Solid Contact

[ZOMB13AUTOPILOT]

Re: Solid Contact

i got a question then i am using zone i use guess location when i guess right the pci goes automatic to the spot, do i still have to aim or do i just swing?

If you are using guess location, the PCI moves to the area you guessed. So to answer your question, no you don't have to aim. Just swing.

[nystyle]

Re: Solid Contact

this game has been absolutely frustrating to m. pitch speed as high as 7 and as low as 2. cpu strike frequency as high as 5 and as low as 0. I cannot tell you how many times I have had solid contact on a pitch that was right down the pipe only to have it popped up or become a simple "nothing" infield out.

I have tried different difficulties and still cannot hit to save my life. I am 15-7 and if it wasnt for my pitching staff being good I would probably be 0-22 in the new season I started. I cannot seem to come through with men on base and in 22 games I have 9 total home runs. Thats pathetic I realize. 3 of those came in one game.

Still cannot figure out what else about my batting I can change. I am patient, wait for my pitch, make the solid contact I spoke of and still cant get anything out of it. I also find that come 7th-8th inning, no matter who the pitcher is (starter or reliever), starts to walk more and more people. last 3 games I lost by being tied late in the game only to walk 2-3 guys in a row on pitches that were strike the inning before. Very frustrating this year!

[jr86]

Re: Solid Contact

Well, using zone hitting with out moving the PCI is the same as the "timing" setting was in last year's game. The PCI stays in the middle of the strike zone and doesn't move. Now, obviously, you can move it with the left stick, but that's up to you.

With timing hitting, the PCI moves to different locations (independent of user input) based on batter ratings, hot and cold zones, hitting situation, pitcher and numerous other factors. You have no control over the PCI with timing hitting this year. It is all calculated by the CPU.

I have used both this year, and I have had mixed results with both. Zone hitting works well, but if you don't move the PCI (which I didn't) and leave it in the center of the strike zone, there is only a small portion of the strike zone that the ball has to be pitched to to be able to make contact. For instance, say the CPU throws a fastball down and in. The most you'll be able to do with that pitch, with the PCI in the middle of the strike zone, is foul it off, and if you don't foul it off, it's going to be a weak ground ball at best. There are major leaguers every day that take that pitch and plant it 4 to 5 rows back into the bleachers. You're just not going to be able to do that without moving the PCI.

Now timing hitting is what I'm currently using. And it is quite a different monster. You as a user, have no control over where the PCI moves. So, even if it's a hitter's count and the pitcher grooves a fastball down the center of the plate, you might not hit that pitch because the CPU has calculated that in this situation, with this pitcher, versus this batter, blah blah blah and moved the PCI down and away, which results in a swing and miss or a foul ball.

Basically, if you've played The Show in past years and used/liked the timing hitting feature in those games, use Zone in this game. If you like having the CPU calculate where the PCI needs to be, and having the chance/luck factor, then use timing.

Excellent post.
In bold. This is it in a nutshell for me. I have tried zone and this is the biggest problem with not moving the PCI.
I use timing and last night had Uggla at the plate, he gets a pitch just like you said down and in but still in the strikezone which i pull into Left Field for a HR. Now there is no way i could have done this with zone hitting because like you said at best i am going to foul this pitch off.
Now maybe the best approach to zone is to move the PCI but leaving it in the middle has not helped my hitting in the slightest and just leads to frustration for me anyway.
Personally i think timing works fine for the most part...yes you do get a few strange ones if you check the PCI after you swing and miss but the majority i find seem to be pretty much on point.

[northface28]

Re: Solid Contact

To those of you using timing, what sliders and/or tweaks are you using?

[coreyhartsdaughter]

Re: Solid Contact

And thats my problem with timing. If Ive got Matt Kemp standing at the plate and Lincecum on the mound, 2-0 count, and Lincecum decides to groove one in there then I want to smash it. I dont want the game to suddenly decide that Lincecum is too good to get hit so it makes Matt Kemp the equivelant of some scrub. I think timing can work well if you raise the solid contact slider high enough or lower the pitching sliders for the CPU so they hang more pitches but Im just not willing to mess with the timing setup anymore. As for pulling low pitches for HR's, I cant hit HR's to save my life (as evidenced by the 3 total Ive hit in 13 games) so I cant even comment really as Im having an extreme power outage as it is no matter where the pitch is.

In your scenario it sounds like you assume a pitch by any pitcher (let alone a CY Young winner) down the middle should be smashed based solely on user skill?

What would then be the point of player ratings? By your stance, everyone could be rated the same and it would be up to the user to determine which player is better than another.

[The Chef]

Re: Solid Contact

In your scenario it sounds like you assume a pitch by any pitcher (let alone a CY Young winner) down the middle should be smashed based solely on user skill?

What would then be the point of player ratings? By your stance, everyone could be rated the same and it would be up to the user to determine which player is better than another.

And it should be hit hard, Im not asking for HR's every time and Im not asking for lightweights to hit it hard even but Lincecum isnt invincible, same for any pitcher as they all have bad games. If you want to make a good pitcher a good pitcher then give him over powering stuff or make his location spot on but if hes gonna groove something then I want to atleast put a solid swing on it with a power hitter and not just constantly pop it up. Youre acting as if I wanted Jamey Carroll to be hitting HR's, I said Matt Kemp and I said belt high fastball. Anyways, raising solid hits to 3 seemed to help big time. I do like how I mention Matt Kemp and you somehow tie that into your argument in your second paragraph, not sure where you got that at but whatever.

[coreyhartsdaughter]

Re: Solid Contact

And it should be hit hard, Im not asking for HR's every time and Im not asking for lightweights to hit it hard even but Lincecum isnt invincible, same for any pitcher as they all have bad games. If you want to make a good pitcher a good pitcher then give him over powering stuff or make his location spot on but if hes gonna groove something then I want to atleast put a solid swing on it with a power hitter and not just constantly pop it up. Youre acting as if I wanted Jamey Carroll to be hitting HR's, I said Matt Kemp and I said belt high fastball. Anyways, raising solid hits to 3 seemed to help big time. I do like how I mention Matt Kemp and you somehow tie that into your argument in your second paragraph, not sure where you got that at but whatever.

I don't understand your argument. (?)

Hitting can't be completely arbitrary, nor can pitching for that matter; there has to be catalysts involved.

The SHOW uses factors such as left hand/right hand match-ups, pitcher confidence, spray charts, pitch control, plate vision, hitter contact, hot/cold streaks, and a host of others to assist in determining the outcome of a particular pitch or swing.

However, the overwhelming factor in determing the outcome of a particular pitch is still human input.

Again, I may be confused as to what you're trying to convey, but if the game were made so that Player A is better than Player B, causing Player A to win the battle a majority of the time, the series would quickly lose popularity. (at least for me)