MLB 15 The Show: Directional Hitting Impressions

[Neolithic]

Quote: Originally Posted by Geronimo22

In my picture above that would be me holding the left stick to the left. Isn't that the area where if I hit the ball, would give me a better chance of getting good "wood". Which is the same as the PCI

Not exactly. If you hold left on the stick and the pitcher throws an inside pitch, all the other factors aside ( timing being the big one, but the pitch itself, batters ratings, etc. ) it would simply mean the batter would attempt an "inside-out" style swing, to attempt to push the ball to the left side. I suspect your power levels drop in this case, but overall contact? not so much. Again though, even directional hitting input, seems to me to be overshadowed by overall swing timing. I've had plenty of times now that I've wanted to pull a ball, even gotten an inside pitch, but because I was late, ended up hitting a grounder, or a blooper to the right side, even a few line drives to the gap.

[kennyacid]

Tried it and definitely not for me. I never liked timed hitting alone and not having control of where I'm swinging . It take user reflex skill out of the equation. When I get older and my reflexes are shot then I might go to just timed .

[exeter]

Don't get me wrong--I will always be a MLB the show fanboy it made me like/love baseball again--but directional hitting versus the previous way you could hit (now dropped Zone+Analog) is soooo much less like real hitting.


The main reason being is they took a lot of control in (granted it is a vid game) hitting away from the user. It is a total drag. No more swing over/under instant feedback on swings; hot/cold zones either turned on for both hitting/batting or not available at all; no more 1 or 2 handed follow thru option, there are more but I am drawing a blank at the moment...


I wonder if enough people complained and didn't just accept the situ would/could they patch the Zone+Analog option back in (to me, and maybe I am alone, it was close to perfect in replicating the real world experience without a bat)


I see why they did it though, to broaden the appeal to pre-schoolers and those with casual knowledge of the game (women=majority of peeps on planet)==crass (short term only because it will come back to bite) grab at $. Hence the focus on gear, radio shows, and plans for more insipid commentary (from the SAME 3 announcers........I mean, now, with all the increased memory that is apparently available on PS4 couldn't they give us at least 2 different playXplay announcers: 1 for home games; another for away games? Instead they are planning to add gibberish to fill up space) It seems Sony has been kind of going the EA Sports route the last couple years. EA has well established itself as a company who removes features that work on unexamined whims without thoroughly asking its end community whether something will be missed or not. Removing integrated user music was just the beginning......end rant

[Heroesandvillains]

Quote: Originally Posted by Geronimo22

In my picture above that would be me holding the left stick to the left. Isn't that the area where if I hit the ball, would give me a better chance of getting good "wood". Which is the same as the PCI

No.

With proper timing for a grounder to the left you'll have a better chance of hitting the ball down and to the left.

Think direction.

[Jeter2]

I've been using the batting practice and I think i'm going with directional for the time being. It feels a lot like the MVP system and makes a ton of sense to me now.

Zone hitting I like but it involves a lot of thumb gymnastics and from years past I would have a meatball pitch lined up with perfect timing with the PCI right on top of the ball and all I would get is a ground ball.

Still need a couple games to determine for sure but it's directional for now

[Geronimo22]

Quote: Originally Posted by Heroesandvillains

Exactly. Except for the last sentence. You're not controlling the PCI.

Quote: Originally Posted by Neolithic

Not exactly. If you hold left on the stick and the pitcher throws an inside pitch, all the other factors aside ( timing being the big one, but the pitch itself, batters ratings, etc. ) it would simply mean the batter would attempt an "inside-out" style swing, to attempt to push the ball to the left side. I suspect your power levels drop in this case, but overall contact? not so much. Again though, even directional hitting input, seems to me to be overshadowed by overall swing timing. I've had plenty of times now that I've wanted to pull a ball, even gotten an inside pitch, but because I was late, ended up hitting a grounder, or a blooper to the right side, even a few line drives to the gap.

I see what you guys are saying and I agree. They should call the mode Influence Hitting...

Played 7 innings of an exhibition game (switching the team select to bat for both sides) and I held the left stick up on every pitch. NO MATTER where the ball was pitched I got a lot more balls hit in the air. I'd say it was about 75% balls where hit as if the batter was trying to put loft on the ball. Some low pitches I hit line drives, some bloopers right over the outfield, some traditional fly balls, and two when for bomb home runs. But I still did hit some ground balls and fouled off pitches in the dirt.

So the mechanism seems to work just as the developers intended. Directional hitting will INFLUENCE the type of swing. However all the normal factors that timing involves are still in play (ratings, pitcher ratings, hitters tendencies, and of course timing)

The camera movement option is there just to serve as a way to see the ball easier for the type of pitch you WANT to hit. Move the camera inside and an inside pitch feels down the middle more and will increase that chance your timing on the swing will be better.

Directional hitting might just be the most sim way to to hit this year.

[Gagnon39]

As much as I think I like directional hitting I always find myself coming back to zone.

[Gagnon39]

Quote: Originally Posted by Heroesandvillains

Guys it's pretty simple. It's all in its name. Directional hitting. Think direction. Need to hit a fly ball to drive that run in from 3rd? Hit up. Got one out, a runner on 3rd, with the infield playing back conceding the run on a ground ball? Press down. Don't confuse this with zone or guess pitch locations. Pick the direction you want to try and hit the ball in. It's really that simple.

So what's the difference between this and swing influence from the past?