NBA 2K17 Prelude - MyCareer early start on 9/9

[Andrew]

Absolutely. The only things we know for sure are that The Prelude won't be available on PC - perhaps it wasn't feasible, even if it's technically possible - and that the PC version won't support face scanning through the MyNBA2K17 app. That is disappointing as it would've been a very convenient way of making face scanning widely available on PC, but it is possible that there's a deal with Intel that's preventing that. We can assume everything else is identical, unless and until we hear otherwise.

[ThePointForward]

BTW face scans are starting to appear on reddit... Looks like it's about the same as last year:







Or people are just unable to follow instructions...

[Andrew]

Either way, I'm not getting any sleep tonight.

[MaxMBox]

Yep. I've already said today on some russian forum that someone who are making moovie\game 'bout zombies should take 2K's FaceScan engine instead of spending money for some more expensive propriate technologies.

[ThePointForward]

I still think to get accurate scan you need to

1) Follow instructions - more light is better, don't change your facial expression mid scan etc
2) Be black

[iamSamke]

Downloading Prelude right now! I'm really excited!

[iamSamke]

Seems like it is impossible to face scan using PS Camera and MyNBA2K17 is not avaliable in Serbia.

[TBM]

Seems like it is impossible to face scan using PS Camera and MyNBA2K17 is not avaliable in Serbia.

I'm sure you can just download the apk from a 3rd party (assuming you're on Android).

[jmmontoro]

Amazon Underground. Can't understand why 2K blocks it on Google Play for certain regions.

[ThaLiveKing]

Finished the Prelude, it was kind of underwhelming, I believe it was mostly to get cash from the VC since your MyPlayer is trash (55 rating). When I played with Team USA I actually had a better game that the college games. The graphics definitely are a step up from last year in terms of lighting and realism, the game play in 2KU was pretty fluid, I would enjoy it more if didn't pause every time I was gonna do something lol. So far 2K isn't enough to get me away from NHL right now, the game feels like 2K16 in some ways with better presentation.

[Andrew]

The whole thing should be finished installing by now, so I should be able to do something more than 2KU. Definitely agree that the 2KU tutorial could've been done better. It was a nice idea, but a bit repetitive at times, and it was kind of random as to when certain information was displayed. For anyone who's completely new to the game, I could see it being a bit confusing.

Gameplay did feel very smooth and responsive though, at least in 2KU (which again, is all I've been able to play so far). Probably the most responsive 2K has ever felt on the sticks, so that's very promising. The shot meter feels a lot like what EA did with NBA Live 16, which on the whole I do prefer, so I like that. It shouldn't take much to get used to. Timing releases on layups will take some more getting used to, but that didn't feel too bad either. I'd say the changes definitely aren't as complex as they might have seemed when first described. I don't think the learning curve will be too bad for returning gamers.

[zz21]

https://twitter.com/LD2K/status/774412077133803522

[Andrew]

Awesome!

[TGsoGood]

I just made a thread about this, I did not realize someone had already shared the news with the community. Should I delete the other thread or what?

[Andrew]

A second thread is fine, this thread should really be for Prelude impressions and discussion, and it's important to spotlight that news.

[iamSamke]

Is anyone else having problem with sprint? Sometimes when I'm sprinting, my player just walks and then few seconds later, he finally runs. That really annoys me.

[TGsoGood]

Is anyone else having problem with sprint? Sometimes when I'm sprinting, my player just walks and then few seconds later, he finally runs. That really annoys me.

On OS and reddit, users mentioned this

[iamSamke]

Ok, so it's not just me. Is there any chance 2K fix it?

[Andrew]

Perhaps not in the prelude, but it might be one of the first things addressed in a patch for the full game.

[[Q]]

Squad intro called "The Glitch" lol

http://www.polygon.com/2016/9/10/12873922/nba-2k-jesus-bynum-glitch

[Andrew]

Yeah, I saw that last week. Kind of a petty shot, in my opinion.

Speaking of opinions, here's my take on The Prelude...

Gameplay-wise, I'm feeling optimistic about the full game. I did notice that the game felt a bit smoother in the broadcast angle than 2K Cam, so that could be an issue for 2K Pro-Am and MyCAREER. It could just be because my MyPLAYER's stats aren't fantastic. That's a problem in and of itself, too. Once again, you're supposed to be a big deal, but your ratings don't support that part of the story. It's tough to actually play like that, and it causes another disconnect where the commentators keep talking about what a big deal you are, but the stuff in between games - the 24 Seconds segment, the evaluations from writers - are talking about how disappointing you are. It looks like MyCAREER is still trying to have its cake and eat it too, as far as presenting you as a top prospect, but forcing you to grind to actually become a decent player.

