to your player's request, his performance will suffer. Injuries are another aspect you'll have to manage carefully. There's a 15- and 60-day disabled list or you could opt to have your player continue to play through the injury. This later option will negatively affect your player's attributes and slow his healing process. After making its MLB debut last year, My Player returns with some notable upgrades. Spending experience points in certain attributes now unlock new animations. You're player might be a defensive liability out of the gate, but increasing his defensive ratings will allow you to complete plays that lesser defenders could not. Visual Concepts also tweaked many of the in-game goals. They are more team-oriented: sacrifice a runner into scoring position or take a more aggressive lead on the base paths. Visual Concepts took a big step forward last year with MLB 2K10. In my hands-on time with MLB 2K11, it seems like the development team will continue that trend when the game drops March 8 on every major platform.