Tag Archives: Preview

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.

Mike Lowe of Operation Sports had an opportunity to visit Visual Concepts’ studios this week, where he received an advanced sneak peak at NBA 2K17. He’s been able to share a lot of juicy information about this year’s game, in a post that you can read here over on OS.

There’s far too much information for me to summarise in just a few points, and I don’t want to just flat out copy and paste an entire article, so be sure to check out OS for the full scoop. However, a quick overview of some of the highlights is as follows:

• There’s been a huge emphasis on enhancing video and audio accuracy in NBA 2K17, from shoes to the commentary team.
• Blacktop features more customisation options, and improved matchmaking. Matchmaking has also been improved in Play Now Online.
• Moments cards and Challenges in MyTEAM will be coming through a lot quicker, there will be a prize board, and users can pick a Free Agent card upon starting MyTEAM.
• MyLEAGUE and MyGM have received under-the-hood enhancements to AI and logic, as well as the addition of protected picks, the ability to start in the 2016 offseason, changes to league rules and the CBA, and much more.
• MyLEAGUE Online will feature more admin options this year.
• Custom jumpshots are back, there’s a new off-ball collision system, the post-game has been revamped, and there’s been an emphasis on smooth animations.
• Team owners in 2K Pro-Am will feature a roster of ten, and the owner doesn’t need to be present to play. However, teams do need to level up to use advanced customisation features.

Once again, be sure to check out Mike’s article over on Operation Sports for all the details. What’s your take on the latest information? Sound off in the comments below, and join in the discussion taking place here in the NBA 2K17 section of the NLSC Forum!

We may still be waiting for some deep-dive developer blogs for NBA 2K17, but we have received some interesting tidbits on various features, courtesy of a 2K media day. Andre Voigt, a German journalist, was in attendance and has Tweeted out some details on this year’s game. The Tweets are in German, but both Operation Sports and NBA2K4Life.com have provided translations. Some of the key points are as follows:

• There will be dynamic commentary booths, with a total of eleven commentators supporting the main team. The commentary teams will change depending on the city you’re in.
• Shoes have been 3D scanned, and all 30 NBA arenas have had their sounds individually recorded.
• Blacktop will allow gamers to set their own rules, and features player introductions. Blacktop has also been added to MyTEAM.
• MyTEAM features re-designed cards, six new gem levels, and bonuses for dynamic duos.
• MyLEAGUE Online has been expanded to 80 seasons, the same as the offline MyLEAGUE.
• Jersey retirements, pick protection, and advanced rotations have been added.
• Over 700 new animations have been added in NBA 2K17.
• We can expect new offensive sets, and enhanced coaching AI. A “Smart Coach” feature also offers recommendations from the Assistant Coach.
• The owner will now control the roster in 2K Pro-Am, and the squad can play without the owner. Stats are also saved, and there will be three levels (Amateur, Pro, and Elite). The Elite level will even feature sponsors that earn additional Virtual Currency.
• There will be an NBA 2K17 All-Star Tournament, with cash prizes and tickets to All-Star Weekend up for grabs.

Once again, these details have yet to be officially revealed to the public via developer blogs and the like, but this information has come straight from the source. With that being said, what do you think of these tidbits? Have your say in the comments section below, as well as join in the discussion in this thread in our NBA 2K17 Forum.

UPROXX’s Spencer Lund recently had a chance to talk to senior developer Rob Jones, as well as get his hands on NBA 2K17. You can check out his hands-on impressions of this year’s game from Visual Concepts here.

The article doesn’t provide much in the way of brand new information. It covers the goal of capturing Stephen Curry’s ability to knock down really long threes with regularity and the changes to the shooting mechanics, while emphasising the developer’s goal of giving gamers more control over the action. However, it does offer up some positive impressions of the controls in action, and seems to suggest that we won’t be getting stuck in animations as much in NBA 2K17. Additionally, the tweaked controls apparently aren’t as complex as they might seem:

This is all very smooth, though. Throughout Rob’s entire explanation, I kept mentioning how complicated this all sounded. Just playing basketball in real life, players are inundated with a multitude of variables they have to take into account before making their next decision with the ball or where they want to stand, even. But, even for a relative (at least to our readers) plebe at 2K, this increased player agency all fit into the flow of the game. You’re not second-guessing your on-court decisions as much as you might think. Even those who are new to the game.

Check out the article for more impressions, and feel free to have your say in the comments section below, as well as in this thread in the NBA 2K17 section of the NLSC Forum!

