The Official PC/PS360 NBA 2K14 Impressions Thread

[deihatein]

Gameplay seems to be a bit messy. I played 5 minutes and the ball was kicked out of bounds twice. I noticed the players tends to get together, too many players in the same place (can't explain better, sorry). Defense is harder.
I'll test it deeper these days.

BTW, "Depth of field" option was already available in 2K13.

As sim guru Da_Czar said, you won't really notice much of the gameplay changes if you prefer a casual gamestyle. Here is a video where he talks about the changes on the pick and roll although the footage he got was from an earlier game 2K devs livestream not too long, I think it still applies though.

phpBB [video]

[erudain]

Hello everyone.

No Q&A thread this year?
I will leave this here and if you then open a Q&A thread, please move this post there.

I haven't bought the game yet.
I would like to ask you if they solved some of the following bugs/glitchs of past versions and if they listened to some of the community requests.
Most are from My Career mode, which is the mode I play mostly, but some of this errors also applyed to other game modes.

Depending on the answer I'll get the game or just patch and continue using 2k13

Bugs/glitchs:

- replay bugs: selecting Nike ID shoes only showed one dunk replay, after that it was always a black screen.

- 2 x 1 draft pick: the team that drafts you gets you and the player they originally would have picked (i.e. last year Bulls pick 30: me & Teague is also on the roster)

- Playvision didn't work on My Career mode. Had to use Leftos workaround tool for it to show, of freeze the values with Cheat Engine.

- Signing a contract extention in My Career causes the game to crash/freeze.

- Twitter bug: after going over 1 millon followers your tweets were blank, they would return randomly, but then dissapear again randomly.

- Weird positions in game: CPU will asign you as C or PF when you are a guard, even while having back ups PF or Cs available.

- All Star voting bug: you were a sub even if you were the most voted player.

- Finals home court bug: lower seeded team had always home court advantage.

- No injuries from year 2 onwards.

- New rookies generated with minimum stats.


And now I ask for a couple thing we've been asking for 2 years. Has any of these been added?

- Home & away shoe colors for My Player like in 2k11. Your team mates switch from white + home team color to dark + away team colors, while your player is stuck with just one color. You have to switch them manually.

- Sliders inside My Career mode. The default sliders every difficulty has sucks. If you make your custom/realistic sliders outside that game mode, you are forced to freezes sliders values with Cheat Engine before entering the game mode.

- Be able to choose which home jersey (i.e. white or yellow for the Lakers) or away jersey (red or black for the Bulls) you want to use?


Well those are all that come to my mind right now.
Again if you open a Q&A thread please move this over there.

Expecting your answers, thanks

[hova-]

Just played a few minutes, so this is just a quick impression.

- blocking seems fun with the right players. This will finally make some big men useful that just had no sense at all in the game.

- collision etc feel better, makes defense more realistic

- i dont know about the pro stick. I managed to get used to all control changes since 2k8, but this time I have serious doubts. Its just not precise enough if you ask me

- removing the hop step button is a big step backwards. Used it all the time and doing these moves with the new stick control is very difficult. Maybe that was the main cause for it, making it more difficult, but controls have to be precise in video games, that is my opinion

- some new animations, but graphics are the same ... for a PC user like me, it's unplayable without patches. Had to install sweetFX because I just could not play without it. Looking forward for textmod patches to enhance the graphics

[deluxxe]

No problems with menus here, i7 3930 4ghz and GTX570 system

depth of field - does the background blur in cut scenes and close ups

probably just my drivers. The gamepplay performance is flawless. Getting 60fps with everything maxed (4xAA and vysnc on in Nvidia control panel)
I'm on an MSI gaming laptop and it's got a 770m in it, which i think is still pretty new so might be some driver kinks.
I'm not bothered though... i can deal with choppy menus as long as the actual game is smooth.

[buzzy]

After one game on Pro w/ default sliders

+ AI seems smarter and more aggressive. They are looking to score.
+ Some cool animations around the hoop.
+ Player textures (PC)
+ Better Fastbreak AI on your team, guys run the lane much smarter. No more stopping at the top of the key on a 2 on 1.

