Tag Archives: Park

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 my thoughts on how NBA 2K has all of the leverage over cheesers, and should take advantage of that.

The December patch for NBA 2K22 Next Gen included an attempt to reduce cheese in the online scene. More specifically, it addressed exploits with quick left and right bursts – the infamous “zigzag cheese” – that has been contributing to a homogenised, unrealistic style of play. Needless to say, the cheesers weren’t pleased. There were more than a couple of angry comments, usually along the lines of how NBA 2K had been ruined, and that video games shouldn’t have to be realistic. It’s clear that a vocal contingent of online NBA 2K gamers are in favour of utilising cheesy tactics.

As someone who has been turned off the online scene due to its toxicity and style, and believes that a sim game should maintain a base level of realism and strategy, my response is: tough cheese! A truly competitive scene should facilitate different styles of play, and discourage easily repeatable exploits. Mastering a single move and then proceeding to spam it over and over again is hardly skilful. It certainly isn’t basketball either, and while there’s value in taking liberties with realism, a sim game should still be realistic at its core. That the developers have taken a stand against cheesers does suggest that they believe this as well, but to that end, it’s vital that they stand firm.

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Welcome to another edition of The Friday Five! Every Friday I cover a topic related to basketball gaming, either as a list of five items, or a Top 5 countdown. The topics for these lists and countdowns include everything from fun facts and recollections to commentary and critique. This week’s Five is a list of five concepts that ended up changing NBA 2K forever.

I’m no psychologist, but I’d hazard a guess and say that most of us have experienced an aversion to change at some point in our lives. Whether it’s apprehension of new surroundings, nostalgia goggles, or just plain comfort with the current arrangements, we’d prefer things not to change. Not to get too deep here – again, I’m no psychologist – but it’s important to accept change as part of life, and be able to adjust and grow. Of course, not all change is desirable, and change for change’s sake can prove to be a bad idea. Given the choice, it would’ve been preferable to leave things as they were.

We’ve seen a lot of these changes in basketball video games over the years. Many have been for the best, representing revolution and evolution within the genre. Others haven’t panned out so well. In the case of the latter, some of those concepts have only lasted a game or two before the developers scrapped them in favour of a new and better solution; or perhaps, returned to an old approach that still works best. Other concepts unfortunately stick around despite their negative impact, or at the very least, mixed results. For better or worse, these concepts have forever changed the NBA 2K series as we know it, either from a mechanical or philosophical standpoint.

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Patch 1.7 has been released for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions of NBA 2K22. As always, it should come through automatically as long as your console is online. If it doesn’t, try restarting, or check for updates manually.

As with Patch 1.5 for Current Gen, the new update prepares the game for Season 2: Build Your Empire in MyCAREER and MyTEAM. It also includes court and player likeness updates, several gameplay adjustments, and technical fixes across all game modes. Various issues with MyCAREER quests have also been resolved.

Full notes for Patch 1.7 can be found in the NBA 2K22 Next Gen update history over in our Wiki. Feel free to share your impressions of the latest title update in the comments below, as well as join in the discussion in this topic in the NLSC Forum!

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We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with my thoughts on the difference between “possible” and “preferable”, when it comes to the design of in-game economies.

In last week’s Monday Tip-Off, I discussed the rising cost of MyCAREER, comparing the price of upgrading a MyPLAYER in NBA 2K14 to NBA 2K22. Thanks to a few prominent content creators sharing our Tweet promoting the article, it gained some traction on Twitter. I’m grateful for the exposure, as this is an important issue for MyCAREER gamers. I was heartened by the general response to the Tweet, as it seemed to resonate. It appears to have placed a figure on what many people already suspected, and validated frustration with the current approach to Virtual Currency.

