Community Forum

Inside pitches are forever almost impossible to keep fair...Even with perfect input. Going to the opposite field feels much smoother so far, but I do wish the exit velocities weren't capped at like 110 mph MAX. Man these are superstars, let them feel like superstars. The game needs more solid contact to the center of PCI and weaker to the outside of it. I do not care about real life statistics in certain hitters and pitchers counts in a baseball VIDEO GAME, especially in a game mode like DD, where you can have people from different eras face off against each other with completely different playstyles, stats and analytics. If I connect with a ball in the middle of the PCI, let me FEEL like I connected with it. If I miss completely, LET ME MISS! IT MAKES YOU IMPROVE. Also, enough with the whole "the PCI is not the barrel" shtick. We've heard it for years and it makes 0 sense. I should never be like "how in the hell did that ball leave?" and in the next breath be like "why in the hell did that ball NOT leave?" if the former wasn't even sniffing the PCI vs the latter being a perfect/perfect. This has been a problem for years and instead of fixing it like they should have, they have made it a feature. I've played this game every year since 2015 and sure they've made improvements to gameplay, but nowhere near as much as they could and should just by building a whole new game frome the ground up, taking years to make and tons of love and care to build a strong foundation to build on for years updating with yearly roster updates and DD refreshes for like half the price. Instead it's basically the same recycled game with a few minor improvements with one or two new features and game modes for the same ridiculous price. No fault to the developers, since they are locked into these yearly releases, but c'mon man! It's getting to be a tad ridiculous. Thank you to SDS for all of the hard work you clearly do put into the game, but I just feel like it's misallocated resources that could be put to better use by just making a whole new engine and game, and just do it right instead of trying to make as much money as possible every year by screwing your consumers over, because it will eventually backfire.

@chuck_dizzle29 said in My thoughts on the hitting engine as a consistent World Series player:

@bigdadt92_psn said in My thoughts on the hitting engine as a consistent World Series player:

For all of the plebs whose one excuse is the same tired one we've heard for years...if it is the "Plate Coverage Indicator" why...can you not even touch the ball with the PCI and still foul it off? It's not covering the area of the plate indicated so using your logic why would you actually make contact with the ball? It's terrible and lazy game design and because the majority of people CANNOT think for themselves, they just go along with it and the poor excuse given.

Because the Plate Coverage Indicator is controlling the area where the hitter is looking. So the PCI may not be directly on the ball, but depending on the timing of the swing the bat can still make contact with the ball. The feedback shows you where the PCI and ball was when contact was made.

Here is a common complaint I see for example. I buried that curveball but he still fouled it off with early timing and the PCI wasn't on it. That's because with early timing the barrel gets out to the ball before it gets to where you aimed it. That top down view gives you a sense of where contact was made with the ball in terms of Infront of, over, or behind the plate. It also shows if contact was towards the hands, sweet spot, or near the end. The only thing we don't see and sometimes is the problem is where the bat hits on the ball in terms of below, middle, or on top. Depending on what difficulty you're playing on, the PCI size is different. But generally if the PCI is in the neighborhood contact can be made depending on timing and pitch location.

In that example the hitter is getting PCI down enough to have the hitter's eyes in the right area. The early timing of a swing means the bat catches the ball out in front of the plate before it's gets all the way down where it was aimed.

This isn't making excuses, it's explaining the game and how it works. You either lack the ability to understand this, or just want to bury your head in the sand and get mad at people over it.

It is not a perfect system and there are issues at times. Some of that is less PCI issues than it is early timing being OP for exit velocity. Based on some Custom BP practice I've noticed the PCI shrinking as it goes out of the zone has limited contact. This was on HOF. I would wager it was better on Legend and worse on AS. Given the PCI size discrepancy it would make sense anyways. I still hate AS difficulty with a passion.

Bro you just spent that much time explaining just how convoluted, unnecessary and broken the system is and you still haven't made anymore sense why the PCI (which is now supposedly where the batter is looking, but that doesn't make a lick of sense either because if you don't have eyes on the ball you won't hit it, but I digress) doesn't even have to be close to the ball to make contact. It doesn't matter how it works, just the fact that it doesn't for the players of this game. It's not actual physics, rather a series of predetermined outcomes you just happen to have a slight amount of control over, but even then the game dictates when you can and when you cannot get a hit based on real life stats input into an algorithm to determine where the ball goes before you even swing the bat due to what count you have. Other than bunting and stealing which is the one thing people are able to exploit consistently because of poor game design. It's a poorly designed system desperately in need of an overhaul, just like the rest of the game, but they won't. Instead they will just charge hand over fist for a game that hasn't made any significant gameplay advancements in about 15 years.

