The Phoenix slider set: Legend difficulty

[Phoenixmgs]

I started using Legend immediately when I downloaded the demo because in '08, HoF difficulty wasn't hard at all. When I got the game, I immediately started playing on Legend as well. My first 2 games on Legend, the CPU crushed me and got over 20 hits in each game. The reason I stayed on Legend was because the hitting felt just right except that HRs were a bit too easy.

I've been having very competitive Legend games with the following slider set. I've had my global sliders pretty much set for awhile; baserunnering, stealing, and fielding is absolutely perfect. Conversly, I've been going back and forth with my hitting sliders. The Contact and Window sliders cause the CPU to actually chase pitches on 2 strikes; furthermore, not every little pitching mistake is crushed. You still can't take the CPU for granted even for a second. You can indeed dominate the CPU as well; I've pitched a complete game 7 hit shutout with Rich Harden against the CPU.

You can download my sliders, named Phoenix v1.0 - Legend, on SportsConnect.

Gameplay Options:

Pitcher confidence off and guess pitch set to off or no feedback are the only gameplay option requirements for my sliders. You're free to change all other gameplay options to your liking.

Difficulty: Legend
Pitching Interface: Meter/Classic
Guess Pitch: Off/No Feedback
Pitcher Confidence: Off


Global Sliders:

Pitch Speed: 0
Fielding Errors: +1*
Throwing Errors: -3
Fielder Run Speed: -4
Fielder Reaction: +5**
Fielder Arm Strength: -3
Baserunner Speed: -1
Baserunner Steal Ability: -3
Baserunner Steal Frequency: 0
Wind: -1
Injury Frequency: 0***


User & CPU Sliders:

Contact: -3
Power: -1
Timing: -2
Fouls: 0
Solid Hits: 0
Starter Stamina: +1
Reliever Stamina: -5
Pitcher Control: -1
Pitcher Consistency: +1


CPU Only Sliders:

Strike Frequency: 0
Manager Hook: +2
Pickoffs: -3



- Notes

*I'm seeing enough bobbled balls by fielders. I'm convinced the Fielding Error slider affects dropped transfers at 2nd base on double play grounders, any higher and there's way too many dropped transfers at 2nd base. I also think it affects the chances of a fielder coming up empty on a hot shot play.

**The Fielder Reaction slider is the opposite of sensitive, one notch left or right barely effects fielder reaction time. With the slider maxed out there are still too many balls that will squeak between the line and the 3B. On a positive note, pitchers will now field a hot shot here and there, nothing too extreme so don't worry.

***I don't nearly have a large enough sample size to determine if there are too few or too many injuries. I think I've seen enough in-game injuries happen where the slider probably doesn't need to be greatly adjusted.

[jcern23]

Re: The Phoenix slider set: Legend difficulty

Thanks man. Love your sliders bro. You can see that when you have a hitter on the ropes you can strike them out. Although, I don't think there is anything sliders can do about the CPU big innings that come too often. There are games when I avoid them but way too many when they happen. Anyway though keep up the good work you have the best going so far.

[jcern23]

Re: The Phoenix slider set: Legend difficulty

Are you seeing too many of the big innings still because I havnt played enough on your settings but in 2 out of the 3 games I played it happened.

[Phoenixmgs]

Re: The Phoenix slider set: Legend difficulty

Are you seeing too many of the big innings still because I havnt played enough on your settings but in 2 out of the 3 games I played it happened.

I'm not seeing an excessive amount of big innings. Just last game, my starter, Sean Marshall, did not have it at all. He struggled each and every inning. I gave up single runs in the first 4 innings.

The only thing I can say is watch your pitcher's confidence level and take mound visits when needed to up his confidence. This game is kinda designed to have multiple run innings as you can't turn pitcher confidence off completely, you can only turn the pitch confidence off (and make sure you have that option set to off).

[jcern23]

Re: The Phoenix slider set: Legend difficulty

So your saying turn pitch confidence off on the menu then once it goes into a game turn off the pitcher confidence off as well?

[Phoenixmgs]

Re: The Phoenix slider set: Legend difficulty

So your saying turn pitch confidence off on the menu then once it goes into a game turn off the pitcher confidence off as well?

No, it's kinda confusing. In the gameplay options where guess pitch, strike zones, HR camera, etc. are, turn off "Pitcher Confidence." Now this actually turns off "Pitch" Confidence as you no longer have those blue bars atop each pitch in-game. You can't actually turn off "Pitcher" Confidence, which is tied to in-game pitching whether you use the meter or classic. You'll notice if you are doing well, the sweet spot (where you set the accuracy/release point) of the pitching meter will get bigger, but if you are pitching poorly, the sweet spot will actually disappear and the meter will just be dark and light blue, no gold whatsoever. Also, if you press select while you are pitching you will see your pitcher's currect confidence level right underneath his energy bar.

[Phoenixmgs]

Re: The Phoenix slider set: Legend difficulty

I have changed the Manager hook slider to +3, I've edited my first post to reflect this. The CPU will now do mound visits to restore the CPU pitcher's confidence. Thanks to dorismary for finding this out.

[Phoenixmgs]

Re: The Phoenix slider set: Legend difficulty

Some minor slider changes that I think result in major game changes (reflected in the first post):

Global Sliders:

Fielder Arm Strength: -1
Baserunner Speed: 0


User & CPU Sliders:

Power: -1
Solid Hits: -5 Edit: wow, big mistake, solid hits at 0 not -5
Starter Stamina: +1
Pitcher Control: -1


CPU Only Sliders:

Manager Hook: +2


I thought I had the baserunning down but ground ball outs just felt a bit off, especially double play balls. Now I think they feel better. My concern is that runners are now too fast for the arm strength of the OFs. I wish there were OF and IF arm strength sliders. Stealing still feels solid. Tweaked pitcher control and starter stamina just a touch, along with manager hook.

