This game feels so scripted at times

[allstardad]

Re: This game feels so scripted at times

I would still encourage those who are seeing rubber band AI/Comeback Code/A change in how the game plays, to record the situations when the arise and submit it to the devs for them to review.

Maybe there is something there that is happening they are not aware of? Maybe they can determine what is causing it to happen, if not purposely placed.

This is a never ending debate because you can't convince those who believe its there that its not, nor can you convince those who don't believe that its there, that it actually is.

The best anyone can do is take video proof (that the PS4 makes incredibly easy) and pass it along to the devs. That way they can see exactly what you are seeing and go from there.

[extremeskins04]

Re: This game feels so scripted at times

Is 25% energy a lot left? If you were up 1-0, why not bring in a 100% energy closer.

IMO you got greedy going for the shutout and now have to live with the consequences until the situation rises again.

But this is baseball. I run into these situations at least one time every series.

"Should I have used a pinch hitter?"

"Damn he's making solid contact but he's 0-3 tonight, do I walk him?"

"If I had put in my reliever instead of trying to get that extra inning in"

It's the life of an MLB the Show franchise manager, bro.

You win some, you lose some.

If you won, you probably would've started a thread bragging about your best pitched game. I don't get why some of you don't see the excitement even in a loss. You pitched a hell of a game and just couldn't close it out. It's not some insane CPU coding, it's just baseball.

Also, you can pitch a good game, but if the CPU is making contact , you have to be weary that eventually your luck of warning track balls is going to run out. Not saying this was happening, but plenty of times I pull a starter early because I know even tho the scoreboard is empty, my opponent is tracking the ball well.

You're right. I got greedy and should have brought a reliever in. I figured that my starter wasn't tired yet so he could keep going. He was in fact on a tear.

Great post btw.

[extremeskins04]

Re: This game feels so scripted at times

The reason why this community can never have a serious topic about this issue is NOT because of the people complaining about it, it's because of the people defending it with little to no proof other than to say, "that's baseball" or a programmer walking in and saying, "pretty much." The fact is, if COUNTLESS people have complained about it over the years, it's not a farce, it's not just in our heads, we're not seeing phantoms and ghouls . . . something is going on that needs discussion. The proper way to respond to a topic like this is NOT to insult the OP (or the responders) or to say "LOL," it's to provide your own experiences in an attempt to debate the issue at hand in a constructive manner, something this community seems to have a hard time grasping, especially when it comes to this particular subject.

I believe @kehlis responded a few posts up in response to someone saying he gave up a 2-run homer in the 9th inning of a game he was pitching with Chris Sale, saying something about how that's not really comeback AI and I agree with him 100%. This is not AT ALL what we're debating. Giving up a 2-run jack in the 9th inning with Chris Sale at 25% energy (which is NOT plenty, it's actually QUITE low) to lose a game 2-1 is more on you because in that situation, you should've brought in your closer. And giving up a home run to someone with 65% power is also not uncommon because there are other people in MLB who hit homers besides the Miguel Cabrera's and the Mike Trout's. If anything, I attribute this loss to user mistake, i.e. leaving the starter in too long. You should be lucky you didn't get burned an inning earlier! It's replies like this that bring out the "LOL" responses because they're clearly a frustrated user grasping for straws. I don't know your pitching tendencies, but in situations like this, I almost NEVER throw fastballs because the CPU literally sits on them. Seems this one is more on you than anything.

My assertion is that there are too many times where I will be up multiple runs late in the game, bring in a reliever fully rested, mix locations, speeds and pitches, and still get burned because the CPU decided to foul 8 consecutive pitches off until they either got something they could handle or draw a walk. And it seems (and I'm not imagining this) that the strike zone gets tighter late in the games in order for this to happen. Is this realistic? I understand we have variable umpiring on, but even in real life where variable umpiring exists, umpires almost always (there are exceptions, please don't link to a random YouTube showing one such occurrence) try to maintain a semblance of a consistent zone and they hear about it if they don't! But in this game, it's literally an every-game occurrence where the strike zone changes depending on the situation.

I understand that comebacks happen in real life (thanks to the witty people who think one random occurrence proves a point), but not in the way they seem to happen in this game on the higher levels. Look, I don't even play on AllStar difficulty because I think it's too easy and the CPU doesn't play with enough urgency, so if someone is complaining about this on the lower difficulties, I can honestly say that you're doing something wrong because I am able to alleviate any of this by just pitching effectively. My qualm is with the higher levels and because the PCI is so large, the CPU is able to fight off pitch after pitch until they get something they can handle and that's not really baseball.

