NBA 2K14 News Post

NBA 2K14 VC Shows Its Ugly Side

09:15 PM - December 10, 2013 by JohnDoe8865

Virtual Currency (VC) in NBA 2K14 is a problem and if consumers don't voice their concerns, it's going to get worse.

Sure, there are ways to get free VC via the mobile app (if you can get it working), but gamers shouldn't be required to use VC to do simple tasks such as changing a lineup. We can understand using it in MyTeam (as it has been successful for EA Sports and Ultimate Team), but to have it added into other modes really has the community fired up. Customization isn't as fun as it once was, since VC is needed to update accessories and the ratio is ridiculous. Could this be next?

While there are many posts here at OS slamming it, other sites such as NeoGAF and Reddit have also been killing it from day one. PastaPadre has written a detailed article on it and the hate is spilling over.

VGRevolution warned users about it last year. Twitter is filled with complaints from users actually purchasing VC and not receiving it or crashing/freezing in modes, losing what they've earned. With no official word from 2K Sports, this is becoming a very large concern.

Where do you stand on VC?

Game: NBA 2K14Reader Score: 6.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PC / PS3 / PS4 / Wii U / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 98 - View All

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Member Comments

# 121 TalenT @ 12/11/13 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NUH_UHHHHHHHHHHH


	Do you remember the times you would have to complete a game to unlock items? ever play metal gear solid on ps1, if you finished the game you got extra skins. or ever play gta san andreas, i could go on, but theres plenty of games with unlockables only if you complete certain things. well guess what, this is exactly the same, u can unlock items here too if u play enough, the only difference is you can pay for it now if you got the money.

Lol Come on dude. That's not the same at all. For one, those were rewards for finishing....not requirements to actually play or do a certain thing. Secondly, VC is a way to make extra money. I think we can all agree on that.

# 122 TalenT @ 12/11/13 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NUH_UHHHHHHHHHHH


	lol wow u really feel like you have to pay more? thats not the feeling im getting at all. ive been playing my career for probably 2 weeks max, around 2hrs a night. ive got about 80 overall and find myself having a blast in my park. and you say theyre stripping down the game? wow 2k been giving the best basketball since 2k7 in my opinion, and with the new eco-motion on next gen is amazing. go play live bro ull get all the headbands for free

See what you're failing to realize is, yes, paying for VC is an option but the way it's currently constructed, there's not enough of it to go around. When it was designated to just MyTeam you could accumulate it solely for that purpose. With it being tied in to every mode it's hard to make enough to even play them consistently. You have to pick and choose where to spend it...or PURCHASE it.

# 123 Sundown @ 12/11/13 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NUH_UHHHHHHHHHHH


	Do you remember the times you would have to complete a game to unlock items? ever play metal gear solid on ps1, if you finished the game you got extra skins. or ever play gta san andreas, i could go on, but theres plenty of games with unlockables only if you complete certain things. well guess what, this is exactly the same, u can unlock items here too if u play enough, the only difference is you can pay for it now if you got the money.

Have you actually played either of those games? Or 2K at any length?

I can't fathom how you can compare 2K unlocks with those in other games that aren't made artificially difficult to boost microtransactions.

Unlocks happen naturally and quickly in normal play in GTA and MGS1. This applies to almost everything in those games. A FEW items take a bit of extra effort but they're usually a few prestige items for completing the game repeatedly on different levels, which is actually a fun objective in and of itself. It's a reward that says, okay, you're a badass. Have a bandana.

It does not take SIX TO TEN HOURS of repetitive gameplay for ONE COSMETIC ITEM in these games, and your progress IS NOT STALLED if you choose to grind to unlock that item, nor does the time spent playing prevent you from unlocking OTHER items naturally.

The equivalent would be if you had to complete MGS1 in its entirety for one piece of common place gear amongst hundreds of similarly priced items. Oh, and you get it only if you don't pick up new weapons or items or get health bonuses in your playthrough.

# 124 NUH_UHHHHHHHHHHH @ 12/11/13 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TalenT


	See what you're failing to realize is, yes, paying for VC is an option but the way it's currently constructed, there's not enough of it to go around. When it was designated to just MyTeam you could accumulate it solely for that purpose. With it being tied in to every mode it's hard to make enough to even play them consistently. You have to pick and choose where to spend it...or PURCHASE it.