Of course, I wasn’t surprised that there were some attempts to justify the increasing cost that I discussed. There were a handful of replies or quote Tweets that simply said “inflation”, pointed out ways of earning VC, argued that the game is good this year, or basically shrugged in acceptance that this is the way of things now. I understand those arguments, but many of them do miss the bigger picture and overall point. It’s clear who read the article and who didn’t, without even going into the Tweet analytics. To that end, this follow-up article will probably likewise go unread by those individuals. Nevertheless, I want to clarify that “possible” and “preferable” aren’t always the same.

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We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with my thoughts on the delicate balancing act between consequences and fun in hoops gaming.

Developing a video game that satisfies its target audience is easier said than done; not just from a technical standpoint, but a conceptual one as well. That’s because even within a specific demographic, there are different preferences and approaches to gaming. Some people like exploration, storytelling, and immersion. Others prefer a more competitive atmosphere. One may prefer video games to be a fun distraction, while others want a challenge and choices with consequences. These are all valid preferences, and thus catering to them all as best as possible is a daunting task.

That is nevertheless the goal that I believe basketball games have been striving for, with mixed results. Of course, to a certain extent, consequences are supposed to be part of the fun, because therein lies the challenge and the game. In a team building mode, there’s currency to budget, and strategies to assembling a squad that’s both successful and fun to play with. In single player career modes, there’s likewise budgeting of in-game currency, optimal build choices, and efficient methods for grinding. Making the right choices is all part of the experience, but without the right balance, the consequences can be too severe and thus detract from the fun.

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We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with some reflections on being at the upper end of the basketball gaming demographic.

For all the criticism that The Simpsons receives for staying on the air as long as it has, it continues to be referenced in memes. Such is its impact on pop culture, and online discourse. There are two references to The Simpsons that are frequently trotted out to comment on age, and not surprisingly, they both involve that lovable curmudgeon, Abraham Simpson. In a flashback where a young Homer mocks Abe for being out of touch, Abe very ominously warns that when it comes to no longer being “with it“, it’ll also happen to Homer one day. Abe is also the infamous old man yelling at a cloud.

Now that I’m around Homer’s canonical age, I have to admit that I’m starting to feel what he felt in that episode. At the same time, I also relate to what Abe was talking about. Even though we Millennials are still copping flak from older generations, to Gen Z, we’re “old heads“, too. We grew up admiring different players, and the video games we played didn’t have microtransactions. Our expectations are therefore quite different, and it’s apparent that many features are not aimed at us. As I said, I’m far closer to Homer in age than I am to Abe, but as I find myself at the upper end of the basketball gaming demographic, Grampa’s warning thus feels increasingly apt.

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We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off by tackling a controversial issue in NBA 2K: the use of AI Players in online modes.

I’ve covered several topics related to online modes in NBA 2K, from gatekeeping and elitism to forced grinding and a lack of matchmaking. One issue that I haven’t touched upon all that much is the use of AI Players in the online arena. As you know if you’ve played MyCAREER’s connected online modes, AI Players are utilised in one of two ways. Either they make up the numbers when there aren’t enough users to completely fill both squads, or they take the place of a user when they quit or foul out of a game so that everyone else can keep playing.

The use of AI Players in online team play modes is particularly controversial, though. It ties into the aforementioned issues of matchmaking and elitism, but there are some legitimate complaints regarding the practice. The presence of AI Players in the online modes runs contrary to their very concept, yet at the same time, it facilitates them. It’s an issue where it’s impossible to cater to two very different preferences, at least with the current options and mechanics. Moving forward, it’s an issue that NBA 2K will have to resolve, but in the meantime, let’s take a look at both the drawbacks and the benefits of AI Players in online modes, and why the matter evokes strong opinions.

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We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with the not-so-controversial declaration that Rookieville in NBA 2K21 Next Gen’s MyCAREER was a terrible idea.

I don’t want to say I told you so, but my track record with predictions is hit and miss, so I’ll take the opportunity to say: I told you so. Well, maybe not you, specifically. Perhaps like me, you saw the concept of Rookieville in NBA 2K21 Next Gen’s MyCAREER, and realised it was terrible idea. Perhaps you saw it for the gatekeeping measure that it is, instantly giving The City an air of elitism. If so, you looked past all the bells and whistles, and the admittedly impressive loading times, to see the issues with the approach. As such, you won’t be surprised that it’s drawing criticism.

