Dynamic Difficulty - has anyone actually tried it?
I don't want to get carried away, I only played four games ... but I'll say this much: the four games I played have been, quite simply, four of the best I've played, and I'm well over 200 games in.
Game 1: L, 6-3 (10 innings)
Game 2: L, 3-2 (stranded a runner at third in the bottom of 9th)
Game 3: W, 7-3 (nice!)
Game 4: L, 6-4 (tied 4-4 in 9th, walk-off HR)
What's been really interesting - hell, downright amazing - is playing while knowing that the sliders are in flux. This has a particularly profound effect when considering the sliders for AI hitting and pitching. Wanna talk about unpredictable pitching? Think about the effect it would have if someone were tinkering with how often the AI throws strikes - while you play! Same is true when you're on the mound: how aggressive the AI is, how often they chase, how often they'll MASH - all of it - it's been completely unpredictable, as you might expect.
What's more, you cannot see the sliders being changed: my sliders still look the exact same way they did when I made the switch; but I'm 100% certain there are drastic changes being made - even during the game.
Theoretically, the CPU is attempting to automatically make you a set of custom sliders, uniquely tailored to your skill set and your play style.
Seriously.
Like I said, it's only four games, but those scores ought to speak pretty loudly. I'd be REALLY interested to see some of you take the plunge into this land of total uncertainty with me and see if you experience something similar.
A FEW THINGS:
1. Payoff pitching; Classic Swing (though I suspect this won't matter at all)
2. I have all the Inside Edge options turned off.
3. Make sure the meat pitch slider is at zero.
4. I am not using either analog stick at all.
5. I am throwing exactly what the catcher calls for. If I want to throw something else, I make sure to shake him off, and I never shake off Payoff pitches, unless the call is for something downright stupid (this is pretty much the only way to insure a decent number of walks).
6. Classic pitching: I am attempting to pitch with 100% effectiveness every time (allowing the meter to expand as far as possible, and achieving the little white flash).
As far as anything else goes (speaking of sliders), as far as I can tell, it doesn't matter. The CPU will pretty much 'reset' the sliders as soon as you turn on Dynamic Difficulty. (Again, you won't see any changes to the actual sliders, but they'll be there, trust me.)
Recap: Dynamic Difficulty definitely does one thing: it instantly removes all question of slider tweaks from your mind, allowing you to simply concentrate on the task at hand: scoring 20 runs and throwing a no-hitter. What it might do is make slider tweaks (even in-game) that promote competitive, exciting games. So far, that's exactly what's happened for me, and, like I said, I just played four of the best games I've played to date.
Should no one else come along for the ride, I'll keep you posted.
I don't want to get carried away, I only played four games ... but I'll say this much: the four games I played have been, quite simply, four of the best I've played, and I'm well over 200 games in.
Game 1: L, 6-3 (10 innings)
Game 2: L, 3-2 (stranded a runner at third in the bottom of 9th)
Game 3: W, 7-3 (nice!)
Game 4: L, 6-4 (tied 4-4 in 9th, walk-off HR)
What's been really interesting - hell, downright amazing - is playing while knowing that the sliders are in flux. This has a particularly profound effect when considering the sliders for AI hitting and pitching. Wanna talk about unpredictable pitching? Think about the effect it would have if someone were tinkering with how often the AI throws strikes - while you play! Same is true when you're on the mound: how aggressive the AI is, how often they chase, how often they'll MASH - all of it - it's been completely unpredictable, as you might expect.
What's more, you cannot see the sliders being changed: my sliders still look the exact same way they did when I made the switch; but I'm 100% certain there are drastic changes being made - even during the game.
Theoretically, the CPU is attempting to automatically make you a set of custom sliders, uniquely tailored to your skill set and your play style.
Seriously.
Like I said, it's only four games, but those scores ought to speak pretty loudly. I'd be REALLY interested to see some of you take the plunge into this land of total uncertainty with me and see if you experience something similar.
A FEW THINGS:
1. Payoff pitching; Classic Swing (though I suspect this won't matter at all)
2. I have all the Inside Edge options turned off.
3. Make sure the meat pitch slider is at zero.
4. I am not using either analog stick at all.
5. I am throwing exactly what the catcher calls for. If I want to throw something else, I make sure to shake him off, and I never shake off Payoff pitches, unless the call is for something downright stupid (this is pretty much the only way to insure a decent number of walks).
6. Classic pitching: I am attempting to pitch with 100% effectiveness every time (allowing the meter to expand as far as possible, and achieving the little white flash).
As far as anything else goes (speaking of sliders), as far as I can tell, it doesn't matter. The CPU will pretty much 'reset' the sliders as soon as you turn on Dynamic Difficulty. (Again, you won't see any changes to the actual sliders, but they'll be there, trust me.)
Recap: Dynamic Difficulty definitely does one thing: it instantly removes all question of slider tweaks from your mind, allowing you to simply concentrate on the task at hand: scoring 20 runs and throwing a no-hitter. What it might do is make slider tweaks (even in-game) that promote competitive, exciting games. So far, that's exactly what's happened for me, and, like I said, I just played four of the best games I've played to date.
Should no one else come along for the ride, I'll keep you posted.
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