2K has announced “The Prelude”, a free downloadable experience that will allow us to get a head start on MyCAREER in NBA 2K17. The Prelude will be released on September 9th, a day after the MyNBA2K17 companion app is made available for Android and iOS devices. Unfortunately for PC users, The Prelude will only be available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

With The Prelude, we’ll be able to choose from a selection of Division I colleges, and play games in an effort to boost our Draft stock. It also includes 2KU, a tutorial mode intended to familiarise both new and old gamers with this year’s controls, and basketball strategy in general. As noted in earlier previews, 2KU features Mike Krzyzewski.

It also seems that MyCAREER might be moving away from the cutscene-heavy, story-driven approach of recent years. At the very least, it seems that this year’s MyCAREER will have a different approach to last year’s story that was written and directed by Spike Lee.

You can watch a trailer for The Prelude below, or catch it here on YouTube if you can’t see the embedded video.

What’s your take? Sound off in the comments below, and join in the discussion here in the NBA 2K17 section of the NLSC Forum!

It’s been revealed that Team 2K member and 2016 Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns will be the “cover” player for the MyNBA2K17 companion app for NBA 2K17. The app will be available for Android and iOS devices on September 8th 2016, at no cost. In addition to mini-games that allow users to earn Virtual Currency daily, MyNBA2K17 will also feature access to the Auction House, the MyPLAYER store, and 2KTV.

The app is also how we’ll be able to scan our faces into the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of NBA 2K17. This feature was previously hinted at during the Season 2 finale of 2KTV, and the approach worked very well in NBA Live 16 last year. Unfortunately, Operation Sports has been able to confirm that MyNBA2K17 will not support face scanning for the PC version of NBA 2K17, which is a definitely a missed opportunity.

In other NBA 2K17 news, SLAM Magazine has posted their own hands-on preview of the game. There isn’t too much in the way of new information, but it does mention that Stephen Curry will indeed be very tough to guard in this year’s title. Popular Science has also posted a preview that mentions a little more about enhancements to physics, and the removal of clipping through limbs.

Do you have any thoughts on the latest news? Feel free to have your say in the comments section below, as well as in our NBA 2K17 Forum.

Polygon has posted some hands-on impressions of NBA 2K17, detailing some of the gameplay improvements in this year’s release. One of the first points covered is the “Curry conundrum”: representing Stephen Curry’s ability to knock down long, long threes, without giving other three-pointer bombers the same level of knock-it-down-from-anywhere ability. Apparently, this has been achieved.

Shooting controls have also been tweaked in NBA 2K17, as jumpshots will now only fly true if we pull straight back on the right stick, in addition to releasing at the optimal moment according to the Shot Meter. We’ll also need to time our release on layups as well, so scoring in the paint isn’t going to be as automated as in years past.

Every team will reportedly have freelance offenses this year, not just the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. On the defensive side of the ball, the AI has been enhanced so that players move with intent, and coaches make smarter decisions about the personnel out on the floor. Blocks are reportedly more realistic, while steal attempts will apparently reward good timing and punish careless dribbling.

Speaking of dribbling controls, one-to-one responsiveness has also been added. Physicality in the paint has been re-worked so that it can feel like the offensive player initiates contact, depending on left stick movement. As touched upon in the IGN preview, stamina and fatigue has been revamped, and is designed to penalise players who rely too heavily on the sprint button. Finally, the tweaked controls and gameplay mechanics can be learned through 2K U, which is narrated by Mike Krzyzewski.

Be sure to check out the Polygon article for more details and comments from Senior Producer Rob Jones. What are your thoughts? Share them in the comments section below, and join in the discussion here in the NBA 2K17 section of the Forum.

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.

At long last, we’re on the verge of getting trailers and substantial information on NBA 2K17! It’s been a quiet preview season, with gamer frustration coming to a head on social media last week following some ill-advised trolling by 2K community representatives. Many of us have been frustrated at the lack of news and previews, but with less than a month until the Early Tip-Off Weekend, it would seem that the wait is finally over, as the first gameplay trailer is reportedly set to be released this week.

Without much in the way of news, all we’ve been able to do is wish, want, and speculate. Even in the busier preview seasons of years gone by, a significant part of covering basketball video games has been wondering what if, and talking about what we want to see. When there is news, it’s going to be posted and analysed. Should anyone that’s producing basketball gaming content secure some kind of an exclusive – a tidbit of information, a developer interview – they’re obviously going to push and promote it, us included. All content creators want to build their audience and brand, but there’s an underhanded way of doing so.

It’s the bane of the Internet, and the basketball gaming community is certainly not immune from it. Today, we’re talking about clickbait.

