Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

[kvnm77]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheWarmWind

I mean if you're able to aim with the left stick you might as well switch to zone hitting. I mean I wrote a massive thread about directional hitting, anyone whose read it knows that I heavily encourage using the left stick. Operation Sports mobile app

A couple of thoughts here, first, great work on the directional hitting guide and even if it can't all be confirmed, it has given us a reference point to think about.

I actually think of aiming with the left stick as the pitch comes in as zone-hitting lite. In my experience, I have had stretches of scorching the ball when I'm on using this method, but it's definitely not 100% (especially when I start thinking too much about it and it messes with my timing). I'm thinking that aligning with Brian's comments, moving the LS will influence the PCI in that direction so it can be successful when right as it's maybe a higher percentage of better contact (but way off then when wrong). This is obviously similar to zone, but without needing to be as exact and letting the cpu still place the PCI closer to the direction you choose (prevents me from over-shooting like I always do with zone, but more destined by the ratings, a trade-off I'm happy with).

Where I think the guide is right is the timing windows. It seems to me that when I notice I have a game where I'm swinging early on everything, I aim the LS to pull the ball more, and have noticed I start to have more success; same if always late, I start looking to go the other way. If I do this though, I also look for middle-in when pulling and middle-away when looking at the opposite field and will hold the LS from pre-pitch instead of trying to adjust on the fly.

I'll also hold an influence from pre-pitch when my timing gets screwed up from tracking the pitch, but more from a hot zone point of view (Judge likes the ball up, so I hold up and wait for something up high).

These are just a few of the methods I've found success with using directional, and will switch based on how I'm performing with one (I like to think I bring a different game to each, and I have to find what's working for me that day, so to speak). All this of course is all anecdotal (and I'm an average at best player so take it for what it's worth), and I can't confirm if my experiences work as the engine intends it to. It's my way of adjusting with directional, though, and seems to be in line with both what is in the guide and what Brian has said.

[loso_34]

Quote: Originally Posted by jeffy777

From what I gather from his posts (Brian, please feel free to correct me or expound upon), Zone gives you precise control of the PCI, whereas Directional allows you to influence it, or if you don’t touch the stick, the engine does that for you. Excerpt from Brian’s post on page 1: “In Zone hitting you pick the timing and PCI location. In Directional you pick the timing and influence PCI location (or if you don't influence, it picks for you). For this reason it is better not to influence than to influence randomly and get it half right and half wrong (in that situation you are better off paying attention to location and taking pitches).’’

think what he meant by influencing pci location is when you chose an approach.

whether to pull the ball, push or hit a grounder. now if try to influence your swing randomly and swing at the wrong pitch you wont get good results. thus its better to not influence your pci location on directional unless you’re sitting on a pitch.

[brunopuntzjones]

I always use an influence and it's mostly based on what I want to do in a given situation and the batter. I genuinely have no idea if it works, but from experience it seems much more effective offline. I think they kind of nerfed directional hitting online to please all the players who think of themselves as PCI snipers.

[chuckm1961]

Quote: Originally Posted by ruxpinke

I assume it doesn’t lock in and needs to be held. If you leave the arrow on you’ll see it stays lit up as it’s being held, and goes away when let go. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't assume that.

Yes, I see how the arrows light up, which could just as easily mean that you have locked in that direction without continuing to hold the stick.

[loso_34]

Quote: Originally Posted by brunopuntzjones

I always use an influence and it's mostly based on what I want to do in a given situation and the batter. I genuinely have no idea if it works, but from experience it seems much more effective offline. I think they kind of nerfed directional hitting online to please all the players who think of themselves as PCI snipers.

doubt they nerfed it zone hitting he always led to unrealistic results if the user is skilled.

you wont be hitting .600 with john a mcdonald over a long stretch on directional you can with zone

[Gambo]

From what I understand what I think most of you are missing is what is meant by influencing the PCI.

In directional the game selects the PCI location, however, you can influence it by directional.

For simplicity the strike zone is this

123
456
789

For example, take a high fastball pitched into Zone2. If you just hit X the PCI will try to center on Zone2.

