Can STRIPS change the game?

[Kushmir]

I've taken the last two years off from 2K but i've paid close attention to the community during that period. This sentence regarding 2K23 Improvements definitely got my spider sense tingling...."Ball strips are new and improved this year with tons of new content and better coverage. So if you’re a smaller defender, quick hands can be just as effective in slowing down slashers and bigs in the paint as a good shot blocker."

How good is that? I've always thought gameplay could do more with STRIPS:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mEBBrr3GZEE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qiMFWCzrG-c" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lzcZh0hnXxI" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Those plays are beautiful to me. Especially the last one where the static offensive player (LA Lonzo) gets the ball poked away...defenses shouldn't just wait on offensive players to make a move.

I've always been a big advocate of the first video's "Crowding" animations we rarely see (that could have improved gameplay so much) but anytime more we see more defensive options as well. The strip could be a great addition if its done correctly. Here's what i'd to see:

1) Skill Not Spam - I'd love to see a a single button press during a small window in the offensive players 'shot gather' result in a clean strip based on the defenders skill. Spamming steal should result in an easy foul call.

2) Risk/Reward - Balance. Balance. Balance. No Neutral Outcomes here please. I love this statement in the article: "We’ve also added failed strip contact layups to make sure defender’s steal inputs are respected instead of getting ignored." I love that...Failure to complete the strip should result in a foul call or the defender being out of position. Hopefully failed strip contact layups isn't making the shot harder even when defenders don't strip the ball.

3) Badges - In the future skill at stripping the offensive player could be represented by an actual badge.

4) Pump Fakes - Could there be a better counter to offensive players who pump fake? While I love Crowding as one way to combat this, stripping success should definitely be higher when the other player is pump faking. Think the Bulls vs Charles Smith [emoji23]

[ksuttonjr76]

Re: Can STRIPS change the game?

I've taken the last two years off from 2K but i've paid close attention to the community during that period. This sentence regarding 2K23 Improvements definitely got my spider sense tingling...."Ball strips are new and improved this year with tons of new content and better coverage. So if you’re a smaller defender, quick hands can be just as effective in slowing down slashers and bigs in the paint as a good shot blocker."

How good is that? I've always thought gameplay could do more with STRIPS:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mEBBrr3GZEE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qiMFWCzrG-c" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lzcZh0hnXxI" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Those plays are beautiful to me. Especially the last one where the static offensive player (LA Lonzo) gets the ball poked away...defenses shouldn't just wait on offensive players to make a move.

I've always been a big advocate of the first video's "Crowding" animations we rarely see (that could have improved gameplay so much) but anytime more we see more defensive options as well. The strip could be a great addition if its done correctly. Here's what i'd to see:

1) Skill Not Spam - I'd love to see a a single button press during a small window in the offensive players 'shot gather' result in a clean strip based on the defenders skill. Spamming steal should result in an easy foul call.

2) Risk/Reward - Balance. Balance. Balance. No Neutral Outcomes here please. I love this statement in the article: "We’ve also added failed strip contact layups to make sure defender’s steal inputs are respected instead of getting ignored." I love that...Failure to complete the strip should result in a foul call or the defender being out of position. Hopefully failed strip contact layups isn't making the shot harder even when defenders don't strip the ball.

3) Badges - In the future skill at stripping the offensive player could be represented by an actual badge.

4) Pump Fakes - Could there be a better counter to offensive players who pump fake? While I love Crowding as one way to combat this, stripping success should definitely be higher when the other player is pump faking. Think the Bulls vs Charles Smith [emoji23]

The crowd stripping is the one that I hope is more realistic. It burns me up when I'm playing and my opponent is pump faking so much that you swear they're trying to pump up a bike tire, but I rarely get the strip animation. It wouldn't be a big deal, if they weren't allowed to do it on 10 possessions, but I only get the animation on one.

[Kushmir]

Re: Can STRIPS change the game?

