Frustrations abound

[evilive]

Re: Frustrations abound

Fine. Whatever.

I will just say this.


Practice hitting more before attacking the hitting model.

Everyone here has said that it takes time to get used to it, so try to give it time before summarily dismissing it.

Many of us would prefer this hitting model to the twitch hitting of some of the other games.

Honestly, you may be a person that finds this model to be unlikable. Nothing wrong with that. That is why we should be happy we get 4 baseball games this year. There is something out there for eveyone.

I just think you need to work with it a while longer before blaming the game and saying it is flawed.

Constructive and exactly what I said before.

Any better?

[rock85]

Re: Frustrations abound

I agree with Brendan first off the cursor batting hasn't change from last year still hard to move the cursor to catch up to pitches (but still can hit those homeruns if u have the cursor in the right location) The Zone batting isn't really like HH(well it is but just doesn't do it as well) it just doesn't seem right . And as for the easy batting i just cant use it i feel like i'm cheating .So what i have to say to Acclaim is why . Why put all those features in (all be it are great) when instead u should have put more work in the pitching and batting interface WSB cant come soon enough

[rock85]

Re: Frustrations abound

I agree with Brendan first off the cursor batting hasn't change from last year still hard to move the cursor to catch up to pitches (but still can hit those homeruns if u have the cursor in the right location) The Zone batting isn't really like HH(well it is but just doesn't do it as well) it just doesn't seem right . And as for the easy batting i just cant use it i feel like i'm cheating .So what i have to say to Acclaim is why . Why put all those features in (all be it are great) when instead u should have put more work in the pitching and batting interface WSB cant come soon enough

[jujuhound]

Re: Frustrations abound

If the pitches are coming in at a true-to-life speed in a video game, they are going to be harder to hit than in real life. I think a large part of this is due to the fact that you can't pick up the ball as quickly in a video game as in real life. You can actually see the ball in the pitcher's hand and watch it all the way from release to the plate. I admit that i don't have '04, but in last years game, the pitches came from the pitchers elbow or sometimes somewhere in the shoulder region for lefties, so it was impossible to pick up the pitch until it was 30 ft away. Maybe this was completely fixed for '04, but I doubt it. This is the reason that pitch speeds in video games cant exactly emulate real life without making the hitting too hard.

[jujuhound]

Re: Frustrations abound

If the pitches are coming in at a true-to-life speed in a video game, they are going to be harder to hit than in real life. I think a large part of this is due to the fact that you can't pick up the ball as quickly in a video game as in real life. You can actually see the ball in the pitcher's hand and watch it all the way from release to the plate. I admit that i don't have '04, but in last years game, the pitches came from the pitchers elbow or sometimes somewhere in the shoulder region for lefties, so it was impossible to pick up the pitch until it was 30 ft away. Maybe this was completely fixed for '04, but I doubt it. This is the reason that pitch speeds in video games cant exactly emulate real life without making the hitting too hard.

[brendanrfoley]

Re: Frustrations abound

I am not new to the series and purchased and played last year's title to great lengths. I found last year that the hitting was much too simple and that I could hit bombs with ease.

My issue is, however, that unless you set up in a "zone" prior to the pitch thinking it may go there, you can't catch up. This year, hitting has gone in the opposite direction. From too easy to too hard. I've played nine games now, and still only hit one homerun.

Happly, I haven't given up any .

There are times in this game, however, that you cannot even see the pitch, especially if it is a high fastball with a destination in the same area on the screen from where the ball releases out of the pticher's hand. Now, maybe I am alone on this, but going down on a 3-2 count because I could not SEE the pitch isn't fun. To me, that difficulty through hitting design, not hitting model.

I will say, as negative as this postm ay seem, ASB this year is a much better game than it was last. CPU hitter required to be worked much, much more than the past. I find myself deeper in counts and having to really think about two pitches agead of myself.

Poke fun if you'd like, but these are just some observations from somebody looking for the right title to pick up this year. I'm frustrated, but I haven't come out and said I dislike this game.

I'm enjoying it, I'm just not sure how much yet.

