Another Kotaku Article

http://kotaku.com/5906169/nba-live-move ... ter-baller

• They used NBA 2K11 in focus groups to study how people play bball video games
• "The whole idea is you shouldn't have to call plays in order for players to move dynamically. You're the court general, these are professional players. You can call plays if you want—and that's where you can get into the depth of the game, of knowing that this style will work against this opponent, and this style won't"
• "But from the outset the focus is on fun"
• "We've invested significantly in our off-the-ball AI," Wlodyka says. "We call it move with a purpose."

I do have to say that I love how they chastised players who did move-move-move-fakeout-dunk, or pumpfake-pumpfake-pumpfake-drive-dunk, yet that was the PS2/PC era of NBA Live gameplay in a nutshell. Just sayin', some people still like that kind of gameplay

What 2K game was it where the off ball players who decided to get open on their own liked to run directly into you or in your path after you attacked off the dribble? Once I learned to call for an isolation, they would do the same thing as soon as I attacked the basket! It was like they brought the help defender with them.

Basically what I am saying is that I really like the idea, as long as you can call that iso when you need it and any offball player movements happen after you get double teamed or the help defense comes. Say you call an iso and the other team doubles immediately, that's when the open man needs to move. How do they react to passes when being denies? Do they hop out to catch it when the new passing engine decides to through wide or a slow lob?

I'd like to know significantly more about the offball AI and how good they are at creating passing lanes when the ballhandler is driving, how well they recognize a deny defense or a zone, how they run the lane during the different types of fast breaks, how they spread out to create space, etc.

Looks like EA Tiburon is making good moves

Looks like EA Tiburon is making good moves

Moves with a purpose?

I'm cautiously optimistic about those improvements. Giving players a brain and improving teammate AI are things they've attempted to do in the past, any steps forward in that regard would be welcome. Hopefully we'll still have a good amount of control over the action - though I can't imagine the pass selection will completely override a player's ability to make certain passes - but contextually appropriate moves and player decisions doesn't sound like a bad idea.

I think ratings need to come into play there though, so that not everyone will always make a good decision or be able to complete the play. That way, there's still individuality with the players, true to life performance and abilities.

What I get from this article is that they have put emphasis in improving the off-ball AI and that there's assisted passing in the game. From the first thing I can't say much because if they want to improve it it's ok to me; on the other side I don't like the idea of auto passing, why would they take control from the user? I hope it's something like FIFA that there's an option between auto or manual passing and maybe other options like auto free throws and auto/manual shooting (like 2K has based on player ratings).

I don't know that they're completely taking control away from the user. Apart from direct passing, directional passing and alley-oops, we haven't had much control over passing outside the Playmaker Freestyle Superstars in NBA Live 06 and NBA Live 07. Seeing as how we've long lamented players doing things like not throwing bounce passes when it's appropriate, throwing alley-oops to players at the three point line and the like, contextually appropriate and intelligent passes sound like a good idea.

I'm guessing we'll still have basic control with this new method - again, direct passing, directional passing and manual alley-oops - but players will be smarter about the types of passes they throw given the situation. Done well, that should be a step forward.