Monday Tip-Off: Video Game Teams

Talk about the NLSC Podcast, Monday Tip-Off, Wayback Wednesday, The Friday Five, Top 10 Plays of the Week, and our Parsec Tournaments! This is also a section for NLSC and community announcements, and other site-related topics.

Re: Monday Tip-Off: Free Content in Basketball Games

Postby [Q] on Tue Apr 21, 2020 4:37 pm

Oh yeah I forgot about rocket league too. Those are two games that have balanced loot boxes with pure cosmetics along with new free content

Hell, even popular free to play games have become hits like Fortnite, Call of Duty Warzone, and Apex Legends.

I had even considered buying a battle pass for season 2 of Apex since the game was free and I was enjoying it
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: Free Content in Basketball Games

Postby Andrew on Tue Apr 21, 2020 4:37 pm

Not to mention proper matchmaking and rep systems, with successful eSports leagues.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: The Dumbing Down of MyTEAM

Postby Andrew on Mon Apr 27, 2020 11:10 pm

Monday Tip-Off: The Dumbing Down of MyTEAM

I'll occasionally see a comment on Twitter or Reddit to the effect of "Who even plays MyTEAM?" It's your standard "I don't like it, therefore it sucks and no one else likes it either" rationale that's all too common among toxic gamers, but it comes off as especially ridiculous when you're talking about a mode like MyTEAM. After all, its popularity rivals MyCAREER and its connected modes, and thanks to the content that comes through all season long, it makes Take-Two a lot of money. It is possible to play without spending any money, of course, but many who do spend, spend big.

I like the idea of modes like MyTEAM and Ultimate Team. I never thought they'd be for me, but I've had fun with them in NBA 2K and NBA Live over the course of this generation. I've generally avoided spending money and in NBA 2K19 and NBA 2K20 in particular, I've still managed to pick up some really good cards. However, there are problems with MyTEAM, and it's safe to say that it's affecting the quality and appeal of the mode. On the whole, it feels like 2K has been dumbing the mode down with the special cards they introduce every year, along with a lack of attention to detail. The mode hasn't been completely ruined, but it could be in much better shape than it is.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: Arguing For & Against Green Releases

Postby Andrew on Mon May 04, 2020 10:09 pm

Monday Tip-Off: Arguing For & Against Green Releases

Back in May 2017, I discussed the future of Green Releases in NBA 2K. Three years on, the mechanic still remains an issue. It's funny to look back and see that Mike Wang was talking about weaning gamers off the concept of Green Releases, only for them to still be in the game, relatively unchanged. I say relatively because NBA 2K18 attempted to artificially nerf them with a "Good" release actually only having a 5% chance of going in - less than a Slightly Early or Slightly Late release - and other games have also seen Beluba and co tinker with the perfect release windows.

Apart from that, the basic idea remains the same. Green Releases result in a made shot every time, unless it's blocked or you're too far behind the backboard. If you can learn the precise timing of a jumpshot animation and pay attention to the rumble feedback cues, you'll be greening attempts with ease and regularity. We're still as reliant on the approach as ever, and it doesn't look like it's something that NBA 2K - or NBA Live, now that it's adopted the same style of shot mechanics and feedback - will be able to move away from. The question is: should it? It feels like we're at a stalemate on the issue, so let's go over the pros and cons of Green Releases once again.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: Arguing For & Against Green Releases