[brendanrfoley]

Re: Frustrations abound

I am not new to the series and purchased and played last year's title to great lengths. I found last year that the hitting was much too simple and that I could hit bombs with ease.

My issue is, however, that unless you set up in a "zone" prior to the pitch thinking it may go there, you can't catch up. This year, hitting has gone in the opposite direction. From too easy to too hard. I've played nine games now, and still only hit one homerun.

Happly, I haven't given up any .

There are times in this game, however, that you cannot even see the pitch, especially if it is a high fastball with a destination in the same area on the screen from where the ball releases out of the pticher's hand. Now, maybe I am alone on this, but going down on a 3-2 count because I could not SEE the pitch isn't fun. To me, that difficulty through hitting design, not hitting model.

I will say, as negative as this postm ay seem, ASB this year is a much better game than it was last. CPU hitter required to be worked much, much more than the past. I find myself deeper in counts and having to really think about two pitches agead of myself.

Poke fun if you'd like, but these are just some observations from somebody looking for the right title to pick up this year. I'm frustrated, but I haven't come out and said I dislike this game.

I'm enjoying it, I'm just not sure how much yet.

[brendanrfoley]

Re: Frustrations abound

Jujuhound = exactly.

Real life is much different than picking up a pitch on a 2D screen.

In ASB, lefties who throw side arm are nearly impossible to pick up.

I think I am going to try easy hitting, no strike zone when I get home from work. I'll work the count as much and wait to swing until pitches are in my hot zones.

I'm not ready to give up on this title yet, but I do know I am not alone in having pitch speed difficulties.

[brendanrfoley]

Re: Frustrations abound

Jujuhound = exactly.

Real life is much different than picking up a pitch on a 2D screen.

In ASB, lefties who throw side arm are nearly impossible to pick up.

I think I am going to try easy hitting, no strike zone when I get home from work. I'll work the count as much and wait to swing until pitches are in my hot zones.

I'm not ready to give up on this title yet, but I do know I am not alone in having pitch speed difficulties.

[brendanrfoley]

Re: Frustrations abound

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
Honestly, you may be a person that finds this model to be unlikable. Nothing wrong with that.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

No, there isn't. And I wasn't irritated at what you said, though I do want to mention that I am enjoying this game, I'm just unsure how much.

Besides HH, which I know I will enjoy (lifelong fan of the series), I wanted to try all the other titles.

So far, ASB has impressed more this year than last. Whether I like the model or not, it is clear to me that Acclaim works pretty hard on this series. I appreciate that.

I would like to see some greater "tweakability" next year, though.

Oh, in terms of practice - practicing with the 2D cursor on normal pitch speed is when I hit my sole home run - off Randy Johnson no less! I worked him for 7 walks on 5 K's through 6 2/3 last night.

I still lost, but that was a very enjoyable game.

[brendanrfoley]

Re: Frustrations abound

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
Honestly, you may be a person that finds this model to be unlikable. Nothing wrong with that.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

No, there isn't. And I wasn't irritated at what you said, though I do want to mention that I am enjoying this game, I'm just unsure how much.

Besides HH, which I know I will enjoy (lifelong fan of the series), I wanted to try all the other titles.

So far, ASB has impressed more this year than last. Whether I like the model or not, it is clear to me that Acclaim works pretty hard on this series. I appreciate that.

I would like to see some greater "tweakability" next year, though.

Oh, in terms of practice - practicing with the 2D cursor on normal pitch speed is when I hit my sole home run - off Randy Johnson no less! I worked him for 7 walks on 5 K's through 6 2/3 last night.

I still lost, but that was a very enjoyable game.

[vic20]

Re: Frustrations abound

The batting cursor is a lot easier to move this year for which I am grateful. . but it is still frustrating. .unless you use exaggerated pitches.

On normal pitch speed you really do have to swing as soon as the ball is released (or as soon as the ball indicator appears on the screen) which means that if you do not set up in the correct part of the strike zone your a%&amp; is grass.

