So obviously I know this is a death trap, but I feel like at OS, we got to go the extra mile for you psychos since you're so f'ing passionate about your sports video games. So basically what I'm doing is starting threads for the various games I've played over the last week, and this is one of them.
First I'm going back through the E3 questions and answering them in this initial post since I owe it to those folks. But with most of them done, please ask away.
I want to make it clear though that I didn't see Association mode (the 2K folks are going to talk about that at a later date) so no questions about that because I simply won't be able to answer them. Otherwise while I hope most are gameplay or gameplay-related questions (no I don't know how many headbands are in the game etc.) I do at the very least have info on some other stuff outside of gameplay, though I didn't really get to witness all of it first-hand.
Also I only got to play 2 games since the meeting started late/ran late etc. Unfortunate but still it was a great session nonetheless.
So here are the E3 questions I can answer below (I didn't answer the really general ones because it's hard to just talk about what are the improvements for example -- I'll speak more about big improvements in the preview that will come out during next week), and commence asking:
Wouldn't be fair to me to say it definitely has, since I'd need to see how it reacts over a set number of games. But I did ask them about it, and they did say the sub system has been reworked, so stuff like that shouldn't happen now.
1. I didn't run one play, ha (see below why). However, I did ask Rob Jones about the play-calling system, and he did say it should be easier to get into the called plays now. Also due to the new player tendencies/adaptive AI, if a human player cuts off a play at like the 2nd step, the AI teammates apparently won't just sit around and stare, they'll just go and run a set depending on who has the ball/where the ball is on the court at the time the play ended.
2. I don't remember the NBA 2K3 system at this point, but the practice mode has been overhauled. You can run plays in it now, make subs, have 5-on-5 (I believe), and just in general in functions more like a normal practice mode should. I only saw it as a 5-on-0 session for a minute or two, but I did see that you could tweak how it's set up.
3. Yes. Sliders, full teams, individual players for example can all be shared.
1. So I talked with the 2K folks about dribble animations, because I've always said I thought it would be cool if CP3 for example was bouncing around on his two feet after coming off a pick. Basically it seems like while that won't be happening due to difficulties making it look natural or smooth, they definitely went back and focused on bringing in more signature layups, dunks, dribbles, the whole nine yards. How much of that is in there, I can't say yet, but I think it's a safe bet to assume that they love doing signature animations and so they like to do them whenever they can.
1. I get the buzz words mixed up, but basically player tendencies and Adaptive AI play into this. So now basically depending on where you are on the floor, certain sets will just occur. So like when I was the Jazz, Boozer would just normally come up and start a pick and roll with Deron (depending on where I was on the court) without me even calling for it. Other times maybe AK would come off a screen for the ball, then look for a cutting Brewer, just naturally (the Jazz only run about 6 plays in real life anyway, there's just like 10000 different variations during each of those 6 sets). Other times I could just naturally notice that there was a clear out for Boozer, so I'd get him the ball in the post and the other 3 players not named Deron would be on the opposite side of the court. Okur would come set the pick and roll sometimes; he would pick and pop more, while Booz rolled for the most part. Essentially I didn't call one set play the whole time just because I wanted to see the new system, and how it was working. I came away mostly impressed, I just want to see how other teams do their sets, and if they really vary from team to team.
2. So I spoke with Rob Jones (I guess he's still the project manager? or maybe he's lead producer, I don't quite remember) but anyway, I told him how I didn't like to play against the AI much because I always felt it was too hard to get around defenders. He definitely seemed to think it would be more fair this year in terms of beating defenders off the dribble, but since I didn't do any AI vs. human games, and considering this game felt rather foreign to me due to all the changes, it would be hard for me to say how that will all break down at this point. Someone will ask about lockdown D at some point in this thread, I'll dig into that more when it's asked since obviously that relates to on ball D.
1. They've definitely changed Boozer's at the very least. His shot looked more spot on as he took the ball back behind his shoulder/head in a more normal fashion, and now had a quicker shot. Also while I didn't see it, they did say Boozer had his goofy FT animation in the game now. They added more sig shots, sig fts definitely, and obviously did at least the one recapture, so more would follow I would think.
It's not being delayed. Basically (and this goes for Live too) they are going to be the Oklahoma City OKCs, or something like that. The NBA has informed both groups that in general you should probably have these colors in for jerseys etc. but in both games there's just going to be a generic stadium in place for example -- nothing they can really do about it.
There are more natural leaners now. I didn't see any pump and lean into the defender for a foul moves like a few years ago -- my guess is they probably aren't in since they were just taken out like 2 years ago, for a reason I would think. The pull-ups, I'd say it's too early to tell. I used the Jazz during one game, and Deron seemed to more smoothly go into his jumper when I pulled up, but I would need to see more before saying pull-ups look better etc.
I did human vs. human games. I will say that there will be hedging this year though, also backing off the PG and picking off that dreaded down the gut lead pass was witnessed during my session, so there is hope. As for the post. I didn't see any fronting during my session, but what's cool is now those guys in the post battle for position. So before you know how basically the offensive big would just go down and get whatever position in the post he wanted? Now basically the defender won't just give him the paint, and let him set up where he pleases always.
Like I said, I didn't dig too into this, but resident OS forum poster/2K employee "SimBaller" -- that's the nice way of saying I forgot his real name somewhere between the 3rd and 5th hour of my red eye flight last night -- said "for the first time I can create someone that looks human looking in 2K9."
I believe the producers from the CHoops series were moved over to the NBA 2K side of things.