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NBA 2K16: Some Ideas On How to Improve the Series

NBA 2K15 was a good game. Very solid and still playable. In its first year operating with a full-year of a next-gen system, 2K delivered above expectations and provided glimmers of hope for what’s to come down the road.

That being said, it’s never too early to start looking at NBA 2K16.

When it comes to video games, of course there are those who will be left wanting more. It’s the nature of the beast. No one goes into a game’s release date thinking, "This is going to be the most perfect game ever." And if that’s true, then more power to you.

With that said, here are five things that could be done to improve the game next year and make it an all-around great experience, from both a playing and features standpoint.

Improve low-post defense

2K has tried to make this work in the past. It’s been better the last couple of years, but if you’re controlling the likes of Anthony Davis or DeAndre Jordan, more times than none you’ve been called for a foul going for a block.

There’s a large number of fouls being called on taller players who have the ability to block shots at the rim, especially on harder difficulties. It takes the fun out of having a Davis or Jordan because they could foul out in a matter of five minutes. 2K has made strides in making defense playable, but this is the next step. This isn’t to say players shouldn’t block shots every time someone attacks the rim, but there needs to be a balance.

Improve defensive rebounding

This goes hand-in-hand with the low-post defense, but it should not be so difficult to grab a defensive rebound.

For example: Last week, I witnessed a game where a friend played the Boston Celtics online against the Atlanta Hawks. There are people who would probably bet house money that Kelly Olynyk wouldn’t grab 12 offensive rebounds in a game against the likes of Paul Millsap and Al Horford, but who am I to tell you otherwise?

That did happen, and there were even moments Olynyk glitched inbetween the two and grabbed a rebound, followed with an and-1 putback. It’s unclear whether or not there’s a surefire way to fix this, but if so, it needs to be addressed.

Make MyTeam more affordable

MyTeam can be a ton of fun. But why in the world does it cost 8,000-9,000 VC to buy a pack with no guarantee of a great player?

2K did good by making an auction house, but that can get just as expensive if you don’t possess enough MT. The more packs you buy, the more likely you get a good player. But not everyone can afford to stay elite.

Make the packs go for 5,000 VC, and make it affordable for everyone. That’s how you appeal to the non-MyTeam audience and make it a more meaningful game mode.

Expand MyCareer

The story idea behind this year’s MyCareer was actually brilliant: an undrafted rookie who has to sign multiple 10-day contracts before getting a contract for the rest of the year. It was brilliant. But it can be better.

It appears Spike Lee might be having a hand in the MyCareer story in 2K16, and if that’s the case, it might be the best one yet. But there are features to be considered, like bringing back the Draft Combine or implement the NBA Summer League. There’s so much that can be done.

Chance to make presentation overhaul

With Steve Kerr now unavailable to do any color commentary ever again on 2K, this is the chance to do a complete overhaul on presentation.

It doesn’t need to be a drastic change by any means. The pregame show with Ernie Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal is fantastic. Even the pregame intros brought back the old days of NBA 2K3. But here’s a chance to implement more: Get Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith under contract and make it a TNT-based video game.

Kevin Harlan can still do the calls, or you can bring back Marv Albert from the NBA Live days. Or bring on both. And you can still have Clark Kellogg if you want. If EA Sports can go full-on ESPN with their presentation, why not up the ante and give TNT some love? They already have the best gameday coverage for the NBA out there.

This is a long shot, but it would be fantastic appeal.

And just for fun...

Fix the sliders

I mean, you can’t get everything you want. But this is still a dire need


NBA 2K16 Videos
Member Comments
# 161 8KB24 @ 06/16/15 11:18 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by midwestking100
Classic teams are the only reason I buy this game so please continue to add more classics to your series. Thank you.
Should buy 2K14 PC version then. URB is everything you want.
 
# 162 midwestking100 @ 06/16/15 01:26 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by 8KB24
Should buy 2K14 PC version then. URB is everything you want.
I would but i heard its not as smooth as nba 2k15 on current gen
 
# 163 8KB24 @ 06/16/15 02:14 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by midwestking100
I would but i heard its not as smooth as nba 2k15 on current gen
It's not but it still plays nice, especially with young Wilt taking on Shaq

I still go to 2K14 when I'm bored.
 