Look, do I think there is comeback logic built into the game? No. Do I think there is logic built in that makes something happen on the higher difficulty levels late in games where the CPU gets tougher? Yes. Do I think confidence is overdone to achieve this goal? Yes. Do I think relievers being underestimated is a tool to achieve this? Yes. Do I think the strike zone changes in certain situations to give the team down a greater advantage (user or CPU)? Yes. Do I think some magic code kicks in that absolutely, unequivocally is going to make the CPU get hits and score runs no matter what you do? No. I've said my piece.

I was the one who was complaining about me pitching an almost perfect game with Chris Sale who I left in too long. After I read a few other posts since then (including yours), I changed my thinking. You guys are right. I was just frustrated because I wanted that shutout and it just seemed like "things happen" in the 9th.

Anyways, good post.

[Skyboxer]

Re: This game feels so scripted at times

Well we can only go off of what each of us has experienced.
I'll make this final comment and move on since I do not have any issues with late game stuff.

I've won games by coming back late, lost some giving up runs late..
Also had games where I led early and held throughout... and games where I was never in it.
Through roughly 1 month my closer had blown 1 save. and I believe closed out 12 or so(Can't remember the exact number). The rest were out of reach 1 way or another.
And yes I've seen hitters get "seemingly" tougher at different times (Clutch rating maybe coming into play??) and I still don't give in and have had plenty of K's where they get fooled or swing at a pitch outside the zone, and some where I eventually give up a hit or walk.
The same things we see in real life, IMO.

Seeing the beautuiful different outcomes due to ratings and my ability to make good decisions OR bad decisions is the essence of the game. That's the complete opposite of "Scripted"

Seeing all the data from my experience with my dynasty so far and coming up with a conclusion = No hidden codes are late game oddities.

[abbysinthe]

Re: This game feels so scripted at times

...My assertion is that there are too many times where I will be up multiple runs late in the game, bring in a reliever fully rested, mix locations, speeds and pitches, and still get burned because the CPU decided to foul 8 consecutive pitches off until they either got something they could handle or draw a walk. And it seems (and I'm not imagining this) that the strike zone gets tighter late in the games in order for this to happen. Is this realistic? I understand we have variable umpiring on, but even in real life where variable umpiring exists, umpires almost always (there are exceptions, please don't link to a random YouTube showing one such occurrence) try to maintain a semblance of a consistent zone and they hear about it if they don't! But in this game, it's literally an every-game occurrence where the strike zone changes depending on the situation...

This!!!

I mentioned this in another thread and was attacked. I have pitched 2 seasons worth of games in RTTS. Umps strike zones during the game have whiplash. It's variable strike zones from pitch to pitch, not one game to the next.

[Padgoi]

Re: This game feels so scripted at times

This I agree. Variable umpiring should not be pitch to pitch, it should be game to game.

[HustlinOwl]

Re: This game feels so scripted at times

This I agree. Variable umpiring should not be pitch to pitch, it should be game to game.

it is pitch to pitch though, Ive seen plenty of times in baseball as well as playing where a pitch would be called a strike and an inning later the ump will call it a ball same location same pitch etc.

[reduced price]

Re: This game feels so scripted at times

I'm wondering if there are players out there who only do MOM, what are your experiences with this so - called, "comeback code" or rubber-band effect? Do you notice anything like that? I'm thinking if you are an MOM player the skill of the gamer doesn't count as much as if you controlled the players. Using MOM, doesn't that mean the game is played more to the actual players stats and not the gamers skills? Wouldn't that be a truer measure if there is such a thing as comeback code and not a case of just plain frustration in losing a game you thought you had in the bank? Does anyone want to weigh in here? I get frustrated in losing games late, but most of the time I pin the loss on myself, but there are times when I believe t hings get a bit "too tight"

[reduced price]

Re: This game feels so scripted at times

it is pitch to pitch though, Ive seen plenty of times in baseball as well as playing where a pitch would be called a strike and an inning later the ump will call it a ball same location same pitch etc.

I agree totally with this and I'll take it a step further. You'll see an ump blow a call on a pitch and then in the same at bat call an obvious strike a ball, to make up for his previous mistake. It's only human nature.

[dpower15]

Re: This game feels so scripted at times

I hate to admit it but it does feel scripted quite often. I just dropped 6 runs in the first inning. I come out for the bottom half, first batter fouled off 9 straight pitches and eventually drew a walk (despite two balls being very well within the strike zone and called balls). Next batter takes two straight pitches, again both in strike zone and called balls, fouls a few off, then doubles into the corner on a curveball in the dirt. Next guy comes up and gets another hit on a waste pitch.

I finally get an out or two and on a two seamer tailing out of the outside bottom corner of the zone Freddy Galvis hits an opposite field BOMB to get them to 5 runs in the inning.

Next inning I score 1 run to get to 7-5.

