Directional Hitting Guide

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

I've been playing The Show since 08 and I get told time and time again that directional is for beginners and is a baby mode and true players use zone. I started out with directional but switched to zone when I got a lot of angry comments online about how using directional is cheating and opponents calling me a p**** for using it. Should I just ignore and go back to directional or is zone better and the preferred method for most good players?

Well I'm always going to come to the defense of Directional, but I don't think most people, at least here on OS, think of it as a baby mode. I can see how online in a head to head matchup some might see it as a little bit of cheating, but for offline vs CPU it can be just as difficult and as I stated in my Vision Vs Contact expanded section, there are benefits and trade-offs for all of the batting interfaces.

If you're playing offline only like me, then just ignore the naysayers. Play the game however you want, and don't think for a second that playing Directional makes you somehow a cheater. The tighter timing window and the need to be more selective on pitches make up for the fact that you don't have to control the PCI.

If you're playing online, I would still tell you to play however you want, but it's an area that I have practically no experience in. I can understand that in a play area that has to deal with things like lag and server interpolation, using an interface like directional could be seen as cheating. So I'd say the choice is yours in that case, and I would understand why someone would choose to cave to pressure in that situation (I mean, what if it actually is cheating?). Just remember, no matter what you do, people on the internet are going to tell you that you are wrong, and try and find some way to make you feel bad about it. Nature of the beast I'm afraid.

[bigd51]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

I've been playing The Show since 08 and I get told time and time again that directional is for beginners and is a baby mode and true players use zone. I started out with directional but switched to zone when I got a lot of angry comments online about how using directional is cheating and opponents calling me a p**** for using it. Should I just ignore and go back to directional or is zone better and the preferred method for most good players?

You should ignore anyone who tries to tell you how you should play a game.

To put into baseball terms, everything you said about directional can relate to knuckle ball pitchers. I'm sure most batters would tell you it's a p**** pitch (some even saying it should be banned altogether). But it didn't stop R.A. Dickey and Tim Wakefield from making a career off it. And it certainly didn't stop Phil Niekro from earning a Hall of Fame spot.

Directional is by no means a cake-mode, but no matter how unpopular the style of play, you should play to your strength and remember that even w/ Zone, they still have guys like Mike Trout and Ender Enciarte who covers 110% of the strike zone without even touching the left stick, so it's not like they have this magical skill using it.

If you want to try out Zone to see if it suits you better and it does, then that's one thing. But don't ever dumb your play down just to make it easier for some jackass online to beat you. If Directional is your thing, then do your thing, homie. And be damn good at it.

[SolidSnake07]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

I've been playing The Show since 08 and I get told time and time again that directional is for beginners and is a baby mode and true players use zone. I started out with directional but switched to zone when I got a lot of angry comments online about how using directional is cheating and opponents calling me a p**** for using it. Should I just ignore and go back to directional or is zone better and the preferred method for most good players?

Play the game how you want. I hate how online gamers wanna tell you how to play.

Sent from my LG-H631 using Tapatalk

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

I just wanted to post to support rjackson's post a few posts ago. I know he goes against the grain and we disagree on some key points, but he makes one point that I 100% agree with: Timing is what matters most.

I would argue that the reason why he is seeing more balls pulled foul on pull swings is due to the increased timing window size, both for "good" hits and for fouling off, so it makes sense why a pull swing would see more balls pulled foul because some of those balls wouldn't have had any contact at all without an influence, but there is SOME influence on direction, I just ask people to ignore that because it is only by about 10 to 15 degrees (and therefore, by my estimation, not worth consideration).

rjackson may be a "naysayer" of the thread, but he makes a good argument supported by long-term results. I recommend reading his post, especially if you are on the fence and need to see an argument from the "other side". Good stuff.

[mokena]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Would love some tips, if possible.

I've been a zone hitter for the last two years. I'm a .350 hitter when I play DD and I win the vast majority of my games. Now that I'm done playing online for the year, I'm focusing more on RTTS.

With zone, I find it impossible to strike out. It's so easy to get the bat on the ball and make some contact, so I've been toying with the idea of using directional to try and get some more variation in hit types and outcomes (and striking out more!)

One issue I've had so far with directional is that I've found it very hard to hit line drives or balls into the gaps. I seem to hit a lot of grounders or pop ups. It's a stark contrast from essentially always being able to barrel the ball with zone. (I don't mind the change; it's nice -- just want to see more line drives with directional)

Any tips for more line drives? My RTTS has elite contact (90+ vs R/L), decent power (~65 vs R/L) and elite discipline and vision (maxed out with equipment).

As an aside, I have noticed different hit types in my brief time trying directional. I hit an outside pitch kind of late and it was blooped in down the 3B line, which was pretty cool.

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Would love some tips, if possible.

I've been a zone hitter for the last two years. I'm a .350 hitter when I play DD and I win the vast majority of my games. Now that I'm done playing online for the year, I'm focusing more on RTTS.

