NBA 2K13: How Signature Skills Have Changed the Game

[RaychelSnr]

Recently the guys at 2K revealed all 31 Signature Skills found in NBA 2K13 and their descriptions. There were some who were pessimistic about how these skills would affect gameplay, but after having learned the details, I for one am even more excited about their inclusion in 2K13 than I was prior.

The Signature Skills concept has been done before in other sports games such as All-Pro Football 2K8, but the idea lends itself so seamlessly to the basketball genre that it can be a huge evolutionary step in how we play basketball games going forward.

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[d11king]

Re: NBA 2K13: How Signature Skills Have Changed the Game

Signature skills will be nice addition. Offline, stars will play like stars, and players will play like themselves i.e. Nick Collison screens, Reggie Evans hustle.

Online people will think just because they have the sig skill, it will automatically be activated, so we might see players forcing the issue, (fine by me, I got that 2002 Ron Artest Defensive Player of the Year defense) without them knowing how the sig skill is truly activated, this causing gamers to possibly play smarter.

When gaurding KD, I might double in the 4th more often, when facing Rondo, I may dribble up the court with my SG, when attacking the rim on the Lakers I will pump fake more, I will make sure Kawai Leonard doesn't find his way to the corner 3 and I will NEVERRRRR leave Ray Allen open. Sig skills are GREAT.

I know one thing though, Oct. 2 - Oct. 6 I will be mastering isomation in the gym and if I ever get anyone with the ankle breaker sig skill, whoevers gaurding me better not have Stephen Curry feet. (That goes for the team-uppers as well)

[Vni]

Re: NBA 2K13: How Signature Skills Have Changed the Game

Got me hyped, well put.

[deacon21206]

That actually is a great assessment and out look on how important each player can be.

[Caveman24]

i agree with everything im glad you can play more of a chess style with the sig skills like making this guy check this guy and vise versa

[BezO]

Re: NBA 2K13: How Signature Skills Have Changed the Game

Definitely! I was ecstatic to hear about sig skills when they were 1st announced. The basic ratings just weren't cutting it.

I can't wait to play this game. It's been a looooong time since I've counted down to a video game release.

[richmo]

Re: NBA 2K13: How Signature Skills Have Changed the Game

Great write-up, Steve. Easily my favorite addition to the game this year. This is so big because it's a feature that will officially become a staple for the 2k franchise for years to come, no doubt. And great point about the Online Association/Franchise drafts. Choosing less "videogame-friendly" players has more incentive more this year than it's ever had.

[youALREADYknow]

Re: NBA 2K13: How Signature Skills Have Changed the Game

A large portion of the Signature Skills could have been implemented in other ways through existing means, but there are quite a few that are welcome additions in my eyes. Overall it's a plus for the game and therefore I'll save the debate for implementation and other ways to achieve the same result for another day.

As a primarily offline gamer, the ability to edit them means that we have another tool in the toolbox to try to mimic what we see on the NBA court. Hopefully the tiered Skill levels as displayed in MyPlayer are available to all players.

The concept that these "change the game" is a bit over the top though. The new animations behind some of these Skills will change the game. The impact of the Skills themselves shouldn't be that obvious and in-your-face because that would mean they are overdone and that would be unwelcomed by many.

[ataman5]

Re: NBA 2K13: How Signature Skills Have Changed the Game

Great write-up hopefully what you've said will be realized in gameplay and we simheads will have a great year with this very very good pre-looking nba 2k13.

[Can I live]

Re: NBA 2K13: How Signature Skills Have Changed the Game

I'm excited about this more than anything (besides the OA)

I just hope it works like we think it is gonna work, like while playing I want to clearly see that these skills really separate players like they should.

When I guard someone while using a player with the lockdown defender skill say Tony Allen throughout a game it should be different from using kyle korver to guard someone

They should do a Insight video on these skills showing you examples of them during actual gameplay that would be nice
maybe showing reggie evans scrapping (scrapper) for rebounds or Chalmers stripping someones shot (active hands) or even showing lou williams hitting about 5 shots in a row (microwave)

but I think there gonna work out how we expect them too, I'm too excited

[Gramps91]

Signiture skills sound really cool. I remember the feature in Live 2006 something like this that was really cool, although not nearly as ind depth. Really looking forward to testing all these out and see hou different players with different abilities paly out.

[mymannemcee]

Re: NBA 2K13: How Signature Skills Have Changed the Game

Very glad to see how signature skills were implemented. Seems that all the "real life true to Earth sim heads" who were preaching about how these are arcade-like and not true to life have vanished.

[Profit89]

Signature Skills are key to sports gaming. Absolutely vital IMO. Adds to individuality. Konami has been doing it for years with Pro Evolution series and their baseball title MLB Power Pros.

The more individuality the better. Key to sports gaming.

[JayMizzle]

Taking the page from All Pro, nice job. Now make us another football game with those elements!
sorry, I want my football back.

[Optik]

Re: NBA 2K13: How Signature Skills Have Changed the Game

Proverbially “cutting off the head of the dragon” might be necessary when facing the Clippers or Celtics and developing a strategy to take a Paul or a Rondo out of the game could be the best path to victory.

That would be great to do, but how would one go about doing that with 2K12's feeble attempt at replicating "Deny Ball"? You can't actually put a body on an offensive player and put an arm to deny the ball. All you can do is spread out your arms, and it means nothing because the offensive player can easily receive any pass. In 2K11, it was better, because if you actually passed the ball to a guarded player, the defender would nick the ball away, especially in the post. 2K10 was EVEN better at replicating this, I remember offensive players would have to make an an aggressive bump to create space to receive the pass safely with one hand or two. Why has the "Deny Ball" function gotten worse after every iteration?