Do you feel like using "points of emphasis" during timeouts is cheating??

[DarthRambo]

In a way I do. Now, I know irl coaches emphasize certain things during a game. However, it doesn't physically, or literally "boost" the players attributes. If anything, it only boosts their hustling and energy in the game(IRL).

In this game, I pretty much always pick defense(as most do I am sure). And it obviously gives ur players a boost. I assume it raises their defensive awareness, possibly lowers the cpus offensive awareness as well. I'm to the point where I think I'm going to make it a rule of my own not to use these. I'll call my timeouts during a run by the cpu, but won't use these anymore and see what happens. Does anyone feel like this or am I going too far into it??

Also, I've decided for another rule, just to flick the right stick on FTs and let the "real %" take over for real, cuz I make pretty much EVERY free throw at 100 difficulty setting. And I play with Orlando so that should NOT be happening.

Anyways, what or how do you guys feel about using the points of emphasis? Do you use them, why or why not?

[infamyice]

It depends on play style and whether the user uses player lock or not.
Using POE with player lock, helps team defense and help-defense, I noticed that since 2k10 post-patch. And it's very useful IMO. But if you're playing with all the players on the court, then POE is no use. Only POE selection that works with/without player lock is rebounding. Ball Control & Defense is mainly for player lock in my experience. but to answer your question, "is it cheating?", no it's not. My motto is, "if it's in the game, it's not cheating."

[ffpp]

Actually, I don't believe that it is either cheating or completely unrealistic.

Cheating it is not because I would assume the AI-controlled team to use it too - based on the current score, time in the game and maybe a current run or streak by either team.
So you are just balancing this out and this little boost alone is not even that much of an important factor. The bigger factor is that a little boost might lead to a great play which in turn ignites a run for your team or ends an offensive streak by your opponents or something like that.

And it is not really unrealistic because in some abstract way, getting hyped up and putting more effort into your game will actually give you a boost of strength or speed. Not because you're *physically* able to do more now, but rather because you will push your own limits a bit further.
If you talk about shooting ability on the other hand, than you could argue that a point of emphasis leads to more concentration, or making a player, idk, 'remind' himself again what helps him make shots in a way. Or 'get into the zone' or whatever you want to call it.

What I'm trying to say is that performance on the court is not only a matter of your physical abilities and skills but also of your mental state to put all this together when it counts. And a 'point of emphasis' by the coach can maybe help you with that latter aspect.

[RumbleCard]

I use it and like it. Rebounding and defense are pretty much all I use

[Golds]

I haven't seen any hard evidence that it actually boosts the players game ratings. If anything, I see it just increase the composure of your team. I only use this when I take a timeout after the opponent starts an offensive run or I'm losing rebound battles, but rarely do I actually see a clear advantage or cheat from it.

Here's how I look at it. It's not cheating because IRL coaches emphasize points in timeouts, and in turn, the players focus on those points. So if you choose to focus on rebounding, the players will work hard to rebound or realize they aren't boxing out....If the coach emphasizes defense, he'll point out mismatches, where players can be aggressive, cheat/read on passes....So in 2K, if you choose defense and then the next play your guard steals a pass...well, isn't that like if your coach said "XXX always passes to the right wing walking up court, try to cheat up to intercept the pass," and it worked?

[BATMON]

Its not cheating.
If your coach isnt a Crash Boards All Game type of guy in his strategy, he has the option to emphasize it at a certain time in the game to. There's nothing wrong w/ that.

I use Ball Control alot to decrease/prevent turnovers.

I still dont understand Shot Selection.

[aloncho11]

IMO it is not cheating. It is the game's way of "the coach talk" to a team. Totally valid as in real life.

[homeycool]

I think if the computer teams use it, then it's not cheating. But if the computer controlled teams don't use this feature, then it gives you an advantage that the computer does not have, so in a way, you're cheating the computer. With that said, there are many "built in" cheats that the computer uses that we don't have access to, so I'm sure it all evens out.

Does anyone know if the computer controlled teams use the feature or not? The only way I can think to test it (besides have a dev tell us one way or the other) is to switch teams after timeouts and call another timeout to see if the computer team emphasized anything.