Postby [Q] on Wed May 06, 2020 3:39 am

I'm kind of torn on the subject. Playing NBA Live 18 and 19 has kind of jaded me a bit, especially when the developers literally change and break the game mid season due to a few players' complaints. These players complained that there were too many people online hitting every shot. I felt myself relying on watching the meter too much that I wasn't really watching or enjoying the game. It felt like I was playing NBA Meter 19 lol. I think the meters and feedback should be all off by default. You can turn on to practice but I think it would be more fun without focusing on all that. That being said, I think balance is definitely needed with the system. Maybe a green release shouldn't be 100% make all the time. maybe randomly it'll be like a 95% chance of going in or something. I mean, there are times in real life where you do everything perfectly and you just get an unlucky bounce.
I think the way it is now, some animations are easier to shoot with and that leaves an unfair advantage for some. People can simply pick the easier animations to shoot with. This reminds me back in NBA 2K7 and how frustrating it was to play against the Pistons and have Ben Wallace shoot like 90% from the line due to an easy animation and Yao Ming shooting like 50. Stuff like that makes me feel like in a more controlled environment like a free throw where defenders are not in the equation, ratings should definitely be in play. Even if you time everything correctly with a 50% free throw shooter should you be able to hit 10/10 from the line in a game? I'd say 70% at best. but it would be tricky to implement without arbitrarily capping success rates like that.
i found it difficult to consistently time faster release animations but the problem was, like in you mention in your article, it gave the defender more time to recover. Maybe if you hold turbo when you shoot you can do a "quick release" shot animation (much like someone under duress or on a time constraint) with lower chances of going in than a regular shot but still someone who's got high enough ratings should still be able to hit most of the time. I think the biggest problem is that the NBA is such a fast game that the time needed to "fill up" a meter can be too long at times or can leave too little room for error. Maybe there needs to be more details in the timing and the numbers in calculating it all, down to thousandths, ten thousandths of a second.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: Arguing For & Against Green Releases

Postby Andrew on Wed May 06, 2020 11:26 am

Balancing shooting between online and offline play is a big issue. It's what's ruined NBA Live 19 for me as the changes in the last couple of patches addressed shooting online being too easy, but with the way AI defenders can rotate and react much quicker, it's made offline shooting too difficult. The shot meter in NBA Live 19 is also way too long, giving defenders way too much time to recover to begin with. Even if the meter is disabled, the underlying mechanics are the same.

That's why I feel like it's going to be a delicate balancing act to ensure fair and realistic percentages. I believe there needs to be that reliable weapon if you're good enough on the timing, and fair odds if you're close to perfect, without it being cheesy. Easier said than done. It's also going to be hard to satisfy everyone. Based on the responses to the article so far, some people want a return to the old way, while others are firm in not wanting a dice roll to determine everything. Given those polar opposite stances, is a compromise possible? Hopefully some sort of balance can be achieved.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: Basketball Gaming Belongs to Suits

Postby Andrew on Mon May 11, 2020 2:11 pm

Monday Tip-Off: Basketball Gaming Belongs to Suits

I know I said that many things aren't worth an angry rant, but this isn't going to be an angry rant. I'm feeling a certain amount of exasperation and pessimism, yes, but I'm trying to remain calm and not rage for the sake of it. As a new generation looms, many of us are wondering what it means for basketball gaming. The genre has already come a long way - a few backwards steps not withstanding - and it remains to be seen what can be accomplished with the added power of the forthcoming consoles. The problem is that that kind of innovation doesn't appear to be the focus.

Perhaps that's a harsh and unfair assertion, given that we're nearing the end of the current generation. We couldn't have imagined some of the things that we've seen over the past seven years, when the previous generation was seemingly tapped out after producing some outstanding basketball games. However, the difference this time around is that gaming has changed. Games are designed with recurrent spending in mind, and microtransactions are no longer just for free-to-play titles. Quality seems secondary to pushy recurrent revenue mechanics; a trend that's highly unlikely to end anytime soon. It's clear that the suits control the destiny of hoops games.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: The Right Direction for NBA Live

Postby Andrew on Mon May 18, 2020 2:37 pm

Monday Tip-Off: The Right Direction for NBA Live

Needless to say, the past decade has been tough for NBA Live. Through cancelled titles and skipped years, the series has seen only five releases during that span. There have been promising aspects and good ideas present in those five games, and it could be argued that at least a couple of titles have been solid, but EA Sports has failed to move the needle. NBA Live is still languishing far behind where it needs to be as a viable alternative to NBA 2K and the enormous gulf in sales speaks volumes. NBA 2K has its issues, but NBA Live hasn't been able to capitalise on gamer frustration.

