Just an idea that I thought of, not too sure if it's the ultimate answer but I think it's closer than we are right now.
First off, pitching. The one problem I have with pitching in video games is the pin point accuracy and lack of mistakes. I've only played MVP this season (so i can only comment on this one) but it's done a good job of allowing the user to throw a mistake pitch by mistimin the meter. The issue with this is, once you get the timin right, you are set. No more mistakes (or very few). Pitchin is NOT like that.
Just because a pitcher wants to reach inside, does not mean the pitcher is always gonna reach inside. So the solution...instead of having our pitch accuracy be measured by a small baseball, have it measured by zones.
The way I look at it, you can have up to 9 zones in the strike zone. Each zone would be about 4 baseballs wide/high. One would be in the middle, one directly above that and below. Another set to the left and right and four more on each corner.
Now the thing is, every single one, with the exception of the one in the middle, will cover part of the strikezone and an equal part outside the strikezone. I dont know how to explain it exactly, but just imagine 8 boxes surrounding the one in the middle and partially coming out of the strike zone.
These zones would be the area the pitcher wants to throw his pitch. You'd select much like you move the baseball cursor in today's games, except that the cursor would actually be bigger (a zone instead of a small baseball).
This would allow control, accuracy to come into play. With MVP's system of missing a spot by mistiming the meter, you could have the pitch go way inside out of the strikezone (on an inside pitch) or end up too close to the middle (the middle should not automatically mean a hit...changin the hitter's eye level should be essential in baseball) or inner edge (in the strike zone) of the zoned area.
If a pitchers control is not great, then on an attempt to go inside corner, the pitcher may miss too much inside, or the pitcher may not hit the inside at all and leave hte pitch near the middle zone.
This would allow for more walks in the game and much more strategy in having a pitcher with control.
What about automatic balls -- you want to throw a ball to set up a pitch. Well, that's where another button could come in (I think HH has this). One button would be regular pitching, like every other game. But another throw button would be the automatic ball button to the zones (middle being the exception). Of course, control should also come into play with these. Bad control could mean missing way outside or throwing a pitch in the dirt or over the catchers head (now we have wild pitches or passed balls). ANd you'll use this pitch b/c you'll want that splitter in the dirt or that high fastball out of the strike zone. Just gotta make sure you don't overthrow the pitch or mistime the pitch (I guess MVP would be the best game to use this system).
I'm sure there's more but i'm just spitin out what i remember about the system.
Now on to hitting.
Same approach, zone hitting but not the zone hitting we see in HH. Instead, this zone hitting is time based (Like MVP...no cursor) and doesnt require the hitter to choose the zone he'll swing. THe reason it is called zone is because a batter would swing for an outside pitch the same way no matter who it is. No one swings inside on an outside pitch, no matter how bad you are. BUT different hitters do have a problem making contact with the ball.
THe main issue i have with baseball games on offense is the ability to hit the ball the same with every player. Baseball is about before the pitch and after the pitch. Hitters have more control over what happens before they hit the ball, rather than what happens after. In video games, we really have control after...or that ratings engine does at least.
The problem is Rey Ordonez has the same contact Jason Giambi does and that shouldn't be so. I know people will complain that I dont want the game deciding whether or not I hit a pitch even after I timed it right, but really why not? WHen you play basketball games, do you choose whether or not the ball is goin in? No. Instead you shoot the ball and the ratings decide what happens. That's the seperation between Olowakandi and Nowitzki from the three point line. Why not have that seperation for Ordonez and Giambi.
A better hitter with better contact would have an easier time making contact with the ball. Where as a hitter that strikes out a lot would swing and miss. It happens and it makes that 99 mph faster much more realistic in the game (I know you all hate the fact that hitters in MVP or whatever game you play can hit a 99 mph the same way they hit a 83 mph. They aren't fazed)
This makes strategy once again a must. As of right now, you can load your team with guys that strike out a lot but hit a lot of homeruns and be ultra successful. In the majors, that wouldn't be the case. Those guys would swing and miss a lot, while hitting a load of homeruns. In video games, you'll just hit a load of homeruns because once you get the timign down, it's all the same thing, no matter who you are swingin with (before the pitch of course). That shouldn't be the case.
