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MLB 2005’s Troy Mack Rounds the Bags on a Tour of 989 Sport’s Newest Title in the Franchise
“Bottom of the ninth, two outs, one on, your down by a run- step up to the plate and show what you're worth.”
The batter steps in, swinging his bat nonchalantly. The pitcher takes a quick glance at the runner on first, the lead is not worth a throw. He winds up, and fires – slider, low and away. The batter swings a little late, and dribbles one toward the hole between first and second.
Seattle’s second baseman Bret Boone charges and scoops up the ball. He fires to second where shortstop Rich Aurilia is waiting. Neighborhood tag of the bag? Maybe, but Aurilia wastes little time in receiving, then shooting a laser beam to John Olerud at first. A textbook 4-6-3 double play. Inning over.
When it comes to baseball, few things seem as simple, or as truly graceful as a well-executed double play. Seeing that white ball arching through a clear blue sky, wondering if it has the distance, or if that centerfielder racing back will make a catch that will live in memory for a long time is heart-racing excitement.
When it comes to videogames, baseball, though, can be a nightmare. The game is about probability and outcome, with chance thrown into the mix. A bad hop, mistiming, or a bad throw can turn a game around.
A lot of games have ventured down the path and many have really managed to render a large part of the games. 989 Sports is hoping that the release of MLB 2005 will up the ante in the pennant race for top baseball game of 2004. With its solid online support and a host of new features, this could well be a game to check out.
Troy Mack, product manager MLB 2005, took time to talk with GameZone.com about this latest edition of the 989 series.
Question: Major League Baseball and baseball in general has to be one of the oldest genres in video gaming. What elements do you think are essential to game play and how does your title supply that?
Troy: The most important part of any baseball game is the Pitcher/ Batter Duel. Without a good dynamic there, the game becomes stale and predictable. We have completely redesigned the interface this year to represent what a pro baseball player sees, thinks, and expects when he approaches the plate. Using Total Control Pitching, as well as the all-new Zone Control Batting, we have replicated the thought process that a pitcher and batter go through when they face off.
Using Total Control Pitching, the Pitcher has the opportunity to "paint" the corners, blow one by, or pull the strings on the batter – all through a new "feel-based" interface that allows a pitcher to feel the strike zone, getting as close to the corners as he dares. One mistake and its yard! Just like real life.
Using Zone Control Batting, and Total Control Batting, the batter can walk up to the plate with a strategy. How will the next pitch come? Looking high, inside, down and away? Using the analog Zone Control Batting, you can sit in your zone and wait for your pitch. The same goes for pitch type, are you looking for the fastball? Looking for the change? Using Total Control Batting you can guess your pitch and if you're correct, as in real life, you "sit" on it, see it better and get solid wood on the ball resulting in a higher quality hit.
Q: What is new and different about this year's edition?
Troy: A better question would be 'What isn't new about this year's edition?'
Regarding new look and feel: the MLB 2005 development team has dedicated themselves to creating one of the most in-depth baseball games they could have imagined. First thing gamers will notice is the game runs at a silky-smooth 60fps. The player models have all been completely redesigned and virtually every player in the bigs has undergone a head scan to ensure the utmost authenticity in player likeness. The animation system has also been re-engineered to incorporate thousands of animations that are triggered by direction and momentum attributes. Consequently, you'll always see different fielding animations from players based on the direction and speed of their movement. Lighting and textures have also been modified in every aspect of the game from Louisville Slugger bats to brick buildings and murals outside Wrigley. All-new textures, shades and lighting suck you in and transport you from your living room to any one of the 41 current and historical stadiums.
Regarding new gameplay: Old time favorites like Total Control Pitching, Batting and Fielding are back. But user defensive controls have been enhanced with pressure sensitive pitching and throwing. Making its big league debut is Zone Control! Batting where you need only recognize one of four "zones" within the strike zone. The rest of the challenge is just timing. Look for a pitch in your zone and start hacking. For beginners, MLB also has a batting option that is dedicated to timing alone. And for the first time in a baseball game you can call out defensive positioning with Voice Recognition. Position your infield, outfield and defensive coverage. Call for shifts and set your defense by speaking into your headset – just like the coach yelling from the dugout.
Regarding new features: MLB 2005 has more than enough to keep even the most die-hard baseball gamer occupied from Spring Training long beyond the Fall Classic. Let's start at the top. With the new Franchise Mode It's all about becoming the next baseball mogul as you control the whole show from player deals, television contracts and vendor negotiations to parking, tickets and concessions. Career Mode is deeper than ever and now incorporates Spring Training to your career. Get yourself signed and start your career. But before you begin your career you need to put yourself in the game with the new Create Player which offers Eye Toy® functionality. With Eye Toy® you can really put yourself in the game. Take a snapshot of yourself and put your mug on an MLB player and you're a rookie in the bigs. You want to see match-ups of today's stars with legends of the past? Now you can. With All-Time Greats you'll play with Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Cy Young, Satchel Paige and more. And just when you think you've done it all there's the online play. MLB 2005 is online with head-to-head gameplay, 32-team tournaments, live sports tickers, message boards, chat, headset functionality and more. March through November, clear your calendar.
Q: Is this game supported through online play and what is in place to ensure that gamers can find a game at their level of play?
