Is Directional hitting working properly?

[sooner1]

Re: Is Directional hitting working properly?

Timing and Directional are one now.
You always have to use timing, but can chose to use directional when you want.

There are 2 ways to use Directional.

1. Swing with [], X, or O
2. Swing with right analog stick

I use #1.
If you use #2 you dont use left stick as direction, but instead use right analog to swing AND determine direction of swing. This however only determines if you push or pull, you cant say I want to hit a fly ball or ground ball since you will always be flicking analog up.

With button swinging you hold left stick in direction you want ball to be hit.
This includes up, down, left, right or a combo of each...making it more realistic.

I do not ALWAYS use direction. Its situational.
If I am just trying to get on base, or behind in count I do not touch the left stick and just swing and take the "hit the ball see the ball" approach.

However, if I need a HR, or need to stay out of double play I will try to get balls in the air (point stick up). You need to wait for pitches middle plate or up for best results, but as you saw in my pic you can get balls low in air too. If I want to drive a run in from 3rd and infield is back, and a guy with little power is up I might pull stick down and to right to get ball on ground and run in. Sometimes the ball will be lined into the gap using this, sometimes the ball still is popped up. Again this is an influence not an absolute command.

Most times you will notice if you swing at right pitch and time it right, you will hit the ball in the direction you want. Waiting on that right pitch and timing it is the difficult part.

All that comes into play before you even factor swing type.
Ahead in the count with power hitter, I swing with square and pull up on left stick to try for HR. This is risk reward because bigger swing means less chance of contact.

When I am behind count I use circle to make more contact less power.
Most of the time I swing with X for normal contact.

Also unlike Zone you can move left stick up to last minute.

So if you want to pull a pitch but you do not want to make that decision until last minute, you can wait to see the pitch and then pull and swing and it will work. This requires alot more timing and practice.

I tend hold direction before pitch, and if I dont think the pitch is in a location that will benefit me I will lay off even if its a strike. This leads to me working count more often as well.

Thanks for your time bro.

[Speedy]

Re: Is Directional hitting working properly?

PCI is NOT supposed to move for directional.
It is working as intended.

Are you sure about this?

I thought the PCI was moved in relation to the pitch according to the batter's plate vision rating?

[CanOfCornCobb]

Re: Is Directional hitting working properly?

So when I see a low changeup that I know it's going to be in the zone and I time it perfectly I'm still going to chop it no matter what?

I get that there is some kind of penalty for not using zone but this seems ridiculous.

Is this for online balancing? If so that is kind of a piss off to all of us who play offline only.

I am getting an insane amount "good" timing swings that are resulting in either swings & misses or foul tips. Even more so than last year. If you dont get good timing, then you can forget about getting a base hit.

[KBLover]

Re: Is Directional hitting working properly?

Here is an example, it was a pitch down in the zone, that I hit UP and OUT for a HR...with Pillar from Blue Jays (not a power hitter, using normal swing).

I love that graphic - so nice to see that kind of info with the batted ball speed.

Also the fact it was over 100 MPH. That definitely can happen on a squared up ball.

Didn't know the PCI was static, though it would seem that's more in tune with it's name "Plate Coverage Indicator". Seems to be doing that exact role in Directional then - showing how much of the plate/zone the hitter can cover with authority.

[El_MaYiMbE]

Re: Is Directional hitting working properly?

Are you sure about this?

I thought the PCI was moved in relation to the pitch according to the batter's plate vision rating?

I believe so just based off of what I see now and how it was last year.
Someone can fact check me but Directional Hitting last year, the PCI did not show on swing info at all.

Also when you turn on Directional Hitting, the PCI Reticle option is disabled. When you turn PCI on or off in Directional Hitting, it actually just shows you where you are holding stick, it does not actually influence the PCI, so if you are pulling stick to left, it does not move PCI to the left it just influences the ball you hit to the left.

Additionally, you can see pic I posted above where ball was under the "PCI" and I hit it up in the air for a HR. If this were truly the PCI we see in Zone, that would have been a ball on the ground as the bat would have been "aimed" on top of the ball.

