NBA 2K16 2K Pro-Am Interview with Jeff Thomas

Feature Article

Submitted on: 08/04/2015 by Steve Noah

We recently had an opportunity to interview Jeff Thomas, vice president of sports development at Visual Concepts to discuss some more details about the new 2K Pro-Am mode in NBA 2K16. While we had many questions from the OS community, most of them could not be answered at this time, due to details on other modes yet to be announced. With that said, enjoy the quick interview and let us know what you think.

Operation Sports: The trailer showed both an arena environment (10 players)as well as a Rec Center environment (40 players). Can you choose which settings to play in? How is that coordinated?

Jeff Thomas: The Pro-Am Arena is the new four court arena. The custom arenas are for team play exclusively. Team play can happen both in the Pro-Am arena and In your Team’s custom arena. All Walk-On play takes place in the Pro-Am Arena.

OS: Can anyone on your Pro-Am team work on the colors and arena, or does the creator handle that? Can you assign people to assist?

JT: Only the team owner can manage the arena design and customization.

OS: Can we be a part of multiple teams/squads?

JT: Yes you can!

OS: If I only have 3 users in my team for Pro-Am, can I still play and have computer players as the other two players on our team, or do you need to make sure you have your team of 5 players?

JT: You can play with 3 players and 2 A.I. players.

OS: Will our MyPLAYERs have exclusive ratings and overalls to the Pro-Am that differ from MyPark?

JT: No.

OS: How do the leaderboard rankings work? Is it determined by win percentage, games played, record and/or region? Can you give us some more details on what the leaderboards track?

JT: Rankings are determined by an ELO rating system.

OS: If you decide to switch your crew, will you lose all your individual stats and will it affect your ranking on the leaderboard?

JT: No you will not.

OS: Can Pro-Am teams with the same nickname exist? Example: Chicago Wings and Seattle Wings

JT: No.

OS: Do you have to be in same Affiliation as everyone else to play together?

JT: No that isn’t necessary.

OS: Will teams be restricted by position? Example: Three 7-foot SFs and two centers? Or is it two guards, two forwards, one center?

JT: No there aren’t position restrictions.

OS: Will you have a website or app available to check your stats and other game results?

JT: Yes.

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Member Comments

# 1 noshun @ 08/04/15 02:01 PM

Nice interview, thanks Steve..

# 2 huntt26 @ 08/04/15 02:06 PM

Appreciate the info! I'm glad you don't necessarily need 5 human controlled people. Scheduling can be difficult when depending on a group.

Really wanted to see confirmation on if you can use the customization in other modes. Guess we'll keep waiting on that...

# 3 Steve_OS @ 08/04/15 02:06 PM

BTW, more details will be revealed in the livestream later today.

https://twitter.com/Ronnie2K/status/628627389744963584

# 4 Kodii Rockets @ 08/04/15 02:07 PM

OS: If I only have 3 users in my team for Pro-Am, can I still play and have computer players as the other two players on our team, or do you need to make sure you have your team of 5 players?

JT: You can play with 3 players and 2 A.I. players.

Man, I was never a crew guy. But it's looking like all of those who were pining for are getting what they wanted and more. Now I'm excited about it.

EDIT: Aaaand just like that, I'm done again...
No thanks.
OS: Will teams be restricted by position? Example: Three 7-foot SFs and two centers? Or is it two guards, two forwards, one center?

JT: No there aren’t position restrictions.

# 5 woodson312 @ 08/04/15 02:11 PM

I can play in my custom arena with only 3 people and 2 AI players? Can't wait lets go. looking like crew more and more

# 6 Brinkus @ 08/04/15 02:11 PM

That's great to hear you can play with AI's. I know they'll have a cap on how tall/good you can make your guy by position, so no more monstars as 7' PG. Pro-AM definitely sounds a lot like Crew. Let's hope it works, and has no lag like the rec center currently has.

# 7 Brinkus @ 08/04/15 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kodii Rockets


	OS: If I only have 3 users in my team for Pro-Am, can I still play and have computer players as the other two players on our team, or do you need to make sure you have your team of 5 players? JT: You can play with 3 players and 2 A.I. players. Man, I was never a crew guy. But it's looking like all of those who were pining for are getting what they wanted and more. Now I'm excited about it. EDIT: Aaaand just like that, I'm done again... No thanks. OS: Will teams be restricted by position? Example: Three 7-foot SFs and two centers? Or is it two guards, two forwards, one center? JT: No there aren’t position restrictions.

There will be restrictions on size per position and attribute caps. LD answered that months ago for me, so no more 99 overall perfect 7' PG or 99 ball handling C's.

# 8 m1ke_nyc @ 08/04/15 02:14 PM

So looks like you can still run into a lineup of 5 7FT tall players.

# 9 LO6IX @ 08/04/15 02:15 PM

So we will still encounter three 7'0 SF, 2 7'3 Center teams?

# 10 Wildcats302 @ 08/04/15 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntt26


	Appreciate the info! I'm glad you don't necessarily need 5 human controlled people. Scheduling can be difficult when depending on a group. Really wanted to see confirmation on if you can use the customization in other modes. Guess we'll keep waiting on that...

