This game CHEATS...

[WeWereGiants]

Re: This game CHEATS...

I have never rage quit more with a video game than I have with this one, and I've been playing video games since my dad first got us an NES with Super Mario Bros, Duck Hunt, and World Class Track Meet all on one cartridge.

A few of my beefs:

- I echo what you said about pitchers fielding bunts/dribblers on the 3rd base side of the mound. Instead of slowing down approaching the ball, bare handing it, and immediately firing it to first, the pitcher will run full speed through the ball, pick it up, and then take two or three steps toward the 3rd base dugout to set himself before the throw.

- Outfielder AI is atrocious. Outfielders dive way too frequently on fly balls - and don't dive enough on balls rolling into the gap. Both achieve the same result: the outfielder on the ground with the ball rolling for ages.

- I've maintained since the game first came out that in RttS mode you are forced to have slumps. If you're hitting really well, eventually you will start making terrible contact where you previously were hitting home runs. I understand it's realistic, but I play video games to escape from reality.

^^^ That said, we must always keep in mind that baseball is inherently a frustrating sport. Remember, if you only succeed 3 out of every 10 times, you're one of the best ever.

[PowerofRed25]

Re: This game CHEATS...

I have never rage quit more with a video game than I have with this one, and I've been playing video games since my dad first got us an NES with Super Mario Bros, Duck Hunt, and World Class Track Meet all on one cartridge.

A few of my beefs:

- I echo what you said about pitchers fielding bunts/dribblers on the 3rd base side of the mound. Instead of slowing down approaching the ball, bare handing it, and immediately firing it to first, the pitcher will run full speed through the ball, pick it up, and then take two or three steps toward the 3rd base dugout to set himself before the throw.

- Outfielder AI is atrocious. Outfielders dive way too frequently on fly balls - and don't dive enough on balls rolling into the gap. Both achieve the same result: the outfielder on the ground with the ball rolling for ages.

- I've maintained since the game first came out that in RttS mode you are forced to have slumps. If you're hitting really well, eventually you will start making terrible contact where you previously were hitting home runs. I understand it's realistic, but I play video games to escape from reality.

^^^ That said, we must always keep in mind that baseball is inherently a frustrating sport. Remember, if you only succeed 3 out of every 10 times, you're one of the best ever.

Funny you mention forced slumps. For my pitching RTTS. I just had a series of games where I went 7 IP, 1 ER, 8 IP, 0 ER and a perfect game, about as hot as I could be, and then right after I gave up 6 ER and 5 ER in my next two starts. Which was shortly thereafter followed by a DL stint for a shoulder strain and when I returned 15 days later, I was in the BULLPEN! I am pretty sure I have to be the only person in the history of baseball to throw a perfect game and record a save (2) in the same season.

I finally got my starting rotation job back after a few weeks of bullpen work and I've become the #1 SP, ace of the staff. This game does some funny things.

[PsychoBulk]

Re: This game CHEATS...

That said, we must always keep in mind that baseball is inherently a frustrating sport. Remember, if you only succeed 3 out of every 10 times, you're one of the best ever.

Excellent point.

Im glad this thread has been left open as some of the comments have been very informative and downright funny.

Good stuff fellas.

[pistolpete]

Re: This game CHEATS...

I felt the same way for a time, then I learned to just fast forward pitching. It's phenomenal.

[redsfan4life]

Re: This game CHEATS...

I just had the bases loaded in the 14th inning of a 7-7 game. No outs. I didn't score a run. Pop up and then a rocket to third..right at Hanley for a 5-4-3 DP. Sigh. Gave up a walk off HR the first pitch of the bottom half to Greg friggin' Dobbs. I am not pleased. The game isn't cheating, just some really bad luck on my behalf. Oh well, still sitting at .500. I had 20 hits and still lost.

[HustlinOwl]

Re: This game CHEATS...

I just had the bases loaded in the 14th inning of a 7-7 game. No outs. I didn't score a run. Pop up and then a rocket to third..right at Hanley for a 5-4-3 DP. Sigh. Gave up a walk off HR the first pitch of the bottom half to Greg friggin' Dobbs. I am not pleased. The game isn't cheating, just some really bad luck on my behalf. Oh well, still sitting at .500. I had 20 hits and still lost.

lay down a squeeze and Dobbs stats back it up

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...=dobbsgr01&t=b

[Cavicchi]

Re: This game CHEATS...