Of course, fanboys and shills couldn’t see the drawbacks; or at the very least, didn’t want to acknowledge them. To actually take a deep dive into the problems with The City, and Rookieville in particular, is to be a spoilsport in their eyes. Why are we daring to hate on such a cool idea? Don’t we like fun? Aren’t we good enough to get past Rookieville and into The City? As I pointed out in my previous article, it’s not that getting past Rookieville is difficult; it’s that it’s unnecessary and problematic. It’s not surprising that fanboys and shills are ignoring the issue and bleating defensively, but it’s concerning that no one at Visual Concepts was thinking ahead here.

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This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! In this feature, we dig into the archives, look back at the history of basketball gaming, and indulge in some nostalgia. Check in every Wednesday for retrospectives and other features on older versions of NBA Live, NBA 2K, and old school basketball video games in general. You’ll also find old NLSC editorials re-published with added commentary, and other flashback content. This week, I’m taking a look back at adidas Live Run in NBA Live 10.

These days, we take the concept of online team play for granted. Although there’s still interest in single player experiences and local multiplayer, the various modes that allow us to play with up to nine other gamers online are extremely popular. Of course, MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft, to say nothing of the multiplayer scene in first person shooters and good old fashioned LAN parties, had already popularised the concept. As soon as the online infrastructure was developed for basketball and other sports titles, it was clear that the concept would find an enthusiastic audience.

It’s interesting to look back at those early iterations of online team play. With adidas Live Run in particular, you can see that the concept was already starting to evolve into the experiences we now enjoy (well, sometimes enjoy). Unfortunately, with the NBA Live series being rebooted following the cancellation of NBA Elite 11, the developers weren’t able to expand upon the idea of adidas Live Run until NBA Live 16. It was nevertheless an innovative mode in its time, so let’s take a look back…way back…

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To mark the 25th Anniversary of NBA Live, we’re taking a look back at every game in the series with retrospectives and other fun content! This also includes re-running some features from our 20th Anniversary celebrations, with a few revisions. Whether you’re a long-time basketball gamer who grew up with NBA Live and are keen on taking a trip down memory lane, or you’re new to the series and want to learn about its history, we hope that you enjoy celebrating the 25th Anniversary of NBA Live here at the NLSC! Next up is a retrospective of NBA Live 16.

I have mixed feelings when I look back at NBA Live 16. On one hand, it’s a very solid game that was an improvement on NBA Live 15. I also had the opportunity to play it early, and to date, that was the last community event that I attended. On the other hand, the game also introduced concepts that while fun, have since taken the series in the wrong direction upon becoming the main focus. That makes it a pivotal title in the series, and in hindsight, there were some red flags about what was to come. At the same time, the good things that it did were cause for optimism, and deserve credit. With that in mind, NBA Live 16 is a rather interesting release to reflect upon.

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We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with some thoughts on the desire and the difficulty of ending online sessions of NBA 2K on a high note.

It’s now several months too late to pay tribute to the late Kenny Rogers, as well as somewhat out of place in content about basketball gaming. However, his signature song, “The Gambler“, provides an apt metaphor for this week’s topic. As the song tells us, in life – as in playing poker – there’s wisdom in knowing when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em; when to walk away, when to run. The metaphor resonates because it’s important to know when to call it quits, when to persevere, and how to play the hand you’ve been dealt, literally and figuratively speaking.

Not everything has the same stakes, of course, but the metaphor works for a variety of scenarios. On this occasion, I’m applying it to online sessions in NBA 2K. Getting into the online scene over the past few years has been an interesting experience. It’s been frustrating at times, but also a lot of fun at others. Something that I and the rest of the NLSC Pro-Am squad have learned is that it’s very easy to play one game too many, and thus end the night on a sour note. It’s disappointing to end an evening of online hoops that way, and unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to avoid. Even when you know you ought to fold ’em, you can end up sticking around for a few more hands.

