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Reaction to NBA 2K9's Feature List

The annual E3 Media and Business Summit had come and gone with little to no details about this year’s NBA release from 2K Sports. The sports video gaming community was miffed, to say the least. Everyone was clamoring for some in-depth information on NBA 2K9, especially in light of the EA Sports announcement of NBA 365 with daily updates according to a player’s virtual game-specific DNA.

So what happened? Could it be that NBA 2K9 is coming with something to blow NBA 365 out of the water? Mark Thomas, the VP of sports development at Visual Concepts, made some recent remarks that could hint toward this possibility. The NBA 2K series has always had solid gameplay so the lack of information and the sly remarks must mean that there is something big brewing, right?

It was originally thought that a few more weeks would pass before we had any answers. We were enamored by the screenshots that had been released. The attention to detail was amazing and truly took a leap forward -- though some complained about the glare around the players; but, others argued that the so-called glare adds to the ambiance of the game. Either way, the visuals looked great overall.

Then it happened: The latest features for NBA 2K9 were released, and computer keyboards across the country were smoking! Some posters were happy and felt like kids on Christmas Eve. Others were pleased but wondered where some of the other features were, and also speculated that there were some copycat issues. How were the rest of the announced features received? Let’s take a look.

 


NBA 2k9 looks to expand it's dominance in terms of quality upon the pro basketball genre.


Gameplay Features

An advanced shot-stick feature was announced, allowing the user to change shots in mid-air. Gamers far and wide were hoping for this one because changing the shot or passing out of the shot in mid-air was sketchy at best -- not to mention this feature used to be in old NBA 2K games. With this feature back intact, the freedom to create has opened up, and now you may just be able to modify your shot and avoid swat city.

Adaptive AI will now allow the CPU to adjust to your tendencies and strategies. The general consensus on this is that most people want to see this in action before passing judgment.


The AI was also revamped to make the game more realistic. Adaptive AI will now allow the CPU to adjust to your tendencies and strategies. The general consensus on this is that most people want to see this in action before passing judgment. Will the AI adjust and shut down the lane on the pick-and-roll now? Will computer-controlled teammates run the floor harder and cut quicker to the basket if the game tempo is faster? Time will tell my friends.

Association 2.0 was almost taken for granted I believe. With no further in-depth information provided on the customizable options and player roles I think the jury is still out. It is always nice to hear that improvements have been made to an already great product, but the general public wants more.

Presentation Features

Clark Kellogg has now been added to the announcing team, which has been greeted by mixed fan reviews. Kellogg replaces Kenny Smith who has apparently moved on to Sony's NBA game. Cheryl Miller has also been added as a sideline reporter. Kellogg is known more for his work in the college hoop ranks, so the addition of his voice to the game piques my interest to say the least.

End-of-quarter highlights displaying the quarter’s best plays have been added as well. This feature adds more of a TV-presentation style to the fold, similar to what you would see during an ESPN or TNT broadcast. The championship celebration is said to be better as well. Do we get cut-scenes of the guys standing on the podium accepting the trophy from the commissioner? How about the presentation of the MVP trophy? And is Cheryl Miller going to have cut-scenes showing her interviewing the top performer of the half?

Online Features

Here is where things get a little hairy. As most of you already know, NBA Live 09 announced that it will have a featured called “365” that will update player tendencies and ratings daily based on current performance. There will also be player-specific DNA that takes into account the different styles of NBA players and that will be reflected in the 365 updates as well.

The community is starting to wonder if the NBA 2K9 development team copied the idea from the NBA Live folks or if it was the other way around.


Now we get a chance to look at the features list for NBA 2K9 and we see that it too has a feature with player-specific DNA. The community is starting to wonder if the NBA 2K9 development team copied the idea from the NBA Live folks or if it was the other way around. Some skeptics think that EA Sports decided to capitalize on the well-known fact that 2K Sports does not release many early details about the upcoming NBA 2K game. So by holding an event and press conference before 2K Sports at E3, NBA Live 09 could announce the feature first and make it appear that NBA 2K9 is copying the idea.

The common theme seems to be that the die-hard NBA 2K fans know the series is light-years ahead of NBA Live so the thinking is that Live is piggy backing off of NBA 2K. The sentiment is that NBA 2K is always the best basketball game on the market so naturally the player-specific DNA was 2K Sports’ idea in the beginning. Some are optimistic and truly feel that NBA 2K9 development team listened to the cries and provided a way to update things daily. In actuality we may never know who came up with the concept first. The only thing that's clear is that NBA Live's DNA feature has a real-life license that feeds the game the real NBA data, whereas 2K's feature probably works via its own engine and doesn't take into account real-life happenings.

There are still users sounding off about what changes they hope to see in the upcoming game. The banter back and forth becomes mundane because 2K Sports has usually done a good job at making the NBA 2K series a thing of beauty. You will always see users complaining about the accuracy of the passes through the lane to cutters or the effectiveness of the pick-and-roll, but for the most part there really isn’t anything gameplay-related that should make you raise a stink.

I too hoped for NBA Live to overthrow the ruler but I have now come to my senses.


The humorous thing about the previous lack of information is found when perusing the message boards at Operation Sports and the forums over at the 2K Sports site. There are always people claiming to love the previous installment of NBA 2K, but those same people are always saying that they heard NBA Live was working to close the gap. I have to laugh when I read those posts because they are reminiscent of my glory days long ago. I too hoped for NBA Live to overthrow the ruler (if you don’t believe me then check my open letter to 2K Sports) but I have now come to my senses.

