MLB 15 The Show News Post

MLB 15 The Show: Directional Hitting Impressions

11:21 AM - April 1, 2015 by RaychelSnr

This year there is a new hitting mechanic in MLB 15 The Show called Directional Hitting. The idea behind this system is rather simple. It's basically timing hitting with the ability to influence the directions of your hits by pushing the left stick in a certain direction.

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# 81 exeter @ 04/01/15 09:58 PM

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

# 82 Heroesandvillains @ 04/01/15 11:37 PM

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.

# 83 Jeter2 @ 04/01/15 11:41 PM

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

# 84 Geronimo22 @ 04/01/15 11:42 PM

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.

# 85 Gagnon39 @ 04/01/15 11:58 PM

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

# 86 Gagnon39 @ 04/02/15 12:00 AM

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?

# 87 COMMISSIONERHBK9 @ 04/02/15 12:35 AM

I gave this mode another chance and I'm loving it now since I know u have to hold it I'm getting hits. I finally hit my first hr with David Ortiz

# 88 Cowboy008 @ 04/02/15 12:49 AM

I've played 4 games so far using directional hitting and I'm liking it. Once I get 2 strikes though I don't try to influence the ball and just stick to timing my swing.

# 89 Heroesandvillains @ 04/02/15 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gagnon39


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

Good question. I'm honestly not sure, aside from the obvious (a new OSD, a camera that changes, etc).

# 90 Smallville102001 @ 04/02/15 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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

I don't really get how zone is more thumb gymnastics has both zone and this is moving the left stick so really using it is like using zone when it comes to how you control it.

# 91 Ebounce88 @ 04/02/15 04:58 AM

Been playing the show for two years now and used zone. After a couple games this year always late obviously with zone hitting pushing ball to opp I switched to directional or timing.. not even using the directions I was pulling ball more, hitting into gaps and more homers.. I feel like I've been cheated for two years not using timing online but zone. Seems to take skill out of game using directional but I feel like the playing field just got even... anyone else feel like timing or now directional is kind of cheap compared to analog and zone?

# 92 volsfan39 @ 04/02/15 06:17 AM

The directional hitting is an awesome hitting mode. I was always a timing guy and you can still do that just like all the other years and it works the same as timing no difference, but the cool thing is if you are looking for a certain pitch location it allows you to move the camera a slight bit in and out up and down. This will let you focus more on trying to hit the ball the other way or pulling the ball in different situations. I don't use it that much but it is nice it's there if I need it to try and move runner over or hit behind a runner...If you are not using the dynamic camera for offense then you are missing out!!

# 93 tinpanalley @ 04/02/15 06:45 AM

For people like me who play in broadcast view while hitting AND pitching, this new hitting mode has FINALLY made that possible. In this view, it was never clear and nobody could ever seem to answer whether the hot zones responded to the batter's point of view or the pitcher's, whether influencing left was player specific or camera specific, it was just a mess. Now it's SO much easier. You wanna swing away to push the ball, swing to that direction. You wanna pull, swing in THAT direction. But the camera specific nature of Directional Hitting makes it so that none of those questions matter anymore because it's so straightforward. I don't see how it makes things more challenging as people say. I think it's brilliant and more intuitive.

# 94 hunterdawgs10 @ 04/02/15 07:23 AM

Haven't seen many people mention it so I'll put it out there :

Guys remember that batter tendencies play a factor in this as well.

If you try to go opposite field with an 'extreme pull' hitter you won't have as good of results as if you attempt to go opposite field with a 'push' hitter.

To access the spray charts for each hitter press options during your at bat.

# 95 nemesis04 @ 04/02/15 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunterdawgs10


	Haven't seen many people mention it so I'll put it out there : Guys remember that batter tendencies play a factor in this as well. If you try to go opposite field with an 'extreme pull' hitter you won't have as good of results as if you attempt to go opposite field with a 'push' hitter. To access the spray charts for each hitter press options during your at bat.

Correct! There is some strategy to this because you can also over compensate by influencing to their strong side pulling or pushing balls foul that normally would be fair without the influence.

# 96 DBMcGee3 @ 04/02/15 09:09 AM

Glad to hear that the zone hitting is an option, because honestly this directional hitting sounds a lot like the terrible hitting system from those god awful 2k games. In my opinion, it isn't realistic (or remotely rewarding) to be able to swing without having to locate the ball with some sort of cursor, the size of which should be determined by the ratings of the batter. If you want to pull a ball, you should swing earlier, and preferably wait for a pitch on the inside half of the plate. It's that simple.

# 97 Dolenz @ 04/02/15 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smallville102001


	I don't really get how zone is more thumb gymnastics has both zone and this is moving the left stick so really using it is like using zone when it comes to how you control it.

It's simple. Moving the stick is not required in Directional. I played a months worth of RTTS last night an barely used the direction controls at all.

It has been said before and I'll say it again. Directional is not a simplified zone. I don't believe pushing the directional control to the outside of the plate and then swinging at a pitch on the outside increases your chances of making good contact, that is still based on timing of the swing. All it does is try to influence the direction of the hit off the bat.

# 98 nemesis04 @ 04/02/15 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBMcGee3


	Glad to hear that the zone hitting is an option, because honestly this directional hitting sounds a lot like the terrible hitting system from those god awful 2k games. In my opinion, it isn't realistic (or remotely rewarding) to be able to swing without having to locate the ball with some sort of cursor, the size of which should be determined by the ratings of the batter. If you want to pull a ball, you should swing earlier, and preferably wait for a pitch on the inside half of the plate. It's that simple.

I am strictly a zone player and I find the directional hitting mechanic very well done. It allows the user some added input besides timing. It does not sound like you tried it and I am not asking you to but it is very far from being a terrible system. Some people do not have the capacity for zone this is a nice upgrade for them.

# 99 sink4ever @ 04/02/15 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exeter


	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)

Wait, are you sure Zone + Analog isn't in there? My understanding is that you choose your hitting options in 2 stages now. One is directional (timing) or zone. The other is the input option (button or zone). Can't you just choose analog input and zone hitting?

# 100 nemesis04 @ 04/02/15 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sink4ever


	Wait, are you sure Zone + Analog isn't in there? My understanding is that you choose your hitting options in 2 stages now. One is directional (timing) or zone. The other is the input option (button or zone). Can't you just choose analog input and zone hitting?

You can do that.

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