MLB 15 The Show: Directional Hitting Guide

[KennyJ1976]

Man, how many posts for MLB 15 The Show are you guys gonna write? Next, it gonna be one about how to run the bases or which camera angle do you use for hitting, pitching, and fielding or which licensed shoes look the best etc. Must be a slow period in the sports gaming world. And before anyone says something, I have the game so I'm not knocking it.

[spaceg0st]

Yes, I'm aware of hitting behind the runner when a runner on first, however, in no way does that concept need a dedicated hitting mode where holding down influences ground ball hits. Poor decision

[Black59Razr]

Quote: Originally Posted by Smoltzie

Ohh...I thought flipping the stick in a certain direction meant my batter was looking in a certain zone for a pitch? I guess that's what guess pitch is for. I do kindly wish the "look for THIS zone" was implemented as the swing influence ability has been in the game for a while...I love how the camera shifts so I can have my player focus on a certain zone and simply time my swing up from there. As an example, Miggy gets a lot of pitches down in the zone so it makes more sense if I can have my player look at the knees and just crank a rope somewhere. However this system seems to be counter-productive to that scenario and my desired output, right? Let's say I have a slow catcher on 3rd with 1-out, IFs are in and I want to hit a fly ball. I know the pitcher will be throwing fastballs or breaking balls at the knees to get me to ground out so my FOCUS should be down in the zone as it's likely that's where I'll be getting pitched but my REQUESTED OUTPUT is a flyball. If I shift my view to the bottom of the zone, I can see that low pitch better using this sytem but the application interprets my input that I rather want to hit a grounder which is not what I want. ...maybe it's me but this isn't ideal and could've been better implemented as again, I love the shift of the camera is great and really makes the AB feel more intense.

You nailed it on the head! I found this article because I couldn't figure this feature out. Then, I realized, this feature is bass-akwards.

In previous versions, when I was trying to hit a flyball, I would move my PCI slightly down. Reason being, I want to get my bat under the ball.

Alternatively, if I wanted to hit a ground ball, I would move my PCI slightly up, making my bat get on top of the ball.

The same would be for trying to hit the ball the opposite way. I would actually move my PCI slightly inside. And slightly outside if I was trying to pull the ball.

Now, this new feature is counter-productive in that aspect; especially with the new camera shift feature (which I think is a great idea, by the way! Maybe by next year, it can be thought out more).

So, by using this years method, I would always press down with my super fast leadoff hitter. I wanted to put the ball on the ground and let his legs do all the work. He has no power, so I don't want to put the ball in the air. However, I kept hitting fly ball after fly ball. The same was true for my power pull hitters. They were hitting everything the opposite way.

This is what I believe needs to change to make this feature work. Moving the PCI should, in fact, move your solid hits. However, it should not induce flyballs, groundballs, pulling or going opposite field. Those results should come from the pitch location, the player's attributes and timing of the contact. Directional hitting, or moving the PCI, should only move your solid hit zone. And the camera shift should only make it easier for the human player to sit on what he is looking for.

Now, is that what is already going on here? Because, in my small sample size, that is not what's going on here. When I press down to sit on a low pitch and hit a grounder, with the contact button, I repeatedly hit 250 foot lazy fly balls, on thigh high pitches.

[adamjsav]

Quote: Originally Posted by spaceg0st

If this was done similar to mvp baseball where it's like a more user friendly mix between zone and timing, then it would be awesome. Instead, it's poorly done. Experienced baseball player here, who the hell would want to intentionally hit ground balls. If I'm lookin down and in, I'm looking to turn on it and jack it to left. I'm not looking to try and squeeze and grounder between short and third. Once again, the tools are there but the devs swing and miss.

You've missed the point. If you are looking down and in, with directional you move the stick up and to hit a fly ball to right (LHB).

[adamjsav]

Quote: Originally Posted by adamjsav

You've missed the point. If you are looking down and in, with directional you move the stick up and in to hit a fly ball to right (LHB).

You've missed the point. If you are looking down and in, with directional you move the stick up and in to hit a fly ball to right (LHB).

[sink4ever]

Quote: Originally Posted by Black59Razr

You nailed it on the head! I found this article because I couldn't figure this feature out. Then, I realized, this feature is bass-akwards. In previous versions, when I was trying to hit a flyball, I would move my PCI slightly down. Reason being, I want to get my bat under the ball. Alternatively, if I wanted to hit a ground ball, I would move my PCI slightly up, making my bat get on top of the ball. The same would be for trying to hit the ball the opposite way. I would actually move my PCI slightly inside. And slightly outside if I was trying to pull the ball. Now, this new feature is counter-productive in that aspect; especially with the new camera shift feature (which I think is a great idea, by the way! Maybe by next year, it can be thought out more). So, by using this years method, I would always press down with my super fast leadoff hitter. I wanted to put the ball on the ground and let his legs do all the work. He has no power, so I don't want to put the ball in the air. However, I kept hitting fly ball after fly ball. The same was true for my power pull hitters. They were hitting everything the opposite way. This is what I believe needs to change to make this feature work. Moving the PCI should, in fact, move your solid hits. However, it should not induce flyballs, groundballs, pulling or going opposite field. Those results should come from the pitch location, the player's attributes and timing of the contact. Directional hitting, or moving the PCI, should only move your solid hit zone. And the camera shift should only make it easier for the human player to sit on what he is looking for. Now, is that what is already going on here? Because, in my small sample size, that is not what's going on here. When I press down to sit on a low pitch and hit a grounder, with the contact button, I repeatedly hit 250 foot lazy fly balls, on thigh high pitches.

I'll apologize in advance if I'm mis-reading your concern, but you seem to be confusing the two systems. There's Zone hitting (with the PCI that you move to be where you think the pitch will end up) and there's Directional hitting (where you pick a direction to try to hit the ball). There is no PCI for Directional hitting. If you're seeing a PCI move around as you move the left stick, you're using Zone hitting.

[Wiggy]

Quote: Originally Posted by nemesis04

Yes, you are correct.

Sorry about that. I got my directions crossed up in the article. You are correct.

[geisterhome]

Quote: Originally Posted by sink4ever

I'll apologize in advance if I'm mis-reading your concern, but you seem to be confusing the two systems. There's Zone hitting (with the PCI that you move to be where you think the pitch will end up) and there's Directional hitting (where you pick a direction to try to hit the ball). There is no PCI for Directional hitting. If you're seeing a PCI move around as you move the left stick, you're using Zone hitting.

The is left stick movement really just influencing the direction or do we have a better chance of making solid contact if we for example move the left stick in if the pitch is going there?