Do you use the L-stick when batting?

[Dean3790]

Re: Do you use the L-stick when batting?

I don't understand why people are concerned with how other people play the game. This needs to appeal to all ages and all ranges of players. If you can play on Legend and are great at it, awesome for you. No one really cares. And it shouldn't matter how someone else plays the game.

[yankee1nation101]

Re: Do you use the L-stick when batting?

I've discovered using the L-stick makes certain aspects of hitting feel more realistic. For me, it makes going the other way so much easier and realistic. Without the L-stick, a pitch on the outer third of the plate, no matter how well I time it to go the other way, is a weak chopper to the SS or the 2B. But with the L-stick, I do still have that happen sometimes, but more ripped groundballs in the hole or line drives to the opposite field; and the best of them all, some opposite field shots over the wall.

[sportyguyfl31]

Re: Do you use the L-stick when batting?

I will confess that it does get frustrating at times, in a online league.

I will be pitching to various locations, and feel powerless to get outs, against some guys who just leave the LS centered.

I cant complain too much since we all have the option to do that if we choose. They still have to see ball, hit balll..and Ive had plenty of games were I my bats have been held down, leaving the LS alone..so whatever.

I dont think one way is easier then other..its just a matter of prefence.

If you feel more engaged in the game anticipating location, then great.

Im playing out the last 4 innings of a franchise game using the LS, and I honestly dont see much of a difference whatsoever, other then being able to drive a ball on the inside corner for a sac fly because I guessed middle in, and was able to pull an inside pitch...but I think I can do that just as well, just leaving it alone.

[Phoenixmgs]

Re: Do you use the L-stick when batting?

Why? Why not leave as many options in the game as possible so everyone can play how they want and enjoy the game? Why does something have to be fixed so everyone has to play like you do? Makes no sense.

I think REDRZA was referring to making stick placement much more important on the higher difficulty levels like HoF and Legend, not to make Veteran a lot harder to hit on if you can't locate well with the left stick. Right now, several of us DON'T have the option to play the way we would like. There are quite a few people on OS who don't play the game because hitting is too easy even on Legend; the game DOESN'T provide the OPTION for how they would like to play. Making the change in difficulty steeper from one to level to the other will only make more options available to everyone. High Heat did this well, I couldn't hit on Hall of Fame on that game so I used the 2nd hardest difficulty level. Right now, I find Legend hitting to still be too easy; where is my option?

[REDRZA]

Re: Do you use the L-stick when batting?

Why? Why not leave as many options in the game as possible so everyone can play how they want and enjoy the game? Why does something have to be fixed so everyone has to play like you do? Makes no sense.

I explained exactly why. The games own in game manuals call for the use of the left stick to cover certain areas of the plate, on all difficulties veteran and above, becoming increasingly harder.

There is a mode for you to play the way you want, its called ROOKIE. Rookie hitting is timing only. So i don't get your point. Whats not fair is for those of us who like the challenge of playing on HOF or Legend. Timing only dumbs down the gameplay and has no place on higher skill levels. Plain and simple.

[Braves Fan]

Re: Do you use the L-stick when batting?

Why do I have to play rookie if I don't want to use the L Stick, that makes no sense at all. I understand if you want the higher levels improved so it gives you more options but why take away something I enjoy? Why does my gaming experience have to suffer so yours can improve? To advocate taking something out makes no sense whatsoever. Stuff should be added but nothing should be taken out.

If I don't want to use the L stick I shouldn't have to and I shouldn't have to play rookie to play the way I want. Rookie is way too easy. I want a challenge but I don't want to use the L Stick to hit. Why should I have to?

If they force everyone to use the L Stick I probably won't buy the game.

Here is what they should do in next year's game. They should give you the option of hitting based on purely timing or hitting using the L stick. That way everybody is happy.

[edm18]

Re: Do you use the L-stick when batting?

You don't HAVE to play on rookie if you do not use the L-stick. I play on all-star and used to play/hit exclusively using timing only, and never had an issue hitting the ball. I would consistently hit .300 with realistic power numbers. With that said, I started using the L-stick with this years version. it was tough to get used to at first, but does help your contact some, especially on pitches off or just on the black of the plate. Of coarse, it can also hinder your contact at times. I still have some trouble with pitches up in the zone, as I tend to pull down a lot.

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[d-c_138]

Re: Do you use the L-stick when batting?

I use the L stick when hitting especially with a man on 1st base and less than 2 outs. I always wait for the low fastball that goes for the weak ground out, but I usually end up slamming it out of the park with any decent hitter. The L stick makes a difference in veteran because I've timed fastballs perfectly and gotten weak hits and after checking the report it usually stated that the contact was weak.