I keep things short and to the point.

When I was playing on HOF difficulty, I noticed some things that seemed to swing in the AIs favor.

One was fielding. In reality, I've never seen A Rod field a lazy grounder, then casually throw to 2nd to turn two and the ball ends up in right field, but I've seen that a couple times in The Show. He throws frozen ropes to first all the time in reality.

Raul Ibanez swung and his bat went through the ball. This is BS. It's definitely a real thing that happens and not cause replays are compressed or any other reason like that. People can chirp that all they want, I'm not buying it. The ball went through the bat. Why do you think I replayed it in the first place ? Cause I felt it went through the bat and it did. It should've been a foul ball, but it was strike 3 instead. I didn't like that cause it was top of the 9th and I was down by one, so..

I think the people saying to play on Veteran are right. It will even out the playing field.. like real baseball usually is.

The playing level has nothing to do with ball going through the bat for a strike three. I had that happen at least once on Rookie level.

I've caught the CPU setting my OF deep for guys who lack power, and I caught the CPU setting my OF shallow for guys with power. I've seen my shortstop move to his right as the pitch is thrown and the ball was hit straight near second base bag out of shortstop's reach. Why these things happen are beyond me. The CPU doesn't have to cheat like that to get a hit. I mean, the CPU could just have the batter get a hit regardless of defensive positioning. On the other hand, maybe the CPU by virtue of programming cannot get a hit that way.

The question remains, why play Joey Votto shallow? Would any team set their OF shallow for Joey Votto, with no one on base? That is one example, and there have been quite a few more like it.

Bad programming? Maybe. Cheating? Maybe. A Bug? I don't think so. The most likely reason that I see is the CPU wanted Votto to get a hit so it set my OF shallow.

Still, whatever the reason these things happen, I am having lots of fun. Sometimes I play for hours, three or four games in a row. Thus, even if the game does cheat, I still love it!

[redsfan4life]

Re: This game CHEATS...

lay down a squeeze and Dobbs stats back it up

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...=dobbsgr01&t=b

Lay down a squeeze with Joey Votto? I'm trying to play the game realistically here. I had 3-4 coming up laying down a squeeze bunt would be pretty unrealistic. I'm not complaining about the game cheating at all here, I made that clear in my post. Just some terrible luck on my part.

[HustlinOwl]

Re: This game CHEATS...

Lay down a squeeze with Joey Votto? I'm trying to play the game realistically here. I had 3-4 coming up laying down a squeeze bunt would be pretty unrealistic. I'm not complaining about the game cheating at all here, I made that clear in my post. Just some terrible luck on my part.

yea well that is different, but did not see you indicate your 3/4 hitters were up.

[tnixen]

Re: This game CHEATS...

This is going to be a RANT... So, if you don't wanna read it just change the channel...
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These are things that I'm beginning to HATE about the game... I know its "realistic" and the game of Baseball is a frustrating one... But this **** is out of control...

- Default, All Star...

Point Blank... The game cheats...

- Errors at the PERFECT time for the CPU... Routine grounders routinely ****ed up and the absolute worst possible time... Happens at least twice a game...

- Missplayed balls... Bobbled Balls... Terrible LOOOOOOONG animations at the most inopportune time (dribbles up the 3rd base line fielded by pitchers anyone?)... Fielding a grounder and then running 10 feet into the wall before you can throw it in?...

- CPU Hitters have EAGLE EYES and literally not swinging at anything close... down 0-2, 1-2 in the count? Doesn't matter, the CPU doesn't swing at anything... I understand that MLB Players generally have good patience, but the pitches these guys take is simply ridiculous...

- 15 pitch at bats anyone? yeah those are fun... Happens about every other inning regardless of the batter or the pitcher... I feel this is the games way of getting your Pitcher tired quickly...

- Have you ever pitched your *** off, worked the strike zone high, low, in and out just to get rocked in an inning? Then when you say **** IT and stop caring and throw Fastballs right down the middle and start getting guys out? How much freaking sense does that make?

- When your batting, you MIGHT get 1 quality pitch in the strike zone...

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That's all for now... Feel free to flame me and tell me how great this game is... I will agree, its fun, but these above things PISS ME OFF!!! and they happen EVERY SINGLE GAME!!!

100% agree with everything you said!!

