Bobhead's 2013 Simulation Sliders

[Bobhead]

Post Last Updated: 06/09/2013 -- 2:00 PM (Now Final)

For the past month I've been working on a newer version of my sliders that addresses a few more issues, namely hits down the line, and excessive pop ups. Both sets are listed below, in case you don't want to change your sliders and ever need to refer to the ones that were already posted. Both sets use the same difficulty levels (HoF hitting, All-Star pitching), and core gameplay options.

** These sliders are designed for Zone batting, on Hall of Fame difficulty; and Pure Analog Pitching, on All-Star difficulty
You can use them for other control schemes and difficulties, but adjustments may need to be made. Feel free to post with your preferred controls and difficulty, and I can make recommendations.


Gameplay Options

Spoiler

--- Batting/Baserunning ---
Hitting Difficulty - Hall of Fame
Hitting Interface - ZONE
Plate Coverge Indicator - OFF

--- Pitching ---
Pitching Difficulty - All-Star
Pitching Interface - Pure Analog
Pitching Ball Marker - OFF

-- Fielding ---
Throwing Interface - Buttons
Throwing Meter - OFF

--- General ---
The first 30 Options listed - OFF
Umpire Balls and Strikes - Variable
Umpire Close Plays - On

Version 2.0 sliders (Last updated 6/9)

Spoiler

Gameplay Sliders
--- Human ---
Human Contact: 3
Human Power: 5
Human Timing: 5
Stride Difficulty: 5
Human Foul Frequency: 10
Human Solid Hits: 6
Human Starter Stamina: 6
Human Reliever Stamina: 1
Human Pitcher Control: 4
Human Pitcher Consistency: 2

--- CPU ---
CPU Contact: 4
CPU Power: 5
CPU Timing: 4
CPU Foul Frequency: 9
CPU Solid Hits: 4
CPU Starter Stamina: 6
CPU Reliever Stamina: 1
CPU Pitcher Control: 0
CPU Pitcher Consistency: 6
CPU Strike Frequency: 3
CPU Manager Hook: 4
CPU Pickoffs: 6

--- Global ---
Pitch Speed: 6
Fielding Errors: 4
Throwing Errors: 7
Fielder Run Speed: 0
Fielder Reaction: 4
Fielder Arm Strength: 1
Baserunner Speed: 0
Baserunner Steal Ability: 4
Baserunner Steal Frequency: 4
Wind: 8
Injury Frequency: 4

Original Sliders (Last updated 4/25)

Spoiler

Gameplay Sliders
--- Human ---
Human Contact: 5
Human Power: 4
Human Timing: 5
Stride Difficulty: 5
Human Foul Frequency: 9
Human Solid Hits: 6
Human Starter Stamina: 6
Human Reliever Stamina: 1
Human Pitcher Control: 2
Human Pitcher Consistency: 4

--- CPU ---
CPU Contact: 4
CPU Power: 5
CPU Timing: 5
CPU Foul Frequency: 7
CPU Solid Hits: 5
CPU Starter Stamina: 6
CPU Reliever Stamina: 1
CPU Pitcher Control: 1
CPU Pitcher Consistency: 4
CPU Strike Frequency: 3
CPU Manager Hook: 4
CPU Pickoffs: 6

--- Global ---
Pitch Speed: 8
Fielding Errors: 6
Throwing Errors: 7
Fielder Run Speed: 1
Fielder Reaction: 5
Fielder Arm Strength: 4
Baserunner Speed: 1
Baserunner Steal Ability: 4
Baserunner Steal Frequency: 3
Wind: 8
Injury Frequency: 4

---
Stats and Evidence
---

Spoiler

Every change I make is supported with substantial observations and/or evidence.
Some of my data is saved and available for everyone to see. ("Some," because I erase my Exhibition mode spreadsheets after 20 or so games, so that I can adjust and start over).

Waiting for OSFM, I did all my testing in Exhibition mode, so I don't really have anything to show there...
but I have CPU vs CPU tests I also run

Additionally, now that OSFM is out, I am hopping right into Franchise mode, and my Franchise stats are available here

---
Overview
---

Spoiler

Human Offense
~~Line Drive Percentage~~
I did extensive testing on batted ball rates (fly balls vs ground balls vs line drives). I concluded that line drives were significantly low on both sides (technically, LD% is fine on default for the CPU, but since I've lowered CPU Contact...)

Increasing the Solid Hits slider on both sides resolves this issue. Power is decreased on both sides as compensation, to prevent offensive explosions, since I don't actually want more hits, just more line drives.

~~Foul Balls~~
Stats show that foul ball rates are very far below MLB Average, so I increased the Foul Ball Frequency slider on the Human side. Since CPU has a smaller Timing window, a smaller change was necessary for them.

CPU Offense
~~Plate Discipline~~
The only real problem with the CPU offense is that plate discipline is too high. SCEA made very great strides with this this year, and it's a lot better than last year (I had CPU Contact at like 1 last year)... but it's still slightly too high (the discipline).

Lowering CPU Contact fixes that. Increasing the Solid Hits on the CPU side is a counterbalance for this.

~~Plate Vision~~
Technically, plate vision is perfectly fine at default. I mean absolutely perfectly fine. But because of how harshly the human pitching sliders are reduced, the end result is that your pitches are more hittable, so... the CPU hits them more.

