Making the Case That 'Perfect' Green Releases Should Be Removed From NBA 2K21 and All Future NBA 2K Games

[ChaseB]

As has become the yearly norm at this point, people have spent an inordinate amount of...

Written By: Chase Becotte

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[Cavsfan4life]

Awesome article, but man the lack of responses shows a ton.

You said it best, its the only mechanic that has a perfect result. There isn't another aspect in 2k that we can perfect with a button release or flick of the stick.

[leoribas3]

YES! IMO perfect releases and green lights were an awful idea to begin with. This is basketball, shooting doesnt work like this. Theres always a random factor, even for the best players in the world. People worry more about timing a button window than actual basketball awareness, tactic and shot quality because of this stupid green release thing...

[Thrustie]

Definitely agree with all of this. Especially the point that players that are able to figure out timing/aiming basically break the game with unrealistic percentages. Being very good at one element of the game elevates them to 2K Demi gods. I think we all understand the importance of shooting in basketball - it’s a make or miss league as experts are apt to say - but I think you could still create a shooting skill gap without greens.

As the game is now, there’s almost no way to truly excel if you can’t time/aim your shot as well. It becomes 75% shooting and 25% everything else. If one guy can hit 75% from 3 because he can green most of his shots and the other guy can only hit 45% with slightly early/late/left/right, it’s curtains. Doesn’t matter if the second guy has superior IQ, a better handle and takes smarter shots. The “skill gap” for shooting is so pronounced that it basically eclipses all the other elements of the game. Shrink that gap a bit and everything else becomes meaningful again. The easiest way would be removing greens.

[ataman5]

Great reading. I agree with it all.

[Guard-ian]

Great write up Chase!!!

Totally agree with your points, definitely fundamental basketball and good open shots should always beat perfect release robots...

Greens are the worst and most arcade thing that happened to NBA 2k saga and it is a clear switch from "sim" to "fun", wriggling away from realism... and that is probably a good decision from a business perspective (to content the masses)... but a bad and wrong one from a simulation standpoint...

I have not an issue with these things in the park and its different game modes, I even like the new shot aim concept (but without greens and without the requirement of been almost perfect to hit a shot, that's not basketball... basketball is more about finding the right spots and shots, not executing them perfectly with a mini-game).

My problem with all of this is that the core 5 vs 5 NBA simulation is getting more and more affected by these green fever and all its arcade connotations (hell I don't want the spoilers, I don't want to know if a shot is gonna go in or not just after release), and it is not fair for us the long time hardcore fans who mostly love the real NBA part of the game: MyLeague, MyLeague Online, My GM and PlayNow (off and Online).

[alabamarob]

Solid writeup.

If they are hell bent on keeping green releases. We should just have a percentage. Example. Perfect release 50 % make chance. Slighlty left or right 30% chance. For 90 rated shooter.

Or

Include turn off 100 percent green release as a game option.

Ratings should be more important the shot timing/aiming.

[Goffs]

This green release stuff is not going away. 2k will be nothing but icons on top of icons with bars for jumping up straight and green splashes everywhere.