NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

[VictorMG]

Re: NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

Actually love the idea of the spot up pass

but if holding b is now a quick cut “spot up pass” button, then I wonder where the dribble handoff is now mapped.

between that and the lead pass option coming back, the off ball defense has to be on point

When I read that, I assumed quick dribble hand-offs were just gone. Or maybe you'll have to use Full Receiver Control icon passing.

I forgot that hold B/O was the dribble handoff command. Hope they didn't get rid of it. Does holding A/X do anything? Could that be used for dribble handoffs? I swear my control logic goes away when I don't have the controller in my hand

I think holding A/X lets you pass and retain control of the passer to make a quick move and get it right back, Stephen Curry style. Really underutilized feature.

[The 24th Letter]

Re: NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

All I do is run dribble handoffs. That feature better still be in the game. If they made it a quick command option that would work.

I use them a lot in my offense too. I can’t imagine it would be completely removed, I just hope the new control is fairly simple..

I forgot that hold B/O was the dribble handoff command. Hope they didn't get rid of it. Does holding A/X do anything? Could that be used for dribble handoffs? I swear my control logic goes away when I don't have the controller in my hand

When I read that, I assumed quick dribble hand-offs were just gone. Or maybe you'll have to use Full Receiver Control icon passing.

I think holding A/X lets you pass and retain control of the passer to make a quick move and get it right back, Stephen Curry style. Really underutilized feature.

Yeah, holding A initiates the Give and Go.

I feel like a couple passing controls are underutilized. I still use “Total Control Passing” with the right stick in some situations, I also adjust my passing target profile.

[VictorMG]

Re: NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

I use them a lot in my offense too. I can’t imagine it would be completely removed, I just hope the new control is fairly simple..

Well, to be fair, they removed the off-ball cut tied to Y/Triangle for 2K22. I was fully prepared for 2K23 to have no manual dribble handoffs, lol

[vannwolfhawk]

Re: NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

A few thoughts and positives in the blog on AI sections. I’m not all negative! Lol

“We’ve enhanced the AI’s ability to understand the defender’s positioning using the new defensive shading system we previously talked about. AI ball handlers will better assess the situation and then dip into their arsenal of moves to make the most appropriate attack. They now understand how to set up the defender, read the defender’s counter, and then attack openings with appropriate combos based on their move set and tendencies.”

The branches for more specific variety per player should be nice! I can picture the cpu putting me in the mixer.

“In order to make the AI attack more effective, we knew we had to mix up the timing of the AI’s drive attempts. To do this, we engineered the AI to prefer the earliest attack opening, or what we call, first move attack priority. If given the opportunity, the AI will attack quickly after a single move or before a move is even performed. However, if a user remains in great guarding position, the AI will continue to set up with single and double moves to try and create an opening.”

This should create more pace, a more real life like iso game, & more drives off catches to put the cpu in more attack mode. All that sounds good to me. I like the drive and kick game and cpu in attack mode. If they can find the balance with players between creating a shot and passing off drives then this could be great. It will be interesting to watch. This should really make guarding the offensive AI super tough!

“The next major improvement is the AI’s execution of the pick and roll. For NBA 2K23, the roll man understands how to keep a spacing relationship with the ball handler and can vary their roll path to the rim, based on the ball and how they’re being defended. To complement this, the AI passer has also been given a much better understanding of open vs. covered passing lanes, alley-oop opportunities, and lob pass opportunities over the top of the defense. You will have to check up on scorers coming off ball screens in this year’s game. The AI is acutely aware of what shots are available based on defensive coverage, so you’ll see AI scorers use a variety of reads to score on the pick and roll.”

This all sounds good. If the cpu roll man can really create space on the rim run it could be interesting to see how people choose to defend against it & it could get really tough/frustrating. If the roll man is seeking to get behind the help (I know for me I always switch to the hedge man/drop cover defender to play 2) then that could be lob city! I’m sure there will be some pretty cool wow moments that will be new and cool that we have never seen before. I wonder how good the cpu AI will be at picking user PNR defenses apart? Will there be a difference in players like Harden (lob) Vs Paul (pull up)? If they can really decipher between pull up jumpers, throwing pocket passes, or a lob pass then what will be the defense of choice be especially if they can throw those in close lob passes off PNR’s more often? Drop coverage? Maybe having to play more off ball weak corner help & manually tagging? That I’m interested in seeing for sure!

