Information on "Pitch Speed" Setting

[hostilecity]

Re: Information on "Pitch Speed" Setting

Pro: Do you find that directing the left stick left or right at these pitch speeds results in scortching line drives or ground balls to 1st or 3rd base. That's one of the reasons I've given up on the left stick.

[TheProfessional]

Re: Information on "Pitch Speed" Setting

Pro: Do you find that directing the left stick left or right at these pitch speeds results in scortching line drives or ground balls to 1st or 3rd base. That's one of the reasons I've given up on the left stick.

No not at all. Its one of the reasons i've lowered pitch speeds as much as i did. As i said in my first post, the pitching speeds in the game are directly correlated to the kinds of batted ball speeds you will get. Therefore the lower the pitch speeds, the slower the ball will come off the bat.

If you take a look at my new settings, i gave a description of how i'm approaching hitting now. I'm using the left analog stick as a way to aim my swing at the pitch location.

To further answer your question a bit, at first i thought using the left analog stick might not be the way to go because of the description given in the manual that you can influence hits. Either fly balls, ground balls, pulled balls or opposite field balls by pushing left analog stick in the appropriate direction. It didn't seem realistic to me to just be able to hit a fly ball whenever i wanted no matter where the pitch location, so i stayed away from it (like many others)

But in fact i've found that the use of the left analog stick makes this game play much more realistic. And creates foul balls and nice variety of hits. The description given in the manual really doesn't describe it accurately nor does it justice. The more i've used the left analog stick, i've found it to be a way to simply influence the kind of contact it has with the bat. For example if i aim my swing high and inside and the ball is low and away, i will either swing and miss or hit a slow dribbler to an infielder. The more i aim my swing in the exact location of the pitch the better chance i have to make solid contact with the ball and "go with the pitch".

For example, just played a game against where the pitcher was trying to go low and inside to me. I pushed the left analog stick low and inside and timed my swing, and hit a home run. Now according to the manual, pushing down on the left analog stick should create a ground ball not a fly ball or even a homerun.

Just one other note about going with lower pitch speeds. IT WILL TAKE SOME GETTING USED TO. When i first lowered the pitch speeds it seemed just awful slow and unrealistic to play like that. But after a few games at the lower pitch speeds, i can't even tell the difference anymore. I still strike out, i am still late on some pitches. In fact off speed pitches that the CPU throws, are even more effective because i will swing very very early at times and look foolish.

[BigL]

Re: Information on "Pitch Speed" Setting

This was a great observation. I put the pitch speed down to 50 and i had a tough time hitting Tom Glavine's changes ups, but it seemed like it was something iw ould be able to get used to over time so i put it back up to the default 65. That seems like the perfect medium.

Thanks for the observation. Good stuff.

[EWRMETS]

Re: Information on "Pitch Speed" Setting

Pro, are you seeing more CPU foul balls too?

[TheProfessional]

Re: Information on "Pitch Speed" Setting

Pro, are you seeing more CPU foul balls too?

Eh. There are a fair amount of CPU foul balls, but not nearly as many as there probably should be.

[brunnoce]

Re: Information on "Pitch Speed" Setting

Pro i just tried what you suggested..and man, its working great!
i set the pitch speed to 35, at first i thought i was reaaaallly slow...but than after some innings i got used to it, as i was using already 50, it wasnt that diferent....anyway, had 3 games so far...and i loved the results!
my hit number dropped drasticly and my strike out number was just liek it was..averagin about 6 a game....
from the 3 games i played ,in 2 i was using the 1st startes.
1st game:
astros(me) 1r 6h 1e
pirates 2r 5h 0e
HR- 1 C.lee(hou)
win: kolb
loss: owsvalt
save: torres
starters line:
duke(pit): 6.2inn, 1er, 4bb, 6K (102 pitches)
oswalt(hou): 8.0inn, 2er, 3bb, 5K(118 pitches)
------------------------------------------------
2nd game:
d rays(me) 6r 11h 0e
yankees 4r 8h 0e
HR- 1 Matsui(nyy), 1 Cano(nyy)
Win: Howell
Loss: Myers
starters line:
Pavano(nyy): 5.2inn, 4er, 3bb, 4K(87 pitches)
Kazmir(tb): 7.1inn, 3er, 5bb, 3K(124 pitches)
--------------------------------------------------
athletics(me) 2r 5h 1e
nationals 3r 8h 1e
HR-none
Win- J.williams
Loss- J.blanton
Save-Codeiro
starters line:
j.williams(was): 6.1inn, 1er, 6bb, 2k(93 pitches)
j.blanton(oak): 7inn, 3er, 4bb, 7k(108 pitches)

ill keep testing...will play about 10 games, than probalby start a brand new franchise...