I see what your saying.
Ive been playing quick matches and my player solely. so in that regards it hasnt been an issue, and the game has been great.
I think back to gran turismo 1 was extremely difficult to get the BASIC licence, took the whole summer to get all licences for

# 125 seanbarkley @ 12/11/13 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NUH_UHHHHHHHHHHH


	lol wow u really feel like you have to pay more? thats not the feeling im getting at all. ive been playing my career for probably 2 weeks max, around 2hrs a night. ive got about 80 overall and find myself having a blast in my park. and you say theyre stripping down the game? wow 2k been giving the best basketball since 2k7 in my opinion, and with the new eco-motion on next gen is amazing. go play live bro ull get all the headbands for free

1 - my 1st post was dealing with microtransactions. Yes, I feel I have to pay more if I want more cars in Forza or GT6 because I have to pay them, with real money, you get it? and dealing with NBA 2K, if you had spent a minute with my GM you would have known that you reach moments when you have to buy facilities, convincing players not to get angry... if you don't the VC you have to buy it and if you don't do it, you get pinished.

2 - dealing with stripped down videogames yes, I think they do. Chapters that previously would have been released with the game are now sold through DLCs, custom packs, weapon packs...and talking specifically about 2K14, knowing that you are their biggest fan on the planet and we are here just trolling, do you remember when All-Stars were included in the game and one given year they decided to sell it as a DLC? Do you remember when your myplayer accessories, shoes and tattoo were free and you could choose all all them from the beginning? because I do. And that, for me, is strip down a videogame to sell it in pieces.

3 - and dealing with your last sentence, I won't give you the pleasure to answer you what you deserve and the oportunity to keep with it. You said it loud and clear, you are their biggest grupie, we are just trolls. Keep enjoying you game.

# 126 drewst18 @ 12/11/13 03:21 PM

I may be in minority. I don't mind the way EA has implemented it through Ultimate Team modes and that is it. I don't mind dropping $10 to help my HUT team. But I will not spend one penny on this BS that has over run my game. I really only play "play now" cause of this crap, can't do anything.

# 127 canucksss @ 12/11/13 03:21 PM

For me personally, IF VC IS STILL THE WAY TO IMPROVE MYGM and MYCAREER modes....I AM NOT GOING TO WASTE MY MONEY.....I'll STAY OFF BUYING 2K or any other companies that will ask me to pay MORE to use the modes.

What happen to "earning _______ by hardwork"? I spell GREED in 2K plus the value of honest good work is going to the drain with most players. WANT TO BE THE "BEST" without sweating or hardwork. In reality, Lebron or any other athletes spend money to hire trainer/s to improve their skills, BUT they still work on it. Plus VC fthat you earn from the game is not even make sense against the expensive clothings. Let see, you earn 1000 VC points, but you need to have at least 5000 VC points to buy a shoe!!!!??? HECK, an NBA player, even if he's per-play player, could easily buy a pair or even 2 shoes with that 1 day paycheck.

# 128 NUH_UHHHHHHHHHHH @ 12/11/13 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanbarkley


	1 - my 1st post was dealing with microtransactions. Yes, I feel I have to pay more if I want more cars in Forza or GT6 because I have to pay them, with real money, you get it? and dealing with NBA 2K, if you had spent a minute with my GM you would have known that you reach moments when you have to buy facilities, convincing players not to get angry... if you don't the VC you have to buy it and if you don't do it, you get pinished. 2 - dealing with stripped down videogames yes, I think they do. Chapters that previously would have been released with the game are now sold through DLCs, custom packs, weapon packs...and talking specifically about 2K14, knowing that you are their biggest fan on the planet and we are here just trolling, do you remember when All-Stars were included in the game and one given year they decided to sell it as a DLC? Do you remember when your myplayer accessories, shoes and tattoo were free and you could choose all all them from the beginning? because I do. And that, for me, is strip down a videogame to sell it in pieces. 3 - and dealing with your last sentence, I won't give you the pleasure to answer you what you deserve and the oportunity to keep with it. You said it loud and clear, you are their biggest grupie, we are just trolls. Keep enjoying you game.

