Getting Closer

[JoeRudi26]

Maestro pointed these pitch sliders to me via Guru over at OS. After a few short inning test games, it felt like a completely different experience. I decided to test them out through the duration of a complete game. Lots of variety, and very solid, I kept waiting for something to "break down" but it never did. His offensive sliders were a little too aggressive for my tastes, so I'll keep tweaking my own, but will keep his pitch sliders. I've seen a lot of people complaining that the CPU pitcher couldn't miss the strike zone, including myself, but not with these sliders. Just being fairly patient at the plate, Tampa Bay pitchers (CPU) threw 68 strikes vs 45 balls for around a 60% strike percentage. Before these sliders, and being very patient, I was lucky to see 15 balls being thrown through the course of the game by the CPU. On the other hand, Phillies pitchers (me) threw 60 strikes vs 24 balls.

The CPU batting is still a little aggressive (hopefully fixed via patch), but Hamels & Lidge combined for almost 90 pitches (71% strikes), which is probably still a little low, but more often than not, they swung early in the count, and my defense picked up the slack. I could've worked the count more, but I (Hamels) seemed to be cruising.

For my personal playing style, I'll probably be using these over the course of my season. On a side note, I still have work to do with the offense and baserunning, but I did hit my first homerun (Ryan, bottom 8th) after I started tweaking the game about 2 weeks ago, so maybe that's a good sign that I'm getting used to seeing the pitches in 2K9.

If anyone wants to try them out:

Guru's Pitch Sliders (not mine)

User Settings

Pitch Meter Speed - 100

Pitch Speed - 100

Gesture Recognition - 100

Hold Timing Influence - 0

Release Timing Influence - 100

Pitch Rating Influence - 100

Pitch Break Influence - 100

Pitcher Composure Influence - 100

CPU Settings

AI Pitch Success - 40

AI Pitch Selection Tendency - 100

AI Strike Zone Tendency - 5

AI Strike Zone Tendency - 15

AI Pitcher Composure Tendency - 55

[redsox]

Hey Jay, do you by any chance have the breakdown of these sliders? What does increasing or decreasing the values actually correspond to? Some are pretty obvious, but there are a few that I am not too sure bout. For instance does lowering the AI Pitch Success equals more balls being thrown by the AI or does that just mean that they will have a lower chance of hitting the spot that they intend to? Thanks.

[JoeRudi26]

Sorry, Vish, I don't. Honestly, I should have already searched for the breakdowns by now, but I decided to see what was out there as a package and have just been trying different things and plugging them into my game, keeping what I like, and disregarding what I don't. Up to this point, and the fact that a patch will address the Inside Edge option, I haven't dug in 100% to see how things work.

That said though, I would bet if you searched Operation Sports you would come up with what you're looking for in under 10 minutes.

Good luck, V, and it's good to hear from you again. B)

[Maestro23]

Jay, his pitcher sliders are nice. I will probably go with them also for my season. Still cutting/pasting from the other 2 sets I linked you to for my hitting. Almost found my happy zone.

[redsox]

Sorry, Vish, I don't. Honestly, I should have already searched for the breakdowns by now, but I decided to see what was out there as a package and have just been trying different things and plugging them into my game, keeping what I like, and disregarding what I don't. Up to this point, and the fact that a patch will address the Inside Edge option, I haven't dug in 100% to see how things work.

That said though, I would bet if you searched Operation Sports you would come up with what you're looking for in under 10 minutes.

Good luck, V, and it's good to hear from you again.

Thanks a lot for the reply man. Will take a look and see what I can find. Have you started playing the franchise mode yet or just playing exhibition games to get your sliders set?

[JoeRudi26]

Thanks a lot for the reply man. Will take a look and see what I can find. Have you started playing the franchise mode yet or just playing exhibition games to get your sliders set?

Haven't started the season yet. I'm kind of waiting around to see how the patch works out, but either way I'm going forward with 2K9 this year. I just didn't want to have to start over. Through some free time, I actually dug out Photshop again, just in case.

[Maestro23]

Jay, once again you PS skills are impressive... most impressive.

Man, that new card of yours makes a world of difference.

[JoeRudi26]

Jay, once again you PS skills are impressive... most impressive.

Man, that new card of yours makes a world of difference.

Thank you, sir. And yes, I'm loving the new card too. Don't have to shut the computer down to get sleep anymore. :)

[Maestro23]

Thank you, sir. And yes, I'm loving the new card too. Don't have to shut the computer down to get sleep anymore.

I researched that bad boy last night. Would love to get it. Man, I had my T-Square, Tape Measure, and ruler out last night measuring inside my case. Seeing how I could re-wire stuff, move stuff around, etc...

I might could make it work, but man... it would be a tight fit.

