Defensive Urgency

[Kodii Rockets]

Re: Defensive Urgency

FWIW I feel like baserunner speed is too fast in general (I've put the stopwatch on players going home to 3rd compared to videos of their real life selves). So there's not really any harm in doing this at all. I also put fielder speed down to 3 to compensate - it opens up the outfield and allows for some more extra base hits even with the slower runner speed. That's still a bit of a WIP, but I like what I'm seeing.

Might be a concidence but I've also seen far fewer dumb AI decisions on the basepaths since I made that change, particularly the decision to try and score.

Now that you mention it, I have only seen one instance of the CPU guy rounding the bases like his hair was on fire since using A&S's sliders the past 3 weeks(Mike Stanton, trying to score from 1st on a base hit).

Before that, I was playing a lot of conquest games w/ default sliders and saw it way more often than I would like.

[Armor and Sword]

Re: Defensive Urgency

Fielder Run Speed - 3 (great players will stand out even more)
Fielder Reaction - 3 (great players will stand out even more)
Fielder Arm Strength Infield - 5 (+1)
Fielder Arm Strength Outfield - 4
Baserunner Speed - 3 (this really makes ratings matter)

Only thing I am looking at is moving up infield arm strength one more to 6. It's a maybe. I rarely if ever see 60 or below speed make it to first on infield grounders to SS even with the lazy "sit back and wait for the ball" animation. But every now and then one sneaks in that should not have. hence thinking about that INF arm strength at 6 will be the perfect tweak.

[bcruise]

Re: Defensive Urgency

I haven't timed any longer runs like that yet. How about home-to-second times? Too fast like with home-to-third?

I ask because I've seen scouting tables for home-to-second times, so I was wondering if you noticed anything.

Home-to-first seems okay at 5. When I convert 0-99 to 20-80 and then put the scouting scale - guys seem to run based on where it would fit (granted I'm converting ratings, but still it's always been very close).

Could runners be too fast going for extra bases but running realistic home-to-first?

The easy answer for why I'm using home to 3rd is because I don't trust my timekeeping ability enough to deal with hundredths of seconds - even to 3rd is tenths of a second difference in the sliders. Even with checking the same play over and over and getting averages I still can't be sure. Sure I have to make assumptions that the running speed is constant all the way around the bases, but this measurement is as precise as I feel like I can comfortably go.

I may need need to re-evaluate this though - I was messing around again with Hamilton today and was getting significantly slower than usual times at 3. I know there's a slight variance in the time it takes to get out of the box, but I was seeing some times up over 11 seconds and that's just too slow when he's supposed to be full-out sprinting.

That said, ultimately I'm more interested in making the game play right instead of being 100% aesthetically accurate - IF the slower baserunner speed is indeed causing the AI to make better baserunning decisions, I'll trade that for a few tenths of a second slower running speed every time.

Polo Grounds is a really good place to test triples on, btw.

[KBLover]

Re: Defensive Urgency

That said, ultimately I'm more interested in making the game play right instead of being 100% aesthetically accurate - IF the slower baserunner speed is indeed causing the AI to make better baserunning decisions, I'll trade that for a few tenths of a second slower running speed every time.

It's not about aestethics for me. My thinking is that if the running speed is realistic (the guys run what they should on default baserunner speed), then the problems are elsewhere.

That's why I'm looking at throws, both to see if they are too soft and to compensate for the animations.

It's just a matter of what accommodations you want to make, imo, not just getting it to look good.

The main reason that started me on this was Jorge Mateo flying down the line and I thought "this is what people were seeing", so I timed it and he nailed the "80" home-1st speed. So I started checking 50 guys beating out hits and such.

Given the slower guys shouldn't be beating out hits and yet they are while running realistically, that led me to throws.

But it's not just for looks, imo.

[bestbrother]

Re: Defensive Urgency

Ive seen an animation crop up again where by, in an attempt to turn a double play, the throw from 2nd to 1st is basically floated/looped and in no way urgent to first.

Which easily allows the runner to beat it out. Its like a lazy way of playing catch if that makes sense. Now it seems to happen when a slide into 2nd occurs, so im assuming its triggered as an effect for the DP to be broken up. But still, looks frustrating and more so when you are desperate for that to be turned into 2.

[bcruise]

Re: Defensive Urgency

Ive seen an animation crop up again where by, in an attempt to turn a double play, the throw from 2nd to 1st is basically floated/looped and in no way urgent to first.

Which easily allows the runner to beat it out. Its like a lazy way of playing catch if that makes sense. Now it seems to happen when a slide into 2nd occurs, so im assuming its triggered as an effect for the DP to be broken up. But still, looks frustrating and more so when you are desperate for that to be turned into 2.

Was it a 3-6-1 with the pitcher trying to cover 1st, by any chance? I know that I've seen lob/delayed throws sometimes if the pitcher is slow to first. Haven't seen it any other time,though.

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[ManiacMatt1782]

Re: Defensive Urgency

The issue I find is I want to charge the ball and preload the throw, but sometimes preloading the throw takes over an animation and makes the SS wait on the ball and not have the best throw possible. That seems to be the biggest issue at SS for me.

[jeff.ragauskis]

Re: Defensive Urgency

Thank you everyone for all of the discussion.

I have little experience ( Ok, none) with adjusting sliders. As we all know, franchise mode WITHOUT OSFM is not an option for us hardcore baseball guys. It adds so much to the game.

Is there a slider set you guys recommend that is on that level?

[Armor and Sword]

Re: Defensive Urgency

The issue I find is I want to charge the ball and preload the throw, but sometimes preloading the throw takes over an animation and makes the SS wait on the ball and not have the best throw possible. That seems to be the biggest issue at SS for me.

I think your on to something there. I have pre-loaded throws from short and third and had some laziness kick in.

I am going to wait longer on deeper ground balls not smoked...same to third base. I will report back.

PS infield throwing power to 6 is a great little adjustment with base-runner speed at 3.

[KBLover]

Re: Defensive Urgency

Curious to know your findings. I don't often preload throws unless it's a routine play and then I do it shortly before I expect the fielder to have the ball.

Never thought that would matter to animations. If a guy is going to play the ball a certain way...why would having the base you want to throw in mind when you read the ball (pre-loading) change how he needs to attack the ball?

Interesting.

[wizfan2]

Re: Defensive Urgency

Would be nice if they had managerial sliders like in "High Heat" and you could set infield or outfield for aggressive or conservative depending on game situations.(ex. up by a run, have your outfield play balls conservative, so you don't get the "diving fielder" have one get by & roll to the fence.

[zpq12]

Re: Defensive Urgency

What is the nature of the throw mechanic? Is it limited to hold until the meter is full or do you have to hold the button harder?