first pitch meatballs....bug?

[dkrause1971]

Re: first pitch meatballs....bug?

All-star neutral-slider Exhibition Wainwright vs. Verlander. Hitting against CPU for both sides.

Top 1st: Wainwright starts off with a CB down the middle for a strike
Bot 1st: Verlander starts off with a 4SFB middle in for a ball
Top 2nd: Wainwright starts off with a SNK low for a strike (put in play for a single)
Bot 1st: Verlander starts off with a 4SFB high on the black for a strike (fouled off)
Top 3rd: Wainwright starts off with a SNK up and in for a strike (fouled off)
...

gotta stop and go to work now but I just don't see what some of you guys are claiming to see. Just one of the first pitches in the inning were down the middle.

Have not been posting the evidence for my case diligently like this, but that's only because it has been consistently this way for me (not seeing the problems some of you claim to exist).

AI actually doesn't change much on and above All-star. The difference you feel are caused by some other factors (size of PCI, pitch accuracy, etc.).

RTTS involves difficulty change, so that and other modes like exhibition games need to be discussed separately, unless you neutralize the difficulty level by adjusting according to bcruise's finding.

When you get home, could you list what hitting view you use. What hitting method you use, etc because i see it what I have been posting over and over.

[bobtrain]

Re: first pitch meatballs....bug?

RTTS involves difficulty change, so that and other modes like exhibition games need to be discussed separately, unless you neutralize the difficulty level by adjusting according to bcruise's finding.

So can we confirm that RTTS is build to serve easy pitches at the AA and AAA level? Just want to confirm once and for all so the RTTS guys understand as I think that's what this thread had it's intentions for at the beginning. If that's the case, can I just say I'm not a fan. I like the aspect of having to read pitches vs. button mashing the first pitch of each AB. I know hitting was hard last year, but this takes the realism away.

[nomo17k]

Re: first pitch meatballs....bug?

So can we confirm that RTTS is build to serve easy pitches at the AA and AAA level? Just want to confirm once and for all so the RTTS guys understand as I think that's what this thread had it's intentions for at the beginning. If that's the case, can I just say I'm not a fan. I like the aspect of having to read pitches vs. button mashing the first pitch of each AB. I know hitting was hard last year, but this takes the realism away.

Yes, without doubts. bcruise was right on. No more speculations necessary. If you like, adjust according to what he said.

[bobtrain]

Re: first pitch meatballs....bug?

Yes, without doubts. bcruise was right on. No more speculations necessary. If you like, adjust according to what he said.

Thanks. I'm wasn't trying to debate to debate. I agree this thread is littered with people complaining about exhibition/franchise gameplay and RTTS gameplay in the same breath.

I'm just trying to get clarity/answers around RTTS. If it is indeed scaled difficulty on RTTS, and I already play on HOF in the AA level, would bumping this up to the highest difficulty really change the amount of first pitch strikes I see? If not, it would be nice to see the dev team keep the tiered difficulty but not make the pitchers so predictable?

[jmik58]

Re: first pitch meatballs....bug?

As far as RTTS is concerned, it sounds like someone needs to crank up the difficulty to Legend and test out the issues being discussed. If it's still happening, test out some slider shifts. If this cant' be corrected on the hardest difficulty then there is nothing we can do as the consumer to customize or modify our experience. At that point, then it becomes an issue that should be passed on to the men behind the curtain.

[speels]

Re: first pitch meatballs....bug?

Hi Nomo - you are always someone with whom a sensible discussion can be had, so i ask you...

You dont see a fairly obvious problem with this?

The only problem I have with using this scrennshot is that it does not explain the whole strategy the pitcher was using. I mean the first 2 at bats did the pitcher record and out and then a hit on the 3rd? Then he threw one out of the zone that you chased. Next batter he threw in the zone for another strike and then you hit another ball but then the CPU got you out 4 more times. Those seem like legit numbers. One thing to remember that many people forget is that the CPU, just like the user, faces 9 different batters the first time through the lineup. I don't believe it is programmed to realize that the user controls all 9 players and then they look at the tendency of batters faster and change according to what goes on. And, you chased 2 for sure balls and 1 that may have been a ball, so the 92% strike rate is misleading. If you layoff those 2 pitches it gets down to 77% which is better.

What I would like to see, since I haven't tested myself, is what does it look like for individual batters. Did the CPU groove the first pitches of each at bat to David Ortiz, and how did he handle them. If the CPU grooved the first pitch of 3 at bats to Ortiz and he hit 3 homeruns, then I would worry.

One more thing to consider about RTTS is that if you have watched AA or AAA ball, those pitchers are trying to throw strikes. No necessarily groove pitches, but throw strikes. Many Major LEague teams want pitchers that throw strikes, they can work on placement as they progress. If you don't believe me, look at how many minor leaguers hit .350 and higher in AA, but barely hit .270 in the Majors. More strikes to hit in the minors.

Now I am not saying there isn't an issue, but I think more tests need to be done and situations need to be explained better before we call for action.

[dkrause1971]

Re: first pitch meatballs....bug?

The only problem I have with using this scrennshot is that it does not explain the whole strategy the pitcher was using. I mean the first 2 at bats did the pitcher record and out and then a hit on the 3rd? Then he threw one out of the zone that you chased. Next batter he threw in the zone for another strike and then you hit another ball but then the CPU got you out 4 more times. Those seem like legit numbers. One thing to remember that many people forget is that the CPU, just like the user, faces 9 different batters the first time through the lineup. I don't believe it is programmed to realize that the user controls all 9 players and then they look at the tendency of batters faster and change according to what goes on. And, you chased 2 for sure balls and 1 that may have been a ball, so the 92% strike rate is misleading. If you layoff those 2 pitches it gets down to 77% which is better.

