NBA 2K: Let's Talk About Some NBA 2K Audio Issues

[ChaseB]

A common refrain echoed when people talk about sports games is a desire for "better atmosphere" in them. It’s sometimes hard to parse what "better atmosphere" means because it could be something generic like better visuals or audio, or it could just be something like making the regular season feel different from the playoffs.

When it comes to NBA 2K, this talk crops up a lot year to year on Operation Sports, which is not surprising because it's a mega-popular game. But with NBA 2K, the complaints also seem to get way more specific and a bit more off the beaten path. Now you could look at that as a positive for NBA 2K as people have to "reach" to find these problems. But another way to look at it is that some of these things have been legacy issues for so long that people are more attuned to identifying and talking about them.

In short, not many people question the natural-sounding commentary (sans it being repetitive like with every sports game), lively varied PA announcer and the signature style that many of the arenas already possess. It’s more these other underlying things like crowd reactions, how all the audio elements are mixing together, how the rim sounds, or just where random noises are coming from in the game that get attention.

So after the jump, we'll show off a couple of these complaints and talk about why they have some merit.

Read More: Let's Talk About Some NBA 2K Audio Issues

[Steve_OS]

I can dig it.

[knich]

I would like them to fix the PA audio. It is horrible as it is very difficult to hear even if I turn down all the other audio.

[jyoung]

For me, the biggest audio annoyance in 2K15 is that the crowd only gets loud in the last two minutes of games.

You can have a close game the entire way, but the crowd doesn't really react much until the clock hits 2:00, and then all of sudden the noise level magically goes up and people in the stands start going crazy.

One of the things that NBA Live does way better than NBA 2K right now is crowd noise. Live's audience members maintain a much more natural ebb and flow throughout all four quarters.

[23]

Oh yes, this is LONG overdue!!! I have to leave shortly but Ill be back with a vengance.

In the meantime, go ahead and load up a blu ray on your tv with just the tv sounds...

Then turn on your surround sound system and tell me if there is a difference in the immersion of the movie.

That's the difference between having correct sounds or not. Immersion

[ochosynco]

Why can't the commentary be updated mid-season? There are so many changes in the NBA throughout the year that an update with more conversation seems not only necessary but common sense. Did anyone else find it strange to hear Steve Kerr commenting on the Golden State Warriors only to see him standing on the sideline as well?

[24ct]

The rim and net sounds pretty bad too. Like I don't know what 2k it was but these haven't changed for a LONG time. I've never heard a dunk sound the way they do in this game. Especially at the park and stuff. Not to mention it's ALWAYS the same exact sound. No variation whatsoever.

Crowd noise is terrible. Nobody doing anything different. I do remember the old 2ks having random ppl in the crowd actually shouting random things. They need to bring this back.

[23]

Guys if possible post examples