[Boltman]

Re: Do you use the L-stick when batting?

Can the power swing even be used when playing on rookie? I also want to know if the L stick has any influence on rookie as well.

I ask because I used to play with batting on rookie and I would just press X and use timing.

Now I have the difficulty up a bit and I use the power swing in combination with using the L stick and I strike out a ton more than before. Is the R stick to influence where you are trying to drive the ball before the swing (ie: up for lifting it) even in play when batting on rookie?

I ask because since my thread question died and this one is very lively I figured I'd ask here. With rookie batting the most homers I ever had in my RTTS was around 54 - 56.

I know this sounds lame but on gamefaqs I see guys saying they hit 80 plus regularly, how does one go about accomplishing this? I really want to break Bonds single season HR record and I can't seem to get over the hump with this.

I know it sounds lame, but it is how I want to play my RTTS. Any suggestions guys?

[sportyguyfl31]

Re: Do you use the L-stick when batting?

The L stick gives you no advantage whatsoever.

The best hitter in the Online League that I am in, never uses the L stick at all..he influences flyball, ground ball, 3rd base, 1st base, and reacts accordingly.

There's zero reason to use it..other then "I like it, and thats the way I want to hit. "

If that is the case, then cool.

I'd bet that over 162 games, 2 players using the same team..one using LS, the other not, will have near identical hitting stats.

[Jgainsey]

Re: Do you use the L-stick when batting?

The L stick gives you no advantage whatsoever.

The best hitter in the Online League that I am in, never uses the L stick at all..he influences flyball, ground ball, 3rd base, 1st base, and reacts accordingly.

There's zero reason to use it..other then "I like it, and thats the way I want to hit. "

If that is the case, then cool.

I'd bet that over 162 games, 2 players using the same team..one using LS, the other not, will have near identical hitting stats.

That's only true online. For some reason the hitting difficulties online are much easier than their offline counterparts. Try hitting offline on legend with out using the left stick. It's not impossible, but it really helps to use the left stick. The same can be true for the HOF difficulty if you use the right sliders.

[sportyguyfl31]

Re: Do you use the L-stick when batting?

That's only true online. For some reason the hitting difficulties online are much easier than their offline counterparts. Try hitting offline on legend with out using the left stick. It's not impossible, but it really helps to use the left stick. The same can be true for the HOF difficulty if you use the right sliders.

Really? That seems odd to me.

[sportyguyfl31]

Re: Do you use the L-stick when batting?

M yquesiton for the ones who use it, is how?

Are using it as the ball is being released?
If so, how on earth are you able to do it in time.

[slyfox]

Re: Do you use the L-stick when batting?

I have been a timing only guy for most of the last 2 versions of this game because I've always had problems moving the L stick AND determining whether a pitch was a strike or not. I would draw walks even less frequently than I do now, which I usually rank in the bottom 5-10 teams in the game.

After reading this thread for a few days, I decided to give L stick hitting a try. Ive found that I can now do both with roughly the same walk rate/pitch recognition I had w/ timing only. I think Ive improved enough in pitch recognition and plate discipline (with timing only) that I can now handle using the L stick. Ive played 2 games and had 5 walks in those games, pretty much the same as before. I also found hitting to be more rewarding and was able to hit opposite field more. To be fair, this was the 1st Ive used FM v3 with pitch edits and I changed to Razrs recommended slider settings, but I'm liking it so far.

[Phoenixmgs]

Re: Do you use the L-stick when batting?

Can the power swing even be used when playing on rookie? I also want to know if the L stick has any influence on rookie as well.

I ask because I used to play with batting on rookie and I would just press X and use timing.

Now I have the difficulty up a bit and I use the power swing in combination with using the L stick and I strike out a ton more than before. Is the R stick to influence where you are trying to drive the ball before the swing (ie: up for lifting it) even in play when batting on rookie?

I ask because since my thread question died and this one is very lively I figured I'd ask here. With rookie batting the most homers I ever had in my RTTS was around 54 - 56.

I know this sounds lame but on gamefaqs I see guys saying they hit 80 plus regularly, how does one go about accomplishing this? I really want to break Bonds single season HR record and I can't seem to get over the hump with this.

I know it sounds lame, but it is how I want to play my RTTS. Any suggestions guys?

According to the manual, the left stick does nothing on rookie. You can't use the power swing on rookie either. I do think influencing with the right stick works on rookie. If you have a dualshock controller, you'll get a confirmation vibration when you use the right stick before the pitch. The RTTS questions I do not know about, but I'm guessing to get 80HRs in a season they are probably playing at a lower difficulty level than they should be.