Realism & Competition in 2000

[mortalsoul3]

Set Gameplay skill level to Superstar [on Start Screen]

Check CPU Assist [in Options Menu]

Uncheck Illegal Defense [in Rules Menu]

Therein lie the keys to turning Live 2000 into the most challenging, realistic contemporary basketball sim game in the history of the Western World. As most longtime participants in this forum can attest, I've been playing 2000 for more than five years -- playing it regularly, successfully, and often excessively. With the above settings, and using the 30th ranked squad in Franchise Mode, I'm soon to complete a season with a likely winning percentage of less than .400, far short of the playoffs and with the highest likelihood of garnering the first pick in the draft lottery. In say 30 or 40 prior franchise seasons played, I've never before missed the playoffs. Never even come close, in fact.

Just a heads up. Try it.

MT

[alexboom]

You are a die hard player mortalsoul, I'm not really keen on CPU Assist, because it brings to some unreal situations IE Shaq on fire hitting 3's after 3's

Anyway, you are really courageous to accept defeat so regulary

[axare]

I really hate the CPU assist...

[mortalsoul3]

Alex --

I agree with you on the ridiculous end-of-game scenarios and the ludicrous cpu comebacks created by the CPU Assist option. No doubt there are times when I'm legitimately beating a cpu team wherein the computer (not the cpu team, but the program itself) will prevent me from doing certain things defensively, or force me to turn the ball over to facillitate my squad's "collapse." But I'd become so unbeatable at the game that I found checking CPU Assist as the only means to go about affecting consistent competition. Now, I'm interested in seeing how long it will take for me to build my 30th Ranked Franchise Mode team into a contendor.

MT

[twsmith]

MortalSoul,

Thanks for that. I hate CPU Assist, too, so I did one other thing to keep the game competitive: importing legends into the roster created teams, then starting a fantasy league via draft.

I set the "IsHistoric" attribute to "F" so that these guys would indeed retire , and changed their birth dates, years of experience, draft years, etc., to match today's players. It is awesome!

Just a sample of who I added to the league: Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Kareem, Bob Pettit, Elvin Hayes, Wes Unseld, Willis Reed, Pete Maravich, Tiny Archibald, Walt Frazier, Isiah Thomas, Oscar Robinson... many others. I get to play the legends versus today's stars over seasons (settling the Shaq/Wilt debate).

My current starting five (Atlanta Hawks): S. O'Neal, A. McDyess, R. McLeod, John Havlicek, Mike Bibby; sixth man = P. Gasol.... Two-time defending champs over Golden State's Kareem, Dave Cowens, Jalen Rose, "Pearl" Monroe, Jason Terry.

[mortalsoul3]

Cool. Keep us posted on your franchise's progress.

BTW, Kareem was a better, greater 5 than Shaq & Wilt, & Wilt cared about hoop in a team setting more than Shaq does. Have to credit the Stilt for that.

Wilt's ego was overrated -- his midlife crisis "20,000 babe" commentary notwithstanding -- & Shaq's ego is commonly underrated. How many dynasties & potential dynasties has Shaq's self-absorbed, slothful mentality crushed? How many coaches has he chased out of big cities? With how many budding superstars has he warred unecessarily, childishly?

I'm done. Good luck w/your Super Hawks. Just keep the muzzle on "the Diesel."

MT.