Q187917: Baseball 3D: How to Configure and Use Game Controls

Article: Q187917
Product(s): Microsoft Home Games
Version(s): WINDOWS:1.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbui kbimu msgame bball3dkbfaq
Last Modified: 13-MAR-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Baseball 3D, version 1.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

This article describes how to select, configure, and use a game controller in
Baseball 3D.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The following topics explain how to set up game controllers in Baseball 3D and
how to use them when you play a game.

- Choosing Controllers

- User Settings

- Using Game Controllers

- Batting

- Running the Bases

- Pitching

- Fielding

Choosing Controllers
--------------------

You can play Baseball 3D with a game pad, a joystick, or a keyboard. For best
results, we recommend you use a game pad. To select a game controller in
Baseball 3D, follow these steps:

1. Start Baseball 3D, choose a game, and then select teams.

2. On any pre-game screen, click Controls.

3. Select a controller for each team. Baseball 3D displays the currently
  selected controller for a team in color, available controllers in light gray,
  and unavailable controllers in dark gray. To select a game controller, follow
  these steps:

  a. If you want to run a simulated game, click Reset to clear all controller
     selections.

  b. If you want to play a single-player game, click the controller you want to
     use for your team, and then verify that no game controller is selected for
     the other team.

  c. If you want to play a two-player game, click the controller you want to
     use for your team, and then click the controller your opponent wants to
     use for their team.

4. When you are ready to play, click Play Ball.

User Settings
-------------

In Baseball 3D, each player can configure their own user settings. To do so,
follow these steps:

1. On the Controls screen, click User Settings in the controller selection box
  for your team.

2. Under Batting, click either Basic or Advanced. If you click Advanced, you can
  aim your swing and move the batter in the box. Advanced batting gives you
  more control, but also makes it more challenging to hit the ball. If you
  click Basic, you only need to time your swing to hit the ball.

3. Baseball 3D can provide computer assistance for running or throwing and
  fielding, and display swing selection and pitch selection menus. To configure
  the computer assistance options, follow these steps:

  a. If you want computer assistance with base running, click the Running
     button to turn it on. If you want full control of base running, click the
     Running button to turn it off.

  b. If you want computer assistance with throwing and fielding, click the
     Throwing/Fielding button to turn it on. If you want full control of
     throwing and fielding, click the Throwing/Fielding button to turn it off.

  c. If you want to see swing and pitch selection menus, click Select
     Swing/Pitch Menus to turn it on. If you do not want to see swing and pitch
     selection menus, click Select Swing/Pitch Menus to turn it off.

4. Click OK.

Using Game Controllers
----------------------

To open the online Player's Guide to the "Controls" topic, click Using
Controllers on the User Settings screen. From there you can link to Help topics
that contain printable tables of commands for game pads, joysticks, and
keyboards. Controller information is also available in the booklet inside the
CD-ROM jewel case.

The tables below list the Baseball 3D commands for game pads, joysticks, and
keyboards.

Game Pad:

The direction control on the game pad is laid out like a baseball diamond, and so
are the game pad buttons.

For an illustration of the game pad button and direction assignments in Baseball
3D, please see the Using a Game Pad topic in the online Players' Guide.

                Game Pad    Game Pad
  Base          Direction   Button
  ----------------------------------

  Home plate    DOWN        H
  First base    RIGHT       1
  Second base   UP          2
  Third base    LEFT        3

Joystick:

The direction control on the joystick is laid out like a baseball diamond, and
the joystick buttons are sequentially assigned to the bases, starting with home
plate for button 1.

For an illustration of the joystick direction assignments in Baseball 3D, please
see the Using a Joystick topic in the online Players' Guide.

                Joystick    Joystick
  Base          Direction   Button
  ----------------------------------

  Home plate    BACK        1
  First base    RIGHT       2
  Second base   FORWARD     3
  Third base    LEFT        4

Keyboard:

There are three different keyboard layouts in Baseball 3D. Each set of keys is
configured like a baseball diamond, as are the ARROW keys. All three keyboard
layouts are active when you select the keyboard as your controller.

For an illustration of the keyboard key assignments in Baseball 3D, please see
the Using a Keyboard topic in the online Players' Guide.

