weekly contest 2022 VGS NES Weekly Contest - TECMO BASKETBALL!

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

This game is starting to irritate me.  I keep going on epic (like 10-20 point runs with only a basket or two against), only to have the CPU decide that it can't miss a goddamn shot, while I end up missing fucking dunks.  Like not just the odd one, like every goddamn time until they close the gap.  It's really annoying.  Maybe I've been playing too much, I dunno, but it's really getting to me

[docile tapeworm | 4,198]

15 minutes ago, the_wizard_666 said:

This game is starting to irritate me.  I keep going on epic (like 10-20 point runs with only a basket or two against), only to have the CPU decide that it can't miss a goddamn shot, while I end up missing fucking dunks.  Like not just the odd one, like every goddamn time until they close the gap.  It's really annoying.  Maybe I've been playing too much, I dunno, but it's really getting to me

This has happened to me twice. I’ll work up a 10+ point lead and with 2:00 to go in the game I’m missing point blank while the other team goes on a scoring spree.

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

21 minutes ago, docile tapeworm said:

This has happened to me twice. I’ll work up a 10+ point lead and with 2:00 to go in the game I’m missing point blank while the other team goes on a scoring spree.

Yeah, it's happened a bunch.  Like I'll take a timeout, and can't hit the resulting dunk, and then they go back and score against me.  Like tell me, how does Jordan miss a dunk?

EDIT: That said, I'm averaging around 25-30 points differential per game, far better than I had initially thought I could do.  I haven't replicated my San Antonio romp though.  I can, however, stomp the Nuggets fairly consistently with minimal effort...just can't seem to get much more of a spread.  The last game I was doing pretty good, with 30 points, and a solid defensive effort...except Hastings...that motherfucker had 43 points...that's over half the 80 points they put up in that particular game.  Not sure what the hell happened there to be honest.  It was like he was shooting 100% or something...

Edited April 21, 2022 by the_wizard_666

[NESfiend | 1,515]

6 hours ago, docile tapeworm said:

This has happened to me twice. I’ll work up a 10+ point lead and with 2:00 to go in the game I’m missing point blank while the other team goes on a scoring spree.

Lot of basketball games seem to have some sort of in game handicapping to make it more exciting, I guess. NBA jam games are ridiculous that way. If you are beating the crap out of a friend or cpu, your players always go cold as ice during last portion of the game and theirs make everything from everywhere. 

[NESfiend | 1,515]

6 hours ago, the_wizard_666 said:

This game is starting to irritate me.  I keep going on epic (like 10-20 point runs with only a basket or two against), only to have the CPU decide that it can't miss a goddamn shot, while I end up missing fucking dunks.  Like not just the odd one, like every goddamn time until they close the gap.  It's really annoying.  Maybe I've been playing too much, I dunno, but it's really getting to me

Lol sorry for double post, but I was shocked to see this post came AFTER your score update with a 50 point win. Thats an insane feat. I think you are good to take a break and enjoy something else for a while. Its hard as shit to get a win at all on this thing. 50 point win, probably safe, especially since it seems like you are playing against me and skinny only and we are struggling just to win outright 

[mbd39 | 2,020]

Maybe I'll give this a shot. I can't stand most sports games though.

[docile tapeworm | 4,198]

3 minutes ago, mbd39 said:

Maybe I'll give this a shot. I can't stand most sports games though.

It’s kinda fun though

[Mega Tank | 960]

18 hours ago, docile tapeworm said:

Let’s go heat

 

@Mega Tank what you know about Miami sports? Get out of here!

I actually picked up something nice the other day at a sale. It's more for the memories than any value, but it was worth the $10. I'll post a pic later.

