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]

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]

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]

Quote: Originally Posted by Black59Razr

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

But I think Meter is the best so far.