[redsox]

Haven't started the season yet. I'm kind of waiting around to see how the patch works out, but either way I'm going forward with 2K9 this year. I just didn't want to have to start over. Through some free time, I actually dug out Photshop again, just in case.

Never seize to amaze me! Going back to the team that you had started off with eh? Well, I have started the Photoshop work as well. Hopefully we can have a parallel dynasty going sooner or later.

[Maestro23]

Never seize to amaze me! Going back to the team that you had started off with eh? Well, I have started the Photoshop work as well. Hopefully we can have a parallel dynasty going sooner or later.

Vish, that would be good to see. When you guys were both running dynasties, you inspired the masses. ;)

[JoeRudi26]

This is the homerun I mentioned earlier. Check out the crowd. They were standing when Ryan came to bat, and as soon as they started to sit down he jacked one and they stood right back up. Granted, I've been working on the pitching aspect of the game and haven't hit many homeruns, but this was the first time I've seen this.

[JoeRudi26]

I researched that bad boy last night. Would love to get it. Man, I had my T-Square, Tape Measure, and ruler out last night measuring inside my case. Seeing how I could re-wire stuff, move stuff around, etc...

I might could make it work, but man... it would be a tight fit.

T Square, lol. I was sweating bullets when it was starting to look like it wouldn't fit. I had measured the power supply, so I was good with that, but it never crossed my mind that this card would be the size of a small refrigerator. I honestly had to unplug 2 cords, whatever they were, and plug them in somewhere else.

The rest was prayer. :)

[Maestro23]

Nice on the Howard blast.

That's one thing I noticed. The crowd reacts pretty good to big moments in the game. Anytime in the game, not just in the late innings. Playing against St. Louis last night, they lit me up for 4 runs in the 1st. Zambrano was beside himself. They got the bases juiced with no outs. I settle down and get a called 3rd-strike, then a guy to pop-up behind the plate. Soto squeezes it for the 2nd out.

Prince Albert walks up to the plate, and the Wrigley faithful start to stand up and are cheering Big Z on every pitch. I got the ground ball and got out of the inning. Really added to the moment.

[JoeRudi26]

Nice. That's one thing I noticed. The crowd reacts pretty good to big moments in the game. Anytime in the game, not just in the late innings. Playing against St. Louis last night, they lit me up for 4 runs in the 1st. Zambrano was beside himself. They got the bases juiced with no outs. I settle down and get a called 3rd-strike, then a guy to pop-up behind the plate. Soto squeezes it for the 2nd out.

Prince Albert walks up to the plate, and the Wrigley faithful start to stand up and are cheering Big Z on every pitch. I got the ground ball and got out of the inning. Really added to the moment.

I've noticed that too. Late innings, down by a run or two, couple guys on base, and the crowd stands up and gets loud. Pretty cool when you see it.

[redsox]

I am definitely liking these sliders. Only change I made was lower the AI pitch success. I played just a couple of innings and was able to make Wainwright throw 44 pitches (24 for strikes, 3 walks, 2 runs scored, 2 hit batsmen, and 3 strikeouts) while I ended up throwing 31 pitches with Meche.

I am still experimenting with the hitting as I am rarely able to hit homeruns, but for now I am glad that I have slowly been able to get the pitching to my liking.

[Trues]

I'll have to give these a try. Thanks man.

[Maestro23]

Glad everyone is enjoying them.

Can't take the credit, I just found 'em. ;)

[JoeRudi26]

Like I said, I noticed a world of difference immediately. My own personal opinion (style) is to try to start off with a tough set of sliders, and obviously after the repetition of playing daily, I'll get better and tweak/balance the game out over the long haul. If something's too easy in the beginning, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that you'll be bashing the CPU after a week or so of play.

I understand people play differently, this is just the way I like to do it. I want to step onto the field with the odds in place. If I'm the Yankees, and I'm playing the Royals at home, every aspect of that game should be in my favor. It doesn't always happen that way, but baseball relies heavily on odds and percentages. In a 3 game set, the 2009 Yankees should take the series over the 2009 Royals 7 out of 10 times. My point is, I want my game to reflect the odds and percentages. Anything can happen on any given day, and I want the game to reflect that too.

We know it's possible in a video game, it's been done in MVP. In no way am I comparing the two games, and I don't think they should be, I'm just saying I have no doubt the sliders in 2K9 at least WORK. It's obvious through some tweaking, but it's just isn't something that's done overnight. If you want it bad enough, you'll either research and/or tweak until you get it to play the way you want it to play.

I also understand there are bugs that kill the game for a lot of people. I can't say enough how LITTLE I am seeing these things. I've had the 1st baseman issue once, and it took awhile to shag fly balls in the outfield, and it takes getting used to, but I can do it with relative ease. From what I've been reading, wall collision, AI hitter aggressiveness, and other issues are being addressed. I'll admit the game was released early, but everyone deserves a second chance.

