NBA 2K11 Lead Gameplay Designer, Mike Wang Interview

[BrianFifaFan]

Re: NBA 2K11 Lead Gameplay Designer, Mike Wang Interview

He's still the real deal when it comes to designing bball games and I'm pretty sure 2K11 will rock. I'm concerned about Live 11's future though.

But at the end of the day, at least for me, he has lost some credibility. He took swipes at 2K's lack of tools when he was gone and now he's throwing EA's management under the bus.

Maybe they've got the tools now. Or maybe having been in contact with EA's tech and how they use it, he's got ideas of how VC's stuff can be used more effectively. Now, if you haven't been living totally in the dark, the observations that have been made about EA management and corporate culture are hardly new. They were the first assumptions made over in the other forum when we found out he had left and he just confirmed what was considered the real story on this. His only act of "throwing EA management under the bus" was being honest. He could have dogged the product and the team, but he was actually quite diplomatic.

They just wanted to make a different game, hoping to hit a home run next year. Maybe the NBA Live lead needs to have a pow-wow with Littman and Rutter. Home runs don't get hit often. Building a strong game over many iterations is how every sports title gets built into a legend. NHL,MVP,PES,NBA2K,NFL2k, the list goes on and on. I hate to say it, but Mike knows all of Live's strengths and weaknesses. Programming and tech. He could use that knowledge to help fix the few flaws that remain in the 2k product. It could be a really rough go of it for the EA product next year....

[STLRams]

Re: NBA 2K11 Lead Gameplay Designer, Mike Wang Interview

Hopefully he can implement some of the roster update tools and dynamic dna of EA Live into the tendencies, instead of us relying on the 2KInsider.

[Dantecamp21]

Maybe they've got the tools now. Or maybe having been in contact with EA's tech and how they use it, he's got ideas of how VC's stuff can be used more effectively. Now, if you haven't been living totally in the dark, the observations that have been made about EA management and corporate culture are hardly new. They were the first assumptions made over in the other forum when we found out he had left and he just confirmed what was considered the real story on this. His only act of "throwing EA management under the bus" was being honest. He could have dogged the product and the team, but he was actually quite diplomatic.

They just wanted to make a different game, hoping to hit a home run next year. Maybe the NBA Live lead needs to have a pow-wow with Littman and Rutter. Home runs don't get hit often. Building a strong game over many iterations is how every sports title gets built into a legend. NHL,MVP,PES,NBA2K,NFL2k, the list goes on and on. I hate to say it, but Mike knows all of Live's strengths and weaknesses. Programming and tech. He could use that knowledge to help fix the few flaws that remain in the 2k product. It could be a really rough go of it for the EA product next year....

Haven't been on the dark at all my man, been playing sports game since Lakers vs Celtics on the MSX. And I accept your point of view and can't hide from the truth presented arguments. EA's bad rep hasn't surfaced from nothing.

But I believe that he could have handled both of his exits in a different manner. It's easy to say all the bad things about your former employee and all the good things about your next one.

Again, that's my point of view, no offense to Mike, it's his own business to mind.

[wsu_gb23]

Re: NBA 2K11 Lead Gameplay Designer, Mike Wang Interview

It won't be a race at all. It would be like a Hybrid vs. a muscle car.

When I said sports-game of the year I was referring to all sports-games, not just NBA. I was thinking it would come down to MLB The Show and NBA 2K11.

[monzel214]

nba live 10 was first game i kept since 95 and now mike wang gone i wont be buying live next yr also that dude who run live dont know what the heck he doing for real

[cheechoo98]

Wow. I never followed the B-Ball game but from the sounds of it. Sure wish they had someone like Mike for their hockey franchise....

[BrianFifaFan]

Re: NBA 2K11 Lead Gameplay Designer, Mike Wang Interview

Haven't been on the dark at all my man, been playing sports game since Lakers vs Celtics on the MSX. And I accept your point of view and can't hide from the truth presented arguments. EA's bad rep hasn't surfaced from nothing.

But I believe that he could have handled both of his exits in a different manner. It's easy to say all the bad things about your former employee and all the good things about your next one.