Admittedly it's only a taste of the story, but the tone feels a lot better than last year. The stuff about losing your father is a bit cliche in its own right, and I'd much prefer it if a lot of backstory elements like that were up to us to decide and fill in for ourselves, but it's a little better than "Livin' Da Dream", in that it's more universal and "one size fits all". I'm optimistic that the story will at least be more tolerable this year.

The college career seems like it'll be well-handled. I know a lot of people will want to play an entire college season, but with only ten teams in the game, that's kind of tough. I'm fine with just playing a few games to raise your stock - if that's at all possible, with the short length of the games and low ratings - and get started on an NBA career.

Face scanning is a lot easier to accomplish on the mobile app, and I like that there's some feedback on which points it missed, when you need to rescan. The results still leave something to be desired though, and it took a lot of sculpting to get the face looking anything like me (and it still doesn't, really). Turns out there's too much of a shadow on one side of my face as well, which wasn't apparent during player creation, but stuck out like a sore thumb during gameplay and cutscenes. I'm definitely happier that it's being done via a phone app than the PS4 camera however, and it's obviously great news that it's coming to PC, too.

Getting back to the gameplay, the shooting controls are working fine for me. They're not as complex as I thought they might be, and there seems to be a decent amount of leeway as far as the precision of the angle when you're shooting on the stick. Layups are going to take a bit of getting used to. I'm definitely still liking the new Shot Meter though. It takes a bit of getting used to, but it's an approach that I think I ultimately prefer. There's still the issue of CPU defenders sticking to you like glue, however that could perhaps once again be attributed to the poor ratings our MyPLAYERs begin with.

I still like the general idea of archetypes, but I do feel like a couple of them are too restrictive. I ultimately went with Playmaker, because I like playing the role of distributor in both MyCAREER and Pro-Am. It has the most balanced offensive stats for a point guard I feel, but the caps on shooting are a bit low. Considering players like John Stockton were great playmakers and could also shoot the lights out, I think it's a bit shortsighted. Still, let's see how it works after levelling up. I definitely think it's going to be good for Pro-Am, and it's being done in the name of realism, so I'm a fan of the idea in principle at least.

Overall, it was nice to get an early look at the game. I'm more excited about MyLEAGUE and getting together with the guys in Pro-Am, but I do still having a passing interest in MyCAREER, and the gameplay mechanics and feel on the sticks are going to be pretty much the same across modes anyway. If you've got a PS4 or X1, it's worth checking out. I don't know that it'll totally make up your mind if you're on the fence, but it'll definitely give you some point of reference.

[ThePointForward]

So I was able to try out Prelude to get a feel for the game, some things I took away:

The 2KU game was painful. Constant stops in the gameplay, usually in unrelated moments (just poked the ball from the guy, game stops with "here's how you take charge"). I'd like to see the good old training camp back to be honest.

CAP... Like I said before, I think it should get high on priority list, because all created players kinda look like siblings feature wise. That said, I'll try the face scan feature in full game, but I fully expect it to be horrible for me (I never managed to get a good scan last year on PS4).

Story: No choices in the prelude, only few cutscenes (which I liked way more than last year's). I hope the "choices that have consequences" start quickly after the college though.

Gameplay: Felt good. Really good. I immediately noticed big difference in movement, collisions and steals. However AI made a turnover whopping 2 seconds into the match (backcourt violation right after the tip-off).

Visuals: Felt more... cartoonish? (Not that it's necessarily good or bad) And of course it was jaggy, because PS4 and 1440p don't mix too well, but that's not going to be an issue on PC.

2K Store: I have mixed feelings about this. Yes, it makes it more convenient, but at the same time I'm getting this feeling that it steers towards "OK, let's see... 15 attribute upgrades, 2 badge upgrades, 1 set of shooting sleeves and a MyTeam pack... That's gonna be 32480 VC or €6.48".

[Andrew]

Steals did feel better, I agree. With good timing, it seems like there'll be less "Press Steal to Foul" moments.

[Ballyoop]

Squad intro called "The Glitch" lol

http://www.polygon.com/2016/9/10/12873922/nba-2k-jesus-bynum-glitch

2k's a troll

[Dee4Three]

Was hoping for some feedback from those who have played the game.

1. Does the clipping seem to be removed? (Players going through other players, hands through the ball on a steal or block)
2. Are there less body steals/blocks? Are PG's still blocking centers easily?
3. Does the defensive AI seem better? Does the defense seem to react better?

Thanks,