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

5 hours ago, NESfiend said:

Lol sorry for double post, but I was shocked to see this post came AFTER your score update with a 50 point win. Thats an insane feat. I think you are good to take a break and enjoy something else for a while. Its hard as shit to get a win at all on this thing. 50 point win, probably safe, especially since it seems like you are playing against me and skinny only and we are struggling just to win outright 

Well, like I said, I'm fairly consistently getting 20-30 points with Golden State.  San Antonio seems to be random...I had a great first game with them and then all of a sudden I can't get anywhere near it.  And the team I would expect to completely dominate (Chicago) is pretty garbage outside of Jordan and Pippin.

Anyway, my complaint is even just starting the game...Jordan's missed dunk was off the first play of the game.  Needless to say, I reset that game, as that was a bad sign

But yeah, winning isn't the problem, it's getting a comfortable spread.  And honestly, I'm not sure if 50 points is gonna be enough to beat @0xDEAFC0DE on Sunday, which is why I keep playing.  Well, that and the game is kinda fun, even though it's frustrating.  I'm enjoying it in all honesty.

[BeaIank | 1,618]

This game is quite decent for a Basketball sim on the NES.

But I guess I will have to accept scores where the player lost to the CPU because we have a really paltry participation this week.

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

9 hours ago, NESfiend said:

50 point win, probably safe, especially since it seems like you are playing against me and skinny only and we are struggling just to win outright 

You don't understand: Wiz loves basketball! Seriously, you haven't been to his house; aside from the couple of Canucks items he's got hanging behind his pc monitor, the dude has nothing but wall-to-wall basketball posters across the rest of his basement....  I mean he lives, eats, breathes, and shits NBA basketball.  He can tell you the stats of players who aren't even alive anymore.  I've never seen a guy so in love with the NBA in my life, and I knew this was going to happen this week as soon as I saw this game on the schedule.

Don't let them bother you, Mike; we all know that the only thing between you and a 100 point score differential is about a hundred and fifty more games of basketball...  so let's  GIT 'R DUN!!!!! 

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

1 hour ago, Dr. Morbis said:

You don't understand: Wiz loves basketball! Seriously, you haven't been to his house; aside from the couple of Canucks items he's got hanging behind his pc monitor, the dude has nothing but wall-to-wall basketball posters across the rest of his basement....  I mean he lives, eats, breathes, and shits NBA basketball.  He can tell you the stats of players who aren't even alive anymore.  I've never seen a guy so in love with the NBA in my life, and I knew this was going to happen this week as soon as I saw this game on the schedule.

Don't let them bother you, Mike; we all know that the only thing between you and a 100 point score differential is about a hundred and fifty more games of basketball...  so let's  GIT 'R DUN!!!!! 

LOL!  Just straight up LOL!   I honestly can't remember the last time I watched even 5 minutes of basketball.  I even turn off the highlights

Anyway, a hundred point differential may be pushing it...then again, I've had games where I've held them to under 60 points and just couldn't get the baskets to make a bigger gap...it may just be a matter of time until I pull it off...that is, unless @0xDEAFC0DE is sitting on a 200 point differential as we speak, in which case it's pretty moot

@BeaIank I agree, maybe allowing negative scores will at least get people to post.  It only took me two or three games to get a win though, so maybe people just aren't playing?  I don't get it though...it's a pretty fun game, and not terribly difficult to pull off a win, so what's the hold up for submissions?  Hopefully we see a surge on the weekend...

[NESfiend | 1,515]

17 minutes ago, the_wizard_666 said:

 @0xDEAFC0DE 

@BeaIank I agree, maybe allowing negative scores will at least get people to post.  It only took me two or three games to get a win though, so maybe people just aren't playing?  

Took me a lot more than 2 or 3 games to get a win. Well, maybe 2 or 3 complete games and 40 or 50 partial 1st quarters where I usually got way down fast and reset. Its tough to get the groove of playing defense. @docile tapewormcan prob back me up there

One of those games with a learning curve thats a lot higher than a pick up and play platformer where one could throw up a casual participation score in one or two games. No one wants to post a loss in a single sports game competition where you can choose any team. Im a little embarassed to have played so much just to get a 3 point win.  Prob why there arent many scores up

It is a cool game though. Sat on my shelf for 6-7 years as a "crappy game." Now that Im figuring it out a little, its actually a really cool game. If anything, it was a little ambitious. But tecmo bowl and super bowl were also ambitious in similar ways and became all time greats. Just had lesser learning curves. Im glad to have been shown the light on this, even if it doesnt rise to the tsb level. 