I love MLB the Show but the gameplay still needs so much improving its not even funny!

Man how I hate when my short stop fields an easy ground ball and for no reason whats so ever he throws the ball in the dug out

And I said it before and I will say it again the outfielders arm strength is way to strong in this game. I hit so many ball into the outfield corner and keep getting thrown out easily at second base. Its just not real baseball.

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: This game CHEATS...

I have never rage quit more with a video game than I have with this one

Ha! That had me laughing pretty good. I've done THIS before, though I vowed to myself to not do it at all this year. So far, so good; but I've been REAL close. This game will humble you in a split second.

- Outfielder AI is atrocious. Outfielders dive way too frequently on fly balls - and don't dive enough on balls rolling into the gap. Both achieve the same result: the outfielder on the ground with the ball rolling for ages.

Great point. This is the first I've read someone complain about this on OS. It's very true. I'd rather OF's concede the single a bit more often than they currently do (meaning that they should take a step backwards and let the ball bounce TO THEM rather than risking the 'all or nothing' dive attempt)...I'm on default run and reaction speed, by the way and still see this happen a lot.

[Brando70]

Re: This game CHEATS...

I've caught the CPU setting my OF deep for guys who lack power, and I caught the CPU setting my OF shallow for guys with power. I've seen my shortstop move to his right as the pitch is thrown and the ball was hit straight near second base bag out of shortstop's reach. Why these things happen are beyond me. The CPU doesn't have to cheat like that to get a hit. I mean, the CPU could just have the batter get a hit regardless of defensive positioning. On the other hand, maybe the CPU by virtue of programming cannot get a hit that way.

The question remains, why play Joey Votto shallow? Would any team set their OF shallow for Joey Votto, with no one on base? That is one example, and there have been quite a few more like it.

Bad programming? Maybe. Cheating? Maybe. A Bug? I don't think so. The most likely reason that I see is the CPU wanted Votto to get a hit so it set my OF shallow.

But watch the CPU set its fielders and you'll see the same thing. You could make an argument about the strategy behind it, but again, the CPU does many of the same things for itself that it does with the human team.

I had a game last night that the OP would have chalked up as cheating. I blew a 5-2 lead in my Cubs franchise against the Brewers. Paul Maholm, who had pitched well save a two-run HR to Braun, "suddenly" became hittable. He gave up two singles and then Alex Gonzalez took a fastball at the top border of the strikezone over the left-field fence. That led to a six-run seventh, and Braun homered twice more en route to a 12-5 rout.

Cheating? Well, I built my 5-2 lead in part because the CPU made two bad errors at first, and both of those runners scored. I struck out nine times and had no walks. After getting up 3-0 in the first (a rare early lead for me), I struck out enough to let the SP get his confidence back. So, is the CPU like some crazy tease who's amazing in the sack but then turns around and slashes the tires on my IROC-Z? Or am I an average to below-average Show player playing a franchise with the worst team in the game? You make the call.

[chrishthomas]

Re: This game CHEATS...

Good discussions going on so far, but I fear we may be getting closer to lock down, so, I wanted to say a couple more things. I'll break it up into two posts so that each one will be short and deal with a specific topic.

Earlier, a poster used the term random...something to the extent of, "it's baseball, random things happen." Although I agree wholeheartedly with this comment, my personal opinion is that this particular concept - randomness - is what gets most players riled up. In many of these game-on-the-line situations, the randomness doesn't feel very random. Instead, it feels forced in order to make the game more exciting. By saying that, I know I am treading close to "pre-determined outcomes" territory, which isn't what I mean to imply. But, to the average user who is frustrated by comebacks, I would say the predominant complaint is that timely (or untimely, depending on your stance) sequences of events seem to come at convenient times, or are a bit too contrived to feel truly random.

[chrishthomas]

Re: This game CHEATS...

Now about those blown leads.

Yes, the game should be difficult. Otherwise, why keep playing it? But, I do think the blown leads, come from behind wins (for both entities - CPU and human) are a bit out of proportion to what one would expect based upon MLB trends (i.e., win-expectancy charts).

Interactive Win Expectancy Application - You can use this to generate just about any scenario imaginable, number of outs, runners on base, number of runs trailing or ahead, inning, etc. to determine how likely you are to win in that situation. (based upon historical MLB data: it will give you the number of actual games in which that scenario occurred, and how many of those games were won).