[El_MaYiMbE]

Re: Is Directional hitting working properly?

As a sign of comradery, I opened this as a bug on The Show's Bug Report Tool.

If I am wrong, I would like it fixed as well in that case.

Here is the link:http://theshownation.com/bug_reports/10429

[Kennedy2390]

Re: Is Directional hitting working properly?

I also noticed directional hitting this year almost immediately felt like something was off. It just seemed like i was squaring up balls that would result in chopped balls or lazy pop ups. It didnt take me long to switch back to zone hitting which Ive used every year in the show beside last years game. Right after I made the switch to zone I started clubbing no doubter home runs one after another, and usung directional hitting last year I would never have no doubt homers only robbable fence scrapers.

Not trying to tell you guys who are struggling with directional to make the switch, but if you have once used zone you may want to revisit that as zone at least for me this year seems the superior hitting interface.

[El_MaYiMbE]

Re: Is Directional hitting working properly?

I also noticed directional hitting this year almost immediately felt like something was off. It just seemed like i was squaring up balls that would result in chopped balls or lazy pop ups. It didnt take me long to switch back to zone hitting which Ive used every year in the show beside last years game. Right after I made the switch to zone I started clubbing no doubter home runs one after another, and usung directional hitting last year I would never have no doubt homers only robbable fence scrapers.

Not trying to tell you guys who are struggling with directional to make the switch, but if you have once used zone you may want to revisit that as zone at least for me this year seems the superior hitting interface.

I am having completely opposite experience.
Last year I struggled to hit with anything...I just felt game hitting was off last year...

I have hit more doubles in 2 days than I think I hit all last year.

I have hit no doubt HRs with Didi Gregorious and Brett Gardner.
There is definitely more reward and penalty in Directional Hitting for timing.

Since Timing is mostly what you are doing (Direction is optional) it is weighed heavily.

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Is Directional hitting working properly?

K I spent a few hours last night doing batting practice, and to me directional is off. 100% of my "off" timed hits were choppers, foul balls, popouts or lazy fly balls, even if I was early on an inside pitch or late on an outside pitch. 2/3rds of my "good" timing resulted in the same thing, even on pitches right down the middle.

Zone seems to be working fine but I find it impossible to track AND pull a ball. I'm still struggling to get a handle on pure analog but at least good timing produces solid contact most of the time.

[dalger21]

Re: Is Directional hitting working properly?

K I spent a few hours last night doing batting practice, and to me directional is off. 100% of my "off" timed hits were choppers, foul balls, popouts or lazy fly balls, even if I was early on an inside pitch or late on an outside pitch. 2/3rds of my "good" timing resulted in the same thing, even on pitches right down the middle.

Zone seems to be working fine but I find it impossible to track AND pull a ball. I'm still struggling to get a handle on pure analog but at least good timing produces solid contact most of the time.

Yup. That has been my experience since they opened the timing window in '13. All you have to do is play batting practice and hit ten balls with just timing hitting (not necessarily directional) and you will see the issue. It doesn't really matter what your attributes are for the player, it will still happen.

[stevostl]

Re: Is Directional hitting working properly?

However, not picking a direction 100% of the time is misuse of the hitting system. Sometimes I do not pick a direction and take "see the ball hit the ball approach". But as I mentioned, in situational settings, where I am trying to drive a pitch, or get a runner in, you HAVE to use direction to if you want to be successful and be in control.

Not using direction on directional hitting, is like not moving PCI in zone. You will get hits, you can be successful, but to truly use it and make it work you need to move the left stick to influence the pitches for each hitting type respectively.

Hey sorry if you answered this and thanks for talking a lot about this hitting because I'm trying both this and zone to see what I like best. I have question on using Directional though and you may have answered this already.

After you pick initial hit direction before the pitch. are you also moving the Left stick after the pitch to location when hitting or no? Thanks

Also unlike Zone you can move left stick up to last minute.

