Defining each Slider, Rating and Tendency (NBA 2K8)

[RayAP19]

This is just a reference guide for the game-- if I'm wrong or not specific enough, let me know:

Close Shot Success/Shot (Close) rating: Affects shots taken in the post after a drop step or on a catch and shoot under the basket

Mid Range Success/Shot (Med) rating: Affects jumpers within the three-point line (i.e., any shot with a jumper form)

Three-Point Success/Shot (3 PT) rating: Affects jumpers beyond the three-point line (may also affect 2-point jump shot range)

Layup Success/Layup rating: Affects driving layups-- player must be on the move

Steal Success/Steal rating: Affects the ability to deflect passes and strip the ballhandler

Pick Success: Affects the general success rate of on-ball screens and possibly off-ball screens

Pick Strength: Affects how strong screens are in general (i.e., how the player being screened takes the pick-- if they fall to the floor, are knocked back slightly or able to brush past it)

Free Throw rating: Affects player's ability to make free throws and to be unaffected by fatigue at the line

Dunk rating: Affects player's ability to dunk in traffic on the drive

Ballhandling rating: Affects ability to dribble and perform crossovers without losing the ball

Pass rating: Affects either player's ability to pass out of double teams or player's tendency to pass (or both)

Low Post Offense rating: Affects ability to back down defenders, jump hook/post fadeaway success and ability to perform successful drop steps, and possibly ability to convert shots after drop steps

Low Post Defense rating: Affects ability to keep a player from forcing the player back on a post up, ability to force the ballhandler lose the ball on drop steps

Block rating: Ability to block shots successfully, block without goaltending, block without being called for a foul

Offensive Rebounding rating: Ability to grab rebounds and tip missed shots on offense

Defensive Rebounding rating: Ability to grab rebounds on defense

Speed rating: How fast player runs with and without the ball

Quickness rating: Hand speed, speed while sliding defensively, quickness in jumping for blocks/rebounds

Stamina rating: How quickly stamina is lost throughout a game and ability to perform while fatigued

Durability rating: How likely player is to be injured

Defensive Awareness rating: Ability to bump ballhandlers on the perimeter, deny offensive players off the ball, ability to force shooters to miss layups by changing their shot

Offensive Awareness rating: Ability to find the open man, possibly ability to pass accurately out of a double-team

Potential rating: How much a player's ratings will improve over time in Association/Season mode

Strength rating: Possibly affects player's ability to back down a defender, how forceful player's screens are, ability to lay the ball up/dunk despite contact, how forceful player's fouls are

Vertical rating: Affects nothing as far as I know

Shoot off Dribble rating: Player's ability to make unassisted pull-up jumpers

Shoot in Traffic rating: Player's ability to make layups and close shots with multiple defenders surrounding him

Hustle rating: Player's tendency to go after rebounds on the other side of the basket and loose balls

Hands rating: Player's ability to catch passes, possibly ability to not get the ball stripped while dribbling

On-Ball Defense rating: Player's ability to stay in front of the ballhandler

Standing Dunk rating: Player's ability to dunk on a catch underneath the basket, when picking up a loose ball underneath or on an offensive rebound

Playing Time rating: The number of minutes, on average, the AI will play a given player in a given game (out of the total minutes assigned for a game in the user's settings). This number goes hand-in-hand with the Minutes assignment in Team Rotations

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Shot Tendency: How often the player shoots the ball in general. Players with higher shot tendencies will pass less if the shot clock is below 3, will pull up more often on pick-and-rolls if freed and will take more difficult shots

Shot Close tendency: Player's tendency to shoot the ball at the basket, whether a layup (driving) or a close shot (catch underneath, loose ball underneath, offensive rebound underneath)

Shot Med tendency: Player's tendency to shoot 2-point jumpers outside of post-ups

Shot 3 PT tendency: Player's tendency to shoot 3-pointers

Drive the Lane tendency: Player's tendency to attempt to get to the basket while dribbling

Attempts Dunk tendency: How often the player tries to dunk the ball in a given situation (driving or standing)

