Hitting: Determining Pitch Type

[CubsIn2003]

Hitting in this game has always baffled me as far as being able to recognize whether a pitch is a fast ball or off speed. I liked how MVP had a color code around the perimeter of the ball that the batter needed to pick up. With this game, it seems like just a guess. Any tips?

Also, as mentioned by others, the strike zone seems to run up very high.

[MrBradSr]

Re: Hitting: Determining Pitch Type

maybe zooming your view from behind the batter closer towards the pictures mound just enough to where you see the bottom of home plate. Also for an off speed pitch look for the "hump" in the trajectory of the pitch.

[CeltBhoy33]

Re: Hitting: Determining Pitch Type

maybe zooming your view from behind the batter closer towards the pictures mound just enough to where you see the bottom of home plate. Also for an off speed pitch look for the "hump" in the trajectory of the pitch.

Your right, It has always been sorta hard to tell what pitch would be coming at you on the 2k series but on MVP I never took the time to memorize the colors so It really doesnt matter to me.

[arichzona]

Re: Hitting: Determining Pitch Type

Hitting in this game has always baffled me as far as being able to recognize whether a pitch is a fast ball or off speed. I liked how MVP had a color code around the perimeter of the ball that the batter needed to pick up. With this game, it seems like just a guess. Any tips?

Also, as mentioned by others, the strike zone seems to run up very high.

I wish I had tips for you on this issue but I am in the same camp as you when referring to how MVP had that little color flash from wind-up to release to let you know the pitch type. It is not as if we can pick up the rotation of the ball, look for the 'dot' while it is spinning, or try to find the grip the pitcher has on the ball prior to release.

It seems to be just a guessing game.....see what the pitcher has in his arsenal and determine from that if it has a chance of getting in the strikezone a split second after he releases it.

I never took the time to memorize the colors

Yes, because there were so many different ones I can see why it'd be difficult to remember, as well as very time consuming.

[Bahnzo]

Re: Hitting: Determining Pitch Type

I liked how MVP had a color code around the perimeter of the ball that the batter needed to pick up.

What baffles me is why this hasn't become the standard in baseball games. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but for me, MVP's tip-off pitching was the maybe the most innovative feature in a baseball game. I especially loved how certain pitchers tipped more due to their delivery.

Anyways, been thinking about that recently and was nice to see someone else mention it. I sure hope someone else uses that idea in a baseball game soon. (can something like that be "copyrighted" so other games can't use it?)

[Saber]

Re: Hitting: Determining Pitch Type

What baffles me is why this hasn't become the standard in baseball games. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but for me, MVP's tip-off pitching was the maybe the most innovative feature in a baseball game. I especially loved how certain pitchers tipped more due to their delivery.

Anyways, been thinking about that recently and was nice to see someone else mention it. I sure hope someone else uses that idea in a baseball game soon. (can something like that be "copyrighted" so other games can't use it?)

nah, you can just mimic it and call it something different. i do agree though, it was awesome. i would rather have that than the inside edge stuff which costs so much money. I think I'd rather have the scouting report on all the players availible at anytime (like any coach would), but not have the suspected pitch spots show up, or the hot/cold zones for batters.

[Bahnzo]

Re: Hitting: Determining Pitch Type

nah, you can just mimic it and call it something different. i do agree though, it was awesome. i would rather have that than the inside edge stuff which costs so much money. I think I'd rather have the scouting report on all the players availible at anytime (like any coach would), but not have the suspected pitch spots show up, or the hot/cold zones for batters.

I kinda liked the inside edge stuff, it's a neat concept. So I say, COMBINE THE TWO! As you own scouting reports of the pitchers, then you are able to "read" pitches better, ala the "tip-off" like MVP.

[bsb13]

Re: Hitting: Determining Pitch Type

I cant see why they dont add the hitters eye. Its seems like it would be pretty easy to do. I know they added the pitch meter and vector line from MVP in the ps2 version. I just wish they would let you choose what pitch will have what color. I always felt the split finger should have been white because its belongs in the fastball family.

