Classic, Meter or Analog Pitching for Realism?

[Suvorov]

Trying to get a consensus here on what everyone uses and which they feel gives them the most realistic stats and game play. I am not looking to have a .94 ERA with 15 K's just because I have amazing finger dexterity and can hit the spot every time. I am looking for realistic results while I control the team.

Thanks

[Black59Razr]

Re: Classic, Meter or Analog Pitching for Realism?

IMO:

Analog: By far the easiest mode. The pitcher's accuracy weighs heavily on the users ability with the analog stick. This mode feels somewhat realistic but gives the least realistic results. You can take a high strikeout, high walk pitcher, like Jonathan Sanchez, and walk 0, strikeout 9, and give up 2 runs per game.

Classic: This one is by far the hardest. The pitcher's accuracy weighs solely on attributes. The only problem, you can throw 4 fastballs down the middle, and walk the batter. I wish the mode provided the same accuracy the CPU has, but its much worse. I moved the pitcher accuracy slider all the way up, and it still does not help. This mode feels the most realistic but gives unrealistic results. Jonathan Sanchez, for example, gets smoked in this mode. He can walk 9, strikeout 2, and give up 7 runs per game.

Meter: This mode seems to be the most balanced. The pitcher's accuracy weighs more equally on the users accuracy with the meter, as well as the pitcher's attributes. Jonathan Sanchez can walk 4, strikeout 7, and give up 4 runs per game. This mode will produce the most realistic results, but it feels the least realistic.

[DJ]

Re: Classic, Meter or Analog Pitching for Realism?

Yeah, it is REALLY tough to walk a batter with Analog. Classic is just way too random for me (although I like the "clean" look on the screen), and since I use the Mets in one of my franchises, pitching with a guy like R.A. Dickey is impossible.

I honestly haven't used Meter in the last 2 years, but I'm tempted to make the change in my Mets franchise since I'm only 6 games in.

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: Classic, Meter or Analog Pitching for Realism?

IMO:

Analog: By far the easiest mode. The pitcher's accuracy weighs heavily on the users ability with the analog stick. This mode feels somewhat realistic but gives the least realistic results. You can take a high strikeout, high walk pitcher, like Jonathan Sanchez, and walk 0, strikeout 9, and give up 2 runs per game.

Classic: This one is by far the hardest. The pitcher's accuracy weighs solely on attributes. The only problem, you can throw 4 fastballs down the middle, and walk the batter. I wish the mode provided the same accuracy the CPU has, but its much worse. I moved the pitcher accuracy slider all the way up, and it still does not help. This mode feels the most realistic but gives unrealistic results. Jonathan Sanchez, for example, gets smoked in this mode. He can walk 9, strikeout 2, and give up 7 runs per game.

Meter: This mode seems to be the most balanced. The pitcher's accuracy weighs more equally on the users accuracy with the meter, as well as the pitcher's attributes. Jonathan Sanchez can walk 4, strikeout 7, and give up 4 runs per game. This mode will produce the most realistic results, but it feels the least realistic.

See bold.

Those are two of the greatest summarizations, written bluntly, that I've read on OS in some time. Especially the bit about the Classic interface.

Really, there's nothing I don't like about this post (minus the 0 BB comment with the Analog interface. I get your overall point and agree there should be more BB...alot more, which is why I don't use the interface...but 0 consistently from a guy like Sanchez is probably a stretch).

Classic Pitching is my number one love, but it's just simply too dysfunctional for me over time. Not drastically so; as I'd really like to only reduce my BB/9 around 1.5 and reduce my pitch count by about 10% (estimate). But, as the season progresses, it's sporatic wildness adds up, and guts the game of true statistical realism. Being able to control the ball more closely to the CPU should be considered by SCEA SD for future installments. Afterall, isn't that what those of us that use this mode are looking for?

Meter pitching, post patch, is by far the most true to life mechanic (statistically) currently available in the game. But, as BlackRazor mentioned, I do suppose it's the least "fun." Though, having realistic stats is still pretty exciting for me. Some gamers may require more interaction with an interface, however.

[Bobhead]

Re: Classic, Meter or Analog Pitching for Realism?

