News Post

Why I'm Done With NBA Basketball This Year: NBA 2K9

11:53 AM - March 24, 2009 by RaychelSnr

If you have been paying attention to the community’s efforts to tweak NBA 2K9 during the past few months, you probably noticed that Neon1, one of the hardest-working NBA 2K community members, redid the ratings and tendencies for every player and coach in the game.

As someone who had previously shelved NBA 2K9 out of frustration, I was initially excited to sit down and try this tweaked version of NBA 2K9 now that March Madness is in full bloom.

But after only a few games as my underachieving Grizzlies -- who have actually gotten a lot better, ratings-wise, since I last touched the game -- it became clear to me that the same opinion I had formed a few months ago still holds true:

NBA 2K9 is a mess, and no amount of slider tweaking or roster editing can save it.

So, in the first of a two-part series, I am here to explain why I have given up on NBA hoops this year, and I am also here to detail what needs to be improved in 2010.

Read More - Why I'm Done With NBA Basketball This Year: NBA 2K9

Game: NBA 2K9Reader Score: 8.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS2 / PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 72 - View All

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Member Comments

# 41 Pared @ 03/24/09 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NINJAK2


	Yes! Another 2k bash thread. We were running low on these..........All valid points though that have been already discussed to death.

I don't think it's that type of thread. There's something up in the Live forums as well.

But it is old. Same people saying the same thing.... posting the same videos... rinse, repeat.

Either way, it's what OS has to do to "make the issue known." I'd expect nothing less from this site and I like that they published the article. But man... we just stepped into a time warp.

# 42 statum71 @ 03/24/09 08:08 PM

I just wish my players would stop missing point blank shots all alone, that should be dunks to begin with. Needing a running start to dunk the ball really ticks me off and hinders my offense.

So yes, 2K is indeed frustrating in areas, but I'll still take it over Live ANYDAY.

Live needs to start LOOKING like a basketball game first. THEN we can talk about defense and A.I.

# 43 Hassan Darkside @ 03/24/09 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by statum71


	I just wish my players would stop missing point blank shots all alone, that should be dunks to begin with. Needing a running start to dunk the ball really ticks me off and hinders my offense.

Oh gosh, I'd hate to see your offense then.

# 44 statum71 @ 03/24/09 08:36 PM

How good I am isn't the point. But centers and forward right under the basket is a dunk even in college.

My point is there should be something other than that dumb shotstick. It has a mind of its own.

# 45 Hassan Darkside @ 03/24/09 10:01 PM

I wasn't talking about how good you are. I was thinking that if you're offense is that dependent on dunking, maybe you're the one with the problem.

But anyway, Shotstick > ____. I much prefer having control over dunks and layups.

That's why there's a standing dunk attribute. There's a lot that ties into standing dunks. The attribute, the dunk tendency, the slider, and traffic itself.

# 46 inkcil @ 03/24/09 11:35 PM

in neither blog is the fast break mentioned...completely broken (in both games by the way)

# 47 tril @ 03/25/09 12:19 AM

NBA2k9 on the PC, IMO is a great game. The issues that are mentioned in this article aren't much of an issue in the PC version. The best 2k NBA game to date.
The AI defense is quicker to react, offense does run plays. The A.I does react to game time decisions.
Maybe the console versions are slightly different.

# 48 DC @ 03/25/09 07:15 AM

I want to know if these PC dudes are telling the truth when they say the game doesn't have the same issues. I don't see why it wouldn't to be honest.

Yea you can have modifications but I can't believe the PC version is that different

# 49 tril @ 03/25/09 08:15 AM

for some reason, its different. you'll occasionally see an anomaly but thats about it. I adjusted the sliders of course to get a more sim experience and theyve worked. Im 8 seasons in playing 12 minute halves and havent adjusted the sliders since season 1. 28 game seasons.

stats are spot on etc. the only complaint is with the salary cap bug. most teams can spend more than they have. a few teams operate at or below the salary cap. which is no biggie cause it makes the game more challenging, operating within the salary verses the rest of the AI controlled teams.

If you have a nice pc Id recommend getting this version and compare.
It never gets old, every y game is different. The adjustments made by the AI, the game time decisions is a thing of beauty. it has replay-ability like College Hoops 2k8.

Plus it looks beautiful, maxed out.

# 50 Dice @ 03/25/09 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocky


	I don't need to see videos, I know how crappy NBA2K8's defense is just by playing it (which I do routinely). Yes, NBA2K9 has those super annoying sliding, flying to the basket animations that are not in 2K8 that much (but are in 2K7), but that has nothing to do with defensive AI. Defensive AI was terrible in NBA2K8. Do you remember the unstoppable pick and rolls? Tyson Chandler going 15 for 15 routinely because there was not proper collision and animations under the goal to contest shots? Brent Barry going 10 for 14 from 3 because of there was not proper rotation when people left there man (NBA2K9 solved this, but not in the right way)? CPU not paying attention to defenders being 100x's worse? Trust me, NBA2K9's defensive AI is no shining piece of gold, but every problem that was in 2K9 was in 2K8 and then alot more. (the switching problem of 2K9 was just the opposite in 2K8. Both of them were bad, but I prefered 2K8's.) The big difference is....the CPU offense is more competent on higher levels. Which is to be expected when the computer is meant to be hard, not realistic.

