Topic: Nintendo Pennant Chase Baseball

[Mario]

... as a Revolution launch title?

I'm not confident this source is credible, but when you think about it, it's a pretty obvious move!

This game could have just went from being an ignored GameCube title to being a Revolution eye-catcher. I think there's a huge potential market for sports games on Revolution. Pressing A to swing a bat is nowhere near as fun or accurate as swinging to swing a bat, I hope they make it work really well, and i'm excited abuot finding out! This could be ANOTHER new market for videogames.

This would also make the launch more solid, if we already have a Golf and Baseball game, all we need is Madden and a realistic racer, and with the Nintendo games, that's a solid launch to satisfy everyone.

[trip1eX]

 I heard the game sucked and that's why it wasn't released.  But the OP seems like one of the most plausible rumours I've heard.

Except I can't see them launching the Rev with a Baseball game in November tho.  So the Rev maybe is coming out this summer?  It has to be for this rumour to stick.

[Bill Aurion]

"I heard the game sucked and that's why it wasn't released."

Um, the game was playable on multiple occasions and those who played it said it was pretty fun...So that reasoning doesn't make any sense unless the team somehow magically butchered it soon afterwards...

[trip1eX]

Well it makes perfect sense.   Nintendo can think it's not worthy even tho someone else might have thought it was fun.  

 

[Smash_Brother]

Selling the Rev as THE console for the sports gamer would cement Nintendo in 1st place.

Sports games are huge sellers, and the notion of being able to actually act out the activity as opposed to simply pressing a button would be a gigantic selling factor.

Imagine your batting average in a baseball video game actually MEANING something...

[trip1eX]

Another comment too.  Take Two bought the exclusive rights to publish videogames for MLB.  That might have something to do with this game not seeing the light of day.  

[ThePerm]

there are ways of getting around the mlb...use baseball all-stars like knockout kings, and make up fake teams

[IceCold]

As soon as I heard that it was cancelled for the Cube, I expected it to be for the Revolution. However, as much as I would like to believe how much better the NRC will  be for sports games, there are some major disadvantages. Let's take the baseball example. First, no resistance - very important while playing real baseball. Second, the NRC is quite small compared to a baseball bat, and it weighs less too. You couldn't do a proper swing, since you need the length and weight of a bat to do that. Your elbows would be constricted and it just wouldn't feel right. You could swing with one hand Rounders-style, but that would hardly be accurate. Speaking of which, how would your swing be interpreted? Would you have to do a realistic swing to pull of a hit or just a casual stroke of the arm? When would you cut it? Sweep it? Loft it? Ground it?

Also, where's the strike zone? Do you have to stand up?

Utilising the NRC will be very difficult, and if they pull it off, hats off to them. One idea for a sports game, however, that is very plausible is with a football game - let's say Madden. EA has already said that they are working with the controller. You would need the shell for this with the remote inside. With this setup, you could have all of the buttons necessary plus the motion sensing feature. The game would use the field of vision thingy from Madden 06 (I think) where you have to move it around with the C-Stick and then throw the ball within that field to make it more accurate. Better QBs have better fields of vision. The one time I played with this setup, it was extremely clunky; you had to move the C-Stick then quickly go up to the face buttons and choose one to hit a receiver. The shell+NRC could fix this..

So, you snap the ball. Then, use the controller and move it left or right to change the field of vision. Then, when you locate the intended receiver, use a face button to throw it to the guy. This would be a much better control system than the other consoles use, and considering how much EA advertised this feature, the Rev would be perfectly suited to it.

[ShyGuy]

IIRC, Take Two allowed console creators to still license MLB, correct?

[capamerica]

ShyGuy is correct TakeTwo does alow other developers to license out MLB they are not pulling the same crap as EA with NFL.

EA was the only company effected by the TakeTwo/MLB deal. everyone else was able to continue on with what they were doing.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Quote
Originally posted by: Mario
... as a Revolution launch title?This could be ANOTHER new market for videogames.

I would say a NEW market, just a much higher quality plug&play game. They have games where you swing a bat and it hits the ball on screen already. Rev will just make it obvious how cheap and under developed all of those games actually are.

[MaryJane]

Ice cold, you brought up a lot of good questions, all I'm sure developers have asked themselves while creating every game that would use a swinging motion. If the limitations you stated. weren't surpassable, we won't be able to swing Link's sword around either, no resistance to know if you hit, the strike zone issue you mention would be the same thing as the relation of the monsters in LoZ to Link. (in baseball games the strikezone is usually outlined at all times at least the ones i play) but anyway, I'm not trying to bash you, more just speculate.  In Madden, who knows what they'll actually do, but in regards to the field of vision and button assignments for receivers, i think the combination of the field of vision and the rev mote make button assignments for receivers obsolete, all you'd have to do is point at them, or better yet, point to where you want the ball thrown, which in the case of a continious route is so vital i can't even begin to start on the benefit of being able to directly throw the ball to an exact point, much in the way real QB's try to do. (so difficult in current maddens, throwing on the run and then simultaneously trying to use the joystick to aim ur pass). oh going back to swinging, i made a topic about new options devs might have to include in their games bcuz of the new controller, and you made me think of a new one for baseball games, standing or sitting. while standing would be the best option if you have the room, sitting would let simple wrist flicks or perhaps complicated wrist flicks would substitute for a real swing. oh and the resistance thing also (sorry i'm a scatter brain can't keep ideas together) there's more the controller than we know so far, i've heard talk that it could possibly be gyros or some other type of (inexpensive) technology that would simulate resistance, but this is all just speculation eh? e3 isn't too far away when you consider eternity right?  

