Dunks 'n Threes -- no midrange game?

I'm a huge hoops fan with a very short memory -- I've keep buying NBA Live series games (sine '95) looking for a good NBA simulation and keep getting burned.

I'm on superstar mode using some of the "recommended-for-realism" sliders I found in this forum. It only took about 3 or 4 practice games to figure out the controls and now I can win 100% of the time. My dynasty team is 20-0 so far, and I'm getting bored. With freestyle, post-up moves, and pro-hop, I either get to the rim for an easy dunk or kick it out for a wide-open three. I shoot at least 70% most games. The "shot-displays" after the game are a joke -- usually about 80 points in the paint, and another 40 beyond the arc, with nothing in-between.

I've tried to force myself to stop exploiting the overpowered low-post game and focus more on midrange jumpers, but it's futile. Even if I get the first step on my opponent and pull up for a jumper, all the defender has to do is jump anywhere in my vacinity and my shooting percentage will drop to the mid 20s. Sure, I can make it an ugly game where both teams shoot in the mid 30s... But it's still not very exciting, because there's nothing to stop me (besides self-restraint) from going back to the low-post and milking it for another free dunk whenever I need it. There's no risk of losing.

I guess dunks 'n threes are sexier than pulling up for a mid-range J, but it makes the game extremely one-dimensional. Has anyone experienced similar problems, and do they have any suggestions? I'm getting close to giving up on yet another NBA Live title (but at least I only spent $15 this time!)

Come on, you have got sliders, tweak them. Live 2005 has very nice midrange game, in teamplay and also on personal one-player-show level, and always I start using some tactic too much I tweak the settings so that it isnt that effective anymore.

This is what sliders are for, these saved NHL series and are saving NBA Live.

Exactly, people complain about the game but the game is what you make of it with your sliders. Just turn down your outside shooting & dunks. Increase some of your midrange sliders, if you give the CPU an open lane, then you can't expect them not to dunk it, right?

Defense is reasonably fun & challenging. I have to work hard on superstar mode to keep the CPU at around 45% shooting (I have to constantly switch players to make myself the on-the-ball defender and challenge shots). The CPU takes a nice variety of different shots...no complaints here.

I guess my problem is on offense with freestyle, low-post moves (spins), and pro-hop I can get to the rim almost every time. It's not like the dunks themselves have a high degree of difficulty -- tuning down the dunk rating won't help -- It's just really, really to beat the CPU defender off the dribble once you master the controls.

I guess I'll experiment more with sliders and turn down all the freestyle stuff so that I can't beat my defender... I'm just worried that if I do that, not only will I have fewer dunks but I won't be able to create any space for jumpers, either. Is *anyone* out there playing NBA Live games with 12 minute quarters and a gameflow thatresembles a real NBA game (variety of shots, realistic stats, good offensive execution, challenging) ? Or is this just an arcade game..?

I have to disagree with you that the post game is easy. Yes points in the paint are easy but that's mostly dunks and lay-ups. I find it hard to believe you're shooting a high percentage off your post-up game on Superstar because on that level blocks and shots missed for no reason are rediculous. Now I'm sure you can when with a post player if you're playing using a style they don't use in real life like a lot of dribbling and spinning inside. But you're not bout to score simply by using Shaq by posting up, making the man up until you get in good range, and then one spin inside or the baseline and a hook or short jumper. I have no problem on starter. But on Superstar the block shots or easy shots missed off the back down are just BS.

But you're right bout the mid-range jumpers. There are just not enough of them if you don't tweak sliders, which the important sliders can't be changed online. I think you might try playing at slower game speed and try not running around so much. I usually turn my jumper blocking down and my mid-range and short range sliders up. You might also try zooming out some so you can see the court a little better. Don't be scared to pump. And you are allowed to shoot a jumper after freestyling. It's not just for getting a dunk. I've played some guys online. Some how they've mastered being able to rub off a guy just enough to get an open jumper or just running around until someone is open. A lot of times the game double teams when you don't tell it to, and I've seen them pass ir back and forth between two players until one is open.