- Controls. A step back in my opinion. They basically crammed the two face buttons we had last year (X for euro step, B for hop step) into the shot stick, which all around makes me feel like I have less control over what I'm doing. And since I changed the Pro stick setting so I can shoot with LT+right stick, I have no idea how to do the fancy passes and alley oops anyway, so I'm not gaining anything by it.
- Way too much helping one pass away by the AI, which creates unnecessary wide open shots too often for you and your opponent.

+/- Blocks. Blocks everywhere.


If I could just use 2k13's control scheme I'd be happy. Apart from that I like the changes they made.

[volsey]

Played a couple quick games, before jumping into MyCareer. Currently about 18 games into the season, played them all, yea I took most of the day off.

Haven't noticed much improvement spacing wise. Still seems to get cramped and clogged up at times.

Collisions are much less magnetic. The suction is gone, and in its place friction is added which is the way it should be. You'll still get slowed down manoeuvring through the paint, which is a good thing.

Blocks actually happen. Don't seem OP yet.

Pick and roll rotations improvements are noticeable immediately. Much less dish to roller for easy bucket cheese. As a big man defender, I just got rapped by not hedging around the screen to put pressure on Steph Curry. Exactly as it should be.

Disappointed by the ball movement and offense setup. Haven't seen teams take advantage of big men like I read in some previews.

Biggest UGHHHHH for me thus far is that shot selection is whack. Jeremy Lamb took nearly 40 shots last game while Durant had taken 2 (no joke) up until the last 2 minutes of the game (then he scored 8 quickly which was nice to see). Next game (currently playing) Lamb already has 7 shots in first 5 minutes.... ugh....

3 pointers in general just seem WAYYYYYY too frequent. San Antonio was 16-34 from 3 last game. Penetration seems to be severely lacking, as well as midrange shots. It's all inside from a dish, or long range thus far. Supremely disappointed.

Minor improvements to MyCareer are nice to see. The drills menu restructure, the increase in skill points given after each game, also as a player you seem to progress faster. I'm already starting for the THunder after maybe 15 games, even though I'm only 68 OVR, although I've been putting up double doubles over the last 5 games.

Controls are iffy. Seems to be new dribble moves, which look nice for certain players, but simple things like pump fakes, are difficult to make now. And in my little experience, I did shoot a few unintended shots.

When playing 5v5 (ie outside of MyCareer) I have a problem with the control and camera relative setting. So you can set the right stick to be camera relative or absolute as last year. I like dribbling with absolute but shooting is just much more intuitive with camera relative. I know the easiest remedy is just to get used to camera relative, but it would have been nice to differentiate the camera relative/absolute setting for shooting and dribble moves. This coincides with complaints users have with the right stick being too busy. Honestly I haven't fiddled too much as I'm a big man and have really only used it for post moves thus far.

Rebounding still sucks. Come... on...

Weird possessions where CPU players hold the ball and do nothing for the full shotclock are still there. Maybe once a game (so pretty often, more than I remember).

Contact and shots inside are much improved.

Late game CPU AI seems improved, teams will begin throwin 3's when down big with time running out.

I had the game set on Arcade mode for ~8 games by accident, and noticed too many 3's. Switched to simluation, noticed zero difference in anything honestly. If anything maybe even more 3's. No difference in pace, passing, low post action etc.

Pace is the way it should be. For the first time in a year I've finally seen teams have greater time of possession than me. Fast break bug (and it was a bug) is gone. CPU will break out when appropriate without stopping and hucking a midrange shot just because you didn't convert on the other end.

Ball seems to be more open to physics ala 2k12. More loose balls from dribbling, more strips and turnovers etc.

Loose balls still seem to be far in favour of the CPU. Blocked shots always wind up back in their hands. They get offensive rebounds off of close misses because they recover faster from a shot, than you do from a shot-contest. Hustle slider may fix this however.

Summary
Many noticeable improvements, much better overall feel, however shot selection is frustrating right now. Shouldn't be an issue outside of MyCareer really though.

