OS Roundtable: Should Gamers Take a Second Look at NBA 2K12

[Serra11]

Quote: Originally Posted by spankdatazz22

Okay some of you guys are getting ridiculous with the complaints. IT'S NO FAULT OF 2K'S THAT THERE'S NO COMPETITION. One competitor bowed out because of there just wasn't enough interest in the title (Sony's basketball game) and another produced a game that was so bad in comparison to 2K's that they had to take a few years off before attempting another game (EA's basketball game). 2K got to the point they're at now IN a competitive environment; it was the quality of the other titles which killed other NBA games being available. Yet you're complaining that if you want an NBA game you only have one choice. Maybe you as a consumer should've been more open to supporting these other titles so they could still be around. It's highly unrealistic to expect these games to increase in complexity and expect developers to get it completely right on a game's initial release. This isn't just a 2K12 issue, or a sports game issue. I've seen people complaining about pretty much every major release this year from Batman AC (missing codes/codes not working), Battlefield & MW3 (online issues, issues with new online services), Uncharted 3 (aiming issues), & Skyrim (people complaining of bugs in an expansive free-roam world). I guess I have a different perspective because I can remember playing MaddenXX with whatever rosters the game released with and accepting that was what you had to play with the entire year. There was no updating of rosters, let alone patches to tweak gameplay issues. People might not have liked it, but there wasn't a choice. And absent of choice we worked with what we were given. Now people are given so many additional options, that some gamers react indignantly if a game has issues at it's release. And blame developers for using patches, when imo it's gamers who's expectations have gotten way out of control/unrealistic.

I thought and still think that it is easy to understand the point of my post...
I wrote the evidence:competition creates better products/results.
I have to stop to overestimate me.

[Lyvean]

Quote: Originally Posted by spankdatazz22

It's highly unrealistic to expect these games to increase in complexity and expect developers to get it completely right on a game's initial release. This isn't just a 2K12 issue, or a sports game issue. I've seen people complaining about pretty much every major release this year from Batman AC (missing codes/codes not working), Battlefield & MW3 (online issues, issues with new online services), Uncharted 3 (aiming issues), & Skyrim (people complaining of bugs in an expansive free-roam world).

Is it unrealistic to expect a mode that wasn't working in a previous year, like My Player mode, will be working next year?

I don't think so.

As for bugs, I can accept bugs in games as complex as this. But there is a difference between bugs that couldn't be foreseen and bugs that were intentionally left in because people will be ok with this and because the game will be patched. I mean, what kind of mentality is that, if not a sick, corporate mentality born by the lack of competition?

I could also forgive them for that, too, as long as they were honest about it. Present us with a clear patch strategy some weeks after the game's release, so we know where we stand as consumers. But that would be asking them to be -shudder- responsible as a company.

As long as sales are up, they will absolutely NOT give a damn about consumers. If sales go down then we will see some action.

We, as consumers, must say enough at some point regarding these half-finished games (and that applies for ALL sports titles, sadly).

[Jamake1005]