Everyone has heard the saying that there are no sure things. Most people believe that there are no absolutes in life; and those of us that do, know that when the dust settles and the smoke clears NBA 2K9 will absolutely be the last one standing. I know that regardless of the amount of information that is presented beforehand, there is no need to lose patience and start resigning yourself to only purchasing NBA Live when the season rolls around. I know which game reigns supreme, so stand firm and know that 2K Sports will not let everyone down.


NBA 2K9 Videos
Member Comments
# 1 theming @ 07/22/08 06:24 PM
I am waiting for more information from 2k. As of now, I STILL say that 2k will be the champ. 2k8 was great!!!!!!! 2K9 will be even better.
 
# 2 theming @ 07/22/08 06:25 PM
Great article by the way Diggs.
 
# 3 BDM313 @ 07/22/08 07:21 PM
lol@ppl jumpin the wagon...riding wit 2K til the wheels fall off
 
# 4 Pappy Knuckles @ 07/22/08 07:41 PM
NBA 2k9 will reign supreme. I have no doubts.
 
# 5 skinfan31 @ 07/22/08 08:06 PM
I'm going to miss Kenny Smith. I don't know why. But I really liked his commentary in the game.
 
# 6 RaychelSnr @ 07/22/08 08:52 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Buddy Knox
NBA 2k9 will reign supreme. I have no doubts.
I don't think there is much doubt to that. NBA 2k8 was so so much better than NBA Live. EA Sports could improve Live 09 200% from 08 and it still would be behind NBA 2k9. The gap, IMO, is just huge.
 
# 7 Bodsy_lol @ 07/22/08 09:03 PM
NBA 2K9 > NBA LIVE 09
 
# 8 2ndfloor @ 07/22/08 09:19 PM
'nuff said...
 
# 9 RAZRr1275 @ 07/22/08 09:38 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Buddy Knox
NBA 2k9 will reign supreme. I have no doubts.
Same here. I'm hoping that this new "big feature that will blow live out of the water" Is a better implemented version of nba live 365 and dynamic dna. If 2k doesn't at least match that I might get both games. Dynamic dna and 365 are essential now that they exist.
 
# 10 SeaNNyT @ 07/22/08 09:40 PM
God I can't wait for this game. The only sports title that is consistently solid and fun to play year after year.
 
# 11 theming @ 07/22/08 09:52 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by RAZRr1275
Same here. I'm hoping that this new "big feature that will blow live out of the water" Is a better implemented version of nba live 365 and dynamic dna. If 2k doesn't at least match that I might get both games. Dynamic dna and 365 are essential now that they exist.
the 365 thing seems like it only works during the exibition mode. I have no clue what it could be. What if the 97-98 Bulls are in the game. Wouldnt that be cool. The retro teams of the past you could use on line in 5 on 5. But I am more concerned about having real good game play.
 
# 12 Shinyhubcaps @ 07/22/08 09:55 PM
Why do you mention the glow in the screenshots? Those were in the first wave of 2K8 screenshots but not in the game, so I'm 99% sure that those aren't going to be in the final game. Whoever said that they add to the ambiance is clearly trying to justify their existence; believe me, though, the early wave of screens is the last time we'll see the iridescent glow.
 
# 13 lovesnikes @ 07/22/08 10:51 PM
2k's dna feature is completly different from lives dna 365. 2k's dna feature clearly has to do with create a player stated in the features list by xbox.com and this website. lives has nothing to do with create a player sooo i dont even know why anyone would think 2k is copying. besides the name pretty much. if u dont believe me go to the feature list of nba 2k9 and look at the 2k share and it says "upload rosters even of players created with the all new dna feature"
 
# 14 theming @ 07/22/08 10:56 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovesnikes
2k's dna feature is completly different from lives dna 365. 2k's dna feature clearly has to do with create a player stated in the features list by xbox.com and this website. lives has nothing to do with create a player sooo i dont even know why anyone would think 2k is copying. besides the name pretty much. if u dont believe me go to the feature list of nba 2k9 and look at the 2k share and it says "upload rosters even of players created with the all new dna feature"
if thats the case then I dont care about the dna feature. All i want is solid gameplay and realism. This create a player feature I never touch at all.
 
# 15 jhartman01 @ 07/22/08 11:28 PM
Shinyhubcaps...the only reason the glow is mentioned in the article is because it was a concern that forum posters brought up. Even if it's not in the game when the final release drops it was worth mentioning in the article because so many people talked about it.
 
# 16 MakaveliLPC @ 07/22/08 11:51 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovesnikes
2k's dna feature is completly different from lives dna 365. 2k's dna feature clearly has to do with create a player stated in the features list by xbox.com and this website. lives has nothing to do with create a player sooo i dont even know why anyone would think 2k is copying. besides the name pretty much. if u dont believe me go to the feature list of nba 2k9 and look at the 2k share and it says "upload rosters even of players created with the all new dna feature"
thank you! i dont see why people cant seem to understand that..
 
# 17 crock @ 07/23/08 01:50 AM
No question that the NBA 2K8 was better than the NBA Live 08... NBA Live is crapped video game, with no realistic moves, only the shooting and jumper of the game is much more realistic to it... but my question is how come NBA 2K8 didn't feature a slam dunk competition or 3 point contest? and hopefully they will feature Michael Jordan this time in the game... that'll be more fun...
 
# 18 crock @ 07/23/08 01:52 AM
Advertising isnt permitted here without the owners permission
 
# 19 Moses Shuttlesworth @ 07/23/08 02:02 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bodsy_lol
NBA 2K9 > NBA LIVE 09
NBA 2K9 > NBA LIVE '11
 
# 20 BigO32 @ 07/23/08 03:03 AM
Why Didnt 2k pick up Doug Collins??? he was the best available commentator for the job but I understand that they want to save money
 

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