I rate it FIVE BBQ ribs out of THREEVE chicken pot pies.

Side note question (in the wrong place). Anyway to adjust MyCareer sliders (ie tool) without having to start a separate program every time before starting up the game

[Patr1ck]

I'm loving the balance of player speed from moving forward to changing direction. It seems either the players are slightly faster when moving in straight directions, or they are slightly slower on direction changes. It improves the spacing and gives you more of a risk to your angles since you can't recover as quickly. Basically more of a weighted feeling to the players.

The control and movement over your player is probably the best ever in an NBA 2K game. Especially on defense. You can really fight for position and any collision animations are quick and don't throw you completely off your assignment. Boxing out triggers a lot quicker and as long as you get some good position, offensive rebounds won't be an issue. However, in my first game there was a sequence where New Orleans grabbed about 5 offensive rebounds in one position, yet I was able to stop them from scoring under the basket with defenders crowding and contesting.

I'm not so sure about this new blocking system. Apparently, 2K13 only needed some good sliders, the right defensive settings in-game(pressure/help d) and you could get some great blocks that felt good. So far many of the attempts are late and there is a lot of goaltending happening. On the contrary, there are several block animations that happen instantly and knock the ball loose. I already got a chasedown dunk block with Lebron on Danny Green who decided to do a two-handed cock-back dunk with LBJ trailing. This system is looking better out of the box than last years and 2K12's blocking system. If the "ball tracking" technology is inverse kinematics, it's quite powerful and can result in too many(like Elite 11/2K12).

Loving the "live ball" as crossing and spinning into your opponent results in loose balls and scrambling hustle plays.

I thought the pro stick would have a delay/lag issue with holding the stick to perform shots, but it seems the devs thought of that and actually anticipate when you are going to shoot sometimes because there were instances that I got really quick shots off like it was just a shot stick.

The speed of the ball when passing has been improved. The actual player animations don't seem much faster, but the ball can be whipped around quicker. With the added feeling of weight to player movement, this allows you to really find teammates wide open.

The CPU AI looks like it has really improved. They look for their scorers and don't seem to run the same plays over and over again like in the past. They reset when you defend well and ballhandlers and scorers know how to go get the ball in those situations. For instance, against the Pelicans, Anthony Davis ended up at the perimeter with the ball after a reset play and Eric Gordon posted up. I backed off Davis knowing he wasn't going to shoot, trying to bait the pass and get the steal. Davis recognized a lane and drove all the way to the basket and scored. I couldn't recover in time.

Still getting used to the pro stick as I accidentally end up making flashy passes. I kind of want to go back to the 2K13 scheme but don't want to lose the flashy passes since those are just highlight butter for my Clips.

buzzy, flashy passes are Left trigger/L2 and right stick passing. Alleyoop is left trigger/L2 and shoot button.

[fjccommish]

"Biggest UGHHHHH for me thus far is that shot selection is whack. Jeremy Lamb took nearly 40 shots last game while Durant had taken 2 (no joke) up until the last 2 minutes of the game (then he scored 8 quickly which was nice to see). Next game (currently playing) Lamb already has 7 shots in first 5 minutes.... ugh.... "

Yes, that's part of superstars not playing like superstars. It's not that unexpected guys lead the team in scoring on occasion, it's that the superstars infrequently lead the team in points and in shots taken.

[volsey]

Yea right now Jeremy Lamb is a top 10 scorer in the league while shooting ~41% from the field. Quite frustrating considering Durant and Westbrook have been known to be decent scorers in real life.

I just played the Pacers, beautiful game. 91-86 game score, god the pace was just sooo satisfying. Complete 180 vs the high paced Spurs.

[hova-]

buzzy, I totally agree on the controls. I cannot do any hop step shots because I simply don't understand how to do. You have to use both sticks at the same time which is quite difficult. Maybe I'll get used to it ... I will definitely give it some time, but I think switching back is a good idea because the "fancy passing" does not seem to have a real use.