Troy: Online play is definitely supported at 989SportsOnline – the most complete sports gaming site available to PS2 owners. 989SportsOnline features live sports tickers, weekly stat and roster updates, tournaments, message boards, leader boards, game and 989 ranking systems, user mail, real time weather updates and more. But to go head to head with other gamers you can play in one of four different levels: Rookie, Veteran, All-Pro and Legend.
Q: Baseball seemingly is so simple and yet it is a statistical nightmare with probability and outcome, chance, and so many other elements coming into play. How does that translate when making a computer game?
Troy: When we set out to make MLB 2005, we had to sit down and start with the basics. Take the Pitcher/ Batter duel; it's broken out to the Nth degree to make sure that it plays as fun and realistic as possible. For example, what happens when a fastball is thrown up and in versus down and away? How do those same locations work with a curve ball? A slider? What type hit will result? Is the ball hitable at all? Once all of those questions are answered, we start to focus on how hard or easy the task is. Is Rookie mode easy enough for the casual gamer to pick up and have success with right away? Conversely, is All-Star mode difficult enough to challenge the most seasoned veteran? These decisions are made for each and every area of the game until its fun, balanced and represents an accurate simulation of the game of baseball.
Q: The game itself has so many nuances that a lot of baseball titles have not gotten right - like the difference between a base hit and fielder's choice. How have you addressed things like that?
Troy: Two of our producers as well as a number of our programmers have played baseball at a semi-pro or pro-level capacity. This gives us a huge advantage and helps us get the game of baseball very close to a realistic experience overall. In addition, virtually every member of the baseball team is a passionate baseball fan. Having all that, we know what should happen and try to make certain it does.
Q: Troy Glaus was used for motion capture for the video. How have you managed to replicate other Big Leaguers trademark batting stances and motions?
Troy: Over the years we've made a concerted effort to work with numerous exceptional players. Our objective is to provide the look and feel of real major league players doing what they do best. We've had a tremendous list of players come through the studio including names like Tony Gwynn, Roger Clemens, Tim Hudson, Trevor Hoffman, Shawn Green, Troy Glaus and a number of others. Having the pros come in for mo-cap is the best way to incorporate authentic animation sequences from guys that have made a career of doing it their entire lives.
Q: Back on the topic of online play, will stats be kept? Where there be organized leagues and will players be responsible for creating and running the leagues?
Troy: Batting Stats: Hits - Hits, At Bats - At Bats, TB - Total Bases; Avg - Average, HR - Home Runs; 2B – Doubles; 3B – Triples; RBI - Runs Batted In; Runs - Runs Scored; SB - Stolen Bases, CS (Caught Stealing); BB - Walks, HBP - Hit By Pitch; SF - Sacrifice Fly; OBP - On Base Percentage; SLG - Slugging Percentage; OPS - On Base Percentage
Fielding stats: Games - Games played; Innings – Innings; PO - Put Outs; A – Assists; E – Errors; DP - Double Plays, FPCT - Fielding Percentage
Pitching Stats: ERA - Earned Run Average; CG - Complete Games; SHO - Shut Outs; IP - Innings Pitched; H - Hits allowed; R – Runs; ER - Earned Runs; BB – Walks; SO - Strike Outs; K/9 - Strike Outs per 9 innings; WHIP – Walks; and Hits per Innings Pitched
Q: What do you think fuels gamers continued fascination with baseball as a video game?
Troy: It's a team sport but yet an individual challenge as well. You've got the head to head match ups between pitcher and batter that inspires the ultimate duels and showdowns between friends. You've got the conceptual simplicity combined with the complexity of action. Hit your spots with a 96mph fastball or try to lay off that change up low and away. It's always a challenge. Baseball is a game within a game. MLB 2005 makes that challenge possible for everyone. You know the old saying "hitting a round ball with a round bat, squarely, is the hardest thing in sport". MLB 2005 brings that spirit of competition to life in your living room affords the possibility of being the hero or the goat every day. Bottom of the ninth, two outs, one on, your down by a run- step up to the plate and show what you're worth.
Q: What do you think are the most compelling aspects of the new edition of your series?
Troy: Aside from the overall playability and realism of the MLB 2005, Franchise Mode is a tremendous undertaking that will afford hours upon hours of playability. It's incredibly challenging and offers something more than any other baseball game has ever put on the table. Your decisions, all of them, work together or against one another and determine your success or failure as the owner of a ball club. You want to charge a buck to park and give sodas away for a nickel – go for it. You want to negotiate contracts for top players and get your own network deal – bring it to the table. Franchise mode goes beyond the "traditional" game of baseball and puts you in the baseball industry, top to bottom. Eye Toy® functionality is another huge aspect. Being able to truly put yourself in a game and see your face on the screen is a great treat for kids and adults to immortalize themselves.
Q: What is your favorite team and what do you think their chances are of winning the pennant?
Troy: Being a San Diego guy, it has to be the Padres. With winning the pennant? That's a tough one. However, with some of the moves they've made they are setting things up to be a much improved ball club over last year. Dodgers don't have Brown, D'backs don't have Schilling and the Giants could be without Schmidt. That should equate to success for a much-improved hitting squad that includes Giles, Klesko, Nevin, Hernandez and the recent addition of Payton. And Hoffy will be back. If they stay healthy? I'd say the NL West is a 3/5 shot, and the NL 1/4.
Q: And, finally, what is your favorite food that has a baseball identity?
Troy: Beer & Hot Dogs.
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