RPG Fans - how does MyCareer stack up to other RPGs?

[ph33]

I would love the ability to become a villain, so that I could have crowds boo the **** out of me anytime I'm on the road.

At least the environment would be more entertaining. It feels pretty nonexistent as it is.

[nuckles2k2]

Quote: Originally Posted by LorenzoDC

The purpose of an RPG is to use game mechanics execution as a backdrop to immerse the player in a story that the player enjoys like it's a mini novel or a strong movie or TV series, and for the player to feel like their choices influence and shape the outcome. MyCareer is not that, and not close to that. It's a player development grind of repetitive game actions more or less designed to sell VC with a bolt on set of character scenes that feel like they are bolted on as extra. They're not engaging, and you don't feel like a character in an unfolding story with potential plot surprises. At best the story elements soften the repetitive grind but as you progress through the season the story elements really go nowhere interesting or surprising, so they themselves become a grind to endure to get to when you can go back to developing your player.

I get the feeling that their definition of RPG-esque (in terms of its video game definition) is choosing between sneaker companies, having battling companies to get you to sign with them, the either/or, extremely brief, mini-game of "connection" or practice -- when they hyped MyCareer as a pseudo-RPG.

Like I said previously, technically MyCareer is a super linear RPG, but they knew what people would think when they threw the term out there. Folks were gonna think: branching story arcs, decision trees, gameplay driven results, etc.

It was clever wordplay, and it was one of those "I need to wait and see before I buy" situations, if your purchase decision was purely MyCareer-based.

But it's def kinda slimy on 2K's part for sure. It was unnecessary to even bring up "RPG-esque" since the mode doesn't bring what they knew what would be implied by the phrase (looking at you marketing team)

It's more disingenuous than anything. They didn't lie, but they let the community believe what it wanted to by throwing a vague *** term out there.

[SirGaryColeman]

Quote: Originally Posted by ph33

I would love the ability to become a villain, so that I could have crowds boo the **** out of me anytime I'm on the road. At least the environment would be more entertaining. It feels pretty nonexistent as it is.

When I traded myself away from the 76ers (to escape Justice Young), we had like 40 wins straight lol.. an epic season for them.

I was hoping that when I played the 76ers, they would boo me every time I touched the ball.... but that didn't happen. Even worse, the Announcers said that I had been drafted by my new team and didn't even know I was ever on the 76ers.

Having them boo me, seeing social media with people burning my jersey, etc... would have been so much cheaper than hiring michael b jordan and so much more entertaining.

It becomes frustrating knowing that they could have done things like that easily, but chose to satisfy their "hollywood director" bug instead.

[turty11]

in terms of being an "RPG" my career is really bad at it.

1. Starting with a 55 overall in the NBA is like starting in a level 50 zone with a level 3 in Wow/Rift/etc
2. Having our entire storyline predetermined is like playing .. i have nothing because i've never heard of a 1 class 1 role 1 story no option RPG. That would be like playing skyrim where you get to level up but you dont ever gain the ability to do anything different than swing your weapon.
3. If anyone from 2k attempts to call mycareer an RPG they should be immediately banned from the gaming community. that's emberassing

[urjaywall]

Its not an RPG. It would be an RPG if your in game stats translated to ratings boosts (or even experience points that you could use). VC ruins the "RPG"-ness of it. The role is no longer the player, its the guy going online and using his credit card to buy virtual currency to make his player better. Who wants that role play? lol

Also, the results aren't immediate enough. If in your first game, as a rookie, you score 50 points, the announcers and coach better recognize that! If that happened in real life, they would get an immediate boost in playing time. If that happened three games in a row, they would most like earn a temporary starting position.

Playing time should be determined by consistency and how well you play in stretches, as well as past accomplishments (LeBron will always start, even if he goes a month without scoring... lol).

The cutscenes and stuff are okay. I don't like how they gave your player a name and a personality. I liked the first My Career where they just talked to you as if if was in the first person, so you answer directly with your own personality. I don't even think that your choices need to affect anything, to be honest. Maybe just commentary or players trying harder (your teammates or opponents, trying to shut up your trash talk... lol). That's all I saw My Career as, a way to give your virtual player a personality and voice.

But I've never liked playing the game like the actual gameplay was secondary. Gameplay is the main event. The cutscenes are just window dressing.

Also, RPG's let you become overpowered and God-like if you play it enough. No RPG caps you off (until you reach the literal stat cap- which should be 99, in this game, with some other RPG's being 99, 250, etc.).


There are two things I liked from past My Careers. One was doing way better than you should have (getting triple doubles as a 55 rated rookie). Two was outclassing LeBron, Durant, etc. as their peer (when you started to get your rating high enough). I loved the leader boards and stat listings, comparing your stats to the other NBA players in that season on the game. That gave you a lot of motivation. More than playing in My Park (at least to me). You just had to make sure you turned game simulation to 20 minutes (or how long your games were) instead of 48, or else it wasn't fair!

[fluent2332]

Quote: Originally Posted by LorenzoDC

The purpose of an RPG is to use game mechanics execution as a backdrop to immerse the player in a story that the player enjoys like it's a mini novel or a strong movie or TV series, and for the player to feel like their choices influence and shape the outcome.

That's one definition, but a player can be "immersed in a story" if they create the story themselves as well. I think comparing it to a TV series or movie is a big mistake, and here's why. The problem with most modern RPGs is instead of doing really interesting things with mechanics, stats, and RPG gameplay elements, developers have figured out that it's much more profitable to just "wow" people with graphics and cut-scenes, aka an "interactive movie". 2K at this point is on that level where the RPG-ness they want to achieve is going to be this going forward. Add a dramatic story, improve graphics as much as possible each year, spend 8000 hours making sure the lips move in cut-scenes correctly and the hair looks incrementally improved and there you go, a modern "RPG" Story Mode.

A real NBA RPG would be, well, I'll save the details for someone who wants to pay me to make it.

[FerdBrown]

Quote: Originally Posted by ph33

I would love the ability to become a villain, so that I could have crowds boo the **** out of me anytime I'm on the road. At least the environment would be more entertaining. It feels pretty nonexistent as it is.

A "Dennis Rodman" of sorts? Or a Warriors guy who loves to kick other players? Now that "RPG" option would be interesting.

[FerdBrown]

Quote: Originally Posted by nuckles2k2

I get the feeling that their definition of RPG-esque (in terms of its video game definition) is choosing between sneaker companies, having battling companies to get you to sign with them, the either/or, extremely brief, mini-game of "connection" or practice -- when they hyped MyCareer as a pseudo-RPG. Like I said previously, technically MyCareer is a super linear RPG, but they knew what people would think when they threw the term out there. Folks were gonna think: branching story arcs, decision trees, gameplay driven results, etc. It was clever wordplay, and it was one of those "I need to wait and see before I buy" situations, if your purchase decision was purely MyCareer-based. But it's def kinda slimy on 2K's part for sure. It was unnecessary to even bring up "RPG-esque" since the mode doesn't bring what they knew what would be implied by the phrase (looking at you marketing team) It's more disingenuous than anything. They didn't lie, but they let the community believe what it wanted to by throwing a vague *** term out there.

I agree on your analysis. When 2K invoked the term RPG, without being technical with the term, I was already thinking story lines and decision trees. Dang! It wasn't.