Back to Basket tendency: Player's tendency to post up

Triple Threat tendency: Player's tendency to use crossovers, spin moves and pump fakes

Shoots Fadeaways tendency: Player's tendency to fade while shooting, whether off the dribble or on a catch-and-shoot, and the tendency to utilize post-up fadeaways

Shoots Hookshots tendency: Player's tendency to utilize hook shots while backing down

Attempts Putbacks tendency: Player's tendency to attempt to tip a missed shot by his own team into the basket

Throws Flashy Passes tendency: Player's tendency to use flash when passing the ball

Commits Fouls tendency: Player's tendency to foul the ballhandler when shooting

Passing Lanes tendency: Player's tendency to jump into passing lanes to attempt a steal

On Ball Steal tendency: Player's tendency to attempt to strip the ballhandler

Contest Shots tendency: Player's tendency to attempt to block shots

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I'll get to CPU/Human Tendency sliders (under Game Sliders in Options) soon, and I'll be editing this post, so look up

[mikev8786]

Re: Defining each Slider, Rating and Tendency (NBA 2K8)

vertical is how high a player jumps

[DC]

Re: Defining each Slider, Rating and Tendency (NBA 2K8)

Dunk rating: Affects player's ability to dunk in traffic on the drive

Also how flashy a person's dunks are.

[thriller92]

Re: Defining each Slider, Rating and Tendency (NBA 2K8)

Contest Shots tendency: Player's tendency to attempt to block shots

If this is the case why is Bowens rating in the 90s? Or is jump shot contesting included in this?

[FullSail]

Re: Defining each Slider, Rating and Tendency (NBA 2K8)

vertical is how high a player jumps

Not just how high a person jumps, but more importantly, from how far away a person can take off. People with high verts usually can go into a layup animation sometimes two feet outside of the paint once you get a step on your defender, while others will still pull up for the jumper.

[Po Pimp]

Re: Defining each Slider, Rating and Tendency (NBA 2K8)

Looks pretty accurate except for the following...

Strength affects how well a player can drive to the hole without getting impeded. Has no affect on the post up moves or post defense.

Offensive Awareness-affects how well a player can run the correct play, get open, etc... Obviously if you're controlling the player with the high Offensive IQ, it has no effect, but if you're Derek Fisher, Kobe will find his way around screens (where a poor Offensive IQ player will get bumped). If you're playing against the CPU, a player like Steve Nash can distinguish when to take the shot, or make the correct pass.

Def Awareness affects players being able to stand in front of their man, not jumping for pump fakes. If you're controlling this player, it affects jumping for pump fakes if you're using lock on defense. It may affect the lock on defense icon, but I'm not sure if its this attribute or the On the Ball Defense one.

Quickness doesn't not affect how quick you can slap the ball...thats the steal attribute.

Hustle does affect rebounding and steals, but if your player doesn't have a high rebounding or steal rating, most u will get is a tipped ball.

I'm glad u pointed out that fatigue does affect free throws because I didn't know that until I changed the fatigue slider.

If I'm wrong about any of this, please let me know as well.

[RayAP19]

Re: Defining each Slider, Rating and Tendency (NBA 2K8)

If this is the case why is Bowens rating in the 90s? Or is jump shot contesting included in this?

Yeah, jump shot contesting is part of it

Also, I learned that Vertical does effect the rebounding animations of a player. A player with a low Vertical won't get the one-hand sky rebound animation that you may see LeBron, Carmelo, McGrady, etc get.

[adriany3]

Re: Defining each Slider, Rating and Tendency (NBA 2K8)

so which sliders can help making cpu plays better defense?