I'll bet what you can guess happened in the bottom half. More bs calls and guys getting hits that just don't happen for people who are not elite hitters (please don't try to defend Galvis hitting a 420 foot opposite field homer on a pitching tailing down and out of the zone away from him, that does not happen)


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[Knight165]

Re: This game feels so scripted at times

One question.

Why?
Why would they even bother scripting games?

The devs have said time and time again....there is no scripting.

Also...if the game is scripted....I want someone to save a game before "they know what's coming"......post the save file.....and tell us what's going to happen.
If the game is "scripted"....you should be able to nail the result.
It's either locked in or it's not.

Nobody has ever taken up the challenge.
Should be even easier now with the ability to stream games.
Multiple users playing the same game should result in the same result no matter what...right?

M.K.
Knight165

[@legendm0de]

Re: This game feels so scripted at times

The reason why this community can never have a serious topic about this issue is NOT because of the people complaining about it, it's because of the people defending it with little to no proof other than to say, "that's baseball" or a programmer walking in and saying, "pretty much." The fact is, if COUNTLESS people have complained about it over the years, it's not a farce, it's not just in our heads, we're not seeing phantoms and ghouls . . . something is going on that needs discussion. The proper way to respond to a topic like this is NOT to insult the OP (or the responders) or to say "LOL," it's to provide your own experiences in an attempt to debate the issue at hand in a constructive manner, something this community seems to have a hard time grasping, especially when it comes to this particular subject.

I believe @kehlis responded a few posts up in response to someone saying he gave up a 2-run homer in the 9th inning of a game he was pitching with Chris Sale, saying something about how that's not really comeback AI and I agree with him 100%. This is not AT ALL what we're debating. Giving up a 2-run jack in the 9th inning with Chris Sale at 25% energy (which is NOT plenty, it's actually QUITE low) to lose a game 2-1 is more on you because in that situation, you should've brought in your closer. And giving up a home run to someone with 65% power is also not uncommon because there are other people in MLB who hit homers besides the Miguel Cabrera's and the Mike Trout's. If anything, I attribute this loss to user mistake, i.e. leaving the starter in too long. You should be lucky you didn't get burned an inning earlier! It's replies like this that bring out the "LOL" responses because they're clearly a frustrated user grasping for straws. I don't know your pitching tendencies, but in situations like this, I almost NEVER throw fastballs because the CPU literally sits on them. Seems this one is more on you than anything.

My assertion is that there are too many times where I will be up multiple runs late in the game, bring in a reliever fully rested, mix locations, speeds and pitches, and still get burned because the CPU decided to foul 8 consecutive pitches off until they either got something they could handle or draw a walk. And it seems (and I'm not imagining this) that the strike zone gets tighter late in the games in order for this to happen. Is this realistic? I understand we have variable umpiring on, but even in real life where variable umpiring exists, umpires almost always (there are exceptions, please don't link to a random YouTube showing one such occurrence) try to maintain a semblance of a consistent zone and they hear about it if they don't! But in this game, it's literally an every-game occurrence where the strike zone changes depending on the situation.

I understand that comebacks happen in real life (thanks to the witty people who think one random occurrence proves a point), but not in the way they seem to happen in this game on the higher levels. Look, I don't even play on AllStar difficulty because I think it's too easy and the CPU doesn't play with enough urgency, so if someone is complaining about this on the lower difficulties, I can honestly say that you're doing something wrong because I am able to alleviate any of this by just pitching effectively. My qualm is with the higher levels and because the PCI is so large, the CPU is able to fight off pitch after pitch until they get something they can handle and that's not really baseball.

Look, do I think there is comeback logic built into the game? No. Do I think there is logic built in that makes something happen on the higher difficulty levels late in games where the CPU gets tougher? Yes. Do I think confidence is overdone to achieve this goal? Yes. Do I think relievers being underestimated is a tool to achieve this? Yes. Do I think the strike zone changes in certain situations to give the team down a greater advantage (user or CPU)? Yes. Do I think some magic code kicks in that absolutely, unequivocally is going to make the CPU get hits and score runs no matter what you do? No. I've said my piece.

The reason I come in defending the topic is because I play the game in many different ways, and do so year after year. I have seen games won and lost by astronomical margins like 14-2 (even a couple of times in the twenties), I have been on the winning end of games, such as 9-0. I have seen many seesaw games, especially when I played a franchise with the Phillies, one of the most notable hitters ballparks in the game. I have seen this game up and down many different ways and in my personal opinion I have never come away from the game feeling as if the outcomes or the actions that took place were scripted or rigged. No matter which level, or slider of CPU intelligence I applied, the outcomes of the game felt more of something I was responsible for that only I could have made an adjustment to do better or differently. So the notion that another could convince me that the game was scripted, especially just based on one account of a 2-1 come from behind game (which is the primary example i saw coming in), is something that is a tall order for me to see agreement with.

