Tag Archives: Beluba

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 some thoughts on the oddity of basketball gamers being anti-consumer consumers.

Look, I realise the folly of hitting back against the shills in basketball gaming. If nothing else, it’s amplifying the voices of an already loud contingent of gamers who make their hobby and favourite titles too much of their personality. It’s how you get baited into frustrating arguments by that one person with the terrible take. Mind you, when it comes to anti-consumer consumers, it’s not just a lone contrarian troll. Even if you want to argue that it’s a vocal minority, they’re not only driving the discourse, but emboldening studios to engage in anti-consumer practices.

The release of a new game is always a peak period of anti-consumer consumers. It’s the annual honeymoon phase; that roughly two-week period where there’ll be the most gushing praise and determined pushback on any criticism. When a title is new, it’s easier to blame gamers for any issues they have with it, since they can potentially be chalked up to the need to adjust to any changes to the mechanics and other aspects of the gameplay. Once we’re past the honeymoon phase and there’s more honesty about a game’s flaws, it becomes harder to dismiss criticisms out of hand. Of course, while it takes some of the wind out of their sails, it doesn’t stop the anti-consumer consumers.

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The NBA 2K21 gameplay blog for the Current Gen version has been posted, outlining what we can expect from this year’s release. A breakdown of the key points is as follows:

• Beluba reiterated the focus on striking a good balance between realism and fun, once again referring to turnovers on long passes as an example of what they want to avoid.
• Cover player Damian Lillard had several suggestions, including raising the maximum height for point guards in MyCAREER. It’s now 6’8″.
• The Pro Stick controls have changed: Hold down for a jumpshot, hold left or right for escape dribbles, hold up for signature size-ups, tap for quick 1-to-1 dribble moves, tap while holding Sprint for quick momentum dribbles.
• New signature size-ups have been added (for a total of 14 Street and 36 NBA animations), and moves are now more responsive and “chain-able”. Street moves are performed with a tap of the left trigger.
• When shooting with the Pro Stick, the Shot Meter is replaced by target aiming inspired by NBA 2K17’s mechanics. Instead of timing the release, you can use the whole animation to hit the target window. The same mechanics apply to layups, but this can be disabled. There are also new shot types, and over 40 new shot landings for Park.
• Block targeting has been improved, and some of the overpowered paint moves have been toned down. There are also signature defensive styles, and player movement has been refined for more responsiveness.
• The Badge system is basically the same as last year, though it’s been refined based on telemetry data from popular builds. Shot speed has been moved back to the Jump Shot Creator, with the Quick Draw Badge being removed entirely.

Check out the NBA 2K21 gameplay blog for the full scoop! A demo will be dropping on August 24th, though no further details are available as yet. What are your thoughts on these changes and additions? Sound off in the comments below, and join in the discussion here the Forum!

It’s the deep-dive developer blog that a lot of basketball gamers have been waiting for! Gameplay Director Mike Wang (aka Beluba) has posted a blog detailing the various improvements to gameplay in NBA 2K17, which you can check out here.

The blog touches on a lot of points that have been mentioned in recent previews, but in much greater detail. Beluba reiterates the aim of giving us more control over the action with the changes to shooting on the Pro Stick, but also mentions that we won’t be penalised for using the Shoot button. He also explains what the timing on layup attempts will mean for contact shots in heavy traffic, and the way that they have preserved realism with the new controls.

Beluba also explains NBA 2K17’s new Shot Meter, and confirms that green releases will not miss, as well as the ability to perform evasive layups with left and right movements of the Pro Stick. The Pro Stick can also be used to perform a dig steal on defense, and the stealing system takes into account more factors than it did before. He also discusses how blocks have been revamped and enhanced in NBA 2K17.

Signature Size-Ups have been broken down into small combos that can be chained together, for a better a one-to-one feel. A lot of work has also gone into making the animations smoother, from motion capture to blending techniques. Lots of new animations have been added, from off-ball collisions to putback dunks, and there is increased physicality between players. Beluba also drops a lot of information about the Adaptive Coaching Engine, enhancements to AI, and some other tidbits.

Be sure to check out the blog for all the details, and if you’ve got any thoughts, feel free to post them in the comments section below! You can also join in the discussion that’s taking place here in the NBA 2K17 section of the NLSC Forum.