NBA 2K13 Gameplay Video - Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat

[blues rocker]

Quote: Originally Posted by Streaky McFloorburn

I had avoided watching any gameplay videos 'til now so I wouldn't kill my hype buzz. Now that I've seen this one, let me say thanks for tempering my expectations, 2k. I was getting all irrationally excited like I do every year in the month leading up to launch day. First Lakers offensive possession, Pau puts the ball on the floor with Wade in a position to steal the ball, which he would never do (he should pivot away or hold the ball above his head and wait for a good passing opportunity). Wade swipes at the ball and...nothing. Pau did the standard low ballhandling rating slow, clumsy looking, high dribble, and still...Wade may as well have been a double amputee. Good to know that on-ball steals are still canimations with completely random, non-contextual success rates. Unfortunately 2k can't win this one. Make that a 100% sure steal like it would be IRL and casuals can't enjoy the game. After all the whining about the "live ball" in 2k12, even from so-called good players, I'm sure it's true. All I know is that dribbling the ball off a foot was completely my fault every time it happened to me. I know that I'm definitely experiencing an Uncanny Valley effect with this series from 2k11 on. The animations keep getting better and more lifelike, so it becomes increasingly disturbing when they have nothing to do with real physics. Rather than create the illusion of proper interaction, they really just highlight the inescapable fact that this is a videogame. I will always be more successful if I approach it as such and learn its idiosyncrasies, rather than assuming that my real basketball knowledge is doing anything other than providing a context for the wool I willingly choose to pull over my eyes. If I sound a bit upset, I assure you I'm not. I know that what I'm experiencing is a testament to everything 2k does right, that if there was no element of lifelike feeling, I wouldn't be as frustrated when the game fails to emulate the GAME. Still, I can't figure out why the best animators in the business can't cover more of the design flaws. If you can't implement something at least approximating realistic ball/swipe mechanics, have an auto ball protect animation trigger EVERY time a defender in range presses the steal button and the probabilty engine determines there is no steal. Reach in fouls should look like a foul on the replay, not like the hand was six inches away from anything, or knocked the ball away clean but brushed an arm on the follow through. If your CPU defenders must be "psychic" to pick off certain passes, at least have the decency to make them face the ball or run with their hands up so the tip looks incidental. If you can't keep arms, heads, torsos, etc. universally collision detectable - at least make the players do some crazy Matrix moves and warp around each other and the ball. I'd rather be laughing at something that I know is supposed to look absurd, rather than yelling at my TV because I just blocked the game winning shot, except that the game conveniently forgot that my player's hand exists at the worst time possible. I can only speak for myself, but I don't think anybody plays videogames to live out a fantasy of being less capable than they actually are. It's bad enough that Dwyane Wade can't do something he's proficient at, but when he can't even play at my level...let's just say - it's not surprising that there's no YMCA 2k. NBA 2k, I love you, but if you were a child CPS would have taken you away from me (and I suspect most others) a long time ago. If the range and intensity of emotional response is any indication, this is probably the most dysfunctional, unhealthy relationship I've ever been in

yeah, i hate that you can still swipe at the ball right in front of you, yet your player totally misses it as if he as no idea where the ball is. they really need to make the stealing system more realistic, and in turn provide a counter for it on offense (protect ball animations, etc).

[swaggedout]

Quote: Originally Posted by Da_Czar

Hey fam. In that Lebron Drive @ 45 sec he didn't move MWP out of the way MWP was in a bad position like a step too far over.. I thought you guys who were anti 2 player animations would have appreciated the fact that just because MWP was close the ballhandler wasn't sucked into a 2 player contested shot animation. Yet he does collide with Pau who manages to get in the way albeit it quite late. To me that is highlighting an improvement. We have all been victim to the ai being out of position only to be snatched into a contested shot and a miss when not appropriate.

Agreed. This is a prime example of people asking for things, getting it and still complaining.

[Gramps91]

I think this looks great! The gameplay is very fluid and I really like the way the people are doing dribble moves and tricks, the stick is much better for doing this kinds of things with as opposed to shooting. Really looking forward to this! 25 days away!!!

[kjjnesb]

Quote: Originally Posted by Goffs

Sole reason why I wanted raw gameplay footage so I can hear the crowd noise....I'm disappointed in that area... I'm guessing we won't have playoff atmosphere again this year? Live 10 HAS that option on what kind of crowd noise you wanted in an EXHIBITION game! Spoiler I love the ambiance in this and the high quality sounds of the defense chants! The organ noise is high quality as well....

I wish you hadn't posted this just reminded me that EA had such a good foundation there smh...

[youALREADYknow]

I wasn't a huge fan of the new perimeter defense bumping animations in the first place, but the lack of contact inside and in the post is more concerning at this point given the focus on creating so much on-ball contact.

Defense/contact in the paint was one of the huge issues with 2K12 that made post play and dribble penetration so unrealistic and arcade-like. I was hoping that would be addressed in 2K13 since we got so much news about contact animations and collision animations. The problem is not just on-ball and during shots, but off-ball as well where players should be battling for position, using weight and leverage to their advantage, fighting for angles, and stepping into driving lanes to force passes or create charge/block foul scenarios.

Without consistent contact and angle disruption, 2K becomes a game of who can pull off the most iso-motion moves to trigger "special" animations that bypass the laws of physics and positioning.

Most of the other gameplay related aspects such as shot success rate, steal success rate, dribbler ball control, etc., can be changed/tuned with sliders, so there's not much there to criticize at this stage.

[richmo]

Maybe it's just the walk-up and playcall animations, but I'm getting a 2k7 feel from this. Seeing some nice things...

0:43 - Though there could ahve been more contact, LeBron complains for a should-be call, like he would IRL.

1:02 - ILL pull-up by Kobe. Ultra-realistic.

A few seconds later...Dwight falls from minimal contact, but it should work nicely in the right context.

8:48 - BEAUTIFUL Kobe - Jamison Pick and Pop. Jamison pops out as he should and Kobe draws the defense away from 'Tawn and hits him and the perfect time. Looks like a human controlled it.

Don't feel like going back and breaking everything down but there were some other nice things (like the Nash fastbreak bounce pass).

[blues rocker]

love the quicker first steps, faster sprinting, explosive drives, and quicker crossovers and stepbacks. the players finally move like athletic NBA players. can't wait to get my hands on a responsive NBA game again.

[Myxtapes]

Quote: Originally Posted by Da_Czar

Hey fam. In that Lebron Drive @ 45 sec he didn't move MWP out of the way MWP was in a bad position like a step too far over.. I thought you guys who were anti 2 player animations would have appreciated the fact that just because MWP was close the ballhandler wasn't sucked into a 2 player contested shot animation. Yet he does collide with Pau who manages to get in the way albeit it quite late. To me that is highlighting an improvement. We have all been victim to the ai being out of position only to be snatched into a contested shot and a miss when not appropriate.

I actually did notice that World Peace was responsible for the overplay - that is wasn't the animation pushing him out. But that was my problem. World Peace would not overplay like that. If Lebron tried that on MWP, Lebron would likely be caused to pick up his dribble. It reminds me of the out of control spin move success from 2k12. Like it's the Holy Spin that razzle-dazzles all defenders.