[TheProfessional]

Re: Information on "Pitch Speed" Setting

Pro i just tried what you suggested..and man, its working great!
i set the pitch speed to 35, at first i thought i was reaaaallly slow...but than after some innings i got used to it, as i was using already 50, it wasnt that diferent....anyway, had 3 games so far...and i loved the results!
my hit number dropped drasticly and my strike out number was just liek it was..averagin about 6 a game....
from the 3 games i played ,in 2 i was using the 1st startes.
1st game:
astros(me) 1r 6h 1e
pirates 2r 5h 0e
HR- 1 C.lee(hou)
win: kolb
loss: owsvalt
save: torres
starters line:
duke(pit): 6.2inn, 1er, 4bb, 6K (102 pitches)
oswalt(hou): 8.0inn, 2er, 3bb, 5K(118 pitches)
------------------------------------------------
2nd game:
d rays(me) 6r 11h 0e
yankees 4r 8h 0e
HR- 1 Matsui(nyy), 1 Cano(nyy)
Win: Howell
Loss: Myers
starters line:
Pavano(nyy): 5.2inn, 4er, 3bb, 4K(87 pitches)
Kazmir(tb): 7.1inn, 3er, 5bb, 3K(124 pitches)
--------------------------------------------------
athletics(me) 2r 5h 1e
nationals 3r 8h 1e
HR-none
Win- J.williams
Loss- J.blanton
Save-Codeiro
starters line:
j.williams(was): 6.1inn, 1er, 6bb, 2k(93 pitches)
j.blanton(oak): 7inn, 3er, 4bb, 7k(108 pitches)

ill keep testing...will play about 10 games, than probalby start a brand new franchise...

Thanks for the feedback. Now i would really suggest utilizing the left analog stick (if you already aren't). You will see some great variety in your hits. Also give my settings a try and let me know what you think. And try to use bat using the left analog stick aimed at the direction of the pitch location.

[MJAY2003]

Re: Information on "Pitch Speed" Setting

Any idea if swing stick would work well with the lower pitch speed? Thanks.

[TheProfessional]

Re: Information on "Pitch Speed" Setting

Any idea if swing stick would work well with the lower pitch speed? Thanks.

I'm sure it would, i don't see why it wouldn't. Only one way to find out. Give it a try.

[Jordanfan23]

Re: Information on "Pitch Speed" Setting

The only prob with the hit stick, is that it is much harder to hit the ball where it is pitched. I see much more hit variety with the classic swing. With the pitch spedd lower, you are able to get around on balls that seemed impossible before, which results in a lot of balls down the lines, and more foul balls. I love the swing stick concept, but I see more variety using classic. I still wish we could get a "traditional" zone hitting interface, a la HH! I can't wait to see MLB 2k8!!!

[brunnoce]

Re: Information on "Pitch Speed" Setting

Thanks for the feedback. Now i would really suggest utilizing the left analog stick (if you already aren't). You will see some great variety in your hits. Also give my settings a try and let me know what you think. And try to use bat using the left analog stick aimed at the direction of the pitch location.

man i was already using the left stick just like you said....
and yes i found its possible to hit fly balls/hr evan aiming down..i just hit one with piazza..

anwyay, this left analog stick aiming does the trick pretty well for foul balls..i just had the longest AB in my life in this game..a 11 pitch battle between king felix and m.ellis(me)... really nice! for people that arent getting foul balls evan wiht the stick, i would justed stay back and swing at the last moment, just like they do in reallife, youre protectin the strike zone, so you arent gonna try to pull anything...

[TheProfessional]

Re: Information on "Pitch Speed" Setting

yes i found its possible to hit fly balls/hr evan aiming down..i just hit one with piazza..

anwyay, this left analog stick aiming does the trick pretty well for foul balls..i just had the longest AB in my life in this game..a 11 pitch battle between king felix and m.ellis(me)... really nice!

I just had an at bat like that the other day where i had multiple foul balls and just stayed alive. like you said really nice to finally see something like that in this game.

Its also kind of rewarding to get that down and in pitch and just crank it out. I finally feel like i turned on a pitch and actually deserved to hit a homerun instead of the old press A and pray (that i hit the ball).

[brunnoce]

Re: Information on "Pitch Speed" Setting

yeh i agree..that hr i hit with piazza, i cold tell it was gonne by the sound of the bat..i really nail it...
now its time to start a new franchise..i am sure this one is gonna be the one, casue i wont have a .350 batting average this time...and i will have to really play well to get more than 10 hits, as in 8 test games so far i played with your suggestion i got none with more than 10 hits.not to mention that i finally got a 7r6h socre board...thats the first time in any video games i get this result!

[Jordanfan23]

Re: Information on "Pitch Speed" Setting

I just had an at bat like that the other day where i had multiple foul balls and just stayed alive. like you said really nice to finally see something like that in this game.

Its also kind of rewarding to get that down and in pitch and just crank it out. I finally feel like i turned on a pitch and actually deserved to hit a homerun instead of the old press A and pray (that i hit the ball).

I got around on a low and inside pitch with Jr., and hit out to RF, just left of the foul pole, exactly where it would get hit in real life. It is much easier to get around on a slider from a RH pitcher to a RH batter, which produces more hits down the line.

[TheProfessional]

Check Swings

Anyone else notice that with the slower pitch speed it seems a bit easier to check swing?