If this is 2K9's first PC baseball game, maybe they were expecting this all along. Maybe releasing a 'beta' version was the most effective way to get feedback, with the expectations of releasing a patch in the first place. Maybe this way, they could get it right and corner the PC market for themselves in the near future. I really have no idea, but if the patch fixes what it promises to fix, and it's legit, then it may be worth holding onto and trying to make better in the future.

Then again, I could be wrong and they could all be derelicts, I guess we'll see.

Anyway, sorry for the novel, and thanks to Guru for these pitch sliders. I wish you guys luck. And please, if you find anything groundbreaking in the process, PLEASE POST IT HERE.

:)

[GEOLINK]

yeah that patch for the CPU aggressiveness needs to come out

i mean atleast have the CPU look at a few pitches

[Griz891]

Like I said, I noticed a world of difference immediately. My own personal opinion (style) is to try to start off with a tough set of sliders, and obviously after the repetition of playing daily, I'll get better and tweak/balance the game out over the long haul. If something's too easy in the beginning, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that you'll be bashing the CPU after a week or so of play.

I understand people play differently, this is just the way I like to do it. I want to step onto the field with the odds in place. If I'm the Yankees, and I'm playing the Royals at home, every aspect of that game should be in my favor. It doesn't always happen that way, but baseball relies heavily on odds and percentages. In a 3 game set, the 2009 Yankees should take the series over the 2009 Royals 7 out of 10 times. My point is, I want my game to reflect the odds and percentages. Anything can happen on any given day, and I want the game to reflect that too.

We know it's possible in a video game, it's been done in MVP. In no way am I comparing the two games, and I don't think they should be, I'm just saying I have no doubt the sliders in 2K9 at least WORK. It's obvious through some tweaking, but it's just isn't something that's done overnight. If you want it bad enough, you'll either research and/or tweak until you get it to play the way you want it to play.

I also understand there are bugs that kill the game for a lot of people. I can't say enough how LITTLE I am seeing these things. I've had the 1st baseman issue once, and it took awhile to shag fly balls in the outfield, and it takes getting used to, but I can do it with relative ease. From what I've been reading, wall collision, AI hitter aggressiveness, and other issues are being addressed. I'll admit the game was released early, but everyone deserves a second chance.

If this is 2K9's first PC baseball game, maybe they were expecting this all along. Maybe releasing a 'beta' version was the most effective way to get feedback, with the expectations of releasing a patch in the first place. Maybe this way, they could get it right and corner the PC market for themselves in the near future. I really have no idea, but if the patch fixes what it promises to fix, and it's legit, then it may be worth holding onto and trying to make better in the future.

Then again, I could be wrong and they could all be derelicts, I guess we'll see.

Anyway, sorry for the novel, and thanks to Guru for these pitch sliders. I wish you guys luck. And please, if you find anything groundbreaking in the process, PLEASE POST IT HERE.

I couldn't agree with you more Joe. I myself have really enjoyed this game and with some tweaking of the sliders since day one it's becoming more of a realistic game for me. There's a few glitches that I hope get fixed with the patch. AI aggressiveness, although I've had several strikeouts now with the batter looking, fielding needs some work, hopefully the patch fixes that, and pickoffs are unbelievably easy especially to 2nd base. I also like Guru's pitch sliders. I started a franchise with the A's and so far am 5-5. If the patch comes out I figure I can always start another one. Loving the stadium modding keep it up modders!!

[redsox]

Played 5 innings with the Red Sox against the Rockies and here's the opposing pitcher's stats. The speed of the pitch is going to be something that I am going to have to get used (never could catch up to Ubaldo's 100+ mph fastball; and he threw that a lot) to but overall, I am extremely satisfied.

[JoeRudi26]

Thanks for updating, V. Yeah, the pitch sliders are a little rough, nice and crisp coming in. But like I said earlier, after seeing it so often through the course of playing on a daily basis, it might balance out well enough to be a good challenge. Keep in mind though, that mid 80's to mid 90's are going to be what you see on the average (odds and percentages), and true to form it's not easy to face 100mph + pitchers. And luckily, not often.

Looks good though. Lots of variety. I think we may be on to something.

[redsox]

Most definitely! 77 pitches in 4+ innings but more importantly, like you said, it had variety. That pitch count wasn't just because of Ubaldo walking everyone. Beyond the 3 walks, there were hits, couple of hit batsmen and foul balls. I had a few 3-2 counts and couple of ABs that took 8 pitches to complete. I am going to play around with it a little bit to perfect it even more.

[Maestro23]

Sounding good guys.