The good news is that the door hasn't been slammed shut on NBA Live. Thanks to a combination of readily apparent potential and 2K squandering goodwill, there is still interest in seeing NBA Live return to its former glory. Unfortunately, the series' steps towards reaching that goal haven't been as large as many of us would've liked, and one of the main reasons for that is the direction of the series. More specifically, this includes both the particular choices that have been made, and the tendency to change direction too often. NBA Live needs to have the right focus moving forward, but that raises the question: what is the right direction for NBA Live to take?
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: MyPLAYER in the Middle

Postby Andrew on Tue May 26, 2020 12:16 am

Monday Tip-Off: MyPLAYER in the Middle

My time playing MyCAREER regularly in NBA 2K20 has come to an end. After I ended up being drawn back into the mode, I finished a full season with my traditional point guard build, winning the championship and setting an assortment of records. The MyPLAYER build I chose has also proven to be suitable for online play, and while the online experience is as hit-and-miss as ever in NBA 2K20, when it has been good, I've really enjoyed playing my usual role. After starting the second season by averaging a quadruple-double, I'm going to try simming my way to the Hall of Fame.

That's not the only experiment I'm running in MyCAREER, though. Although I do want to put the mode aside, I have created a second player. I've enjoyed being a point guard since being thrust into the role back in NBA 2K13, and have learned the meta-gaming idiosyncrasies for my preferred build at that position. It's helped me rack up assists, which I've come to really enjoy doing. However, when I was playing in my local junior league many years ago, I was a centre that loved to rebound and block shots. I decided to create a MyPLAYER that reflected my actual playing style and position, in order to see what MyCAREER is like as the man in the middle.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: The Online Experience We'll Never Have

Postby Andrew on Mon Jun 01, 2020 9:37 pm

Monday Tip-Off: The Online Experience We'll Never Have

Aside from some admittedly fun sessions of 3v3 Pro-Am and jumping into The Rec after spinning double MyREP on the Prize Wheel, I've not been playing online in NBA 2K20. I'd been dabbling with a session or two in The Rec every so often, but in order to finally let MyCAREER go, I've focused on finishing my rookie season and generally avoided taking part in any of the connected experiences. Thanks to so many hit-or-miss sessions, I no longer have the same enthusiasm for the online experience that I once did. It's made it much easier to abstain from those modes.

Even the satisfying runs in 3v3 Pro-Am had their annoyances. Despite playing well and even winning eight games in a single session, I somehow dropped from 99.9 to 99.4 Overall, spotlighting some of the major flaws with the MyREP and Overall Rating systems in NBA 2K20. Of course, the tendency to punish rather than reward is just one of the problems with the online experience in NBA 2K. It's unfortunate, as online play in NBA 2K should be so much better than it is. From issues with lag and matchmaking to meta-gaming and what it takes to get there, I can't help thinking about the online experience that NBA 2K should offer, but we're unlikely to see.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: Can NBA Live Be Relevant Again?

Postby Andrew on Mon Jun 08, 2020 2:06 pm

Monday Tip-Off: Can NBA Live Be Relevant Again?

As a long-time basketball gamer that grew up with NBA Live, it gives me no joy to dump on the franchise. I believe that there are content creators out there who delight at the series' struggles and subsequently ripping into it, but I'm certainly not one of them. For all the great things that NBA 2K has done, the slips in quality here and there, and of course the increased focus on microtransactions, demonstrate why it's important to have choice and competition in the basketball gaming space. Some say NBA Live should just pack it in, but frankly, we need it, and we need it to succeed.

Unfortunately, that's much easier said than done. NBA Live has struggled to get to where it needs to be over the past decade. Again, it brings me no joy to say that, nor do I relish pointing out that not only has its quality suffered, but so has its relevance. Indeed, a friend of mine who isn't really into basketball, but picked up NBA 2K20 on special after watching The Last Dance, mentioned he was surprised that EA Sports doesn't have a new basketball game out. It's not surprising that someone who isn't into the scene doesn't know the full story behind the fall of NBA Live, but nevertheless, it speaks volumes about its relevance today. The question is: can EA change that?
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: The Online Experience We'll Never Have

Postby Andrew on Mon Jun 08, 2020 2:08 pm

ICYMI, I've also fixed the link for last week's article.

