Hoop League Tactics Available Now For iOS and Android Devices

[tarek]

Re: Hoop League Tactics Available Now For iOS and Android Devices

Hey Flyrice,

I’ve been playing quite a bit of hoop league tactics and it’s so much fun. I’ve tried multiple seasons, found how to edit and add free agents to the pool, and now I’m working on building my team up so I can scout decent free agents and not a bunch of over 30 1 star players which is all you get when your scouts are low.

But I wanted to point out that throughout playing I’ve sometimes found that the rebounding, particularly offensive rebounds, can get really out of hand. I’ve seen the CPU miss 5 shots in a row, get 5 offensive rebounds in a row and make the 6th attempt. I’ve had games (and I’ve got screenshots if you want) where I’ve been out rebounded by a lot, only getting 1 or 2 rebounds total. Sure, my team shoots extremely well because I play the percentages, but it’s still a bit crazy.

Not sure how to amend it, because to be honest sometimes the CPU is brick city and if they weren’t getting all the extra chances then I would probably end up blowing them out really bad. What are your thoughts?

[tarek]

Re: Hoop League Tactics Available Now For iOS and Android Devices

Here are some of the screenshots to highlight the rebound discrepancy.

[FlyRice]

Re: Hoop League Tactics Available Now For iOS and Android Devices

Hey Flyrice,

I’ve been playing quite a bit of hoop league tactics and it’s so much fun. I’ve tried multiple seasons, found how to edit and add free agents to the pool, and now I’m working on building my team up so I can scout decent free agents and not a bunch of over 30 1 star players which is all you get when your scouts are low.

But I wanted to point out that throughout playing I’ve sometimes found that the rebounding, particularly offensive rebounds, can get really out of hand. I’ve seen the CPU miss 5 shots in a row, get 5 offensive rebounds in a row and make the 6th attempt. I’ve had games (and I’ve got screenshots if you want) where I’ve been out rebounded by a lot, only getting 1 or 2 rebounds total. Sure, my team shoots extremely well because I play the percentages, but it’s still a bit crazy.

Not sure how to amend it, because to be honest sometimes the CPU is brick city and if they weren’t getting all the extra chances then I would probably end up blowing them out really bad. What are your thoughts?

The rebounds are based on positioning and the player's rebound rating, but I inherently gave defensive rebounders an advantage in grabbing the ball. I'll continue to tweak the percentages a bit more so you don't have instances where they're grabbing so many offensive rebounds in succession. Thanks for the feedback!

[EatableclownV]

Re: Hoop League Tactics Available Now For iOS and Android Devices

Hey FlyRice,

I've finished up my first season of Hoops League today and really enjoy the strategy of it. I made the playoffs with the Portland Roses only ranked 5th in most categories I probably sacrificed my long term future by signing really old free agents to strengthen my team.

Gameplay wise I really enjoyed it. The shot clock and movement aspect was really interesting to experiment with. I felt like a bit of an offesnive wizard once I worked out how to run pick and rolls, down screens for shooters, big to big passes for shots and I celebrated so hard when I started getting some dunks.

I played on the lowest difficulty and my strategy evolved around shooting corner 3s. I felt when you had a high rated shooter and got them a cleaner look most of the time they had a predicted make of 75% or greater. When I tried other plays, I'd work twice as hard using pick and rolls or other tactic to get a 2 point shot that how only a slightly greater make perctage (eg 85%). It might be because of the difficulty but I think this causes balance issues in the game. In this example the 3 point shot has a value of 2.25 points per possession(3*0.75) and the 2 point shot has a value of 1.7 points per possession(2*0.85). In this case maybe it is better if both shots had a similar value in points per possession? Why work my butt off running a pick and roll trying to manipulate defenders when I can set one down screen, move a shooter 3 spaces and launch a catch and shoot 3? I don't have know how you have done it and can't comment, but having the best 3 point shooters/ best 2point shooters/dunkers have the same value for points per possession when they are shooting their best shoot and scale everything backwards accordingly. I hope I've communicated that well.

Cheers for all the hardwork, trying to recommend to a few more friends as well.




Sent from my LYA-L29 using Operation Sports mobile app

[FlyRice]

Re: Hoop League Tactics Available Now For iOS and Android Devices

Hey FlyRice,

I've finished up my first season of Hoops League today and really enjoy the strategy of it. I made the playoffs with the Portland Roses only ranked 5th in most categories I probably sacrificed my long term future by signing really old free agents to strengthen my team.

Gameplay wise I really enjoyed it. The shot clock and movement aspect was really interesting to experiment with. I felt like a bit of an offesnive wizard once I worked out how to run pick and rolls, down screens for shooters, big to big passes for shots and I celebrated so hard when I started getting some dunks.