So if you want to pull a pitch but you do not want to make that decision until last minute, you can wait to see the pitch and then pull and swing and it will work. This requires alot more timing and practice.

I tend hold direction before pitch, and if I dont think the pitch is in a location that will benefit me I will lay off even if its a strike. This leads to me working count more often as well.

sorry should of read more before asking but I'm just a little confused. I'm not sure what you mean when you say unlike zone you can move the stick until the last minute. In zone you can do this as well at least I think I'm doing that on every pitch. so now to answer my initial question...

the directional hitting you do before the pitch is also the same thing when doing it after the pitch is thrown? see I was thinking you choose direction before the pitch and then also try to track the location after the pitch is thrown to make better contact with left stick like you do with zone kind of if that makes sense?

but it seems to me you are saying it's the same thing after the pitch however you will have a better success rate at a good hit if you change your hit direction after the pitch is throw with the left stick to the location of the zone the pitch is thrown? this is the part I'm confused about

[El_MaYiMbE]

Re: Is Directional hitting working properly?

Hey sorry if you answered this and thanks for talking a lot about this hitting because I'm trying both this and zone to see what I like best. I have question on using Directional though and you may have answered this already.

After you pick initial hit direction before the pitch. are you also moving the Left stick after the pitch to location when hitting or no? Thanks



sorry should of read more before asking but I'm just a little confused. I'm not sure what you mean when you say unlike zone you can move the stick until the last minute. In zone you can do this as well at least I think I'm doing that on every pitch. so now to answer my initial question...

the directional hitting you do before the pitch is also the same thing when doing it after the pitch is thrown? see I was thinking you choose direction before the pitch and then also try to track the location after the pitch is thrown to make better contact with left stick like you do with zone kind of if that makes sense?

but it seems to me you are saying it's the same thing after the pitch however you will have a better success rate at a good hit if you change your hit direction after the pitch is throw with the left stick to the location of the zone the pitch is thrown? this is the part I'm confused about

In zone once you start your swing, you cannot move the PCI its locked into the position you were holding stick when you started swing.

In Directional you are either swining with the left stick already held in the direction you want OR swinging and press direction at sametime. Since you are not aiming the bat, this results in a more fluid motion since you do not have to track the ball. You are basically deciding where you want to hit the pitch and waiting for a ball in a part of plate that will allow you to pull or push the ball with authority if it ends up in that zone (i.e. pulling and inside pitch, or pushing a pitch away)

Think of it like this.....

Lets say you are a righty and there is a curveball coming and its coming up and in and you misjudge it and it ends up breaking up and middle of plate....

1. With zone, you would place PCI up and left corner of zone. If you already started your swing and held up and left the PCI is now locked to that zone, you cannot move it on fly. This will result in PCI not being centered on the ball which is now actually up and middle.

2. With Directional, if you pressed up and left, you are actually not moving PCI you are just saying thats the direction I want to hit ball. Ideally if a pitch is up and in you will point stick in that direction. Not because you are aiming bat but because you want to hit ball in the direction relative to where it crossed the plate (a pitch up and left side of zone should be influenced up and to left). You can still hit the pitch because the "PCI" did not move to begin with...you can still pull a pitch up and in the middle. In zone you would have had to been early to pull a pitch AND match its location.

[stevostl]

Re: Is Directional hitting working properly?

In zone once you start your swing, you cannot move the PCI its locked into the position you were holding stick when you started swing.

OK.. yes I understand that. I thought you meant while the pitch is moving to the plate you couldn't move it. Sorry misunderstood.. all good

2. With Directional, if you pressed up and left, you are actually not moving PCI you are just saying thats the direction I want to hit ball. Ideally if a pitch is up and in you will point stick in that direction. Not because you are aiming bat but because you want to hit ball in the direction relative to where it crossed the plate (a pitch up and left side of zone should be influenced up and to left). You can still hit the pitch because the "PCI" did not move to begin with...you can still pull a pitch up and in the middle. In zone you would have had to been early to pull a pitch AND match its location.