[IceCold]

Quote
If the limitations you stated. weren't surpassable, we won't be able to swing Link's sword around either, no resistance to know if you hit, the strike zone issue you mention would be the same thing as the relation of the monsters in LoZ to Link.

Well, I've always thought that swinging a sword in Zelda would be a lot more feasible, simply because of Z (L) targetting.. You can circle-strafe around the monster and swing/slash/poke with the controller, so where you hit isn't a problem. I can definitely imagine that in my mind, but a baseball game, not so much..

[Mario]

Quote
First, no resistance - very important while playing real baseball. Second, the NRC is quite small compared to a baseball bat, and it weighs less too. You couldn't do a proper swing, since you need the length and weight of a bat to do that. Your elbows would be constricted and it just wouldn't feel right. You could swing with one hand Rounders-style, but that would hardly be accurate. Speaking of which, how would your swing be interpreted? Would you have to do a realistic swing to pull of a hit or just a casual stroke of the arm? When would you cut it? Sweep it? Loft it? Ground it?

This is why it's still a videogame, and not the real thing! You aren't the guy in the room remember, you're the guy in the tv, his bat is fine, and he's got a ball coming right at him. You don't need the length of a baseball bat for the controller because the TV isn't actually shooting a ball at you (UNLESS!), even if you'd like that, you could just sticky tape a pole to it (or maybe it'll come with a peripheral).

Let's start at the basics, timing. Like you'd press A at the right time in a normal baseball game, for Rev you would just move the controller forward at the right time. The position where you STOP the controller determines the angle you'll hit it at. The faster or further you swing the controller forward, the more power you can get. I'm not much of a baseball fan (the sport doesn't even exist over here), so i'm not sure what else you can do, but i'm sure they'd be mapped to different movements somehow, there's also the possibility that holding A or B while you swing makes something else happen. I don't think it would be too hard to implement it well...

[IceCold]

I realise that the bat is in the game, but you still need a proper swing. Maybe I'm not understanding you right (if not please correct me). OK, so you're saying that to hit the ball you swing the NRC forward. There I'm sure we're both on the same frequency.

Next, you're saying that to determine what angle you hit the ball at, you compare the position the controller is at the end to what it is at the beginning. Finally, more speed swinging the controller would mean more power. This is the key quote..

Quote
The position where you STOP the controller determines the angle you'll hit it at.

If this is all correct, then I'm a bit confused. Your hit has to be done in realtime in the videogame. Which means that as soon as you make contact in the middle of your swing, the ball has to start flying. It can't wait until the end of the swing to determine what angle the ball will go. Unless that's part of the game, where time freezes for a bit for your swing to end, then the ball suddenly pops out.

Also, you're assuming that the ball will hit the same part of the bat every single time. What if the ball is coming to the bottom right of the strike zone? How far down would you have to reach with the NRC? And if you reach too much, the ball will hit a different part of the bat. Which would make it weaker since it's hitting the narrow part of the bat. There's also a possibility that it deflects somewhere else.

If the ball is coming high, do you have to move your controller up as well and then swing? Or just swing like normal? If you do have to move it, how far up? If you don't, how can you strike out if you probably will never miss the ball.

In a normal baseball game, you don't just press A. You also move the analogue stick to where you want the bat to be to swing. So with the NRC, you can't just swing. You have to move the bat onscreen to where it should be to perfectly hit the ball. So, with that in mind, how much do you have to move the NRC?

Argh. I had a tough time putting all that into words, and I don't think it makes much sense. I can't really explain it well, but I just don't think it will be easy to translate the controls. Maybe I'll get some sleep then see if I can be more eloquent tomorrow.

[bustin98]

The controller's position can be noted in real-time by the system, which means it will know how you are swinging. Thats how you control the ball in real life. I bet they'll even let you do a bunt position. I am wondering how they'll pull off the outfield. I suppose you could point at a position on the field to have the closest guy run there, or you point and drag someone around. . . Or maybe get a guy in position and if its on spot it will switch to first person view and you move a glove around the screen to catch it and you have to click the button at the right time to close the glove.

[Berto2K]

Take Two only has the exclusive right to make 3rd party MLB games.  There isn't anything keeping first parties deving one.

[wandering]

Quote
In a normal baseball game, you don't just press A. You also move the analogue stick to where you want the bat to be to swing. So with the NRC, you can't just swing. You have to move the bat onscreen to where it should be to perfectly hit the ball. So, with that in mind, how much do you have to move the NRC?

the solution is real-time feedback. You'll be able to move the bat around to see how far, say, an inch of movement in real life affects the virtual bat.

I'm thinking you'll swing the revmote a foot, maybe less...and that the revmote will rumble when contact with the ball is made.

[ThePerm]

Quote
Originally posted by: Berto2K
Take Two only has the exclusive right to make 3rd party MLB games.  There isn't anything keeping first parties deving one.

first party would be MLB making a baseball game themselves, to MLB Nintendo is a  third party.

[Bill Aurion]

Um, what?  No, what Berty said was correct...

[Smash_Brother]

I think the Revmote was designed with the concept of motion and on screen interaction in mind.

And I agree that all will be revealed when the man on the screen moves when you move the controller. The Revmote would only be the very base handle of the bat. It's not like the 'mote could ever be a 1:1 control point for an entire baseball bat or Master sword, no. By holding the NRC, you're holding the handle of the bat, sword, etc. and the character on screen will map your motion accordingly.

After 5-10 swings of the bat to see where you're swinging, you'll have no problem determining how to hit.

If you think about it, this is just a scaled-down variation on motion-capture technology which follows a point in space, except that the Rev controller will also track angle and motion.

Trust me, they'll easily be able to make a game that does this. This is exactly the sort of thing the NRC was designed to do.