I played on the lowest difficulty and my strategy evolved around shooting corner 3s. I felt when you had a high rated shooter and got them a cleaner look most of the time they had a predicted make of 75% or greater. When I tried other plays, I'd work twice as hard using pick and rolls or other tactic to get a 2 point shot that how only a slightly greater make perctage (eg 85%). It might be because of the difficulty but I think this causes balance issues in the game. In this example the 3 point shot has a value of 2.25 points per possession(3*0.75) and the 2 point shot has a value of 1.7 points per possession(2*0.85). In this case maybe it is better if both shots had a similar value in points per possession? Why work my butt off running a pick and roll trying to manipulate defenders when I can set one down screen, move a shooter 3 spaces and launch a catch and shoot 3? I don't have know how you have done it and can't comment, but having the best 3 point shooters/ best 2point shooters/dunkers have the same value for points per possession when they are shooting their best shoot and scale everything backwards accordingly. I hope I've communicated that well.

Cheers for all the hardwork, trying to recommend to a few more friends as well.




Sent from my LYA-L29 using Operation Sports mobile app

Hey there, this is excellent feedback! I never thought about the points per possession that each shot gives, so I'll definitely keep that in mind when I balance out the shot percentages for the next update (which will release by the end of this week).

I'm really glad that you're enjoying the game and I look forward to hearing what you guys think of the many improvements I'll be adding in the near future! How did you feel about the overall pace of your player's and team's progression for one whole season?

[tarek]

Re: Hoop League Tactics Available Now For iOS and Android Devices

Hey there, this is excellent feedback! I never thought about the points per possession that each shot gives, so I'll definitely keep that in mind when I balance out the shot percentages for the next update (which will release by the end of this week).

I'm really glad that you're enjoying the game and I look forward to hearing what you guys think of the many improvements I'll be adding in the near future! How did you feel about the overall pace of your player's and team's progression for one whole season?

I might chime in on the progression aspect. I find it easier to progress guards than forwards or big men. For some reason they don’t get the same amount of stats per game which seems like a key factor in the amount of progression points they get. Because the games are short you only really get maybe 20-30 points, 5-10 rebounds and 8-12 assists so there aren’t a lot of huge stats to go around.

Plus what I have found myself doing after a few years is because my veterans are now over 30 and don’t progress, I just force feed my young players so they at least get stats and therefore progress. So there is a real onus on giving young players shots and opportunities which I think is a good thing overall.

[FlyRice]

Re: Hoop League Tactics Available Now For iOS and Android Devices

I might chime in on the progression aspect. I find it easier to progress guards than forwards or big men. For some reason they don’t get the same amount of stats per game which seems like a key factor in the amount of progression points they get. Because the games are short you only really get maybe 20-30 points, 5-10 rebounds and 8-12 assists so there aren’t a lot of huge stats to go around.

Plus what I have found myself doing after a few years is because my veterans are now over 30 and don’t progress, I just force feed my young players so they at least get stats and therefore progress. So there is a real onus on giving young players shots and opportunities which I think is a good thing overall.

Thanks for your input! XP is based off of the fantasy point system, so PTS = 1 XP, REB = 1.2 XP, AST = 1.5 XP, STL = 3 XP, and BLK = 3 XP. So I can definitely see where it is easier for a guard to progress than a big. Do you think it would be good to increase the XP gained for rebounds to balance it out a bit?

I like that you have incentive to use your young players in order to develop them. In the next update, I'll also be giving them XP even if they sit on the bench so that they can get better skill wise and aren't totally useless in games. The amount of XP gained will be determined by the veterans you have on your team. Also just in case you didn't know, even though players over 30 don't gain skill points, they still gain XP which unlocks skills up to level 7.

Did injuries ever become a factor at all during the season?

[tarek]

Re: Hoop League Tactics Available Now For iOS and Android Devices

Thanks for your input! XP is based off of the fantasy point system, so PTS = 1 XP, REB = 1.2 XP, AST = 1.5 XP, STL = 3 XP, and BLK = 3 XP. So I can definitely see where it is easier for a guard to progress than a big. Do you think it would be good to increase the XP gained for rebounds to balance it out a bit?

I like that you have incentive to use your young players in order to develop them. In the next update, I'll also be giving them XP even if they sit on the bench so that they can get better skill wise and aren't totally useless in games. The amount of XP gained will be determined by the veterans you have on your team. Also just in case you didn't know, even though players over 30 don't gain skill points, they still gain XP which unlocks skills up to level 7.

Did injuries ever become a factor at all during the season?

Might be worth testing if they should gain XP on the bench or need to play. Even if they don’t do anything (e.g. no points or rebiunds) they might earn a few point for the ‘experience’ of playing. But that might need to be tested.

In terms of injuries, I’ve played around 6 full seasons of 14 games so around a hundred games (I also play best of 3 playoffs). I have only ever seen a player get injured once, for 2 games. I can’t remember if they recovered stamina on the bench though, or what the trigger was, they were just injured for 2 games after the game. So for me injuries have been a non factor.

