MLB 15 The Show: Directional Hitting Impressions

[Pylon8]

Quote: Originally Posted by joewillyjets

speaking as someone who used zone plus analog since its implementation, and also as someone sorry to see the stride mechanic go by the wayside... i'm willing to give anything new the chance to work. so... i have used directional hitting since day 1. i like it, but something was missing. today, for the first time since i picked up mlb 15 the show on day 1, i decided to go back to zone hitting. don't ask me why, but for some reason, because the interface is no longer called "zone + analog"... i was thinking it wouldn't be the same as last year. but... it is, with the exception of stride being removed. and since i've been without it for over 3 weeks, now, anyway... i discovered what it is i've been missing, by using directional hitting... and it's simply control over my at-bat. it's fine to allow the game to determine whether or not your bat makes contact with the ball, BUT... when using the "zone" interface, YOU are the one controlling where your bat swings through the strike zone. if you want to employ what i like to call "situational" hitting, which is more or less what directional hitting is trying to accomplish, then simpy watch the video that (i think his name is wolverine) put up, here on operation sports, to help people with zone hitting. want a fly ball? swing slightly under the ball. want a ground ball? get on top of it. wanna it to right field? wait back on the pitch. this is more "true-to-life" than randomly allowing the cpu to determine when and if you're going to make contact with the ball even when you get "good" feedback on your times swing. directional hitting is ok for those who need some help with their hitting, but i feel zone hitting is still what makes this game "feel" like you have more control on what is happening with each individual at-bat.

This is spot on. I've just gone back to zone hitting for these reasons. It does seem that there is a lack of control to directional hitting that can make it unsatisfying. With zone hitting you can use the PCI as a cue to look for "your pitch" when you are trying to hit the ball in a certain direction.