News Post

NBA 2K9 - Developer Diary (by Erick Boenisch, Lead Feature Designer)

10:45 AM - September 24, 2008 by Steve_OS

We have just posted our Developer Diary with Erick Boenisch, Lead Feature Designer for NBA 2K9.

Quote:


	"Hey everyone, my name is Erick Boenisch and I am the Lead Feature Designer for the NBA 2K series. Many of you who frequent the NBA 2K forum may know me a little better as SimBaller. I�m here today to tell you about the exciting improvements we�ve made to The Association this year. The Association is taking what we are calling a AAA (triple A) approach to the mode this year. We�ve broken down each �A� into a specific area of the experience that we aimed to improve this year."

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Member Comments

# 41 mars blackmon @ 09/24/08 04:17 PM

lol @ being a complainer in the wake of being given this great info...hehehe i wouldn't be a true 2K fan if i didn't right?

this was excellent information steve and i truly appreciate it. the complete overhaul of the financial aspect of association especially has me intrigued. hopefully this includes being able to see what every team in the league's cap room situation is at a glance.

editing contracts is big too, trust me whether they touched association or not i was going to play it regardless because i'm a franchise junkie. but now i am truly excited to have all these new features, respect due to 2K and their staff for such outstanding work.

# 42 ProfessaPackMan @ 09/24/08 04:33 PM

Sounds good.

# 43 JDK @ 09/24/08 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fabric


	As someone who almost exclusively plays Association (that and an occasional Slam Dunk competition with friends), I'm glad to see all these improvements. Funny thing this: is what got me most from that article

Me too.

In earlier games if you had multiple picks you couldn't tell if you were trading away the third overall pick or the 30th.

# 44 kenzil @ 09/24/08 06:17 PM

Love the read and love the new features but I cannot be too happy as I am a little disappointed that it is likely that choops players will not be able to be imported. This is something I had been hoping for since choops was canned.

For those that play both games, we have had endless fun importing rookies and watching what they become in NBA 2k8. I was hoping they would allow this because this association 2.0 would make the gaming experience that much better.

Although you can edit prospects, its just not the same. I have played about 6 seasons in both choops and NBA 2k8 importing rookies throughout. I have an attachment to the players imported. As I have said in other posts about this, these two games have become my sports RPG (role plaing game).

Again, love the new features but slightly disappointed. Although my hope is fading (and darn near gone from all the vids that show it not being an option), I am still hoping that importing draft class will make it in the game.

# 45 Rhymologist @ 09/24/08 07:08 PM

Thats wats shabalizin, im glade to hear many improvements are done to the Asso this year. Now the boy just waiting for the game to drop.

~WhaWhoM~

# 46 ronyell @ 09/24/08 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mars blackmon


	lol @ being a complainer in the wake of being given this great info...hehehe i wouldn't be a true 2K fan if i didn't right? this was excellent information steve and i truly appreciate it. the complete overhaul of the financial aspect of association especially has me intrigued. hopefully this includes being able to see what every team in the league's cap room situation is at a glance. editing contracts is big too, trust me whether they touched association or not i was going to play it regardless because i'm a franchise junkie. but now i am truly excited to have all these new features, respect due to 2K and their staff for such outstanding work.

u took the words right outta my mouth, i couldn't have said it better myself

# 47 Vast @ 09/24/08 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.R. Locke


	Love the little things. +/- stat in the game makes me very happy!

What does this exactly mean? if his ratings go up you see a +??

# 48 Nodima @ 09/24/08 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenzil


	I have played about 6 seasons in both choops and NBA 2k8 importing rookies throughout. I have an attachment to the players imported. As I have said in other posts about this, these two games have become my sports RPG (role plaing game).

I feel for you, from the 2002 (Mad and CF 2003) to 2006 (Mad and CF 2007) on PS2 I played that many seasons every year just to import my juniors and seniors into Drafts, try to draft some of them if I could and watch them shine in the NFL. That (along with IMO perfect gameplay during the 2003-2005 years) made those games number 1 for me every year.

They still have taht feature available, but the games are so bad I can't even get to either off-season unless I just sim everything.

So I basically don't get that experience anymore either.

# 49 Stumbleweed @ 09/24/08 08:00 PM

+/- ratings track how many pints the team goes up or down when a certain player is on the floor. So (for example), the Hornets play much better with CP3 on the floor than without him -- you can look at his +/- numbers for the season, and the Hornets were a full 479 points better with CP3 on the court than without. Paul Pierce was the league leader in that stat last season, mostly due to the crazy margins of victory that the Celtics had most of the season.

Here's the link to the "Lenovo Stat", which is the official name for the nba.com Plus/Minus stat: http://www.nba.com/statistics/lenovo/lenovo.jsp

# 50 RAZRr1275 @ 09/24/08 08:04 PM

Nice stuff. Do you think you could have an Assotiation Q&A soon though? There are still some questions unanswered

# 51 ghettog @ 09/24/08 08:14 PM

I wondered last year if I was the only one that spent a lot of time trying to fix certain players contracts. Fixing contracts last year involved me editing the ratings then releasing the player to fa then resigning him then saving the roster then going into association mode to check what kinda contract he got. If the money per year wasnt right I would have to edit the players ratings till it got close to it. And if the years werent right I would have to release the player again and sign him over and over to try to get the years right.

I mainly did this for my favorite team and the big time players in the league along with some small ones. Well it was a pain. I liked to play association with the real contracts.

I am very happy I will be able to edit players contracts easily now. To say the least.

# 52 Salhus @ 09/25/08 12:00 AM

With the lack of time and budgets with next gen sports games, I'm surprised they added so much

# 53 RoyceDa59 @ 09/25/08 12:01 AM

Why this sounds really awesome, I am super excited for this game now! Customizable Contracts is awesome.

# 54 JohnDoe8865 @ 09/25/08 01:32 AM

Blown away by the little things. This is why I love the 2K Basketball series and come back year after year, you guys earn it!

# 55 CelticBalla32 @ 09/25/08 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAZRr1275


	Nice stuff. Do you think you could have an Assotiation Q&A soon though? There are still some questions unanswered

In 12 more days, you can answer all of your own questions with your thumbs.

# 56 allan002001 @ 09/25/08 03:23 AM

i hope its as good or even better than legacy mode... cant wait for 2k9

# 57 alldayy @ 09/25/08 07:42 AM

wowowia!! 2k ain't messin' around this year! They going for nbaLive's jugular--great stuff, can't wait to play this game in a couple weeks!

# 58 S1ARk5 @ 09/25/08 09:27 AM

all these improvements are HUGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Thank you Steve. Good Stuff!

# 59 nickaepi @ 09/25/08 02:38 PM

Have they fixed missed layups and lack of fast-break points?

# 60 bullfan#1 @ 09/30/08 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCameo23


	2k9 will make me put Madden and NCAA back in its case. Thanks OS!.

WELL I'VE ALREADY TRADED IN MY COPY OF MADDEN TO PAY FOR THIS GAME!!

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