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NBA 2K12 Preview

Last year at E3, I found out about the new arena-arrival cuts before the game. This year, the new pre-tipoff eye candy comes in the form of dynamic introductions. These are stylized videos with custom music showing off the marquee players of the matchup. It's basically what you see in real NBA broadcasts that tease the upcoming game.

According to producer Erick Boenisch, no two dynamic introduction videos will be the same as each clip shows off your favorite players performing different signature gestures they are known for doing before or during games. Think LeBron James' pregame toss or a Dirk Nowitzki fist pump after he sinks that high-arcing jumper. There's a new presentation package for playoff games with new starting lineup overlays and home crowds donning uniform colors throughout the arena. In addition, there was a "pop-up" promo involving players at the bottom left of the screen used to promote upcoming games. In terms of graphics, much is still unfinished says Erick, but there's an emphasis on re-lighting faces this year. Player faces and facial emotions are much more recognizable even while the ball is in play because of this lighting tweak.


Speaking of gameplay, a minimal amount was shown and even less was spoken about. However, it is clear more contextual moves will be added in NBA 2K12. Most of the shots taken in our Mavericks vs. Heat demo all seemed to be influenced by player momentum and the location of the ball before the shot animation began. I also noticed a push-ahead dribble by LeBron on a vicious drive to the bucket. That is a welcome sight for both 2K gamers and Heat fans. He couldn't go into detail, but gameplay producer Rob Jones acknowledged more dribbling upgrades are definitely coming in NBA 2K12. He added there would also be an improvement in how the AI uses specific players, making sure all the control and moves given to users are a part of the AI's arsenal as well.

Lastly, I spent a good amount of time trying to find clues about the NBA 2K12 cover athlete, but none was in sight. Community manager Ronnie 2K said they've come up with some crazy ideas so far, but nothing is decided yet. When asked if new play-by-play analyst Steve Kerr was maybe being considered, he vehemently shut that down saying, "Not a chance, and you can quote me on that." Bummer.


That's all for now from NBA 2K12 at E3. Do you guys like what you hear so far?


NBA 2K12 Videos
Member Comments
# 1 2KAllDay @ 06/09/11 12:03 AM
I love the information given so far please just continue to keep us informed thank you
 
# 2 aloncho11 @ 06/09/11 12:07 AM
Nice news! Thanks. I'm eager to see and hear about the other new stuff. So far looking great to be at such an early stage of development.
 
# 3 mlp111 @ 06/09/11 12:30 AM
man, i can't wait, i really hope 2k12 makes 2k11 a thing of the past...2k11 was great, just had some issues... fix the animations and player faces (all faces), accessories, and etc... will be a definite buy... just hope its available for pc
 
# 4 poorch @ 06/09/11 12:38 AM
i like what i hear so far
 
# 5 ryumeijin @ 06/09/11 12:51 AM
here comes the HYPE!!!
 
# 6 aloncho11 @ 06/09/11 01:12 AM
Thanks for this. Little info, but great in quality
 
# 7 kolanji @ 06/09/11 01:16 AM
these guys over at VC sure knows how to keep secrets about their product until they see it fit.but all in all i really wasn't expect this much at this stage of the development stage, but was really glad to hear about new dribble animations....here is hoping we get blown away again by a great set of basketball junkies ;as my self, from VC
 
# 8 NowAndLaterCARZ @ 06/09/11 01:18 AM
I hope they give the crew mode some love this year. adding a create-a-stadium feature along with monthly crew playoff tournaments would be cool. because 2k11 crew mode seems the exact same as 2k10 if not worse
 
# 9 LiveAllDaWay @ 06/09/11 01:27 AM
all the extra stuff is nice and all, but it doesn't make it worth buying and is not really important to me the gameplay is what makes me buy basketball games all the flaws/issues are fix then that would get me interested everything else just extra good, but gameplay comes first in everything once you get gameplay done nothing else matters. I'm a 2k fan and ppl that are reading this might say man nothing makes these gamers happy they always have something negatively or complain about this and that about the game but think about it for a second,NBA 2k11 me and my dad like the game it was a good game not the greatest or awesome but we like it well this is my opinion but there was a lot of flaws in gameplay. It needed so much fixing it wasn't even funny especially in HOF difficulty I mean me and my dad play on HOF cuz we love the challenge and it was the most realistic difficulty but it was so ridiculous it felt like the A.I was cheating or what ppl called it cheesing especially when ur beating them all of a sudden in the 4th quarter all of a sudden they make a comeback lead and once they lead the game u can't catch up to them anymore because the cpu forces the user to go into different animations to make u miss all of them why because the A.I wants to win by forcing u to get into this animation u don't want to go in and u can't escape that. E.g I was the heat vs Mavs got the rebound with CB4 when Kidd miss the 3pt shot D-wade sprint to the other side of the court I pass all the way down to Wade for a fast break I see Chandler catch up to me he was like at the 3pt line i was up in the air ready for a dunk when he reach to the 3pt line all of a sudden he try to block it from behind and i get caught into a two canned animation with Chandler and I did a layup and i missed it no foul call either. Also animations were way to overrated in 2K11 hopefully they fix other gameplay flaws ppl said on youtube. Oh yeah 1 more thing My Player Mode was also a lot of hype and a lot of ppl didn't like it not even play it anymore cuz they said it got boring or it was ridiculous. Again don't get me wrong this is great stuff to add in the game I love it i'm happy they add it in just think about gameplay first b4 liking all this stuff. And be careful about the hype in this game. Hopefully u guys will understand what I'm saying anyways good stuff to hear.
 