So really correct me if I'm wrong here but really in Directional hitting you are never moving the LEFT Stick to aim your bat to part of the zone your hitting... you only are aiming the direction you want to hit at all times before or after the pitch is thrown. It based mainly off timing and you have to be more accurate with your timing using directional than using zone. So basically if I'm a right handed batter up at the plate and I choose before the pitch that i'm going to hit to the right side of the field outside of the plate... and lets say the pitcher throws it inside and i still swing at it with perfect timing... what happens here? also, what would be best though in this scenario though is to go with the pitch and switch after the pitch and move your stick to the left inside corner last minute correct?

[El_MaYiMbE]

Re: Is Directional hitting working properly?

OK.. yes I understand that. I thought you meant while the pitch is moving to the plate you couldn't move it. Sorry misunderstood.. all good



So really correct me if I'm wrong here but really in Directional hitting you are never moving the LEFT Stick to aim your bat to part of the zone your hitting... you only are aiming the direction you want to hit at all times before or after the pitch is thrown. It based mainly off timing and you have to be more accurate with your timing using directional than using zone. So basically if I'm a right handed batter up at the plate and I choose before the pitch that i'm going to hit to the right side of the field outside of the plate... and lets say the pitcher throws it inside and i still swing at it with perfect timing... what happens here? also, what would be best though in this scenario though is to go with the pitch and switch after the pitch and move your stick to the left inside corner last minute correct?

You are correct in what you are saying here.

If you are righty, and want to pull, you will hold stick left either all the way until you swing, or at the sametime you swing. However, if the pitch is away and you want to adjust you would flick to the right and swing and try to hit ball other way. Still need to time it right.

If pitch is away and you are a little late its more forgiving if you are going with pitch than it is if you are late on an inside pitch you are trying t to pull (this is a mixmatch).

If you pull a pitch that is outside it doesnt mean you wont get a hit. It also doesnt mean you will pull it 100%. What if you are late and pull? It might still go opposite field. But mixmatching pitch location and pull direction will result in MORE bad hits. While syncing pitch location with push or pull will result in LESS bad hits.

Also hitting balls in the air with guys with no power will result in more lazy fly balls than guys with power so even if you hit right it will be less likely to get out of park.

[KBLover]

Re: Is Directional hitting working properly?

Also hitting balls in the air with guys with no power will result in more lazy fly balls than guys with power so even if you hit right it will be less likely to get out of park.

One thing I do notice is that it's like a plus to the hit trajectory. So what may have been a liner by, say, Chris Taylor (75/25 or something in my franchise - yeah he ended up better than he did in real life thankfully though he still K's a lot for a #1/#2 guy) ended up being a lazy fly (same ball by Chris Davis or Bryce Harper might have gone out...or been a towering deeper fly (good for sac flies at least - or if trying to hit the Monster in Fenway). However, if it's a low pitch, what might have been a grounder could end up a liner over SS and into the gap.

I feel I've LOST home runs by power guys sometimes by influencing up, if the pitch is high, especially. A level swing would still be likely to be under the ball and drive it up without adding too much high trajectory. It's like down would create a pop up, up creates a sky high flyball that wastes his power. So level would be the best case on high pitches? Fortunately, like you said, we can "adjust our swings" at the last minute with Directional. So if I see a high pitch, I'll let go and level (but power) swing with those power types.

It's a calculated risk like a lot of Directional is/can be. I'll do it with runners on 1st-and-2nd and a DP would kill the inning. I'd take that lazy fly with the chance a low in/near the zone pitch turns into a liner instead of a grounder. And if I hit a grounder anyway - well that was likely even without influencing so I see it as no harm done.

I do about half-and-half with influencing or not. For guys that show a definite tendency irl (like Yelich or Davis or the year I read Jay Bruce was trying to pull everything out of the park regardless of location), I will - usually just up or down (FB/GB) except in the Jay Bruce type scenario. For the others, including fictionals I "roll up" as having no strong tendency, I don't.