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The third NBA 2K21 Next Gen gameplay blog has been posted. With the first blog covering fundamentals and the second blog covering movement and contact, the third and final gameplay blog discusses MyPLAYER builds and AI.

Some of the key points spotlighted in the blog include the new MyPLAYER Builder, which has done away with pie charts. There are also new Badges including a Mamba Mentality Badge, and 24 Takeover abilities. Several updates have also been made to the AI in the Next Gen version of NBA 2K21. The version of the blog posted on the official PlayStation website also mentions another PlayStation 5 exclusive, this time concerning MyTEAM.

As with the previous insights, I recommend reading the third NBA 2K21 Next Gen gameplay blog for the full scoop. However, you can check out my summary of the key points below. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, and join in the discussion taking place here in the Forum!

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Patch 1.04 has been released for NBA 2K21 on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. As always, the update will come through automatically as long as you’re online. If it doesn’t, try restarting your console or Steam client, or checking for updates manually.

The new update brings Halloween to The Neighborhood in MyCAREER. It also includes new faces for over 60 NBA and WNBA players, updates the default Quick Play matchup to Lakers vs. Heat, and prepares the game for upcoming 2K Beach events, Season 2 in MyTEAM, and the $250K MyTEAM Unlimited tournament.

Other fixes include adjustments to set screen movement, and changes to shot aiming to combat modded controller exploits. Park dribble moves now also require the Hall of Fame Tight Handles Badge, and some technical issues have been resolved. Please see below for the full notes for NBA 2K21 Patch 1.04; you can also find a complete update history for the game here in our Wiki.

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We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with some thoughts on skill-based matchmaking.

Did you know that the concept of skill-based matchmaking, commonly abbreviated to SBMM, is controversial? I’ll admit that I was surprised at first, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense; especially given my experiences playing NBA 2K online. As the name implies, skill-based matchmaking is a system for matching both teammates and opponents in online play according to their abilities. The criteria and algorithms for this vary from game to game, but are generally based on winning percentage, ranking or reputation systems, and other statistics relevant to the genre.

Sounds like a good idea, right; the kind of proper matchmaking that we’d expect to see in a basketball game like NBA 2K, with all of its connected experiences? Well, you would think so, but not everyone is a fan of skill-based matchmaking. This disdain stretches beyond NBA 2K and the basketball gaming community, but the basic reasoning behind gamers’ objections to the concept remains the same. Frankly, this is unfortunate. SBMM is indeed a good idea, and would undoubtedly clean up the online scene in NBA 2K by reducing the toxicity and sense of gatekeeping. I’d like to explore why it’s necessary, and also examine the controversy surrounding SBMM.

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Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown. This week’s Five lists some of the pettiest moments we’ve seen in basketball gaming.

Is it fair to say that some of the most talented and creative people are also among the pettiest? As someone who grew up reading Roald Dahl’s books, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Danny, Champion of the World, The Twits, and other classics, I’d have to say yes. Comparing the stories to Dahl’s autobiographical works, Boy and Going Solo, it’s obvious that he based many of his villains on people that he’d met and didn’t care for. In Danny, Champion of the World, he flat out named Danny’s abusive teacher after one of his own schoolmasters whom he loathed (I’d say quite rightfully).

With that in mind, it’s probably fair to say that spite is a driving influence in a lot of people’s creative process. The amount of recording artists who have released songs written about an ex – famous or otherwise – also stands as a good example here. As a creative medium in which there’s competition, video games likewise invite some petty potshots and snarky slams. With there once being a heated rivalry between NBA Live and NBA 2K, both EA Sports and Visual Concepts have been guilty of pettiness. On the other hand, pettiness has also resulted in some amusing Easter eggs and design choices. Without further ado, here are five of the pettiest moments in virtual hoops!

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