Considering abandoning analog hitting, sadface PCI problems

[DJ]

Re: Considering abandoning analog hitting, sadface PCI problems

I am struggling with analog as well. Tried hitting with zone for a couple of games, but I suck even more with zone hitting. My biggest problem is I am having an extremely hard time pulling the ball with right handed hitters on pitches inside and going the other way with left handed hitters. My natural movement with the stick is either to push it straight up or to the right, and I am finding it really hard to push it left. I like the concept of analog hitting, but I am not finding the stick to be that intuitive for me. I already have pitch speed at 2 as well.

Not to mention I am seeing a ton of instances where I have good to perfect timing with the ball near the center of the PCI, resulting in outs. I like the fact that player ratings do matter as well, but the number of instances of that happening are starting to drive me crazy.

The opposite was true for me; I couldn't pull a ball with a lefty and couldn't hit opposite field with righties.

I didn't want to have to go back to buttons, but I wasn't satisfied with my results after weeks of practice, so I recently switched to Timing and am having a blast with the game.

[dr_omels]

Re: Considering abandoning analog hitting, sadface PCI problems

I am stroking the ball with the Reds, so don't tell me the game isn't realistic lol! I took a lot of batting practice getting use to the analog system. I also have the pitch speed lower to recognize pitch type and break.

-Don't swing at EVERYTHING! Make the AI throw you a 2-0 FB and sit on it!

-Stride and timing is as important as location of swing for solid contact.

-Hit the ball where it is pitched. If it's outside, lean the the thumbstick that way when pushing up.

-Down in the count? The contact swing is your friend, it allows you to keep an at-bat going by fouling off pitches normally missed.

-Know your hitters hot zones, and sit on pitches to those zones, there is a reason they are red

-Check a pitchers tendencies by using the select button, or take a look at the pitcher analysis. Also use your own experiences to recognize tendencies. Does a pitcher throw a lot of first pitch fastballs??

-If you swing at pitches out of the zone, believe the AI will work that zone until you learn to lay off. Miss a curveball with one of those nasty looking swing animations? Believe you will see that pitch again in that at-bat!!!

-Use the hit and run!

-Until you get better at hitting, lower the pitcher control slider, so the AI doesn't paint the corners every pitch.

-FEAR THE SLIDER! Learn to recognize this pitch especially, b/c if you don't a pitcher with a good slider will kill you!

-BP, BP, BP! Take batting practice against good pitchers, it will do wonders!

Good Luck, don't give up!!!

Just to go off what Jordanfan23 said, here are some additional tips that helped me:

- Like above, stride and timing are key. I use PCI & Pitch/Location guessing. I usually take the first pitch (unless I guess pitch and location correctly). If I don't guess correctly, I try to figure out when to pull the RS back. The PCI will stay the same or get bigger if I have a good stride. Now, for batters with shorter strides, you're gonna have to pull back slightly later than with players with longer strides. But again, pay attention to the PCI as you begin the stride. And always do your stride, even in situations where you know you're not gonna swing. Just to keep your timing in check.

- Try to pinpoint where the pitcher releases the ball (I usually use a landmark behind or on the center field wall as a reference). By doing this, you really can figure out where the ball is being thrown (most of the time). For example, If I know it's a fastball and the initial trajectory is outside the zone, I now not to swing. Or if it's a curveball and there is no height to it, I know it's gonna be low. This can be tricking at first, since you will also be concentrating on when to begin your stride. But with practice, you'll be able to look at the release point and use your peripheral vision to watch the pitchers' delivery.

- On the default settings, the pitches are usually not as fast as you think. I use to be early all the time. Now, I'm only early 40% of the time (I'm late about 30% of the time, leaving that 30% where I'm just right...somebody, check my math ).

- Finally, pay anything to see if you're actually swinging straight up when you want to. I was surprised at how often I was swinging up+left when I meant to swing straight up. That can differently affect your hits.

This probably seems like alot for a video game. But when you get the hang of it, your enjoyment level will definitely go up! Hang in there!

[Jordanfan23]

Re: Considering abandoning analog hitting, sadface PCI problems

Just to go off what Jordanfan23 said, here are some additional tips that helped me:

- Like above, stride and timing are key. I use PCI & Pitch/Location guessing. I usually take the first pitch (unless I guess pitch and location correctly). If I don't guess correctly, I try to figure out when to pull the RS back. The PCI will stay the same or get bigger if I have a good stride. Now, for batters with shorter strides, you're gonna have to pull back slightly later than with players with longer strides. But again, pay attention to the PCI as you begin the stride. And always do your stride, even in situations where you know you're not gonna swing. Just to keep your timing in check.

