Online: Steals may need tuning...

[ksuttonjr76]

Here we go with the first thread to change something on the defensive side. Personally, I said LEAVE IT ALONE. Every time they attempt to change something defensively, the offense always gain an advantage afterwards.

When players get eventually better at the sticks, they're going to learn how to get pass those animations. Reaching and teaching is about reacting to the steal itself and making a move to the basket. It's has never been reach, defensive takes themselves out of the play, then the offensive player gets an uncontested layup or shot.

Offensive players need to adapt, and not be given a life saver.

[Kushmir]

I've used Protect Ball a few times (and i'm incorporating it more) but it can be tedious trying to call plays, protect ball and watch the defender (especially in the clutch). A bit of better balance would add a tad more Risk to the equation. I've added a few videos.

2K's Gameplay is so good because its organic, meaning it has so many outcomes that can occur on any given play. That's important because we (the skilled user) can learn these outcomes when they're aren't enough of them--especially when there isn't enough risk. And essentially "play the numbers" Case in point: the chase-down block last year. The outcomes were overwhelmingly positive so people spammed it...not nearly enough risk.

But when the user (us again) can trigger animations it can be really bad. Because then i'm rewarded whether my attempt succeeds or not. Especially in an end game situation. My thinking is: If an animation gets triggered it has to be a Foul or a Steal...anything else is unfair to the offense. The solution can be less triggered animations and a bit more fouls. Here are a few examples I took from an online game yesterday. NOTE: I'm not a spammer lol....I was "testing" more than anything else.

Episode 1: Defender goes for steal...offense isn't forced into any animation and does a cross-court pass which gets stolen. Muy Bien. More of these please. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnKrzq16VOw

Episode 2: Forced Animation, this has to be a foul 100% of the time, as it was here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFii3_-wbAk

Episode 3: This one is fine until Simmons is forced to pick up the ball later. He has an outlet to his right and enough time to pass the ball. Still, there has to be Risk here and a foul should be called in the majority of instances. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNcKF8tZcEs

Episode 4: The reason we're here. My aggressive steal attempt (with no foul) forces Harden back away from the play and he's trapped in an animation. Ariza's bad pass later (which I like) is a separate issue. In an end of game or shot-clock situation i've just been rewarded for failure (as I didn't even steal the ball) this kind of thing exploits gameplay, can disrupt play-calling and in general should be in the extreme minority. This should be a foul 99% of the times it happens. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPu2goEHlQA

I hope that explained my POV a lil better. I love the fact that guys can steal the ball. Inbounds at the end of the game just got exciting (which I love)....but we don't want to reward spam.

[hanzsomehanz]

There needs to be time to adjust.

I recommend the success remain where it is because as users adjust on offense: the steal success will accordingly fall into line with better offensive play and the balance will be there.

This heartfelt request to change sliders so soon has got to be abated or at least acknowledged for its haste. I sure hope the devs and game designers allow the competition to measure itself over the course of time and don't overreact under knee jerk pressure.

Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk

[kabamaru]

Reaching for steals should result to more fouls just as irl. If you are able to spam any move / button it shows that something is wrong.

Same as in double team in 2k15 or half court inbound exploit in 2k16.

Is there a way to minimize the effect of an opponent smashing the steal button?
Yes, pass more, protect the ball more ( which can be difficult when trying to do changes on the fly as we are supposed to this year)

In any case, when your opponent spams any move by pressing just one button in any game / mode and you have to go to additional trouble to counter it, it means something is wrong.

[Krodis]

Yeah I'm going to try using protect ball more before I really say this is a problem.

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[The 24th Letter]

My opponents are always in the penalty because of excessive reaching tbh...you guys arent seeing that?

Man this is delicate....I really dont want something drastic to be done becausd it feels really balanced right now.

[Sleepy59]

I say leave it as it is, protect the ball! Use dribble moves to escape or hold LT. Repercussions for them include "You reach I teach" or they foul out without earning any VC.

[ksuttonjr76]

Quote: Originally Posted by Kushmir

I've used Protect Ball a few times (and i'm incorporating it more) but it can be tedious trying to call plays, protect ball and watch the defender (especially in the clutch). A bit of better balance would add a tad more Risk to the equation. I've added a few videos. 2K's Gameplay is so good because its organic, meaning it has so many outcomes that can occur on any given play. That's important because we (the skilled user) can learn these outcomes when they're aren't enough of them--especially when there isn't enough risk. And essentially "play the numbers" Case in point: the chase-down block last year. The outcomes were overwhelmingly positive so people spammed it...not nearly enough risk. But when the user (us again) can trigger animations it can be really bad. Because then i'm rewarded whether my attempt succeeds or not. Especially in an end game situation. My thinking is: If an animation gets triggered it has to be a Foul or a Steal...anything else is unfair to the offense. The solution can be less triggered animations and a bit more fouls. Here are a few examples I took from an online game yesterday. NOTE: I'm not a spammer lol....I was "testing" more than anything else. Episode 1: Defender goes for steal...offense isn't forced into any animation and does a cross-court pass which gets stolen. Muy Bien. More of these please. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnKrzq16VOw Episode 2: Forced Animation, this has to be a foul 100% of the time, as it was here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFii3_-wbAk Episode 3: This one is fine until Simmons is forced to pick up the ball later. He has an outlet to his right and enough time to pass the ball. Still, there has to be Risk here and a foul should be called in the majority of instances. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNcKF8tZcEs Episode 4: The reason we're here. My aggressive steal attempt (with no foul) forces Harden back away from the play and he's trapped in an animation. Ariza's bad pass later (which I like) is a separate issue. In an end of game or shot-clock situation i've just been rewarded for failure (as I didn't even steal the ball) this kind of thing exploits gameplay, can disrupt play-calling and in general should be in the extreme minority. This should be a foul 99% of the times it happens. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPu2goEHlQA I hope that explained my POV a lil better. I love the fact that guys can steal the ball. Inbounds at the end of the game just got exciting (which I love)....but we don't want to reward spam.

I totally disagree. I feel the animation was triggered, because the OFFENSIVE player was trying to bowl over the defensive player. As a result, the offensive player bounced back. Plus, Harden was tired.

If Harden had pulled the ball back instead of attacking the double team, then he would have been able to make a better play.

EDIT: Looking at the last two videos, the ball handler put themselves in a bad position. Why should the defense be punished if the ball handler doesn't know to how to read the situation and act accordingly? In the first two video, the ball handler had established their "space", so those mistimed steal attempts were rightfully punished. In the last video, you would be bailing out the offense. If the ball handler runs into the defense, then they have every right to try to steal the ball without spamming.

Heck, he could have used the escape dribble, or called a timeout, since the double team was coming hard.