Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

[BleacherCreature]

Re: Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

pbz I seem to have caught your offense flu.
I haven't been able to score a decent amount in a recent 3 game sweep from the Jays.
I was outscored 17-5 in the 3 games, hit only 1 HR (solo from Matsui in game 2) quite a few doubles though. Actually their scores seem lopsided thanks to one awful game. Joba gave up 5 homers in 5 and 1/3 innings, including 3 in a row. I just lost focus while pitching and lost the game 9-2. I lost game 1 6-2 and the 3rd game 2-1. I had the tying run on constantly in that game but had A-Roid picked off, Tex caught stealing on a 3-2 pitch where A-Roid struck out for the DP, another DP from Texiera a few innings later, Gardner thrown out stealing in the 8th (dumb move probably but with my turtle-like baserunning I needed to avoid another DP).
My pitching hasn't been horrible though, the games are well within reach, but I just can't seem to string a few hits together and get 3 or 4 in an inning.

[DrUrsus]

Re: Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

pbz you could be doing the same thing I tend to do a lot.
When I get a pitch down the middle, I tend to move the L stick mainly out of habit. I am so used to expecting a pitch to break I anticipate that and feel the need to move the stick, resulting in poor contact.
I was just losing a game 6-0 in the 5th to the Jays when I realized what I was doing.
I then started to not chase pitches in the zone (if that's even possible) and started hitting better in good hitters' counts.
I got the game back to 6-3 but that was it.

You know, I have fallen into this "trap" myself. It usually occurs when I just stroke some hits perfectly by using the L stick.

The better approach for me at least is to wait on the pitch I want more upper middle and lay off of the L stick. I try not to use the L stick unless I have 2 strikes on me to protect. That seems to make me more disciplined at the plate because I am waiting on my pitch and not "reaching" for stuff which tends to happen when I get L stick happy.

[DrUrsus]

Re: Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

What do you have Fielder Reaction set to? That's basically the reason I turned it down to 3 (-2). Thinking of even going another notch lower. CPU infielders gobble up EVERYTHING, as I've been saying. They all play like Omar Vizquel in his prime. Before turning it down, I don't remember getting any hits up the middle or through the SS/2B unless they were total lasers. Same thing with down the lines. By reducing the Fielder Reaction, I seem to get a better variety of hits (including softer hits and choppers) through the infield, which feels more realistic.

That's why I'm 100% against turning it up to +10 like some people suggest.....I just don't see it.

As for the homeruns and power numbers...I'm not sure right now. At 6 it played perfeclty when I was tweaking in Exhibition games. I had plenty of power and smacked several doubles. I've had games where I hit 4 homeruns, and games where I didn't hit any. Same thing with doubles....it felt like I was around the two doubles per game on average, while I felt my power hitters were also a threat to go deep.

But once I started the Season, my offense went out the window completely, so I don't know if it's just a rut or what but it seems like even the bad pitchers were just on their game against me. It's not like I all of a sudden lost the ability to hit, so I don't know what's going on.

After more testing, I totally agree. The highest fielding reaction should be is default, but it seems to be good with 1 to 3 clicks down from default. I am going to start with 1 click down first and see how that goes for me.
I need to CPU to be what you have it at pbz, but I need for my own fielder reaction to be about default or -1 (due to poor fielding reflexes by me in my old age and fatigue due to surgical procedures by the end of the day). I need to find a happy medium.
Chef, I think I still like contact at default because I check my swing a lot like you do. My hitting numbers seem to be coming out pretty good so far.
If I keep losing 3-2, 4-3, 3-1, etc. like I have been lately, I may have to, gulp, move down to veteran and start tweaking those sliders. I can't believe I used to play HOF and Legend on previous years games, and now I lose a lot on All Star! I know the game is harder, but I am just not seeing the ball too well this year either. It seems like the CPU pitchers are better at "setting you up" this year. Also, it is because I am only getting about 1 game in a night now (sometimes 2 if I am lucky).
Maybe I need to hit the new batting cages. Pitching is still pretty strong at least .

[DrUrsus]

Re: Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

Curious to hear your results but I cant imagine lowering them anymore as ever since Ive started to call my own game Im really starting to shut guys down, in the 4 games since I started doing this the CPU has only hit well in one of those and in my last game Florida went 2/27 for the game against me. Are you using meter or classic? Are you going closer to full strength on most pitches? I love throwing a 2-seamer where it falls out of the bottom of the zone or off the corner and it works almost too tell. I also love it when I get ahead in the count 0-2 as I will burn a couple fastball at the guys eye level and then drop a change or a curve low and away and that works very well as well. Do you call your own game pitching? Im having an absolute blast calling my own game and when I give up a hit or a homerun it feels more because I made a bad decision as before it was because I followed what the catcher was telling me to do instead of thinking on my own.

My man, you are a pitching machine! Good stuff.

I use meter, and always have. What is classic pitching like anyway? Is it like High Heat Baseball or is it like classic SCEA MLB baseball on the PS1 with effort and all that?

How do you control where you are going to throw it?

