Controls Locked Online! Why?

[Lomax]

Word is that the controls will be locked on default for online ranked play. I really don't like that idea because finally someone brought back a cursor mode ("zone hitting"), and I am extremely excited to use this. Haven't had this good of a batting system since All-Star baseball, and combined with a swing stick it sounds even better! My only problem is that I enjoy playing franchise just as much as I do online which means I will have to learn two different styles or suck it up and just use one. I don't understand why online players have to be restricted to just one style to be able to say it is a level playing field, because if eveybody had the same option to use the "easier" or the "harder" controls the people using the harder could not comlpain it was a disadvantage because they chose their control scheme!

[Lomax]

I hope they atleast give us the option to turn on the zone hitting in online ranked, because I'm sure that can't be deemed as "easier"!

[NYJules_Xbox360]

What do you mean by zone hitting. They are going to lock the controls so people can't use the button classic controls. And that, is a great idea because people that can't learn to adapt to new gaming styles should not be able to compete for the same things as advanced gamers.

[Lomax]

Zone hitting is the new batting option that they added for this year where you get to move a cursor(bat) to where the pitch is going. If you put the sweet spot exactly where the pitch goes= increased contact, sweet spot too hi=grounder, sweet spot to low = pop-up, ect. So what I was saying is that I am really looking forward to using this feature and I think it should be allowed in online, because I'm sure that it can't be deemed easier. Also what I was saying is that if I choose to use the "harder" controls, and somebody beats me using the "easier" controls then it is my own fault because I had the option to use the "easier" as well! And besides to say that people need to adapt is a far stretch, since both the swing stick and button options are both just a matter of timing your swing now that they removed the step timing!

[zcliffz]

hey is the online play laggy

[Lomax]

I don't know, I sure hope not because if it is, what I said before won't really matter because I won't be playing.

[YankeesGiants828]

I know you can't change it online to classic button control but can you change it to 2k8 controls?

[PIN]

So...

what exactly is going to be the control scheme used? in otherwords, how will people pitch and bat online?

[mebadd24]

Im going to say that I wish we could still pick and im hoping that we can mix and match in none ranked games this year. Mainly for league play! I miss being able to do what you want in leagues and think you should be able to since the league games are not rated. I like the new style and swing stick but I want everyone to have fun online and I want to play those people. These seem to be the new controls and they will be like this from 2k7 and on you should just learn the swing stick cause it the new gen and if you dont the day there is no more classic will be horrid

[Lomax]

I'm not saying I want to use the classic controls for online ranked matches, but if some body else does why shouldn't they be aloud, because timing the push of a button can't honestly be deemed easier than timing pushing up on a thumb stick! Whether someone feels more comforatable pushing a button or pushing a thumb stick I really see no disadvantage or advantage! What I am saying is that I hope I am able to use the cursor (zone hitting) controls for online ranked matches because from my experience using it with past games I can say that the accuracy needed to be good at this is much harder than influence hitting(push up fly ball, down ground ball ect.). And as far as I'm concerned it is much more realistic and fun to actually have to place your bat where the pitch is coming! If I'm not mistaken that is what you have to do while hitting in real life. LOL!
So to sum it up I don't see any reason why at least being able to switch the zone hitting on shouldn't be aloud in online ranked because, even though I'm sure there will still be people out there saying it isn't fair, I don't think they could come up with a legitamate reason why! I would be at the disadvantage and that's fine with me as long as the game is as real and as fun as possible!

[h3adshot66612]

ok if you half to use the buttons to play this game you are just stupid. the hitting and pitching couldnt have been made easier. hitting in 2k8 was easy but for some reason some people couldnt time their step and push up. now the step timing is out and your going to tell me you cant pull back whenever you want and push up, are you people really that special. 2k8 pitching was perfect their was nothing wrong with it and if you cant do the gestures in this game then i recommend you go buy the show and suck with the other loser. you dont got to time the release and you still going to complain. wow

lomax dont give me that "well if we have the option and they dont use it and we beat them its not our fault" just because we like a little difficulty in our games and you like the old baseball games going back to ken greffieys baseball game. in all honesty i dont know were im going with this but just try it just because you cant hit for the first couple at bats dont give up. the hitting in this game is basically like the A button but with the the thumb stick.

oh by the way their will probably be options in the quick match options for those who just cant play this game.