[Flaxseed Oil]

Re: Hitting: Determining Pitch Type

I am colorblind so I never really liked the color-system as it never worked for me. I think with the high-definiton gaming though, you should be able to tell which pitch is coming from the "spin" on the ball....curves sort of go up before they go down, sliders come out of the hand a little differently, etc.

[ac11367]

Re: Hitting: Determining Pitch Type

MLB Power Pros shows the spin of the pitch with the ball marker shown in the strike zone. That game has a nice and simple interface, but yet can still be challenging.

[Alai]

Re: Hitting: Determining Pitch Type

I think High Heat had the best pitcher vs batter system. Overdramatic arcs on the offspeed pitches to notice the different pitches coming.

[CubsIn2003]

Re: Hitting: Determining Pitch Type

Thanks for the replies. Will try the view adjust idea. Interesting to hear that others have the same issue - as I wasnt sure. If anyone has other ideas for this, please post!

Other than the color blind issue (and truly sorry about that), the perimeter color concept does work. Guess a rotating arrow could work too.

Whatever the case, it should consider the quality of the pitcher vs quality of the hitter. So for example, for poor pitchers who have a bad curve ball vs all star hitters, should be easy to pick up the color or spin. For great pitchers vs poor hitters, the opposite. All moderated by pitcher fatigue and other factors.

[arichzona]

Re: Hitting: Determining Pitch Type

Whatever the case, it should consider the quality of the pitcher vs quality of the hitter. So for example, for poor pitchers who have a bad curve ball vs all star hitters, should be easy to pick up the color or spin. For great pitchers vs poor hitters, the opposite. All moderated by pitcher fatigue and other factors.

that is a good idea.........and it could be tied into the "insde edge" idea where if the guy is traditionally a good curveball hitter (or whatever pitch he kills) he gets tipped off that he is getting a curve, or vice-versa. Of course the loaction vs whether you decide to swing or not is still up in the air - you know at (or just before) release that it is a curve. As the pitcher gets more tired he tips other pithces here and there.....(go Cubs)

[Oldschool17]

Re: Hitting: Determining Pitch Type

I recently started playing MLB THE SHOW on ps3 and the batter pitcher interface is very good...you actually have time to read the pitch. My biggest problem though is I'm so used to 2k8 that I have a bad habit of guessing because as many have said the hitting in 2k8 was relegated to guessing and simply holding the stick up.

I loved the batters eye in MVP and that would be a nice addition but based on how The Show has done their hitting its completely possible to implement a solid hitting model that takes into consideration pitch type, speed and location as factors as to what type of hit we would see.

One thing The SHOW does is reward you for using and mixing all your pitches...meaning if you do not utilize your full repertoire of pitches and choose to usw one of the 4 yA GOT...THE OTHER 3 BECOME ALMOST USELESS...Meanwhile if you mix your pitches correctly you get rewarded as those pitches all become a bit more effective and easier to place. Its really one of the best things I've seen in a baseball game

[LP]

Re: Hitting: Determining Pitch Type

One thing The SHOW does is reward you for using and mixing all your pitches...meaning if you do not utilize your full repertoire of pitches and choose to usw one of the 4 yA GOT...THE OTHER 3 BECOME ALMOST USELESS...Meanwhile if you mix your pitches correctly you get rewarded as those pitches all become a bit more effective and easier to place. Its really one of the best things I've seen in a baseball game

The problem with that is, most pitchers don't have the four or five pitches they are given. Games give pitchers way too many pitches. MOST pitchers have ONE or two go to pitches and two or three variations or different arm slots.

An example would be Roy Oswalt. He has an excellent fastball, a great curve, and an OK change. He doesn't throw five different pitches. He mixes speeds and locations on his fastball, and throws the curve or chang to keep hitters from sitting on the fastball. They need to make a pitching system where we can throw fastballs at slightly different speeds and mix in one or two others pitches, and still be successful. In most games it feels like you have to throw these extra pitches to beat even average batters.

Another example would be Mariana Rivera. He pretty much has one pitch, but was very dominant. He changes the speed and location. We need the ability to give a pitcher three of the same pitches with different speeds and slightly different movements. MVP at least had the ability to customize the break of the pitches.