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Monday Tip-Off: Focusing On What I Find Fun

Monday Tip-Off: Focusing On What I Find Fun

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with a few thoughts on focusing on what I find fun in basketball gaming.

I realise that sounds like a strange thing to say. Whether it’s a video game or any other hobby, the point is to enjoy the time you’re spending with it. It doesn’t make sense to not have fun! And yet, that is something that happens with video games, particularly newer releases. I promise this isn’t just another rant about microtransactions, although they undoubtedly play a major role in this. Modes like MyTEAM and MyCAREER are designed in a way that intentionally limits the fun if you intend not to spend, and that’s an issue that was created by the adoption of recurrent revenue mechanics.

However, it’s bigger than that. Even when you’re past the unpleasant grind, indeed even if you pay to skip it, modern basketball games aren’t as fun as they should be. Moreover, ideas that should be fun in theory end up detracting from the enjoyment, either because of the looming shadows of microtransactions and FOMO, or simply less than optimal design. The frustrating part of that is how easy it is to get hooked despite these obvious pitfalls, which of course is completely intentional. However, once you can break free of that spell and start focusing on what is fun, basketball gaming will return to being the enjoyable pastime that it should always be.

Basketball video games have unfortunately normalised the idea of “putting in work”; a contradiction in terms considering they’re supposed to be fun! This shouldn’t be confused with making an effort to master skills and strategies in order to progress and ultimately succeed, whether that’s winning in the competitive scene or defeating the AI to win virtual NBA championships. I’m talking about arduous, repetitive tasks just to get to a point where the game is enjoyable, or to unlock rewards that aren’t worth the grind, not to mention being unavailable once the servers are shut down. In other words, mechanics that have us rack up numerous hours rather than meaningful ones.

MyCAREER Season 1 Rewards Were Underwhelming

These mechanics have taken many forms. MyTEAM has its collections and collector levels. MyCAREER has had the Road to 99, which became MyREP, and now Season Level, which it adopted from MyTEAM. Whatever the rewards system, it amounts to the same thing: unlocking functionality, gaining perks/boosts, and receiving exclusive content. The quality and distribution of rewards has often left something to be desired, but it’s been tempting enough to keep making the effort. Besides, if you’re already playing the mode and enjoying the basic experience, you’ll organically reach them in time…assuming the progression rate and currency payouts are both fair, of course.

And that’s where we hit a snag. VC and XP payouts aren’t always fair, leading to a long slog just to unlock basic functionality or otherwise mundane rewards. With that in mind, you could just ignore those reward and level systems. Unfortunately, that’s where FOMO comes in. You’ll see other people online who’ve been grinding and now unlocked some cool stuff that you’d like to have access to. Just a little more grinding here, maybe a few bucks there if you’re desperate, and you can get them, too! I haven’t spent money on VC in years, but I have invested time. I won’t say that I’ve not had any fun in doing so, but in hindsight, it feels much more like work than play.

Even when I made the switch to MyTEAM, I was focusing on the new Agenda. What did I need to do to earn enough XP to level up and get new rewards? Which Agenda items could I combine to cut down on the time it would take? How could I tackle the challenges that required specific cards, since I wasn’t prepared to spend money on any packs? When you take a step back, the problem with all of those questions is obvious. I’m trying to formulate a gameplan to maximise my efficiency and play a particular way, rather than just having fun with the game. The real kicker is that it is actually possible to just play and enjoy yourself, but you’re drawn to agendas and rewards.

Season 1 Rewards in NBA 2K23 MyTEAM

Once you realise that, it’s simply a matter of willpower, and focusing on the fun. Are the Agenda items appealing to you? If not, don’t worry about them; just play what you want in MyTEAM, and if you level up, you level up. The single player modes are designed in a way that you can go at your own pace if you’re patient and skilled on the sticks. In NBA 2K23, I have my Michael Jordan card, courtesy of pre-ordering the Michael Jordan Edition. I’ve already unlocked team customisation, and acquired the Bulls’ jerseys and branding. Once levelling up starts to feel like a boring grind rather than a fun journey, I stop focusing on that. As such, the mode is much less of a chore.

MyCAREER is slightly more challenging, especially if you’re participating in any of the connected experiences. Once again, because I opted for a special edition of the game, I had a head start with pre-order VC. That got me to a point where I was able to upgrade my attributes to a manageable level, as well as outfit my avatar with my favourite Air Jordan Vs. Playing through the story and with the NLSC crew has allowed me to earn Badges and keep upgrading my attributes, and my MyPLAYER has generally been viable for online and offline play alike. That’s allowed me to at least try out MyCAREER and the online team play modes to see if I enjoy them.

