Give me quicker gameplay

[TheBrew101]

I realize I may be in the minority but as much as I enjoy playing The Show, I want the games to go faster (I'm writing in regards to franchise mode). Quick counts is awesome and helps but let's do more. Even on "fast" gameplay I'm spending more time than I want watching opposing pitcher stare at me when I'm batting. Give me a setting where it goes even faster (sort if like Super Mega Baseball 4 with quick counts). Rapid fire those pitches to me!!!

When I'm pitching, I'd like a "one pitch mode." Again probably in minority but I find pitching dull. I do like fielding however so simming pitching doesn't feel right as I lose too much connection. Give me an option like Out Of The Park Baseball where I press a button and it is an action scenario (walk, strikeout, a ball on field I must play, a stolen base I must try to throw out runner, etc.). Obviously in Out Of The Park there is not actual action as you watch it play out; however, the concept here is the same except after the "one pitch action button" you are in the field playing out the play as normal.

I enjoy the game but I much rather would prefer to get a game in within 15-20 minutes if I choose. Franchise mode is 162 games of 9 inning play (we have no options currently to change this). I'd enjoy being able to cruise through games faster and I think it is doable to offer settings to allow this. Real baseball has the pitch clock to quicken the pace, let's work giving us faster play options in the game.

[tinpanalley]

Re: Give me quicker gameplay

I honestly think the number one thing that has impded me from finishing a complete season since the PS2 or early PS3 days is that games take me an hour to play. And that's if they don't go into extra innings. I don't know what the x-factor is but MVP and 2K never take me longer than 40 minutes. An hour or more starts becoming an unreasonably long time to be playing a game for. I love baseball, but OOTP is too little control for me and The Show is just a tad too lengthy of an experience. I think it's why I've naturally gravitated more to NHL and FIFA.

[noarmsduck]

Re: Give me quicker gameplay

I love pitching, but there's no harm in including more options for faster gameplay for those who don't.

[CgyFlames]

Re: Give me quicker gameplay

I am all in favor of more options to play games the way you want to and that “one pitch” idea is great. However, I do think it should be mentioned that SDS has already put in a lot of work to speed up play in recent years.

1. Quick counts (~40 minutes / game)
2. Player lock (10)
3. Quick sim (5) + you can jump in at any time
4. Critical situations / March to October (essentially the same on the field)

So yes, they may not include the exact way you or even I want to play, but they have given us lots of choices. If you’re playing long games in 2023, it’s because you choose to rather than have to.

[bcruise]

Re: Give me quicker gameplay

Re: OOTP and the comparison to quick counts - allow me to play a bit of devils' advocate here:

There's one very important difference when it comes to comparing The Show's Quick Counts to OOTP's one pitch capability - user agency. No matter what the game decides is going to be the "result pitch" of an at-bat (which is more or less what Quick Counts tries to do), the user can manipulate that into not being the case. Either purposely (by refusing to swing on a 3-1 fastball down the middle, for example) or unintentionally (the all-too-familiar foul ball trains). Seeing more than one pitch in quick count scenarios extends game time, and because the user is playing these moments in real time there's only so much that can be done about it. Compare with RTTS "Result Play" - i.e what happens when the user is not actively participating - where the only pitch you see is nearly always the last of an at-bat (or something else happens like a stolen base). It's able to do that because the user has no input and the result of the pitcher/batter interaction has already been simulated - before it's shown to the player.

For pitching I probably don't even have to explain this, but unless every at-bat happened on a generated full count a "one-pitch" pitching mode would be impossible because the user pitcher has such great agency over where and how they deliver the ball. Say you started with a generated 1-2 count on the batter and decide to aim a fastball in the other batter's box - Is the CPU really supposed to swing at that simply because it's supposed to be the "result pitch"? Even if you're playing honest and don't actively try to manipulate the AI like that, it can still happen through bad input/the whims of classic pitching, putting the CPU batter in the same impossible scenario.

OOTP is closer to The Show's Result Play than Quick Counts because the user has no direct input in its one-pitch setup, and that's why it's able to generate an outcome on the one pitch that plays out for you. It's possible to give the batter instructions in the one pitch mode, but telling it to "take a pitch" will result in the engine only playing a single pitch - NOT the entire at-bat. Only the "Swing Away" option engages the true "one-pitch mode" where the count is simulated as normal and eventually ends in the one pitch the player sees, even when pitch-by-pitch is disabled. So, not even OOTP has an answer for how to allow the player to intervene without manipulating the results. Also, OOTP's options for pitching strategy are VERY limited for the user manager - you can't tell it where to throw a pitch specifically, only "pitch to batter", "pitch around" and "pitch to contact", all of which trigger an entire AB to be simulated. You can also tell it to IBB or hit the batter, but those are "Result Plays" in itself.

