by Christopherson on Fri May 12, 2006 8:52 am
So I just got done playing a game, and boy am I dissapointed. Is it just me, or does the last minute of a game completely SUCK. I think i'll just make my complaints in a random list type form:
1) The CPU needs WAY better end game logic. It's terrible. I mean they were down 6 with 45 seconds left, and the point guard stood at the top of the key and dribbled in place for 15 seconds, nobody on the team even moved. Then they jacked up a crazy three, and when I got the rebound, fouled in desperation. Where was that desperation when they were standing around with their heads up their bums? If the CPU would have decent end game logic, they wouldnt have to cheat like it does now. I just wanna see the CPU team run a play for a quick three, or when they are down 6 with a minute left rather than intentional foul right away, wait and try and force a steal, or for the ball to go to the hands of a poor free throw shooter. I mean at least wait five seconds before you choose to foul a 90% free thow shooter. This bugs the crap out of me. They just apply some stupid formula. I mean I'll be up two with 35 seconds left and dribble for 11 seconds and then they intentional foul when the clock hits 24 seconds. They dont even take into account that the shot clock will run out and as long as they rebound a missed shot, they will get the ball back. I mean either foul or dont foul. Dont go half way. OK, OK, I'm just venting now..... moving onward.
2) I had a player reach the 50 point mark in the last 2 minutes of this same game. Would it be so hard to have the announcers mention this? I mean even just something generic like "Wow what a night, this guy has poured in 50 points!" If you watch a real NBA game, when a guy gets above 40, they mention his point total after every point he scores, and show a little graphic about it. Is this too much to ask? I dont think so. The stat shoutouts appear to be completely random as it is now, and same with the graphics. I dont know how many times I've had a starter score a bucket, and then the "bench scoring" graphic pops up. How is that relevent to what just happened?
3) The whole intentional foul thing bugs the crap out of me. Where they so lazy that they could only make one annimation for this? In a close game of LIVE, there is usually like 5 or 6 intentional fouls at the end of a game, so why do we have to see the same stupid animation all of the time? And it is almost impossible to avoid the foul. I would like the option to at least take the risk of attempting a pass. I mean, the players just hold the ball if the guy is within 10 feet. And I HATE getting fouled when I'm up for with like 1.2 seconds left. Just concede victory damnit!!!
4) The CPU really needs to recognize garbage time too. I'm tired of blowouts and the CPU still acts like its a close game. They try and dribble out the clock and run a stall. Most NBA games when there is a blowout the benches clear and its a free for all the last couple of minutes, with guys trying to earn playing time or something other than a 10 day contract.
5) It is nearly impossible to get up a last second shot. As a matter of fact, in the game I just played, the CPU jacked up a 70 footer with about three seconds left, I mean it went out of bounds before the clock ran out. They should have been able to get up a decent shot on the other side of half court, at least. And would it be so hard to use a different animation for half court shots. How many NBA players shoot a jumper form 85 feet? Even NBA Jam had a different animation for this. Also, you should be able to get a shot off if you have quick fingers in just under 1 second. Often times, I will have 2.5 seconds left and cant get a shot up.
Anyways, these are a few suggestion that I think would REALLY improve the game. I would rather they made improvements on these kinds of things and left the graphics nearly exactly as is. I'm not too worried about getting a next-gen port for the PC, most people dont even have a graphics card that would support it. They need to go about making the game more fun to PLAY, not more fun to LOOk AT. You can only look at the game for so long before it gets boring.
To quote Andrew, these types of things "dont make me want to try harder, they make me want to turn the game off!"
