NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dribbling, Passing & More

[loso_34]

Re: NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dri

I agree 100%

I'm not entirely sure why they are so hyper focus on making this shot stick a thing. If I were to guess, I would say it's for the casual player for now because there isn't really a way for this to be consistent at the competitive level yet.

No casual player is using aiming over the button lol

[Smirkin Dirk]

Re: NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dri

I really hope that is Curry's pull up jumper animation.

They need more 'float forward' animations on pull ups.

[ataman5]

Re: NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dri

It doesn't "require" that at all. You can tune the controls how you want.

All that options for just one element of the game kill a lot of tuning of the other parts of the game which ends as an unbalanced game. (FE. boost that option, nerf that option, give %5 to one option for an ambigious skill gap notion.)

Be careful about what you wish for is exact fit for this situation.

[No_Shortcuts]

Re: NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dri

No casual player is using aiming over the button lol

Wrong! Nobody is using the shot stick except casual players because it's only useful in a casual setting at this point

[No_Shortcuts]

Re: NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dri

I really hope that is Curry's pull up jumper animation.

They need more 'float forward' animations on pull ups.

They can't even get shooting down. You think they're focusing on more "float forward" of his animation lol

[Pokes404]

Re: NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dri

It seems kind of weird that a slow pullback would give you extra arc, and a fast pullback would give you a flat arc. Shouldn't that be reversed? I'm just thinking you're probably more likely to pull the trigger down quickly when there's a defender closing out on you, which is a situation where shooting the ball with more arc might be helpful. On the other hand, at least for me in real life, sometimes wide open shots were harder because I would take an extra second to look at the rim and not get the lift from my legs that I normally would on a jumper. It just seems like the inverse of the arc control they described would be more intuitive.

[rudyjuly2]

Re: NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dri

It seems kind of weird that a slow pullback would give you extra arc, and a fast pullback would give you a flat arc. Shouldn't that be reversed? I'm just thinking you're probably more likely to pull the trigger down quickly when there's a defender closing out on you, which is a situation where shooting the ball with more arc might be helpful. On the other hand, at least for me in real life, sometimes wide open shots were harder because I would take an extra second to look at the rim and not get the lift from my legs that I normally would on a jumper. It just seems like the inverse of the arc control they described would be more intuitive.

I disagree on this. I think a better arc, which is better in general, should be slow. The better shot option shouldn’t be the faster one. And I think it takes a little more time to shoot properly. If I rush a shot it’s more likely to be flat. A rushed, high arcing shot is going to be a miss 95% of the time imo.

[Pokes404]

Re: NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dri

I disagree on this. I think a better arc, which is better in general, should be slow. The better shot option shouldn’t be the faster one. And I think it takes a little more time to shoot properly. If I rush a shot it’s more likely to be flat. A rushed, high arcing shot is going to be a miss 95% of the time imo.

I'm assuming that neither the flat arc or high arc are better than the other. What you really want is the perfect arc, because that's the arc that will give you the bonus. So to me, it just seems like the fast pullback should result in the higher arc. Typically, when someone is rushing to get the ball out of their hands, they tend to shoot the ball with more arc. Conversely, sometimes guys have too much time to line up a shot and end up "guiding" the ball instead of shooting it. Again, it just seems like that system would be more intuitive to me.


Here are a bunch of game-winners. Yes, a lot of these aren't traditional jumpshots, but I think these help illustrate how guys usually have pretty high arcs on shots when they're rushing to get it off (or at least they aren't flat arcs). Especially those "quick flick" kind of shots.

https://youtu.be/AMIzIDbclZQ?t=613

https://youtu.be/AMIzIDbclZQ?t=637

https://youtu.be/AMIzIDbclZQ?t=706

https://youtu.be/AMIzIDbclZQ?t=723

https://youtu.be/AMIzIDbclZQ?t=767

https://youtu.be/AMIzIDbclZQ?t=899

https://youtu.be/AMIzIDbclZQ?t=913
https://youtu.be/AMIzIDbclZQ?t=989


Now, if the high arc shots go in more than flat arc shots, then I agree you. The more effective shot should be the slower one because you'll have to be more open to have the time to activate it. But that isn't the impression I got from the blog. It sounded to me like getting a perfect arc would give you a slight bonus, but that's all. If that's the case, then I feel like flipping the configuration would feel much more satisfying.

[scottyp180]

Re: NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dri

I agree with this but you have to consider that in real life shooters put into thousands of hours to commit their shot to muscle memory, so it makes it seem effortless but there was a process behind the scenes to get there. Same goes for this game if you play and practice it often with a particular jump shot I’m sure it’ll become pretty easy to use. I used to play 2k heavily so I knew dribble combos off my head and it just seemed effortless, now I struggle to dribble with my guard because I don’t play that often.

I guess this makes sense for my career and the park but if I'm controlling an NBA player that means I am controlling someone that has already put in those thousands of hours and has the muscle memory down. Shooting with some like Steph Curry should feel effortless. Part of the appeal of playing an NBA game is being able to control the best players in the world and, to a degree, put yourself in their shoes. When Curry shoots it's reactive, it's intinct, it's nearly thoughtless (in a good way). He doesn't go to take a shot and think "how do I need to aim, how much arc do I need, how fast do I need to shoot, what's the perfect release point." All of that takes place in his subconscious.

