PENNANT USER SETTINGS:

QUICK SETTINGS (2012-2013):

This is a compressed version of user settings beginners can use to get started quickly. To avoid confusion though it's best to click the top right button (highlighted) which will bring you to all available settings which is shown in the next image below...

1P vs COM (Standard Human vs CPU game):

The below options are taken from the Season Mode - User Setting menus. Some choices (such as CPU Managing difficulty) may not be available in other modes such as Exhibition. For new players, make sure you set Part D. Batting - Batting Point to "Normal". "Real" is extremely challenging and should only be reserved for pros.

On left handed side, top to bottom:

A. Difficulty
B. Camera
C. Control
D. Batting
E. Pitching
F. Baserunning
G. Defense
H. Strategy
I. Stats Display

A. Difficulty

1. Pitch Speed - Slow, Slow+, Basic, Basic+, Middle, Middle+, Real
2. Difficulty - Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Hard, Perfect, Spirits, Self-Adjusting, Custom.

Note 'Self-Adjusting' difficulty is only available in Pennant mode (see settings explained page section A2 for full details on this option.)

If you choose 'Custom', the following difficulties will be opened up for adjustment:

3. CPU Pitching - Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Normal+, Hard -, Hard, Hard+, Perfect, Spirits

* We dedicated a whole page to this setting which analyzes 'CPU Pitch Difficulty' and gives you tips on how to draw walks. Here's the link..

Analysis of CPU Pitch Difficulty

4. CPU Hitting - Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Normal+, Hard -, Hard, Hard+, Perfect, Spirits
5. CPU Baserunning - Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Hard, Perfect, Spirits. Note: "Normal" is recommended in the 2011 version because there have been reports of over-aggressive baserunning on higher levels.
6. CPU Defense - Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Hard, Perfect, Spirits
7. CPU Managing (Pennant Mode only) - Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Hard, Perfect, Spirits. This option applies to Manager Mode only, it affects how well the CPU manager does. It does not effect player performance, only how smart the manager decisions are.

B. Camera

1. Pitching - TV (Stadium-Specific), TV (Set), Batting Default, Batting (Middle)
2. Batting - TV (Stadium-Specific), TV (Set), Batting Default, Batting (Middle)
3. Defense - Broadcast Cam (2013 only), Normal, Normal Wide
4. Running - Broadcast Cam (2013 only), Normal, Normal Wide

C. Control

1. Type - Analog, Digital (for moving the batting cursor and pitching cursor). 2013 version: If you change to Digital Control, you can adjust the speed of the digital batting/pitcher cursor from -2 (slowest) to +2 (fastest)
2. Rumble - On, Off (your controller will vibrate at times if ON)

D. Batting

1. Meet Cursor - Normal, Assist, Zone. (See settings explained section D1 for descriptions.)
2. Meet Assist Level - Level 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Self-Adjust (See settings explained D2 for descriptions.)
3. Batting Point - Normal, Real or Off. (See settings explained D3 for descriptions.)
4. Strike Zone - Show All, Only Weak/Strong Points, Only the Strike Zone, Off

• Strike Zone 'Weak/Strong Points' are crucial to seeing the fluctuating player abilities on a per pitch basis. This is covered in detail in the Anatomy of an at bat page.

5. CPU Pitch Cursor - On, Always in Center, Fade, Off. (See settings explained D5 for descriptions.)
6. CPU Pitcher's Pitches: Pitch Type And Info, Pitch Type, None. (See settings explained D6 for descriptions.)
7. (2014): Guess Pitch: On / Off

E. Pitching

1. Pitch Style - Direct (Default), Assist (CPU help if you miss release point), 1 Button Simple style (you select pitch type and location, the CPU takes care of the pitch release timing.)
2. Pitch Cursor - On, Always in Center, Fade, Off
3. Pitch Display - Pitch Type And Info, Pitch Type, None
4. Pitch Point - Normal, Real, Off (same as D3: Batting Point)
5. Pitch Form - Real, Always From Stretch
6. Catcher Throw Back - On, Off (Animation of catcher throwing to pitcher after a pitch is thrown.)
7. CPU Strike Zone - Show All, Only Weak/Strong Points, Only the Strike Zone, Off

