MLB 15 The Show: Directional Hitting Impressions

[juegochamp]

My biggest issue was how the plate coverage indicator was often really off in timing. Is the plate coverage indicator still a thing using directional hitting? I can't tell because you do not see it after your swing anymore. I am still trying to figure out if zone or directional is the right choice for me. I like timing, but hated how the PCI was off. I need a better understanding of what is actually happening in directional hitting please!

[juegochamp]

Quote: Originally Posted by cactusruss

It's like hitting in MVP... you move the stick as you're hitting. And just because the ball is on the outer half of the plate (as a right handed hitter) and you push the stick to the right, that doesn't mean the ball is absolutely going to go to the right, it all depends on timing too. Same with moving the stick up, down and to the corners. It feels a lot like I remember hitting in MVP... and that's a good thing. Actually, having just read the review, it seems like the reviewer is doing it different... hold the stick up (or wherever) before the ball is even thrown. I suppose you can do it like that, if you really need a fly ball or something, but if the pitch is down and away, hold up is going to make getting good contact a lot harder.

Thanks! But I still feel like you are basically just guessing where the ball is going to be. I feel like I will be heavily penalized for pulling the ball on an outside pitch. Which is probably realistic (to an extent.) But I still feel like its more of a guessing the location of the ball mode rather than directing the ball.

[cactusruss]

Quote: Originally Posted by juegochamp

My biggest issue was how the plate coverage indicator was often really off in timing. Is the plate coverage indicator still a thing using directional hitting? I can't tell because you do not see it after your swing anymore. I am still trying to figure out if zone or directional is the right choice for me. I like timing, but hated how the PCI was off. I need a better understanding of what is actually happening in directional hitting please!

Push the stick to where the ball is going to be. So if the pitch is a low and on the outside corner, push down and right (if using a right handed batter) and drive the ball to the opposite field. You could push up and to the left, and still possibly make contact, but just like in real life, trying to pull a ball in the air on a pitch that's down and away isn't going to yield good results very often.

[cactusruss]

Quote: Originally Posted by juegochamp

Thanks! But I still feel like you are basically just guessing where the ball is going to be. I feel like I will be heavily penalized for pulling the ball on an outside pitch. Which is probably realistic (to an extent.) But I still feel like its more of a guessing the location of the ball mode rather than directing the ball.

You don't guess anything, just push the stick to where the pitch is going. You can push the stick in a certain direction before the pitch, but unless you get the perfect pitch for where you're guessing, you're gonna have a bad time.

Sometimes on 2-0 or 3-1 counts with power hitters I will hole the stick up and to the left (for RH hitter) and look for a pitch up in the zone to try to hit a HR, but if the pitch isn't up, I don't swing. That's kinda like how it's done in real life for a power hitter... look for that grooved pitch on a good count and knock it out of the park.

[cactusruss]

Or you can just not touch the stick at all and it's just like timing hitting was last year.

[juegochamp]

Quote: Originally Posted by cactusruss

Or you can just not touch the stick at all and it's just like timing hitting was last year.

Great. So I basically I can guess the influence before the pitch, or just wait until the actual pitch is thrown to influence it? That is awesome. I couldn't tell if you had to influence it before the pitch or not.

[Heroesandvillains]

Quote: Originally Posted by Russell_SCEA

Of course there's a timing element, it's not an arcade element where you hold up and your guaranteed a fly ball.

No Ramone, that's obviously not what I meant.

In the article, he mentions trying to time his directioning in accordance to his swing instead of just pressing a direction at any given time during the at-bat.

[knich]

I like how the camera moves to focus on pitch location. I wish there was separate option to just use camera to change focus without it influencing swing. I like to use directional to influence swing just wish it wasn't tied to camera focus. For instance, Montero on Chicago has a low hot zone. I like to use directional to focus only on balls low in strike zone. Problem is I don't want him hitting ground balls. So I can't use the camera focus without influencing a ground ball.

And I find it works well to influence swing. Keep in mind even if you want to hit fly ball, if the pitch is down, then you may still hit on top and create ground ball..just like IRL. Of course, ratings also affect outcomes. They guy who wrote impression doesn't seem to understand this. Likely hasn't played much baseball IRL