1. ive never played forza, i havent played my gm, ive solely been playing quick matches online and myplayer. so i cant comment on my gm issues (nor have I)
2. all star pack was free with pre order dude. from what i can recall in 2k11 association mode, they didnt just give u jordans from the begining, ud have to unlock it by playing more n more. yes they were free but not from the beginning. actually i can recall 2k11 association mode it was harder to get jordan 4's in that game than in this game.
3. i do enjoy the game

# 129 spacedog @ 12/11/13 03:28 PM

After having gone without a 2k game for maybe 7+ years (the early 2k games on dreamcast and xbox were awesome for me), I was thinking that this could be the year to jump back in. But this whole VC applying to every mode with a terribly unbalanced ratio between the VC earned and the cost of VC to unlock things has basically kept me from buying it. I'm only one customer but I could see this being the case with many customers moving forward. This VC is already frustrating lots of the hardcore 2k gamers, and is turning away potential new customers like myself, and I don't think that's a business model primed for success.

I hear lots of people defending it saying they play for weeks to have their players progress at a reasonable rate, and that's fine. If you play one mode. But what about the rest of the players who play multiple modes, and are forced to use VC from the same pool across each mode. It was nice when you could just play modes, and earn things as you worked, as a normal progression system would work. And I have no problems with micro transactions when they add extra content and variety. But a lot of the people ok with this particular 2k model seem to ignore that it isn't that buying VC is a problem, it's that you're essentially so constrained in every mode but quick play without doing so because you don't earn enough VC by actually playing the game. And it's apparent that 2k is not interested in giving people a boost or added content with micro transactions, but they want to scheme things in a way that you have to pay extra to really enjoy the game you already payed full price for.

Ok my rant is over, I know I've said lots of what most others already have said lol

# 130 Sundown @ 12/11/13 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanbarkley


	2 - dealing with stripped down videogames yes, I think they do. Chapters that previously would have been released with the game are now sold through DLCs, custom packs, weapon packs...and talking specifically about 2K14, knowing that you are their biggest fan on the planet and we are here just trolling, do you remember when All-Stars were included in the game and one given year they decided to sell it as a DLC? Do you remember when your myplayer accessories, shoes and tattoo were free and you could choose all all them from the beginning? because I do. And that, for me, is strip down a videogame to sell it in pieces.

You know, I'm actually okay with microtransactions implemented well.

I'm even okay with DLCs-- because it's somewhat easy to evaluate whether or not the base game provides enough content and value for your money and whether you're willing to pay a little more as a content completist.

I am NOT okay with a game where the full game can't be enjoyed because progress is made artificially difficult and unsatisfying to encourage you to spend another 20-40 dollars. I'm not okay with a design that encourages players to spend money to bypass actual play time and the effort-reward mechanic completely, and I'm not okay with microtransations that purposefully fuel game imbalances between the rich and lazy and those who just want to play the game they purchased.

# 131 poloelite @ 12/11/13 03:32 PM

I tried to read all of the comments, but wanted to chime in real quick. I'm 50/50 on VC. I actually think it's a good idea and is very much needed. However, I do think some things are overpriced and some things you don't get enough VC for. The game hasn't even been out a month yet, so I don't think anyone that has been playing should be complaining about the amount of VC they have without buying it. I think the design of it was to have things that will keep you playing 2K until next year when the new game drops. I'm willing to bet, with consistent playing, that by summer everyone will have enough VC to do what they want. Between locker codes, the app and playing the actual game, you can accumulate a lot of VC over that span of time.

If people here are the sim heads they say they are, playing an 82 game myGM will get you about 75,000 VC for playing the games alone. Add on the approximate 7,000 VC a week you can get from the app and locker codes, that is enough to be well on your way in myGM. No, you won't have every upgrade, but in the essence of being true and sim, no GM has every upgrade.

You can literally click the app now and get enough VC to buy a headband and next week have enough VC to buy kicks for the Park, without playing one game. I do agree that the myCareer salary is low and the VC earned per game could be more, but I think the design is for you to not be an 80, MVP, Rookie of the Year, league leading scorer in year 1. If you take the sim route and play 3 or 4 years into your career, you will probably have earned enough VC through all the channels to be an 80-90 OVR player, right when the average NBA star blossoms.