“On the coaching side of things, dynamic game-plans give us flexibility in how the AI chooses to scheme their offenses from one game to the next. AI coaches will track efficiency by looking at points per possession for play types, freelance pick and roll, freelance post, and freelance isolation actions. They’ll also track mismatch attempts for isolation and post, as well as mid-range and three-point shooting possessions.”

Dynamic game plans work from game to game? This is super interesting to see how the cpu AI will call a game from game to game based on efficiency & stats!

“Instead of pre-determining between a team’s top scorers and who should get the lion’s share of the offensive possessions, the AI coach performs pre-game matchup evaluations, adding more weight to the player with the better matchup. It can also dynamically change weights as the game goes on based on efficiency for each scorer on the floor. If LeBron James has the better matchup and is scoring well, the game-plan will dive deeper and add more weight to the plays he’s most successful with. On the flip side, the AI will also adjust if their primary scorer is struggling. So, if LeBron is having an off night, you’ll see the 2nd and 3rd scoring options get more plays run for them.”

I like this & I don’t like this. I like the variability. I like that a player can have an off night & the cpu looks elsewhere. What I don’t like is how does this keep teams playing like themselves? For example, if Chris Paul is off does that mean they stop running PNR plays for him where he is more looking to facilitate than score? Or do we just abandon that and run everything through Booker now? This doesn’t help teams play as themselves. Variety, yes. Players playing as themselves, yes. Teams playing as themselves, no.

I’d really like some way to seperate teams play styles through specific plays they like to run. Or the ability to pick for the cpu AI teams whether they run plays or freelance a certain percentage of the time. Or the ability to run certain plays more often than others. Like Phoenix running more PNR’s compared to 3pt plays. Not having it be random play selection between 50 plays in their playbook. Maybe they run their favorite star rated plays more than other plays deeper in their book. Something like that. Something like Madden’s 5 star ratings per each play in a teams playbook. That could separate teams from 1 another.

“Rotations are sharper and more varied; pick and roll defense is tighter and smarter; and this year, players can choose to turn off drive, pick and roll. We’ve also improved cutter help individually as well to have more control over their Defensive Focus settings.”

What is turn off drive, pick and roll? Again this sounds good but would have loved more detail here. But at least it says they improved cutter help INDIVIDUALLY.

“This year our refactored success and action engine can track exactly how scorers are doing their damage. This engine can decipher post-scoring, off-screen actions, isolations and whether or not players are getting buckets at the rim. It can detect spot-up shots vs. players who like to come down and fire up long distance threes after a few dribble moves. Each of these scenarios have their own defensive adjustments that the AI will automatically roll out depending on how efficiently the scorers are making shots.”

Assuming the AI will roll this out during timeouts? This is all great as long as they switch & the defense behind them can rotate & scramble properly.

“The defensive AI is stingier with sending help until we know the opponent can actually take advantage of a particular opening. So at the beginning of games, you may notice drastically less help as your teammates wait to see if your opponent can actually take advantage of an open lane”

Lol

People mentioned the DHO button changing. I used all game long myself. On that point I’m really hoping they cleaned the DHO’s up to be more smooth and flowing after the handoff. It was best it ever was last year but still had a lot of room for improvement. It’s a staple in todays NBA offenses and scattered all through teams playbooks so it has to be. That being said the cpu DHO’s always ran smooth. Just speaking for user to have same smoothness.

[MoreThanAGamer]

Re: NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

Hmmmmm. I thought this said improvements.

I didn't see anything about SERVERS.

I didn't see anything about SERVER ERROR CONNECTION CODES.

I didn't see anything about SERVER ISSUES during events.

I didn't see anything about SERVER INPUT DELAY LAG OR LATENCY.

However, I did see more added button mashing, more offense oriented improvements that will probably make defense even worse this year, more badges or gimmicks, and the Jabbawockeez.

[edaddy]

Re: NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

While all of this sounds great and its meant to hype us none of it means nothing without putying simple things like shooting, contact , and ball fouls along with physical play and most of all defense that rotated and has a semblance of logic!! In theory again it sounds great but we keep expecting a change when everything else development wise doesn't change!! I also
would be wary that the same game you play on launch day will mot be the same game 2 patches later!! been there done that!! im putting faith in czar this year but Im not expecting nothing but talk!! The nba league pass is drawing me in thats a great deal and im hoping the game follows suit!!

[hesko]

Re: NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

Liked and more interested in what I saw in the videos and and read in the article. Wish defenders followed the ball after shot release
to see if it's a make/miss/rebound opportunity. Would add to the on court realism.

[Dlee3]

Re: NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

Hmmmmm. I thought this said improvements.

I didn't see anything about SERVERS.

