NBA 2K14 VC Shows Its Ugly Side

[Sundown]

The VC creep is consistent with one other thing-- the cheesy online play 2K seems to insist on allowing year to year.

What they share reveal a common design directive from somewhere high up in 2K-- that game balance, realism, quality, and satisfying progression can and should be sacrificed for potential profits.

Is it just coincidence that the VC logo on the VC coin looks like a piece of cheese?

LD2K mentioned that he had some difficulty convincing some at 2K to turn up the difficulty online-- and what we got still doesn't feel like Allstar Sim. There appears to be this fear that anything that could hypothetically cause inaccessibility-- even if it is ACTUAL BASKETBALL ITSELF-- would hurt profits. So they allow anyone and everyone to chuck up threes, paint spam, dunk endlessly, and succeed with hero ball.

The sad fact is, these concessions hurt the game and are baked into 2K's design philosophy from the highest levels-- when simply creating a more realistic, more balanced, more authentic, better playing game could actually increase sales.

2K's biggest jump in sales wasn't when they went casual-- but when they incorporated the greatest NBA legend and handled his addition with respect and authenticity while the other franchise tried to pander with hype and accessibility. It was also the most balanced year online, not so coincidentally.

There are some parts of the game that seemingly cling onto realism and authenticity, like the core gameplay engine. I have no doubt those involved in these parts (and most modes of 2K for that matter) are passionate about doing their work right. Unfortunately, what appears to be a top-down mandate to sacrifice the game's value, balance, and quality for sales and profits, theoretical and real, seems to taint nearly every mode and some of the modes it hasn't have already been eliminated.

There's so much good in this game. And then are these constant, baffling decisions to make the game so much less than it was, should, or could be, and these decisions seem to be growing more numerous each year.

[apollooff320]

Quote: Originally Posted by RangersCruz

Say 20 of you on here might not buy VC Ronnie and them won't care because hundreads that don't ever go on here or other forums will buy it and not care I admit if we go back to 2k13 till now i wasted at least 150-200 easy on VC..i don't hate it because i don't want to start crappy in MyCareer but it shouldn't be FORCED on those who don't want to or have extra money to spend

I'm pretty positive most of the 2K bb gamers don't buy VC. They have a small amount of ppl that pay for it. With things costing even more then last year that portion of ppl is most likely smaller. 2K will get OK sells this year since know one knew of the problems this game had and the reviews were all good. But I bet this game won't continue to sell good as these stories keep getting out. 2K will lose even more sells next year if they pull the same crap and have many of it's fans going to NBA Live just to get their basketball fix.

[Smirkin Dirk]

We urgently need EA to put out a competitive product, and hope they dont collude with 2K by both having these cash cows.

[Sundown]

Quote: Originally Posted by apollooff320

I'm pretty positive most of the 2K bb gamers don't buy VC. They have a small amount of ppl that pay for it. With things costing even more then last year that portion of ppl is most likely smaller. 2K will get OK sells this year since know one knew of the problems this game had and the reviews were all good. But I bet this game won't continue to sell good as these stories keep getting out. 2K will lose even more sells next year if they pull the same crap and have many of it's fans going to NBA Live just to get their basketball fix.

This needs to be a major story. 2K isn't as effected either way for NG because the user install base is so small compared to CG. As it grows, discontent over VC will likely affect them, especially those that are already hesitant about going to NG. If they understand that the VC demands in NG are so much higher than what they're used to in CG, they will rethink their purchase.

2K likely used 2K14 NG as a trial run of their more egregious VC practices. They COULD have waited and hit when the user base was much larger, or hit both CG and NG simultaenously. Unfortunately for 2K, they may have created a lot of suspicion and ill-will that may be remembered as more folks cautiously make the transition next year.

[yungflo]

Quote: Originally Posted by JohnDoe8865

http://www.pastapadre.com/2013/12/10...-nba-2k-series This should be read by ALL sports gamers. Everyone should get on board with this issue unless we all want the future of sports gaming to go in the direction that NBA 2K14 NG has us going. Hope Owen Good and our staff here at OS pick up on this issue as well.

Sadly, this is not just sport gaming. this is gaming's future. Everyone rejoiced when they said, no online passes for used games. But they just shifted the focus to obtain money to something else. To selling you incomplete games and offering DLC to buy for selling you an incomplete game, and now. its VC./XP or whatever whatever publusher wants to call it. Its spreading nasty like an std.. no one agrees with this practice, yet you seen 90s at the park.

My cousin actually spent money on VC. Not his money, but the promotional psn credit you get for buying a ps4. I was shocked. Why would anyone do that? This game is an annual title. Why would you deprive yourself of developing your career?

[MarvinOida]

Quote: Originally Posted by yungflo

Why would you deprive yourself of developing your career?

And the fact they haven't implemented the idea of importing careers from past games is funny. I mean, I know that would cause problems with 99 overalls on day one, but if everyone had to restart next year with no VC and then use that myCareer as it's "online" player and then carry over year by year it's ratings/animations/gear, people wouldn't really have a problem.

And if people want to start a new career, they should be able to load out careers they want to play as online.

So many ideas but never get implemented for some reason.

EDIT: Who's the Keith guy in the Disqus chat, he seems very fan-boyish. One of the few guys who are defend 2k in this lol.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[seanbarkley]

Quote: Originally Posted by JohnDoe8865

The most distressing issue for me personally is the requirement to use VC to "unlock" basic abilities like changing your lineup in MYGM mode. Can you imagine in The Association mode in CG if they'd done that? I see now why they didn't give us 30 team control in MYGM.

You are wrong here! they have stated it wasn't included because of time constraints...[/IRONY]

Quote: Originally Posted by vtcrb

The problem is You DAILY see on Twitter HOW GREAT the game is from Posters. How can a GAME be GREAT when it is BROKE(Freezing issues, cant SAVE ANYTHING, Cant Edit ANYTHING, Servers Down, etc). I know GRAPHICS are Great, etc, but that wears OFF after a week. It needs to be seen that IF USERs spend $60, they should be able to Edit the game as they see fit, play ALL Game Modes(On-Line, Off-Line, etc) and NOT have to PAY for Options that should be Included in the $60.

$60? and you think that's much? here in Spain the game is 70€, which equals $96.3!

Can you imagine how people feel over here when after spending almost $100 in a game, and once you have wasted a couple of hours with it you realize that they are bleeding you asking for more money for almost anything? and moreover, after wasting another couple of hours you realize that the same game that's trying to cheat you has been stripped down and has more bugs than a puddle of mud? Candy Crush is a free-to-play game and its microtransactions are less restrictive than this $96 game.

Do we have the word STUPID written on our foreheads???

I've been taking a look at Spaniard NBA2K forums and those are boiling too, so don't think it's just an isolated movement happening in OS or 2K Forums. Ronnie and LD just retweet positive comments but I'm sure that for each 2 positive tweets they have 50 not so nice.

2K has bitten the hand that feeds them and if they don't apologize and rectify their direction they will be in danger of starving. It's not the first time that has happened.

[MrMBrown]

Quote: Originally Posted by MarvinOida

EDIT: Who's the Keith guy in the Disqus chat, he seems very fan-boyish. One of the few guys who are defend 2k in this lol. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

God, that dude is awful. He's the main reason I stopped posting responses over there.If EA Sports was doing this,the guy would be spitting fire. I've never seen anything like that guy.