So all of these cats yelling sim, I think VC actually forces you to build sim like. For the casual gamer who can't grind it out and doesn't have the time, buy the VC. For this sim head, what's realer than starting off at the bottom and building your way up? Making it where you can't own everything and you have to make choices. So you can't be a slam dunking, ball handling, knock down shooting, lock down defending guy from day one, you actually have to earn that and build one elite trait at a time. Like I said, if you play regularly, but February or March you would've built your way to something respectable. But guys want to be dominating the league in year 1, weeks after the game dropped, how sim is that?? If you want that experience, the VC is there for you to cop.

Lastly, I do think the packs in myTeam are overpriced. However, from what I've heard, most teams are filled with Bronze players at this stage so the playing field is even. Just my thoughts, no diss to anyone or their opinions.

# 132 252Life @ 12/11/13 03:35 PM

Don't buy the game, point blank period. The greed for money is killing sports gaming and the only way to send is message is to lessen the revenue made from game sales.

# 133 seanbarkley @ 12/11/13 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundown


	You know, I'm actually okay with microtransactions implemented well. I'm even okay with DLCs-- because it's somewhat easy to evaluate whether or not the base game provides enough content and value for your money and whether you're willing to pay a little more as a content completist. I am NOT okay with a game where the full game can't be enjoyed because progress is made artificially difficult and unsatisfying to encourage you to spend another 20-40 dollars. I'm not okay with a design that encourages players to spend money to bypass actual play time and the effort-reward mechanic completely, and I'm not okay with microtransations that purposefully fuel game imbalances between the rich and lazy and those who just want to play the game they purchased.

I'm OK with microtransactions if the game is free or 0.99, otherwise you are paying full retail price for it. Aren't $60 enough?

I'm OK with DLCs when they have after-release work involved, but these last 2 years we've seen how we payed retail price for a game, and a couple of months later they sold a DLC or some pack which was known to be included on the CD in the release day. Jesus, we have seen how in Asura's Wrath they sold us the actual ending of the game with a DLC.

I respect ur opinion man, but I don't share all of your thoughts. We as users should complain and raise our voices against these practices or things are gonna get ugly.

# 134 Sundown @ 12/11/13 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RangersCruz


	wow...i said in a few hours as in say anywhere from 6-12 you can earn 30k off simulating it alone if you complete the goals which are not hard to do if you want to play 25-30 games for that 30k VC go ahead im not doing that

And that right there is everything wrong with the VC implementation.

You are encouraged to NOT play the game, but to look for loopholes and shortcuts, and failing that, to purchase VC in order to bypass the actual game.

2K has lost the "just one more" feeling that wins hearts and gives games their longevity, because it actually undermines their business model.

Because of 2K's focus on VC profits, the more you play, the more money they don't make-- therefore, a profitable design with those constraints is one which you play enough to realize satisfying progression is not possible in all modes of the game. By your account, that design appears to be working.

# 135 Bornindamecca @ 12/11/13 03:50 PM

My question from the other forum
In recent news, there have been many online related problems in NBA2K14, partially because the VC system is integrated into every game mode. Some people are against microtransactions altogether. I'm not. As we want more realism and features, games are gonna get more expensive to make. Specific to this year, it's almost impossible for 2k to recoup it's money because the install base for the next gen game is not high enough for a legit profit unless they have 100% saturation, which is not realistic.

That having been said, if you paid 65 dollars for a game, you deserve a complete experience that requires no further investment. Your game should work properly and deliver on the promises of the publisher without asking you to do anything besides play.

What's fair for MTs in a sports game? This is a new area, and if the sports community wants to keep companies from abusing this tactic, we all need to be as clear and unified as possible when it comes to this increasingly important issue.

Excluding the idea of "no microtransactions", as that is a bit unrealistic, what do you think is appropriate and what do you think is inappropriate?

Personally, I feel that the core offline and head to head experience should be unaffected by microtransactions. It should be a complete, functional and fair experience. In single player, it shouldn't be pay to play, and in multiplayer, it shouldn't be pay to win. MTs should be an optional enhancer for the hardcore players that want "extras" or an accelerant for those with more disposable income than disposable time.

