How To Balance Difficulty Levels?

[DatGD12guage]

We all know basketball is a game of runs, and in 2k(not the only game) the cpu gets attribute boosts instead of boosts in descision making.

I also noticed that in the higher difficulty levels fatigue runs out faster...well atleast for the user. I actually think Fatigue could be used to predicate difficulty.

When everybody on the floor is tired something could happen in the game that boosts the teams energy level and there you have a potential realistic run in a game, not attribute boosts just fatigue. 2k added these type of energy boost to the game based on different scenarios that play out with certain signature skills thus making users look for more opportunities to inspire their team and give them energy by actually attempting to draw more charges or make hustle plays.

Im saying instead of giving attribute boosts to the cpu to replicate difficulty on higher levels since fatigue does affect a players abilities and shot sucess for the user(play hall of fame difficulty on simulation settings and see how long your fatigue lasts lol) apply the same thing for the cpu and maybe just give them higher offensive awareness than the user on higher difficulties that seems to make them a little bit smarter.

All in all then you have a better game of runs and momentum shifts instead of their being 5 Michael Jordans on the court as i heard someone refer to it as being. This is a good way I think to replicate difficulty and the signatures skills we think are so unimportant will become that much more intriguing.

[Coach2K]

Mine isn't a popular view, but Its my opinion too many people spend more time explaining the guts of hall of fame mode as to why its unfair to them and not enough time realizing that regardless of boosts, fatigue or whatever you want to come up with, it doesn't matter you can still win by playing better than the CPU.

And that's the main issue. Getting better which takes considerable time and effort that people don't want to do.

Hall of fame mode should be tough as nails regardless of how they do it with the code.

The hard part of what you are saying is that you provide no examples of the players involved or the style of play. Maybe you were running your team like a race horse or maybe the players you were using have a tendency to fatigue faster.

And just because you've heard that the CPU plays like 5 Michael Jordan's doesn't make it so for every user.

Can all that be true? Sure it can.

My friends and I played team up against the hall of fame CPU and what's interesting about playing 5 humans vs the HOF cpu is that the CPU never subs and it doesn't get tired. Yet the five of us still managed to find ways to win on 12 minute quarters where fatigue is a factor for users and we would go 10 deep with the Pacers.

While my comments might seem overly critical of your post, my intent is not to diminish your theory but more to move the focus away from reasons not to play the HOF CPU and challenge people to not believe what you read about the mode and instead spend considerable time in it and figure out how to win.

People often mistake my encouragement to get better as some sort of arrogance that I somehow think I am better because I feel pretty strongly that people can get better and can beat the hof CPU.

But that's to misinterpret what my message is which is that tons and tons of you would certainly beat me yet I can beat the CPU regardless of anything written and if I can do it AND have great games, you are all certainly capable of doing it too.

I've also provided plenty of evidence to back it up with video and box scores if check the link in my sig.

[Sovartus]

The CPU players get a 5-7 point ratings boost with every level you go up past pro. Pro is the default difficulty setting where all the cpu players have their normal ratings. Changes in difficulty settings DO NOT affect human players other than decreasing shot release windows.

[DatGD12guage]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sovartus

The CPU players get a 5-7 point ratings boost with every level you go up past pro. Pro is the default difficulty setting where all the cpu players have their normal ratings. Changes in difficulty settings DO NOT affect human players other than decreasing shot release windows.

you might be right but if not difficulty then its the simulation settings that make the user tired quicker. Its very noticeable but not on the cpu side.

[DatGD12guage]

Quote: Originally Posted by www.Coach2K.com

Mine isn't a popular view, but Its my opinion too many people spend more time explaining the guts of hall of fame mode as to why its unfair to them and not enough time realizing that regardless of boosts, fatigue or whatever you want to come up with, it doesn't matter you can still win by playing better than the CPU. And that's the main issue. Getting better which takes considerable time and effort that people don't want to do. Hall of fame mode should be tough as nails regardless of how they do it with the code. The hard part of what you are saying is that you provide no examples of the players involved or the style of play. Maybe you were running your team like a race horse or maybe the players you were using have a tendency to fatigue faster. And just because you've heard that the CPU plays like 5 Michael Jordan's doesn't make it so for every user. Can all that be true? Sure it can. My friends and I played team up against the hall of fame CPU and what's interesting about playing 5 humans vs the HOF cpu is that the CPU never subs and it doesn't get tired. Yet the five of us still managed to find ways to win on 12 minute quarters where fatigue is a factor for users and we would go 10 deep with the Pacers. While my comments might seem overly critical of your post, my intent is not to diminish your theory but more to move the focus away from reasons not to play the HOF CPU and challenge people to not believe what you read about the mode and instead spend considerable time in it and figure out how to win. People often mistake my encouragement to get better as some sort of arrogance that I somehow think I am better because I feel pretty strongly that people can get better and can beat the hof CPU. But that's to misinterpret what my message is which is that tons and tons of you would certainly beat me yet I can beat the CPU regardless of anything written and if I can do it AND have great games, you are all certainly capable of doing it too. I've also provided plenty of evidence to back it up with video and box scores if check the link in my sig.

I totally understand where your coming from but dont get it twisted we know its possible to win on HOF difficulty BUT how do you win and what kind of experience did you have.

I guess it basically comes down to what kind of experience you want but IMO HOF challenges you in an unrealistic manner. I want to be able to justify why I was beat. You can do everything right on HOF and still lose b/c of certain things im not going to bring up but im sure you get the picture.

However im not trying to get into whats wrong with hall of fame or how to win on HOF im talking about a way to improve it thats all.

[Sovartus]

Quote: Originally Posted by DatGD12guage

you might be right but if not difficulty then its the simulation settings that make the user tired quicker. Its very noticeable but not on the cpu side.

Overuse of the sprint trigger/button makes your players tire faster. Moving up in difficulty level boosts the cpu player's ratings so that would probably include stamina as well so they wouldn't tire as fast and allow the CPU team to keep it's starters on the floor longer. This is to help a person achieve the "challenge" they need to balance whatever tactic they are using that the cpu isn't programmed to stop or sees as normal basketball behavior.

My experience over the multiple years of playing the game is, the more realistically someone plays the game, the less they need to bump the difficulty level. Remember, that is simply my experience. Yours could be totally different from mine.

[Sovartus]

By the way, I did a little more research and came up with some concrete results that will pretty much end it all. Switching to HOF DOES NOT affect the cpu players' stamina ratings but the changes to several attributes and overall ratings are ridiculous enough to make me question why anyone would want to play in this mode if they are looking for a "sim" experience.

Here are the cpu's player ratings on Pro:




Here are the CPU's player ratings when they are switched to HOF:



I'm just not a fan of HOF and never will be when playing against the computer.

[jersez]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sovartus

By the way, I did a little more research and came up with some concrete results that will pretty much end it all. Switching to HOF DOES NOT affect the cpu players' stamina ratings but the changes to several attributes and overall ratings are ridiculous enough to make me question why anyone would want to play in this mode if they are looking for a "sim" experience. Here are the cpu's player ratings on Pro: Here are the CPU's player ratings when they are switched to HOF: I'm just not a fan of HOF and never will be when playing against the computer.

Exactly, and with proper slider tweaks you can get a very realistic game.