Pdub, definitely way improved speed of the players. Like you said, they are dynamic when you are on the run, like sizing up the opponent and blow by him (I did that a lot with Wade so far), but when you have to spin or turn, you will lose speed. It's also easier to chase down opponents on fast breaks because athletic players can go baseline to baseline in a hurry when not dribbling a ball.

About the blocking: What I noticed is, that you get a lot of blocks that are more like "knocking the ball loose", whilst the highlight blocks only happen with players who have a good blocking attribute. Turning it down via sliders should be an option. I rather have a block system where I have to tone down blocks than no blocks even with the blocking slider at 100.

[Gamalil]

Physics of players - better

Defense - better

Moves - better

Graphic - better

AI of players - better

Controls- better

2k14 nba - works just fine for me ))

P.S. the only fail is that - opposing team don't guard my players at 3p aria - so I can easily put many distance points

[rafal723]

[PC version}

Well, That's perfect ! <-- how I'd tell you in just few words, if you ask me about the NBA 2K14. The game is so much better, than EVER. Optimisation is on the level of universe, I mean 11/10, I mean it works for me (on my old 2007 PC) better than NBA 2K13&2K12 mixed together. The soundtrack is also unbelievably great. Many songs that mean a lot for me, personally as well as great a little bit older songs. And do you remember, guys, as some of you were nagging when got to know, that LBJ was going to take care of soundtrack list ? The physics. In this year version of NBA 2K basketball, this word means anew. The new control system is also great. So intuitive ! I just can't say a single bad word on NBA 2K14, maybe but they don't add some XBOX console for free. xD

Overall: 10/10

[iforgotmypassword]

does anyone else find it harder to defend the perimeter compared to 2k13? I struggled in my first and only game and I was using Eric Bledsoe.

[el1o]

Is there anyway to remove signature skill? Because they seems bugged as last year...

[BronBron06]

POSITIVES

layups dont look weird especially in traffic

smoothest gameplay ever, I was defragging my PC when playing for the 1st time, no stutters damn finally a console port done perfectly right, the player movement and collisions is like the flow in the river

Baiting Pumpfake and drawing for a foul looks so damn natural

opponents dont sag anymore in the 3 point arc especially on good 3 point shooters, damn its hard to make my 3 point shooters without using plays


NEGATIVES

My only problem with the PC version is those still same old rebounding system and of course current gen graphics...



Overall 2k14 is the best ballgame yet

[buzzy]

buzzy, flashy passes are Left trigger/L2 and right stick passing. Alleyoop is left trigger/L2 and shoot button.

Nah, not if you switched back to the Isomotion/Shot stick setting. The guy just shoots, obviously. I'm going to revert back to the default Prostick setting and try to get accustomed to that, since it looks like thats the way it's meant to be played.

[hova-]

buzzy, i went to training camp mode and its still possible to perform euro steps and hop steps layups quite easily. Some of the post moves were moved to the "shoot" button, which is something i can live with.

Although I think the flashy passing is useless (most times the passes are not even flashy), it seems possible to get used to the pro stick.

[deluxxe]

buzzy, i went to training camp mode and its still possible to perform euro steps and hop steps layups quite easily. Some of the post moves were moved to the "shoot" button, which is something i can live with.

Although I think the flashy passing is useless (most times the passes are not even flashy), it seems possible to get used to the pro stick.

ya i hated the pro stick at first. I'd set up a nice post move only to kick it out to the perimeter accidentally due to new "flashy pass" controls.
After a few games though I am really starting to like it a lot. Eurostep and Pro hop layups are easier now IMO.

Only thing I can't figure out is how to do is the old style "size up" dribble moves. I went through training camp and it appears they have removed that feature.

[hova-]

deluxxe, it seems like you are automatically sizing up with the dribble moves you do once you enter a one-on-one situation. The between the legs for example looks different when being directly in front of your opponent and kind of "invites" you to blow by.

[Ortho]

Hope somebody can find and post faces of Nemanja Nedovic and Mirza Teletovic from 2k14 because they are really well made!!

...And that's all from 2k14, on all other aspects 2k13 is more fluid and real, especially when using nesa24 gameplay fix.