[fistofrage]

Re: Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

My man, you are a pitching machine! Good stuff.

I use meter, and always have. What is classic pitching like anyway? Is it like High Heat Baseball or is it like classic SCEA MLB baseball on the PS1 with effort and all that?

How do you control where you are going to throw it?

I use the classic with the human pitching sliders at 3. Works perfect, you set your pitch and then hold in the button longer to throw it harder. It feels more sim to me.

I try to pitch around the power guys but will pitch to contact alot with the less scary guys. Just feels like sim baseball. Sometimes I can't find the zone, other times I'm Picasso, painting the black all day long.

[The Chef]

Re: Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

I've been using Classic and without API. It just seems my pitches end up middle of the plate way too much, like i'm somehow being punished with my control a lot of the times, and I don't know why. I didn't have this problem early on, but lately it seems this way. My ERA is fine (other than these 9 runs, and earlier I gave up 12), but I just can't get a game where I give up less than 14 hits or so, even when I only give up 2 or 3 runs. So many of my pitches end up over the plate.

Like with Saunders, he's supposed to have great control which is how he's successful (he's not known for his nasty pitches), yet last night I felt like he was a Class A low level rookie pitcher.

Well I cant comment much since I dont use classic, I just dont like the lack of control that classic has. I get that classic is supposed to be more about your pitchers attributes but with so many out there swearing there is some comeback code for the AI, I cant imagine why those same people would use a pitching mechanic that basically relies on that same AI to determine where your pitch goes. Atleast when I use meter I feel like when I miss my spot its because I missed my spot on the meter and not some completely random occurance, but dont get me wrong, as my pitchers get tired they lose control anyways and some guys just dont have good control so no matter what I hit on the meter it doesnt matter.

My man, you are a pitching machine! Good stuff.

I use meter, and always have. What is classic pitching like anyway? Is it like High Heat Baseball or is it like classic SCEA MLB baseball on the PS1 with effort and all that?

How do you control where you are going to throw it?

Im digging the pitching now that Im calling my own game, its just a blast. When I was using the API to call my game for me there were plenty of times where I was basically going through the motions because there was really no thought involved but now that Im calling the game for myself I feel much more involved. Its amazing that sometimes the most obvious answer is right in front of you and you dont see it until someone comes along and points it out for you.

[fistofrage]

Re: Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

Well I cant comment much since I dont use classic, I just dont like the lack of control that classic has. I get that classic is supposed to be more about your pitchers attributes but with so many out there swearing there is some comeback code for the AI, I cant imagine why those same people would use a pitching mechanic that basically relies on that same AI to determine where your pitch goes. Atleast when I use meter I feel like when I miss my spot its because I missed my spot on the meter and not some completely random occurance, but dont get me wrong, as my pitchers get tired they lose control anyways and some guys just dont have good control so no matter what I hit on the meter it doesnt matter.



Im digging the pitching now that Im calling my own game, its just a blast. When I was using the API to call my game for me there were plenty of times where I was basically going through the motions because there was really no thought involved but now that Im calling the game for myself I feel much more involved. Its amazing that sometimes the most obvious answer is right in front of you and you dont see it until someone comes along and points it out for you.

I think I have API at default. What is the API calling the game for you. I think I have that at default but the catcher calls for a pitch, but I can't tell where he wants me to put it. I just pitch my own game.

Is that throwing anything off that I'm not throwing what the catcher calls for. DO I need to press anything to shake him off?

[The Chef]

Re: Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

I think I have API at default. What is the API calling the game for you. I think I have that at default but the catcher calls for a pitch, but I can't tell where he wants me to put it. I just pitch my own game.

Is that throwing anything off that I'm not throwing what the catcher calls for. DO I need to press anything to shake him off?

On default they put the signs down but the location is hidden, although you can press and hold R2 and it will show the location indicator. I dont think throwing a pitch other then what they call effects anything really as I did it from time to time before, and there really is no way to officially shake them off other then throwing something opposite of what the catcher called for.

[pbz06]

Re: Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

Well, my bats woke up. I just pounded out 18 hits and 14 runs and won 14-2 (2 doubles, 0 homeruns).

I was the Angels @ Baltimore again, with Simon pitching for them. I've been going against the same team/pitcher just to get a feel of the variance from game to game while using the exact same lineups and pitchers.

I noticed the 1st two innings play almost too big of a role for the rest of the game. Simon was wild from the start, and was never able to recover. 7 runs in 2 innings with 2 walks. His confidence dropped all the way after the 1st inning.

Interesting enough, the game before he got me 1-2-3 in the 1st, and his confidence peaked, and the game was 2-1 loss for me as Simon went 8 innings of dominant pitching with 0 walks.

The game even before that, I was able to score 3 runs in the 1st inning off him before winning 7-5.

The other games before that (against bad pitchers) seems that when I didn't do damage the 1st inning, it would be a looong game. If I cracked through, my offense would be more awake.

Kind of realistic I guess, but at the same time once a pitcher has his confidence full, it's almost impossible to crack through.