It burns me up when I'm playing and my opponent is pump faking so much that you swear they're trying to pump up a bike tire, but I rarely get the strip animation. It wouldn't be a big deal, if they weren't allowed to do it on 10 possessions, but I only get the animation on one.

100% agree. The article also had this "When the ball does get knocked loose by a block or steal, you’ll see greatly improved sideline awareness during scramble plays. Pickups near the out of bounds lines are much more reliable, as are diving ball saves that throw the ball back in play. I’ve seen some amazing 50/50 ball saves that would make Dennis Rodman and Alex Caruso proud!"

I really, really, really hope that translates into the defense recovering their good defensive plays. Its a legacy issue and no one among us isn't tired of blocks, strips and loose balls being consistently recovered by the offense like the video below:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w-yT3BwbnWQ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[blk5tar5]

Re: Can STRIPS change the game?

100% agree. The article also had this "When the ball does get knocked loose by a block or steal, you’ll see greatly improved sideline awareness during scramble plays. Pickups near the out of bounds lines are much more reliable, as are diving ball saves that throw the ball back in play. I’ve seen some amazing 50/50 ball saves that would make Dennis Rodman and Alex Caruso proud!"

I really, really, really hope that translates into the defense recovering their good defensive plays. Its a legacy issue and no one among us isn't tired of blocks, strips and loose balls being consistently recovered by the offense like the video below:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w-yT3BwbnWQ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Always great information Kushmir but I'm surprised that you took off 2 years from the game? lol

[alabamarob]

Re: Can STRIPS change the game?

Kushmir is the first name I thought of when they mentioned strips. Ha

[Kushmir]

Re: Can STRIPS change the game?

Always great information Kushmir but I'm surprised that you took off 2 years from the game? lol

Hey dude [emoji1537] hope you’re doing well. Honestly I was waiting for fixes to some legacy issues like the long passes and the fact that we still can’t play any tier in PNO. Then I got an overseas project with my job so I really haven’t had much time for gaming.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[blk5tar5]

Re: Can STRIPS change the game?

Hey dude [emoji1537] hope you’re doing well. Honestly I was waiting for fixes to some legacy issues like the long passes and the fact that we still can’t play any tier in PNO. Then I got an overseas project with my job so I really haven’t had much time for gaming.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

Yes I'm doing well, and I hope your doing fine and the family too! As for me I'm really looking forward to the defense side of the ball when indicator show you block the user from going left or right that don't get this wrap around animation but only time will tell.

[Kushmir]

Re: Can STRIPS change the game?

Kushmir is the first name I thought of when they mentioned strips. Ha

ROB! Good to see you man. Naw you know my main issues are: Drawing Fouls, Long Passes, Deflections out of bounds, Offense Recovering, No Switching and all I want in life is the return of the old play-call system and the ability to put plays on repeat. [emoji23]

P.S. And call plays during timeouts and have that play auto-start when we inbound the ball. [emoji1547]

[vannwolfhawk]

Re: Can STRIPS change the game?

3) Badges - In the future skill at stripping the offensive player could be represented by an actual badge.

Here were a few they added to go along with your subject matter...

Glove – Named after legendary defender Gary Payton, helps you strip players as they gather for shots and poke the ball free from ball handlers

Vice Grip – Improves ball security immediately after securing a rebound, catch, or picking up the ball. Great badge for bigs!

[Kushmir]

Can STRIPS change the game?

Yes I'm doing well, and I hope your doing fine and the family too! As for me I'm really looking forward to the defense side of the ball when indicator show you block the user from going left or right that don't get this wrap around animation but only time will tell.

Yeah no kidding...that sounds good right? But according to Czar alot of the bumping on drives is gone. We gonna have to back up this year on defense or straight get your doors blown off [emoji15][emoji15][emoji15]

[ILLSmak]

Re: Can STRIPS change the game?

It'd also be nice to be able to like double tap steal and get a 'try to fight for ball' animation. @ physics, I have disliked the 2k 'out of bounds' barrier since they implemented it, but it's easy to tell who gets the ball in most cases. I really wish they would get rid of the thing and just let people step out of bounds.