How about you? I appreciate your feedback.

--"Books" NB2 aka Bornindamecca

(accidentally posted this in the current gen forum, though it still applies)

# 136 Da_Czar @ 12/11/13 03:51 PM

I am also not a fan of how 2K implemented VC this year. I would like it restricted as much as possible to myteam or make the economy of earning vs costs more affordable. I will never be able to afford a gold pack in my team while simultaneously trying to upgrade my myplayer without spending cash.

# 137 poloelite @ 12/11/13 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundown


	And that right there is everything wrong with the VC implementation. You are encouraged to NOT play the game, but to look for loopholes and shortcuts, and failing that, to purchase VC in order to bypass the actual game. 2K has lost the "just one more" feeling that wins hearts and gives games their longevity, because it actually undermines their business model. Because of 2K's focus on VC profits, the more you play, the more money they don't make-- therefore, a profitable design with those constraints is one which you play enough to realize satisfying progression is not possible in all modes of the game. By your account, that design appears to be working.

How are we encouraged to NOT play this game?? For me if it takes 82 days to play a regular season, that's about 75,000 VC. If I'm using the app every day and getting free VC, that's probably another 82,000 VC. So in less than 3 months I could be sitting on 150,000 VC just from playing the game that is actually good. I don't see the issue here.

# 138 Bornindamecca @ 12/11/13 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Da_Czar


	I am also not a fan of how 2K implemented VC this year. I would like it restricted as much as possible to myteam or make the economy of earning vs costs more affordable. I will never be able to afford a gold pack in my team while simultaneously trying to upgrade my myplayer without spending cash.

This is exactly it. You can play ONE game mode according to the rules, but there's no way you can enjoy the full game without buying VC unless you play 2k in equivalence of a full time job shift.

# 139 poloelite @ 12/11/13 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Da_Czar


	I am also not a fan of how 2K implemented VC this year. I would like it restricted as much as possible to myteam or make the economy of earning vs costs more affordable. I will never be able to afford a gold pack in my team while simultaneously trying to upgrade my myplayer without spending cash.

Czar what's up family?? I could be reaching here, but I think the point they're getting at is they want the game to last all year long. So building a player in a more sim time frame and for us to not have Gold Players until we go deeper into myTeam. I'm not sure how domination mode works, but if you beat the team and get 3 stars, do you get a gold player from that team?

# 140 Sundown @ 12/11/13 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanbarkley


	I'm OK with microtransactions if the game is free or 0.99, otherwise you are paying full retail price for it. Aren't $60 enough? I'm OK with DLCs when they have after-release work involved, but these last 2 years we've seen how we payed retail price for a game, and a couple of months later they sold a DLC or some pack which was known to be included on the CD in the release day. Jesus, we have seen how in Asura's Wrath they sold us the actual ending of the game with a DLC. I respect ur opinion man, but I don't share all of your thoughts. We as users should complain and raise our voices against these practices or things are gonna get ugly.

These are my personal preferences.

I don't feel like I'm necessarily "owed" everything on the disk-- but I do feel like the content I'm purchasing should be satisfactory and complete (and games should have proper endings without additional spending). I think they do better to not include DLC on the disk and have them be downloads even if it's ready on launch day, just to fix perception issues.

I also imagine that DLC on the disk sometimes necessitate additional after-release assets, work, patching, or testing. Most DLCs can't be completed unless they've been started well during the production cycle of the main game, so in the end all I care about is expectations, quality, and value.

I'm also fine with microtransactions for minor progress boosts that increase variety in some games or add bits of additional cosmetic content that is hopefully constantly updated. I'm okay with how it appears to be implemented in some games like BF4. Progress in the base game should still be satisfying. BF4 manages microtransations without being a Pay-To-Win game.

Progress in the base game in 2K is not satisfying. It doesn't qualify as any of the above. In some ways, it may be the most expensive, unabashedly Pay-To-Win game ever released when we consider modes like MyTeam with its price increases and The Park.

Anyway, these are my personal levels of tolerance for DLC and microtransactions. At the end of the day, I ask if the content is worth it and whether a disproportionate amount of content or progress is held hostage behind a paywall.

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