Thus I had to lower the CPU Timing slider by 1 point to balance that out.

Pitching
~~Human Pitch Accuracy~~
I felt it was just too easy to paint at default. Control and Consistency were both lowered to compliment this. Consistency ties more into wild pitches, HBPs, and overall performance, so I kept that higher than Pitcher Control.

~~CPU Pitch Accuracy~~
For the CPU, I felt way too many strikes were thrown at default. Part of it is that my plate discipline (me being the user) is pretty bad, but I tracked zone% as well, and CPU pitchers nonetheless throw too many pitches inside the strike zone.

At first I tried only lowering Strike Frequency, but the end result of that is that every single at-bat goes to 3-2 and then you just strikeout or put the ball in play. The ability of the CPU to throw a strike wasn't really low enough at the end of at-bats. They could still paint any pitch in a jam.

So I lowered CPU Pitch Control a lot, so that painted pitches can miss just outside, or low or wherever.

I also felt I didn't see enough of things like the occasional meatball, consecutive walks, and overall "terrible performances" by pitchers, so I lowered CPU Pitch Consistency a little.

Fielding and Baserunning
~~Fielder Speed~~
Too often, fielders were chasing down bloops, deep fly balls, and especially, foul balls.
I lowered Fielder Run Speed so that more gap hits make it to the wall, same for hits down the line. You also get a fair amount (but not too many) infield hits, if you have faster runners and the conditions are right.

I also felt like upon a catch, fielders, especially outfielders, were able to get the ball into the infield a little too quickly. Arm Strength was slightly decreased to address this.

To maintain balance, I then had to lower Baserunner Speed, so that infield hits didn't dominate the game.

Miscellaneous
Credit to Blzer for his idea to max out the Wind slider. There isn't really any statistical basis to it, but it makes things wayyyyy more interesting and varied when it comes to wind. You get double digit wind speeds on the regular now, and so wind plays a more prominent role in games, as it should.

Reliever Stamina is lowered on both sides because I felt like it was too easy for relief pitchers to come in and pitch multiple innings.

Manager Hook is slightly lowered because I wanted CPU starting pitchers to be left out more consistently when they are dominating against you.

I rarely saw the CPU attempt a Pickoff at default, so I increased that slider. Keeping the CPU attempting pickoffs at a consistent rate is critical to keeping the base-stealing game balanced.

The CPU seemed to attempt a lot of base stealing, notably with guys who had no business stealing bases. I lowered the Base Stealing Frequency a couple points to stop this.

[lhslancers]

Timing 3 Pitch Speed 8. On HOF. You must be pretty good.

[Bobhead]

Quote: Originally Posted by lhslancers

Timing 3 Pitch Speed 8. On HOF. You must be pretty good.

Nah lol with Pitch Speed every year I start at 10 and work my way down until I get to a speed where I don't die. It's at 8 now but I'm still a little uncomfortable so I will probably stick with 7. Only reason it took so long is because I've been playing a lot of RTTS lately, and pitch speeds are pretty slow in the minors.

I'm working on cleaning this up and updating. I'm also going to post sliders for All-Star/All-Star.

[lhslancers]

Looking forward to it. I like the look of the game and the new additions are great but I am experiencing some problems with the way the game is running for me. I see Solid Hits are up unlike the past couple of years for most of the slider sets. Did they really make the hitting easier? I have been playing the past 5 editions on default speed All Star type settings but this supposedly easier game has been a bitch on the timing. Some of these guys have close to a 20 mph differential between their FB and their junk.

[Houston]

SCEA has done some behind the scenes gameplay tuning. I think you will only see it if you play online as in an online league etc. I had it all at default AS and the PCI was huge after the tuning and i had to move it all the way down to 0 contact and now the PCI is smaller. I tried contact at 3 but the PCI was still the same size. It plays pretty good now at default other than pitch speed still needs to be a 7 or 8 but all areas have been cleaned up considerably. The fielders arm are much improved. I think outfielder speed at 0 or 1 works now.

Just wanted to pass the info on to you bobhead.

[Bobhead]

A fully comprehensive post, and version 1.0 of the sliders have been edited in.

The only thing I have left to go over is CPU offense. I have to make sure hits and strikeouts are where they should be, since I haven't had much time to test the CPU Timing where it is, yet.

Once I double check stats for CPU offense, the sliders will be pretty much finalized. Everything else is already checking out well.

[fparks]

First I have to say after playing only a few games with these sliders, these are terrific! I love how the CPU pitching is unpredictable and if you are not on your toes you will be going into the 7th inning and realize that you have no runs with only 2 hits! When using other people's sliders I felt like hitting was a little too easy and I was stacking up too many hits. Although I know tht teams DO have great outings in the MLB and not every game is a pitchers duel , I felt like having 9 and 10 hit outings against #1s like king Felix , Matt Cain, and weaver took away from the realism that I so desperately desire.

On a side note with computer solid hits at 5, I felt tht the computer was smashing every ball I threw but I guess professional baseball players are trained to smoke pitches they see at the same speed tht catch too much of the plate so I will continue to try to get better at pitching. I look forward to any adjustments you make with these sliders and thanks again!

[alias2191]

How u think these sliders would work with analog w/o zone hitting?