MLB 12 The Show - Gameplay Impressions

[Cubfan]

How did the new default pitch speed vs last year feel?

[DJ]

Quote: Originally Posted by WarningTrackPower

Yeah I hear ya on this one. My main gripe is that I have a hard time getting the pitch to start outside of the zone because it's hard to push the analog stick that far over to one side. By no means do I want pinpoint control but I've had some 0-2 counts go wrong because I cannot throw far enough outside of the zone. Though, maybe that's just my user skill.

I'm not near my PS3 so I can't check, but is there an option to turn Rumble Feedback OFF when using Analog? I really think the Rumble effect of when you'd get to the edge of the strike zone would cause your controller to slightly drift back into the zone, thus making it really hard to throw a ball clearly out of the zone, unless you just pressed all the way to the L or R on the R-stick, but that would result in a wild pitch.

I think if there was no rumble feedback, we'd be able to place more balls outside of the zone.

[DJ]

Quote: Originally Posted by nemesis04

I tried the analog with left stick aiming and it was pretty difficult. I am a zone guy though! I believe that new hitting cam was adjusted from the wide hitting view! As far as pitch speeds go it was a little slower then past versions and at first I found myself ahead on pitches but adjusted after a few games. You can move it up to last years with the slider so most should be pleased!

Yeah, Ramone confirmed that the new cam in 12 was based off of 11's wide view. Blzer posted a great replication photo in another thread, so if you're looking to test-drive the new camera (it's very close to what it looks like in 12), look at that photo when you are editing the camera in 11. I did it last night and man, I'm loving the new look!

Can't wait for 12 to get here.

[WarningTrackPower]

Quote: Originally Posted by DJ

I'm not near my PS3 so I can't check, but is there an option to turn Rumble Feedback OFF when using Analog? I really think the Rumble effect of when you'd get to the edge of the strike zone would cause your controller to slightly drift back into the zone, thus making it really hard to throw a ball clearly out of the zone, unless you just pressed all the way to the L or R on the R-stick, but that would result in a wild pitch. I think if there was no rumble feedback, we'd be able to place more balls outside of the zone.

I happened to be playing as I read this, so I checked. You can turn vibration off, though it's not specific to the pitching and turns vibration of for everything in the game. I tried it with pitching and there's no "force field" when trying to place the ball outside of the strike zone. Good question because I never really thought to do this. The downfall is I like having the vibration on when running the bases so I know that the game "heard" me tell the runner to advance. One might suggest to just turn it on and back off again every half inning... but that's tedious.

However, what I meant about starting a pitch outside of the strike zone had to do with right stick, not the left. I find it hard to push the right analog stick up at such a drastic angle. Let's say for example the pitcher and batter are both right handed and I have an 0-2 count on the hitter. If I were to try and throw a front door slider, I'd have to basically throw it at the right handed hitter. Moving the right analog stick down and then way over to the right proves to be difficult for me and I'll probably hang this slider over the middle. Perhaps it's just my user skill that prevents me from doing this successfully..

I was actually hoping that the edges of the zone on the analog meter would be closer together, making it easier to throw outside the zone. By no means a deal breaker because I still have success pitching, but I like to intentionally throw off the plate to either side when I need to. Again, it might be my user skill with the stick.... not sure how others feel about it.

[nomo17k]

Quote: Originally Posted by WarningTrackPower

... However, what I meant about starting a pitch outside of the strike zone had to do with right stick, not the left. I find it hard to push the right analog stick up at such a drastic angle. Let's say for example the pitcher and batter are both right handed and I have an 0-2 count on the hitter. If I were to try and throw a front door slider, I'd have to basically throw it at the right handed hitter. Moving the right analog stick down and then way over to the right proves to be difficult for me and I'll probably hang this slider over the middle. Perhaps it's just my user skill that prevents me from doing this successfully.. I was actually hoping that the edges of the zone on the analog meter would be closer together, making it easier to throw outside the zone. By no means a deal breaker because I still have success pitching, but I like to intentionally throw off the plate to either side when I need to. Again, it might be my user skill with the stick.... not sure how others feel about it.

