MLB The Show 21 Check Swings - Love it or Hate it?

[dubplate]

Quote: Originally Posted by Rmiok222

Interesting to see opinions. To each his own obviously. Sadly they’d never be able to make all of us happy lol. I feel like my check swing rate success is happening at a realistic clip. Like if I press X and back off right when my swing starts it’s usually NOT a swing, which to me, seems realistic. Flip side is when I commit longer to X than a light tap it’s usually a swing, which to me...seems pretty realistic too. I can see how some people wouldn’t like it though. Me striking out last year was an absolute rarity. I’m talking maybe 3-6 Ks a game against me at MOST. Thats why I enjoy it more. I didn’t notice how much of a crutch check swing was to me last year. I never swung at balls in the dirt or sliders outside of the zone because I was almost always able to successfully check swing. Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

I agree. And like I said, I’m okay with the change, but it seems to be a little too far to one side.

I agree with what you and others are saying about striking out, though. It is nice to see my strikeouts per game increase since it seemed to be a rarity in the past.

[Fours]

Quote: Originally Posted by sva91

I think it’s perfect. If you check early on a breaking ball/changeup, you have time to pull back. Fastballs; not so much. I really hope they don’t tweak it. Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

It's more that if you're early and you didn't like the release you can shut it down, but if you're late and throwing a catch up swing, you're not stopping it. How would that even make sense?

There are so many aspects of baseball that they've missed badly on, but check swing logic is not one of them. Actually the pitch speed representation is probably the real issue. The real difference between 100mph heat and an 80mph curve is 100ms, ya, .1 seconds. In this game you can order a pizza between those two pitches.

[GeorgiaDawg34]

I actually like how it's called now....In years pass I barely ever got called for a strike and it felt a little like a cheat code now I've been called stike 3 in the bottom of the 9th with a runner on 3rd and loved it.

[ChaseB]

I love the change overall, but this should not be surprising because I talked about it a lot in the lead up to the reveal for hitting this year.

I do think more work needs to go into the visual feedback for check swings and when they're called/not called still, but the gameplay mechanic itself was a very good quality of life tweak.

[Caulfield]

I've picked a side and I'm solidly in it: love it or hate it, I'm in the indifferent camp. I'm fine with check swings being untethered to discipline this year and I'm also fine going back and playing with the 20 check swings. or the check swings in 14.
truth is, I'm a terrible hitter w/poor discipline so check swings really isn't in my vernacular. when I decide to swing, I'm all in. I'm not going to try to stop once I've committed to a swing. let'er rip tater chip. if I go down swinging so be it. even though they're not alike, I treat at-bats like appetites. if I ruin one, there will be another behind it sooner or later

[ncaajunkie]

love it.* i felt like last year and for a while, it was op in online games, way to easy flor legends and diamonds, people would be fooled by the pitch and say man i tried to swing at a ball in the dirt, .so i don't get a strike out and have to keep pitching

[SilvioDante007]

I don't really mind the change, however it sure seems like the "HAMMER" comes out far more often these days, even on very mild checks that definitely didn't cross the plate, but that 1B and 3B ump (Joe West / Angel Hernandez) sure love to let the fans know they're working the game! :-)

[Armor and Sword]

I played a lot of 21 on the tech test and over 6 hours of game time (enough to know what is different and what is not as I have logged 1000’s of hours with this series) on the retail copy (a buddy’s copy at his home). I am not thrilled they turfed the discipline rating.

I felt like the animations did not always match up properly with the result so it seemed worse than it really was on 20. And while I am fine with it on 20....21 is not awful in the least bit. But...but it is too harsh for sure on hitters who have good to great discipline and now it is all user based....again why are offline simulation players subjected to online players wishes? This is the core issue. Instead of improving the animations and tweaking the core function of having the rating plus user input (because user input is still apart of it on MLB 20) they simply turfed it and now it is 100% stock or button skill with no regard to the player rating.

And this shows...the operation of casual, stick skills and simulation.....is window dressing. Core coding can turf whatever they want.

I thought that was a bad move in the grand scheme. And not a good precedent that was set....along with rocket bunting which is still an issue....again because of online exploits.....so the solution spills into offline franchise guys.

Now I am personally able to bunt pretty well since the change in bunting....I learned...and adapted. It is not what it should be....but it also is not awful (release the triangle right at contact, also use the directional left or right pre pitch for drag or push bunt and also bunt strikes down in he zone for the best success).

After playing 21 and checks swings...they simply need to make it slightly more forgiving to strike the balance it is lacking. It is brutal OOTB.

Again we are seeing a changing of the guard in the core of this game as it is slowly but surely drifting away from offline "simulation style” based gameplay to a more user stick skill game. And I get it. A lot of people play that way.....but what made The Show great was their ability to keep its “simulation style” gameplay going. But that is changing ever so slowly.

Anyway to answer the OP....I don’t love it and I don’t hate it.....but I much prefer how it was. And I wish they would work harder for the ratings vs the stick skills.....and they are not in this regard and I am afraid this is the trend moving forward.