[Paydro70]

Re: Defining each Slider, Rating and Tendency (NBA 2K8)

Hey, I need to resurrect this thread to see if anybody has done any real research on the meaning of the strength rating. If you look at the players that 2k gave high strength to, there is really no correlation whatsoever between the rating and ability to "drive unimpeded" or score with contact. Here's a list of the top guys:

Shaq 99,
B.Wallace 95,
Zo/Etan/Mbenga/Okafor/Fortson/Artest 94
Bass/Dwight/Curry 93
Araujo/Butler 92
Perkins/C. Smith/ Evans 91
Boozer/Sweeney/Marc Jackson 90
Nene/Landry/Aaron Williams 89
Amare/Maggette 88
Oden/Elson 87
Lebron/Herrmann/Glen Davis/Armstrong 86

So, uh, what do those guys have in common? It's definitely got nothing to do with offense (especially not driving!), or Ben Wallace, Mbenga, and Fortson wouldn't be anywhere close to the top. It also seems to be conventional wisdom that it's OPOST/DPOST that control your ability to back down/resist being backed down, so I'm guessing strength doesn't do that either.

So what does it mean? To me, the top guys look like a bench press competition, but I don't know how that would translate. Perhaps it's some variation on hustle? Maybe it's pick strength? The top guys do seem like tough guys to run through, but that's all I can think.

[FullSail]

Re: Defining each Slider, Rating and Tendency (NBA 2K8)

In my experiences, strength correlates to screen setting. Mbenga and E. Thomas set great screens but I couldn't figure out why. Then I noticed they both have high strength ratings, Thomas' is like a 94. That's by far the highest rating he has and setting screens is the best thing he does.

As far as finishing at the basket, I always thought that's what the "in traffic" rating was for.

[RayAP19]

Re: Defining each Slider, Rating and Tendency (NBA 2K8)

It may also affect hard fouls. You ever seen Shaq knocked to the floor on this game?

[DC]

Re: Defining each Slider, Rating and Tendency (NBA 2K8)

Ray I think the reason we never have seen Shaq get knocked to the floor is because most "get knocked to the floor" fouls happen when someone is DRIVING to the cup. I am sure most of us don't use Shaq in that manner. If we give Shaq a 99 speed and made him a PG I am sure we would see "knock to the floor" fouls on him

[chia51]

Re: Defining each Slider, Rating and Tendency (NBA 2K8)

Anyone got anything on Team Sliders? Other than the obvious. What I really want to know I guess is, what is the difference between a slider at 100 and 0, do they produce drastic differences in stats? gameplay stats? or simmed stats? or all of the above?

blue = offensive
red = defensive

the team sliders are:

Tempo) is this offensive speed, shot clock usage, etc?

Boards) I believe that this is defensive rebounds, contrary to what others think. I mean look its in the section with team tempo and fastbreak.

Fastbreak) How quickly a team tries to get up court?

D Pressure) does anyone have anything number wise on this slider, again what does 0 pressure produce number wise?(pts per game) and 100?

Help D Strength) see above

Help D Speed) see above

Pound In) whats the difference between pound in and look for post?

Jumpers) with this what does it mean? is it a percentage with pound in like we think? or is it a percentage with pound in, 3pt, attack the basket for a total of 100%?

3pt) see above

Attack Basket) see above

Strong In) I have been using this forums suggestions for this one, cant recall who came up with but

Look for Post) whats the difference between pound in and look for post?

1 on 1) what does this do? at 0 and at 100? are there major differences?

Over Dribble) what does this do? at 0 and at 100? are there major differences?

Finesse In) I have been using this forums suggestions for this one, cant recall who came up with but

Follow Shot) is this the offensive rebound slider?

Flashy Passes) I have found it best at 0 and with DCs roster edit for flashy passing tendencies.

Commits Fouls)I believe with this slider I am coming close to cracking it, number wise. Right now I have all teams in a spread from 46(BOS for example) to 55(MIA for example). And I see anywhere from 13PF to 20 or so per game. I am going to do some testing tonight on a new theory I have for this slider. I believe if I take the teams fouls per game and multiply by 3 I will get a realistic amount of fouls per game. Not free throw attempts now personal fouls. Example SA/NO IRL average 18.7 PF per game. Now when multiplied by 3 you get 56.1 round down to 56 and that is the slider for them. Since all teams average around 21 PF per game with a league high of 24(UTA) and a low of 18.7(SA/NO). I believe this will pan out to be very good for fouls.

Pass Lane) ??? any numbers to back anything up?