I agree. All except for the switching problem in 2K9. I know 2K9 has the issue but it isn't as often as it was in 2K8. In 2K8, it happened too many times.

Another thing about defense between the two games is in 2K9 you could finally assign a man to guard another player regardless of position. You couldn't do this at all in 2K8.

This franchise is currently at the crossroads. 2K10 has got to improve next season because this is 2KSports money maker. They've shut down their football and college basketball games and from my understanding the baseball franchise is getting serious competition with Sony's MLB franchise. If 2K Sports looses the pro basketball title to the giant EA expect this company to shut it's doors. It'll be a shame to see that but that's what it comes down to.

One more thing, a lot of people here regard College Hoops 2K8 as one of the best basketball games of all time. Well, when 2K Sports shut down that franchise some of the developers went over to the NBA side to help with NBA 2K9. So why is the AI bad in this game when you had developers of possibly one of the greatest basketball AI games of all time?

# 51 DC @ 03/25/09 08:49 AM

Quote:


	Another thing about defense between the two games is in 2K9 you could finally assign a man to guard another player regardless of position. You couldn't do this at all in 2K8.

Yea that is true but 2K STILL took a step backwards in this feature because in COllege Hoops 2K8, you could assign a PRIMARY and a SECONDARY (for when the primary defender is out of the game) to guard a specific player. I don't know why we only have one in NBA 2K9. HOPEFULLY that is fixed in 2K10

# 52 DC @ 03/25/09 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dice


	One more thing, a lot of people here regard College Hoops 2K8 as one of the best basketball games of all time. Well, when 2K Sports shut down that franchise some of the developers went over to the NBA side to help with NBA 2K9. So why is the AI bad in this game when you had developers of possibly one of the greatest basketball AI games of all time?

Much like Beluba not being on Live's Team for a full development cycle, the College Hoops Dudes first FULL cycle would be THIS year

# 53 tril @ 03/25/09 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dice


	One more thing, a lot of people here regard College Hoops 2K8 as one of the best basketball games of all time. Well, when 2K Sports shut down that franchise some of the developers went over to the NBA side to help with NBA 2K9. So why is the AI bad in this game when you had developers of possibly one of the greatest basketball AI games of all time?

something tells me alot of those folks went to work on the pc version

# 54 Pared @ 03/25/09 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCAllAmerican


	Much like Beluba not being on Live's Team for a full development cycle, the College Hoops Dudes first FULL cycle would be THIS year

Bingo.

Well done, DC.

# 55 orrkl2002 @ 03/25/09 10:02 AM

The funny thing is that it seems like the devs backed up off the forums with this years installment more than ever and whats even worse is the fact that if EA had bought 2k and shelved it, this would've been the game we were stuck with. An unfixable cheese ball nightmare. But really where are the developers? It seems like L**e and 2k have swapped and now 2ks devs arent communicating with us anymore while L**e's devs are always around. I mean really we didnt even get shoe updates or a 2nd patch.

# 56 Pared @ 03/25/09 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orrkl2002


	The funny thing is that it seems like the devs backed up off the forums with this years installment more than ever and whats even worse is the fact that if EA had bought 2k and shelved it, this would've been the game we were stuck with. An unfixable cheese ball nightmare. But really where are the developers? It seems like Le and 2k have swapped and now 2ks devs arent communicating with us anymore while Le's devs are always around. I mean really we didnt even get shoe updates or a 2nd patch.

The only developer on here was Beluba, popping in every now and then.

SimBaller is still around. In fact, he just posted yesterday regarding a freeze asking for video of the animation causing it.

Perhaps they're hard at work fixing the game for next year? Or would you prefer them not spend the time on the game and just post here, talking about it?

# 57 orrkl2002 @ 03/25/09 12:34 PM

I would rather see them fix the issues but also be aware of the issues the fans have as well.

# 58 DC @ 03/25/09 12:40 PM

^ Explain

# 59 Pared @ 03/25/09 12:54 PM

He wants someone with a pink name saying "I hear you."

It's the same thing we've been talking about all along.

# 60 Shinyhubcaps @ 03/25/09 12:58 PM

I was disappointed with this game when the OKC Thunder shot 74% in the first half -- mostly jump shots, by the way -- against me in a game. I haven't noticed a lot of these issues, though I'm sure they exist. For the casual fan, however, they are much more concerned with how their guys play than how the AI plays. Take the computer as a constant, and all you need to care about is how much control you have over your players, which is above and beyond anything else out there.

My biggest gameplay concern is probably passing through people, or more importantly, ghosting through the rim and backboard. Actually, the worst is hand-on-ball block physics. I can't count the number of times the ball went through my player's hand on the way to the goal.

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