# 164 Sitew33 @ 06/16/15 11:18 PM
The ability to change accessories on all players in My Career.
 
# 165 GudStuffzz @ 06/17/15 12:31 AM
Make online playable please. The lack of responsiveness while playing online is absolutely brutal. It just plays so sluggish
 
# 166 Thelorn @ 06/17/15 01:30 PM
How about actually working on gameplay and AI? Instead of adding more cheesy gimmicks and cards for people to spend money on, how about for once since 2k11 you guys actually try and improve the game. Adding more canned animations in the post isn't improving the game either.
 
# 167 WaddupCouzin @ 06/17/15 01:34 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thelorn
How about actually working on gameplay and AI? Instead of adding more cheesy gimmicks and cards for people to spend money on, how about for once since 2k11 you guys actually try and improve the game. Adding more canned animations in the post isn't improving the game either.
They haven't improved the game since 2K11, really? So all the stuff Czar has done with the offensive AI and play books accounts for nothing? C'mon Man.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
 
# 168 Thelorn @ 06/17/15 01:40 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by WaddupCouzin
They haven't improved the game since 2K11, really? So all the stuff Czar has done with the offensive AI and play books accounts for nothing? C'mon Man.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
You mean the lack of spacing AI? PG's playing dribble games at the 3pt lines? Centers hitting 20ft fadeaways from the post? The list goes on and on

The playbook that people edit and remove most the broken plays from? The same playbook that ends up only having a few plays used cause the rest are broken? Or the AI getting confused what to do on plays so they just hold the ball for 24secs and jack up some shot cheese?

Since 2k11 gameplay has been mostly ignored, it's hard to sell "gameplay" as a new feature to make the box stand out every year.
 
# 169 WaddupCouzin @ 06/17/15 01:54 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thelorn
You mean the lack of spacing AI? PG's playing dribble games at the 3pt lines? Centers hitting 20ft fadeaways from the post? The list goes on and on

The playbook that people edit and remove most the broken plays from? The same playbook that ends up only having a few plays used cause the rest are broken? Or the AI getting confused what to do on plays so they just hold the ball for 24secs and jack up some shot cheese?

Since 2k11 gameplay has been mostly ignored, it's hard to sell "gameplay" as a new feature to make the box stand out every year.
I haven't seen the "broken plays" you speak of, but if you see them, contact Da Czar, who's a member of this community and works for 2K creating these "broken play books" you speak of and let him know about them.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
 
# 170 KingTocco @ 06/17/15 02:04 PM
Every thread I go into its a big argument...if you don't think 2K has improved the gameplay since 2K11 then you shouldn't even have the right to comment.

Yeah there are some legacy issues but hopefully they will get to those


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
# 171 iTofu @ 06/17/15 03:17 PM
Put the items I'm most passionate about in italics.

Gameplay:
  • Easy quick dribble handoffs. Should be as easy as pick'n'roll.
  • Make defensive matchup adjustments easier. e.g. Be able to quickly shuffle assignments when opponent puts LeBron James @ PG,
  • Hall of Fame difficulty shouldn't just produce more CPU cheese. I know that's hard.
  • More NBA players being whiney about calls. haha Keep it real.
  • Make flopping a slider. I want it to be as irritating in the game as it is in real life.
  • Make the rotating camera on the 2K cam less painful on fast breaks (selfish).
  • Make Hack-a-Shaq a strategy you can employ.

Rosters:
  • Easy and fast to edit rosters.
    • Make it so you don't need to load the player to change ratings.
    • Be able an entire teams rating in a category. +/- at the top of the column.
  • Ability to put headbands on people.
  • A deal with Synergy to update all ratings & tendencies daily. (pie in the sky)
  • Online roster editor where you can cut 'n' paste with spreadsheets and such. (more pie in the sky)

Season Simulation:
  • Team, GM and Coach Tendencies heavily influence personnel and playing time. As the simulation rolls along I want to be able to see each team/gm/coach's signature on a team rather than just generic simulated team. Examples below:
    • Mike D'Antoni becomes coach and the team ditches conventional bigs in favor of three point shooters and a center that is good in pick'n'roll.
    • The Miami Heat signs veterans to cheap contracts and chase stars.
    • The Rockets and McHale heavily favor layups and three pointers, reducing mid-range to a minimum.
    • The Knicks just continually make laughably terrible decisions. (joking... kind of.)
  • Using 6th men properly. Too many ball handlers in the starting lineup? Move one to the 6th man.

