MLB '08 news and info

Leadfoot5 · Post by **Leadfoot5** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 4:00 pm

More info on Guess Pitch from the Devs (copied from the thread at OS). My reference to there being a penalty for guessing wrong seems to be applied to timing, as opposed to some sort of contact modifier....

New Guess Pitch
When you guess location correctly, it will show you the sector (1/4 of the strike zone) you guessed but not the exact location of the pitch. So if you looked for an inside fastball and it gives you a double lockon, there's some chance it could be too far inside. This means as the batter you have to time it right (you know it's inside, but not how far inside) and take pitch if it's not worth swinging at. Note that in all of guess pitch, if you guessed fastball and it's an offspeed, timing is slightly harder (you can get perfect timing, the timing window is just slightly smaller) - this is fairly realistic involving the batter adjusting mid-pitch. I'll try to keep this brief. With New, until the ball is about to cross the plate, there is more suspense, and many things (both pitching+batting) become more realistic as a result. Everyone on the team I've asked really likes it (a good sign!), even if they don't use it. This is something that I feel works better than it sounds, so I'd rather have you try it first and form your impressions then.

RallyMonkey · Post by **RallyMonkey** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 4:11 pm

Lead,

I agree totally that this year's Guess Pitch On is FAR better than last year as it no longer shows you exact location and there appears to be a timing factor when guessing incorrectly. It's essentially why i was using it for the first games i was playing as i was a creature of habit from last year. I guess what i decided was that even with any indicator i felt too much of an advantage even when i was incorrect, and certainly a HUGE advantage when i was ahead in counts and chose the right spot. As a result i moved to Guess Pitch No Feedback and much like when i went from meter to classic pitching, i'm here for good. But i can completely see why the New model works for people as well. To each their own for sure with this stuff.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 5:09 pm

RallyMonkey wrote:Lead,

I agree totally that this year's Guess Pitch On is FAR better than last year as it no longer shows you exact location and there appears to be a timing factor when guessing incorrectly. It's essentially why i was using it for the first games i was playing as i was a creature of habit from last year. I guess what i decided was that even with any indicator i felt too much of an advantage even when i was incorrect, and certainly a HUGE advantage when i was ahead in counts and chose the right spot. As a result i moved to Guess Pitch No Feedback and much like when i went from meter to classic pitching, i'm here for good. But i can completely see why the New model works for people as well. To each their own for sure with this stuff.

It's been a good learning tool for me in terms of learning to take pitches. But it's also a double-edged sword. If you see that red flash and there's a ball to that zone, it's hard to lay off.

I'm going to try it with the indicator off. I like the idea of getting the bonus without the ESP.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:02 pm

Slumber!

W00t, lost 10-0 to Toronto! CPU never hit even close to double digits on me before! Toronto had 15 hits, 2hrs and 4 2bs.

Ps2 sliders are deficient compared to the ps3 (No split of IF and OF speeds, for instance) so I had to ad-lib off your base a bit, but I was super encouraged by the results. CPU had 6 by the end of the fifth, mostly off Joba Chamberlain who had been mowing down the opposition in all other games.

The biggest impact I noticed was that now -using the pitch meter again- if you missed and the ball drifted into a bad place...boom! It used to be no big deal, really. Now, forget about it. I only walked one, but as you said, I got pounded, and I now know for next game that it's definitely going to be worth missing outside rather than across the center of the plate. CPU can indeed make you pay.

My hitting absolutely sucked this game (5 hits in the shutout.) Some of that was getting used to the new settings, but some was because I faced the Jays' aces in Halliday and Burnett. (Spring Training Season game). I also think -based on what you had previously reported about your hit totals- that you were ahead of me in the hitting department anyway. I may actually need to tweak them back up a bit, but that wasn't even really part of the game I was that concerned with (yet). I wanted CPU offense, and I got it!

I realized that I mistakenly left pitch count at +5, though. Is yours at default? Do you use API and the individual pitch confidence meters?

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 3:05 pm

My pitch count's at default. API and confidence left on. Tried to leave all that stuff alone.

As for hitting, I think I may have made it a little too hard for myself, too. But I think all that would need tweaking is the power slider to get human offense back up a bit (and conversely power down for the CPU if they start averaging 10 runs a game). But you're right, that whole dynamic of being scared to let one drift over the middle adds a much needed ingredient.

I played online last night for the first time. It was good!!!

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 3:54 pm

I put the CPU power at +10 to be totally scared. I've since lost 4 games straight after starting the season 6-1. I'm going to go more in-line with Slumber's recommendations.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 11:28 pm

Keeping the CPU's offensive settings high, but slowly raising my batting back up, I had good results the next two games as well. After losing to Toronto in that 10-0 game, I lost a 2-1 squeaker to Minnesota and then won a 9-6 affair against Cincinnati in extra innings, where the game was tied 5-5 after nine.

Some good variety now. Totally digging the game.

btmmayor · Post by **btmmayor** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 12:22 am

JRod wrote:I'm going to go more in-line with Slumber's recommendations.