What do you guys think?
First off, pitching. The one problem I have with pitching in video games is the pin point accuracy and lack of mistakes. I've only played MVP this season (so i can only comment on this one) but it's done a good job of allowing the user to throw a mistake pitch by mistimin the meter. The issue with this is, once you get the timin right, you are set. No more mistakes (or very few). Pitchin is NOT like that.
Just because a pitcher wants to reach inside, does not mean the pitcher is always gonna reach inside. So the solution...instead of having our pitch accuracy be measured by a small baseball, have it measured by zones.
The way I look at it, you can have up to 9 zones in the strike zone. Each zone would be about 4 baseballs wide/high. One would be in the middle, one directly above that and below. Another set to the left and right and four more on each corner.
Now the thing is, every single one, with the exception of the one in the middle, will cover part of the strikezone and an equal part outside the strikezone. I dont know how to explain it exactly, but just imagine 8 boxes surrounding the one in the middle and partially coming out of the strike zone.
These zones would be the area the pitcher wants to throw his pitch. You'd select much like you move the baseball cursor in today's games, except that the cursor would actually be bigger (a zone instead of a small baseball).
This would allow control, accuracy to come into play. With MVP's system of missing a spot by mistiming the meter, you could have the pitch go way inside out of the strikezone (on an inside pitch) or end up too close to the middle (the middle should not automatically mean a hit...changin the hitter's eye level should be essential in baseball) or inner edge (in the strike zone) of the zoned area.
If a pitchers control is not great, then on an attempt to go inside corner, the pitcher may miss too much inside, or the pitcher may not hit the inside at all and leave hte pitch near the middle zone.
This would allow for more walks in the game and much more strategy in having a pitcher with control.
What about automatic balls -- you want to throw a ball to set up a pitch. Well, that's where another button could come in (I think HH has this). One button would be regular pitching, like every other game. But another throw button would be the automatic ball button to the zones (middle being the exception). Of course, control should also come into play with these. Bad control could mean missing way outside or throwing a pitch in the dirt or over the catchers head (now we have wild pitches or passed balls). ANd you'll use this pitch b/c you'll want that splitter in the dirt or that high fastball out of the strike zone. Just gotta make sure you don't overthrow the pitch or mistime the pitch (I guess MVP would be the best game to use this system).
I'm sure there's more but i'm just spitin out what i remember about the system.
Now on to hitting.
Same approach, zone hitting but not the zone hitting we see in HH. Instead, this zone hitting is time based (Like MVP...no cursor) and doesnt require the hitter to choose the zone he'll swing. THe reason it is called zone is because a batter would swing for an outside pitch the same way no matter who it is. No one swings inside on an outside pitch, no matter how bad you are. BUT different hitters do have a problem making contact with the ball.
THe main issue i have with baseball games on offense is the ability to hit the ball the same with every player. Baseball is about before the pitch and after the pitch. Hitters have more control over what happens before they hit the ball, rather than what happens after. In video games, we really have control after...or that ratings engine does at least.
The problem is Rey Ordonez has the same contact Jason Giambi does and that shouldn't be so. I know people will complain that I dont want the game deciding whether or not I hit a pitch even after I timed it right, but really why not? WHen you play basketball games, do you choose whether or not the ball is goin in? No. Instead you shoot the ball and the ratings decide what happens. That's the seperation between Olowakandi and Nowitzki from the three point line. Why not have that seperation for Ordonez and Giambi.
A better hitter with better contact would have an easier time making contact with the ball. Where as a hitter that strikes out a lot would swing and miss. It happens and it makes that 99 mph faster much more realistic in the game (I know you all hate the fact that hitters in MVP or whatever game you play can hit a 99 mph the same way they hit a 83 mph. They aren't fazed)
This makes strategy once again a must. As of right now, you can load your team with guys that strike out a lot but hit a lot of homeruns and be ultra successful. In the majors, that wouldn't be the case. Those guys would swing and miss a lot, while hitting a load of homeruns. In video games, you'll just hit a load of homeruns because once you get the timign down, it's all the same thing, no matter who you are swingin with (before the pitch of course). That shouldn't be the case.
What do you guys think?
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