Andrew wrote:Monday Tip-Off: The Online Experience We'll Never Have

Aside from some admittedly fun sessions of 3v3 Pro-Am and jumping into The Rec after spinning double MyREP on the Prize Wheel, I've not been playing online in NBA 2K20. I'd been dabbling with a session or two in The Rec every so often, but in order to finally let MyCAREER go, I've focused on finishing my rookie season and generally avoided taking part in any of the connected experiences. Thanks to so many hit-or-miss sessions, I no longer have the same enthusiasm for the online experience that I once did. It's made it much easier to abstain from those modes.

Even the satisfying runs in 3v3 Pro-Am had their annoyances. Despite playing well and even winning eight games in a single session, I somehow dropped from 99.9 to 99.4 Overall, spotlighting some of the major flaws with the MyREP and Overall Rating systems in NBA 2K20. Of course, the tendency to punish rather than reward is just one of the problems with the online experience in NBA 2K. It's unfortunate, as online play in NBA 2K should be so much better than it is. From issues with lag and matchmaking to meta-gaming and what it takes to get there, I can't help thinking about the online experience that NBA 2K should offer, but we're unlikely to see.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: The Right Combination With Locker Codes

Postby Andrew on Mon Jun 15, 2020 2:22 pm

Monday Tip-Off: The Right Combination With Locker Codes

In one of my earliest Monday Tip-Off articles back in 2015, I criticised Locker Codes for the way they'd been implemented in NBA 2K. At the time, all codes were severely limited in both quantity and the amount of time gamers had to redeem them. To that point, gamers in different time zones rarely had a chance to successfully redeem any codes. Even if you made it a point to wait around for a Locker Code drop with the game loaded and code entry screen in front of you, the limited quantity always meant that your chances of successfully redeeming a prize were incredibly slim.

Furthermore, Locker Codes often yielded useless rewards, such as 100 VC or MT, or a shoe or animation for your MyPLAYER, even if you weren't playing MyCAREER. It's for that reason I included Locker Codes in a Friday Five list of useless features back in 2017. At the time I received some pushback on Twitter from someone who clearly didn't bother to read my explanation, which was that while the concept wasn't bad or pointless, the execution of the idea limited their usefulness. Fortunately, that's no longer the case. Over the past couple of years, NBA 2K19 and NBA 2K20 have made much better use of Locker Codes, and deserve credit for making that change.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: The Changing Face of NBA 2K

Postby Andrew on Mon Jun 22, 2020 3:27 pm

Monday Tip-Off: The Changing Face of NBA 2K

Back in early May, I noticed a Tweet from Brian Mazique, in which he responded to the suggestion that NBA Live should be free to play as a way to win people back as they try to return to prominence. He described NBA Live as being irrelevant, noting that when it comes to NBA 2K, Visual Concepts and Take-Two are looking at games like Fortnite and Call of Duty as the competition and sources of ideas for engagement. It may sound harsh, and there are a lot of people who want to see NBA Live succeed and would be willing to make the switch if it did, but it's an apt statement.

In fact, it's apt on two counts. Gaining relevance and market share is obviously one of the challenges facing NBA Live, and that's something I've previously discussed here in Monday Tip-Off. However, Brian is also quite right that with NBA 2K becoming a fixture in pop culture, and in some ways transcending its genre, its peers are popular games like Fortnite and the Call of Duty series. That's a great position for NBA 2K to be in, but it's also a troubling one for enthusiastic hoop heads. To state the obvious, those games are not basketball titles, whereas NBA 2K is. Competing with and borrowing from those games has resulted in a changing face and identity for NBA 2K.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: The Changing Face of NBA 2K

Postby [Q] on Mon Jun 22, 2020 5:41 pm

Actually, F2P might be a great route to go. Not in a disgusting, money grabbing way like some mobile games (or 2k) are lol

Just look at what EA did with Apex Legends. They took a brand new IP and made such a big splash that they forced competitors and long standing leaders of the genre to take notice, make changes, and even steal ideas. Also, they made a game good enough to make them quite a bit of money without having players give up any money unless they really wanted to. I think the success of the game has allowed them to revive the Titanfall franchise that it was based on as well.