If you are the home team, going into the top of ninth with a 1 run lead, no outs, no one on base, what are your chances of winning? According to the data, this scenario has happened 10070 times, and the visiting team won 1370 times (so about 14% of the time). With a 2 run lead (which has happened 8928 times) the visiting team came back 503 times, or roughly 6% of the time. If you have a 3 run lead, you should feel secure, the visitors have only won in that situation 2% of the time.

It was pointed out on this thread that we remember the comebacks more than the times things turn out as expected. And, that is true, but there is a reason. Late-inning comebacks are relatively rare that's why we remember them--even in real-life that's why they get shown on ESPN.

Just some other random information:
From: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/ar...commentMessagehttp://www.baseballprospectus.com/ar...commentMessage
There have been 4,000 instances since 1954 in which a team has trailed by four runs with nobody on and two outs in the top of the ninth inning. Not once has a team come back from that deficit. According to theoretical win expectancy, that should have happened several times by now. Another 5,000 attempts have been made down by 5 or 6 runs, but the away team still has yet to come through.

May 10, 2000, Brewers at Cubs
The home team has trailed 2,598 times in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and no one on. On May 10, 2000, the Cubs had blown a 3-1 lead in the eighth inning and trailed 8-3 in the ninth. One home run, two errors, and four walks later (three of the walks handed out by Bob Wickman), the game headed to extra innings, where the Cubs prevailed in the eleventh.

We would predict that a team would come out on top one out of every 2500 times in the situation detailed above, and the Cubs were that team. Down six runs but otherwise in the same spot, the chances of a comeback are half as likely, yet that feat has been accomplished once in 2000 tries as well.

July 28, 2001, Astros at Pirates
The Pirates had cut Houston’s lead to three in the ninth when the Astros brought Billy Wagner in to close it out. Wagner beaned Jason Kendall to load the bases, bringing Brian Giles to the plate. Giles launched a two-out walk-off grand slam to add 90 percent in win probability to his team’s effort, the most a batter can add in a single swing. This feat, a two-out, walk-off, “ultimate” grand slam has been achieved only 14 times.

From: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...uckheit/060920http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...uckheit/060920
In relation to an unlikely comeback by the Dodgers versus the Padres in 2006.
. . . and only four other teams in the last 75 years that trailed by four runs in the bottom of the ninth tied the game in the last frame and subsequently won it in extras.

Finally, a story from this year: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...se-8-relievers
"Bullpens throughout the majors have been blowing leads and losing games for their respective teams at a remarkable pace through the first four days of the 2012 MLB season."

On one hand, this may tempt some users to say, "See it really does happen." To which, the reply would be, "Yes, apparently it does."

On the other hand,then, the question becomes, "So why is it such a big deal?" I think the answer to that, is because they shouldn't have been happening at the rate in which they were happening. Blown saves, especially of the multi-run variety, should be relatively infrequent. My assumption is that the trend will normalize over the course of the season.

But, it doesn't change the fact that some strange things were happening in MLB, at least during the first 4 days of the season. So, I guess this little tidbit of info, does nothing to resolve the discussion.

[Cavicchi]

Re: This game CHEATS...

But watch the CPU set its fielders and you'll see the same thing. You could make an argument about the strategy behind it, but again, the CPU does many of the same things for itself that it does with the human team.

I had a game last night that the OP would have chalked up as cheating. I blew a 5-2 lead in my Cubs franchise against the Brewers. Paul Maholm, who had pitched well save a two-run HR to Braun, "suddenly" became hittable. He gave up two singles and then Alex Gonzalez took a fastball at the top border of the strikezone over the left-field fence. That led to a six-run seventh, and Braun homered twice more en route to a 12-5 rout.

Cheating? Well, I built my 5-2 lead in part because the CPU made two bad errors at first, and both of those runners scored. I struck out nine times and had no walks. After getting up 3-0 in the first (a rare early lead for me), I struck out enough to let the SP get his confidence back. So, is the CPU like some crazy tease who's amazing in the sack but then turns around and slashes the tires on my IROC-Z? Or am I an average to below-average Show player playing a franchise with the worst team in the game? You make the call.

There is no reasonable strategy for setting OF shallow with no one on base for Joey Votto or any other hitter with power. And, the same is true for setting OF deep for a weak hitter.