Again, that's my point of view, no offense to Mike, it's his own business to mind.

Fair enough. And please don't take it as if I was dogging you or your opinion. It just kinda frustrates me that, after seeing how NHL and Fifa turned it all aorund and became sworn to a vision of making world-class games and letting the sales be generated by that, Mike is now saying that they are in disarray/confused, yet again. Remember, these award-winning, sales killing franchises are produced on the same exact campus. I'm sympathetic to Mike, if they aren't committed to making a world class basketball sim, and trying to making 2k the loser, what's the point of fighting the war? There's no such thing as interpretations of a sport. There's no arcade or sim. There's a good sports games and a bad sports game. And EA seems to have no idea which is which....

P.S. I've played basketball since Atari. LOL!

[Dantecamp21]

Fair enough. And please don't take it as if I was dogging you or your opinion. It just kinda frustrates me that, after seeing how NHL and Fifa turned it all aorund and became sworn to a vision of making world-class games and letting the sales be generated by that, Mike is now saying that they are in disarray/confused, yet again. Remember, these award-winning, sales killing franchises are produced on the same exact campus. I'm sympathetic to Mike, if they aren't committed to making a world class basketball sim, and trying to making 2k the loser, what's the point of fighting the war? There's no such thing as interpretations of a sport. There's no arcade or sim. There's a good sports games and a bad sports game. And EA seems to have no idea which is which....

P.S. I've played basketball since Atari. LOL!

Yeah, it makes me wonder what they're aimming for in this next development cycle as well.

I'm really concerned about the direction that their basketball program is being taken. Peter Moore seems happy with all the buzz NBA Jam is generating, and that should be considered a very disheartening development.

It makes one wonder if Turmell will head up north all the way from Florida to give his input on Live as well.

Live 10 is a solid product with some very positives going for then (playbooks, pace, controls, accessories, etc). Running away from the foundation that Mike built will be a mistake.

[smithdynasty]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!! I feel like a Mike Wang groupie now. I bought Live this year (for the first time since 05) and now I'm back on the 2k bangwagon. I strongly believe Live has no chance next year. It's crazy because although Live has gotten way better, it's still not 2k. I hear A LOT of complaints about 2k10 but after playing the demo and store versions, I don't see what the fuss is about (except for the terrible defensive gameplay). If my player mode is the only broken piece of the game, then you have very little to complain about (compared to live).

All in all, I had 5 wishes in life, im pretty sure one of them would be to PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make COLLEGE HOOPS 2k11

[jira2004]

Re: NBA 2K11 Lead Gameplay Designer, Mike Wang Interview

It seems like EA was trying to implement gimmick's to try to increase their sales and not for the long haul make a real Bball sim....

If live doesn't pull a "real rabbit" out of the hat this year than it will be their demise as their live franchise will take that long slow roll down the hill......

P.S. EA we dont need gimmicks but great solid gameplay to start with and the rest should follow....

It's 2k11 for me again!!!!!!

[eko718]

Re: NBA 2K11 Lead Gameplay Designer, Mike Wang Interview

All I have to say is welcome the hell back Beluba.

[robinsnestkc]

I have been a LIVE fan since 95. Though they have had some horrible titles. I got into 2K on the Dream Cast also. I didn't by a Basket ball game between 2003-2007. In '07 and '08 I was with 2k. '09 Live. I think I too am a Mike groupie. 2k11 for me. LIVE you are the biggest idiots God ever created you let go someone who is a leader in the industry.

[2kjunkie]

I am happy that Mike is back with 2K but I still can't get over the fact that he is a flip flopper but ohh well I guess that's life.

Bring on 2K11

[HiTEqMETHOD]

mike returning to 2k was something I pretty much expected ever since I heard he was joining EA. EA just has too much of a corporate attitude toward how they make their games.

[BroMontana82]

this is good for 2k but it was also good for 2k fans for him to go to live for a year. live's competitive offering this year made 2k raise its game too. if the series becomes complacent again because live starts to go downhill, i will not be happy.