I mean I have played ASB every single year since the series began and had no trouble hitting until last year when the combo of "realistic" pitch speeds and clunky cursor movement resulted in my average going in to a very bad place. For example, last night I put 2004 in and my first 3 innings of play I struck out 7 times. I was like, "Crap, here we go again. Another year of 14 strike-out, 3 solo HR games resulting in 4-3 losses."

But then I turned on the exaggerated. pitches and what a difference. To my eye- the exaggerated. pitching is just slow enough that I have a chance to get to and hit a pitch that is not exactly were I was looking. I don't get more hits or score more runs than with regular pitching but I do make more contact. My strikes outs went way done. I mean now instead of striking out I may hit a weak roller to an infielder or a weak fly ball- the results are the same- an out- but it is much less frustrating. And I am still able to be struck out because of the difference in speeds between the hard stuff and the off-speed stuff- and the increased break of the pitches. Now when I strike out it is usually because the pitcher has set me. I mean fastballs can still sneak by me. And a pitcher with a good breaking ball can still make me look silly.

Another fringe benefit of the exaggerated pitching is an increase in foul balls. I was able to foul off 5 pitches in a row in an AB last night- something that never happed last year or the year before, etc.

So if your are having trouble making contact I suggest using exaggerated pitching with the 3-D cursor. It makes hitting in ASB fun again for the first time in years!

PS- If you never got a chance to play ASB on the N64 just use exaggerated pitching and the classic 2D cursor- that is exactly how hitting felt back in the day.

[vic20]

Re: Frustrations abound

The batting cursor is a lot easier to move this year for which I am grateful. . but it is still frustrating. .unless you use exaggerated pitches.

On normal pitch speed you really do have to swing as soon as the ball is released (or as soon as the ball indicator appears on the screen) which means that if you do not set up in the correct part of the strike zone your a%&amp; is grass.

I mean I have played ASB every single year since the series began and had no trouble hitting until last year when the combo of "realistic" pitch speeds and clunky cursor movement resulted in my average going in to a very bad place. For example, last night I put 2004 in and my first 3 innings of play I struck out 7 times. I was like, "Crap, here we go again. Another year of 14 strike-out, 3 solo HR games resulting in 4-3 losses."

But then I turned on the exaggerated. pitches and what a difference. To my eye- the exaggerated. pitching is just slow enough that I have a chance to get to and hit a pitch that is not exactly were I was looking. I don't get more hits or score more runs than with regular pitching but I do make more contact. My strikes outs went way done. I mean now instead of striking out I may hit a weak roller to an infielder or a weak fly ball- the results are the same- an out- but it is much less frustrating. And I am still able to be struck out because of the difference in speeds between the hard stuff and the off-speed stuff- and the increased break of the pitches. Now when I strike out it is usually because the pitcher has set me. I mean fastballs can still sneak by me. And a pitcher with a good breaking ball can still make me look silly.

Another fringe benefit of the exaggerated pitching is an increase in foul balls. I was able to foul off 5 pitches in a row in an AB last night- something that never happed last year or the year before, etc.

So if your are having trouble making contact I suggest using exaggerated pitching with the 3-D cursor. It makes hitting in ASB fun again for the first time in years!

PS- If you never got a chance to play ASB on the N64 just use exaggerated pitching and the classic 2D cursor- that is exactly how hitting felt back in the day.

[dooch]

Re: Frustrations abound

Just a suggestion here for those having trouble hitting, and this may have been mentioned in a different post, but the way I learned to hit in this game was to watch the ball come out of the pitcher's hand and instinctively move the cursor towards the ball, rather than waiting for the ball to come to the cursor. This is how I learned to get my timing down last year. This year, it's more of a challenge- but one that I like. Good luck.

[dooch]

Re: Frustrations abound

Just a suggestion here for those having trouble hitting, and this may have been mentioned in a different post, but the way I learned to hit in this game was to watch the ball come out of the pitcher's hand and instinctively move the cursor towards the ball, rather than waiting for the ball to come to the cursor. This is how I learned to get my timing down last year. This year, it's more of a challenge- but one that I like. Good luck.