I think I finally figured out my problem with this game - ease of contact

[allBthere]

question: I just got a ps4, don't have the show and have never played it but have been watching a few youtube videos.

Regarding contact with the ball, you guys are mentioning timing and zone... Is it a different experience in terms of hit results in the 2 modes?

In real life I see Jose Bautista hit pitches on the outer-half and sometimes lower-outer half for home runs into left centre field - can you do that in this game? And if so can you only do it in 'zone' mode?

I find in most baseball releases over the years I tend to see WAY too many opposite field hits/homeruns/fly-balls. Some of the youtube vids have me worried, especially when I see pull-hitters and just the lineup in general hitting too many down the opposite field line.

If I try to pull the ball, can I do it even on 'outside' pitches? For some reason I just really like seeing guys rip outside pitches to LF, LCF and CF - get the arms extended and pound it!

[KBLover]

Quote: Originally Posted by allBthere

Regarding contact with the ball, you guys are mentioning timing and zone... Is it a different experience in terms of hit results in the 2 modes?

Yes.

Timing: You have control over swing timing but not over the PCI which is roughly "where the player was looking to hit" but NOT "this is where the bat is" (i.e. it's not a bat cursor like in PYS).

Zone: You control the PCI as well, so you have more certainty of contact/solid contact. That said, you also have to be able to either anticipate pitches or have an approach you can stick to.

Zone can tend to less K's and more consistency because of the PCI control. Timing - who knows what you'll get in regards to that (it's literally random with Contact slider, difficulty level, pitcher and hitter ratings all factoring in along with your timing as a user), which can cause bad (or no) contact in and of itself.

Quote: Originally Posted by allBthere

In real life I see Jose Bautista hit pitches on the outer-half and sometimes lower-outer half for home runs into left centre field - can you do that in this game? And if so can you only do it in 'zone' mode?

It's probably easier in Zone but it still can be difficult. It CAN be done, though, even in Timing.

Quote: Originally Posted by allBthere

I find in most baseball releases over the years I tend to see WAY too many opposite field hits/homeruns/fly-balls. Some of the youtube vids have me worried, especially when I see pull-hitters and just the lineup in general hitting too many down the opposite field line. If I try to pull the ball, can I do it even on 'outside' pitches? For some reason I just really like seeing guys rip outside pitches to LF, LCF and CF - get the arms extended and pound it!

You can do it - but the game might "penalize" it. You may see a lot of "Pulled Off" on your swing analysis, even if the PCI squares it up, because of your early timing. Might see "Weak" a lot as well. This is especially true if you use the Power swing (shrinks PCI and probably probably alters the chances of Weak/Solid/Normal, etc contact.

That said, if you do have a power guy and he gets "Solid" contact on a pitch like that and you have a pull swing, it is not impossible to get a shot to the gaps or over the fence.