Imagine if they made a great F2P game called like NBA Play or something (not called Live) to give gamers a brand new fresh look at NBA gaming. Like Apex, you can unlock stuff for free just by playing the game but all the extra cosmetics that you can collect are through a battle pass or loot box system (which they've already attempted in Live). Maybe start with a few modes like Live Pro Am, Exhibition, Court Battles, UT, but really solidify the gameplay and recreate the in arena environment from Live 10. Keep out some of the weak points of the series like commentary and Dynasty (hate to say it Andrew). If they just make a really fun free game to play, especially one that does some things really well or even better than 2k, them players will have to take notice
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: The Changing Face of NBA 2K

Postby Andrew on Mon Jun 22, 2020 10:03 pm

If we're talking about NBA Live, then it's an interesting idea. It's a moot point if the gameplay isn't up to scratch, though. If that remains the case, people aren't going to want to play it, for free or otherwise, and the F2P model would probably turn off a lot of people who want those traditional experiences. It'd be the nail in the coffin, rather than a renaissance. I foresee obnoxious advertising, too.

As for NBA 2K, they make money hand over fist by selling a new game every year, and then having microtransactions on top of that. No way that they go F2P with business booming under the current model.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: A New Big Man on Campus

Postby Andrew on Mon Jun 29, 2020 2:07 pm

Monday Tip-Off: A New Big Man on Campus

I documented my experiences trying out a big man build that was similar to the way I played in my local league as a teenager many years ago, in a previous article that I titled MyPLAYER in the Middle. As I noted in that feature, playing as a big man after years of MyCAREER games as a point guard felt very strange and quite frustrating at times. It was, as you would expect, a major adjustment with such a drastic change in role, to say nothing of going back to being a 60 Overall after maxing out my point guard build at 99.9 Overall. At the same time, it was an interesting experience.

Of course, playing online is a whole different brand of virtual basketball, and I was curious to see how it compared to my experiences as a point guard. I've often heard that it's easier to get games in The Rec as a big man, as they tend to be in higher demand due to a majority of gamers opting for point guard and wing builds. Having played several Rec games with guard-heavy squads, and sometimes struggling to get games because of people quitting to avoid that scenario, I was hopeful that that would hold true for my alternate build. As far as the quality of the on-court experience was concerned...well, I figured The Rec would always be The Rec, but it was worth a try.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: We DO Give a Damn 'Bout a Bad MyREP System

Postby Andrew on Mon Jul 06, 2020 2:33 pm

Monday Tip-Off: We DO Give a Damn 'Bout a Bad MyREP System

Keeping an annually-released basketball game fresh in a way that satisfies its toughest critics - the hardcore hoops gamers - is easier said than done. Take a ranking and rewards system such as MyREP, for example. If it's the same year after year, we're prone to complain about it being too stale and familiar. If it changes, there's bound to be a lot of people who preferred the old system, as well as those that were open to a change, but aren't feeling the new approach. There's also the issue of having to start over from scratch every year; a common complaint in general these days.

I want to talk about both of those issues related to MyREP: its use as both a reward and matchmaking system, and the concept of being able to carry over rep from the previous game. It's something I'd like to see NBA 2K get right as we enter a new generation with online basketball gaming as popular as it's ever been, yet also in rough shape. Because of its effects on features and the online experience, it's more than a cosmetic badge. We have good reason to give a damn about a bad MyREP system. Yes, that is a reference to "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, and indeed, I'm keeping the musical motif going as I wax lyrical about this matter.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: Thank You, Rec Quitters!

Postby Andrew on Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:03 pm

Monday Tip-Off: Thank You, Rec Quitters!