Edited April 22, 2022 by NESfiend

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

Ummmm... am I missing something here?  I just went to try this game out, and there is not one mention in the rules or subsequent posts over the next five days about game set up?!?!?  What period length?  What game speed?  I guess I'm just gonna assume it's 12 minutes fast speed, or do we just do whatever length and speed we want????

[NESfiend | 1,515]

16 minutes ago, Dr. Morbis said:

Ummmm... am I missing something here?  I just went to try this game out, and there is not one mention in the rules or subsequent posts over the next five days about game set up?!?!?  What period length?  What game speed?  I guess I'm just gonna assume it's 12 minutes fast speed, or do we just do whatever length and speed we want????

Pretty sure the absence of those specifications means you leave it at default settings

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

11 minutes ago, Dr. Morbis said:

Ummmm... am I missing something here?  I just went to try this game out, and there is not one mention in the rules or subsequent posts over the next five days about game set up?!?!?  What period length?  What game speed?  I guess I'm just gonna assume it's 12 minutes fast speed, or do we just do whatever length and speed we want????

Wait, there's setup options?  I just left it at default...I had no idea that it was adjustable

Although there's also no mention of what sort of schedule to use...it basically allows you to reduce the schedule to however many games you'd like, allowing you to manipulate the starting matchups.  I've been using "regular" seasons, but the other options remove games, making some openers different than what you'd normally have.  You can even use "programmed" to customize the length of the season to your liking - setting the number by a team will eliminate that many games.  That said, I think the intent was the full season, selecting a team and playing that game.  I just think the team(s) should've been previously picked and done in preseason mode instead.  Too many variables this way.

Anyway, for settings, I would say the defaults (normal speed, 4 minutes) should be the standard.  That's what I presume everyone was using to this point anyway.  And correct me if I'm wrong @BeaIank, but if the settings aren't specified for a game, that means default anyway, doesn't it? 

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

28 minutes ago, NESfiend said:

Pretty sure the absence of those specifications means you leave it at default settings

It's a battery game, so mine was set to 2 minute quarters, and that was after I reset the season.  So I'd have to actually pull the battery off to see what the defaults are from the factory.  

 

27 minutes ago, the_wizard_666 said:

Anyway, for settings, I would say the defaults (normal speed, 4 minutes) should be the standard.  That's what I presume everyone was using to this point anyway.  And correct me if I'm wrong @BeaIank, but if the settings aren't specified for a game, that means default anyway, doesn't it? 

My cart doesn't reset speed or quarter length on season reset, so there is no "default" unless I were opening the game from sealed.  I assumed 12 minute quarters because that's what an actual NBA game uses, so that would be "default" no?  You damn emulating guy, thinking that emulators act the same as an actual game...

If we don't get a ruling from Bea, I'm using whatever settings I want....

[NESfiend | 1,515]

34 minutes ago, the_wizard_666 said:

Wait, there's setup options?  I just left it at default...I had no idea that it was adjustable

Although there's also no mention of what sort of schedule to use...it basically allows you to reduce the schedule to however many games you'd like, allowing you to manipulate the starting matchups.  I've been using "regular" seasons, but the other options remove games, making some openers different than what you'd normally have.  You can even use "programmed" to customize the length of the season to your liking - setting the number by a team will eliminate that many games.  That said, I think the intent was the full season, selecting a team and playing that game.  I just think the team(s) should've been previously picked and done in preseason mode instead.  Too many variables this way.

Anyway, for settings, I would say the defaults (normal speed, 4 minutes) should be the standard.  That's what I presume everyone was using to this point anyway.  And correct me if I'm wrong @BeaIank, but if the settings aren't specified for a game, that means default anyway, doesn't it? 