  Base          ARROW Keys    Layout 1   Layout 2   Layout 3
  ----------------------------------------------------------

  Home plate    DOWN ARROW    D          Z          K
  First base    RIGHT ARROW   F          X          L
  Second base   UP ARROW      E          C          I
  Third base    LEFT ARROW    S          V          J

NOTE: The keyboard commands in the following tables are based on keyboard layout
1. If you want to use keyboard layout 2 or keyboard layout 3, substitute the
appropriate keys.

Batting
-------

Before the pitch:

When you step up to bat, you can select the type of swing you want to use or take
a practice swing, and if you use advanced batting, you can change the batter's
position in the batting box.

  Game Action            Game Pad       Joystick         Keyboard
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------

  Select normal swing    Button H        Button 1        D key

  Select power swing     Button 1        Button 2        F key

  Select contact swing   Button 2        Button 3        E key

  Move batter in box*    Control pad     Control stick   LEFT ARROW or
                         LEFT or RIGHT   LEFT or RIGHT   RIGHT ARROW key

  * Advanced batting only.

During the pitch:

When the pitcher throws the ball, you can swing the bat, bunt, or stop your
swing, and if you use advanced batting, you can aim your swing.

  Game Action     Game Pad         Joystick         Keyboard
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

  Aim swing*      Control pad      Control Stick    LEFT ARROW or
                  LEFT or RIGHT    LEFT or RIGHT    RIGHT ARROW key
                  before swing     before swing     before swing

  Swing the bat   Press and Hold   Press and Hold   Press and Hold
                  Button H         Button 1         D key

  Bunt            Press and Hold   Press and Hold   Press and Hold
                  Button 2         Button 3         E key

  Check swing     Release          Release          Release D key
                  Button H         Button 1

  * Advanced batting only.

Running the Bases
-----------------

The Tap command indicates that you can repeat the command several times in
succession.

During the pitch:

During the pitch, you can make your lead runner or all of your runners increase
lead off, steal a base, or return to base.

  Game Action          Game Pad        Joystick        Keyboard
  ------------------------------------------------------------------

  Increase lead off

     Lead runner       Button 3 +      Button 4 +      S key +
                       Control pad     Control stick   ARROW key
                       for next base   for next base   for next base

     All runners       Tap Button 3    Tap Button 4    Tap S key

  Steal

     Lead runner       Button 3 +      Button 4 +      S key +
                       double-move     double-move     double-press
                       Control pad     Control stick   ARROW key for
                       for next base   for next base   next base

     All runners       Double-press    Double-press    Double-press
                       Button 3        Button 4        S key

  Return

     Lead runner       Button 1 +      Button 2 +      F key +
                       double-move     double-move     double-press
                       Control pad     Control stick   ARROW key for
                       for previous    for previous    previous base
                       base            base

     All runners       Double-press    Double-press    Double-press
                       Button 1        Button 2        F key

After the Pitch:

After the pitch, while the ball is in play, you can make your lead runner or all
of your runners increase their speed, advance a base, return to their previous
base, or slide into a base.

  Game Action        Game Pad        Joystick        Keyboard
  ----------------------------------------------------------------

  Speed burst        Button H        Button 1        D key

  Advance

     Lead runner     Button 3 +      Button 4 +      S key +
                     Control pad     Control stick   ARROW key
                     for next base   for next base   for next base

     All runners     Button 3        Button 4        S key

  Return

     Lead runner     Button 1 +      Button 2 +      F key +
                     Control pad     Control stick   ARROW key for
                     for previous    for previous    previous base
                     base            base

     All runners     Button 1        Button 2        F key

  Slide on advance

     Lead runner     Button 3 +      Button 4 +      S key +
                     double-move     double-move     double-press
                     Control pad     Control stick   ARROW key for
                     for next base   for next base   next base

     All runners     Double-press    Double-press    Double-press
                     Button 3        Button 4        S key

  Slide on return

     Lead runner     Button 1 +      Button 2 +      F key +
                     double-move     double-move     double-press
                     Control pad     Control stick   ARROW key for
                     for previous    for previous    previous base
                     base            base

     All runners     Double-press    Double-press    Double-press
                     Button 1        Button 2        F key

NOTE: The slide control only works when a runner is close to the target base.