Reach) ??? above

Contest Shots) ??? I have a theory for this as well, its kinda the same as the fouls.


Any insight (especially numbers to back up statements) would be awesome... and very helpful.

Cheers,
Chia51

[nogster]

Re: Defining each Slider, Rating and Tendency (NBA 2K8)

Anyone got anything on Team Sliders? Other than the obvious. What I really want to know I guess is, what is the difference between a slider at 100 and 0, do they produce drastic differences in stats? gameplay stats? or simmed stats? or all of the above?

1st of all..team sliders DO NOT contribute to simmed stats at all....none..
if u want to see how the team plays in simmed games...start a season/association with the team u want to check. then go to their "strategy" section in the "gameplan" menu. there u will see the teams HARDCODED simmed style..[which only the user can change when controlling that respective team]. thanks to "sergiomaverick" for finding this out. its a damn pity team sliders dont contribute to simmed stats...but oh well...

Tempo) is this offensive speed, shot clock usage, etc?

its how fast the team likes to run the offense..the higher, the faster the pg or ball handler will push the ball, the more inclined the team is to take quick shots. so in essence, its both offensive pace and shot clock usage really.

[Boards) I believe that this is defensive rebounds, contrary to what others think. I mean look its in the section with team tempo and fastbreak.

its offensive rebounds...clearly...raise a team high and they crash the offensive boards aggressively..drop it low and only the player/s in position to crash will, the rest will watch or get back on D. thats the reason its between "tempo" and "fast break", because it is an OFFENSIVE slider.

Fastbreak) How quickly a team tries to get up court?

yeah but that is also game tempo...a high fast break means the players not involved in rebounding will run out for a hopefull fast break. so instead of waiting for the pg to get the ball. or going for a defensive rebound, the players will get out in transition as much as they can. so its like a transition "tempo". when 'fastbreaks" is high, u will also notice the PG will try to break out in transition without the ball.

D Pressure) does anyone have anything number wise on this slider, again what does 0 pressure produce number wise?(pts per game) and 100?

no..but i find that anything lower than 20, makes it too easy to take uncontested perimeter shots.
i dont think it contributes much to the numbers..i dropped a teams def pressure "sim strategy" slider in a tested season and it didnt make much difference to their stats..

Help D Strength) see above

Help D Speed) see above

as above....team sliders dont relate to simmed stats at all..however..the higher these team sliders are in gameplay, the more effective your team defense will be.

Pound In) whats the difference between pound in and look for post?

pound: how much the team looks to score inside...how much they "pound" the ball inside..its self explanatory really.
look for post: it increases the cpus tendency to pass the ball to a player calling for the ball in the post animation.

Jumpers) with this what does it mean? is it a percentage with pound in like we think? or is it a percentage with pound in, 3pt, attack the basket for a total of 100%?

3pt) see above

Attack Basket) see above

i think they all relate to each other...these are simply the ratios the team looks for its offense at... so a team who has a higher attack basket than any of the others. will more likely [as a team] look to drive the lane than shoot outside. it all depends on what the other offensive team sliders are at. along with the players tendencies too.

Strong In) I have been using this forums suggestions for this one, cant recall who came up with but

dunking. or dunk attempts..
think the opposite for finesse inside

1 on 1) what does this do? at 0 and at 100? are there major differences?

havent tested it thoroughly but the higher 1 on 1..the less ball movement. its self explanatory really.

Over Dribble) what does this do? at 0 and at 100? are there major differences?

havent tested thoroughly but again. i think its self explanatory. the higher, the more the players [specifically pgs] will hold onto the ball.

Follow Shot) is this the offensive rebound slider?

no. its the shooters offensive rebound slider. meaning, how aggresive the shooter will chase down his own shot.

[bateman11]

Re: Defining each Slider, Rating and Tendency (NBA 2K8)

Very good thread.

Too bad I cannot get into this game. Awkard driving w/ the ball, missed layups, dumb shots inside, inability to hit a contested jumper, cpu's ability to magically get points off of backdoor cuts and weird moves, not realistic at all pick-and-rolls, etc. There are good things with the game, but for me, I cant get past these things.