I'm going to try playing against another lower tier team and a bad pitcher, for like 5 games straight to see how they play out. Well, obviously not tonight, and I don't know if I can get time this weekend

[RAZRr1275]

Re: Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

After more testing, I totally agree. The highest fielding reaction should be is default, but it seems to be good with 1 to 3 clicks down from default. I am going to start with 1 click down first and see how that goes for me.
I need to CPU to be what you have it at pbz, but I need for my own fielder reaction to be about default or -1 (due to poor fielding reflexes by me in my old age and fatigue due to surgical procedures by the end of the day). I need to find a happy medium.
Chef, I think I still like contact at default because I check my swing a lot like you do. My hitting numbers seem to be coming out pretty good so far.
If I keep losing 3-2, 4-3, 3-1, etc. like I have been lately, I may have to, gulp, move down to veteran and start tweaking those sliders. I can't believe I used to play HOF and Legend on previous years games, and now I lose a lot on All Star! I know the game is harder, but I am just not seeing the ball too well this year either. It seems like the CPU pitchers are better at "setting you up" this year. Also, it is because I am only getting about 1 game in a night now (sometimes 2 if I am lucky).
Maybe I need to hit the new batting cages. Pitching is still pretty strong at least .

I'm having the same issue that you are. I can get walks but hits aren't coming. I actually won my last game only because they walked in a run and I was able to get a ground out that scored and then a wild pitch that scored a runner in extras.

[pbz06]

Re: Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

Any updates or new developments?

I'm still getting solid results, especially from the CPU side.

Although I did notice that my offense has been feast or famine lately...that's why I don't like how reactive the confidence meter is from the CPU.

The 1st inning gives a really good indication of how the rest of the game will go....if they nail me 1-2-3 and build up their confidence mter, i'm in for a long night regardless who the pitcher is =/

[The Chef]

Re: Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

Any updates or new developments?

I'm still getting solid results, especially from the CPU side.

Although I did notice that my offense has been feast or famine lately...that's why I don't like how reactive the confidence meter is from the CPU.

The 1st inning gives a really good indication of how the rest of the game will go....if they nail me 1-2-3 and build up their confidence mter, i'm in for a long night regardless who the pitcher is =/

Nothing new on my end but at the same time I havent been able to play much due to work as Ive only played 1 game in the last 2-3 days. In that one game I kept the Mets to a 0.250 average but they beat me 5-4 or 4-3, as I cant remember completely, thanks to a 3-run homerun. The only thing I want to point out is while the CPU is starting to struggle offensively now that Im calling my own game pitching wise, Im throwing 10x as many walks so the OBP is still very reasonable. Throw in the fact that this could very well just be a normal streak in baseball and Im not ready to change anything as of yet, hell Im 4.5 games behind Colorado for the division so clearly its not too easy for me atleast.

[The Chef]

Re: Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

I dont know why it is but I started using the strike zone and leaving the ball marker on for pitching and Im throwing more walks then ever before. My theory is that Im not trying to be very fine since I can see where the zone is, which is leading to more pitches off the corners where as before I couldnt see it so it was always an approximate which led to less walks. I know a lot of people despise having these options on but Im hooked now, especially after having a game where I walked them 7 times.

I went back and looked at your settings pbz and we are fairly close, I havent messed much at all with my own offensive sliders since Im not dominating, outside of bumping power to 6, but am using all the CPU's hitting sliders that you have listed. How are things going on your end? Any slider changes? Option changes? Curious to hear continued feedback when you get the chance.

[pbz06]

Re: Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

Nothing really new on my end. I actually haven't been playing much last couple days because I was preparing for my PE (engineering license) exam this last weekend but now I'm in the clear

I'm still on these settings for now:

All-Star

Global
Pitch Speed 5
Fielding Errors 6
Throwing Errors 4
Fielder Run Speed 0
Fielder Reaction 3
Fielder Arm Strength 3
Baserunner Speed 5
Baserunner Steal Ability 5
Baserunner Steal Frequency 6
Wind 3
Injury Frequency 0 (I don't like injuries, they seem to happen to star players too often). This is obviously optional.

User
Contact 5
Power 7
Timing 5
Fouls 7
Solid Hits 5
Starter Stamina 5
Reliever Stamina 0
Pitcher Control 7
Pitcher Consistency 7

CPU
Contact 3
Power 5
Timing 3
Fouls 5
Solid Hits 3
Starter Stamina 5
Reliever Stamina 0
Pitcher Control 5
Pitcher Consistency 3
Strike Frequency 0
Manager Hook 6
Pickoffs 2

[coreyhartsdaughter]

Re: Breaking this Game Down on AllStar ,group effort

Nothing really new on my end. I actually haven't been playing much last couple days because I was preparing for my PE (engineering license) exam this last weekend but now I'm in the clear

I'm still on these settings for now:

From an outside the box line of thought, doesn't putting injury at 0 complete negate the proactive approach to finding the best possible slider set?

Dialing in sliders to accurately reflect "real life" results through gameplan seems entirely moot if AB's or starts are not distributed amongst players, who may have not been given the chance to do so otherwise.

just as in "real life".