What is up with the strike zone?

[GCrusher23]

It seems like so many people love this game, yet the strikezone is unbelieveable irritating. The pitchers never throw high or low strikes, and pitches that are obviously too far off the are ruled strikes all the time. If this game is so realistic, why do pitchers get ahead of you almost every time; and if they do fall behind, they almost always come back with strikes.

Second, why does the changeup come in then drop all of a sudden like a curveball?

I'm not blasting the game here, I'm just wondering how everybody is enjoying the game with the strike zone issue. Am I missing something? I really like the game, but this is starting to become very annoying.

[Cardot]

Re: What is up with the strike zone?

The game has its issues, no doubt. I deal with them because I think the atmosphere is so good. EA and Sega have real nice video games, but ASB is the closest to really making me feel like I am at the ball yard. I threw in WSB2k3 today after a few frustrating ASB outings. As much as I liked the 2k3 hitting interface and feilding, I just couldn't get the baseball feel that I have been spoiled with in ASB.

I also like ASB because of the generated counts. I really enjoy the fast pace of play, and I don't know if I could play another baseball game without them.

ASB does a lot of things right, but it is also time for them to clean up some of the gameplay quirks.

[Cardot]

Re: What is up with the strike zone?

The game has its issues, no doubt. I deal with them because I think the atmosphere is so good. EA and Sega have real nice video games, but ASB is the closest to really making me feel like I am at the ball yard. I threw in WSB2k3 today after a few frustrating ASB outings. As much as I liked the 2k3 hitting interface and feilding, I just couldn't get the baseball feel that I have been spoiled with in ASB.

I also like ASB because of the generated counts. I really enjoy the fast pace of play, and I don't know if I could play another baseball game without them.

ASB does a lot of things right, but it is also time for them to clean up some of the gameplay quirks.

[Cardot]

Re: What is up with the strike zone?

The game has its issues, no doubt. I deal with them because I think the atmosphere is so good. EA and Sega have real nice video games, but ASB is the closest to really making me feel like I am at the ball yard. I threw in WSB2k3 today after a few frustrating ASB outings. As much as I liked the 2k3 hitting interface and feilding, I just couldn't get the baseball feel that I have been spoiled with in ASB.

I also like ASB because of the generated counts. I really enjoy the fast pace of play, and I don't know if I could play another baseball game without them.

ASB does a lot of things right, but it is also time for them to clean up some of the gameplay quirks.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: What is up with the strike zone?

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
GCrusher23 said:
It seems like so many people love this game, yet the strikezone is unbelieveable irritating. The pitchers never throw high or low strikes, and pitches that are obviously too far off the are ruled strikes all the time. If this game is so realistic, why do pitchers get ahead of you almost every time; and if they do fall behind, they almost always come back with strikes.

Second, why does the changeup come in then drop all of a sudden like a curveball?

I'm not blasting the game here, I'm just wondering how everybody is enjoying the game with the strike zone issue. Am I missing something? I really like the game, but this is starting to become very annoying.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

I'd rather have the outside pitches being called either way (balls and strikes) than having it always called a strike if it's half the ball is in the zone. A real game, how about realistic umps for that? Don't deny that you don't pitches outside the zone called strikes (borderline pitches). Sometimes if they're in the zone, umps call them balls.

Nothing to complain about if it happens in real life.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: What is up with the strike zone?

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
GCrusher23 said:
It seems like so many people love this game, yet the strikezone is unbelieveable irritating. The pitchers never throw high or low strikes, and pitches that are obviously too far off the are ruled strikes all the time. If this game is so realistic, why do pitchers get ahead of you almost every time; and if they do fall behind, they almost always come back with strikes.

Second, why does the changeup come in then drop all of a sudden like a curveball?

I'm not blasting the game here, I'm just wondering how everybody is enjoying the game with the strike zone issue. Am I missing something? I really like the game, but this is starting to become very annoying.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

I'd rather have the outside pitches being called either way (balls and strikes) than having it always called a strike if it's half the ball is in the zone. A real game, how about realistic umps for that? Don't deny that you don't pitches outside the zone called strikes (borderline pitches). Sometimes if they're in the zone, umps call them balls.

Nothing to complain about if it happens in real life.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: What is up with the strike zone?

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
GCrusher23 said:
It seems like so many people love this game, yet the strikezone is unbelieveable irritating. The pitchers never throw high or low strikes, and pitches that are obviously too far off the are ruled strikes all the time. If this game is so realistic, why do pitchers get ahead of you almost every time; and if they do fall behind, they almost always come back with strikes.

Second, why does the changeup come in then drop all of a sudden like a curveball?

I'm not blasting the game here, I'm just wondering how everybody is enjoying the game with the strike zone issue. Am I missing something? I really like the game, but this is starting to become very annoying.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

I'd rather have the outside pitches being called either way (balls and strikes) than having it always called a strike if it's half the ball is in the zone. A real game, how about realistic umps for that? Don't deny that you don't pitches outside the zone called strikes (borderline pitches). Sometimes if they're in the zone, umps call them balls.

Nothing to complain about if it happens in real life.

[TopDog]

Re: What is up with the strike zone?

I think the variable strike zone is great. It's nice to see instances where the "ump" makes a mistake, and borderline pitches are called both ways. Unlike MVP where if any part of the ball touches the zone, its called a strike, you can actually draw walks and work outside the zone in ASB.