Not enough midrange? Then try some Id suggest, dont try to pull down below, get men open in midrange (there are many options to do that if screened right) and pull off those midrangers. Houston makes this every time. Perhaps Im too obsessed with MJ gameplay during his later years in bulls and in wizards, where he screened himself open or just faked the defender, but I usually do a midranger when Im open and do not try and force it down below. As someone said, down low shots dont go in easy if someone stays in your way and plenty of fouls can be called. I prefer an open midranger to crowded lay-up.

But the golden line of this thread was by Jackal:

"Exactly, people complain about the game but the game is what you make of it with your sliders."

AS far as your shooting goes you can force it down to impossible level, or up it up to very easy one. Aka, there must be a level for different playing styles somewhere in there. Try this out for sure.

Also another thing. Dont force the game. There is a point where frustration may become forcing your game doing some move that leaved AI at disadvantage. Realize that there is not a single AI that has passed the test of Turing nowadays, aka computer is never as smart as you are. Computer CAN take advantage of you because its his court you are playing, but it cant "learn" to adobt itself to your strategy, and this is where you need to help him.

And play the game by the game and not by the possible rules of computer simulation. AS was said before, dont play unrealistically, dont just dribble on the court, make it enjoyable to yourself. PLay like you see it on TV; even roleplay if that suits you. This makes the game so fun to live by through the entire season while the next installment of Live comes along.

yea i c wat ur sayin, i had the same problem. i can easily shoot 60% if i want to, but its kinda wrong to say "shooting", cause wat i really do is "dunking"

every couple minutes i hav this obsession to check the shot display to make sure im playin fair, cause the comp shoots very realistically... so i try to shoot mid ranger's and a lot of times i miss them but u kno what? in a real game not every shiot goes in. im happy if i shoot 47%, cause tahts a normal, u cud even say high, % for nba. dont get frustrated at shooting in the mid 40's cause its realistic

also... by getting more mid range jumpers, u hav to MOVE THE BALL... penetrate, dish, pass, pass, pass, shoot. i guarantee u will get jumpers. run a play or something, or even on the fastbreak its very easy to pull up for the J.

ALso it aint easy to dunk all the time. First, you need a strong player to abuse the opponent this way, and a team like houston with TMac (his great penetration) or Kobe, play with those, adjust slighters so that they wouldnt get more than 10 points from dunks (or less if you prefer, but I meant 10 points out of 100 in team total), or centres not out of 16 (these are stars Im talking about, but you could go for a "regular game" not more than 3 dunks by a star per game and not more than 5 for a centre). If you get sliders into that level A) its still possible to penetrate if lucky but B) not all the time, so it lets you have a choice, finding Jones at a three or LeBron in inside paint ready for an easy shooter.

Try putting your dunk slider at 20!! with this setting I find that dunking is to a minimum & only the "star" dunkers actually dunk, unless others are on an open rush they usally lay-up...

Ok, so you can beat the computer. You've mastered only one aspect of the game. Try it against another guy who knows how to exploit dunks and threes, and see what happens when both of you unleash your full games. You'll have to find a new edge because he'll have all the same tricks you have.

Folks, NBA Live is a decent simulation of real basketball. But it's also a tremendous platform for head to head video game basketball duels.

Ok, so you've mastered beating the computer. Here's another computer beating master. Now what?

Ok, so you can beat the computer. You've mastered only one aspect of the game. Try it against another guy who knows how to exploit dunks and threes, and see what happens when both of you unleash your full games. You'll have to find a new edge because he'll have all the same tricks you have.

Folks, NBA Live is a decent simulation of real basketball. But it's also a tremendous platform for head to head video game basketball duels.

Ok, so you've mastered beating the computer. Here's another computer beating master. Now what?

Well the original post sounds a lot like playing against another human. There are a lot dunks and threes but not a lot of mid-range. HEad-to-head is more realistic because you can adjust all sliders. Online too many players just run around or do a lot of spinning and just go inside.

Like I said I have seen some guys master rubbing off a guy a little and hitting shots with just that much room, but I'm not sure if they're using freestyle or not. But most guys I've seen hit a lot of mid-range running around until the defense just can't rotate anymore. Or they just keep passing back and forth between two players to exploit the game double-teaming or you moving around a man yourself leaving someone open. There are a lot of dunks. Now I don't know bout an easy low post game but there a lot of dunks and a lot of transition plays. The game moves so fast sometimes it's hard keep up on defense.