Now with directional influence..when you zoom in Zone 2 actually looks like this

2U/I--2UP--2U/O
2IN---2---2OUT
2I/D--2DN--2D/O

If you influence to hit a ball in the air (up on the stick) instead of just moving the PCI to 2, it actually moves it more to 2DN to try to get under the ball while staying within zone 2.

I do think the influence is more extreme this year, and I think power and contact swings accentuate this extremity. (HR derby plays alot differently, you almost have more sucess using balanced swings and influencing pulls in the air instead of doing it with power)

I think the key to directional this year is to only use for specific situations and be more careful such as avoiding hitting into doubleplays, against the shift, sacrifice flies.

Now I do want an answer as to what point influencing makes a difference, before the swing or after.

[Gambo]

Kind of elaborating on the zone 2 situation.

That high fastball in zone 2....we'll assume that the AI PCI moving from center is having going to have trouble reaching that high heat so if you are influencing to hit in the air, the AI PCI is going to already likely going to be under the pitch AND you are focusing on being under...soooo...it is more likely its going to be popped up.

Secondarily, i would't be suprised if the engine ends up making you ahead of the pitch because of your the PCI wants to reach a spot but you are influencing that end spot to be closer to center.

This would explain why trying to pull high and hit in the air ends up with you constantly crushing pitches foul into the stands. You're influencing getting outside of the ball and the engine has sped up your swing.

Now that same pitch...if your trying to hit it down...you likely won't get over the high pitch to knock it down but you may get a line drive out of it. However, because you are trying to get the PCI to get further out from center than the engine wants to it 'slows" your swing. You may not get the ball very high in the air but your bat speed is slower and your exit velocity tanks.

So the better theory to directional hitting may be tailor your swings to counter the pitch...try to get under sinkers, try to get outside of sliders and cutters...

[Fiddy]

Quote: Originally Posted by kvnm77

A couple of thoughts here, first, great work on the directional hitting guide and even if it can't all be confirmed, it has given us a reference point to think about. I actually think of aiming with the left stick as the pitch comes in as zone-hitting lite. In my experience, I have had stretches of scorching the ball when I'm on using this method, but it's definitely not 100% (especially when I start thinking too much about it and it messes with my timing). I'm thinking that aligning with Brian's comments, moving the LS will influence the PCI in that direction so it can be successful when right as it's maybe a higher percentage of better contact (but way off then when wrong). This is obviously similar to zone, but without needing to be as exact and letting the cpu still place the PCI closer to the direction you choose (prevents me from over-shooting like I always do with zone, but more destined by the ratings, a trade-off I'm happy with). Where I think the guide is right is the timing windows. It seems to me that when I notice I have a game where I'm swinging early on everything, I aim the LS to pull the ball more, and have noticed I start to have more success; same if always late, I start looking to go the other way. If I do this though, I also look for middle-in when pulling and middle-away when looking at the opposite field and will hold the LS from pre-pitch instead of trying to adjust on the fly. I'll also hold an influence from pre-pitch when my timing gets screwed up from tracking the pitch, but more from a hot zone point of view (Judge likes the ball up, so I hold up and wait for something up high). These are just a few of the methods I've found success with using directional, and will switch based on how I'm performing with one (I like to think I bring a different game to each, and I have to find what's working for me that day, so to speak). All this of course is all anecdotal (and I'm an average at best player so take it for what it's worth), and I can't confirm if my experiences work as the engine intends it to. It's my way of adjusting with directional, though, and seems to be in line with both what is in the guide and what Brian has said.

I was in a funk yesterday after roping the ball for an entire MTO season and getting to Legend Plus batting with Zone and a PCI set up that is awesome for me on Hall of Fame and Legend (not so much on All Star because its too big and takes up too much screen).

My funk lead me back to this thread that I bookmarked along with TheWarmWind's thread as well and this quote stood out to me. Directional basically being Zone Lite.

Im treating it as such, moving Left Stick as if I'm using Zone and my god am I hammering the ball. I'm seeing hits I never have before on Directional because of how I'm using the Left Stick. Maybe this is placebo, maybe not..

This just cleared my mind and my screen and for now I'm out of the funk.

As for being at a disadvantage on higher levels I can see that, but if I swing at crap because of the PCI moving with Zone and I don't with Directional is that really a disadvantage for me? I think not! LOL