Trades is another good one. I can’t offer trades, but it’s nice that if you put a player on the trade block you get some offers. They are usually player swaps, but for now they are nice and it’s a simple mechanic.

[FlyRice]

Re: Hoop League Tactics Available Now For iOS and Android Devices

Might be worth testing if they should gain XP on the bench or need to play. Even if they don’t do anything (e.g. no points or rebiunds) they might earn a few point for the ‘experience’ of playing. But that might need to be tested.

In terms of injuries, I’ve played around 6 full seasons of 14 games so around a hundred games (I also play best of 3 playoffs). I have only ever seen a player get injured once, for 2 games. I can’t remember if they recovered stamina on the bench though, or what the trigger was, they were just injured for 2 games after the game. So for me injuries have been a non factor.

Trades is another good one. I can’t offer trades, but it’s nice that if you put a player on the trade block you get some offers. They are usually player swaps, but for now they are nice and it’s a simple mechanic.

So I've just made it so that players in their first two seasons gain a base amount of XP whether they are playing or on the bench. The amount of XP gained depends on your team's player development rating. If they play in a game they'll gain that base XP in addition to any stats they accumulate. After their second season any progression will come strictly from stats. Does that seem fair?

Sounds like I'll need to increase the occurrence of injuries a bit, either that or you're managing your players fatigue really well! Injuries occur based on the player's durability and fatigue level after games. So if you're generally only playing players above or around 75% stamina your injury risk is really low.

And yes trades are simple in it's current form, I can look into expanding it in a future update once other areas of the game are more balanced

[tarek]

Re: Hoop League Tactics Available Now For iOS and Android Devices

So I've just made it so that players in their first two seasons gain a base amount of XP whether they are playing or on the bench. The amount of XP gained depends on your team's player development rating. If they play in a game they'll gain that base XP in addition to any stats they accumulate. After their second season any progression will come strictly from stats. Does that seem fair?

Sounds like I'll need to increase the occurrence of injuries a bit, either that or you're managing your players fatigue really well! Injuries occur based on the player's durability and fatigue level after games. So if you're generally only playing players above or around 75% stamina your injury risk is really low.

And yes trades are simple in it's current form, I can look into expanding it in a future update once other areas of the game are more balanced

That sounds good and I think 2 seasons is enough. I’ll do some testing and see how it goes once the update is out.

[FlyRice]

Re: Hoop League Tactics Available Now For iOS and Android Devices

The update is now available! Really looking forward to hearing your guys thoughts. Please keep the feedback coming!

New Features
- Improved tutorial mode
- Added an option to import and export custom leagues
- Added new trophies and team boosts

Gameplay Changes
- Added player interaction during jump balls
- Shot Clock extended to 18 seconds
- AI won't force the ball to the hot player
- Decreased overall 3PT shooting percentage
- Decreased offensive rebound frequency
- Defensive settings can now be adjusted during spectate mode
- Players no longer lose XP for turnovers
- Rookies gain XP even if sitting on the bench
- Increased user’s shot percentage for lower difficulties
- Increased chance of injuries
- Improved AI behavior

Quality of Life Improvements
- New font used throughout the game
- Team roster can be viewed during the draft
- Player stats can be viewed while setting lineups
- Opposing team's player stats can be viewed during game plan
- Player stats can be viewed during contract negotiations
- Player skills can be viewed in game
- Retired players are automatically hidden from free agents list

Bug Fixes
- Fixed appearance not showing changes during player customization
- Fixed trophy not unlocking after winning the championship
- Fixed the amount of stamina gained for team boosts
- Fixed team upgrade costs for longer length seasons
- Fixed defensive pressure settings not saving
- Fixed stamina not effecting offensive rebounders

[FlyRice]

Re: Hoop League Tactics Available Now For iOS and Android Devices

I just released another new update with some exciting additions! Let me know what you think!

Gameplay Additions
- Added ability to throw alley-oops (must have Pass rating above 3 and player within dunking distance)
- Added timeouts to regain stamina
- Added player substitutions
- Added halftime lineup adjustments
- Added offensive play selection out of timeouts
- Added offensive 3 seconds in the key violation
- Improved Shot Bar

Balance Changes
- Dunk rating above 3 is now required to dunk
- Dunk cooldown now applies to CPU
- Shot Bar disabled for dunks
- More accurate stamina loss after games
- Base 3PT% lowered by 5% on Veteran mode
- Lowered skill point costs by 25%
- Team rating is now calculated from starting lineup rather than whole team

Quality of Life Improvements
- Ratings are displayed first when a player is selected
- Dunk cooldown is now displayed when a player is selected
- Added ability to see total fans on Team Stats screen

Bug Fixes
- Fixed inability to continue a season after loading a saved league
- Fixed inability to scout for free agents because of retired players
- Removed ability to dunk after the clock expires