- Try to pinpoint where the pitcher releases the ball (I usually use a landmark behind or on the center field wall as a reference). By doing this, you really can figure out where the ball is being thrown (most of the time). For example, If I know it's a fastball and the initial trajectory is outside the zone, I now not to swing. Or if it's a curveball and there is no height to it, I know it's gonna be low. This can be tricking at first, since you will also be concentrating on when to begin your stride. But with practice, you'll be able to look at the release point and use your peripheral vision to watch the pitchers' delivery.

- On the default settings, the pitches are usually not as fast as you think. I use to be early all the time. Now, I'm only early 40% of the time (I'm late about 30% of the time, leaving that 30% where I'm just right...somebody, check my math ).

- Finally, pay anything to see if you're actually swinging straight up when you want to. I was surprised at how often I was swinging up+left when I meant to swing straight up. That can differently affect your hits.

This probably seems like alot for a video game. But when you get the hang of it, your enjoyment level will definitely go up! Hang in there!

Just like real life, my Reds line-up went cold in the last game vs the Stros and the first 2 games vs the Diamondbacks! And I can feel it! Timing is off, chasing bad pitches, popping up chest high FB's! Back to the cage before the series finale as I have dropped 3 in a row and haven't hit well at all! Even when I am hitting I am scoring 2 runs on 9 hits, bad baserunning and a poor batting average with RISP! Time to practice what I was preaching and hit the cage! Biggest culprit the last 3 games, left handers period, and the righty slider grrrr!

[bcruise]

Re: Considering abandoning analog hitting, sadface PCI problems

Yes but it shrinks regardless of whether you are early or late, so that isn't particularly useful. It gives you a general idea of how far off you were, but not even in which direction.

Yes, but for me at least it didn't take a whole lot of trial and error to figure out whether I was early or late (since the timing doesn't change) and adjust from there. It's still very useful for learning the timing, IMO - once you get that first time where the PCI either stays the same or grows, you know you're on the right track.

[OnIowa]

Re: Considering abandoning analog hitting, sadface PCI problems

(dumb question) but do you have to move the left joystick in the direction you want to hit (ie high/low?)? Analog hitting is still baffling me

[mgoblue678]

Re: Considering abandoning analog hitting, sadface PCI problems

(dumb question) but do you have to move the left joystick in the direction you want to hit (ie high/low?)? Analog hitting is still baffling me

No the left stick does nothing. High or low placement is automatically done by the game, you only have to control swing placement left, down the middle or right with the right stick.

[mizzouj]

Re: Considering abandoning analog hitting, sadface PCI problems

It's definitely tough for several games, but I've had a bit more success lately. Still a lot of work to be done, but the following has helped me quite a bit:

- You have to be ready to swing on every pitch. For a while I was not allowing myself to swing at the first pitch, as I was getting into a lot of 0-1 holes by swinging at junk balls. However, in some cases the CPU will groove you a fastball right down the middle on the first pitch and it ends up being by far the best pitch you see in the AB. When there are not 2 strikes, I look fastball that catches a lot of plate and try to avoid swinging when I don't get one, unless I recognize a hanging curve or slider right out of the pitcher's hand.

- As some have said, don't pull all the way back on the right stick. Just ease it back a bit. Really compacts the 'swing' and makes reacting easier.

- You can't sit on fastball speeds, especially with 2 strikes. Otherwise you will be early on every off speed pitch. Have to sit somewhere in the middle where you can still fight off the fastball, but also wait long enough for the other pitches.

- With 2 strikes, unless you are an advanced player, I'd highly recommend using the contact swing. Sometimes I'll go back to normal on 3-2, but the contact swing really allows you to fight off tough pitches until you find one to put one in play.

Basically in the end just like real baseball you need to be a combination of aggressive/patient, and understand the situation. When I struggle, probably similar to many of you guys, it seems like the count is 0-2 to every hitter. Then when I get runners on I get antsy and start swinging at bad pitches early in the count because I'm trying too hard to score.

I really enjoy the analog hitting because it feels similar to playing real baseball in the sense that sometimes you are seeing the ball well and in a nice groove, where other times you are falling all over yourself swinging at bad pitches and can't just seem to get the timing down. Even when it's frustrating it's quite a bit of fun.