3B Charging solution (long read)

[Sportsforever]

I was just messing around tonight and had the urge to pop in 2K5 (the first one) in. I decided to try something crazy and mess around with the sliders I had been using. I moved the AI Fielder speed to 100 just because I had heard someone mention it before. I was surprised at what I saw. First off, I expected to see the fielding animations for the CPU look awkward. However, they actually looked much better than before. I also expected the CPU to be all over the field, making it impossible to get a hit. In two games I managed to get 17 hits (12 in the first, 5 in the second) with Human Contact at 0. My biggest surprise though was I saw the 3B charging the ball and I wasn't sure why at first. I thought it was because I had fielding agression at 100, so I went into situation and just bunted every batter towards 3B (the 3B charged on almost everyone except for ones that headed toward the mound) adjusting fielding agression from 100 to 0 every few batters. I really didn't see a difference, so then I thought it must have something to do with the fielder speed. I reduced fielder speed down to 50 and bunted several more balls and the 3B didn't charge one of them. I put AI fielder speed back to 100 and bunted several more balls. I found that while the P does get some of them, the 1B and 3B do play much better and charge. I am thinking that maybe the reason they didn't charge before is the P didn't give them time to. Anyway, I thought it was interesting and will look at it again, but I thought I would pass it on in case anyone else wanted to look at it. BTW, I did this with default rosters.

[Scooter3]

Re: 3B Charging solution (long read)

Thanks Sportsforever, I'll have to give it a try.

[Blzer]

Re: 3B Charging solution (long read)

Weird. I have Fielder Speed around 20 or so. They don't get to impossible balls that way.

[baa7]

Re: 3B Charging solution (long read)

You're correct about Fielder Speed and charging the ball. The higher it is, the more they charge. Good find Unfortunately, I can't play the game with Fielder Speed up that high (not realistic IMO) so it doesn't do me much good. But thanks nonetheless.

[bcruise]

Re: 3B Charging solution (long read)

I've always thought that this 3rd base standing still issue had more to do with the defensive alignment than anything. I've noticed that the CPU will almost never play shallow, even against serious bunting/speed threats. That results in the 3B still being on the dirt when contact is made (he will creep in a few steps when you show bunt, but he still doesn't make it to the grass). That results in the 3B being so far out of position to field the bunt that there's really only one player who can. Yup. The pitcher. Turning up the fielder speed (and speed burst, I'd imagine) as mentioned in this thread will help the 3B get to balls that he wouldn't otherwise, but that won't fix the problem of him playing too deep. That's a managerial AI decision, and from what I can tell it seems faulty.

Not to ruffle any feathers, but I want to contrast this with MVP for a second. Against known bunt threats, the CPU AI WILL play in, almost at the edge of the grass before the pitcher even begins his windup. When the batter squares up, the 3rd baseman comes charging, and is usually about halfway to the plate when contact is made. From there he is in the perfect position to make as best a play as he can, given his ability. This seems much more like how it is supposed to be, and it all comes down to the alignment.

Anyone who has both games will be able to see this difference easily, and just how big of a difference it makes.

[baa7]

Re: 3B Charging solution (long read)

I've always thought that this 3rd base standing still issue had more to do with the defensive alignment than anything. I've noticed that the CPU will almost never play shallow, even against serious bunting/speed threats. That results in the 3B still being on the dirt when contact is made (he will creep in a few steps when you show bunt, but he still doesn't make it to the grass). That results in the 3B being so far out of position to field the bunt that there's really only one player who can.

You're correct there. That's a major programing omission in 2K5, and probably a big reason why the 3B guy doesn't charge. Interestingly though, he does once the Fielder Speed slider is up around 70, and will charge all the time when it's in the 90-100 range.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 3B Charging solution (long read)

I've always thought that this 3rd base standing still issue had more to do with the defensive alignment than anything. I've noticed that the CPU will almost never play shallow, even against serious bunting/speed threats. That results in the 3B still being on the dirt when contact is made (he will creep in a few steps when you show bunt, but he still doesn't make it to the grass). That results in the 3B being so far out of position to field the bunt that there's really only one player who can. Yup. The pitcher. Turning up the fielder speed (and speed burst, I'd imagine) as mentioned in this thread will help the 3B get to balls that he wouldn't otherwise, but that won't fix the problem of him playing too deep. That's a managerial AI decision, and from what I can tell it seems faulty.

Not to ruffle any feathers, but I want to contrast this with MVP for a second. Against known bunt threats, the CPU AI WILL play in, almost at the edge of the grass before the pitcher even begins his windup. When the batter squares up, the 3rd baseman comes charging, and is usually about halfway to the plate when contact is made. From there he is in the perfect position to make as best a play as he can, given his ability. This seems much more like how it is supposed to be, and it all comes down to the alignment.

Anyone who has both games will be able to see this difference easily, and just how big of a difference it makes.

I agree completely with you. The 1B and 3B should begin on the grass in a bunt situation, and instead they do this creep in a few steps thing from their normal position. I have been playing MVP for the last month, and while it is a great game it is frustrating me to know end. I can't get proper pitch counts in the game as it is almost impossible to not throw a strike and the CPU hardly swings and misses (I had CPU contact at -50 and they swung and missed 4 times all game!). I popped in 2K5 the other day because I started yearning for that beautiful presentation/graphics and I get realistic pitch counts with it. Anyway, yes, putting the fielder speed up real high does fix the 3B charging, but it doesn't fix the real underlying problem of bad AI.