Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

[jr86]

Re: Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

Changes:
- Baserunner Steal Ability slider works backwards. You knew that already, but I didn't want to mention it if I hadn't tested it myself.
- Baserunner Steal Frequency slider affects pickoffs. (Lower the slider to increase the frequency of pickoffs and pitchouts thrown; the Pickoff slider obviously still affects pickoffs, too)
- Clarified the explanations for Pitch Control and Strike Frequency

I agree with practically everything in your piece.....but not this.
How did you come to this conclusion.
I have been using this slider at 2 and getting pretty good results (steals and throw outs). I tried it at 7 and everything was a gimme, i wasn't thrown out once in 5 attempts and they weren't even close to tagging me out. At least at 2 when you do make it, it is only by about a step at most whereas with the slider at 7 it is comfortable....i'm a bit confused with your findings to be honest

[Bobhead]

Re: Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

I agree with practically everything in your piece.....but not this.
How did you come to this conclusion.
I have been using this slider at 2 and getting pretty good results (steals and throw outs). I tried it at 7 and everything was a gimme, i wasn't thrown out once in 5 attempts and they weren't even close to tagging me out. At least at 2 when you do make it, it is only by about a step at most whereas with the slider at 7 it is comfortable....i'm a bit confused with your findings to be honest

5 whole attempts huh? Perhaps you should try a few more? 5 attempts are hardly anything at all to discuss. I'll look into it tomorrow and do some more testing; I didn't test it too heavily because several users on this board were already of the consensus that it is indeed backwards. Nonetheless, 5 steal attempts is not at all a valid sample size, and you would also have to consider what difficulty you are on, and your settings for the other 2 baserunning sliders.

[PhoenixN7-Elite]

Re: Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

Moving the steal ability slider is more noticeable with the non-elite stealers as they seem to be able to steal easy regardless of what the slider is set at.

[Bobhead]

Re: Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

Gotta hand it to you man, an awesome write up.

The one significant item I'd add is the relationship between pitcher control and contact. In the past few years I'm of the opinion that they work in unison. (I believe the slider description alludes to this.)

It seems higher pitcher control increases the probability of 'blowing it by' a batter, independent of all other influences (save for contact). This is to say, you could have perfect timing, solid hits jacked, and so on, but as pitcher control increases and contact decreases you'll see more swing through strikes.

In years past, we've attempted to keep the two within 3-4 clicks of each otherwise some strange 'ball going through the bat' animations take place. We all hate facing Mr. Manhattan on the mound...

Your take?

Not going to lie, when I first read this, I was like "uhh... what?" 2010 was my first The Show game, and on lower difficulties you don't really see this effect, because the CPU has a very location-based approach on easier levels. Furthermore, since I play with zone hitting, the same holds true for me: it doesn't matter how much control the CPU has, I am still going to move my left analog stick just with generally the same precision.

However, after playing on the Hall of Fame difficulty, I can say that you are absolutely right. I left my All-Star sliders loaded up when I switched to HoF, and I immediately saw that the CPU was picking up the ball much better and almost constantly getting hits off of me. At first I thought I just wasn't yet good enough for HoF pitching, but with your post in mind, I remembered my Pitch Control had been set to 0. I started playing around with the sliders and it is just like you described it: As pitch control increases, batters become more likely to swing through a pitch, or make poor contact on it. Definitely interesting to know.

[PhoenixN7-Elite]

Re: Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

However, after playing on the Hall of Fame difficulty, I can say that you are absolutely right. I left my All-Star sliders loaded up when I switched to HoF, and I immediately saw that the CPU was picking up the ball much better and almost constantly getting hits off of me. At first I thought I just wasn't yet good enough for HoF pitching, but with your post in mind, I remembered my Pitch Control had been set to 0. I started playing around with the sliders and it is just like you described it: As pitch control increases, batters become more likely to swing through a pitch, or make poor contact on it. Definitely interesting to know.

Pitcher Control is only a pitching slider, it has no direct affect on hitting. Of course, if you make pitching easier, CPU hitting will suffer. And, pitcher control doesn't do anything for the user if you are using analog or meter pitching, it only affects classic pitching. I'm pitching on Legend with my pitcher control and consistency at 0. CPU contact (the main CPU hitting slider) and timing is pretty much solely responsible for how well the CPU hits. Move CPU contact independent of control and you'll see the CPU's PCI get bigger and smaller.

