Last night I had the chance to discuss everything 2K Sports’ Major League Baseball 2K8 related with the game’s producer, Ben Brinkman. We discussed changes to the game since 2K6 and what he thinks of all the new features.

In Ben’s opinion, 2K6 and 2K7 was just about getting the game right, with 2K8 being the year to refine gameplay and add new features. This was accomplished with a completely new simulation AI, including the batter/pitcher interface, fielding, and base running. New controls have been added, mainly in the pitching area, to make the game feel more realistic.

If you haven’t heard about the new pitching interface in MLB 2K8, you no longer just press the A/X button a couple times. You now have to use the right analog stick to pull back and press forward with a specific motion for each pitch type. For example, a curve ball may have you pushing forward with a half circle to the left. It’s all about timing, as you need to “throw” the ball as the pitcher on screen goes through the motion. While adding a much more fluid pitching dynamic, this adds to the realism of gameplay by making pitching a bit more random. In previous years, you could pick a spot and paint the corners with absolute precision with any pitcher. With the new right analog stick controls, your pitcher’s control rating and how well you execute the pitch determines how close to your target the pitch ends up. If you’ve ever tried to pitch in real life, this is how it works. Admittedly, this new control scheme isn’t easy at first. But give it 5-10 minutes and you won’t want to go back to just pressing a button a few times.

Some of the pitching elements from 2K7 have returned, most notably the Payoff Pitch. This year, however, instead of shaking and rumble, the Payoff Pitch is even more challenging with the right analog stick. Your pitcher’s confidence and control ratings have a big impact on how well you execute for the Payoff pitch.

The batter/pitcher AI has also been redone from the ground up as well. Hot and cold zones hold more weight this year than previous iterations of the game. Two new pitching cameras in this area give the game a bit more realistic presentation, with multiple new batting cameras to give the player a better sense of pitch speed and trajectory. On the batting front, the types of hits you see in the game have been increased since 2K7. No more will it be either a single or home run, as hump-back liners, gap-shooting doubles, etc. have been added to the game. Now sounds for the crack of the bat have been introduced as well, with each sound you hear determined by how well you make contact, what part of the bat hits the ball, the angle of the bat to the ball, and a few other factors.

Fielding AI tweaks this year fall along with the general theme of making the game more realistic. Opposing fielders won’t be taking a perfect line to the ball every time anymore. Also, something that brings a smile to my face, is that wall climb catches will happen less frequently. My biggest gripe about MLB 2K7 was CPU outfielders robbing home runs almost every time. Improved controls for fielding go along with the AI tweaks to make it an all around better experience. To go along with fielding, base running AI has also been improved. Runners will no longer run into outs, causing you to throw your controller. You’ll see a lot more intelligent base running, with players scoring from second base on singles to the outfield.

For the first time, 90 minor league teams are fully playable in MLB 2K8. During a season or franchise mode, you have the opportunity to play anywhere from none to all of the minor league games for your team. The development team added 18 authentic minor league stadiums, with 3 generic stadiums for the remaining teams. Unfortunately, 2K does not have the pull minor league players license, so you’ll only be seeing a few real names for minor league players. A feature that intrigues me is developing your minor league players. The more games you take control of, the faster those players will develop. If you need to fast track that prospect pitcher, you’ll have to play all of the minor league games where he pitches.

A new trading card feature has also been introduced in MLB 2K8. You’ll be able to unlock cards by performing challenges in the game or buying new card packs with in-game credits. Think Madden cards, but on steroids. You’ll be able to trade cards over Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network to complete your card set.

The game will be running at or close to 60fps at 1080i on both the Xbox 360 and PS3, which is nice. The game won’t ever drop even to 30fps, so be prepared for a buttery smooth baseball experience. Other things of note are roster updates coming at regular intervals throughout the season (new Japanese players won’t be added until after the start of the season due to MLBPA regulation). The PA announcer will be saying names better this year as well.

Overall, it sounds like a great step forward for the series. A demo has been submitted to both Microsoft and Sony and should be released soon. The game ships in a week and half for the Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii, so get ready to swing for the fences.