Unused Features...

[EGarrett]

I've been playing Live 2004 since it came out last year. And among the advertised features...I've noticed that I've never found much use for the following features...

-The mid-air shot adjustment (your player does it automatically anyway)
-Off-ball control (I only use it to force certain players into the post when I don't have a handy play to put them there)

-Training camp and training sessions (I skip it EVERY time because it's just as likely to make your players worse as it is to improve them)
-Dynasty development points (I don't care.)

Does anyone else use these? Or were they just thin gimmicks? This is the type of thing that makes me wonder about some of the stuff in Live 2005.

[Tony]

the automatic shot adjustment is only done when your controlled player collides with the opponent... and those shots are usually low%... however, if you tap the shoot button in time while in air, you can avoid the contact as your controlled player floats and avoids in the direction you point your direction stick to... so no, it wasn't a marketing gimmick... it's actually one of the better new features.

as for the offball control... i use it on teams like the pacers, get control of reggie, and like in real life run around the court, get open, and drill some 3s...


the other two you listed i never even cared about.

[Colin]

I don't use the developing stuff, but I edited the training camp files to make it better. Now you get negative points for 10 or less, and the positives come at 20, and at 100 slotted for that part of the game the maximum points is 5. I hate the shot-adjust since the cpu just decides for you and it's impossible to go up strong. I have never purposely adjusted my shot. I use off-ball control a lot, basically every 2nd position I run Mike Redd around players to get open looks. And make players get where I want them.

[Andrew]

Apart from a simulated season where I basically tried out all of the Dynasty features, I've never purchased Dynasty Extras. I did go through with training camp in my Bulls Dynasty, and I will sometimes use Off-Ball control. I do manually adjust my shots fairly often.

[matmat8]

I don't even use the game anymore...

[madskillz]

obiously you still come here and post... interesting.

[Jay-Peso]

Let's keep on topic so we can stay away from flaming each other

Well, I barely ever use the change your shot in the air.

Besides that, there is nothing really.

I do use the Off the ball control sometimes but that is all I could think of

[Gripni]

I use off-ball a lot. I use adjusted shots occasionaly (once or twice in a game.) I do training camp, and I don't do dynasty extras.

[Cameron]

My opinions are pretty much word for word from what EGarrett said. Like exactly word for word, lol.

[Ruff Ryder]

I use all of them for the most part. I probably use the mid-air adjustment less than the rest of them.

[Donatello]

the only dynasty extra i will get is getting the team doctor. guys never stay hurt more than 2 weeks.

can someone help me and tell me what "off-ball control" or whatever is? i have never really tried to learn what it is. how do you do it? i have a clone of the logitech dual action.

[Andrew]

Pressing the Right Analog stick "button" will activate Off-Ball control. The CPU will take control of the ballhandler while you are free to switch between the other four players on the court. You can perform a few Freestyle moves (setting picks, spinning to the basket, side-stepping opponents and throwing fakes) before calling for a pass. You can also force the player with the ball to shoot.

[HonorGlow]

I totally use my Dynasty development points in tandem with the save/re-load opting out of the training patch that's offered(call me crazy) But I've seen guys go from 45 rating to 67 rating whereas not using it, I see guys only progress 5 rating points within 3 years.
Dynastry extras I use when I know I'm going to face a big team like Dallas(most people know what I mean in terms of my dislike for getting beat up by them)
Thanks for the tips on the midair adjustment…I will need to work on that now!

[Colin]

Does anyone else have a problem with off-ball control activating right away? Seems at least 2-3 times a game I press the button then the corresponding button to switch off to a player and it acts like I didn't press off-ball. I end up throwing a possesion away by shooting or passing into traffic. I know I'm pressing it because at the end of my last game it wouldn't work so I looked straight at my controller and pressed it, nothing.

[Andrew]

I've always had to hold the button in until Off-Ball control was activated. I guess it prevents the user from accidently activating it when they're using the right analog stick.

[Colin]

I suppose that makes sense if you have a controller like that, but I have mine set to a regular button, so

[Donatello]

Pressing the Right Analog stick "button" will activate Off-Ball control. The CPU will take control of the ballhandler while you are free to switch between the other four players on the court. You can perform a few Freestyle moves (setting picks, spinning to the basket, side-stepping opponents and throwing fakes) before calling for a pass. You can also force the player with the ball to shoot.

so when you release the right analog stick 'button', does the control go back to the original guy?

[Ruff Ryder]

Pressing the Right Analog stick "button" will activate Off-Ball control. The CPU will take control of the ballhandler while you are free to switch between the other four players on the court. You can perform a few Freestyle moves (setting picks, spinning to the basket, side-stepping opponents and throwing fakes) before calling for a pass. You can also force the player with the ball to shoot.

so when you release the right analog stick 'button', does the control go back to the original guy?

No. You either have to press the pass button or bress the analogue stick down again I think to go back to the original guy.

[Donatello]

thanks--i tried it out in-game, and i understand now.....it's very awkward, and will take a while to get used to

it could be deadly though

[Riot]

how do you set picks off the ball? Can you?

[Andrew]

If I recall correctly, you hold down on the right analog stick to set a pick when you're using Off-Ball control. I haven't used it much, I prefer to be the ballhandler on a pick and roll play, but I think it's sometimes effective.

[j.23]

man i use off ball control all the time.. use it mostly for backdoor cuts.. if it doesnt get me the basket, it gets me a lot of fouls most of the time which is good.

[Donatello]

i don't know if i'm doing anything wrong.....but i sure as hell can't get this to work.

in my dynasty, i give jason kidd the ball, and use off-ball to switch to desmond mason. i wait for a clear lane to the hoop, and drive, and toss the alley-oop, but mason (who is rated 95 on dunk) misses every single time. it just bounces off the rim. am i waiting too long to throw the pass? this even happens when i just position him under the hoop (Standing still) and throw the pass. If anyone has any tips, I'd appreciate it. Because this off-ball thing could be a very valuable tool if the dunks would just go down.

[point-guard]

dont dunk when many people are infront or 45 degree infront of u..they will mostly miss...dunking during a fast break will score most of the time

[Marv Albert]

mid air shot change is awesome. the player looks a bit retared when doing it tho unless hes goin up for a dunk then changes. off ball control is crap, its too hard to use and so is direct passing.