I tried..I really tried

[dcordash]

I actually stopped playing this game for about a month. Big reason was I had rotator cuff surgery (too many fast balls I suppose) and couldn't play, but was also really trying to stay away from a game that just asbolutely frustrates me with it's waaay too often absence of reality.
But, the downtime following surgery, the boredom, and PS4 sitting right in front of me was too much of a temptation.
So a few days back I started dabbling again. Started with just 4th Inning Program. Had made some adjustments to my swing approach and it really appeared to work. I started going through all the tasks like knife through hot butter. Most completed on first attempt.
Meanwhile I had a crapload of stubs saved up and decided to buy a Choice pack. First one I got the bottom-feeders but realized the Keith Hernandez I picked up actually was a solid clutch batter and played defense much better than any other 1B I ever owned. So, my initial thoughts of selling him went away rather quickly. He's worth much more than the $18k or so he was auctioning for.
I really wanted Sandberg, but didn't have the stubs (and really didn't want him THAT bad) to pay $100k or better. But, when the option to buy another Choice pack rolled in I jumped on it with the last $40k I had. Bingo..hit the high tier and grabbed Sandberg. Almost took Jansen because I really liked the thought of having that drop-dead closer. A 99 that could just shut down anyone. But I remembered Billy Wagner could be had if I kept rolling with the 4th Inning tasks and hit 300. That's when I decided to log a couple more hours. Before I knew it I had my coveted closer Billy Wagner.
Everything moving along perfectly and I'm so happy with the game again. Got about 11 99-level players on my roster, but I typically play RS with a Cubs lineup..which includes gold Rizzo and Contreres. low-level diamond Baez and Bryant. I have much better (ratings wise) players I could use but like the Cubs theme.
Now, how quickly a positive can turn into a raging negative.
I start playing RS again. My new batting approach made such a difference (or did it?) in the first 3 games I hit 12 homeruns. And, I'm playing some good players that aren't bashful about breaking out their BIG Diamond players. Put a 5-spot up on 99 Verlander for a 5-4 win over a gold player. Run off a couple players early after mashing some early taters and getting early-out wins.
Play my first high-Diamond rated opponent of the year. He's pitching Wainwright who I score 4 off of in the early innings. 4-2 going into the bottom of the 9th. I put in 96 Hoffman to close the door. Uh-uh...Hoffman gives up 3 hits, one a homer, to tie it. Then 91 Hader comes in to face his lefty batter who, naturally, hits a walk-off homerun. I'm a little shook at this point, but understand these things do happen. This guy was a Diamond rated player with a better lineup (on paper) than me. Was still pretty pumped that I actually took a very good player and lineup all the way to the 9th. I don't mind losing if it's SOMEWHAT in the same zip code as reality.
But, that game seemed to just flick a switch in the software. No other way to describe it. Maybe someone understands why the game has this "factor" baked in. And, I'll explain the same way many before me have explained it.
I played 4 more games after the 5-4 loss. In every game I was playing teams that were about the same deficit in the matchup to me, as I was the Diamond guy that beat me 5-4. They were lesser golds than me and a couple silvers. For the most part not as stacked (again, on paper) as my team.
What happens. Well the first thing I noticed very drastically..was every pitcher in those 4 games were throwing pitches in I just couldn't square up on. The pitches were getting into the zone so much quicker. It's AS IF RankedSeasons went from All-Star (yes, I'm a lightweight and play All-star) to off-the-charts. I'm talking pitchers like Buehler and similar. Absolutely couldn't touch their pitches.
And, REMINDER, right before this streak started I'm smacking around 99 Verlander and Ryan. And, in one of the games that the guy bailed after I scored 4 runs he was pitching BUEHLER and I was smashing everything he threw.
So, in the next 5 games I score 2 runs total!! Lose a 13 inning-fiasco 1-0. Win one game 9-inning game 1-0. Get beat 4-0 and then 2-0. Then, the VERY worst and why you see so many complaints. I'm winning a game 1-0. By now playing a Bronze player because, I suppose, the losing streak I was on dropped me down to the minors or wtf happens in the twisted logic that flows in the code.
Again, he's using a very mediocre pitcher (relatively speaking) in Nola. Through 7 innings I manage to scrape together one run against Nola. We go into the 9th and this was my epiphany moment and why I so hate this game and even more so, hate-detest and have no respect for those that defend it after such reports as I'm about to describe. Prior to the 9th he had 6 total base hits. All singles.
I bring in Hoffman to face Chipper Jones (he's a much lesser batter against righties) hence the match-up strategy. Base hit. Next batter is Gallo. I know Gallo is a complete travesty against lefties and can't hit a freakin’ slider to save his soul. This, my friends, is called scouting/strategy and what could be the fun part of this game. But..it sure isn't.
Sooo, I bring in my most coveted 99 intimidating save-machine Billy Wagner who I toiled through hours of 4th Inning to acquire. I know the report on Gallo that "watch the fast-balls cause he'll rock you, but can't hit the breaking stuff". 99 Billy, guided by my controller, throws a slider about one foot inside and below the strike zone. Yep, Gallo ties the game up on that first pitch. 420 foot homer. Then Contreras comes in and finishes 'ol Billy off with a walk-off homer. C’MON MAN!!!!!!
It's when you've been absorbing this unbelivable nonsense for a duration. Gameplay that doesn't make any sense. It doesn't correlate to any reality you've ever seen in the sporting world. That you rage.
Yeah, it's just a game...but what the heck does that really mean? It's time spent that you could, obviously, be doing other things but you're drawn to it. You want to Enjoy it. . maybe because you paid a lot of money for it. But, this "just a game" quip from so many posters in reply to rants still infuriates you. It's like anything else that wastes your time. Sitting in line at the fast-food drive up. Standing in line at the amusement park in the hot sun for hours to climb on a new ride that lasts 2 minutes and really sorta sucks. Losing $5k at the craps table (just a game too I might add). Anything you devote your time too and don't get an anticipated return of quality makes you upset. Game, work, life, whatever.
C’mon can't these hacks that write this dribble figure out how to prevent this frustrating stuff????? Undoubtedly it's some equalizing crap they built in. Gives you some interesting and believable outcomes, but will just as suddenly go sideways on you and waste your time on a string of completely unbelievable fiascos. Blatantly changing whatever difficulty level (all-star, super-star, star-struck, novice, pro, super-human, wtf ever) you believe to be playing on to something completely different. And, pitting you against a team that likely is playing with a higher-lower difficulty level based on whatever balancing algorithm they so egregiously and amateurishly baked into this soulless piece of manure. I mean..C'mon..where is the fun in that? Frustration and never knowing, exactly, how good or bad you might actually be because the software just randomly changes your environment IS NOT FUN!!
God of War arrives from Amazon tomorrow. Adios SDS and good riddance to your putrid offerings. And, next spring, I'll know better.