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

Pitcher Control is only a pitching slider, it has no direct affect on hitting. Of course, if you make pitching easier, CPU hitting will suffer. And, pitcher control doesn't do anything for the user if you are using analog or meter pitching, it only affects classic pitching. I'm pitching on Legend with my pitcher control and consistency at 0. CPU contact (the main CPU hitting slider) and timing is pretty much solely responsible for how well the CPU hits. Move CPU contact independent of control and you'll see the CPU's PCI get bigger and smaller.

I absolutely, whole heartedly, disagree with your opinion on pitcher control relating to user offense.

Raise control to 10. Leave contact alone. The ball is much less lively off the bat. It's almost like the ball's water logged.

[coreyhartsdaughter]

Re: Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

I absolutely, whole heartedly, disagree with your opinion on pitcher control relating to user offense.

Raise control to 10. Leave contact alone. The ball is much less lively off the bat. It's almost like the ball's water logged.

Not only that, you'll see more perfectly timed misses. This is also true of the players ratings. It can be experienced by going to the batting 'timing' practice, playing default everything, and face a high pitch control rated player versus a low one. Out of 100 perfectly timed swings you're more likely to make more contact (less whiffs) against the low pitch control player. This is irrefutable. (It even alludes to it in the Pitch Control slider description.)

A slider is meant to control this and other effects. Think of sliders this way - they are able to universally manipulate player ratings without modifying them individually. If one were to go through and lower every players contact to 10, and lower the Pitch Control Slider to 0, you would make more contact than if the Pitch Control Slider were at default.

Also, PHX was banned last year, remember? He's the 'all world' who spoke in absolutes about every slider, independent of what others may or may not be seeing.

I'm going to ignore him, as we all already have experienced the exact opposite of his opinion.

[PhoenixN7-Elite]

Re: Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

I absolutely, whole heartedly, disagree with your opinion on pitcher control relating to user offense.

Raise control to 10. Leave contact alone. The ball is much less lively off the bat. It's almost like the ball's water logged.

I have user and CPU contact both at 5. I have user pitcher control at 0 and CPU pitch control at 7. That would mean that the ball should feel water logged for me when batting compared to when the CPU hits but it doesn't.

[coreyhartsdaughter]

Re: Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

I have user and CPU contact both at 5. I have user pitcher control at 0 and CPU pitch control at 7. That would mean that the ball should feel water logged for me when batting compared to when the CPU hits but it doesn't.

How many swings and misses are you averaging a game? A two click disparity is where I ended up in last years HOF set (HUM contact 3, CPU Control 5)

My assumption is that you raised CPU Control and maintained a 5 USER contact to try to decrease your offense, OBP. Am I right? If it's working, why are you questioning why?

[Bobhead]

Re: Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

I'm positive you're right, and the game does allude to it, so as far as I'm concerned, it's like 30-1, since 27 seems like a good number to estimate SDS's staff size

[PhoenixN7-Elite]

Re: Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

How many swings and misses are you averaging a game? A two click disparity is where I ended up in last years HOF set (HUM contact 3, CPU Control 5)

My assumption is that you raised CPU Control and maintained a 5 USER contact to try to decrease your offense, OBP. Am I right? If it's working, why are you questioning why?

I use CPU pitcher control and consistency to set CPU pitching (ball/strike ratio) and nothing else.

I'm positive you're right, and the game does allude to it, so as far as I'm concerned, it's like 30-1, since 27 seems like a good number to estimate SDS's staff size

The control desciption only mentions contact because if you increase control, you are going to get more pitches towards the corners, and if you lower control, you'll get more pitches in the center of the plate. Therefore, lowering control should make hitting easier since there are more hittable pitches, which is why it is "recommended" to lower contact, which will shrink the PCI.

[coreyhartsdaughter]

Re: Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

Well that was fast...

[Bobhead]

Re: Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

Indeed it was. I wonder what for?

[jasn88cubs]

Re: Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

What should steal frequency be? I have it at default and the cpu never steals

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: Explanation of Gameplay Sliders

I have my frequency set to 8. It seems to work well me.

Just remember that teams like DET won't steal much off of you, whereas, BOS will. You'll need a bunch of games to see it's full effect when raised, so, just keep that in mind.

I'd start there if I were you, and adjust accordingly.