If youve played the shit out of tecmo super bowl, which every self respecting human being has, you can see the wisdom in the current rules. This is clearly an attempt at a basketball equivalent. All standard options no changes to make reset after reset - thank god. In season mode on tsb, teams start easy and  get harder as you progress, but the preseason mode is stupidly easy. Playing the first 'real game' on season mode is perfectly logical

Edited April 22, 2022 by NESfiend

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

1 minute ago, NESfiend said:

If youve played the shit out of tecmo super bowl, which every self respecting human being has, you can see the wisdom in the current rules. This is clearly an attempt at a basketball equivalent. All standard options no changes to make reset after reset - thank god. In season modeb on tsb, teams start easy and  get harder as you progress, but the preseason mode is stupidly easy. Playing the first 'real game' on season mode is perfectly logical

I've played TSB a million billion times, and I don't ever ever remember finding a setting for quarter length (EDIT: or speed either for that matter!!!)   ... am I crazy????

Edited April 22, 2022 by Dr. Morbis

[NESfiend | 1,515]

5 minutes ago, Dr. Morbis said:

I've played TSB a million billion times, and I don't ever ever remember finding a setting for quarter length... am I crazy????

Well goddamn it. Your point about it being a battery game concerns me. You are right. I think its unlikely, but def possible a previous owner changed the settings. Mine is set to 4 min quarters. Anyone know default?

Edited April 22, 2022 by NESfiend

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

One more reason that Tecmo Super Bowl is better: only one speed and one game length for everyone!!!!

I guess I'm not playing this game tonight, because I don't want to waste time playing on the "wrong" settings...

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

Since I loaded up the ROM for the first time and had NEVER played the game prior, I can safely assume that the cart, at factory new, would have Normal speed, and 4 minute quarters.  THAT is default settings.

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

Just now, the_wizard_666 said:

Since I loaded up the ROM for the first time and had NEVER played the game prior, I can safely assume that the cart, at factory new, would have Normal speed, and 4 minute quarters.  THAT is default settings.

I absolutely do NOT trust emulators for shit, so I'll just wait for Bea's ruling and go with whatever she states.  Obviously you also want to protect the settings you've been playing on so your previous scores are not "invalid," which is totally understandable.  But man, we could have some killer blowouts on 12 minute quarters... just saying....

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

9 minutes ago, NESfiend said:

If youve played the shit out of tecmo super bowl, which every self respecting human being has, you can see the wisdom in the current rules. This is clearly an attempt at a basketball equivalent. All standard options no changes to make reset after reset - thank god. In season mode on tsb, teams start easy and  get harder as you progress, but the preseason mode is stupidly easy. Playing the first 'real game' on season mode is perfectly logical

I actually have not played the shit out of TSB...in fact, I've only played it a couple times.  Honestly, I like Play Action Football better, though that's more nostalgia than anything methinks...I played the shit out of it as a kid, while I never actually played TSB until I met Basil.  But yeah, after reading up on it, preseason is pretty much baby mode.  That said, @docile tapeworm had suggested using the All-Star teams.  You could pick East or West, but would have to play against the other, making it more or less an even field.

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

Just now, Dr. Morbis said:

I absolutely do NOT trust emulators for shit, so I'll just wait for Bea's ruling and go with whatever she states.  Obviously you also want to protect the settings you've been playing on so your previous scores are not "invalid," which is totally understandable.  But man, we could have some killer blowouts on 12 minute quarters... just saying....

Dude, you don't have to trust the emulator.  What you should trust is that the ROM would load up like it was new until there was some save data acquired.  As there was no save data on my computer, the ROM would boot up like a clean slate.  You can make whatever arguments about differences in running emulators vs hardware, but the ROM image itself would be identical to the cart.  Don't believe me?  Take 5 minutes and remove the battery from your cart and prove it.  Default is 4 minutes on normal speed.  Although I would be curious about how big a blowout I could get with 12 minute quarters