I use Analog and I walk batters just fine, it's just a matter of sliding your sliders in the right directions.

I've never tried Classic mode, and haven't used Meter since 2010, but I don't really have any problems with Analog, so it gets my vote.

[Jgainsey]

Re: Classic, Meter or Analog Pitching for Realism?

I don't think any one pitching method can necessarily be considered more realistic than another. Given the right difficulty, sliders, and user skill/approach, any of these modes can yield very realistic results.

I would suggest using whichever method you have the most fun with. You can tweak sliders and adjust difficulty levels to make the stats fall into line. That's what I did with analog pitching. The walks were definitely hard to come by at first, but lowering control and consistency made for a relatively easy fix.

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: Classic, Meter or Analog Pitching for Realism?

I should have clarified.

Analog Pitching (I know for certain), and Classic (to a lesser extent) can be tweaked via sliders to accommodate your goals. Or mine at least, by raising/lowering the Control and Consistency sliders.

That said, I have to judge an interface based on how it handles out of the box. Analog pinpoints too well, and Classic gets wild in a hurry when your back's up against it.

Meter provides me a happy medium. Out of the box. Without slider tweaking.

[USC-Trojans]

Re: Classic, Meter or Analog Pitching for Realism?

For MLB The Show 12, I just hope us analog users get a sensitivity slider.

But I think Meter is the best so far.

[BleacherBum2310]

Re: Classic, Meter or Analog Pitching for Realism?

I dunno about Realism, But I've had the most success and the most fun with Meter. It's just me though.

[Suvorov]

Re: Classic, Meter or Analog Pitching for Realism?

Thanks guys. I love hearing different opinions. I like Analog the best, but like others have said, seems too easy and I get more K's using Analog than any other type of delivery and of course very few BB's. I am guessing Classic would be the most realistic because it uses the actual stats of the Pitcher? I like it, but just pressing one button can get boring after awhile. I actually HATE Meter, but I have been using it, because it has been working and feeling about right.

[jorge380]

Re: Classic, Meter or Analog Pitching for Realism?

I love Analog.

[DJ]

Re: Classic, Meter or Analog Pitching for Realism?

I love Analog.

I like it a lot, too, except for when I hang a curveball or leave a changeup up in the zone. The CPU always makes me pay for those. It seems that on those pitches, I have better success when I push up quicker on the R-stick, instead of trying to slow down the motion.

[TheBdhKid]

Re: Classic, Meter or Analog Pitching for Realism?

I use the meter personally.

[nomo17k]

Re: Classic, Meter or Analog Pitching for Realism?

I personally think the best mode for realism (for stats purposes) is classic with all-star difficulty. Basically with classic what you are doing is to call the game as a catcher, with the rest driven by player ratings. Seeing how CPU vs CPU games can produce realistic stats at all-star with sliders mostly at default, you should be able to get realistic results with classic that way... the problem is you don't actually feel as if you are pitching with that interface.

Personally I use analog.

[StillFunkyB]

Re: Classic, Meter or Analog Pitching for Realism?

I use classic pitching. To me it feels the most balanced.

I have had all kinds of mixed outings with my pitchers in franchise mode. On opening day, with a fake player (copied Roy Halladay's ratings) I threw a 2 hit shutout. I had a no hitter through 7 with one walk. Gave up a walk and a hit in the 8th, so I brought in my setup guy who got the hold, and my close went 1,2,3 in the 9th for the save.

The next outing with same pitcher I gave up 2 runs in the 3rd inning but got the win.

The next outing after that with said pitcher I couldn't keep the ball in the strikezone and had to pull him after 2 and 1/3 innings giving up 5 runs and leaving with two runners on base.

I don't play every game in my franchise, I sim quite a bit.

I do have one small "ground rule" I use when pitching though. The only pitches I try to "place" with the cursor are fastballs. I leave the cursor dead center for all breaking pitches. I try to adjust how long I hold down the button during breaking pitches to get different locations. It seems to work for me. It also seems like the better pitchers, even using this method, don't hang as many pitches as the lower rated pitchers. My ace will hang a few here and there, but I have to be very careful on when I throw a breaking pitch with the 4th and 5th starters. Just seems very realistic to me.