Because The Rec can be very hit and miss when it comes to having fun and playing a good game of virtual basketball, I've played much less of it this year. It's a bit more enjoyable when you head there with a friend or two, but with three fifths of our regular NLSC squad understandably skipping NBA 2K20 after being disappointed with NBA 2K19, most of the times I've ventured into The Rec, I've gone there solo. Kenny and I have hopped on for a few sessions together though, and while there's been frustration, we've at least been able to work (and commiserate) together.

That's what we did last Saturday. Both of us were having a quiet evening at home - kind of the way it goes with the current pandemic, after all - so I hit him up about jumping on for a game or two. The first game was a frustrating overtime loss that we really shouldn't have been in a position to win, yet could've if not for poor decision-making and clock management by our teammates. Thanks to some mic trouble, we also weren't able to chat during that contest. After resolving that issue, we decided to play one more game, in which our three teammates all quit in the first quarter after we fell behind 15-5. As I said, I'd like to send out a thank you to those Rec quitters.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: 3v3 Pro-Am in NBA 2K20 is...FUN?!?

Postby Andrew on Mon Jul 20, 2020 3:55 pm

Monday Tip-Off: 3v3 Pro-Am in NBA 2K20 is...FUN?!?

I've been critical of the lack of proper matchmaking and new restrictions on 5v5 Pro-Am since the latter was introduced in NBA 2K19. Last week, I noted that it took all three of our teammates quitting for Kenny and I to have one of the best games we've ever had in The Rec. I'm on record declaring that NBA 2K's online experience is in really rough shape, regardless of its general popularity and engagement numbers. Despite some fun games here and there, I stand by that as being the case on the whole. There are many improvements that could be made to online play in NBA 2K.

However, I have found an online mode in NBA 2K20 that has been fun more often than not. So fun in fact, I've titled this article like a clickbait YouTube video. The NLSC squad hasn't had a 5v5 Pro-Am game this year as we haven't had the numbers, but on a few occasions we have been able to get three of us together. Normally in that situation we'd head to The Rec, where it's a little easier to control things when you account for more than half of the team, or maybe The Playground, but not so much this year. Instead, we've given 3v3 Pro-Am a try, and I'd have to say that it may be the most consistently fun online mode in NBA 2K20.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: Influencers on the Virtual Hardwood

Postby Andrew on Mon Jul 27, 2020 2:08 pm

Monday Tip-Off: Influencers on the Virtual Hardwood

If you take part in basketball gaming Twitter, you'll recall that not too long ago, Flight publicly rebuffed overtures from Ronnie 2K to be brought into the fold as one of the "official" influencers for NBA 2K. I won't go into the whole history of everything that happened between Flight and Ronnie, in part because it's not really my brand, but also because there are others that can tell the story in more detail. The tl;dr version is that Ronnie publicly blackballed Flight from getting a logo, calling him a "bully" over some of his remarks. He's since changed his tune, but for Flight it's little, too late.

Look, while I can appreciate brands and digital marketers picking and choosing who they want to work with, and find it understandable if they're hesitant to collaborate with someone when there's been some friction, I really have to commend Flight in this situation. The exposure and other perks influencers gain from having agreements with 2K would be tough for most people to turn down; even if it does mean giving up some autonomy in your content. To rebuff Ronnie's offer that came now that his audience makes him too appealing to blackball shows guts and integrity on Flight's part. It's an example that all influencers in the basketball gaming community should follow.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: The Decline of MyCAREER Offline

Postby Andrew on Mon Aug 03, 2020 2:30 pm

Monday Tip-Off: The Decline of MyCAREER Offline

MyCAREER has been my main mode of choice since I was drawn to it back in NBA 2K13. As I've mentioned on many occasions, I've felt a desire to return to my roots as a franchise gamer - especially given the depth currently on offer in MyLEAGUE - and have also spent time with MyTEAM, as well as Ultimate Team in NBA Live over the past generation. However, MyCAREER has been difficult to quit, particularly as I've grown to appreciate the online scene through 2K Pro-Am. The connected experience offers several benefits, but it's also contributed to the decline of MyCAREER offline.

