Armor & Sword's MLB The Show 15 Timed (Directional)/Classic Simulation Sliders

[Armor and Sword]

Hello Baseball Fans. 3/31/15 is here and the greatest console sports game is back with it's best iteration yet. This years game is chock full of new features, and under the hood improvements that should make for the best console baseball game ever to grace the screen.

Those who have used my sliders in the past know exactly what we do. Player ratings reign supreme in the dice role outcome for hitting, pitching, fielding, throwing and base running. We play with Classic pitching and Timed hitting and this year timed has a new wrinkle if you choose to use it with directional hitting (basically the old MVP Baseball mechanic).

I always play with a clean screen. No visual aids. Auto fielding and manual button (no meter) throwing, assisted base running (default running controls) and sliding.

I am looking forward to some key improvements in regards to the all new speed paradigm for outfield paths to the ball, and base runner speed as well as routine outs being exactly that (and not nail biting close plays at first like in 14). The ever evolving ball physics for hit variety and all new ball spins and breaks for pitching.

I will provide 4 slider sets and as always my partner in crime Marino will assist in testing and development!

All-Star

All-Star Quick Counts

Hybrid (Veteran hitting/All-Star Pitching)

Hybrid Quick Counts




Settings:

Batting and Baserunning:
Hitting Difficulty: All-Star
Hitting Interface Directional (Timed)
Input Type - Buttons
Plate Coverage Indicator - Off
Camera Shift - Off
In-Play View Offense - Broadcast or Dynamic (user choice both are very cool)
Hitting View: Catcher Zoom 3
Button Interface: Classic
Guess Pitch: Off
Baserunner Interface: Default
Bassrunning Decisions: Assist
Sliding Decisions: Assist
Runner Window: On


Pitching:
Pitching Difficulty: All-Star
Pitching Interface: Classic
Pitching View: Broadcast
Pitching Ball Marker: Off or Classic Fade (On for less experienced players)
Pitch Callout: Off (cleaner screen but turn it on if you like)
Pitch Confidence: On
Pitch Delay: Normal
API: Default

Fielding:
Throwing Interface: Buttons
Throwing Meter: Off
Throwing Difficulty: NA
Throwing Decision: Off
Throw Canceling: On
Fielding Decision: Auto
Defensive Shift: Auto (I do make in game adjustments on the fly pressing down on the D-Pad)
All Indicators off
Fielding View Offense: Broadcast
Fielding View Defense: Broadcast

General
Strike Zone: Off
Hot Zones: Off
Balks: Off
Warm Up Pitchers: On
Tutorial Tips - Off
Post Game Auto Save - Off
Umpire Balls and Strikes: Variable
Umpire Close Plays: On
Check Swing Appeals: On
Injuries: On
Ejections: On
Scorebar Display - On
Pitch Select Display - Off (get's rid of the R2 on your screen just pause to see pitchers arsenal)
Swing/Pitch Info - Off (get this by press in R2 and using D-Pad left or Right for detailed info)
Balks - Off
Vibration - On
Game Log Order - Default

Presentation Options

Presentation Mode - Broadcast
Batter Walkup - On
In-game Ticker - On
- Closed Captioning - Off
- Mode Updates - Occasional
- MLB.com Updates - On



All-Star Traditional Full Game/Quick Counts/Hybrid Traditional and Hybrid Quick Counts Version 1.4 6/14/15 Final Settings

Dynamic Difficulty Sensitivity - 5
Human Contact - 5
Human Power - 5
Human Timing - 5
Stride Difficulty - 5
Human Foul Frequency - 2 (-2)
Human Solid Hits - 4 (+1)
Human Starter Stamina - 6
Human Reliever Stamina - 3
Human Pitcher Control - 4
Human Pitcher Consistency - 4

CPU Contact - 5
CPU Power - 5
CPU Timing - 5
CPU Foul Frequency - 3 (-1)
CPU Solid Hits - 4 (+1)
CPU Starter Stamina - 6
CPU Reliever Stamina - 3
CPU Pitcher Control - 4 (-1)
CPU Pitcher Consistency - 4
CPU Strike Frequency - 4
CPU Manager Hook - 5
CPU Pickoffs - 5

Pitch Speed - 6 (User Choice)
Fielding Errors Infield - 3
Fielding Errors Outfield - 3
Throwing Errors Infield - 3
Throwing Errors Outfield - 2 (-1)
Fielder Run Speed - 0 (-3)
Fielder Reaction - 2 (-2)
Fielder Arm Strength Infield - 5
Fielder Arm Strength Outfield - 5
Baserunner Speed - 2 (-3)
Baserunner Steal Ability - 6
Baserunner Steal Frequency - 7 (+1)
Wind - 5
Injuries - 7

All-Star Quick Counts simply adjust the following - UPDATE

I no longer feel you need to adjust these pitching settings for quick counts this year however if your happy with how it plays keep it at these pitching settings below.

