Down with the Power Swing

[sleepytercel]

Re: Down with the Power Swing

That's not necessarily a power swing, but just an uppercut swing. You can powerfully drill a ball into the ground; there's no determining whether a fly ball that's hit is more powerful than a ground ball that's it.

An uppercut swing is the "power swing". It's in the stat books, and you have control on how many times you use it regardless of the swing mechanic you use. If you didn't, you wouldn't see people use it 95% of the time, and others only use it around 20%. You're thinking on how the ball is hit, but since their are only two swing types to hit balls offered in this game, well, they're the only two listed in the VIP.

FACT: Pressing down on the SS and then pushing up is the same EXACT mechanic as holding up on the "L" stick and pressing "A" with classic controls.

[Simp]

Re: Down with the Power Swing

It seems to me that there is a discrepancy between how the developers intended the hitting system be used and how people actually want to use it. People simply aren't using the system as the developers intended.

The devs obviously intented the contact swing to be the primary swing, and the power swing to be the secondary swing.

In fact, people are using the power swing as their primary swing, and the contact swing as their secondary swing.

I think part of this can be attributed to the fact that the power swing motion on the stick (all the way down and then all the way up) is obviously a more natural representation of an actual baseball swing than going down and then halfway up. Going halfway up just kinda feels weird.

The other part unfortunately is that a lot of people have trouble controlling that part of them that just wants to hit home runs and do whatever the game allows them to do, in order to win (ie the "cheese" factor).

I like trevytrev's idea, especially the part of using a button (maybe a trigger?) as a modifier to use the contact swing. At least this way it's a lot easier to incorporate checkswings into the gae, like NCAA MVP. As it is, it's nearly impossible to pull off a check swing.

[sleepytercel]

Re: Down with the Power Swing

Yeah, but most people are using "classic" hitting to do their power swings. It's their primary swing because there's no effort in holding "up" and pressing "a". Why should I even attempt a contact swing? Seriously, considering that my step timing is done for me, and holding up on the "L" stick doesn't distract me at all from pressing the "A" button. Trust me, not many are using the Swingstick to crank their 95% power swing abilities.

You see, I'm not against the Power swing, but Kush messed up on the contact abilities of it. It should be MUCH harder to make good contact with a power swing, and sadly, it's not. Thankfully sliders fix the issue offline, but online ranked games will always be a homerun fiesta.

[Trevytrev11]

Re: Down with the Power Swing

OK, I've thought about it a little more and here is maybe a better way to phrase this system.

It is a one swing-type system...with an exception. That exception is for "contact situations". You determine when these situations occure and react accordingly. All other times, you want to hit the ball hard.

As others have said, the current system was intended to have users use the normal swing with an exception of the power swing. In other words, use the normal swing except in HR situations. What the hell is a HR situations? How may HR's in the MLB are hit by players who are trying to hit a HR as opposed to just trying to hit the ball hard. I'd say it's the other way around. You hit most of your HR's when your just trying to make solid contact and drive the ball hard.

This is the way I see it. Take a guy like Michael Young. He's not a big HR guy, but he hits the ball hard and as a result is a doubles machine. The difference when he hits the HR's vs the double isn't because he swung harder or tried to hit a HR, it's likely just because he made better contact and was able to get slightly under the ball to get some lift on it. It wasn't because he had a Power swing inside of him that he decided to use. He likely was sitting on the right pitch, used the right swing, made good contact and the ball carried over the fence. I'm sure many times he uses the same swing, but gets under it and pops it up or gets on top and hits a hard groundball. This is the same for most players. The ones who hit more HR's either have better swings more consistantly or are just flat out stronger. A deep fly to the warning track for Young May be in the seats for Pujols and me just be a routing fly out for Kendall.

My argument is that real players don't have power swings. Guys like Bonds, Howard, Pujols, A-Rod swing hard all of the time. Sure there are situations when you try and hit HR's but more often than not those are the situations when you pull your head and look like an idiot. Most HR's come from the same swings that result in fly balls, doubles, ground outs and strike outs. It's mostly one swing, just better contact...not more effort.

The exception is for certain players who are willing or are forced to sacrafice power in order to put the ball in play. Again, these are guys that refuse to strike out, or are hitting behind a runner or are hitting and running.

[Trevytrev11]

Re: Down with the Power Swing

Yeah, but most people are using "classic" hitting to do their power swings. It's their primary swing because there's no effort in holding "up" and pressing "a". Why should I even attempt a contact swing? Seriously, considering that my step timing is done for me, and holding up on the "L" stick doesn't distract me at all from pressing the "A" button. Trust me, not many are using the Swingstick to crank their 95% power swing abilities.