@xothreezus_psn said in pitching needs to be fixed wayyy too OP:

The break is INSANE on some pitches. It's literally unfair. This is going to be a repeat of 21 with 20+ strikeout games being commonplace for good pitchers. I understand that people who only play this game don't have difficulty, but for us casual players we get off the game for a week and can't hit anything. The pitching seems to be even more unfair this year. Slow down the overall pitches (not the mph) and make it so the timing window is easier and requires less reflexes maybe just on lower difficulties. A bigger PCI isn't going to help new players or casuals time their hit.

20+ strikeouts isn't a game problem. That's a YOU problem. Anyone who strikes out that much deserves to strike out. It's up to you to get better and improve through practice and determination. This casual gameplay mindset ruins the game for people who actually know how to play the game of baseball, because it bleeds through on all levels of the game and ends up ruining the experience for the majority of the players because of the voices of the new matter more than the voices of veteran players.

@chuck_dizzle29 said in My thoughts on the hitting engine as a consistent World Series player:

Plate Coverage Indicator, the name is self explanatory. If you don't want to hear it, I wouldn't ask the question then. It won't change the entire guts of the game is built around it.

The wrong place at the right time (PCI is off but timing is right) will happen and cause hard hits and good results sometimes.

Yeah. Let me go outside and use my Plate Coverage Indicator to go hit some baseballs...stop with the dumb excuses. I've heard it all before. It doesn't make any sense.

@codywolfgang_xbl said in My thoughts on the hitting engine as a consistent World Series player:

@bigdadt92_psn said in My thoughts on the hitting engine as a consistent World Series player:

@chuck_dizzle29 said in My thoughts on the hitting engine as a consistent World Series player:

@bigdadt92_psn said in My thoughts on the hitting engine as a consistent World Series player:

For all of the plebs whose one excuse is the same tired one we've heard for years...if it is the "Plate Coverage Indicator" why...can you not even touch the ball with the PCI and still foul it off? It's not covering the area of the plate indicated so using your logic why would you actually make contact with the ball? It's terrible and lazy game design and because the majority of people CANNOT think for themselves, they just go along with it and the poor excuse given.

Because the Plate Coverage Indicator is controlling the area where the hitter is looking. So the PCI may not be directly on the ball, but depending on the timing of the swing the bat can still make contact with the ball. The feedback shows you where the PCI and ball was when contact was made.

Here is a common complaint I see for example. I buried that curveball but he still fouled it off with early timing and the PCI wasn't on it. That's because with early timing the barrel gets out to the ball before it gets to where you aimed it. That top down view gives you a sense of where contact was made with the ball in terms of Infront of, over, or behind the plate. It also shows if contact was towards the hands, sweet spot, or near the end. The only thing we don't see and sometimes is the problem is where the bat hits on the ball in terms of below, middle, or on top. Depending on what difficulty you're playing on, the PCI size is different. But generally if the PCI is in the neighborhood contact can be made depending on timing and pitch location.

In that example the hitter is getting PCI down enough to have the hitter's eyes in the right area. The early timing of a swing means the bat catches the ball out in front of the plate before it's gets all the way down where it was aimed.

This isn't making excuses, it's explaining the game and how it works. You either lack the ability to understand this, or just want to bury your head in the sand and get mad at people over it.

It is not a perfect system and there are issues at times. Some of that is less PCI issues than it is early timing being OP for exit velocity. Based on some Custom BP practice I've noticed the PCI shrinking as it goes out of the zone has limited contact. This was on HOF. I would wager it was better on Legend and worse on AS. Given the PCI size discrepancy it would make sense anyways. I still hate AS difficulty with a passion.

Bro you just spent that much time explaining just how convoluted, unnecessary and broken the system is and you still haven't made anymore sense why the PCI (which is now supposedly where the batter is looking, but that doesn't make a lick of sense either because if you don't have eyes on the ball you won't hit it, but I digress) doesn't even have to be close to the ball to make contact. It doesn't matter how it works, just the fact that it doesn't for the players of this game. It's not actual physics, rather a series of predetermined outcomes you just happen to have a slight amount of control over, but even then the game dictates when you can and when you cannot get a hit based on real life stats input into an algorithm to determine where the ball goes before you even swing the bat due to what count you have. Other than bunting and stealing which is the one thing people are able to exploit consistently because of poor game design. It's a poorly designed system desperately in need of an overhaul, just like the rest of the game, but they won't. Instead they will just charge hand over fist for a game that hasn't made any significant gameplay advancements in about 15 years.

There is no point in wasting time arguing with apologists. It is evident something is not right with the system. It is a fact and for someone to argue otherwise is just trying to troll you/frustrate you.

You're right. I'm just a frustrated baseball fan who wants the game to be great for everyone, that's all.