Vice grip is not necessary for two reasons. 1. That part of the game should be greatly tuned down (the anger swipe on a rebound, coined that in like... 2k7), but if you hold L2 and do it right you can draw the foul almost every time. Inside on orebs, sure, it's tough, but it goes into my next point.

IF I'm there, like my lil guy is a defender and he can take the ball from anyone. I can take the ball from people w/ 50 steal or above. The ball is pretty live even in someone's hands, you just have to wait for the right moment. I wish that when the defense collapsed that there would be like a 'strip animation.' Imagine adding like 5 of those... three players run into each other and the ball goes up in the air like 10 feet and you can tip it or fight for it, you know, realistic inside 'ball lose' scenarios that don't involve people clubbing you and hopefully further reward people who play position D.

But the fact that you just do like a 'got picked' animation and fumble the ball is the bane of 2k. Body steals were and are IMO GOOD (you gotta kinda body people like before except hit steal at the right time,) but inside, they aren't. Too much traffic. Obviously, people should be able to tie you up, people should not be able to slide their pivot foot and take offs from pump fakes should be much less explosive, but they should also be good enough that if you get someone up w/ a pump you can do something with it.

For instance, steals seem to work in a radius w/ a high steal people. So, if I get a reb, pump fake my man... he jumps, he's dead in the water, but if I do a move it's highly possible someone else reaches in and takes it from me, if other people are around.

I wish they would look at all of the unstrip/pro strip badges and actually work on ball physics more. Some of the time it looks good, others not. But yea I can slap the ball up right out of people's hands haha. It's very engaging.

The ball becomes much less live under 60, 50 steal tho. 90+ you're actually traveling into the picture and just thieving the ball no matter what is happening haha.

-Smak

[ksuttonjr76]

Re: Can STRIPS change the game?

100% agree. The article also had this "When the ball does get knocked loose by a block or steal, you’ll see greatly improved sideline awareness during scramble plays. Pickups near the out of bounds lines are much more reliable, as are diving ball saves that throw the ball back in play. I’ve seen some amazing 50/50 ball saves that would make Dennis Rodman and Alex Caruso proud!"



I really, really, really hope that translates into the defense recovering their good defensive plays. Its a legacy issue and no one among us isn't tired of blocks, strips and loose balls being consistently recovered by the offense like the video below:



<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w-yT3BwbnWQ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Ah. My other minor pet peeve...good defense leading to better offense.

[ataman5]

Re: Can STRIPS change the game?

100% agree. The article also had this "When the ball does get knocked loose by a block or steal, you’ll see greatly improved sideline awareness during scramble plays. Pickups near the out of bounds lines are much more reliable, as are diving ball saves that throw the ball back in play. I’ve seen some amazing 50/50 ball saves that would make Dennis Rodman and Alex Caruso proud!"

I really, really, really hope that translates into the defense recovering their good defensive plays. Its a legacy issue and no one among us isn't tired of blocks, strips and loose balls being consistently recovered by the offense like the video below:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w-yT3BwbnWQ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I also hope that the blog would survive and realize its points in the game as the words themselves. I also don't want gimmicky overpower, just make them feel natural and justified in my eyes, that's it, it's been years..

Ah. My other minor pet peeve...good defense leading to better offense.

Yeap, that is! As if you are better on d if you just get out the way and don't deal with all that..

[Kushmir]

Re: Can STRIPS change the game?

Ah. My other minor pet peeve...good defense leading to better offense.

[emoji23] [emoji23] perfect description! [emoji23] [emoji23]

I dont know if the defenders are aware of the ball when its not attached to an offensive player. And if so--its definitely not as QUICKLY as the offensive players.

[Kushmir]

Re: Can STRIPS change the game?

I also hope that the blog would survive and realize its points in the game as the words themselves. I also don't want gimmicky overpower, just make them feel natural and justified in my eyes, that's it, it's been years..

For sure. The features always feel better when they're BALANCED and SUBTLE.