Quick counts can absolutely be improved, even before you start talking about the bugs that were introduced this year. Toning down the foul balls should be a higher priority because they extend at-bats in a situation where the generated count already dictates the length of the at-bat. But I'm not sure you'll ever get to a true one-pitch quick count mode while the user has control of the bat or the ball.

[Feros Ferio 7]

Re: Give me quicker gameplay

Could just implement all at bats start with a 3-2 count. Won't guarantee one pitch as the aforementioned foul offs but it would make every pitch an action pitch.

Wouldn't want to play that way myself but I'd bet enough would.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[CgyFlames]

Re: Give me quicker gameplay

Could just implement all at bats start with a 3-2 count. Won't guarantee one pitch as the aforementioned foul offs but it would make every pitch an action pitch.

Wouldn't want to play that way myself but I'd bet enough would.

I’ve long advocated that they should copy an older baseball title (I forgot which one) and just put two settings in the menu.

Starting count balls: 0,1,2,3,random
Starting count strikes: 0,1,2,random

There you go. Two settings and now everyone can have exactly what they want.

[TheBrew101]

Re: Give me quicker gameplay

My thought on the "action button" would only apply to pitching/defense against CPU. In my mind it would work sort of similar to how it works now when you play RTTS and have it set on defense where you only play defense when the sim engine determines it is being hit to you. So in some ways this mechanic is sort of already in the game but in a different way. The way I envision the action button is you get the normal view you would if playing franchise mode against CPU, you press the button, your pitcher makes a pitch and the play plays out. It wouldn't have to be a 3-2 count. It just plays put based on sim engine like RTTS except every play is an action play (whether it be a K, a BB, a single a ball hit to SS that you would control, a ball hit to CF that you would control, etc.).

I know it wouldn't be for everyone but I think it would get a fair amount of use. It would feel akin to RTTS except you are playing everyone in the field on a normal broadcast view on the "action play" in lieu of just one person in first person view.

When playing OTTP baseball, it isn't always a 3-2 count on the action button. It just means something is going to happen. That is what I'd want here. It could be various counts. We just see the pitcher pitch and then we are in control. It could he a CPU homerun. It could be a hit towards SS where we them maybe have to make a diving play (or routine play). So we are still involved in whole game. But there aren't foul balls, we aren't actually pitching (that is ratings based), you aren't sitting watching balls and strikes, every play is action. This way our defenders still matter, we still have some impact on game (have to make the plays on defense, throw to right bases, etc.). But it is super streamlined so can get through games faster.

Anyway, I think they can speed up the whole process in a streamlined way even if my idea isn't feasible. Even without that they can make the CPU pitch with even less delay. I don't need to see the CPU outfielder throw the ball in after a catch, if my outfielder makes a catch and nobody on base then snap back to pitcher right away, etc. Those are all nice touches and can remain for those who want the presentation stuff. I would like options for faster play where I don't see any of that stuff and I am immediately back in the action.

I should add I'm not ripping developers for not giving us options. As noted above I know there is player lock and other things we can do. I would just like an option for the most streamlined game they can possibly give us where we can still control everyone. A normal game but sped up to the extreme (even if means turning off announcers because they can't keep up with action....that is fine in this "extreme speed mode".).

[baconbits11]

Re: Give me quicker gameplay

I’ve long advocated that they should copy an older baseball title (I forgot which one) and just put two settings in the menu.



Starting count balls: 0,1,2,3,random

Starting count strikes: 0,1,2,random



There you go. Two settings and now everyone can have exactly what they want.

That was All Star Baseball. High Heat had a one pitch mode.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[CgyFlames]

Re: Give me quicker gameplay

That was All Star Baseball. High Heat had a one pitch mode.

Ha, thanks for the assist! Back in the day there was 5 different licensed game each year and 4 of them I’d only play for an hour at a friend’s house. It’s hard to keep track of what game did what two decades later!

[knich1]

Re: Give me quicker gameplay

I am all in favor of more options to play games the way you want to and that “one pitch” idea is great. However, I do think it should be mentioned that SDS has already put in a lot of work to speed up play in recent years.

1. Quick counts (~40 minutes / game)
2. Player lock (10)
3. Quick sim (5) + you can jump in at any time
4. Critical situations / March to October (essentially the same on the field)

So yes, they may not include the exact way you or even I want to play, but they have given us lots of choices. If you’re playing long games in 2023, it’s because you choose to rather than have to.

I agree. I think the last thing this game needs is faster gameplay. It is a baseball game that has 9 innings. You can easily play a full game in 40 minutes with QC if you want. Any faster and you are looking for an arcade game. I think the SHOW already has an arcade mode.

MLB has done wonderful job of speeding up pace of play. Those of us who prefer real time play are frustrated that SDS has cut it out when anyone who wants to skip the between pitch animations can just press a button. There is also already fast play mode.