This I guess is partly what makes it difficult to tune analog for everyone...

Personally I don't have much trouble inside (R vs R, from behind the pitcher), since my natural thumb movement is from 8 to 2 o'clock. But if I need to go outside, I just cannot move my thumb reliably from 4 to 10 o'clock.

I think there's some user skill factor in pitching to inside/outside wide off the strike zone, I believe you almost have to go more than 45 degree angle off the center axis to do this, and that can be difficult (for me at least). Narrowing the strike zone to analog mapping was an idea discussed earlier... I also hope there was something done on the issue, but some people don't appear to have problem (like nem), so who knows... it might be our thumbs who need some practice and exercise....

[DJ]

Quote: Originally Posted by WarningTrackPower

I happened to be playing as I read this, so I checked. You can turn vibration off, though it's not specific to the pitching and turns vibration of for everything in the game. I tried it with pitching and there's no "force field" when trying to place the ball outside of the strike zone. Good question because I never really thought to do this. The downfall is I like having the vibration on when running the bases so I know that the game "heard" me tell the runner to advance. One might suggest to just turn it on and back off again every half inning... but that's tedious. However, what I meant about starting a pitch outside of the strike zone had to do with right stick, not the left. I find it hard to push the right analog stick up at such a drastic angle. Let's say for example the pitcher and batter are both right handed and I have an 0-2 count on the hitter. If I were to try and throw a front door slider, I'd have to basically throw it at the right handed hitter. Moving the right analog stick down and then way over to the right proves to be difficult for me and I'll probably hang this slider over the middle. Perhaps it's just my user skill that prevents me from doing this successfully.. I was actually hoping that the edges of the zone on the analog meter would be closer together, making it easier to throw outside the zone. By no means a deal breaker because I still have success pitching, but I like to intentionally throw off the plate to either side when I need to. Again, it might be my user skill with the stick.... not sure how others feel about it.

Ahh ... gotcha. Shrinking the edges of the zone on the meter is a good starting point.

[WarningTrackPower]

Quote: Originally Posted by nomo17k

This I guess is partly what makes it difficult to tune analog for everyone... Personally I don't have much trouble inside (R vs R, from behind the pitcher), since my natural thumb movement is from 8 to 2 o'clock. But if I need to go outside, I just cannot move my thumb reliably from 4 to 10 o'clock. I think there's some user skill factor in pitching to inside/outside wide off the strike zone, I believe you almost have to go more than 45 degree angle off the center axis to do this, and that can be difficult (for me at least). Narrowing the strike zone to analog mapping was an idea discussed earlier... I also hope there was something done on the issue, but some people don't appear to have problem (like nem), so who knows... it might be our thumbs who need some practice and exercise....

Yup. I agree with this 100%. It can't be easy to make the analog pitching perfect for everyone. My natural thumb movement is probably close to 6 to 12 but I hardly ever pitch down the middle. Going to the edges of the zone or just outside of it isn't that hard for me either. It's going much further outside of the zone that I find hard. Like throwing a blatant ball to a hitter who keeps fouling pitches off or trying to throw a backdoor/frontdoor slider on an 0-2 count. Honestly, I feel as though I'm around the plate too much, even why I try not to be.

The reason I put the last part of your post in bold is because I realize part of this is user error as well and I try to reiterate it in each post that I talk about this topic. Analog pitching is very well done in this game and by no means is it broken. I won't even bother with pulse pitching because I enjoy using the sticks much more. My hopes are that my feedback will only make it better.

[Qb]

As you can see by all the likes, I'm with you guys. I was really hoping the analog meter strike zone was adjusted. Alas, from the small amount of feedback regarding analog pitching from the event, it sounds like this aspect of analog pitching wasn't changed much.

I will be trying Pulse Pitching. I always preferred Classic to Meter, so perhaps Pulse will be a good combination of user input and ratings magic.