I am going to be Mr. Glass Half full and assume we can and that they just want to reveal that when they talk more in depth about those modes in future weeks and not spoil it now. I hope...lol

# 11 JP3Hunnid @ 08/04/15 02:19 PM

Should have asked him will we have 1on1 and 4on4 back in my Park this year and will our overall drop from my career to my Park again this year and would we be able to have uniform choice in my career cause I'm pretty sure errybody is tired of just having two uni's and I'm pretty sure people who's my career is goin to be in Toronto are goin to wann their player in that OVO uniform #QuestionToJTFromIceman19631

# 12 Detroitfan4life1993 @ 08/04/15 02:24 PM

Don't worry about the having a whole team of 7 footers I think they will change it this year to where you wont be able to be a 7ft sf or anything like that. I also think its cool that you can be in multiple crews

# 13 sooperb @ 08/04/15 02:28 PM

So if I wanna make a Raiders team it won't be possible because 17000 other users had a desire to use the sam "Nickname" but ONE PERSON got to it first?

That cant be true. Only one
Sonics
Raiders
Runnin Rebels
Blue Devils
Tarheels
Tropics
Pices
Bombers
Etc.

Screw it, I'm just grateful for the possibilities presented to us. Hope theres online defense this year or it kinda kills it for a lot us. Not all but a lot.

#GoServers

# 14 Kurupt_XxX @ 08/04/15 02:34 PM

the position restrictions are kind of whack. Gonna be a lot of 7 foot Sf's running PG

# 15 Kurupt_XxX @ 08/04/15 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 19LloydBanks82


	Overpowered cpu? The cpu hasn't been overpowered since 2k12

Don't know if you've played rec and some of the other team quits or whole team quits. Damn near impossible pass the ball to a cutter, or get a rebound over cpu

# 16 HowDareI @ 08/04/15 03:01 PM

All I know is the top Crews back in 11 usually didn't run with 5 guys...

Yea the cpu is a lot better now, and hopefully it's toned down a bit. They're like psychic when it comes to knowing where the ball's being passed.

But seriously 9 times out of 10 back in 10 or 11, you got a team of 2, 3, or 4. Rarely was it 5. Spacing is a lot better with a computer or 2...

I just wanna see who the AI will be controlling...

# 17 Jrocc23 @ 08/04/15 03:18 PM

Thank you, 2K. Can start up w/ 3 players! Also they stopped people from being able to run with just 2 players. Everything that I wish they done so far is being done.

Finally got the OG Crew that look like it will be improved. Just kind of worried about the SFs this year. Hopefully we can see the other teams lineup beforehand and see if we'd like to back out or not like before.

# 18 Jrocc23 @ 08/04/15 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 19LloydBanks82


	I ONLY play rec and cpu is trash, sure it gets steals if u do stupid passes but the cpu cant rebound to save its life. I mainly play Center and everytime my opponent quits I get excited, thats usually an easy 20+ rebound game depending on how good the other squad is. Overall, the cpu hasn't been overpowered in years.

You're right. CPU isn't that good. Definitely wasn't in 2K11, but they are a lot better than they were now. But it's not a big deal, the only negative thing about the CPU is having them guard you because they can sometimes play psychic defense. But the CPU in 2K15, when a user quits in Rec or Park, the person that has a CPU defending him usually cooks them.

Once the game is released. You won't hear much complaining. It's much better to be able to start w/ 3-5 players. You rarely heard complaining about it in 2K10 and 2K11. CPU isn't that big of a factor and won't get the ball all like that anyways with users.

# 19 Csmooove32 @ 08/04/15 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KehliahoMauiFootball


	5on5 vs 3on3 Pro-Am 5 vs 5 pros: - organic - equal playing field competition cons: - dudes who are too lazy to find 2 more guys can't play 3 out of 5 with AI pros: - dudes who are too lazy to find 2 more guys get to play cons: - overpowered CPU - users will just use CPU to double team every possession - bloated user stats (affects leaderboard) due to stats being divided by 3 instead of 5. taints the leaderboard authenticity. - unequal experience / inconsistent format - some poor schmuck usually ends up having to guard the CPU 5vs5 & 3vs3 should be 2 separate modes. Seriously, who likes playing with BOTS in ANY online multiplayer game? It taints the whole experience.

It worked fine in 2k11. We don't have to worry about the game being laggy from 10 people playing. I think it's actually better to not have to play with 5 human players but still play a 5 on 5 NBA style game. I play team up a lot with my friends and we usually play 3 vs 3 so you have 2 CPU players on each team.

# 20 Jhawkfootball06 @ 08/04/15 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KehliahoMauiFootball


	5on5 vs 3on3 Pro-Am 5 vs 5 pros: - organic - equal playing field competition cons: - dudes who are too lazy to find 2 more guys can't play 3 out of 5 with AI pros: - dudes who are too lazy to find 2 more guys get to play cons: - overpowered CPU - users will just use CPU to double team every possession - bloated user stats (affects leaderboard) due to stats being divided by 3 instead of 5. taints the leaderboard authenticity. - unequal experience / inconsistent format - some poor schmuck usually ends up having to guard the CPU 5vs5 & 3vs3 should be 2 separate modes. Seriously, who likes playing with BOTS in ANY online multiplayer game? It taints the whole experience.

Jesus, playing the mode without a full 5 was one of the most sought out features for Pro-Am.

Yet you still have people complaining...

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