I was originally going to cover this in a Friday Five article which would've been titled "5 Ways Offline MyCAREER Is Worse", but I decided that the list format wouldn't do the issue justice. One of the major reasons for my change of heart and mind is that I stumbled across this Reddit post from about five months back, outlining the way that MyCAREER offline has been downgraded over the years. It was well-researched, and I must credit it here as a source of information for the specific changes I've noted. Its title was apt, too. It's a matter that doesn't receive nearly enough attention, and I'd like to rectify that by covering it today, while also considering some possible solutions.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: Who Is Anderson Murray?

Postby Andrew on Mon Aug 10, 2020 2:14 pm

Monday Tip-Off: Who Is Anderson Murray?

Who is Anderson Murray? That is the title of today's article, and it's also a question that you'll see popping up on Reddit and Operation Sports if you Google the name. The Anderson Murray in question is a player that appears in NBA 2K20, albeit only in MyCAREER. I feel confident in saying that thanks to basketball gamers, he's ended up playing for every team in the league. Don't look for him in the record books next to Chucky Brown, Joe Smith, and Jim Jackson, however. Don't search for him over on Basketball Reference, either. You won't find him listed there.

No doubt there are actually people in the world called Anderson Murray, but none of them are currently playing in the NBA. And yet, there he is on the roster of every team. It seems that everyone has a different story when it comes to Murray. For some NBA 2K20 gamers, he's an annoyance; a player that's guaranteed to turn in subpar performances and someone they can't wait to be rid of. For other gamers, however, he's a reliable teammate who's frequently helpful in padding assist numbers. His number and jersey may vary, but there's one constant. Gamers wonder who Anderson Murray is, and just what he's doing appearing as our teammate in MyCAREER.
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Andrew
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: That One Change Every Year

Postby Andrew on Mon Aug 17, 2020 3:22 pm

Monday Tip-Off: That One Change Every Year

It's fair to say that we want to see change in basketball video games year-to-year; for the better, ideally! As much as we criticise the parts of games we don't like, we have seen quite a few positive changes that have improved the overall on-court experience. Basketball games have come a long way, and it's clear that some of our feedback has been taken into consideration by the developers. It always comes as welcome news when a major frustration is addressed in a new game, and the new approach allows us to enjoy it a lot more than its predecessor.

And then, there are the changes we don't want to see. Everything was fine and the way we liked it, and suddenly, it's drastically different. Sometimes it's a matter of getting used to the change, but other times, it's a pointless switch from something that was working and didn't need to be touched. Whether it's a major gameplay mechanic, a menu option, or something content-related, it's a rare game that doesn't have at least one noticeable change that won't sit well with many of us. It may not completely ruin a game, and it may not be important to absolutely everyone, but it's significant enough for a number of us to be bothered by the difference to the previous year's release.
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Re: Monday Tip-Off: Unfinished NBA 2K20 Business

Postby Andrew on Mon Aug 24, 2020 4:25 pm

Monday Tip-Off: Unfinished NBA 2K20 Business

As I'm writing this, I haven't pre-ordered NBA 2K21. That may change by the time you're reading it, because I do intend to buy the Current Gen version of the game. In fact, I'm leaning towards getting the Mamba Forever Edition, in order to save money on the PlayStation 5 release later this year. The only reason I haven't pre-ordered as yet is because there's still time to do so, and it doesn't matter whether you pre-order several weeks or just a few days in advance. They're not going to run out of copies, and I'll receive the bonuses either way.

Of course, with the release of NBA 2K21 looming, the clock is ticking on NBA 2K20. In fact, as this article is going live, we're on the cusp of NBA 2K21's demo being released. That means pretty soon, we'll all be turning our attention away from NBA 2K20...or will we? The game has already received content beyond the usual cut-off, thanks to the NBA's hiatus and restart; a situation that also means that NBA 2K21 will be released with this season's rosters, and before the 2020 Playoffs are even over no less. With that in mind, I could definitely see myself sticking with NBA 2K20 a little while longer, or at least going back to it after trying out its successor.
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