Quote: Originally Posted by spankdatazz22

I really don't get the view that NBA2K12 is a "less than enticing" effort. Last year this time most wondered how they could top 2K11's effort. Whether you believe 2K11 is better or not, I don't know how anyone could say they didn't try/make a major effort to improve on it. I can understand the disappointment some have with [their pet feature from last year] not being available or not in the game, but I think it everything has to be viewed in context. Even if some elements of 2K12 are to be considered "stripped down" from 2K11, what other sports game offers as much content as 2K12 at default? - 2K12 unquestionably has set the high bar from a Presentation standpoint - period. From the arena-specific camera angles, to the exceptional commentary, to the pregame/halftime/postgame efforts, to everything in between it's hard to argue another game being close to this effort - The work with the Legends is also ********* imo. I'd think fans of any sports genre would love being able to play with legendary teams with their full rosters whether it's football, baseball, etc. Here we've had people laughably try to write it off as fluff. This is the first game to come close to fully implementing full legendary rosters with the players' looks, signature styles, commentary that provides tons of anecdotal references to the period and/or specific to the situation, as well as visual presentation and gameplay elements specific I think as well as arenas, specific to the moment. Again, I'm not aware of any other sports game that's even attempted this type of effort - Whether you like or hate them, there were many efforts made to improve on the gameplay. And to me I have a hard time seeing every improvement as being an adject failure. Simply latching on to not liking the playcalling system because it's not NBA Live-whatever and complaining about the passing does the rest of the effort a serious disservice. The new animation blending techniques yields excellent animations most of the time. I think by far 2K's biggest mistake how they implemented cpu play on the higher difficulty levels (flat-out cheats at times), and their customary lack of providing information on how the game needs to be played. The new training modes are a nice addition, but given the amount of content in the game a lot needs to be explained to users so they know what they're doing. The game has lots of depth but I doubt most people begin to even try to grasp it These are things off the top of my head. I'd think people would be doing backflips if they were able to get an NFL2K12-equivalent, or something of that nature. It's not perfect, but it shouldn't have to be.

I agree with you 100%. NBA 2k12 is a great game and they def stepped it up and improved a lot over 2k11. I don't know what ppl want. Ppl always wont every feature they had from year to year and I understand being disappointed but come on this game is great. Yes it def has some problems but what game doesn't. This game is worth every penny I spent on it. NBA 2k12 is amazing screw the haters and the whiners pick this game up because you are missing out! Well done 2k sports again well done. I find it funny this game is this amazing and ppl will buy Madden yr after yr which doesn't improve on piss.

[Sam Marlowe]

Ffaacc hit it on the head.

[da ThRONe]

Quote: Originally Posted by spankdatazz22

Okay some of you guys are getting ridiculous with the complaints. IT'S NO FAULT OF 2K'S THAT THERE'S NO COMPETITION. One competitor bowed out because of there just wasn't enough interest in the title (Sony's basketball game) and another produced a game that was so bad in comparison to 2K's that they had to take a few years off before attempting another game (EA's basketball game). 2K got to the point they're at now IN a competitive environment; it was the quality of the other titles which killed other NBA games being available. Yet you're complaining that if you want an NBA game you only have one choice. Maybe you as a consumer should've been more open to supporting these other titles so they could still be around. It's highly unrealistic to expect these games to increase in complexity and expect developers to get it completely right on a game's initial release. This isn't just a 2K12 issue, or a sports game issue. I've seen people complaining about pretty much every major release this year from Batman AC (missing codes/codes not working), Battlefield & MW3 (online issues, issues with new online services), Uncharted 3 (aiming issues), & Skyrim (people complaining of bugs in an expansive free-roam world). I guess I have a different perspective because I can remember playing MaddenXX with whatever rosters the game released with and accepting that was what you had to play with the entire year. There was no updating of rosters, let alone patches to tweak gameplay issues. People might not have liked it, but there wasn't a choice. And absent of choice we worked with what we were given. Now people are given so many additional options, that some gamers react indignantly if a game has issues at it's release. And blame developers for using patches, when imo it's gamers who's expectations have gotten way out of control/unrealistic.

I'm with you as far as I don't care about games needing to be patched to be a complete product. However the history with patches especially with sports games is the patch many times does just as much damage as good. The patched they released has already "broke" other things.

[TreyIM2]

While I really haven't been playing this game becuz the dust bunnies on it are now large and heavy enough to present a prob with me lifting the game off the shelf (heh), I will say that I was enjoying it for half a sec but whatever phantom and actual improvements to gameplay/controls were made were not enough glue to keep me stuck to playing it.

However, I will be making a return to it soon prior to the start of the season. I do have to agree with Jayson on the play running and passing although the passes did seem to get zippier after that one patch. As for that playcalling ish, seems like the only way to get the play to run is to stand EXACTLY DEAD CENTER of the circle. I lose 5-10 secs of play clock just trying to center myself in the damn circle. Smfh on that one.

Oh, and controls and player movement are still sloppy and not very intuitive but I do the best I can becuz the game can still be fun.