Whenever I introduce a friend to RBI Baseball who has never played it before, I am disgusted at how uncoordinated they can make the digital men look! Is it that hard to read a ball and go to a spot? Is it that hard to make baseball decisions such as baserunning and double play balls after playing baseball for 10+ years?
I'm fairly sure when I first played the game, I was at least good enough to avoid a 10-run game to good players. Does anyone else notice a huge skill drop in RBI from people who have played 30 games and people who have played 5?
I am usually much better at something the first time I do it, then after repetition and practice, I usually get much worse.
Sarcasm aside, I'm not saying people are supposed to get worse as they go... I'm saying they suck so bad the first time there is a HUGE gap of improvement.
It takes a while not only to figure out the controls, but to get a feel for how fast guys run, where the ball will end up once it is hit, how to control two runners at the same time, how to pitch, how to get the throw right, etc.
my skills > your skills
I guess I see what you're saying Nacho, but after seeing things once it's pretty easy for me to remember.... the only thing i ever had troubles with was fly balls
I think we were helped a bit by the fact that all the early baseball games had basically the same control scheme, so once you'd played one, you could pretty easily pick up a different one. Today's baseball games play nothing like RBI, so it's much more difficult to pick up a new game.
Also, no game since the early 1990s has made players track fly balls on their own - pretty much all of them have a target on the field where the ball will land, and while it seems natural to us, I can see how that would be a problem.
It's already been touched on, but I think by far the hardest part for new players is the figuring out where balls are going to land, and which infielders to use for ground balls. For us as soon as the ball is hit, we instinctively know where to go with the outfielder, and which infielder to use, and in which direction. We don't even think about it. But I remember in the very beginning for me I would always try to use my second basemen sometimes for balls my first basemen should get, etc. So yeah, I'd say there is a HUGE difference between someone who's played 5 times or less and someone who's played 30 times.
Reading the ball is a huge skill in RBI baseball. Taking the right angles towards the ball is a crucial defensive skill and can without a doubt, make or break certain types of games among even the best. A good practice drill for this is playing a few games on mute. Also, with the sound on, closing your eyes after contact and guessing where the ball is going to be.
A strong sense and feel for the game, combined with RBI Jedi instincts, and a heavy dose of playing RBI against friends, fellow Jedi's in tournaments, family, and the computer can lead to the mastery of all the RBI skills. Mastery of the RBI skills is accomplished by playing intuitively with the game and it's players, as well as against your human opponent.
Quote from: BeefMaster on 11/09/06, 02:41:46 PM
I think we were helped a bit by the fact that all the early baseball games had basically the same control scheme, so once you'd played one, you could pretty easily pick up a different one. Today's baseball games play nothing like RBI, so it's much more difficult to pick up a new game.
Also, no game since the early 1990s has made players track fly balls on their own - pretty much all of them have a target on the field where the ball will land, and while it seems natural to us, I can see how that would be a problem.
Very relevant post and totally agree.
However, a very small percent will be future generation RBI Jedi's. It is their destiny and they are the chosen ones to carry on the craft. The force shifts to those where the RBI force is powerful in them.