As I said in Episode #454 of the NLSC Podcast, I do consider MyCAREER in NBA 2K23 to be the worst iteration of the mode in the history of the series. Not only is the online scene as toxic as it’s ever been, but the traditional NBA experience is hampered by a terrible story, mandatory quests, and integration with an online open world. Even if I do come to spend more time with it, I have no interest in grinding to hit Level 40. Most of the rewards aren’t exciting to begin with, and I can still easily live without the more interesting ones. Sure, I’ll redeem any rewards I earn, and activate a double XP coin if I have one, but the quality of the rewards fails to induce any amount of FOMO.

Grading Cards in NBA 2K23 MyTEAM

The same goes for MyTEAM. I’ll look at the Agenda and take a moment to do any simple tasks such as apply a badge, craft/apply a shoe, grade a player, and so on. I’ll see if any of the items steer me towards playing something that I want to anyway. If not, no big deal. I’ll take whatever rewards I end up with during the course of play, and if I fall short of Level 40 – well, it’s more a case of when rather than if – then I’m not going to be disappointed. As with MyCAREER, I might suggest that the rewards could be better, with a less tedious grind. If they’re not, so be it. It’s not what I’m focusing on, and I’m not depending on getting that content in order to have fun.

Because I’m not trying to grind for disappointing rewards that I won’t be able to enjoy if I revisit NBA 2K23 after the servers are shut down, it frees up a lot of time to focus on what I find fun to play. This doesn’t just mean in NBA 2K23, either. When I was grinding hard in previous games, it would’ve interrupted “the mission” if I’d brought another title into the rotation. Because I’m in a position to pick up and put down NBA 2K23 as I like, I can spend more time with other games. If I want to keep playing MyCAREER in NBA 2K14, I can and certainly will do that. If I want to play another old favourite, or check out a game that I’ve overlooked, then that’s feasible as well.

In the long run, my dissatisfaction with NBA 2K21 and NBA 2K22 was the best thing that could’ve happened for my basketball gaming habits. Dee’s encouragement to join him for sessions on Parsec was a huge help as well. It broke a cycle, got me out of a rut, and reminded me of the purpose of basketball gaming: to enjoy virtual hoops! It seems so obvious, but again, there’s a lure to unlockable content and agendas. Even if you vow not to spend a cent on VC, FOMO can get you in other ways. Grinding can be oddly addictive; like a compulsive gambler, you’ll “have a system”. I can see how people who are more predisposed to spend will easily drop thousands on these games!

NBA 2K14 MyCAREER Continues To Be Fun in Year 5

This is why I’ll always criticise the predatory aspect of NBA 2K’s recurrent revenue and loot box mechanics. However, even if you have no trouble committing to a No Money Spent approach – even if there were no microtransactions at all – focusing on checklists and grinding for rewards wouldn’t be fun. Well, perhaps I shouldn’t speak in absolutes, or for anyone but myself. I’m sure there are many who would enjoy the journey and get a rush from completing it. With that being said, I certainly don’t miss focusing on agendas over fun. Based on what I’ve read and heard others say, I’m not alone in that regard. Many are happy to just play, and forget about the lousy rewards.

I’m certainly content to do just that. I’ve travelled down the Road to 99. I’ve jumped online enough to grind MyREP for underwhelming prizes, and fallen into similar habits with Seasons. Even the Hall of Fame in the NBA side of MyCAREER holds little allure these days; it’s something I’ve already achieved, in iterations of the mode that were more enjoyable than the current approach. From now on, I’m just focusing on whatever’s the most fun, and doesn’t demand hours of tedium. I’ve had fun with NBA 2K23 so far, and expect I’ll enjoy spending more time with it in the future. If I’m not enjoying myself, I won’t force myself to stomach it. I’ll just play something else.

Of course, I do have to acknowledge once again that it helps that I pre-ordered the Michael Jordan Edition of NBA 2K23. It’s not ideal that my early satisfaction hinged on spending extra to have content and VC that I wouldn’t otherwise have. That is an ongoing issue, and it’s likely I wouldn’t have been enjoying multiple modes in NBA 2K23 without a head start. At the same time, my extended NBA 2K14 kick helped me to overcome a habit of mindlessly grinding. It facilitates playing other modes, as well as dusting off old favourites. These days, I’m focusing on what’s fun in basketball gaming. Just as importantly however, I’m readily putting aside anything that isn’t.

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