Batting Practice

[Rusty100]

Ok guys, Iv'e got to come clean.

I cannot hit a knuckleball for my life.

OR a palmball, or a cutter for that matter.

Real life? heh, nope. I mean in the game....

The one mode that I feel would be very easy to add to MVP by EA is batting practice mode. BP mode would be very, very simple. Grab a hitter, a ballpark, and check and uncheck pitches you want to be thrown at your and BAM! Great practice for sharpening you reaction and hitting skills. Heck, i'd play Batting practice mode just for the fun and satisfaction or virtually stroking a ball into the opposite field. Maybe set the speed for your fastball, or just check 'shuffle mode', which would randomly generate pitches for your batting pleasure.

If BP mode became a reality, maybe a game with a point system could be in place, where guys could compare their scores that would basically measure ones batting prowess.

Even after all of this, we could be talking a custom BP ballpark, complete with wacky targets and funny ads.

Yeah, I dream big, but this would just be a ton of fun.

Personally, I'd be willing to help in any way possible.

Modders, players, admins, members, and gamers, please discuss...if the interest level for this idea is high, maybe we could actually get this ball rollling.

Thanks in advance for everyones thoughtful feedback. :D

[Furcal01]

That would be awesome if that is possible

[JoeRudi26]

Wacky targets? Like tractors and school buses? Or ramps and vortexes? :)

[Rusty100]

:wink: Yes, targets along that line JoeRudi. However, this is gameplay modification, not just uniforms and visual changes. With the work for College ball by Snash and his crew, I believe BP mode isn't so far out of reach. Again, if I was given instruction, I would gladly do as much work on this mod as needed, especially with the extra time I have because of the summer. I am VERY into this idea of mine and I hope we can get this on the map.

[biker_jim_uk]

I think Joe is making the point that this already exists in the game doesn't it?

[cubs5678]

yeah, nice idea, but i think it already exists

[APR]

yeah, nice idea, but i think it already exists

You think? LOL :lol:

[Rusty100]

Hmm ok...can you pick your pitches and speed in the Minigame? Your placement? Can you just hit without ramps and crap? Nahh....

[JoeRudi26]

Yeah, I was making the point that it already exists in the game. But Rusty makes a good point. Batting practice in the mini games do me absolutely no good. I don't use the default camera angle that is used (in the mini games) and when I go back to my game, I'm totally thrown off.

Just a simple batting practice to select your pitches, location, speed, and certain pitcher's styles and parks would have been a nice (and simple) feature that would have came in handy.

I definately would have taken advantage of it.

[Rusty100]

JoeRudi certainly makes a great point. Everyone has their own cameras and sliders and things, but the little things like a sidearm pitcher can totally throw off my timing. The worst is when the CPU figures out that you will swing at any pitch, and begins to pitch around every batter. A practice mode seems not out of reach, when I think about a custom datafile and things of that sort...

[Garrett67]

'just' find a way to modify the HR derby to an infinite number of feet and alter the camera there...not sure how or if this could be done, but its already half set up for you.

[Rusty100]

Garrett, thats right!! I dunno why HR showdown always has to be awkwardly presented and all. I''m sure the right tweaks by the right people could really pull that together. The probelm is the custom selection of pitches to be thrown.

[Stix]

I wish you had that option to have BP before every game. It would be just as it is in real life, spring training jerseys, teammates in the outfield, and the correct pitcher's arm and pitches throwing it to you. I would really use that feature.

[probaseball203]

i doubt it can be done...but what could be done is make a wishlist for road to omaha 2006 or whichever game is coming out for 2006...because i think that wud be awesome...jus without the wacky stuff cuz that takes away the realism, u wanna jus get ur timing and warm up..not aim for bullseyes

[AntiLeaf33]

Yeah, I can't seem to ever get a hold of a knuckleball, or a really slow change...usually something in the 50's.

[JoeRudi26]

A fielding practice option would have been nice too. Select what position you want to field (SS, 2B,OF, etc...) and you could specify to the computer what TYPE of hit you would like. Grounder, Pop UP, Line Drive, Bunts, things like that. Only the computer has to hit to a certain "area" for what position you are playing.

I would use this option too. There are many things that would come in useful. Charging a ground ball, leaping for line drives, diving for balls down the line, and diving for balls hit in the gap. Not to mention turning double plays.

Something so simple they could have added instead of "mini games."

[Rusty100]

Exactly, but I thing with repeated practice I could really nail my timing and get those pitches in-game. That would really make the experience more enjoyable for me, cause I get very very agititated when Tim Wakefield lobs on over constant knuckleballs at me. :evil: ...But yes I honestly believe its not too far off, the idea of a modified HR Derby was on the right track. But yeah, a great feature to add would be a short BP prior to games. After thinking about it more, I dropped that target idea for the fact that one, it would detract from the real BP point, and 2, it already exists. Some cool pre-game animations of players warming up and a short BP would be very handy, fun, and useful.

[Rusty100]

Fielding practice is an equally cool option to hope for. I have thought a lot about this fiedling system where the camera is either first person of the fielder, or directly behind and a little above them in thrid person view. The throwing would be based on the secondary analog stick for a fluid and satisfying throw. Now that would be cool. Back to BP mode, I wish some modders would step in and give their opinions on this as well.

You think Take-Two notices requests like these?? :wink:

[Rusty100]

Maybe they'll take it into consideration in their next PC offering...

[jservice]

To whom it may concern - Go to create player. Make a pitcher that only throws just the default Fastball (which you can change speeds on) and the pitch you want to practice hitting. give him 99 Stamina then put him on any team you want. play a Exhibition game vs that pitcher.

Have Fun

[Rusty100]

Hmm, would it really be the same? You'd have to play defense and edit your player everytime. Just not cutting it, the right system would be a box to check and uncheck the pitches you want thrown on the spot, without exiting the game, editing a player, saving your rosters, and making transactions...

[Slider25]

This BP sounds awesome, Is it really that impossible to acheive? If EA released this as a free add-on along with another patch to adress stuttering and crashes for the last time, that would certainly leave me with a smile, like a final bonus farewell for the MVP line. :chin: :roll:

[Slider25]

Anybody know any EA insiders? Do you think they'll listen to their consumers for once??