The Unrealism of a Long Association - Weeks's Blog

Weeks's Blog

The Unrealism of a Long Association

Posted on December 16, 2010 at 08:15 PM.

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2K sports; praised for it realism and similarity to real life includes many re-playable game modes. One of them is 'The Association'. Probably the most appealing game mode to hardcore gamers The Association represents the riggers of being a GM of a rebuilding Raptors team to the preparation to win a championship with a aging contender. Although Associations are very fun and real-to-life their is one thing that holds them back from reaching multiple season potential.

This is progression. No stop what your thinking, I know it was patched. I'm thinking of something totally different. 2K doesn't allow players that are drafted high to be busts. That right. With no busts you get a league filled with so much talent it become boring to play since your starting lineup is all 80+ OVR. Let's face it every year there are players that just don't pan out. Darko Millicic, Eddy Curry, Michael Olowakandi and some people are saying Greg Oden. These players make it so there isn't a talent filled league. In 2K if you get a top 5 pick they generally become superstars.

The problem with this is that the way to solve it would be to have a bust potential rating. In 2K if you set someones potential to 25 then they don't get drafted high, therefore they aren't busts. But the people who enjoy to download a draft class and edit it would look at the rating. Once they see someones bust potential at an 85 then they wouldn't draft them. Along with this becomes the challenge of predicting busts and editing their rating, which doesn't work because if you know someone will be a bust you won't draft them.

The best way to fix this would be to play with 2K's generated classes. Many people on OS enjoy realism though and don't like playing with non-real classes, which creates a problem itself. As for me this may be the route I take now because playing with classes I've edited lets me know who has what ratings and whatnot. With the randomness of a 2K class it will also incorporate scouting more than what it would be to scout players with whom you know play a certain way.

Until 2K knows how to implement this, the Association will not reach it's potential for multiple (association) year game play. This is not a rant, just simply stating something that prevents 2K's Association from being the best ever.

Comments

# 1 ffyfe7 @ Dec 17

I hadn't thought of that. I guess you could say the same thing with all sports franchises although as much as I would like to play multiple years to see where my franchise would progress, I find I would have to sim. Therefore I only play through a full year if I am lucky. Anyway it gives developers something to think about because it would bring games one step closer to realism

# 2 algeron04 @ Dec 17

I completely agree with this blog. There were 2 people drafter ahead of Michael Jordan in the draft Olajuwan and some other guy. The other guy a big bust.

# 3 Redlogic @ Dec 17

@ Algeron: Sam Bowie I believe

# 4 southzeztpdot @ Dec 18

I think 2K will focus a lot on association mode next year if not they have no reason to not charge 20 bucks for this game just like NFL 2k5

# 5 rudeworld @ Dec 19

I agree with what your saying...but to have a bust rating...well no..maybe a work ethic rating or something like that...
As far as Sam Bowie goes just look at Greg Oden.. both were can't miss pick injuries did them in, scary part both drafted by the Blazers... it not like his skills didnt translate well from colege to the pros like Ed O'Bannon (UCLA/Nets) or Blair Thomas (Penn St./Jets).
There is something that they should tell us and that is if the draftee is injury prone or past injuries(major/minor). That would tell us how likely this player is to get hurt, I myself would not draft a player like Devin Harris(Nets) with a high pick even though he is talented, he is always hurt.

# 6 tteeebooooow @ Dec 19

i know for me, i dont mind everybody having high ratings because the stats are what matters. If a rookie is rated an 85 with 99 potential but averages 7 points a game over multiple seasons hes a bust. In real life there are no ratings you can only go by stats and abilities. If a player like greg oden has all the abilities to become a great player of course hes going to be rated high and will have tons of potential to become better but his stats have not been stellar which is why people want to label him as a bust. It all comes down to stats and im sure there are players who are rated high but arent performing on their teams. I kind of rambled but i hope this kind of makes sense lol

# 7 BearClaw @ Dec 19

Even Madden has draft busts.

# 8 Weeks @ Dec 23

And for the people who say it's stats not ratings, that is true. But (I may be wrong) I think the CPU treats them as 'stars' so they still get big contracts and start.