How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Talk about any and all other basketball video games including NBA Jam, NBA Street, college basketball games, and more. General basketball video game discussion and comparison topics are also welcome here.

What kind of franchise gamer are you?

No trades unless they happen in real life...at least in year one
0
No votes
Fairly realistic, but taking some liberties here and there
7
70%
Wheeler and dealer; lots of transactions, realistic or not
1
10%
Fantasy Draft Enthusiast
1
10%
Custom leagues, such as mixes of current and historical teams
0
No votes
The crazier the league, the better!
1
10%
 
Total votes : 10

How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby Andrew on Wed Sep 14, 2016 5:06 pm

What kind of franchise gamer are you? How realistic do you like to be?

Obviously, the longer you play a game in a franchise mode, the less like the real NBA it's going to be. You generally have to accept that there's a certain amount of fantasy involved, and deviation from reality. However, while I have changed it up here and there by bringing certain players out of retirement and making my own trades, I like to keep things fairly realistic, albeit not exactly mimicking real life. I've found that too many wacky trades, running with a fantasy draft, or doing something else that's too out of the ordinary ends up ruining my enjoyment when the novelty wears off. I'm not saying they're not fun ideas, just that they're generally not for me. I make my own experience, but I like to ground it somewhat in reality.
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby [Q] on Wed Sep 14, 2016 5:35 pm

I like doing fantasy drafts to try to build a team with all of the players that I am a fan of
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby Andrew on Thu Sep 15, 2016 5:33 pm

I've given it a try in the past, but like I said, I've found I've lost interest. I usually end up with a team that's too stacked, and the rest of the league is just too weird for my liking.
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby jwin on Fri Sep 16, 2016 10:59 am

i use the sixers so the last few years have started off with simming the first couple of seasons usually to get a good point guard, small forward and shooting guard, then i try to keep the roster intact and improve till they're competitive.

this year i'm not sure if i'll play simmons at the point or small forward yet, but i'll play luwawu-cabarrot at the shooting guard and try to develop him, and draft for whichever position i don't play simmons at.

also waiting to see if they move one of the big men and what they get in return if they do, but playing all three in 2k16 worked okay so i don't have a problem with it if they keep all three.
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby Jeffx on Sun Nov 06, 2016 11:51 am

With me, it's always been no trades at all. I play with the hand I'm dealt with, and build through the draft and free agency.

I always run with the Knicks, using an old skool, insde-out offense. Post up Carmelo, then kick it out to KP & Lee for open Js. Sometimes I have Noah bring the ball up, and do high P&Rs with either KP or Carmelo. With the bench, I call plays to give Jennings, Thomas, Holiday & Baker open looks. This year's squad has a lot of good shooters. I'm passing on 2k17 and sticking with 2k16.
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby [Q] on Sun Nov 06, 2016 1:20 pm

Andrew wrote:I've given it a try in the past, but like I said, I've found I've lost interest. I usually end up with a team that's too stacked, and the rest of the league is just too weird for my liking.

2K16 did a pretty good job of making it difficult as the bench guys will become unhappy and disruptive
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby Andrew on Sun Nov 06, 2016 3:10 pm

I haven't tried it for years, but the whole "league is too weird and wacky straight away" is still an issue for me. But to each their own; I think the option absolutely should be in the game.

Jeffx wrote:With me, it's always been no trades at all. I play with the hand I'm dealt with, and build through the draft and free agency.

I always run with the Knicks, using an old skool, insde-out offense. Post up Carmelo, then kick it out to KP & Lee for open Js. Sometimes I have Noah bring the ball up, and do high P&Rs with either KP or Carmelo. With the bench, I call plays to give Jennings, Thomas, Holiday & Baker open looks. This year's squad has a lot of good shooters. I'm passing on 2k17 and sticking with 2k16.


"No trades" is definitely an interesting challenge that I've tried a few times before. You can always change things up with your lineup to make things interesting and find combinations that really work. You've really got to like (or come to like) the players, though!
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby Jeffx on Sun Nov 06, 2016 10:56 pm

Andrew wrote:I haven't tried it for years, but the whole "league is too weird and wacky straight away" is still an issue for me. But to each their own; I think the option absolutely should be in the game.

Jeffx wrote:With me, it's always been no trades at all. I play with the hand I'm dealt with, and build through the draft and free agency.

