Re: Gameplay/Presentation for MLB12
To be done...
Gameplay
Baserunning
-- Remove preloading steals. This may be too drastic a change, but what I mean is like what Bobhead said earlier. Make user input count for how good a jump a base stealer has. I'm just taking it further and make it like "early-steal" which is already implemented in the game. If you think about it, there really isn't anything that clearly distinguishes early-steal from regular steal. IRL a runner can take off whenever he wants. And as much as I hate online early stealers who do it just to annoy the opponent, I actually like the dimension it adds to the pitching, the fact that I have to hold runners. With the chance of early-stealing, I actually need to think about when the runner takes off (with regular stealing, I don't have to because it will always be after I deliver to the plate). And thinking about runners, it takes off concentrations toward hitters. That's exactly what running game can add to the game... and I like it! So why not make it the right way to steal? If this is implemented, then it's also essential to make it very hard to go back to the base; once a runner takes off, let him run for a while till giving an option to go back to the original base. What makes early stealing annoying online is that a runner can keep going back to the base easily... it just prolong the game time.
-- CPU early steals. So the previous item explains why I think running game would add a depth that's currently lacking. Perhaps a significant change in the BR interface won't happen for the '12 installment, but to make HUM players guard against running games against CPU, it may be a good idea to add CPU early steals. That way, at least HUM should be aware that CPU base runners *can* take off if you don't pay enough attention to them.
-- Given a major change in base running/stealing interface probably won't happen, give less jump with an early steal and/or make pitchers and fielders react faster. This is mostly online gaming issue, but many gamers use early-steal (with a regular steal timing) just to get GREAT jump on steal. It doesn't matter who the stealer is, David Ortiz steals like Rickey Henderson given an early steal sign. Prince Fielder is a second coming of Lou Brock. This makes home steal unusually successful.
-- Tone down pickoff success. It's just ridiculously easy to pick off runners once they take just one-step lead.
-- (for RTTS) Make it easier to steal. To me it's too hard in '11 to steal even with BR speed/ability/aggressiveness maxed out.
-- (for RTTS) Forward by a pitch. I like controlling base runner in RTTS but it takes too long waiting for every pitch. 1/2 or 3/4 at bats is only a limited time-saver, but when I'm trying to steal, I actually want to wait and run on a particular count, which is only possible if I go through every pitch. So if we can skip forward pitch by pitch, it would be cool...
To be done...
Gameplay
Baserunning
-- Remove preloading steals. This may be too drastic a change, but what I mean is like what Bobhead said earlier. Make user input count for how good a jump a base stealer has. I'm just taking it further and make it like "early-steal" which is already implemented in the game. If you think about it, there really isn't anything that clearly distinguishes early-steal from regular steal. IRL a runner can take off whenever he wants. And as much as I hate online early stealers who do it just to annoy the opponent, I actually like the dimension it adds to the pitching, the fact that I have to hold runners. With the chance of early-stealing, I actually need to think about when the runner takes off (with regular stealing, I don't have to because it will always be after I deliver to the plate). And thinking about runners, it takes off concentrations toward hitters. That's exactly what running game can add to the game... and I like it! So why not make it the right way to steal? If this is implemented, then it's also essential to make it very hard to go back to the base; once a runner takes off, let him run for a while till giving an option to go back to the original base. What makes early stealing annoying online is that a runner can keep going back to the base easily... it just prolong the game time.
-- CPU early steals. So the previous item explains why I think running game would add a depth that's currently lacking. Perhaps a significant change in the BR interface won't happen for the '12 installment, but to make HUM players guard against running games against CPU, it may be a good idea to add CPU early steals. That way, at least HUM should be aware that CPU base runners *can* take off if you don't pay enough attention to them.
-- Given a major change in base running/stealing interface probably won't happen, give less jump with an early steal and/or make pitchers and fielders react faster. This is mostly online gaming issue, but many gamers use early-steal (with a regular steal timing) just to get GREAT jump on steal. It doesn't matter who the stealer is, David Ortiz steals like Rickey Henderson given an early steal sign. Prince Fielder is a second coming of Lou Brock. This makes home steal unusually successful.
-- Tone down pickoff success. It's just ridiculously easy to pick off runners once they take just one-step lead.
-- (for RTTS) Make it easier to steal. To me it's too hard in '11 to steal even with BR speed/ability/aggressiveness maxed out.
-- (for RTTS) Forward by a pitch. I like controlling base runner in RTTS but it takes too long waiting for every pitch. 1/2 or 3/4 at bats is only a limited time-saver, but when I'm trying to steal, I actually want to wait and run on a particular count, which is only possible if I go through every pitch. So if we can skip forward pitch by pitch, it would be cool...
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