I agree. I was too busy yesterday to comment in the several threads, but here are my overall takeaways and reactions:
- The game looks smoother as a basketball simulation game, with more animations to smooth out the edges as players move, as promised
- You can see the implementation of foot planting as we have been told, but I think the real difference will come when we get the game in hand and can feel the level of control and responsiveness
- I read through all the critiques of each video and while many (not all) have merit, and most were intended constructively, the game overall looks like a genuine improvement over last year in several areas.
- Following up on that, I never expected zero sliding or perfect foot planting, maybe ever, but certainly in one year of real foot planting implementation. The test for me is if sliding amounts to warping that so breaks the physics that it looks absurd and changes gameplay based on what the dice rolls under the hood dictate. I don't see that.
- It still would be nice to see bowling pin defenders who drop in the paint go away. Certainly other failed contest animations should be able to replace that. Also, I expect there may be adjustments to shot tendencies in the post so that doesn't worry me a ton.
- The team based basketball movement promised on offense and defense looks legit. I'm really excited to play the game and excited for OG and Czar for having accomplished all they did this cycle. Bravo, boys. That said, we've barely seen it because we have not seen games long enough to show adjustments and the way games flow dynamically. I expect it to be even more impressive once we do.
- Overall, the devs made some strong claims to us about gameplay prior to release and everything I see in the videos supports their claims and feels consistent with what we have heard from community day.
- I'm looking forward to seeing the improvements in franchise modes and hope that trade logic, draft classes and many of the other little things that go into improving those modes will be well implemented as well.
This is the time of year when I either decide to buy on relsease, buy after a few weks of community reaction, or pass. This year, 2k got my preorder because I like their track record of working to make genuine improvements from community input. I wanted to reward that in my own small way. (Incidentally, this is also why I have avoided another sports game for two years in a row now).
Not only have I seen nothing to cause me to doubt that decision, I'm maybe even more enthusiastic to get my hands on the game - not because I think it will be perfect in every way, but because I feel like I now have a more complete picture of the game as it really is, not just based on pre-release marketing and communication. Seeing some imperfections, and seeing that they look minor to me, makes me feel even more confident, if that makes sense.