# 10 asusundevil22 @ 06/09/11 01:28 AM
hopefully they have better commentators than the ones they have now.
 
# 11 Basketball GURU @ 06/09/11 01:38 AM
"home crowds donning uniform colors throughout the arena"......Finally!!
 
# 12 rangerrick012 @ 06/09/11 01:44 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by LiveAllDaWay
all the extra stuff is nice and all, but it doesn't make it worth buying and is not really important to me the gameplay is what makes me buy basketball games all the flaws/issues are fix then that would get me interested everything else just extra good, but gameplay comes first in everything once you get gameplay done nothing else matters. I'm a 2k fan and ppl that are reading this might say man nothing makes these gamers happy they always have something negatively or complain about this and that about the game but think about it for a second,NBA 2k11 me and my dad like the game it was a good game not the greatest or awesome but we like it well this is my opinion but there was a lot of flaws in gameplay. It needed so much fixing it wasn't even funny especially in HOF difficulty I mean me and my dad play on HOF cuz we love the challenge and it was the most realistic difficulty but it was so ridiculous it felt like the A.I was cheating or what ppl called it cheesing especially when ur beating them all of a sudden in the 4th quarter all of a sudden they make a comeback lead and once they lead the game u can't catch up to them anymore because the cpu forces the user to go into different animations to make u miss all of them why because the A.I wants to win by forcing u to get into this animation u don't want to go in and u can't escape that. E.g I was the heat vs Mavs got the rebound with CB4 when Kidd miss the 3pt shot D-wade sprint to the other side of the court I pass all the way down to Wade for a fast break I see Chandler catch up to me he was like at the 3pt line i was up in the air ready for a dunk when he reach to the 3pt line all of a sudden he try to block it from behind and i get caught into a two canned animation with Chandler and I did a layup and i missed it no foul call either. Also animations were way to overrated in 2K11 hopefully they fix other gameplay flaws ppl said on youtube. Oh yeah 1 more thing My Player Mode was also a lot of hype and a lot of ppl didn't like it not even play it anymore cuz they said it got boring or it was ridiculous. Again don't get me wrong this is great stuff to add in the game I love it i'm happy they add it in just think about gameplay first b4 liking all this stuff. And be careful about the hype in this game. Hopefully u guys will understand what I'm saying anyways good stuff to hear.
tl;dr. Paragraphs are your friend, buddy.
 
# 13 LiveAllDaWay @ 06/09/11 02:05 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by rangerrick012
tl;dr. Paragraphs are your friend, buddy.
lol sorry about that i was trying to get my point out
 
# 14 LiveAllDaWay @ 06/09/11 02:06 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by rangerrick012
tl;dr. Paragraphs are your friend, buddy.
lol sorry about that i was trying to get my point out paragraphs definently next time
 
# 15 FedExPope @ 06/09/11 04:41 AM
Hopefully the faces on some of the people they botched will look a little better...like Kobe and Westbrook. Especially Westbrook. Looks so unlike his real life counterpart it boggles the mind how that happened since everyone else is so well done.

Oh, and give Horford a beard in game maybe? Would be perfect.
 
# 16 Goffs @ 06/09/11 05:19 AM
playoff crowds!!

 
# 17 jlandryst @ 06/09/11 06:34 AM
wow 2K basketball really got some people fooled. i know people swear up and down they dont play online but what about those that do? why say your game works online and for two years in a row the servers were constantly down or just not connecting?
Why have a crew mode for myplayer when it takes an hour at least to get in a game? I dont care how pretty they make the faces or how the lighting is if that dont work. i could go on and on but people really know some of the stuff thats wrong ie every center no matter what the rating playing like Hakeem in his prime on the low block...lol

So no 2k will not get my money take a stand like we did with Madden 11 and watch the changes happen. Low sales make then listen not complaining on forum after we have the game.
 
# 18 PaperBoyx703 @ 06/09/11 06:47 AM
Excited for this year and thats not only based on what we were just given but expectations right now. No need to jump the gun and be all negative and say their ignoring this an that or they need to fix this and that they already said a lot was unfinished and didn't have much liberties on what they can release. Until we see gameplay vids theres no reason to address gameplay issues or any features on the past titles because they haven't shown us anything.

Looking forward to this game greatly.
 
# 19 Badgers @ 06/09/11 06:47 AM
Crazy ideas for cover athlete?



Could it be Brian Scalabrine?
 
# 20 cjallure24 @ 06/09/11 07:56 AM
Good stuff. I didn't expect too much info this early, but tid-bits here and there are good enough for now. Thanks.
 

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