How to create Game Plans

Updated for the Windows version

The second phase of creating your Game Plan File, is to create the game plan for YOUR players.  Phase #1 was creating your Defensive Profiles for a given opponent (for more information on this, see How to Setup Defensive Profiles).  To get to the Game Plan section, do the following...

• Start Strat-O-Matic Basketball
• Select SBA from the League list 
• Highlight YOUR Team from the Team list
• From the main menu, select Team .. Computer Manager

When you have completed with your changes, click OK button to save your changes or Cancel to discard them.  Let Computer Pick Instructions is an option that will allow the computer to set your lineups and player profiles - this is typically not recommended for managing your game plans BUT is used exclusively for Autoplay games.

Eligible Players Screen

If you want to make any players ineligible for a game, click Eligible Players tab. This is not required as our rosters only have 12 players, which is the maximum allowed, but is useful if you want to prevent a player from being used.  Double-click the letter in the Eligibility column next to a player to toggle between "E" eligible or "I" ineligible.

Player Profiles Screen

The game comes with NBA default values for your players, you are allowed to change almost anything.  However, there are a couple of things you are not allowed to change!

DO NOT CHANGE THE GP (games played) or GS (games started) columns.  If these are changed, it will not kill the game.  However, all team rating displays will get mucked up (i.e. Points per game, etc.)

DO NOT CHANGE the Minutes by Position section of the screen from 0 to non-zero for any of your players.  Players are ONLY eligible to play at positions where they have 1 or minutes listed.

When setting up your game plan, it is a good idea to print out either a copy of your PLAYER RATINGS report from the game or the RATINGS page from your team page, or pull out the player cards for reference.

INPCT (Positioned Inside %)

This value can be set from 0 to 100%.

This value tells the computer how often you want this guy positioned inside on offence.  The computer coach will select the two players (Strat will always put two men inside - the game always recommends you do so) with the higher inside % when they are on the floor. Therefore it is essential that you change the inside % numbers to reflect which order you want your players positioned inside (i.e. put 100 for a player you always want inside). Additionally, if you have three players selected at 90% then the computer coach will select the two inside players according to your inside assignments from the lineup grid (next screen).

Looking at the TENDENCY column of your roster, it is a very good idea to set all players who are simply rated as an "I" (no **'s) to 100% INPCT.  NOTE: The game will not allow you to position these players outside.  Similarly, any player without an "I" should be automatically set to 0% INPCT.

Do not look at this as where the player stands the whole game.  This is simply where he will take his shots (INSIDE or OUTSIDE/PENETRATE).  The game accommodates for strict inside shooters who have a few 3-pt attempts by giving them an opportunity here and there.

Once you set up your rotations on the NEXT page, come back here to figure out who will be down low for that lineup.  If you don't like it, adjust the %'s to accommodate your desired setup.

STLSHT (Steal and Shoot %)

Valid values are 0 to 100%

This % tells the computer how often (in %) to take a fast break shot after THAT player steals the ball.  Some players are NOT good fast break shooters, and are better off waiting for their teammates to catch up! 

BLK (Minutes as Block Man or Intimidator)

Valid values are 0-48

These are the number of minutes during the game, this player will be the designated block-man (or intimidator).  The best strategy for this number, is to (referring to your team ratings of course), set all of your guys with "0" block ratings, to 0 BLK.  From there, you rank the players with a block rating of 1-20 by how often you want them to be the BLOCK MAN.  You assign 48 to your #1 guy, 47 to #2, and so on.

The immediate thought is to simply order the players in descending Block Rating.  However, one thing to keep in mind, is that you may have a great block-man who is also a good outside defender.  If he is the BLOCK MAN, he is automatically positioned INSIDE on defense.

MINUTES BY POSITION

This is a very useful set of values for handling how foul-trouble situation will be handled by the computer.  By default, the computer will follow your rotations that you set on the next screen. However, in the case of foul trouble or foul outs, the computer needs help deciding just who to bring in.

Note you can modify the original minute values for any of the positions for which your player is "rated", ie. has a non-zero value for a position.  Additionally, the sum of all five positions must be less than or equal to his SOM card rest total (i.e. a player that must rest 6 minutes, can not have more then 42 (48-6) minutes entered.  For example:

PLAYER       PG  SG  SF  PF   C    
C.Childs     23   1   0   0   0    

Chris Childs is "rated" to play PG and SG and he needs to rest 18 minutes a game, you can modify the minute values for these two positions but can NOT modify the minute values for the other positions as he is not rated to play those positions.  Also the total minutes between PG and SG can NOT exceed his playing minutes of 30 (48-18 rest).
 

OUTSIDE (N/S/C) - Type of Shot to take when positioned OUTSIDE

Valid values for the three fields are 0, 1, or 2 

This value is simply set to...

1 - Always shoot outside
2 - Always penetrate
0 - Let computer decide

You can set the value based on the type of defense he is facing (Normal, Close, or Sag). 

SWITCH (45 or 123)

Valid values are 0, 1, 2, or 3

This tells the computer what type of shot to attempt if the defense get caught in a switch.  45 is shot vs. a PF or C.  123 is against the PG, SG, or SF.  The values mean...

1 - Shoot outside
2 - Penetrate
3 - Inside
0 - Let computer decide

Computer Coach Instructions

You will notice on the MINUTES GRID, that it is broken up into 3 segments per quarter (6, 4, 2).  This indicates that the first lineup (topmost), will play the first 6 minutes of quarter #1.  The second lineup plays the next 4 minutes of the quarter #1, and the third lineup plays the final 2 minutes of quarter #1.  This structure is repeated for quarters 2-4.

When you start filling in this grid, there are a few things to consider/remember...

• The computer will make switches as close to the minute indicated as possible at a stoppage in play.  Sometimes, it will even call a timeout to do it.
• The computer will put out the lineup indicated unless it deems a player is in too much foul trouble or has fouled out.  In this case he will refer back to the PROFILE set earlier.
• When setting up the grid, know your players' rest ratings, and make sure you don't play a player more then his allowed rest time.

Because players do not face a seasonal MINUTES limit in the SBA, you need to be very careful in overusing your players in every game.  If you use a player his maximum minutes each game you will undoubtedly burn the player out for the season which can be seriously detrimental to your team's performance.

Besides tweaking with your lineups through EDIT LINEUPS, you can also set your offence (HALFCOURT or FASTBREAK), and your designated INSIDE players.

Choosing between a FASTBREAK or HALFCOURT offence weighs heavily on the passing and fastbreak passing ratings of the point guard.  Also, the fastbreak shooting of the players in the lineup should be considered.  If your PG is significantly better in one than the other (click on Scouting Report to see), then you should pick his better one.  If they're about equal, then you should really check out the Fastbreak shooting of the players on the court.  You should note that in fastbreaks, PG, SG, and SF tend to get more opportunities than the PF and C because they tend to get down the court quicker. 

Finally, as mentioned earlier, the INSIDE settings under EDIT LINEUPS are superseded by the values in the PROFILE section completed earlier.  These ratings will be used to break any tie that occurs.

When you have everything just the way you like it, click OK to save your changes.