Pitching
--------

Selecting a Pitch:

Before you throw a pitch, you can select the type of pitch you want to throw.

  Game Action      Game Pad   Joystick   Keyboard
  -------------------------------------------------

  Pitch option 1   Button H   Button 1   D key

  Pitch option 2   Button 1   Button 2   F key

  Pitch option 3   Button 2   Button 3   E key

  Pitch option 4   Button 3   Button 4   S key

Ready to Pitch:

Once you select a pitch, you can attempt to pick-off a base runner, aim and throw
your pitch, or apply an energy boost to your pitch.

  Game Action         Game Pad          Joystick          Keyboard
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------

  Pick-off attempt

     First base       Button 1          Button 2          F key

        Alternate     Control pad       Control stick     RIGHT ARROW
        method        RIGHT +           RIGHT +           key + S key
                      Button 3          Button 4

     Second base      Button 2          Button 3          E key

        Alternate     Control pad UP    Control stick     UP ARROW key
        method        + Button 3        FORWARD +         + S key
                                        Button 4

     Third base       Button 3          Button 4          S key

        Alternate     Control pad       Control stick     LEFT ARROW key
        method        LEFT +            LEFT +            + S key
                      Button 3          Button 4

  Aim pitch           Control Pad       Control stick     LEFT ARROW or
                      LEFT or RIGHT     LEFT or RIGHT     RIGHT ARROW key

  Energy boost*       Press and hold    Press and hold    Press and hold
                      Button H during   Button 1 during   D key during
                      windup            windup            windup
*NOTE: The longer you hold the energy boost button, the greater the effect. For
best results, release the button just before the pitcher releases the ball. If
you hold the button too long, you decrease the effectiveness of the energy
boost. The effect of the energy boost differs with the type of pitch. On a
fastball or split-fingered fastball, an energy boost increases the speed of the
ball. On a curve ball or screwball, an energy boost increases the spin of the
ball.

Fielding
--------

Before Fielding the Ball:

When the batter hits the ball, you can select the fielder closest to the ball,
increase fielder speed, and run, dive, or jump for the ball.

  Game Action                Game Pad       Joystick        Keyboard
  --------------------------------------------------------------------

  Move fielder               Control pad    Control stick   ARROW keys

  Dive for a ball            Button 3       Button 4        S key

  Jump for a ball            Button 1       Button 2        F key

  Speed burst                Tap Button H   Tap Button 1    Tap D key

  Pick player nearest ball   Button 2       Button 3        E key

After Fielding the Ball:

When you catch the ball, you can use either a one button or two button command to
throw the ball to a base.

  Game Action         Game Pad   Joystick   Keyboard
  --------------------------------------------------------

  Throw to infield

     First base       Button 1      Button 2        F key

        (alternate)   Control pad   Control stick   RIGHT ARROW key
                      RIGHT +       RIGHT +         + D key
                      Button H      Button 1

     Second base      Button 2      Button 3        E key

        (alternate)   Control pad   Control stick   UP ARROW key
                      UP +          FORWARD +       + D key
                      Button H      Button 1

     Third base       Button 3      Button 4        S key

        (alternate)   Control pad   Control stick   LEFT ARROW key
                      LEFT +        LEFT +          + D key
                      Button H      Button 1

     Home plate       Button H      Button 1        D key

        (alternate)   Control pad   Control stick   DOWN ARROW key
                      DOWN +        BACK +          + D key
                      Button H      Button 1

  NOTE: Throws from the outfield might be cut off before reaching the intended
  base. The catcher has one second to throw to a base after a pitch.

After you finish a play, the player that has the ball automatically returns it to
the pitcher. To manually return the ball to the pitcher, tap the game pad
button, joystick button, or key for the base where the ball is located.

Additional query words: 1.00 msgame base ball 3-d kbfaq

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbui kbimu msgame bball3d kbfaq
Technology        : kbHomeProdSearch kbGamesSearch kbBaseballSearch kbBaseBall3D
Version           : WINDOWS:1.0
Issue type        : kbhowto

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