Re: NBA 2K14 Video - Player Ratings: Classic Teams and Euroleague
I shall take you up on this assertion. I recognize "general consensus" will be virtually impossible to define in this case. The same can be said for "most people's eyes". However, regarding a general overlooking of the legends by most, I challenge such statements. From what I recall, the legends and their subsequent modes were met with much adulation.
For one example, the mere reveal of Legends Mode in 2K12 drew a 27 page thread filled with almost universal praise here at OperationSports: http://www.operationsports.com/forum...test-mode.html
The Jordan Challenge? Praised to high heaven: http://www.operationsports.com/forum...announced.html
Even the news regarding the addition of LaPhonso Ellis was good enough to draw 7 pages of responses: http://www.operationsports.com/forum...st-mode-3.html
From what I recall, the Greatest Mode, Jordan Challenge, and classics in general - with their real life NBA player replications, era filters, and attention to authentic detail, received near universal praise from critics and fans alike. Does that mean everyone liked it? It does not. Does OperationSports represent what everyone wants or likes? It does not. But were legends viewed and received as being something no one really cared about with little to no weight or bearing upon how successful 2K was as a franchise? They were not.
I'm not sure anyone expected the blowing out of classic teams in 2K12 would mean the game would be perfect. Unlocking the '91 Warriors on day 1 was one of my favorite gaming moments, but it did not take away from the occasional frustration that'd come with crossing a defender up with Tim Hardaway only to have that same defender magically recover with no sense of physics. I loved the legends, but I still thought the game could use some work in other areas. So when you say, "the general consensus by those vocal on the boards was that the game sucked", I'm not sure how the legends tie in to that statement.
Also, I found this statement to be vague: "And the efforted era-specific presentation applied to the game didn't mean much in most people's eyes." As previously alluded, who represents "Most people's eyes"? Is it the people who were pulling heavily for a completely fictional, pre-destined, control-less future mode revolving entirely around LeBron James? A critically acclaimed creation (I'd be interested in seeing a review that didn't absolutely laud the Greatest Mode and other classic additions) gets the silent treatment just because it wasn't the most played mode of all time?
"The hardcore chastised them because they wanted more". I find that line to be misleading as well. The hardcore loved the Jordan Challenge, the Greatest Mode and all the classics that came with it. It made gamers let their imaginations go wild with other potential additions. I never really saw a lot of reasonable chastising. But you're right in this regard, the hardcore did want more, because what'd been added was already so flipping awesome. They wanted more of it.
"the younger/more casual gamers could care less about the Legends (even more modern legends like Jordan)" I once again find such a quote vague and perhaps misleading. I believe it's a common fallacy to quickly conclude, "The youngsters don't care". If I were a youngster, I'd be offended. You say the youngers/casuals don't care. I say my little brothers still can't get enough of playing as GP, Penny, and Tim Bug while my casual friends gravitate toward MJ, Larry, C-Webb, Magic and the Bad Boys.
I will say this - I agree the Dream Team addition was in fact criticized (especially in comparison to the Legends and Jordan Challenge). I believe it deserved its criticism. Whereas the classic teams were based in reality (real jerseys, opponents, home courts, players, and shoes with the ability to fully edit), the Dream Teams were real rosters that were completely unable to be edited, could not be used in any other mode, and did not feature real opponents. As such, for most folks, there really wasn't a point in using them. That ol' fantasy line was crossed. What sort of immersion is left when all that is provided is two teams, separated by 20 years, playing each while wearing red and blue generic blocks for shoes on a court that doesn't really exist?
I shall take you up on this assertion. I recognize "general consensus" will be virtually impossible to define in this case. The same can be said for "most people's eyes". However, regarding a general overlooking of the legends by most, I challenge such statements. From what I recall, the legends and their subsequent modes were met with much adulation.
For one example, the mere reveal of Legends Mode in 2K12 drew a 27 page thread filled with almost universal praise here at OperationSports: http://www.operationsports.com/forum...test-mode.html
The Jordan Challenge? Praised to high heaven: http://www.operationsports.com/forum...announced.html
Even the news regarding the addition of LaPhonso Ellis was good enough to draw 7 pages of responses: http://www.operationsports.com/forum...st-mode-3.html
From what I recall, the Greatest Mode, Jordan Challenge, and classics in general - with their real life NBA player replications, era filters, and attention to authentic detail, received near universal praise from critics and fans alike. Does that mean everyone liked it? It does not. Does OperationSports represent what everyone wants or likes? It does not. But were legends viewed and received as being something no one really cared about with little to no weight or bearing upon how successful 2K was as a franchise? They were not.
I'm not sure anyone expected the blowing out of classic teams in 2K12 would mean the game would be perfect. Unlocking the '91 Warriors on day 1 was one of my favorite gaming moments, but it did not take away from the occasional frustration that'd come with crossing a defender up with Tim Hardaway only to have that same defender magically recover with no sense of physics. I loved the legends, but I still thought the game could use some work in other areas. So when you say, "the general consensus by those vocal on the boards was that the game sucked", I'm not sure how the legends tie in to that statement.
Also, I found this statement to be vague: "And the efforted era-specific presentation applied to the game didn't mean much in most people's eyes." As previously alluded, who represents "Most people's eyes"? Is it the people who were pulling heavily for a completely fictional, pre-destined, control-less future mode revolving entirely around LeBron James? A critically acclaimed creation (I'd be interested in seeing a review that didn't absolutely laud the Greatest Mode and other classic additions) gets the silent treatment just because it wasn't the most played mode of all time?
"The hardcore chastised them because they wanted more". I find that line to be misleading as well. The hardcore loved the Jordan Challenge, the Greatest Mode and all the classics that came with it. It made gamers let their imaginations go wild with other potential additions. I never really saw a lot of reasonable chastising. But you're right in this regard, the hardcore did want more, because what'd been added was already so flipping awesome. They wanted more of it.
"the younger/more casual gamers could care less about the Legends (even more modern legends like Jordan)" I once again find such a quote vague and perhaps misleading. I believe it's a common fallacy to quickly conclude, "The youngsters don't care". If I were a youngster, I'd be offended. You say the youngers/casuals don't care. I say my little brothers still can't get enough of playing as GP, Penny, and Tim Bug while my casual friends gravitate toward MJ, Larry, C-Webb, Magic and the Bad Boys.
I will say this - I agree the Dream Team addition was in fact criticized (especially in comparison to the Legends and Jordan Challenge). I believe it deserved its criticism. Whereas the classic teams were based in reality (real jerseys, opponents, home courts, players, and shoes with the ability to fully edit), the Dream Teams were real rosters that were completely unable to be edited, could not be used in any other mode, and did not feature real opponents. As such, for most folks, there really wasn't a point in using them. That ol' fantasy line was crossed. What sort of immersion is left when all that is provided is two teams, separated by 20 years, playing each while wearing red and blue generic blocks for shoes on a court that doesn't really exist?
Still excited to play the game, I pre-ordered it today. I also traded in NBA2k13 after seeing the gameplay improvements. I might even goto the midnight release to pick the game up, thats how excited this old man is,lol.
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