Insight #13: Online Association

[Houndy]

http://www.facebook.com/notes/nba-2k/nb ... 9123627267

Hey everyone!
Erick Boenisch, Producer for NBA 2K12, back one more time. Today I’m going to tell you about something pretty special, something you have all been wanting for a number of years now. I realize the title of the Insight gave it away, but ‘The Association: Online’ is finally here! You want details? Let’s get to it…

A feature like this is a major undertaking if done properly and, let me assure you, we went about this the right way. Let’s dispel any preconceived thoughts you may have about what this feature is. The Association: Online is NOT last year’s leagues with a new name and modest improvements. The Association: Online IS what you’ve come to know and love about the offline experience, simply introduced to the masses in the online world.

Looks good

[Andrew]

It's sounding more and more like they didn't make too many changes to the offline Association, but hopefully there was at least some tinkering under the hood. As for Online Association, sounds solid with the range of options and way it will be implemented. The flex schedule is definitely a good idea, that's the area an online league or Association is liable to fall apart so those simulation options are vital. I'll be giving it a shot.

[shadowgrin]

A thought just crossed my mind. If the lockout is resolved and there is a new season, the 'realism' of association mode offline or online for 2K12 won't matter because of the new CBA since there is huge (expected) difference between the expired CBA, which 2K12 is based, and the new soon to be CBA.

Either 2K makes a huge patch that changes the game's association engine (trade logic, cpu GM AI, etc.) or we'll be left with an association mode that follows the old CBA. I'm going with the latter considering 2K's track record for fixing bugs in association mode and the long task it would take to almost rewrite the code for association mode (heck they can't even change the game time for the Jordan challenges for 2K11 with the patch).
Association mode would probably still contain some bugs that won't be fixed after the release of the (expected) patch for 2K12. They would probably be too busy incorporating the new CBA for 2K13's association mode to fix all the glitches in 2K12's association.

[The X]

A thought just crossed my mind. If the lockout is resolved and there is a new season, the 'realism' of association mode offline or online for 2K12 won't matter because of the new CBA since there is huge (expected) difference between the expired CBA, which 2K12 is based, and the new soon to be CBA.

Either 2K makes a huge patch that changes the game's association engine (trade logic, cpu GM AI, etc.) or we'll be left with an association mode that follows the old CBA. I'm going with the latter considering 2K's track record for fixing bugs in association mode and the long task it would take to almost rewrite the code for association mode (heck they can't even change the game time for the Jordan challenges for 2K11 with the patch).
Association mode would probably still contain some bugs that won't be fixed after the release of the (expected) patch for 2K12. They would probably be too busy incorporating the new CBA for 2K13's association mode to fix all the glitches in 2K12's association.

That thought had already crossed my mind, that's why I might not bother with Association mode this year, as unthinkable as that sounds.

Also another negative from OS:

NBA Draft. Has David Stern announcing like in My player mode. Adds nicely to the presentation. If there is a trade David Stern says we have a trade to announce and shows the trade graphic like last year. I didnt notice Stern say any names just stuff like "With the 1st pick the Suns select the 20 year old Small Forward. Adam Silver does the 2nd round like announced in the my player insight. I did noticed Silver announce some names during the draft not every name but some.

What's the point? Sounded like they just recorded names for this year's picks so that My Player would sound good. Sounds like a waste of time.

[karlsanada10]

Wait, so this is like a web-based association? You can't play? Ugh. I don't quite get it.

[qfrmcpt310]

Also another negative from OS:

NBA Draft. Has David Stern announcing like in My player mode. Adds nicely to the presentation. If there is a trade David Stern says we have a trade to announce and shows the trade graphic like last year. I didnt notice Stern say any names just stuff like "With the 1st pick the Suns select the 20 year old Small Forward. Adam Silver does the 2nd round like announced in the my player insight. I did noticed Silver announce some names during the draft not every name but some.

What's the point? Sounded like they just recorded names for this year's picks so that My Player would sound good. Sounds like a waste of time.

They say names, but only certain names. Similar to the commentators when it's a name not found in the database.

phpBB [video]

[JaoSming]

it's an online association against other players who you play against for the game, or you can play against the CPU if they can't play, or you can let the game sim the game for you. it just has web options you can utilize along with inside the game.

[The X]

Also another negative from OS:

NBA Draft. Has David Stern announcing like in My player mode. Adds nicely to the presentation. If there is a trade David Stern says we have a trade to announce and shows the trade graphic like last year. I didnt notice Stern say any names just stuff like "With the 1st pick the Suns select the 20 year old Small Forward. Adam Silver does the 2nd round like announced in the my player insight. I did noticed Silver announce some names during the draft not every name but some.

What's the point? Sounded like they just recorded names for this year's picks so that My Player would sound good. Sounds like a waste of time.

They say names, but only certain names. Similar to the commentators when it's a name not found in the database.

phpBB [video]

Thanks for clearing that up. That's what I had expected. I'm hoping all generated players have their names taken from the names database that he speaks from.

Draft looks a bit underwhleming. I was hoping for a little bit more but I guess it's a nice little improvement nonetheless.

[J@3]

It's sounding more and more like they didn't make too many changes to the offline Association

That's frustrating. I don't give a shit about online association, those online leagues tend to fall apart pretty quickly anyway. Would rather they put more time/effort into making association mode something they can sell the game on like EA used to with Madden

[Andrew]

Agreed, I'll be giving Online Association a shot but I was hoping that the offline Association would be getting some attention. Admittedly it was already a very good mode in NBA 2K11 but there's a least tweaks and fixes that could be made, even if there are no new major features. Perhaps they've done that, but if so it would've been nice to get a couple of words on it via an Insight.

[airBerlin]

Association will probably drop to my third most played mode, under Online Association and My Player.

[The X]

Association will probably drop to my third most played mode, under Online Association and My Player.

I disagree with this, provided lockout ends. I think My Player will be tops, offline Association & the online Association. For me, online Association only makes sense for mates etc rather than randoms.

[fjccommish]

The Stern naming names thing in the draft is nice the first time. But then it's annoying. Also, Stern morphs into the deputy commissioner when Stern says (in his voice) that the deputy commissioner will take over for the second round.

What association is missing is detailed stats. There's no way, for example, to see who won and lost in each playoff round from the previous season.

[Andrew]

What are the simulated stats like this year?