[Lomax]

I REALLY wish people would read things carefully before rambling! (Look above)

h3adshot66612 I never said I wanted to use the buttons I said if somebody else uses them it is my own fault if I lose!

What I did say was that I wanted to have the option to use the cursor because it couldn't possibly be deemed easier! ( I think it would be more of a challenge)

And what I don't understand how one second you're saying, "if you have to use the buttons to play this game you are just stupid" and later you go on to say, " the hitting in this game is basically like the A button buth with the thumb stick." Make up you mind next time you want too argue with someone!

And finally for somebody like yourself that says "you like the difficulty of your games" what better way to challenge yourself than to use you controls, and try too beat someone using the so called easy controls.

[lebowskifest]

You should be able to choose what is comfortable, but if its ranked or a league, they will probubaly make everyone be even so people dont complain.

[Bilskie12]

I agree with having at least the option to change the new controls back to the button controls...I actually prefer the buttons for pitching...Im ok with using the swing stick for hittiing though.

[CrazyCougar]

Honestly guys, its all about leveling the playing field. What would be great is if they had different ranked leaderboards and lobbies consistent with the style of control you use. In other words only button guys would play button guys, 2k8 control guys would play 2k8 control guys, and new controls would only face new controls. But thats in a perfect world and probably just a little tad on the over the top side of asking to much.

Me personally, i would rather play folks that have to play the same way I do.

[mebadd24]

Honestly guys, its all about leveling the playing field. What would be great is if they had different ranked leaderboards and lobbies consistent with the style of control you use. In other words only button guys would play button guys, 2k8 control guys would play 2k8 control guys, and new controls would only face new controls. But thats in a perfect world and probably just a little tad on the over the top side of asking to much.

Me personally, i would rather play folks that have to play the same way I do.

Add to the lobby list a players choice any control scheme goes.

[G0d3L12]

First of all I played all the 2k baseball games from the very first ESPN MLB game of the 2004 so I'm not a MVP or The Show fanboy (I'm not a fanboy for anything).
I really don't understand how so few people are complaining about the cursor hitting.
I mean, when you bat in real life you have to aim where the ball will cross home plate + the timing.
From 2k8 there aren't any differences for the hitters between a high fastball or a low one, only the timing factor counts but when your are at the plate in real life you know how big is the difference between them, how an high fastball could burn you (especially one on your hands) or how you can swing over a low fastball(especially low and away).
For not talking about breaking pithces where, aside the different timing, you have to read the pitch to see where it breaks.
From to 2k8 it dosen't matter if you throw for strike a changeup or a curveball with the same speed because they have the same timing.
This simple thing breaks the pitcher-hitter game which is a good part of the game, isn't it?
This thing made the difference for me when I decided if I was going to play MVP 05 or 2K5.
MVP was better in everything else except the hitting cursor so I ended up playing major of the time 2k5 (still with so many bad aspects) because I found the hitting more real life-challenging.
Plus this year the swing stick control is so damn easy that which is the difference pulling back the stick when you want and then push it up from pushing a button???
I really liked the 2k8 step feature (maybe it could be better with more visual information about step's timing for the player at the plate) and simply throwing it away is a "step" backward.
This year a played for the first time a The Show game and found that its hitting cursor + pre-swing hitting influence is pretty realistic.
With a 2k8 swing stick (with the step part more accessible, see up) it could be the ultimate hitting interface (for a joypad).
But I'm with CrazyCougar for the online aspect of the game options but still let us choose.

OT
I played all the 2k games on legend and never gave a base on ball because i was always able to pitch where I wanted with an accuracy of less then 1 inch.
In real life I'd like it could be so (I'm a pitcher :P) but luckily (for the balance of the game) it's not so.
A few pitches you are able to pinpoint your catcher mitt the other ones are nearby or not even close.
I said that to clarify all the good and bad things of the 2k's pitcher-hitter interface.