What are those recommendations? The last post I see from Slumber before Web's is that Pared's sliders were still too easy for him.

I've tweaked and had decent results but 75% of my games are still with gimped CPU offense.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 12:27 am

Slumberland wrote: USER

Pitch Command-10
Hit Quality -10
Power -5
Timing Window -10
OF Speed -10
Baserunner Speed -10

CPU

Pitch Control -10
Hit Quality +10
Power +5
Timing Window +10
OF Speed -10
IF Throw Speed +10
Baserunner Speed -10

I've been getting good user walks with these. If you pitch mindlessly, the CPU will punish you. What I've enjoyed about these on both sides of the ball is that you really need to utilize the hot/cold zones (pull them up with 'select'), both when pitching, and when looking for a pitch to hit. This gives you a lot less safe real estate to pitch to, which in tandem with the slight dropoff in pitch command (I say 'slight' because in this game most of the sliders, even when taken to extremes, are quite subtle) leads to user walks.

I played a few games with CPU Power at +10 and human at -10, and they went yard on me repeatedly, while I was batting with a wet noodle. It's at least comforting to know that such conditions can exist within this engine.

OF Speed is tweaked to allow more extra base hits, both CPU and Human. Outfielders in general seemed to gallop too quickly to me, and while this doesn't make an enormous difference, I have seen more doubles as fielders can't close on balls so quickly that aren't hit in their immediate vicinity.

You'd think dropping baserunner speed would counteract the attempt to yield more extra base hits, but I'm not even convinced this slider works. I lowered it to introduce the ever so slight possibility that Jose Reyes might be caught stealing, which still may never happen. This was also partly the reason for CPU IF Throw Speed +10, which is also an attempt to counteract all infield singles I've gotten because the CPU forgets its sense of urgency when throwing over. I dropped the CPU's baserunning out of fairness, and because I need all the help I can get when Moises Alou won't rush a throw to the plate, and because quite sincerely I don't think the slider makes a bit damn difference anyhow.

I may tweak more, as the CPU foul tips might be a little out of hand with the current pitcher/batter dynamic (my pitchers are getting to 100 pitches a tad too early, but I want to play more before making a final judgment), but I'm just happy to get the game into an engaging and challenging state for myself.

And by the way this is with all interfaces set to defaults, with metered pitching. I want the interfaces to be the same offline and on when possible, and I think it all works fine with these sliders. Guess pitch is on, and I need it with these, especially looking for pitches in my hot zones.

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 8:41 am

Web, what did you end up raising for human? Hit quality or power?

btmmayor · Post by **btmmayor** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 3:43 pm

Thanks Web. I was up way too late last night and I just must have shot over Slumbers post as I was looking.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 6:48 pm

No prob, Bt. Happy to re-post in the hopes that they help you as they have me.

Slumber, I still consider my own hitting sliders as a work in progress, but I believe for the last game I was at contact-7 and power -2. That may be slightly too high for me. I think I'm going to set and leave them at -8 / -3 for a while before I tweak again. I'm definitely not good enough for the -10/-5 yet.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 9:58 pm

Man I have having one great game after another. It's not so much that the scores go back and forth but it's the fact that fundamental baseball is played.

Last game I took a two run lead into the 9th but felt the pressure with my closer even though he struck out two and forced a grounder to get the final out.

The D-backs inched backed in the 5th and 6th because I left Umbaldo Jiminez in far too long. Arizona did the same and I hit a three run jack with Tulo.

Each game is fun. I can't even say that with MVP because at times you were playing a system. It feels very much like WE minus some of the cheapness.

Can't recommend this game enough to a baseball fan.

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 11:21 pm

webdanzer wrote:I'm definitely not good enough for the -10/-5 yet.

Me neither! Or rather, I might occasionally squeak one out with those settings, but it's a world without homeruns. That's been the tough thing for me... trying to find some zone that limits hits but still allows homeruns. I don't think it exists, honestly. At least not to the extent that I'd like it to. In real life, you get those games with more runs than hits from time to time. That's just not The Show, sadly.

snaz16 · Post by **snaz16** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 11:46 pm

Amen Jrod. I can't put this game down. Never has a game garnered my attention as this one. I get up 7-0 in the 4th with the Tribe and thinking I'm coasting,and fricking J. Uribe hits his 3rd homer of the opening series,a grand slam...goes to 7-7 in the 8th, Casey Blake clouts a 2 run shot in the bottom of the 8th,and those guys at SCEA got Joe Borowski down to a T. Easy 1st out...little chopper to 3rd that goes for an infield single, a walk, a wild pitch, a sac fly to the right field warning track,both runners move up, now up by 1, go to a 2-2 count, and shake off a fast ball,and bust a slider on the outside corner for a swinging strike 3 for the win.....its not going to be easy with this closer....just like real life for a Tribe fan

MUTTS · Post by **MUTTS** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 11:57 pm

how are the rosters on the ps2

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 12:39 am

Yeah, I agree the game is just great. I have my little problems with it, but once I figured out it was at least possible for the CPU to be competitive, I've been having a great time even testing sliders, which is a big first for me. Plus, there's RTTS, which has come a long way. I played Warhawk for like 10 minutes tonight before just shoving MLB back in there. Might as well superglue it inside the PS3.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 3:50 am

Do you guys fnd that during franchise players tire too easily? I'm in my 7th game and I've already had to sit my catcher twice, my SS had to sit by game 5 etc.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 4:59 am

Danimal wrote:Do you guys fnd that during franchise players tire too easily? I'm in my 7th game and I've already had to sit my catcher twice, my SS had to sit by game 5 etc.

