REAL OFF BALL CONTROL
On paper (literally, in the instruction book) NBA2K has had similar, or nearly identical controls to Mike Wang's off-ball control from NBA Live 10 since Wang returned to 2K for NBA2k11 - but they've quite literally never worked. This is such a sore spot!
Mike Wang's offensive offball controls (
watch Mike Wang demonstrate these controls in this video) in NBA Live 10 in my opinion, were the most innovate, intuitive/fluid, brilliant, fun, and realistic addition to any sports video game since I started playing games in the late 1980's. It finally opened up video basketball to allow real basketball to take place. I could never pin my finger on what exactly was missing from video basketball until I saw this. It opened everything, and every possibility.
I'm not waxing poetic here when I can say with confidence that this feature was nothing short of ground-breaking. Naturally we humans will think, read, and "see" basketball opportunities faster than can be translated into a button-commanding execution, so this is EXACTLY what is needed to fluidly transition a thought in your mind into instant execution on the court.
It let's you play "real basketball" and seize opportunities in real time. More importantly it creates opportunities for completely organic situations. If I had to sum up my urgency in one sentence for this feature it would be: It was one of the all-too-few sports game moments where you can proudly proclaim "I DID THAT!" What could be better than to read and react at will, and in completely organic situations in a sports game? Is there anything more satisfying or rewarding than that? That's the one characteristic that we all hope and seek for in video game competition bliss.
Picture these actual scenarios that I pulled off back then. I'm playing online, the lane is unclogged and I see nobody guarding Jason Richardson - so I'd take control of Jason Richardson (2010 mind you), cut through the open lane, call for the ball and lay it up. It was intuitive. I didn't even have to think! I saw what needed to happen and made it happen, instantly.
Or take this example. I'm watching a lot of Suns and taking notice that Grant Hill was automatic from midrange in real life that year. So I'm playing online, I'm ready to get Hill involved after a certain point. I'd take control of Grant Hill, call for a screen, run to an open spot, call for the ball, and drain the open 15-footer because that's what I saw on TV when I watched my Suns. That's another part of this whole thing for me - it's honestly just wanting to recreate what I see in real life.
This feature was the biggest reason I could recreate what I saw on TV against opponents. Additionally, it just adds the ability to "create a play" while freelancing. Sometimes, when you're on offense and nothing's going on to your liking, what could be better than organically producing a real life basketball play on the fly?
The shot clock is rapidly winding down, you've got 4 seconds and panic. What's more satisfying, intuitive, and more importantly, realisitic then performing what I've described instead of chucking an ill-advised ugly shot?
It let you create unique, organic, one-of-a-kind plays and on-command. Every situation completely unique. It's an option drenched in REALISM that lends itself to REAL basketball. That's why it was fun, because it let me play in real time.
It was like listening to hair-metal and Boy George for 10 years and suddenly Nirvana comes on the radio for the first time. It was like "holy crap, I didn't know we needed this, but now I can't live without it. This is the only way!"
Just from a marketing standpoint alone, it would be profitable to tout this "all possibilities are open" control. All sports video games have been trying to get to that point for years and years: unique, one-of-a-kind moments that factor in speed, momentum, etc. That's a HUGE draw. Well I'm telling you, it already exists! Mike Wang already created this and it's in NBA Live 10. EA may own the rights to however it worked properly, but no doubt - they do not own this fundamental basketball principle.
In addition to the "open world" possibilities, an experienced real-life player or long-time NBA fan should translate into an advantage sometimes, if only for that one possession/opportunity if/when presented. This off-ball control is a true evolution in the right direction: my basketball mind seamlessly and instantly turning an idea or opportunity from my brain into an executed move on-screen That's basketball! See something? Make it happen right now. Being given the ability to read and react at will is extremely empowering yet does no harm or does not skew the balance, and should trump mastering "the code" or the video game. I thought we were really moving forward with that!
Not trying to whine, I'm just extremely passionate about this feature. It is SO important. As a full grown adult and parent, I'm not going to lose any sleep over this, and over the past 12 hours have started to accept that this may not be in the game. All I ask is that Beluba acknowledges that yes, this is important, and should be an upcoming priority.