HUM/CPU Starter Stamina - 7
HUM/CPU Reliever Stamina - 4


Hybrid Veteran Hitting/All-Star Pitching simply adjust the following

Human Contact - 4
Human Power - 4
Human Timing - 4
CPU Pitcher Consistency - 3
CPU Strike Frequency - 2

For Hyrbrid Quick Counts adjust in addition to above: Update

I no longer feel you need to adjust these pitching settings for quick counts this year however if your happy with how it plays keep it at these pitching settings below

HUM/CPU Starter Stamina - 7
HUM/CPU Reliever Stamina - 4

Armor's "True Clean Screen Classic Pitching Approach"

For the ultimate in simulation and challenge here is the way I play The Show with classic pitching vs the CPU.

OK so here is the deal on turning off the R2/pitch types button showing on screen.

All you need to do is see your pitchers repertoire. Let's say for example he has 4 pitches and they are the following, listed in this order in the pause screen where you can access their "stuff"

1.4FB
2.SL
3.SPL
4.CHG

That means:

4FB = X = 1 finger
SL = O = 2 fingers
SPL = Triangle = 3 fingers
CHG = Square = 4 fingers

Now you know his best to weakest.

Watch the catcher....if he has 2 fingers showing he wants you to throw a Slider. If he shows 4 fingers he wants a Change up.

I typically allow my catcher to call a lot of my pitches for a sim feel. But I will overrule him when I want (shake him off). If you want to see where he wants it pull back R2 and the location icon will flash. The catcher also will sometimes just pat his mitt and/or point inside or outside and I will just aim to that area of the zone (or out of it). Or again I will shake him off. Remember if your controller rumbles while your picking your location the marker (which you can't see) is out of the strike zone. A slight rumble is barely out of the zone..and strong rumble is way out of the zone. I do start pitches out of the zone like sliders, cutters splitters etc and they come back in based on the break and spin. It takes practice....but it is well worth the reward.

Now if your pitcher has 5 pitches 4 finger can either mean the Square or the R1 button. I will make my own choice depending on count, situation, hitter at the plate.

Another cool thing is you no longer see a pitchers confidence in any particular pitch. When you have played the game as long as I have....you know if your throwing a certain pitch for strikes a lot...they will have a lot more confidence in it. I am at a stage with this game where I don't need many visual aides. But if your not there yet turn the pitch type screen back and/or the ball marker on.....play the game the way your comfortable playing it.

I will tell you though the layers of simulation by pitching this way is amazing and fun. Turning the ball marker off also truly makes it challenging and realistic. Sometimes your pitches will not go where you want them.

Just like IRL.

Give this a shot. I have a feeling you will love it. It will take some getting used to...but after a half dozen to a dozen games you will be in the groove.


All of these slider sets are compatible to play with the following OSFM Pitch Edit Roster (as well as any OSFM, SCEA stock or classic roster) uploaded by 55!

Name: OSFM v2.1 w/ pitch edits

Owner: GutsPersonified

[PleasedToMeetMe]

Looking forward to it...

[BrianU]

I'll be playing on PS3 for one more year and I while I do my own sliders I have a very similar setup to you as far as timing/classic/autofield to ensure the ratings come into play as much as possible.

I just had a question, what are the sliders that you plan to adjust for quick counts independently from normal play? I did not get much use of QC last year but I like the improvements they made to it and it looks to be much more mature this year I plan to use it more.

[Armor and Sword]

Quote: Originally Posted by BrianU

I'll be playing on PS3 for one more year and I while I do my own sliders I have a very similar setup to you as far as timing/classic/autofield to ensure the ratings come into play as much as possible. I just had a question, what are the sliders that you plan to adjust for quick counts independently from normal play? I did not get much use of QC last year but I like the improvements they made to it and it looks to be much more mature this year I plan to use it more.

Pitcher fatigue and an ever so slight tweak to control and consistency depending on hitting skill level (Veteran or All-Star)

[manny24]

Can you do us a huge favor this year? Can you just update any changes so we can download them in the MLB 15 Download Slider page instead of manually entering them in? This would save us a huge amount of time.

[ML]

Quote: Originally Posted by Armor & Sword

Pitcher fatigue and an ever so slight tweak to control and consistency depending on hitting skill level (Veteran or All-Star)

Been playing games using your sliders from last year. Small sample size so far but from what I can tell it does seem like the pitchers ball to strike ratio is a tad off. I've been trying to take more pitches to see but quite often the pitcher has been hitting the zone regardless of how aggressive I've been at the plate.

[Armor and Sword]

Quote: Originally Posted by MLamm16

Been playing games using your sliders from last year. Small sample size so far but from what I can tell it does seem like the pitchers ball to strike ratio is a tad off. I've been trying to take more pitches to see but quite often the pitcher has been hitting the zone regardless of how aggressive I've been at the plate.

This is something we always work on and tune....and we will get it nailed down again.

[VincesVictims]

Armor cant wait for the sliders. Im so pumped for this game just got home from work ready for some show.