[papadell]

Sounds very familiar and a lot of us are right there with you.

There's definitely an equalizing effect in play that acts as momentum swings. Perfect release dots on the black that go down the middle or as a passed ball. I've definitely experienced pitch speeds changing as well between games and in the same game.

The game is just consistently inconsistent. Really it boils down to you vs the game and not your opponents. Each team will get meatballs that you either take advantage of or not. And usually whoever is able to take advantage of the obvious RNG elements wins.

I've had to completely change the way I play in order to keep playing. Now I look at it more as me watching a simulation that I have a few moments to affect and trying to approach it as watching a game.

It sucks because I WANT a game that plays true that I can really invest in from a competitive standpoint but sadly that isn't the case. And based off their inaction I doubt they make any significant tuning changes to gameplay so this is how it will be for the rest of the year.

If you find yourself back try looking at it that way and not as a true competitive game. Because it isn't.

[testorz]

I agree with both posts. I miss the old EA Triple Play/MVP series.

[papadell]

Quote: Originally Posted by testorz

I agree with both posts. I miss the old EA Triple Play/MVP series.

The sad part is I am terrified of what an EA developed baseball game would look like in 2019

[BIGROC]

I can understand that overpowering pitch... Early on it was coming from Kerry Wood (prior to SS rollout).

The thing that I find is there are defensive lapses that end up giving away 1/2 runs that make the difference in the game...

The Walker Buehler thing... I LOVE to pitch with him. He's got great action on his pitches. He's underrated at 85... Guy is a STUD. I've got the SS Ryan, and I really don't care for using him. The Wainwright SS you can earn in one of the moments is a super solid pitcher. I use the SS Kershaw too ... He's a pimp on the mound. Honestly I don't think you need to have a monster rated closer (or starter for that matter). I've been using Blake Treinen, have 87 saves in 92 chances. I just pitch well with him.

I'm with you on the Sandberg... I want that card badly. I have Altuve and a 91 max muncy, and would shake them out to get Sandberg on 2nd base.

[BigOscar]

YEah, it's a very frustrating game at this point. So inconsistent, so random and you feel so out of control. You get in patches of a game where you just know the game won't let you score, no matter what you do, then at other times you realise the game feels like giving you a helping hand, so everything falls and even less than perfect hits go flying over the wall.

I know why they've done it, to keep the bad players interested, but it's terrible game design to take the control out of the players hands to this extent, on a game that so clearly should be skill based.