Aiming with the stick, even with someone like Curry, sounds like the opposite of how real life Curry shoots. I'm sure with enough time and practice stick aiming could eventually become more natural and instinctual but for me, at this point in my life, I'm not sure I want to dedicate that much time and energy to be able shoot and make shots confidently in a videogame. I want to be able to jump in this game day 1 and have fun. I don't want to spend days, weeks, or perhaps even months to get to the point where shot aiming comes as natural as shot timing.

Luckily we will have options to adjust shooting to our liking whether it's stick aiming, stick timing, or button timing so all my criticism over shot aiming is moot.

[loso_34]

Re: NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dri

I guess this makes sense for my career and the park but if I'm controlling an NBA player that means I am controlling someone that has already put in those thousands of hours and has the muscle memory down. Shooting with some like Steph Curry should feel effortless. Part of the appeal of playing an NBA game is being able to control the best players in the world and, to a degree, put yourself in their shoes. When Curry shoots it's reactive, it's intinct, it's nearly thoughtless (in a good way). He doesn't go to take a shot and think "how do I need to aim, how much arc do I need, how fast do I need to shoot, what's the perfect release point." All of that takes place in his subconscious.

Aiming with the stick, even with someone like Curry, sounds like the opposite of how real life Curry shoots. I'm sure with enough time and practice stick aiming could eventually become more natural and instinctual but for me, at this point in my life, I'm not sure I want to dedicate that much time and energy to be able shoot and make shots confidently in a videogame. I want to be able to jump in this game day 1 and have fun. I don't want to spend days, weeks, or perhaps even months to get to the point where shot aiming comes as natural as shot timing.

Luckily we will have options to adjust shooting to our liking whether it's stick aiming, stick timing, or button timing so all my criticism over shot aiming is moot.

You can remove aiming from your argument and all that you’ve said also applies to button shooting. Sounds like you should be using real fg percentage

[scottyp180]

Re: NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dri

You can remove aiming from your argument and all that you’ve said also applies to button shooting. Sounds like you should be using real fg percentage

So I never really messed with real fg% because I like to know that my user input has some factor into whether or not a shot goes in.

With real fg% does user input have zero effect on shot and it is based entirely on who you are shooting with, where you are shooting from, how you are being defended, etc? Or is it something like real fg% + user aiming/timing?

Timing is easy enough for me to figure but aiming is just too much for me to think about just to take a shot.

[Beluba]

Re: NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dri

I know what I'm about to ask is probably super low on the list of things to correct. However, Is it possible that you guys fixed swishes when playing on real play FG%? For a few years now i haven't been able to swish anything when using the real FG% option to shoot. Would like to know if it's at least being looked at. Thank you.

Will get this fixed for next gen

[allBthere]

Re: NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dri

Will get this fixed for next gen

thanks for your active participation - one thing I've been wondering/hoping for for a while now are those swishes that just dart down from the back rim - not sure what to call those, the mesh doesn't move much and it has it's own distinct sound (irl), In person those are more satisfying to me than a full swish, not sure why I've just always loved the feel of those, something about that just screams 'pro'

[haloofduty]

Re: NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dri

Will get this fixed for next gen

Hey Beluba, never asked you a question before so hopefully this gets answered. Stat overlays! Will there be more stat overlays during games? I'm really talking about for myleague/mygm. They pop up so rare. They make the game more immersive. Sometimes you have no idea what other players are scoring, rebounding, assist ect on the other team. Sometimes its like playing play now games.

The game needs a massive amount of Stat overlays for myleague/mygm. Tv broadcast lets you know everything. Stat overlays can mimick what tv broadcast does. We need to know what other players are doing on the other team not just mine. Would be great for next generation.

[Eman5805]

Re: NBA 2K21 Next-Gen Gameplay Blog (Part 1 of 3) - Pro Stick Shooting, Pro Stick Dri

It sounds like one of my annoyances is being looked at. One thing that always drives me up the wall is how the game pulls me into defenders to get my shot blocked by them. I'll be under the rim, flick one way or the other and the animation is this flailing, awkward deal that just so happens to bring the ball WAY over to the nearest under arm of a defender. Like I'll want to make a layup on the other side of the rim, use the basket to shield the ball...and nope, go straight up with the wrong hand on the wrong side.

But that never happens for the defense. Let me get beat on My Career, the CPU makes the right call every time and my teammates just gawk. I'll see Jarrett Allen stare at the guy laying it in like the ballhandler got cooties.

As for the new controls for arcing it...er. Yeah. I'll give this a go. But if it isn't very, very intuitive, I'll stick with legacy controls. I do applaud the attempt.

Never stop trying to do something new.


The other things will come in time, I'm sure. I'm anxious to learn what's in store for MyCareer. How in-depth that CAP system is. That's literally the only thing I play along with the occasional NBA Today game when the season starts. So I'm also curious how unique the bodies of different players are. I mean, they've made strides...but Brandon Ingram doesn't look right. And it's because he has that Jack Skellington body. All arms and legs. Is that going to be accurately captured? Or have they still used the same base template under all the bodies that hunches up their shoulders when standing idle?