With the batting, I don't know why, but batting just doesn't feel right with power at default. I played with power at -1 for quite a bit and really liked how the game played but was worried that HR numbers would be too low, so I used default power when I posted my sliders. I've played several games with the sliders I posted and something was just off both on my side and the CPU's side. I was actually hitting too well and the CPU just was not hitting well enough, and I don't think it was just a streak thing. The game just feels too "poppy" at default power. I think you can definitely see this online, in 12 online games, I have 20 HRs (playing about evenly with the Cubs and Mariners (my league team) and 1 game as the As). And, for some reason, on the user side the amount and kinds of doubles you would get was just off, as in too few and not good variety. With power at -1 hitting just feels much better, and hit variety seems to have increased a great amount.

[Braves Fan]

Re: The Phoenix slider set: Legend difficulty

Phoenix, I'm going to ask you the same thing I asked Sky Box, does it matter what your pitch speed is set at?

Also I use classic pitching with API and Pitch callout off, does that matter?

[Phoenixmgs]

Re: The Phoenix slider set: Legend difficulty

Phoenix, I'm going to ask you the same thing I asked Sky Box, does it matter what your pitch speed is set at?

Also I use classic pitching with API and Pitch callout off, does that matter?

I don't think it matters what pitch speed you play at. I remember in MVP '04, pitch speed actually changed the distanced that ball travel for some incredibly stupid reason but I don't think pitch speed affects hitting in anyway. I always say go with the pitch speed you like best.

You can use classic pitching and other options you like with my sliders. I haven't used classic pitching this year but in '08, classic and meter pitching pretty much gave me the same results so '09 should be the same as well. I really don't find classic harder than the meter or vice verse, I think it's more a user preference thing as to whether you like the meter on the screen or not; I prefer the meter a bit more. The only options I really specify to use are guess pitch set to off or no feedback and pitcher confidence set to off.

I just noticed when I checked the thread, I accidentally put solid hits at -5 when it should be at 0/default. I edited my first post with that fix. I'm pretty sure hitting would be horrible with solid hits at -5 because I played a game with it at -3 and it was pretty bad.

[CBizzle]

Re: The Phoenix slider set: Legend difficulty

When you say -3 or something, we subtract that from the default setting (5) making it 2 right?

Also, Reliever Stamina: -5, you mean 0 right, its the same thing? Let me know, Thanks.

[Phoenixmgs]

Re: The Phoenix slider set: Legend difficulty

When you say -3 or something, we subtract that from the default setting (5) making it 2 right?

Also, Reliever Stamina: -5, you mean 0 right, its the same thing? Let me know, Thanks.

Yeah, 0 is default. So, -3 is 2/10 and -5 is 0/10.

[CBizzle]

Re: The Phoenix slider set: Legend difficulty

No, it's kinda confusing. In the gameplay options where guess pitch, strike zones, HR camera, etc. are, turn off "Pitcher Confidence." Now this actually turns off "Pitch" Confidence as you no longer have those blue bars atop each pitch in-game. You can't actually turn off "Pitcher" Confidence, which is tied to in-game pitching whether you use the meter or classic. You'll notice if you are doing well, the sweet spot (where you set the accuracy/release point) of the pitching meter will get bigger, but if you are pitching poorly, the sweet spot will actually disappear and the meter will just be dark and light blue, no gold whatsoever. Also, if you press select while you are pitching you will see your pitcher's currect confidence level right underneath his energy bar.

I keep trying to see a difference with it On or Off, but I can't. I'm talking about visual difference. Where are those blue bars at with it "On"? I'm clueless to what it does, please let me know, thanks.

[Phoenixmgs]

Re: The Phoenix slider set: Legend difficulty

Ok, I think I have baserunning finally down. Infield play feels good and outfielders can throw runners out, finally found a happy medium. Here's my sliders changes (as always my 1st post will reflect these changes):

Global Sliders:

Throwing Errors: -3 (throwing errors happen in bunches any higher)
Fielder Arm Strength: -3
Baserunner Speed: -1
Wind: -1

I keep trying to see a difference with it On or Off, but I can't. I'm talking about visual difference. Where are those blue bars at with it "On"? I'm clueless to what it does, please let me know, thanks.

Pitcher confidence off:


Pitcher confidence on (see the blue bars above each pitch type?):


With pitcher confidence on, it just makes hitting easier or more difficult for both sides. For example, if your pitcher has four pitches and his fastball has resulted in a lot hits, the pitcher's confidence in his fastball is low thus resulting in the batter being able to hit the fastball easier and the pitcher having a harder time throwing the fastball accurately as well. So, even if the pitcher is pitching decently well, his fastball is going to be hit hard unless he can rebuild his confidence back up. So, you kinda have to avoid using the fastball (or any low confidence pitch) if you want to pitch well. Having pitcher confidence on is liking having the game's already in-game pitcher confidence multiplied by 2. If the pitcher is pitching bad, he is going to have low confidence in at least 2 pitches probably. It's kinda like double punishment for pitching bad and double reward for pitching good. Pitcher confidence makes the game play too low scoring or too high scoring.

Pitcher confidence off and guess pitch set to off or no feedback are the only gameplay option requirements for my sliders. You're free to change all other gameplay options to your liking.

[CBizzle]

Re: The Phoenix slider set: Legend difficulty

Oh ok, thanks for the visual and the detailed explanation.

I'm loving your sliders so far, after I get started on my franchise I'll be back here for feedback/results.