Dunks & Layups

[Andrew]

Add more soft dunks. NBA Live 2001 had its share of problems, but one of its great features was dunk animations. Add these to the more powerful and spectacular array of dunks in NBA Live 2003 (retaining the less powerful dunks from Live 2003 as well).

Reduce frequency of dunks. In NBA Live 2003, players who can dunk throw it down too often. NBA Live 2002 was fairly realistic in this regard, though post players dunked too often. Perhaps make a player's dunking frequency (and probability of making dunks) also rely on how tired the player is.

Improve blocking of dunks and layups. Blocks in general need to be improved, but this is one area in particular I feel should be addressed. I don't mean the old days of NBA Live 96 (easily block a dunk or layup, just stand in the lane and press jump) but the inability to block layups especially accounts for too many easy points in the paint. Similarly, the ease of executing a dunk makes interior defenders useless. Obviously blocking a dunk should not be easy, but shotblockers should prevent players from being able to easily execute a dunk (and make it).

Restrict dunk package in 5 on 5 mode. Between-the-legs dunks and behind the back dunks look cool, and are great for rubbing it in during 1 on 1 or as an easter egg in Practice Mode, they're not all that frequent in NBA games. Additionally, the more difficult and spectacular dunks should be harder to execute, and more easily missed in traffic. NBA Live 2003 has a fairly good dunk selection, but at times the players are a little unrealistic in their execution of dunks (360s in traffic, etc.)

Remove the crashing sound effect. Superficial I know, but I thought I'd mention it anyway, as it does make the game arcadeish.

Though dunks and layups are a small element of the game, I feel that these issues (well, the first three) are contributing to the high scores that we realism fans get irritated by - though I'll admit, they can make the game fun (especially 2 player games), so perhaps leave them in as an Arcade Mode.

[Nick]

Hmm...i had some thoughts on this subject one day...
Well, it's not really a wish...it's kinda like telling them the way to run things...

Here's a few rough thoughts...haven't really thought it threw very well...but you can make something out of this...
I thought a dunk engine kind of thing would work...

Three sets of ratings, "Freestyle dunking", "Force dunking" & "Dunk"

Freestyle Dunking -- Techincal stuff...Kobe and T-mac kind of dunks...the higher the rating...the more technical they can be...

Force Dunking -- Some players only do ordinary dunks, Like shawn bradley, cherokee parks...they just throw it down mormally...the higher this rating the harder they throw it down...

Dunk -- simply dunk probability...the higher this rating the more often they dunk.


Now, i think this would work better if they impleneted something that makes them do the technical kind of dunks on fast breaks only. And the force dunks are done in the paint.

What do you think? this could be polished up into a mice feature i think...

[Andrew]

I think a system like that is along the lines of what I'm hoping for, though I'd have the dunks depend on the Dunking rating, the Jumping rating, the Dunk Package and probably the Strength rating would come into play as well.

Dunk Package would of course control the amount and type of dunks a player can execute. This would be moderated by the Dunking and Jumping ratings. These ratings would determine how often a player could make difficult and spectacular dunks, and whether they could dunk in traffic.

Additionally, the AI should be aware you are trying to dunk in traffic, hence players with lower ratings would not succeed as often at dunking on defenders - or would not succeed at all.

Collision detection could help in ensuring that spectacular dunks come only when a player has enough space to perform them. If there is not enough space or a clear enough path to perform a certain dunk, then it should not be executed. If a player comes over after you start to attempt such a dunk, then a collision will likely occur, just as in real life.

It basically comes down to the dunks being less random, which means they are either forced by the user perhaps through the use of Freestyle, or being determined by position of the player and surrounding defenders.

And to incorporate layups into the picture, when a dunk cannot be performed (as the player's ratings will not allow it), then a layup will be executed. I guess that might call for the introduction of a "dunking frequency" rating as well, if the Dunking rating is to control the player's ability to successfully complete dunks.