Game Tempo (NBA2k3)

[wwharton]

OOps that should've said NBA2k3, lol.

Guys it looks like we've let sliders get the best of us. Unfortunately, I'm included. Anyway let me get to the point. Despite what many say, getting fast breaks in 2k3 is pretty easy. Of course, you determine how fast or slow your offense moves so game tempo isn't a problem either. The problem is that the CPU doesn't break much and tends to move at a slower pace. We've tried everything right?

WRONG. Well sort of. Remember the Settings? Game Tempo, Fast Break, Crash Boards...this is all you need to adjust to fix the problem. If you turn your crash boards all the way up the CPU should push the ball more. If that's not enough for you, turn the CPU crash boards all the way down. Big difference there alone.

Take it a step further and turn the CPU game tempo all the way up and you'll see a completely different game. Now you'll want to tone these down from the extremes (maybe) but start there to test it out and then adjust to your liking.

I've been working so I let the CPU Suns play the CPU Sonics and have been fooling with just these Settings and watching them fly up and down the court like crazy.

Let me know what you find if you try it out.

Editted to add some stats from this game:

12 min qtrs in PHX and I have sliders adjusted so the CPU takes more outside and mid ranged shots.

Teams: Suns - Sonics
Score: 98 - 88
FGA: 102 - 110
FG%: .431 - .381
3's: 3/15 - 3/10
FTs: 7/9 - 1/1 (yuck...still need work here obviously)
assists: 32 - 28
tos: 16 - 13
boards: 61 - 66
steals: 7 - 9
fb points: 10 - 7

[Kruza]

Re: Game Tempo (NFL2k3)

Along with raising the Fast Break meter, lowering the Crash Boards meter down plays a huge role in getting more fast break baskets and jump-starting the open-court transition game, as doing this allows more players to streak down the court as soon as a defensive rebound is pulled down. (Of course there is a big trade-off to having this setting low, like being far more susceptible to allowing offensive rebounds and putbacks.) Both of these settings relate to each other in an inverse manner. If one of these is lowered, then the other should be increased, and vice versa. And the overall speed of the players on court is the other determining factor. If most of the players aren't as fast on your team as players from the opposing team, then you simply won't be able to beat 'em down the floor as often.

The Game Tempo setting helps more toward getting the open-court transition game going (faster-paced than exclusively running half-court plays that eats up the shot clock, yet not exactly all fast breaks either), where good spot-up shooters (mid-range and 3pt) who can run the floor become deadly weapons.

Kruza

[neovsmatrix]

Re: Game Tempo (NBA2k3)

I've played games where things start slow at first, but then suddenly it's just a brick fest. Players shoot quickly, run down the court, another quick shot's put up, etc. I just think that your overall play should be the main determinant for how the game's going to go, not using a game tempo slider, because like I said before, it's just not satisfying because it feels so manufactured. Obviously, I'd change the sliders for my own team, but I would never touch the CPU's. If the game can't resemble real NBA b-ball to my satisfaction, I'll just play another videogame and hope that they get it right next year. Of course, this is just my feelings on the topic.

[wwharton]

Re: Game Tempo (NBA2k3)

Actually I think you're missing the point (and Kruza too, with the excellent analysis). The defaults in the game for ALL teams are lower than they should be IMO. This isn't talking about sliders, just the settings.

I always set my own settings keeping things like Kruza stated in mind, but the CPU still walks the ball up a lot and even move slowly in the half court set. I think this is where people get the idea of the game being "sluggish".

If you simply go to the cpu's team and raise the game tempo it fixes this for the most part. Lowering crash boards and/or raising fast breaks will make them much more aggressive on every rebound and steal.

I know it sucks to have to adjust the cpu settings but I do it anyway so they don't guard everyone on regular b/c there is no "auto" setting for pressure. Just makes for a more challenging and realistic game. Trying it again now and I'm even getting the Spurs to fast break, lol.

[Padgoi]

Re: Game Tempo (NBA2k3)

wwharton, fast breaking isnt the problem. The problem is the computer's defense sucks. I just dont lose. It's way too easy. I wish it were harder. I have tinkered with everything but nothing works. I think I may just get ID 2003.

[fflix]

Re: Game Tempo (NBA2k3)

messing with the cpu's coaching settings has improved my gameplay experience, but do i need to reset it each time i play? it seems like the coaching settings (mine and the cpu's)are reset for each game. is there something im not doing right?

[neovsmatrix]

Re: Game Tempo (NBA2k3)

Yeah, you've got to reset it everytime you play. Not worth the trouble, IMHO. You'd think that maybe included with the roster updates would actually be TEAM updates so that certain teams that run the break better this year would be improved in that category and stuff. Or that the AI would adjust dynamically to the way you're playing the game.

[wwharton]

Re: Game Tempo (NBA2k3)

Actually it makes sense that you have to do it every game. Each team has their own personal settings so if you want to change one team's setting it wouldn't effect the other team.