What I would like to see, since I haven't tested myself, is what does it look like for individual batters. Did the CPU groove the first pitches of each at bat to David Ortiz, and how did he handle them. If the CPU grooved the first pitch of 3 at bats to Ortiz and he hit 3 homeruns, then I would worry.

One more thing to consider about RTTS is that if you have watched AA or AAA ball, those pitchers are trying to throw strikes. No necessarily groove pitches, but throw strikes. Many Major LEague teams want pitchers that throw strikes, they can work on placement as they progress. If you don't believe me, look at how many minor leaguers hit .350 and higher in AA, but barely hit .270 in the Majors. More strikes to hit in the minors.

Now I am not saying there isn't an issue, but I think more tests need to be done and situations need to be explained better before we call for action.

The problem is the pitcher analysis is showing more pitches than he faced. I'll post mine up in a minute. I faced 9 pitches (one to start each inning) then i would sim until the next inning. The game shows 11 pitches. Why i don't know, maybe it finishes that ABs as counting you facing it.

[bobtrain]

Re: first pitch meatballs....bug?

As far as RTTS is concerned, it sounds like someone needs to crank up the difficulty to Legend and test out the issues being discussed. If it's still happening, test out some slider shifts. If this cant' be corrected on the hardest difficulty then there is nothing we can do as the consumer to customize or modify our experience. At that point, then it becomes an issue that should be passed on to the men behind the curtain.

Agree. I see you live in the same land of 10,000 lakes as I do. Not sure if this snow will be removed for that home opener against Detroit.

[dkrause1971]

Re: first pitch meatballs....bug?

I attached my latest all-star exhibition, first pitch of inning only results below. 11 pitches are shown as faced. I didn't hit the double or the DP (clearly since i lead-off the inning). So the rest are from the 9 pitches i have seen. Like i have said before, i do not know why the extra pitches are there. Based on the DP, i assume the next hitter first pitch must be counting sometimes. Every pitch was the pitchers #1 pitch.

[dkrause1971]

Re: first pitch meatballs....bug?

Two more games on All star default, exhibition. Same two teams in both. Again 11 pitches when i only faced 9 per game.

In the first picture. The ball thrown in the picture actually did happen to me. I am not sure which two of the pitches were the ones i didn't face. They are all kinda the same. In the second picture i clearly didn't have the double play since its the first pitch of the inning, the other pitch i didn't face i am not sure.

What you are seeing in these three photos (another one is a post back) is basically what i see every game on the first pitch of an inning (exhibition). They are not all meatballs, but just about all of them are middle area strikes. They just about always are the pitchers #1 pitch as well. I do not see this happening to this rate other than this situation.

I have deleted my user settings and recreated them. I am using the download version of the game, i am using a custom batting view (I have tried other default views), feedback off, strike zone off. I'll post whatever other settings would differ if asked.

[dkrause1971]

Re: first pitch meatballs....bug?

Two games on legend, exhibition. Generally the same problem, first pitch is the pitchers #1 at a very high rate, high strike rate, but more variety where in the zone.

[lopey986]

Re: first pitch meatballs....bug?

so is everyone who is experiencing this "bug" winning every game 20-4 or something? i've played 5 games and they've all been rather modest affairs in the 4-3 vain, so if this is a bug it sure doesn't bother me and i'm having fun, enjoyable, close games.

[theSmilingAssassin27]

Re: first pitch meatballs....bug?

This thread is a jumbled mess of RTTS and Exhibition people talking over each other with other posters jumping in with no evidence, poor evidence, or evidence that doesn't fit the situation.

You got that right, and maybe the thread title has a lot to do with it. To me, this discussion is more about an unusually high strike % in certain situations, and not so much about "meatballs."

[dkrause1971]

Re: first pitch meatballs....bug?

so is everyone who is experiencing this "bug" winning every game 20-4 or something? i've played 5 games and they've all been rather modest affairs in the 4-3 vain, so if this is a bug it sure doesn't bother me and i'm having fun, enjoyable, close games.

That is dismissive. Does in likely increase offense, somewhat. I think so. This would be roughly 7% of all pitches you see if you faced the real life 143 per game. Most people i know of actually face less pitches than that per game so the rate would be higher. I'll state again this is exhibition and not RTTS to avoid confusion.

My goal is to again to get a consensus this is a problem (if it is), find out why i am having this issue if its not wide spread (maybe its a setting), get the devs to look at it, or just get some confirmation that it was done on purpose.

[ParisB]

Re: first pitch meatballs....bug?

I am perplexed as to psychobulk's screen shot, because mine doesn't look like that at all. I could see that happening in lower hitting levels or beginner mode, but I don't see pitches like that in my own game, not even close.

*If* there's a bug, then there might be something happening within setting... like when you change the hitting difficulty, it's not reflected on the game somehow. I personally think it's more fruitful to go that route to begin with, to see the difficulty changes are properly reflected or not...

I'm uncharacteristically dismissive in this thread only because I really don't see what you guys see. The game has always been strike happy, but it always has been (most people lower Pitcher control related sliders for realism).

I'll try resetting the difficulty profile. When I first booted up I put on beginner and then went in and manually changed all settings to all start and created a custom profile
Maybe something happened and it stuck.

I'm jealous of your screenshots, that doesn't happen to me.

The game has otherwise been perfect.