I see pitches all over the zone. However, if you've watched MLB at all this season you'll see that the high strikezone is just a joke. It is NEVER going to be called. I've watched several games this year where a belt hit fastball in the middle of the plate is consistently called a ball for being too high.

[TopDog]

Re: What is up with the strike zone?

I think the variable strike zone is great. It's nice to see instances where the "ump" makes a mistake, and borderline pitches are called both ways. Unlike MVP where if any part of the ball touches the zone, its called a strike, you can actually draw walks and work outside the zone in ASB.

I see pitches all over the zone. However, if you've watched MLB at all this season you'll see that the high strikezone is just a joke. It is NEVER going to be called. I've watched several games this year where a belt hit fastball in the middle of the plate is consistently called a ball for being too high.

[TopDog]

Re: What is up with the strike zone?

I think the variable strike zone is great. It's nice to see instances where the "ump" makes a mistake, and borderline pitches are called both ways. Unlike MVP where if any part of the ball touches the zone, its called a strike, you can actually draw walks and work outside the zone in ASB.

I see pitches all over the zone. However, if you've watched MLB at all this season you'll see that the high strikezone is just a joke. It is NEVER going to be called. I've watched several games this year where a belt hit fastball in the middle of the plate is consistently called a ball for being too high.

[RedsFan75]

Re: What is up with the strike zone?

I like how I can swing at one outside the zone and get a hit... Not too far mind you, but still a ball. I play both ASB and MVP. In MVP if the pitch is going to be a low ball, and my swing, timing and everything else is right, I'll still swing and miss.

In ASB, as in Baseball, I can do that and Crush one... Overall I like the feel of ASB a lot.

[RedsFan75]

Re: What is up with the strike zone?

I like how I can swing at one outside the zone and get a hit... Not too far mind you, but still a ball. I play both ASB and MVP. In MVP if the pitch is going to be a low ball, and my swing, timing and everything else is right, I'll still swing and miss.

In ASB, as in Baseball, I can do that and Crush one... Overall I like the feel of ASB a lot.

[RedsFan75]

Re: What is up with the strike zone?

I like how I can swing at one outside the zone and get a hit... Not too far mind you, but still a ball. I play both ASB and MVP. In MVP if the pitch is going to be a low ball, and my swing, timing and everything else is right, I'll still swing and miss.

In ASB, as in Baseball, I can do that and Crush one... Overall I like the feel of ASB a lot.

[slthree]

Re: What is up with the strike zone?

With regard to the strike zone, I love the variability. It is realistic. It gets me complaining as much as an umpire can get a batter complaining.

However, I must agree wholeheartedly with the comment about the CPU not throwing high. I have been torn between ASB (the best 'feeling' sim) and ESPN. However, after playing both extensively, I have to go with ESPN and here's why:

Power pitchers in ESPN will smoke you with high fastballs and you will wonder why you ever took a cut at that unhittable pitch. Then, when you finally develop the patience to lay off it, Mark Prior will throw that same fastball high in the zone but just enough to be a called 3rd strike. Conversely, in ASB you know that the 2 strike pitch will always be low.

Someone earlier pointed out that you can draw walks in ASB and I agree that you can draw more walks than MVP but not nearly as many as in ESPN (the sliders actually have the proper effect). Also, the pitchers in ESPN (both user and cpu)can really miss their spots, which I love. Not that they don't in ASB but in ESPN, after the pitch, you can see the yellow dot that represented where you aimed it and see an overlay of a white ball trail where the pitch actually went. I can't tell you how many times I tried to throw a slider way down and away only to have it hang over the plate and get crushed.

My biggest problem though, is that I still LOVE ASB and feel like I'm cheating when I play ESPN. It does so many things right. My only hangups are the hitting models (I hate cursors) and the lightning fast way relievers tire and the fact that to get deep in counts I have to use a generated 1-0 or 2-0 count.

So, I'm currently playing both games.

[slthree]

Re: What is up with the strike zone?

With regard to the strike zone, I love the variability. It is realistic. It gets me complaining as much as an umpire can get a batter complaining.

However, I must agree wholeheartedly with the comment about the CPU not throwing high. I have been torn between ASB (the best 'feeling' sim) and ESPN. However, after playing both extensively, I have to go with ESPN and here's why:

Power pitchers in ESPN will smoke you with high fastballs and you will wonder why you ever took a cut at that unhittable pitch. Then, when you finally develop the patience to lay off it, Mark Prior will throw that same fastball high in the zone but just enough to be a called 3rd strike. Conversely, in ASB you know that the 2 strike pitch will always be low.

Someone earlier pointed out that you can draw walks in ASB and I agree that you can draw more walks than MVP but not nearly as many as in ESPN (the sliders actually have the proper effect). Also, the pitchers in ESPN (both user and cpu)can really miss their spots, which I love. Not that they don't in ASB but in ESPN, after the pitch, you can see the yellow dot that represented where you aimed it and see an overlay of a white ball trail where the pitch actually went. I can't tell you how many times I tried to throw a slider way down and away only to have it hang over the plate and get crushed.

My biggest problem though, is that I still LOVE ASB and feel like I'm cheating when I play ESPN. It does so many things right. My only hangups are the hitting models (I hate cursors) and the lightning fast way relievers tire and the fact that to get deep in counts I have to use a generated 1-0 or 2-0 count.

So, I'm currently playing both games.