iPad v3.09
I've just started trying to keep score for my 10yr old's games, Mustang - (Pony rules). I'm on about my 5th game or so. I've never scored so I'm learning some rules and the app at the same time, so please bare with me.
My typical setup, is 6 innings, 9 fielders, 9 to 12 players - all batting, play sounds - on, Pitch Location First - yes, Record Hit Locations - yes, View from Behind - Catcher, Skin - Light, Mode - Baseball.
Overall, I love it and highly recommend it. However, there are a few things that are frustrating and make it difficult to keep up with the game, especially when it gets "crazy."
1. There absolutely needs to be a BACK or PREVIOUS button in addition to a CANCEL button on the "Out" and "In Play" screens. Most plays are only a few clicks to have to redo if you make a mistake and need to cancel, or undo. However, it's critical during multi-touch, multi-runner situations. You can be 10 or 12 clicks or screens into it, and just about to finish the sequence of events, then forget to advance one runner, or choose the wrong reason button in haste, and realize, there is no way to continue without re-entering the whole thing all over again. Very frustrating, and more importantly, takes precious time and often causes you to fall behind. It gets really bad when your behind, and it's hit after hit, while you're trying to re-enter, remember pitch locations, hit locations, and multiple touches, all while your catching up. And wouldn't you know it, that's just when a controversy arises, and your scorekeeping is actually needed. (Just happened to me yesterday)
Anyway, a BACK or PREVIOUS button would be a huge help!1a. On the main scoring screen when you press UNDO, it could ask, on two separate buttons like the MISC button works, "Go back one step?" or "Undo the whole Play?" so that it not only maintains the way it works now for those times when it's just easier to re-enter the whole thing, but also adds the ability to just go back a few steps rather than completely re-enter.
2. Can the hit placement be first, before anything else? I find it a bit clumsy to have to decide what happened and then go back and say where it was hit. If you have "Record Hit Locations" = yes, either way, once I press OUT or IN PLAY, the hit happens first. When I'm in a hurry, since I always seem to get behind, it causes just a little bit of extra time loss because it derails my train of thought. It's usually the first thing I stop recording, right along with pitch tracking, in order to catch up. Now, if only I could just go back a step and not ever have to re-enter the pitch and hit again, I wouldn't loose those stats and probably not get as far behind.
3. The text for "What happened to the ..." needs to be more consistent and easier to read at a glance. As it is now, third base and second base are pretty much identical with the top line of text ending in "third" or "second." However, first's top line of text ends in "base," and batter's text ends like second and third, but its text is dropped down a bit closer to the Out/Safe toggle, and the players name and number are in a larger font. None of that is a very big deal, but it all requires just a bit more reading than glancing. I suggest a little diamond in the upper right or left next to and under the text, like Pitch by Pitch, but not squished and simpler looking so that it's easier to read which base iScore is asking about. The dot or lit up base could also have an arrow pointing toward the next base, or blink, or animate, you get the idea. At the very least, the text itself could be more "glance" friendly by simply making certain key words Bold or ALL CAPS or both.
For ex. "What happened to the RUNNER that was on FIRST base,"
4. While scoring a game where everyone bats, and not having the offensive sub screen any more:
If you've been able to enter the lineup with out numbers, when tapping the better to add the number, the batter in question is not highlighted. For the most part, easy enough to figure out, but again, something you have to figure out and certainly not as easy as it already being highlighted, like it should be.
5. While we are on the subject of highlighted batter, could the indication of which batter is up, in the team list section, portrait on top and landscape to the left of the diamond, be more clear as well? Subtle is great, but IMO it's too subtle, especially during the day. Maybe the bar it becomes when you click on it for the player card? Then darker or lighter, depending on skin setting, to maintain the positive feedback it has now for a successful click? Or perhaps an outlined rectangle for indication and then it becomes solid with a click?
6. During game scoring, the Lineup, Scorecard, and Stats all default to Home rather than which ever team is batting. The Lineup and Scorecard are the most important. Stats could go either way. If the "proper" place to make changes in batting order and player info, is the Lineup, then doesn't it follow, when I press Lineup, it should not only take me to the proper team, but also the current batter, by highlight or arrow? And, I may be wrong, but I would think, if one needs to check the Scorecard, it's most likely going to be the team that is currently being scored. I know that's true for me. I find the Scorecard much easier and, most importantly, quicker to read than hundreds of lines of text from Pitch by Pitch. It's beautiful, and always makes everyone I show it to, envious of how nice it looks. Very Cool!
7. Could you add the position number diagram, that's on a paper scorecard, to the Quick Outs screen and the Scorecard view. Also, the scorecard and stat legends are not displayed on their respective views. In fact, the only place they seem to be accessible is through email or the instructions, but not in the app itself.
None of these things by themselves are very time consuming, except the lack of a BACK or PREVIOUS button. All together though, which seems to have been the case for me these last 5 games, the cumulative delay it all causes makes it very easy to get behind. I am getting better with each game, but there always seems to be something.
I think I may be coming to the end of my character limit here.
I did not expect to write such a long winded email. I hope you realize with all my "complaints," that it's only because I really like the app and feel it's worth the effort.Thanks.