MyCareer:
  • Situationally play in the D-League or overseas.
  • Be able to see team rosters and coaches when choosing a team to sign with.
  • Sock length. Come on.
  • Minutes management. Minute conscious coaches shouldn't be playing my guy 44 minutes a game. Maybe Thibs. hehe It should also be something I can speak up about. "You're killing me man..."
 
# 172 dannyisastud @ 06/18/15 01:17 AM
Add online association and make the one vs one online less laggy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
# 173 Mgnelson88 @ 06/18/15 02:38 AM
Hey guys I havent ever bought a NBA 2k game but am looking to get one for the 360. What year game should I get (cost not an issue). I am a high school basketball coach so I know the game, I just haven't had time to play with the sticks the past few years and want to pick up an NBA 2K game to dive into.
 
# 174 bigballa21 @ 06/18/15 03:03 AM
1)Ok, would love to get rid of the animations where you lose control of the player get them all out of there.

2) Badges are cool but you got to either tweak it or make it so you can buy them again. Make a meter or something to show your progress on the badge

3) Shot fatigue.......need i say more

4)Mycareer overhaul, Cut scenes are only for your rookie year i mean damn i'm like in my 6 year and i got James harden calling me rook....come on 2k

5)Would love to see something along the lines of mycrib return i always thought that was dope

6) The crowd, ok everything else is next gen except the crowd you have to pump it way up. Something akin to living worlds with EA but you know make it actually work, maybe create-a-fan or something like that as well....hell maybe be able to create your own signs for the fans to hold

7) commentary.....smh....damn man lol steve kerr is coaching but you still couldn't do anything about that? I say complete overhaul for this as well, why not just get the whole squad since you got ernie and shaq.

One more thing in mycareer please make your teammates A.I much better please, i mean i'm dropping dimes in the perfect spot for a shot but they don't take it........bring back the ability to force your A.I teammates to shoot the ball


that's it off the top, i could go deeper but i'm tired man
 
# 175 kostaspap11 @ 06/18/15 02:47 PM
Online association just like nba 2k13! fantasy draft, trades,free agent signings,same admin menu,ability to replace guys that get kicked or leave league, no po glitch like 2k14, ability to play multiple seasons,offseason just like myleague,reward points just like 2k13. Now that im thinkin about it make it just like myleague only online.
 
# 176 fpliii @ 06/18/15 03:38 PM
I love Kerr's commentary, but it really hurt the realism/immersion for me this year. With more than a full production cycle, I'm hoping there was a chance to record someone else.
 
# 177 LD2k @ 06/18/15 07:41 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by fpliii
I love Kerr's commentary, but it really hurt the realism/immersion for me this year. With more than a full production cycle, I'm hoping there was a chance to record someone else.
He took the Warriors job a few months before we finished NBA 2K15. Not enough time on Earth to remove/replace him last year.

He will be replaced this year - more on that later.
 
# 178 countryboy @ 06/18/15 07:43 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by LD2k
He took the Warriors job a few months before we finished NBA 2K15. Not enough time on Earth to remove/replace him last year.

He will be replaced this year - more on that later.
its later...
 
# 179 fpliii @ 06/19/15 03:24 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by LD2k
He took the Warriors job a few months before we finished NBA 2K15. Not enough time on Earth to remove/replace him last year.

He will be replaced this year - more on that later.
Oh I completely understand him being in 2k15, not blaming you guys at all. Removing him doesn't seem like it would've made much sense, so I definitely prefered him over a two-man booth.

Looking forward to his replacement! Thanks for the hint.
 
# 180 Kabington @ 06/19/15 07:10 AM
i don't thinks thats ever gonna happen, but i would love to start "my career" at college
 


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