I always run with the Knicks, using an old skool, insde-out offense. Post up Carmelo, then kick it out to KP & Lee for open Js. Sometimes I have Noah bring the ball up, and do high P&Rs with either KP or Carmelo. With the bench, I call plays to give Jennings, Thomas, Holiday & Baker open looks. This year's squad has a lot of good shooters. I'm passing on 2k17 and sticking with 2k16.


"No trades" is definitely an interesting challenge that I've tried a few times before. You can always change things up with your lineup to make things interesting and find combinations that really work. You've really got to like (or come to like) the players, though!


The Isiah Thomas Knicks (2007-08) were great for video gaming. Curry & Randolph were devastating in the paint, Lee was a rebounding monster, Jamal Crawford was instant offense, Marbury had sick handles and could score at will, Wilson Chandler was an excellent all-around player who could play the 2, 3 or 4, and I had lockdown defenders in Chandler, Jared Jeffries & Renaldo Balkman.

With the Pringles Knicks, pick & roll using Amare & Carmelo - unstoppable. The current Knicks can kill you inside or outside. Noah is an extra PG, only much taller.
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby Andrew on Mon Nov 07, 2016 8:21 am

So many teams fared a lot better in video games. The Clippers with Brand, Odom, Miller, and Olowokandi (or the squad from the year before with Darius Miles instead of Andre Miller) were fun to play with and generally much more successful than their real life counterparts.
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby suirad on Tue Aug 07, 2018 11:46 pm

what I think a lot of people don't do is take the chemistry and trade rumors into effect when playing 2k. For example just 5mnths ago NOBODY thought kawhi would be traded for Demar. BUT IT HAPPENED. If it would have happened in their 2k franchise people would cry NEVER or UNREALISTIC. I actually read the trade rumors and propose those exact trades and see if the cpu would except them or not. Sometimes I let the cpu do trades IF it makes sense based on those guidelines OR if it makes sense ECONOMICALLY for the team as I don't think many players look at the financial reports 2k gives them and makes smart moves financially with a gm thinking cap on. I think to thoroughly enjoy franchise you have to be able to think ahead, for the future as many gms do in the real world. You also have to detach yourself from reality. You must take everything into account from being Injury prone, if the team your trading to is a rival etc to make things feel realistic in fantasy. I find most people feel trades for superstars are unrealistic till they happen IN REAL LIFE. I like looking at youtube videos that tell you about TRADES THAT NEVER WENT THROUGH. For example DR.J for Jordan at the 84 draft or Barkley to the Lakers for Worthy in 92. Many trades would surprise us if it actually happened. I even use metric analytics the game gives us to determine what player is good for what team. The game can be really deep franchise wise if one is willing to invest the time in it. Maybe games made these nuances easier and consolidated all I stated into maybe a computerized associate that reports this info to you in franchise as opposed to you doing all the leg work,i think that would be dope. I enjoy it either way.
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby Andrew on Tue Aug 07, 2018 11:57 pm

Excellent points. I like to take a few liberties at times, but with that being said, sometimes it's difficult to say what's realistic. As you noted, we have seen some strange, unexpected, and lopsided deals go down, blockbusters do happen, and some crazy deals that ultimately don't go through are still seriously discussed.

Some things are highly unlikely and unrealistic, though. For example, a team trading their big offseason acquisition a month into the new season probably isn't going to happen. A team that's making a serious run at the title and is dominating the league isn't going to trade away its entire starting lineup, or its franchise player. Superstar players getting traded twice during the regular season should be a very rare occurrence, under very specific circumstances. Now, there's nothing wrong with playing franchise modes that way if you like, and if you don't mind it then it won't be a problem if the AI does it too, but the point is there are some things that can be fairly considered unrealistic and/or shouldn't happen too much (if at all).

Personally, if a bunch of superstars got traded by December just for the sake of having trades occur in the mode, that would have a negative impact on the experience for me. Going back to what you said, there is a rhyme and reason for deals, even ones that seem unlikely, but player movement for the sake of it ends up throwing out the balance and spoiling the franchise experience in the long run, at least for my tastes.
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby suirad on Mon Aug 13, 2018 12:39 am

Andrew wrote:Excellent points. I like to take a few liberties at times, but with that being said, sometimes it's difficult to say what's realistic. As you noted, we have seen some strange, unexpected, and lopsided deals go down, blockbusters do happen, and some crazy deals that ultimately don't go through are still seriously discussed.