For all of the plebs whose one excuse is the same tired one we've heard for years...if it is the "Plate Coverage Indicator" why...can you not even touch the ball with the PCI and still foul it off? It's not covering the area of the plate indicated so using your logic why would you actually make contact with the ball? It's terrible and lazy game design and because the majority of people CANNOT think for themselves, they just go along with it and the poor excuse given.

@eatyum_psn said in My thoughts on the hitting engine as a consistent World Series player:

@bigdadt92_psn said in My thoughts on the hitting engine as a consistent World Series player:

@codywolfgang_xbl said in My thoughts on the hitting engine as a consistent World Series player:

@bigdadt92_psn said in My thoughts on the hitting engine as a consistent World Series player:

@chuck_dizzle29 said in My thoughts on the hitting engine as a consistent World Series player:

@bigdadt92_psn said in My thoughts on the hitting engine as a consistent World Series player:

For all of the plebs whose one excuse is the same tired one we've heard for years...if it is the "Plate Coverage Indicator" why...can you not even touch the ball with the PCI and still foul it off? It's not covering the area of the plate indicated so using your logic why would you actually make contact with the ball? It's terrible and lazy game design and because the majority of people CANNOT think for themselves, they just go along with it and the poor excuse given.

Because the Plate Coverage Indicator is controlling the area where the hitter is looking. So the PCI may not be directly on the ball, but depending on the timing of the swing the bat can still make contact with the ball. The feedback shows you where the PCI and ball was when contact was made.

Here is a common complaint I see for example. I buried that curveball but he still fouled it off with early timing and the PCI wasn't on it. That's because with early timing the barrel gets out to the ball before it gets to where you aimed it. That top down view gives you a sense of where contact was made with the ball in terms of Infront of, over, or behind the plate. It also shows if contact was towards the hands, sweet spot, or near the end. The only thing we don't see and sometimes is the problem is where the bat hits on the ball in terms of below, middle, or on top. Depending on what difficulty you're playing on, the PCI size is different. But generally if the PCI is in the neighborhood contact can be made depending on timing and pitch location.

In that example the hitter is getting PCI down enough to have the hitter's eyes in the right area. The early timing of a swing means the bat catches the ball out in front of the plate before it's gets all the way down where it was aimed.

This isn't making excuses, it's explaining the game and how it works. You either lack the ability to understand this, or just want to bury your head in the sand and get mad at people over it.

It is not a perfect system and there are issues at times. Some of that is less PCI issues than it is early timing being OP for exit velocity. Based on some Custom BP practice I've noticed the PCI shrinking as it goes out of the zone has limited contact. This was on HOF. I would wager it was better on Legend and worse on AS. Given the PCI size discrepancy it would make sense anyways. I still hate AS difficulty with a passion.

Bro you just spent that much time explaining just how convoluted, unnecessary and broken the system is and you still haven't made anymore sense why the PCI (which is now supposedly where the batter is looking, but that doesn't make a lick of sense either because if you don't have eyes on the ball you won't hit it, but I digress) doesn't even have to be close to the ball to make contact. It doesn't matter how it works, just the fact that it doesn't for the players of this game. It's not actual physics, rather a series of predetermined outcomes you just happen to have a slight amount of control over, but even then the game dictates when you can and when you cannot get a hit based on real life stats input into an algorithm to determine where the ball goes before you even swing the bat due to what count you have. Other than bunting and stealing which is the one thing people are able to exploit consistently because of poor game design. It's a poorly designed system desperately in need of an overhaul, just like the rest of the game, but they won't. Instead they will just charge hand over fist for a game that hasn't made any significant gameplay advancements in about 15 years.

There is no point in wasting time arguing with apologists. It is evident something is not right with the system. It is a fact and for someone to argue otherwise is just trying to troll you/frustrate you.

You're right. I'm just a frustrated baseball fan who wants the game to be great for everyone, that's all.

That's impossible, because not everyone agrees on how to make the game great.

Side not, not that I disagree with your original points, but how come every time someone someone "complains" , that person tries to paint themselves as some knight in shining armor? Lets be honest here, you aren't trying to make the game great for everyone, because some directional users would love for that type of hitting to be more competitive in ranked, and I'm sure you (and I), would not want to see that because it lessens the skill gap.

I want the game to be great for the people who put in the work to be good at it. Not my fault people want the easiest path to success instead of playing and getting better year by year like a like of the veteran players. I want anyone who absolutely smokes a pitch in a clutch situation be able to be rewarded for it and anyone who misses the ball completely to not be bailed out because they are new and complain about striking out too much. Directional hitting takes the least amount of skill to use so it should be harder to be rewarded for it. This is a skill game. Not a participation game, you should be rewarded for skill and not punished because your opponent doesn't want to put in the practice before hopping online to face someone who has put in the time.