I, like you, play at the highest difficulties possible, my suggestion is that you understand how you have to adapt to the gameplay because the nature of the game lends to abnormal ability for all players, to execute pitches, or plate appearances because it ultimately is a video game. Unless you strive to narrow those elements of the game and their (cpu) abilities to execute robotically, you will suffer from some fictional elements of MLB 14 The Show which probably frustrates you as a player when you are having games decided by them.

Striking that balance of stripping away these fictional elements and risking handicapping the ability of your cpu counterparts is a very delicate and high responsibility in this particular game. But unless you strive to go for that balance, to bring to your games, you will otherwise have to accept some of the above and beyond, gamish, elements you can experience in MLB The Show because ultimately it is packaged to you as a video game, not a SIM CORE MLB ordeal, so you have to accept what you are playing or take up the responsibility to make adjustments appropriately to bring out the game you want to experience.

[PsychoBulk]

Re: This game feels so scripted at times

One question.

Why?
Why would they even bother scripting games?

The devs have said time and time again....there is no scripting.

Also...if the game is scripted....I want someone to save a game before "they know what's coming"......post the save file.....and tell us what's going to happen.
If the game is "scripted"....you should be able to nail the result.
It's either locked in or it's not.

Nobody has ever taken up the challenge.
Should be even easier now with the ability to stream games.
Multiple users playing the same game should result in the same result no matter what...right?

M.K.
Knight165

Its a challenge no one who believes in this bull...scripting has ever taken up, is taking up or will ever take up.

You know why, i know why, and 95% of the other regulars in here know why.

If people only did a little bit of research they would see so many games, and i mean masses, loads, every night, are won by a team coming back from behind, or a teams bullpen blowing up, or blowing a big lead.

Putting some runs on the board first guarantees nothing.

Anyway, thats me done, this crap gets trotted out year after year, no matter what the devs (who are clearly all lying ) say, so really, its like Groundhog Day.

Im off to enjoy the game for what it is

[Padgoi]

Re: This game feels so scripted at times

Its a challenge no one who believes in this bull...scripting has ever taken up, is taking up or will ever take up.

You know why, i know why, and 95% of the other regulars in here know why.

If people only did a little bit of research they would see so many games, and i mean masses, loads, every night, are won by a team coming back from behind, or a teams bullpen blowing up, or blowing a big lead.

Putting some runs on the board first guarantees nothing.

Anyway, thats me done, this crap gets trotted out year after year, no matter what the devs (who are clearly all lying ) say, so really, its like Groundhog Day.

Im off to enjoy the game for what it is

Herein lies the EXACT reason why this subject comes up every year and turns into a pointless argument where neither side is willing to listen to reason. Responses like this (as I alluded to in my previous post) are what alienates users and what causes arguments and pointless banter. Just because you say so doesn't mean it is so. And just because we say so doesn't mean it is so. And you know what . . . just because the devs say so doesn't mean it is so. It's called keeping an open mind instead of just assuming that the reality laid out in front of you isn't what it appears to be.

And Knight, we've discussed your EXACT question in the past and you always seem to ignore the answer - the purpose it serves is to keep the games challenging and exciting. No one wants to go 162-0. If we did, no one would play. That's why Double Dribble and Baseball Stars are considered arcade games. There is a fine line between what's realistic and what's "scripted." I'm actually on the other side of the fence in that I get upset when I make comebacks when I'm down a lot of runs because I can just feel it coming. That's why I never make topics about having tremendous comebacks and doing this and that, it still feels wrong on either side of the fence to me. That's why people who argue this particular subject get bashed - they only see the games they lose whereas I see games I win!

For the third time, I don't think the outcomes are IN ANY WAY scripted. I don't think the CPU is hard-coded to score runs and get hits to make games closer. I DO think the CPU "buckles down" in the late innings when they're down, making it incredibly difficult to execute pitches. And I do think the CPU has a habit of throwing meatballs when they're up big. Does it necessarily mean it's impossible to prevent a comeback (or make one of your own)? Of course not! It's just much more difficult in the later innings because relievers are undervalued and the strike zone seems to change to be advantageous to the team that's down.

[Padgoi]

Re: This game feels so scripted at times

it is pitch to pitch though, Ive seen plenty of times in baseball as well as playing where a pitch would be called a strike and an inning later the ump will call it a ball same location same pitch etc.

That's my point. You've seen "plenty of times" where this has happened, but it's NOT the norm. In this game, it is the norm for the zone to change pitch to pitch and inning to inning.