Something that would be cool for online play...

[UnusualMattyB]

I was thinking about some possible cool options for this whole, "skill based" type of play for NBA Elite 11. Wouldn't it be pretty sweet if you were categorized for online play based on how you played in 5 on 5 games online? For example, you focus more on rebounding, being a big man and dunks or outside shooting...your profile is a "Bruiser" or "Finesse"(If you try to make tough layups or dunks) or "shooting big man" (If you shoot a lot from outside).
Same goes for a guard type player, "Spot up shooter" or "Slasher" or "Ball hog" or "Distributer". I think it would bring a cool aspect to Team Play online to where you could almost go into a "free agent" world and look for a "slasher" for putting a team together online and those types of players are ranked.
I'm getting pretty excited for NBA Elite ...just thought that would be a cool addition to Team Online Play.

[Andrew]

Yeah, that could be quite useful. Anyone who gets a "ball hog" label might have a tough time latching on but that's probably for the best; so long as it's decided fairly.

As I've mentioned before I'm not really an online player but another thing I'd like to see incorporated is a sportsmanship rating similar to what they've done with other EA titles, where you lose points for cheesy play and actions that would be considered unsportsmanlike in real life (like running up the score, not running out the clock when the game is out of reach) and earn them for acts of good sportsmanship (taking out your starters, not attempting a shot when you're winning big and you've got the ball with less than 24 seconds left in the game, etc).

[Axel The Great]

Yeah, I think that's a good idea UnusualMattyB, because I'm getting tired of getting paired up with ball hoggers in team play.

Andrew, your idea is a good one too, because just the other day my team was losing by 6 with like 10 seconds left, so a guy from the other team just got the ball and dunked it without wasting any clock. Maybe he was scared that we would still intentionally foul him, but either way, we had already given up.

[Andrew]

That situation's not so bad, truth be told. I'm talking more about not dribbling out the clock when you're up 20 or some other insurmountable lead. A steal, a foul and missed free throws, a couple of threes and you're right back in that game so in that situation it's not so bad. That kind of thing, though.

[UnusualMattyB]

Yeah, the sportsmanship issue is a big one. I've had guys on my team firing up shots from half court just be "funny" or constantly pausing the game...it was semi annoying.
I'm just ready for some sort of label placed on players so you know what you are getting into. Maybe on the pre-game lobby, where teams are being chosen, you can see what style of player they are. Or after a player is rated, you can see their rating...sort of like how you can see if you want to work with someone on ebay based on their previous transactions rating.
Either way, I hope online gameplay has a few better options in it in NBA Elite 11.

[Andrew]

Indeed and aside from my enthusiasm for Dynasty Mode, those kind of experiences are what turn me away from online play. Not that everything has to be Serious Business, but one or two people ruining it for everyone else and mucking around when everyone else just wants to play the game does not qualify as having fun...at least, not for the majority who are there to play the game and not just mess around or spoil other people's fun.

Punishing quitters in the fourth quarter is the other thing I'd like to see happen.

[Axel The Great]

I hate when people quit out in Adidas Live Run. If you lose, you lose. You were man enough to go into a game, you should be man enough to lose it, plain and simple.

[Andrew]

Exactly. I've had some bad losses in online play and it's not all that fun playing out those last few minutes but I've gotten myself into that position fair and square. There are cheesers out there of course and it sucks to lose to someone playing that way but when you've just been outplayed, the sporting thing to do is just play it out, maybe ask for a rematch.

[Axel The Great]

Exactly, you should go into a game knowing that you're probably not gonna win, so whatever happens, just play it through, it's just an online game, I'm sure everyone plays millions of them in their lifetime, so you're probably gonna forget about it.

[Andrew]

I don't know if I'd put it like that, I think you'd have to have more confidence in your abilities. But I agree with what you're getting at, someone's going to win and someone's going to lose and in every game, so there's a distinct possibility you're going to be the one on the wrong side of the score when it's all said and done. If you don't want to play fair, don't play.

The problem with punishing people for quitting or intentional disconnection errors is that a few legitimate connection problems/console lock-ups could potentially be punished as well. I'd probably handle it like this:

- If a player quits or disconnects their Internet connection when they are losing, it counts as a forfeit and they get the loss with the other player getting the win. To account for legitimate connection errors, you could give everyone a pass for the first quarter; while it will still allow for bad sportsmanship in the first quarter, I'd say most sore losers quit much later and if you've only played one quarter it's not as bad as having someone quit on you late in the fourth.

- Treat quitters a little more harshly than disconnection errors as it's a bit harder to prove that a disconnection error isn't legit and there certainly will be some legitimate cases. Emphasise the "Did not finish" score a little more and automatically file a report, perhaps list games quit in the player's stats/player card as a warning to other users. And as before, assign a loss whenever they do it.

- Similar to eBay, allow feedback to be mutually withdrawn or the complaint erased/foregone if the other player agrees to it. For example, say someone has to quit the game due to an emergency or time constraints (or for the younger gamers out there, because their parents told them to turn it off ), it would be handy to be able to pause the game when you have the ball and send a quick message through to the other player explaining you need to leave and you'll accept the loss (maybe there could be some pre-programmed messages or you could have your own custom ones) from quitting. You forfeit the game, the other player gets the win and it's much more amicable than the people who flat out quit because they're bad sports.

[Axel The Great]

Today I played in team play, two people were on my team, and I got to be D-Wade. Well, one of them was hesitant in picking after I picked Wade. He quit before the game started. Really, quitting just because you didn't get to be the player you wanted? That's just dumb. I like using backcourt players, but I've had to settle for being a PF/C, and never whined about it.

Also, what I meant in probably not winning, is that your skills might not match your opponents. I always go into a game trusting my abilities, not thinking that I will lose. And I've had to get disconnected before because my parents asked me to help them return some tables to the neighbors one time, I was kinda angry, because we were winning, but then again it was just Team USA vs Puerto Rico, so you can assume it was a blowout (and it was).

[Andrew]

It would be a bit harder to handle in team play, that's kind of between you and your teammates when you quit (unless you're the last person left controlling your team, then the suggestions I posted above would apply). One-on-one games really open themselves up to sore losers though since obviously all it takes is one player to quit to put an end to the matchup. I agree with what you're saying about picking this player or that though, some people really do get childish about these things.

[dascoot]

I too find it annoying when people quit on you in the fourth quarter. I don't get to play as much as others and I only have three starts. I am actually pretty good at pg, sg or sf. I am not too good at pf or c. Think of the worst rebounders at pf or c and that is me. I can score though and pass very well though. The best players i did good with were Mo Williams and Rashard Lewis.

[Andrew]

That's where squads/clubs come in handy, if you're playing with the same group of people consistently you can build some chemistry and each settle into roles based on your strengths and weaknesses.