I didn't see anything about SERVER ERROR CONNECTION CODES.

I didn't see anything about SERVER ISSUES during events.

I didn't see anything about SERVER INPUT DELAY LAG OR LATENCY.

However, I did see more added button mashing, more offense oriented improvements that will probably make defense even worse this year, more badges or gimmicks, and the Jabbawockeez.

Why would you see info about servers on a GAMEPLAY blog?

[Junior Moe]

Re: NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

Thinking about it, this might add a whole new dimension to the Jordan Challenge. Playing the Pistons with their "Jordan Rules" and the new defensive AI could be something crazy.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Operation Sports mobile app

[ataman5]

Re: NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

Why would you see info about servers on a GAMEPLAY blog?

Not exactly why but it's not like we can act as if they are not related either.

Because there is a NETCODE, netcode defines how the game is played under different stressed conditions which makes the game look "playable" under high ping, thru jittery connections and packet losses with p2p, and believe me 2k has a lot of varied gameplay versions online especially 5v5 play now online and mlo and such so yes netcode defines gameplay in a whole lot of different ways, not everyone plays the same game everywhere around the world. At least not since 2k13-14 as they changed the whole netcode which has been clarified with a probable gameplay blog where they glorified the situation as the online play will be a lot better they said, back then we got disconnects more but general gameplay was more or less the same until getting a disconnect, now we see less disconnects but more different varied gameplays, animations taking part differently or skipping some to get to next outcome faster etc. not to get to a disconnect but make it on until the end kinda thing. Different connection qualities get you different gameplays.

Just fyi.

[hesko]

Re: NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

I know everyone has seen a player go wacky arms on the replay. LMAO! The no look steals, some rebounds, weird block successes, ghost shorts etc. I'm excited to see how far they can push/advance/evolve this series until some form of competition enters the market.

[joel0078]

Re: NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

I have a good feeling about this iteration. I like what I'm hearing with these changes. Like the user Victor mentioned, I also wish guys like Durant could regularly hit jumpers off the triple threat......I just end up turning this game off every time I turn it on because I always end up feeling like I just can't move freely. Can never find the right sliders anymore. I'm optimistic though and happy to see a number of the changes seem to be geared towards improving the game play for players who don't play online. I am so sick to death with this game catering more and more to online players the last few years.

[AIRJ23]

Re: NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

Thinking about it, this might add a whole new dimension to the Jordan Challenge. Playing the Pistons with their "Jordan Rules" and the new defensive AI could be something crazy.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Operation Sports mobile app

That would be AMAZING.

I REALLY hope I’m wrong but my gut feeling from reading the blog is this year offense will be OP and scoring will be off the charts. Defense seems to be more alive but also it feels like they’re saying they dialed back the “physicality” and defensive “cheats” like OP blocks to use against offenses. So you’re really depending on ur new AI logic to provide good defense. If it can’t, or if it gets nerfed, then it’s very clear scoring with stars may be extremely easy and guarding stars won’t be so easy.

“Last year our focus was on defense and this year it’s on offense” is sort of a red flag to me. For me making offense “easier” was never a concern, and I definitely don’t need guards making easier layups as an offline player. I go the other route in trying to make paint scoring harder.

Contested jump shots was an issue in 2K22, easily fixed by lowering jump shot defensive strength sliders. Now in my game I’m hitting contested middies with KD all night. The new game suggests certain players will be hitting contested J’s with ease. And no OP blocks to mitigate it.

In other words, I can see myself having too easy a time lighting the CPU up with MJ hitting contested shots all over, then having to dial UP defensive strength sliders to make it more challenging for him, which would then make hitting contested jumpers impossible for players without the “special sigs.”

We’ll see. Fact is this year’s game has us at the mercy of 2K’s ability to make an intelligent AI and NOT patch it out, more than ever. That can be exciting and revolutionary or a recipe for disaster. But my hunch is that we’ll be seeing lots of crazy high scoring games in this years game. Offense is clearly prioritized.

Also do they really have signature passing now???? Missed that part in the blog.

[The 24th Letter]

Re: NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

I need to get my hands on this post game, Sounds like it operates completely different than it has historically

[jk31]

Re: NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details and Improvements Revealed

I hope that shooting gets much harder in the top than before.

In 2k22 now at the end where everyone has 1 year of practice behind them, we have teams shooting so good, that its better defense to just let them have a 1:0 layup instead of giving them any three. the best shooter in our playoffs - keldon johnson - shoots 92 % from deep (on superstar). Average 3p% in our playoffs across all teams is 50 %. This is just horrible.