After further review I think the CPU may ignore this crap anyway, lol. Watching the CPU vs CPU games they were flying all over the place. Playing against the CPU with similar settings was different...I think it goes back to the default so if a team already has similar settings to the ones i mentioned it helps but not enough teams do. I'd still recommend altering the pressure and double teams for the CPU. You can't really complain about a game being too easy if you want to keep playing it but won't do something that you know will make it at least a little more challenging.

[neovsmatrix]

Re: Game Tempo (NBA2k3)

Actually, you can. I expect the AI to do a good job in terms of playing fundamental defense. NBA 2k3 doesn't have this. ID 2003 does it. I'm not willing to play games that just seem so damn "manufactured" to me. Games where I have to manage both the AI and mine are just not fun, besides, if I knew how the AI is going to play me I can easily beat it. I like the idea of finding out my star player's being doubled everytime so I might as well try to pass more with my star player rather than force shots and stuff like that. If you adjust the AI's defense, that element of strategy is taken away.

[wwharton]

Re: Game Tempo (NBA2k3)

The most important part of my post was you can't complain about a game being too easy if you want to keep playing it and won't do something that will make it at least a little harder.

Sounds like you don't want to keep playing it so stop. You make some really get points which for the most part I agree with but you make those points about 10 times a day and sound angry in each one. If it's THAT BAD then stop playing the game and you won't have to talk about it anymore.

[neovsmatrix]

Re: Game Tempo (NBA2k3)

Uh, no. I won't stop playing it until I see no way of improving the game for me. Maybe ID 2003 is a better game, I'll find out this weekend. But I like NBA 2k3. I like the presentation and just about everything except for some glaring flaws.

the defensive AI. How could they overlook this? I know reviewers don't point out the flaws in NBA 2k3. And most people who enjoy NBA 2k3 won't be willing to point out the flaws in the game. How the hell will it get better then?

There are some games where I actually enjoy playing NBA 2k3, but at the same time there are things that tick me off about it. The defense is just what's so wrong about this game, and players seem to be making excuses for the inadequacies of NBA 2k3 on the defensive end. There's no way the user should be forced to manually adjust the AI's settings every time he plays the game. I thought sliders would have been a problem for the game, but they're not. However, there is such a thing as making a game WAY too customizable by requiring the user to do what he pleases with defensive settings and tempo, fast break and crash board sliders, whether intentional or not.

I have no problems with fast breaking on my own. I have a problem with the AI being unable to fast break when they should though. I have a problem with the AI playing defense that's considered "good" just because the defensive AI is decent (barely) at keeping their defenders in front of the offensive player. That's all their defense amounts to, considering they don't play zone (well, it's depending on the team but I'm considering those that don't play zone) yet have a great defensive rating and are exposed defensively for being unable to guard and make adjustments to your play effectively. I'll keep ranting about this, hoping that Visual Concepts will read this eventually and do what they need to to fix the game. I really do like NBA 2k3, but the defense really pisses me off.

By the way, I'm not trying to bash NBA 2k3 or anything. My post comes off as angry because I'm not going to make excuses for NBA 2k3's problems. I'm just pointing out the problems with the game and how I just think that your suggestions for having a good challenging game is something that exhibits what's so wrong with NBA 2k3.

However, I do have a question for you: Do you manage the AI's settings throughout the game? or do you just set them from the beginning? Like always double teaming a superstar and stuff like that?

[wwharton]

Re: Game Tempo (NBA2k3)

First, I don't know if you can tell but I agree with you. I've said it a couple of times. My point is you make the same point over and over again. My suggestions were ways of helping the problem. It's something I've done since back in the days of Live 95, and if I find a more realistic way (which I think this is compared to changing a bunch of sliders every game) I'll post that too.

Basically I just wonder why you rant about this in every post that's trying to help.

As for your question I just do it at the beginning of the game. If it's getting rediculous I may go in mid game and make changes but that rarely happens b/c I'll just move the ball around or call different plays.

Personally I've never played a basketball game that remained challenging AND realistic for too long no matter the level so unfortunately I'm not that surprised, but it's pretty close so I'll keep trying different things. The only real answer is multi-play so in a couple of weeks I may just trash my franchise all together and stay online.

[thejake]

Re: Game Tempo (NBA2k3)

i agree with you too neo. i enjoy the game a lot but i feel the same way you do. the fact is every sports game has flaws. if i play madden or ncaa football i have gotten to the point that i can dominate a game. i blow out the cpu more in football games then i do in basketball games. maybe next year they will get it right but until then i will try to enjoy this one.

[neovsmatrix]

Re: Game Tempo (NBA2k3)

Sorry, I'm just obsessed with the problem. I've seen better defense from the other games, and considering NBA 2k3 is so much of a "sim" I expected them to have good defense. They've made vast improvements over NBA 2k2, but they still haven't addressed some critical problems which I'm hoping they do for next year. I know that Visual Concepts browses the Operation Sports forums, and I'm just hoping that somehow they'll come upon my posts regarding the defensive ineptitude in NBA 2k3 and strive to correct that for the next game, which I already can't wait for.

[thejake]

Re: Game Tempo (NBA2k3)

i hope you are putting all this in the wish list forum too.