You see, I'm not against the Power swing, but Kush messed up on the contact abilities of it. It should be MUCH harder to make good contact with a power swing, and sadly, it's not. Thankfully sliders fix the issue offline, but online ranked games will always be a homerun fiesta.

I agree, but even with the SS, what extra effort is involved in the power swing. It requires the same timing, only instead of letting go, you just press the stick up. I don't know what % of my K's come from one swing or the other, but I don't notice a big drop in contact when I go between the swings and I only use SS.

While I don't think there should be a power swing, I agree if there has to be a power swing, it should be at a lower contact, but again, what about guys that only have a power swing. Again, Ryan Howard doesn't ever shorten up his swing. His swing with an 0-2 count is the same as if the count is 2-0. The same goes for Soriano and most non "contact-type" hitters. These guys don't have different swings.If they do, it's becasue they got fooled on a pitch and just end up taking an ugly, off balance swing.

This is why I think there should be one swing (with an exception) where ratings, timing of the swing and aim of the swing (if using a zone or directional hitting system) would influence the outcome of the hit. Not an extra button that adds exta oomph that I don't believe exists.

[baa7]

Re: Down with the Power Swing

Not an extra button that adds exta oomph that I don't believe exists.

You don't think Sheffield is swinging for the fences with a little extra on his swing, on those sometime occasions where he misses and almost screws himself into the ground?

[Trevytrev11]

Re: Down with the Power Swing

You don't think Sheffield is swinging for the fences with a little extra on his swing, on those sometime occasions where he misses and almost screws himself into the ground?

Honestly, I think he swings that hard all of the time. Everything is just exposed when you swing and miss when you swing hard or take an off balance swing. I can seriously say that Sheffield never gets cheated on a swing. He just has amazing bat speed.

Now I understand that there are times when you try and swing harder when you think you know what is coming, but I don't think it translates to harder swings. It's like when pitchers try to muscle up on a pitch, they end up tensing up and the pitch ends up slower. When I was in college we used to see it all of the time when they would bring out the radar guns. The coach would tell the guy to throw his best fastball, he would try and hump up and it would end up being 1 or 2 MPH slower than his normal fastball.

And as far as realism goes in a video game, I think your better off rewarding a hitter for making solid contact on a good swing instead of having him just press a seperate button that provides an instant boost.
This is perfect for this discussion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T2Br...related&search=

The last AB he K's which means he has 2 strikes on him and he swings as hard as he does in the other two AB's.

I mean this is a rehab game and he's swinging out of his shoes on every pitch.

[ehh]

Re: Down with the Power Swing

*** Reminiscences over the one-button classic cursor interface from 2k4 ***

[baa7]

Re: Down with the Power Swing

*** Reminiscences over the one-button classic cursor interface from 2k4 ***

I prefered two-button, but yeah... classic, zone hitting - can't beat it. Happily The Show still has all that.

[Chitown1211]

Re: Down with the Power Swing

*** Reminiscences over the one-button classic cursor interface from 2k4 ***

Tell me about it. This would solve ALL problems. Cursor hitting is the only true way to simulate real bat on ball physics. Hits were truly based on where you make contact with the cursor. Hit variety was far more extensive than all zone type hitting systems.

[ehh]

Re: Down with the Power Swing

Tell me about it. This would solve ALL problems. Cursor hitting is the only true way to simulate real bat on ball physics. Hits were truly based on where you make contact with the cursor. Hit variety was far more extensive than all zone type hitting systems.

Yup, and the best part was the control and feel you had w. a cusor. In 2k4, 95% of the time I made contact I knew exactly where the ball was going to go.

Neither MVP '05 or any of the newer 2k versions provided that, IMO.

[Trevytrev11]

Re: Down with the Power Swing

Now, to those that prefer the 1 button system....do you like/dislike the idea of having the contact button that would reduce your power while increasing your ability to make contact (risk/reward)?

Again, your talking about using it at most 5-10% of the time when you feel it is necessarry.

You pull the R trigger, use the same swing motion on the swing stick only you have a slightly lower margin for error on your swing.

Basically, those pitches that you barely miss by swinging just a little too early or just a little too late would become foul balls.

I think this would be accomplished by having the game automatically slightly increase or decrease the speed of your swing in order to generate contact.

I'm not talking about enough to make it so you never strike out, but just enough to give the hitter a slight benefit of the doubt.