Absolutely. I maxed the durability of all my guys, with little success. They are a little better but they still miss way too many games. Guys like Jeff Francoeur on the Braves play every single game, yet he can barely make it through a week in this game. That's one of the major problems. It's a shame you can't just turn fatigue off...I'd much rather just give guys a few random days off to mimmick a real life substitution pattern but whatever.

However, when I see things like the following, I can't help but deal with the fatigue issue. I take the lead by a run going to the top of the 9th. The Dodgers come up, Pierre singles. Up comes Nomar in an obvious bunt situation. I throw him a slider on the corner and he bunts at it and misses. Strike one. The second pitch is an up and in fastball and he fouls the bunt back. I throw the next fastball down and away, so he'll think it may be a slider and he'll let it go. He does let it go...as he pulls his bat back from the bunt and gets rung up. PHENOMENAL. That sh*t just doesn't happen in any other game.

HipE · Post by **HipE** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 9:01 am

My feelings have completely changed about this game, I feel bad for bashing it a few days ago. Now that I've switched to HOF level and turned the guess pitch back on, I'm getting great results. Through six games I have 13 doubles, one triple and six homeruns, which is just about perfect. I'm really enjoying classic pitching as well, my team era is 4.13 with it on, which seems just about right.

I'm also having a problem with player fatigue. I traded for Josh Hamilton, and I'm already sitting him for the second time in seven games in my franchise. Another thing bugging me is that I'm giving up a ton of hits on routine liners that my infielders either dont reach for, or that physically go right through their bodies. Any fixes for that problem? I have fielding on assist, which I thought would make the cpu trigger a catch animation, but it isn't happening so far.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:49 am

Yeah besides fatigue my second biggest beef and by far most annoying are the floaty throws. I can't count how many times I have failed to get a runner out because the player decides to float a throw to someone. It happens a lot when trying to turn double plays.

Last night I had a sharp ground ball to short and tried to throw it to second and my guy just sat there for about 2 seconds then floated one to the 2nd basemen and I didn't even get one.

Whats frustrating is neither of the two things driving me nuts was in last years game. I'd like to think we will see a patch but I doubt it.

fanatic · Post by **fanatic** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 11:36 am

HipE wrote:My feelings have completely changed about this game, I feel bad for bashing it a few days ago. Now that I've switched to HOF level and turned the guess pitch back on, I'm getting great results. Through six games I have 13 doubles, one triple and six homeruns, which is just about perfect. I'm really enjoying classic pitching as well, my team era is 4.13 with it on, which seems just about right.

I'm also having a problem with player fatigue. I traded for Josh Hamilton, and I'm already sitting him for the second time in seven games in my franchise. Another thing bugging me is that I'm giving up a ton of hits on routine liners that my infielders either dont reach for, or that physically go right through their bodies. Any fixes for that problem? I have fielding on assist, which I thought would make the cpu trigger a catch animation, but it isn't happening so far.

Are you on HOF default? I'm thinking about making the switch from All-Star using Sky's sliders. The batting seems dead on, but in my first series against the Yanks, I swept with scores of 5-4, 5-0 and 5-1. Are you using classic pitching as well?

HipE · Post by **HipE** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 12:19 pm

Yes, I'm playing HOF default with classic pitching. I'm using the new guess pitch feature and having good success with it. I was using the classic 1/4 guess pitch, but it was too easy to hit when you guessed the correct location. Now that I've changed to the new guess pitch, my batting has been perfect in terms of runs and hits I'm getting each game.

snate · Post by **snate** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 12:31 pm

I'm loving the game too. My biggest gripe is I think the batting physics are a bit off. I watch replays from the top down and there are balls hit the opposite way that have no business going there given the point at which the bat makes contact with the ball. IMO there are far too many balls hit the other way.

My other gripe was mentioned above - force outs at 2nd with 2 outs are an adventure because it goes into this ridiculously slow animation and throw. I have had too many innings unnecessarily extended due to this bull****.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 1:54 pm

HipE wrote:Another thing bugging me is that I'm giving up a ton of hits on routine liners that my infielders either dont reach for, or that physically go right through their bodies. Any fixes for that problem? I have fielding on assist, which I thought would make the cpu trigger a catch animation, but it isn't happening so far.

I don't think there are any fixes for this I think that this is something we just have to live with this year. It almost seems like the CPU determines whether or not these will be 'hits' even before th ball comes off the infield grass.

My power numbers have been fine mostly all along, after a couple of games getting used to the hitting, but I always used guess pitch and the power swing.