Some things are highly unlikely and unrealistic, though. For example, a team trading their big offseason acquisition a month into the new season probably isn't going to happen. A team that's making a serious run at the title and is dominating the league isn't going to trade away its entire starting lineup, or its franchise player. Superstar players getting traded twice during the regular season should be a very rare occurrence, under very specific circumstances. Now, there's nothing wrong with playing franchise modes that way if you like, and if you don't mind it then it won't be a problem if the AI does it too, but the point is there are some things that can be fairly considered unrealistic and/or shouldn't happen too much (if at all).

Personally, if a bunch of superstars got traded by December just for the sake of having trades occur in the mode, that would have a negative impact on the experience for me. Going back to what you said, there is a rhyme and reason for deals, even ones that seem unlikely, but player movement for the sake of it ends up throwing out the balance and spoiling the franchise experience in the long run, at least for my tastes.
uI totally agree with you there Andrew. Even in the 91 season I had on 2k with ubr, I'm hesitant to let franchise go a different way other than the way it happened in real life. I strictly only play that season to relive it not rewrite it. And because of points you illustrated I'm hesitant. I guess there just isn't enough logic yet in these games to minimize the ridiculous stuff we see in franchise modes sometimes. As long as they give us control over everything I can deal with it. I stick with 2k14 because of the extra control and freedom I'm given because of reditor as I feel vlad has spoiled us lol. Now I ultimately have what ive always wanted in a officialy licensed sports game which is a true sand box that I'm able to mod and edit at will. I have high school college foreign and nba mods that all run together for my fantasy bball world using 2k14 as the game because of Vlad. I hope one day companies will realize the sheer exctasy of giving the user total control in all aspects from modding stadiums in game FULLY to relocating teams, adding or subtracting teams the whole nine to the capability of what we do when modding. this way the console gamer has the joy we experience here. I fear it will never happen which is why I made it a point to learn how to mod and share my passion with people here that share the same.
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby Andrew on Mon Aug 13, 2018 1:58 am

In terms of having complete control over a franchise mode, MyLEAGUE does currently offer that (it also has relocation, re-branding, and expansion). Modding's a different story on the current generation though, we're a bit more limited there.
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby Breems on Wed Aug 15, 2018 5:29 am

Fairly realistic for me. Funny anecdote on that - in the Live 06 Houston dynasty I recently finished, I traded Mike James for Rafer Alston. I didn't realize until later that I had replicated the actual trade from '05-06. I just did it to get a decent PG at the time.

I would never stay true to life when I have the opportunity to be my own GM. That said, doing unrealistic/exploitave transactions ruins the immersion for me. For example, in my current dynasty, I could've traded Caron Butler (7-8 PPG) for the likes of Ben Gordon, JR Smith, Michael Redd, etc. Maaaybe it would've made sense IRL back in the day, but I would've felt far too guilty doing it in the game.

I suppose one could inject some fantasy with the "X player is upset and wants out of Y team" to justify an unrealistic trade now and then. The one-offs do happen.
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby [Hyperize] on Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:33 am

It's funny I ran into this thread; yesterday for my Rockets dynasty, I was simming a few seasons to test some stuff out. Thank God for that cause I thought I was gonna be smart and enable 'Modify CPU Rosters' to (as Andrew said) reverse any ludicrous CPU trades, however, the game totally mocks you if you turn this on and does crazy stuff like Kobe for Baron Davis and LeBron for Stuckey... all in my first season; not kidding!

If you turn it off it's not that bad, and the biggest mover I saw was Melo for like Villanueva (who was overrated at the time) and Stuckey (or something to that effect). Otherwise it's pretty tame, like role players being swapped.

Breems wrote:I would never stay true to life when I have the opportunity to be my own GM. That said, doing unrealistic/exploitave transactions ruins the immersion for me. For example, in my current dynasty, I could've traded Caron Butler (7-8 PPG) for the likes of Ben Gordon, JR Smith, Michael Redd, etc. Maaaybe it would've made sense IRL back in the day, but I would've felt far too guilty doing it in the game.

That's fair, though I would usually go off overalls in that situation as Caron is clearly more valuable than JR, no?
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby Andrew on Thu Aug 16, 2018 11:44 am

Interesting, I wasn't aware of that! I'll have to try it out for myself.
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Re: How do you approach franchise modes in basketball games?

Postby Kevin on Fri Aug 17, 2018 1:57 am

I think I play fairly realistic. Although sometimes I have to force the CPU to trade with me because they can't fucking understand a salary dump.
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