1.Controls are just ridiculous, I end up shooting when I want to dribble
2 Players are flying on the court, gameplay too too fast, player weight non existent, ball seems too light
3 Defense is strong in cpu team but non existent in players team...
4 "and ones" are too easy to make..
5 Sometimes I see players just stutter and move their position on the field, like..disappearing on a moment

and blocks are ~10 per quarter when they show player running like just before the replay they are shredded, this is a disaster of a game.

[iforgotmypassword]

im finding it hard to do one on one moves from the perimeter.....any tips?

[Mr.13 in 33]

I find it kinda dumb that you can't do a practice nor scrimmage with the Euro teams

[fjccommish]

I've played a few games locked in as a center. This has been extremely frustrating. After a quarter I feel like I've run a marathon from trying to get into position for rebounds, and just countering all the suction/animation/forced moves my center makes.

Plays that involve picks are nearly impossible to run. As soon as the play vision shows the pick, the ball handler runs around the pick spot. There is 0 time to get to position to set the pick. The play won't continue until I set the pick at the spot. That means I'm constantly setting picks in the middle of nowhere. The ball handler already moved past the spot, but I have to set the pick to continue the play.

I get into position for a rebound, box out, but some force holds me down from jumping. Most of the time the player behind me, the boxed out player, uses this unknown force to hold me down while he slides around me for the rebound. If I do jump, most of the time the ball bounces off my hands or my head. The player doesn't try to grab the ball. It bounces either out of bounds or into the hands of the opposing player.

About 40-50% of the time my player moves without my input - either responding to suction or to some ridiculous animation. One play I was between the opposing center and the basket. The opposing center received a pass. My player jumped, without my input, then when I tried to follow the opposing center to the basket my player moved the opposite way from the direction I was pushing on the control. On another play I boxed out Jeremy Lin (Rockets). But when the shot missed, he pushed past me, shoving me from the paint all the way stumbling to the sideline. J. Lin got the rebound.

Trying to defend an alley oop is a nightmare. The opposing center slides around me, then I go into slow motion while he runs full speed to the basket for the dunk.

I'm going into practice to see if there's a way to counter all this forced movement.

[Gamalil]

After couple of more games I also notice this - my players tends to just lost their man in defense which leads to easy points for them images/smilies/icon_eyecrazy.gif

[Spree#8]

I've played a few games locked in as a center. This has been extremely frustrating. After a quarter I feel like I've run a marathon from trying to get into position for rebounds, and just countering all the suction/animation/forced moves my center makes.

[...]

I get into position for a rebound, box out, but some force holds me down from jumping. Most of the time the player behind me, the boxed out player, uses this unknown force to hold me down while he slides around me for the rebound. If I do jump, most of the time the ball bounces off my hands or my head. The player doesn't try to grab the ball. It bounces either out of bounds or into the hands of the opposing player.

About 40-50% of the time my player moves without my input - either responding to suction or to some ridiculous animation. One play I was between the opposing center and the basket. The opposing center received a pass. My player jumped, without my input, then when I tried to follow the opposing center to the basket my player moved the opposite way from the direction I was pushing on the control. On another play I boxed out Jeremy Lin (Rockets). But when the shot missed, he pushed past me, shoving me from the paint all the way stumbling to the sideline. J. Lin got the rebound.

Trying to defend an alley oop is a nightmare. The opposing center slides around me, then I go into slow motion while he runs full speed to the basket for the dunk.

Sorry that this post won't be much of an impression, but I just have to say that this sounds exactly like 2K13, with a slight difference in rebounding: in 2K13 people just jump right over your boxout without ever getting called for going over the back. All that time playing, I was wondering why they even bothered putting boxing out in the game if it never works.

Pro tip to everyone: don't play My Career as a bigman (seemingly 95% play as PGs anyway). While I don't have 2K14 at this time, I've heard that rebounding is still a disaster, but at least they put blocks back in the game. People are saying you can actually play defense this year and the teammate AI is a bit better, so I'll probably end up getting it after a price drop.