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2K has released another new NBA 2K17 screenshot today, featuring Team 2K member Andre Drummond. Check it out below, as well as over in our screenshots gallery. If a couple more screenshots are heading our way in the near future, it seems a safe bet that they’ll feature the remaining members of Team 2K, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green.

IGN has also posted a preview of NBA 2K17, discussing the developers’ aim to improve authenticity in this year’s title. In additional to visual enhancements, it provides us with a few tidbits on gameplay. This year, we’ll reportedly have more control over the action, with less reliance on probability from stats. Fatigue has also been revamped to have a larger effect on player performance, while rebounding will involve more physicality and tipped balls.

The IGN preview also notes that due to the changes in the way Euroleague teams are selected, this year’s teams are all up to date, rather than being a year behind with their rosters. On top of that, we have confirmation that the 1992 Dream Team will be available as paid DLC, in addition to being a pre-order bonus. While that still may not sit well with a lot of basketball gamers, it is good news for anyone who plans on picking up the game later, and doesn’t mind shelling out a few bucks for the Dream Team. No word as yet on how much that DLC will cost.

Finally, a few gameplay videos have been coming out of Gamescom, which a couple of our members have been diligently sourcing and posting in the Forum. You can check them out below; thanks to Manni Live and PeacemanNOT for the heads up!

What are your thoughts on the latest developments with NBA 2K17? Have your say below in the comments, and join in the discussion taking place here in the NLSC Forum!

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2K has released another new NBA 2K17 screenshot, this time featuring Karl-Anthony Towns. You can check it out below, or over in our NBA 2K17 screenshots gallery. The remaining members of Team 2K are Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Andre Drummond, so one of those players is quite likely to be featured in the next screenshot.

Gamescom 2016 has also brought us some snippets of news about NBA 2K17. Early hands-on impressions mention a new shot meter (involving filling a semi-circle rather than stopping the bar in the middle), more fluidity, and a lot of new animations. Controls are very similar to NBA 2K16, although there are now more controls for off-ball situations and a couple of other minor changes, as outlined by these screenshots. A new score overlay is also visible in a photo that was taken of the screen.

Eurohoops has also revealed the list of Euroleague teams that will be available in NBA 2K17: ALBA Berlin, Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Brose Bamberg, Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade, CSKA Moscow, Darussafaka Dogus Istanbul, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, FC Barcelona Lassa, FC Bayern Munich, Fenerbahce Istanbul, Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul, Laboral Kutxa Vitoria Gasteiz, Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv, Olympiacos Piraeus, Panathinaikos Superfoods Athens, Ratiopharm Ulm, Real Madrid, Unicaja Malaga, Unics Kazan, Valencia Basket, and Zalgiris Kaunas.

Got any thoughts on the latest developments? Feel free to share them in the comments section below, as well as join in the discussion in the NBA 2K17 section of the NLSC Forum!

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It was only in this week’s Monday Tip-Off that I was lamenting the quietness of this year’s preview season. As it turns out, news was indeed right around the corner, as exciting information on NBA 2K17 has been published over on the official NBA 2K Facebook page.

Senior Producer Erick Boenisch published a blog revealing that league expansion has been added to MyGM and MyLEAGUE in NBA 2K17. We will now have the option of beginning a new MyGM or MyLEAGUE game with the current league, a league with six expansion teams in addition to the current 30 franchises, or a completely custom league. Teams can be moved and re-branded, the same as in NBA 2K16.

The custom league option allows the inclusion of any combination of real NBA teams, new expansion teams, customised teams, Euroleague teams, and even the classic teams. NBA 2K17 will include some pre-configured custom art assets for the expansion teams, in case you don’t want to spend the time creating them all yourself. Additionally, community uploads will allow users to share assets that they make, so we’ll be able to save each other some time as well.

NBA 2K17’s league expansion options include a customisable Expansion Draft with player protections, a schedule creation tool, and more. The game also accounts for an increased number of teams in the lottery, recalculating the Draft odds accordingly. Expansion can also take place dynamically during the offseason, with MyLEAGUE naturally offering more control over the situation than in MyGM.

In other exciting news, the standalone Playoffs mode has returned. The option to start a new game from the current date in the season also returns, along with MyLEAGUE Online. There’s no word yet on what kind of features MyLEAGUE Online will include compared to its offline equivalent, but more details will surely be coming soon.

Finally, the menus have been redesigned this year, and will dynamically update in MyGM and MyLEAGUE to reflect changes that occur through league expansion. For more information, be sure to check out the blog on the official NBA 2K Facebook page. Got any thoughts on the news? Have your say in the comments section below, and join in the discussion here in our newly opened NBA 2K17 section. Also see below for a couple of menu screenshots.

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