F. Running

1. Runner Control - Totally Manual, Classic, Assist, Auto

G. Defense

1. Defense Type - Manual, Assist, Auto Fielding Only, All Auto. (Assist will help you take a small automatic step toward the ball, so if your reaction is not that good you can try this.)
2. Throw Type - Normal, X + Direction. (This is like a tribute to old school gamers. X+D is how very old games on NES like RBI Baseball used to control, which older people may still prefer.)
3. Formation - Standard, Basic, Pro. There are really no substantial differences. Pro is supposed to simulate how real baseball players back up the bases in run-down situations or backup the bases but to be honest I tried using different settings and couldn't tell what was changed.
4. Flyball Cursor - On, Off
5. Fielder Cursor - Under Feet, Over Head, Name Only, None
6. Cursor Change - Semi-Auto, Auto. (This is how you switch to another defender. It's hard to tell the difference between semi auto and auto so personally I think the default is fine.)
7. Dive/Jump - Manual (Triangle - Jumping Catch, Square or O - Dash Catch, X - Diving Catch), Assist (Automatically determines type of grab)

H. Strategy

1. Managing - Manual, Auto

2. Defensive Shift - Aggressive, Medium, Conservative. For a detailed description of this setting along with a list of the shifts please see the settings explained page.

3. Shift Control - Guide, Simple. Press L1 in-game to bring up the shift menu. Guide will pause the action and show you big diagrams of the shifts. Simple is quicker and you will be scrolling through the different shifts right on the action screen at the upper right hand corner (above the wind meter.)

4. Block Sign - Guide, Sign Only, Off (press L2 to bring up Block Sign menu.) For a detailed description of this setting along with a list of the signs see the settings explained page.

5. Coach Advice - Auto, Manual (Press Square to listen to coach when available), Off

I. Stats Display

1. Player Name - Show, Don't show
2. Special Skills - Show, Don't show
3. Batter Attritbute Petagon Graph - Show, Don't show
4. Control Guide - Show, Don't show
5. Batting Timing Guide - Show, Don't show
6. Pitching Speed Gauge - Show, Don't show

1P & COM vs COM (FIELD PLAY)

These are mostly the same as User Settings with a few differences. Field Play specific settings are shown in red.

A. Difficulty

1. Pitch Speed - Slow, Slow+, Basic, Basic+, Middle, Middle+, Real
2. Difficulty - Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Hard, Perfect, Spirits, Self-Adjusting, Custom.

If you choose 'Custom', the following difficulties will be opened up for adjustment:

3. CPU Pitching - Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Normal+, Hard -, Hard, Hard+, Perfect, Spirits
4. CPU Hitting - Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Normal+, Hard -, Hard, Hard+, Perfect, Spirits
5. CPU Baserunning - Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Hard, Perfect, Spirits
6. CPU Defense - Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Hard, Perfect, Spirits
7. CPU Managing (not available in all modes) - Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Hard, Perfect, Spirits.

B. Camera (not available in Vita version)

1. Camera Up/Down when fielding: Normal, Reverse
2. Camera Left/Right when fielding: Normal, Reverse

Basically these just mean if you press up on the R stick the camera moves up (normal) or down (reverse.) These options are commonly seen in first person shooters and flight sim games.

C. Control

1. Type - Analog, Digital (for moving the batting cursor and pitching cursor)
2. Rumble - On, Off (your controller will vibrate at times if ON)

D. Batting

1. Meet Cursor - Normal, Assist, Zone. (See settings explained section for further.)
2. Meet Assist Level - Level 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Self-Adjust
3. Batting Point - Normal, Real or Off.
4. Strike Zone - Show All, Only Weak/Strong Points, Only the Strike Zone, Off
5. CPU Pitch Cursor - On, Always in Center, Fade, Off.
6. CPU Pitcher's Pitches: Pitch Type And Info, Pitch Type, None.

E. Pitching

1. Pitch Style - Direct (Default), Assist (CPU help if you miss release point.)

2. Throw Pitch Selection - X or Triangle. If you select 'X' to throw pitch then Square will be throw to 1st base, Triangle to 2nd and Circle 3rd. If you select Triangle to throw pitch then Square will be to 1st base, 'X' to 2nd and Circle to 3rd.

3. Pitch Point - Normal, Real, Off
4. Pitch Form - Real, Always From Stretch
5. Catcher Throw Back - On, Off
6. CPU Strike Zone - Show All, Only Weak/Strong Points, Only the Strike Zone, Off

F. Running

N/A - You will choose this in the options prior to the game (see Field Play section for further).

G. Defense

1. N/A - You will choose this in the options prior to the game (see Field Play section for further).
2. Throw Type - Normal, X + Direction. (This is like a tribute to old school gamers. X+D is how very old games on NES like RBI Baseball used to control, which older people may still prefer.)
3. Flyball Cursor - On, Off

H. Strategy

N/A - CPU handles all of the managing (you just play.)

I. Stats Display

1. Player Name - Show, Don't show
2. Special Skills - Show, Don't show
3. Batter Attritbute Petagon Graph - Show, Don't show
4. Control Guide - Show, Don't show
5. Batting Timing Guide - Show, Don't show
6. Pitching Speed Gauge - Show, Don't show