Make the little floating baseball move FASTER!!

[drksd4848]

This is a small tweak. Have the little floating ball mover faster to it it's destination. Actually, make move A LOT FASTER!

Right now it takes about 8 years to go from home plate to the outfield (if the ball is hit there) by that time the play is over and you are waiting for the next play.

Better timing would also be a good thing. Have the ball move (FASTER) before the play-by-play. It would make things more interesting.

This is a small thing... but it would be nice!

[Fyrestorm3]

I don't think it moves slowly at all. I see plenty of home runs that I know are homers before it happens in the play-by-play because the ball icon has already traveled over the fence.

You can change the speed at which the play-by-play displays, perhaps that will solve your issue?

[drksd4848]

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm3

I don't think it moves slowly at all. I see plenty of home runs that I know are homers before it happens in the play-by-play because the ball icon has already traveled over the fence.

You can change the speed at which the play-by-play displays, perhaps that will solve your issue?

I did that actually... Just recently I dropped the pbp speed to slow and it does sync up slightly better.

I was thinking more along the lines of how stratomatic computer baseball does it.

It has ball animation that is similar, but slightly more advanced and is timed to the type of hit. A line drive zips by, ground balls move in a bouncing motion. Fly balls have an arc that varies with the type of fly ball that's hit. And it all happens in 1 to 2 seconds.

The key to SOMBB animation that really makes it cool is the animation happens before the pbp starts ticking off. And it does not get in the way or take away from the text as it scrolls though. The real focus then is on the pbp. If you see a deep flyball animation, it happens in less than two seconds, then the pbp ticks off and you're glued to the text for the outcome. It;s better drama.

The OOTP ball animation is Okayyyyyy... But the ball just kind of creeps along as the pbp rolls out - sort of like an after thought.

When I play though a season I use minimum pbp so I can play the games quicker. I like to have the ball float by, but end up waiting for the animation to finish before I can go on to the next play.

It would be more enjoyable if the timing was better... that's basically it. It's a small thing.

[Fyrestorm3]

Originally Posted by drksd4848

It has ball animation that is similar, but slightly more advanced and is timed to the type of hit. A line drive zips by, ground balls move in a bouncing motion. Fly balls have an arc that varies with the type of fly ball that's hit. And it all happens in 1 to 2 seconds.

While OOTP doesn't have an arc or a bouncing motion, the ball does indeed move at different speeds. The harder it's struck, the faster it moves (regardless of its classification as a fly ball or grounder).

But, like you said, it's very minor. I would have no problem if they changed it, and I would have no problem if they kept it the same.

[rpriske]

I had to turn off ball animations do to the bug when 14 first came out... and I never missed it all and wouldn't dream of turning it back on.

[eriqjaffe]

Originally Posted by rpriske

I had to turn off ball animations do to the bug when 14 first came out... and I never missed it all and wouldn't dream of turning it back on.

When ball animations first came out I tried them for half an inning, turned them off, and never looked back.

[drksd4848]

Originally Posted by rpriske

I had to turn off ball animations do to the bug when 14 first came out... and I never missed it all and wouldn't dream of turning it back on.

Originally Posted by eriqjaffe

When ball animations first came out I tried them for half an inning, turned them off, and never looked back.

Yup, did that one too. And I go back and forth. I was really digging a full screen pbp box for a while, but then I missed the ballpark image.

All I'm saying is, if it's going to be a feature, they should just implement it better. I know there are bigger fish to fry, but it would be nice. If they did it right, it could add more to the in-game experience.

Here's what I'm talking about:

Strat-O-Matic Realism - YouTube

See: Animation first that last for about a second, then pbp. Very simple and it just works better.

[Fyrestorm3]

Originally Posted by drksd4848

Here's what I'm talking about:

Strat-O-Matic Realism - YouTube

See: Animation first that last for about a second, then pbp. Very simple and it just works better.

Now see, this is just personal preference, but I don't agree one bit. I want the ball animation and the play-by-play to happen at the same time, as if the announcer is calling the play as it happens. And the way it works right now (set at full detail, normal speed, per character delay), that's exactly what you get, give or take. Occasionally the announcer is a bit slow on the uptake, but it's not a major difference.

I'm going to assume that you have the PbP set on "Short PbP" instead of "Full Detail," and therein lies our difference. I can see how having it set to Short PbP would make it appear as though the ball is moving slowly (since the PbP finishes very quickly), and would also lend itself to having the animation before the call (so that you "watch" the ball move and then get the notification as to its result). But as I play with Full Detail, I would definitely hate to see anything resembling how it's done in Strat-O-Matic. I like it as-is. It feels more "real" to me to have the play-by-play build up the moment ("Fly ball to right... Hunter sprints after it... It's struck well... At the wall... He leaps..."), and having a quick animation that finishes before the PbP gets to the result would greatly detract from the experience for me.

I do, however, agree that a fly ball or ground ball animation would vastly improve the experience. I know a lot of people around here have called for that in the past.

[drksd4848]

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm3

Now see, this is just personal preference, but I don't agree one bit. I want the ball animation and the play-by-play to happen at the same time, as if the announcer is calling the play as it happens. And the way it works right now (set at full detail, normal speed, per character delay), that's exactly what you get, give or take. Occasionally the announcer is a bit slow on the uptake, but it's not a major difference.

I'm going to assume that you have the PbP set on "Short PbP" instead of "Full Detail," and therein lies our difference. I can see how having it set to Short PbP would make it appear as though the ball is moving slowly (since the PbP finishes very quickly), and would also lend itself to having the animation before the call (so that you "watch" the ball move and then get the notification as to its result). But as I play with Full Detail, I would definitely hate to see anything resembling how it's done in Strat-O-Matic. I like it as-is. It feels more "real" to me to have the play-by-play build up the moment ("Fly ball to right... Hunter sprints after it... It's struck well... At the wall... He leaps..."), and having a quick animation that finishes before the PbP gets to the result would greatly detract from the experience for me.

I do, however, agree that a fly ball or ground ball animation would vastly improve the experience. I know a lot of people around here have called for that in the past.

When I use full PBP, I set it to slow so it will sync better. But I only do that for playoff games and stuff. When I'm plowing through a season I use short pbp...

[drksd4848]

I just wanted to add: I finally turned off the floating ball and kept it off for an entire series.

I don't think I'm going back. It really is kind of a distraction. Turning off the ball keeps you focused on the pbp and the action is easily seen in your "mind's eye."

That said, if they gave the floating ball a little more love in 15; make it a little more animated and a little more realistic, it could really enhance the game.

Make the ball enhance the pbp, not distract from it.