How do ように and 基本的に work in this sentence

Question

The following is an excerpt from a dialogue between and my language partner. I asked her about the use of ところどころ and wether particles need to be attached at the end or not. For context, this is the full block in which she replied to me concerning this topic:

「所々（ところどころ）」の使い方です。 これが意外と難しいです。助詞がつく場合とつかない場合があるのです。 「所々」は「あちこち」を意味する名詞ですが、それ自体で副詞のようにも使えます（in places) 「所々、原作と違ってもいい」 は正しい使い方です。 「所々に、原作と違う部分がある」 も正しい使い方です。 「所々で違う場面展開がある」 のように使うこともできます。

使い分けを説明するのは難しいのですが、基本的に「所々」だけで使える場合が多いように思います。 上の３つの文章はすべて「所々」だけでも使えますが、「所々に、原作と違ってもいい」 という言い方はできず、「所々で、原作と違ってもいい」 という言い方はできます。 つまり、助詞を使うことで意味を限定しているのではないでしょうか。 わかりにくかったらごめんなさい。

The sentence in question: 使い分けを説明するのは難しいのですが、基本的に「所々」だけで使える場合が多いように思います。

My attempt at translation: "Though it is difficult to explain the proper use, I think..." I can't really translate any further without relying on mere guessing.

First, 場合が多いように really confuses me. Im sure ように is in the "like X" function here, however the reference point is not a noun since it is ように and not ような. This reference point must be 思う since there is no other verb or word at all in succession of ように. The problem is, I really cant think up any meaningful connection between the phrase 場合が多いように and 思います. Not with ように in the "like" function, and even if it was in the "in order to" (final) function, I wouldn't really know how to put together 場合が多いように with 思います in any way which would still make some sense. Oh and it seems like と was omitted before 思う. Does that in any way change things in this sentence?

Second 基本的に「所々」だけで使える. This is obviously the attribute to 場合 but since I can't make any sense of the phrase 場合 is embedded into, I'm asking about the two parts separately here. => "Basically, being 「所々」 only usable (cases...)." My main issue here is で. I can't really see if it is the continuative form of the copula or the particle で. However, in both cases I'm still clueless how to properly translate it...

Answer 1

This ように is a kind of hedge which makes the sentence look milder and less affirmative.

1. 高いです。
   It's expensive.
2. 高いと思います。
   I think it's expensive.
3. 高いように思います。
   I kind of think it's expensive. / Maybe it's expensive. / I'm not sure, but it may be expensive.

Sentence 2 is much milder than 1, but it can still sound harsh depending on the context. Sentence 3 sounds much milder (or less confident) than 2.

使い分けを説明するのは難しいのですが、基本的に「所々」だけで使える場合が多いように思います。
Although it's hard (for me) to explain the difference, basically, I kind of feel 所々 can be used on its own in the majority of cases.