Trying to find loopholes to win RTTP is getting tiring.

[Cowboyfan_19]

I mean, it's got to the point to where I don't even want to beat the 1st seed to get Ewing, I want to beat the 1st seed to shove it up 2k's.

- I have to find other ways to play defense because On-Ball D is absolute garbage. I've never seen guys shuffle their feet as slow as in 2k16 in any other 2k game.

- Running a freelance offense is a **** joke. Screens and initiations for these offenses are complete crap. Not to mention the unrealistic turnovers when I think I make a good pass.

-CPU Transition D. This is not the place where I would like to go off on this topic, but I'll calm myself and just let it speak for itself.

I would like to think that I'm a very smart individual when it comes to the game of basketball. I've studied and practically live my life trying to get to know the game in terms of Xs and Os for the past 8 years, but I feel like my IQ gets dumbed down to 0 when I play this game and I feel like a legit special needs person when I finish a session of a few RTTP games back to back.

[Bubba13laze]

I get where you're coming from, 2k can be so frustrating at times, every year there seems to be new flaws and ways people exploit the game. Sometimes when I miss uncontested layups, my players cut when I don't want them to, or I have perfectly good passes get picked off by superhuman defense I yell at my tv so pissed off. With that said, the game play improves every year. My first 2k game was 2k2 for the original xbox, and the series has come such a long way - I think this years game does have the best sim gameplay out of any basketball game I've played before. This is the first year where defense can actually win games, it is very possible to completely shut down your opponent.

Everything you mentioned really is about adapting to the game:

- On ball D just takes a lot of concentration, but it is very effective. I always prefer to play on ball opposed to offball. After playing a lot of park mode and practicing staying in front of all those dribble spamming crazy quick point guards, it made me really good at staying in front of people in MyTeam.

- It took me forever to find a freelance that I could use effectively online. A lot of them were great offline but broke too easily in RTTP. Recently I have had amazing success running 3-out fist in online games that I don't need to rely on my playbook nearly as much to score.

- The passing is one of those things you have to recognize isn't as flawless as IRL. Making use of the holding for handoff and cut is a nice counter because if the player is just standing still it's more likely to get picked off. Sometimes if I am not focused I will turn it over 10 or 12 times in a game but if I am really paying attention to what I am doing I can keep my turnovers to 3-5 a game.

- For transition D if you sprint back with your center every time it counters the turbo spam. Occasionally there's nothing that can be done, like at the beginning of the game when they win the tipoff and immediately throw it to their center for a dunk. Or a few times a game they will get me with it but for the most part, it can be countered.

I understand your frustration. At times it seems like the game rewards unintelligent play with heavily contested shots going in and people winning games exploiting turbo dunks with Westbrook. However, your basketball IQ is still a big advantage. Smart basketball wins every time. The biggest hurdle is just adapting to the game. If you take your knowledge for basketball and combine it with practice in countering the flaws of this years game, 9/10 times you will beat the person who is doesn't know basketball well and just knows how to exploit the game.

I apologize if I come across arrogant, I am not intending to invalidate your frustration. I just believe that although the game is flawed and has lots of room for improvement, it is still really great and the majority of the game play exploits can be countered.

[P234thetruth]

I got extremely frustrated today in the 2nd seed barely won enough to not get demoted. I feel your pain. I faced the worse opponents/cheese today got constantly doubled hit my open guys and they couldn't bury a shot to save their lives. Nothing but turbo fastbreak cheesers who get rewarded with dumb fouls at the basket while I move the ball only to clank. Lots of offball defense this one guy literally tried to hide offball not just being his center he'd switch to his two guard, if I went there he'd go to his center then back and forth...so frustrating when trying to play an actual opponent and you have to play super AI lockdown defenders.

[kabamaru]

I am with you as far as transition d. Half court inbound and turbo with various westbrooks is unbareable.

As Bubba stated, running back with your center might help, also switching to a 2-3 zone.

Regarding offball Defense though to me is not considered cheese.

CPU is great on on-ball Defense, while anyone trying to play on-ball defense to the ball handler faces huge issus either by small lag (enough though for your opponent to drive past you, or by the slagginess of the defender..

Plus since most of the opponents play in a frenzy mode, I am not able to switch between defenders so quickly as they pass (they already know who will receive a pass, while I don't and I need to change). That split second for me switching to the correct defender leads to an easy basket

ON TOP of that CPU Help defense ESPECIALLY in P'n'R is TERRIBLE. Anyone has notices that in any P&R with PG and C, your Center will almost ALWAYS hedge, even if you put SPECIFIC instructions not to.

On the other hand your PF will stay on his player, and will not cover the paint as it should, while your weak side corner SG will start running towards the paint to cover the Roller Center.

This is completely idiotic.

Any player with decent basketball knowledge would say that the best defense would be that your PF would close in the paint to protect the roll, while your weak side guard would not sprint all the way from wth weak side to under the basket (lol), but instead would take 2-3 steps behind to cover the "zone" between the opponents PF (as your PF has covered the paint) and the SG.

