Basketball is my favorite sport to watch, and the only one I know how to play well in real life. However, I can't help but be frustrated by basketball video games. From my first one my parents bought me in 1991 to 2010.
I'm not sure if this is by fault of any designers. I think the fatal flaw is this: all other sports video games follow a stict format, whereas basketball is entirely up to the user(s) during every second of the game. Baseball: 3 outs and you will switch to the "other side" of the sport. You're the batter, or the pitcher, or an outfielder. No monkey business. Football: same principle. Basketball: Run around in circles until an open dunk presents itself.
I'm not sure what can be done to remedy this. It's not like anyone wants to play a timing-based basketball game where the game plays itself out under it's own terms, and is a timing game where you pass when the "X" button illuminates and if you time everything right you win and the package on screen looks identical to a TV broadcast. But then again, sometimes I feel like too much control is given to the user. So much so that it doesn't flow naturally, doesn't resemble what I watch on TV.
I have never liked football or baseball, but became a casual fan after getting addicted to their video games. There's a chess match going on there. It's cerebral. Unless there's an obvious weakness/exploit, the smarter person with the most cunning plan will prevail. Not so in basketball videogameland.
If you want to dunk or lay it up Suns style at least every other possession, you can - I've seen it online, with this game, and every other basketball game I've ever played. It's not fun. It's not smart. I just beat someone online by 1 point after being down by 15 the whole game. I did it out of frustration by dunking every play as that's how my opponent took the initial lead in the first quarter. I took no joy in this win, or any joy during any of the 35 minutes spent playing.
In football, a game I hardly cared about before video games - winning a come behind is f$(@*# awesome. I feel like I earned it. Even winning without a miracle finish feels rewarding. I worked for it, I planned it, I executed, I rule! Basketball....an indifferent "meh." Football however, some games are so dramatic and mentally exhausting I could literally get a beer and would be willing to watch a replay of the game I just played this time just as a fan/observer of what unfolded. Basketball, yeah right - run up run down, up by 2, tied, repeat. One of the biggest problems is that when open jumpers don't go in, a player starts to see that a dunk is the highest statistical chance of scoring. Then the game company counters with "missed dunks" and more turnovers and while it slows that thought down, it's ridiculously unreal, and more importantly doesn't add value.
In other sports there's always something "smart" to do to counter the opposition. For example, I'm playing MLB The Show 09 and my opponent is swinging and hitting my high fast balls hard. Now I start throwing junk up high and he swings and strikes out. Then he adjusts. So now I throw curve balls that look way way high like junk fastballs - but end up as strikes. This is the mental grind of outsmarting your opponent. I ask this, is it just inherent in basketball's nature to lack a component such as this? Must basketball just be a game I take great joy in playing and winning in real life, but stays confined as a real world only exercise?
I bought Live 10 as the first basketball game I've bought in years. I'm really impressed with the offball controls, and at least pre-patch, the fact that Grant Hill, open, from 15 feet would 99% hit the jump shot. This to me was the first step in overcoming "I score, you score." For a few weeks at least with the game, I felt like I was being rewarded for executing real life ball. Good start.
Please don't be rude - as I explained this isn't inherent to just the Live series. Let me have it though. What are your thoughts? What could be changed? Do you feel the same way? Is there something you just can't put your finger on about basketball video games that lacks an intense mental challenge? I don't want to hear "play sim people online." A "cheeser" shouldn't be able to beat a "sim" in any game.
I'm not sure if this is by fault of any designers. I think the fatal flaw is this: all other sports video games follow a stict format, whereas basketball is entirely up to the user(s) during every second of the game. Baseball: 3 outs and you will switch to the "other side" of the sport. You're the batter, or the pitcher, or an outfielder. No monkey business. Football: same principle. Basketball: Run around in circles until an open dunk presents itself.
I'm not sure what can be done to remedy this. It's not like anyone wants to play a timing-based basketball game where the game plays itself out under it's own terms, and is a timing game where you pass when the "X" button illuminates and if you time everything right you win and the package on screen looks identical to a TV broadcast. But then again, sometimes I feel like too much control is given to the user. So much so that it doesn't flow naturally, doesn't resemble what I watch on TV.
I have never liked football or baseball, but became a casual fan after getting addicted to their video games. There's a chess match going on there. It's cerebral. Unless there's an obvious weakness/exploit, the smarter person with the most cunning plan will prevail. Not so in basketball videogameland.
If you want to dunk or lay it up Suns style at least every other possession, you can - I've seen it online, with this game, and every other basketball game I've ever played. It's not fun. It's not smart. I just beat someone online by 1 point after being down by 15 the whole game. I did it out of frustration by dunking every play as that's how my opponent took the initial lead in the first quarter. I took no joy in this win, or any joy during any of the 35 minutes spent playing.
In football, a game I hardly cared about before video games - winning a come behind is f$(@*# awesome. I feel like I earned it. Even winning without a miracle finish feels rewarding. I worked for it, I planned it, I executed, I rule! Basketball....an indifferent "meh." Football however, some games are so dramatic and mentally exhausting I could literally get a beer and would be willing to watch a replay of the game I just played this time just as a fan/observer of what unfolded. Basketball, yeah right - run up run down, up by 2, tied, repeat. One of the biggest problems is that when open jumpers don't go in, a player starts to see that a dunk is the highest statistical chance of scoring. Then the game company counters with "missed dunks" and more turnovers and while it slows that thought down, it's ridiculously unreal, and more importantly doesn't add value.
In other sports there's always something "smart" to do to counter the opposition. For example, I'm playing MLB The Show 09 and my opponent is swinging and hitting my high fast balls hard. Now I start throwing junk up high and he swings and strikes out. Then he adjusts. So now I throw curve balls that look way way high like junk fastballs - but end up as strikes. This is the mental grind of outsmarting your opponent. I ask this, is it just inherent in basketball's nature to lack a component such as this? Must basketball just be a game I take great joy in playing and winning in real life, but stays confined as a real world only exercise?
I bought Live 10 as the first basketball game I've bought in years. I'm really impressed with the offball controls, and at least pre-patch, the fact that Grant Hill, open, from 15 feet would 99% hit the jump shot. This to me was the first step in overcoming "I score, you score." For a few weeks at least with the game, I felt like I was being rewarded for executing real life ball. Good start.
Please don't be rude - as I explained this isn't inherent to just the Live series. Let me have it though. What are your thoughts? What could be changed? Do you feel the same way? Is there something you just can't put your finger on about basketball video games that lacks an intense mental challenge? I don't want to hear "play sim people online." A "cheeser" shouldn't be able to beat a "sim" in any game.
It's easy to tell if your opp is someone who only tries to get to the rim. If that's the case then just sag off like crazy and go into your settings and set the pressure to "loose" for everyone. I've been able to hold LBJ in check with the Knicks more than once, so you def can stop people.
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