With zone, I find it impossible to strike out. It's so easy to get the bat on the ball and make some contact, so I've been toying with the idea of using directional to try and get some more variation in hit types and outcomes (and striking out more!)

One issue I've had so far with directional is that I've found it very hard to hit line drives or balls into the gaps. I seem to hit a lot of grounders or pop ups. It's a stark contrast from essentially always being able to barrel the ball with zone. (I don't mind the change; it's nice -- just want to see more line drives with directional)

Any tips for more line drives? My RTTS has elite contact (90+ vs R/L), decent power (~65 vs R/L) and elite discipline and vision (maxed out with equipment).

As an aside, I have noticed different hit types in my brief time trying directional. I hit an outside pitch kind of late and it was blooped in down the 3B line, which was pretty cool.

Sliders will help if you don't like the ratio of line drives to choppers/popouts. Solid Hits is the slider that directly impacts this.

In a game, you can increase the odds of solid contact by increasing vision. The downwards influence is the best way to achieve this. Sorry for the late response!

[d4rkn1ghtcrawler]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

I, umm... read the last two pages of posts I made, starting at the red post, and especially my response to The Chef. I'm still figuring out exactly what no influence does.

Also try to think about the influences more for their buffs and debuffs as opposed to hitting it in a certain direction. Timing has the biggest impact on where the ball goes, the impact that influence has is actually very small, to the point where it should be ignored.

I can test this out with Sanchez in my franchise. I'm currently hitting .220 with Sanchez

[bravesfan1984]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

I've always been a directional player, only using the button and no influence until I stumbled on this thread. I can tell a huge difference when preloading your swing with the L stick! Gotta say thanks!

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Just an FYI for those keeping up with the thread, I've been hitting well consistently with a low vision player who has a lot of hot zones using a no influence favoured strat. Problem is, he's the only low vision, a lot of hot zones player I have on my team, and I don't really play anything other than my carry over.

I'd say I have enough playtime to confirm this theory that no influence is best for low vision, a lot of hot zones players, but just because it works for him doesn't mean it works for most of them.

Let's just say I'm a 9 out of 10 on the theory right now, but I'm unwilling to change the OP without confirmation from people testing it outside of myself.

[Bmarcoux]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Have been trying the no influence thery on low vision players . I play the dodgers and one player I've been testing is Franklin gutierrez. He has 76 power but only 36 vision and since going to no influence he's been killing the ball. Also in the OP at what power rating do you rate a player as a power hitter. Thanks

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Have been trying the no influence thery on low vision players . I play the dodgers and one player I've been testing is Franklin gutierrez. He has 76 power but only 36 vision and since going to no influence he's been killing the ball. Also in the OP at what power rating do you rate a player as a power hitter. Thanks

Thanks for the results, very helpful.

I usually judge a role for a player based on results, not on ratings. However, 65 is a good threshold to start considering a player a power hitter. Just be wary that it is a rough estimate, not a golden rule. Could be lower or higher depending on many other factors, like swing animation and hitting tendencies.

[Bmarcoux]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Thanks for the results, very helpful.

I usually judge a role for a player based on results, not on ratings. However, 65 is a good threshold to start considering a player a power hitter. Just be wary that it is a rough estimate, not a golden rule. Could be lower or higher depending on many other factors, like swing animation and hitting tendencies.

Is there a difference in swing animation ?

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Is there a difference in swing animation ?

In my experience yes, though it's hard to tell if it's just a mental thing that helps with the user's timing or a true change in the engine.

For example, I always rake with Jose Bautista's swing. Doesn't seem to matter what his attributes are. In fact, the last season where he was on my team, he was rated 71 overall yet I had an OPB over .380 with 40+ homeruns. He hit 4th or 5th all year. Easily the best I've ever done with a 70s rated player by a long shot.

Meanwhile Manny Machado is currently rated 97 in my franchise, and I struggle to get anything approaching the same offence out of him.

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Update:

OP has been edited to include information on no influence swings. I didn't do a full read through and edit like I had planned because hrglblrglglg, so I apologize for any contradictions or inconsistencies.

I've continued to playtest the no influence theory, and at this point I am convinced that it is the truth.

Here is the most relevant new quote from the OP:

No influence or "Keyhole" swing: This is when you don't choose a direction at all. No influence increases the impact of hot/cold zones for your hitter, and reduces the impact of vision, at the cost of a reduced timing window, especially for fouling off. There is also less hit variety when choosing this swing. Think of it as your batter just waiting on their pitch in their location. This swing is ideal for "Feast or Famine" type power hitters who have low vision.

[Bmarcoux]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Wanted to get a opinion . A hitter with a power rating in the mid 80 s would a normal push swing be good gaining the contact and timing and not losing much power vs the pul swing where your losing contact and timing