Also it is almost impossible to be able to set specific instructions for P&R for all players, because for example you may want to use no hedge when he picks with his center, but to switch when you see that your opponents fades with his PF and doesn't role.

So, as P&R is so strong this year, as long as CPU defense rotation sucks, I will most of the times play offball to to the player that is needed more to play CORRECT help defense and let the CPU do the man marking who is good at.

There are many ways to punish an off-ball d player, like creating space and use a manual cut with the Δ/Υ.

Defense rotations/Transition Defense is really bad, caused by bad defense IQ of AI. Why should I be punished for this? Even Sam Phamm admits that during a PG/C P&R the best way to defend is switching to your PF.

[bwright25]

Coming from someone who just won Pat Ewing.

Few tips.

On ball defense is a must. You will cause more missed shots then playing off. Try to stay in front by using intense d but dont bump, only bump as they get closer to the paint. Also use the right stick if they are tring to sprint by you. Its there for a reason. The more you use it the better you get.

Look into adjusting defensive settings on each player. If guys are constantly trying to run up the sidelines and baseline. Make them go to the middle. If the guy you are playing likes to arch back at forth trying to get into the paint or kick it out, change it to baseline.

If you are playing against PnR guys. Always put no hedge and depending on the PG either over or under the screen. Under(Westbrook, Wall). Over (Paul, Curry).

Get the best defending PG you can afford. The majority of 2kers rely on their PG for most of their offense. If you get good at stopping the intial drive or pick, you will dominate on defense and defense wins championships.

Deny or tight on off ball is needed for really good shooters who just spot up. I usually always put deny and tight on Klay. But will adjust depending on whats happening.

Use TOs to stop runs and to get your team playing "normal" again. Ive gone games where Ive used 3 tos in 1st quater, because I can tell my players are not playing right.

After every basket, click on center and sprint back.

Use icon passing on offense.

Dont use sprint that often. You will lose the ball.


You really need to dig deep into this game if you want to win the 10 games needed.

[Cowboyfan_19]

Thanks for the support and understanding, all of you. I would normally say "screw it, I don't need this", but I love the game of basketball too much to let it go lol!

Sometimes I do feel that my own fierce competitiveness and impatience can get the better of me, but at the end of the day, this is after all just a video game and nothing to get too carried away with.

[P234thetruth]

Quote: Originally Posted by bwright25

Coming from someone who just won Pat Ewing. Few tips. On ball defense is a must. You will cause more missed shots then playing off. Try to stay in front by using intense d but dont bump, only bump as they get closer to the paint. Also use the right stick if they are tring to sprint by you. Its there for a reason. The more you use it the better you get. Look into adjusting defensive settings on each player. If guys are constantly trying to run up the sidelines and baseline. Make them go to the middle. If the guy you are playing likes to arch back at forth trying to get into the paint or kick it out, change it to baseline. If you are playing against PnR guys. Always put no hedge and depending on the PG either over or under the screen. Under(Westbrook, Wall). Over (Paul, Curry). Get the best defending PG you can afford. The majority of 2kers rely on their PG for most of their offense. If you get good at stopping the intial drive or pick, you will dominate on defense and defense wins championships. Deny or tight on off ball is needed for really good shooters who just spot up. I usually always put deny and tight on Klay. But will adjust depending on whats happening. Use TOs to stop runs and to get your team playing "normal" again. Ive gone games where Ive used 3 tos in 1st quater, because I can tell my players are not playing right. After every basket, click on center and sprint back. Use icon passing on offense. Dont use sprint that often. You will lose the ball. You really need to dig deep into this game if you want to win the 10 games needed.

Good tips right on have a question about defensive settings though. When it comes to a stretch 4 do we go tight and tight or tight deny? How about non shooting centers do we leave as is on auto? If we do tight offball on the center it would mean our center won't help off at all when we might need rotating help defense right?!

I'm always confused on what settings to use on a center.

[harryl]

Quote: Originally Posted by P234thetruth

Good tips right on have a question about defensive settings though. When it comes to a stretch 4 do we go tight and tight or tight deny? How about non shooting centers do we leave as is on auto? If we do tight offball on the center it would mean our center won't help off at all when we might need rotating help defense right?!

Well, if you would do Deny on a guard/wing, then if you encounter a guy playing a Stretch 4 and frequently shooting from outside, it would make sense to Deny that Stretch 4, too, since he's generally going to be less of backdoor threat.

I generally don't Deny shooters and stick with Tight for Off-Ball because I'm really wary of making backdoor cuts too easy.

Kind of unfortunate that a defender will still be too eager to help in the paint if his assignment is set to Tight and not Deny. Would be nice to have a setting that tells him to stay, but not overcommit with off-ball defense.

For a Center who can't shoot, I'll generally go Gap/Gap. If he can shoot midrange, then Gap Off-Ball and Moderate or even Tight On-Ball. Centers are usually going to have slow releases, so there's no reason to play tight on them, off-ball.