Mike Wang Returns to 2K Sports: NBA 2K Series (ESPN)

[BobbyColtrane]

Re: Mike Wang Returns to 2K Sports: NBA 2K Series (ESPN)

Serious: This is great news. Welcome back Beluba!

Kidding: What is this guy the Larry Brown of basketball gaming?

[Kully]

Re: Mike Wang Returns to 2K Sports: NBA 2K Series (ESPN)

I think expectations for 2K11 are right now a bit too high.

[ataman5]

Re: ESPN: Mike Wang returns to 2K!

I agree. 2K10 set the base with the introduction of all of these new features (My Player, NBA Today, etc.), so the focus for 2K11 should be entirely on tweaking and tuning to make everything work to perfection. There shouldn't be an ounce of energy wasted on coming up with new modes or new features—2K10 was already one of the deepest, feature-rich sports games ever. The attention should shift to making everything that is already in place work very well.

If they do this and 2K11 is a game with little to no online connection issues, a rock-solid sim engine, player tendencies that truly work, playcalling that is both simple to use and deep, and controls that give us the ability to move with precision, we'll have a surefire winner.

Tweaking on 2k10 wouldn't be enough at all; and having a winner is none of my business n don't care i just want a bball game plays like a real bball game when i control it. So if they won't change the controls, courts spacin, playycalling, ai not being a cheeser, and defense and all other minor gameplay stuff that kills everything, then i guess i'll have no basketball game for next year.

[Pared]

Re: Mike Wang Returns to 2K Sports: NBA 2K Series (ESPN)

I think expectations for 2K11 are right now a bit too high.

Huge understatement you've made there, Kully...

I have to agree. It's great to have him back and I respect him of course, given his interaction back when he was originally w/VC. But just last year the forums were up in arms because of what he said negative about the supposed limitations of the 2K engine. We shouldn't be so prone to overreacting. Still, was an interesting article on what was said. And I'm sure his added talent will help make 2K11 (and whatever other projects) that much better

Great post. People have a short memory. It's pretty evident by the "now I can believe this series will be a sim-game again" posts. The flip-flopping is a joke.

The article is pretty harsh. There's no love-loss between these two.

[edubbs]

Re: Mike Wang Returns to 2K Sports: NBA 2K Series (ESPN)

Of course Wang will only make 2K more solid again. If 2k indeed sold 2 million copies, they just proved 2k didn't even need Wang, not sure what terms Wang left on, but after selling 2 million copies without him, I would have say thanks but don't really need ya, Sorry Wang. I think EA was heading in the right direction, but I think Wang should have gave EA another year, IMO.

Sales are important but, for gameplay heads like ALOT of people on this board. Bringing back Mike is HUGE.

2K10 has quite a few holes in it's gameplay that he can specificly try to correct.

And the one thing you can say about Mike is, he knows what the game is lacking gameplay wise and he knows what WE want fixed, it's just a matter of implementation.

He is like an extension of alot of us on this board, except he knows AI programming and we don't. The game should definately be better next year on the court.

How much better is yet to be seen.

[d12orlando]

Re: Mike Wang Returns to 2K Sports: NBA 2K Series (ESPN)

I agree. I don't understand some of the cynics in this thread. Nba 2k8 was the best in the series (next gen anyways) and that was the one Mike Wang last worked on. He also improved the Live series tremendously. This guy can make a difference.

And forget what he said about limitations of the 2k engine. We don't know if that was really true. He could have said it to sell more copies of Live. I don't think its prudent to hang onto that argument. The limitations that Mike Wang spoke of could be true or untrue. What is proven is that this guy has a proven track record.

And no. The flip flopping isn't a joke. People didn't change their opinions for a stupid reason. If you are going to jump on a bandwagon then the Mike Wang back at 2ksports is a pretty good one.

[jmood88]

Re: Mike Wang Returns to 2K Sports: NBA 2K Series (ESPN)

Of course Wang will only make 2K more solid again. If 2k indeed sold 2 million copies, they just proved 2k didn't even need Wang, not sure what terms Wang left on, but after selling 2 million copies without him, I would have say thanks but don't really need ya, Sorry Wang. I think EA was heading in the right direction, but I think Wang should have gave EA another year, IMO.

lol how are you going to say that he should've given them another year? He's said over and over again that the management was going in a different direction than what he signed up for.

[GSW]

Re: ESPN: Mike Wang returns to 2K!

hmmmm this is interesting.

Until they fix player movement and control im still not messing with 2k though

and thats not even Mikes "area" so...i dont really know...

I'm glad for him getting a new job so quick though in this economy and such...huge leap of faith... and kudos for the 2k team accepting him back with no hard feelings after the hub-bub of last year.

Shows they understand its just about making the game better and nothing that was said by either party was personal.

Congrats Mike

[d12orlando]

Re: ESPN: Mike Wang returns to 2K!

It is his area

[RoyalBoyle78]

Re: Mike Wang Returns to 2K Sports: NBA 2K Series (ESPN)

lol how are you going to say that he should've given them another year? He's said over and over again that the management was going in a different direction than what he signed up for.

What direction could that be, nobody has heard anything on what's going with LIVE. So that's pretty much speculation at this point wouldn't you agree?

[CX1329]

Re: Mike Wang Returns to 2K Sports: NBA 2K Series (ESPN)

And forget what he said about limitations of the 2k engine. We don't know if that was really true. He could have said it to sell more copies of Live. I don't think its prudent to hang onto that argument. The limitations that Mike Wang spoke of could be true or untrue. What is proven is that this guy has a proven track record.

And he could well be saying things now just to sell more copies of 2K11. We might never know his true view on matters until he's unemployed.

But in all seriousness, NBA 2K11 is also my most anticipated game of the year now. I'm -really- curious as to how Wang's return will affect the 2K franchise, especially considering how stale it's becoming. Save for the new gameplay modes, 2K10 isn't a new game by any means, rather, it's what 2K9 should have been.

[jmood88]

Re: Mike Wang Returns to 2K Sports: NBA 2K Series (ESPN)

What direction could that be, nobody has heard anything on what's going with LIVE. So that's pretty much speculation at this point wouldn't you agree?

It's speculation coming from the guy who left while talking about the reasons for him leaving.

[videobastard]

Re: Mike Wang Returns to 2K Sports: NBA 2K Series (ESPN)

I hope mike brings back the dribble system of live to the 2k series... 2k badly needs it.

[CX1329]

Re: Mike Wang Returns to 2K Sports: NBA 2K Series (ESPN)

I think it was made pretty clear that Live will try to reinvent the wheel again. I don't think they will go arcade, I believe they will try and stay sim, but they will most likely attempt to innovate when said innovation isn't necessary. It's one of NBA Live's problems, in that they always try to revolutionize the series as opposed to establishing a solid groundwork and building upon it.

[DaveDQ]

Re: Mike Wang Returns to 2K Sports: NBA 2K Series (ESPN)

This thread is beginning to prove that some have zero interest in there being two or more competitive sports games. We can give a good talk about how exclusive licenses ruin the industry and that it's only better when you have multiple representations of the sport in a game. However, the reality is most want "their" game to win.

I don't know why really, but some are so jaded by things that I think they literally get mad and can't celebrate the success and efforts of the product that is not "their" game.