2K18 v 2K17 - Likes and Dislikes

Thought I'd start this thread to see if others felt the same way.

A) Picks

2K18 - Picks set for you from your teammates are completely useless, they don't even slow your defender down. On the other side, the cpu's picks are like brick walls. I've tried for 5 seconds to run through a pick to no avail.
2K17 had the perfect balance of picks, slowing down defenders well depending on who was setting the pick.

B) Speed

2K18 -My 99 speed guy is comically quick. He is insanely fast. However, I've noticed that as I leveled up in speed, it seemed like the cpu defenders did as well and that the entire game just ran at a faster game speed, not just my guy. The speed I sometimes run into defenders should, in real physics, crack bones.
2K17 - perfect balance

C) Mypark

2K18 - hate it. Hate everything about it. From the pointless neighborhood (waiting to use the Gatorade reaction time machine???) to the atrocious top down view in Mypark to the horrendous load times. I've visited MyCourt once (what the heck is the point???). Stupid green dot symbolizes where I am in Mypark and I cannot find my squadmates NOR walk around with the top down view.
2K17 - simplicity works. Love how I was able to get a top down view and see my guy and my squad mates and all meet up at the same court.

D) Matchmaking

2K18 - I don't know if this is a console thing but in order to squad up with a friend, my game needs to quit to main menu, reload mycareer so that we're both in the same Neighborhood. And even then, it would sometimes not find my friends.
2K17 - simple matchmaking and pro am

E) Gameplay

2K18 - court spacing is terrible. Teammates do not give you space to move. My 99 speed PG would beat his guy only to run into a secondary defender. However, my dumbass teammate would just stand there and not go to an open spot to make himself ready for a pass and score. Playcalling did not help much either. Footplanting is also nonexistent. Many instances of my guy running in place. Skating.
2K17 - seemed to have smarter AI on fast breaks and court spacing



Honestly, I cannot think of one thing that 2K18 is better than 2K17 at.

Thx. I'd like to hear obsevations from others as well, before I decide to plunk down 60 bones, for something that's no more than a patch from 2K17. I've heard that the best thing they did was get rid of that stupid asst coach, during TO's.

Thx. I'd like to hear obsevations from others as well, before I decide to plunk down 60 bones, for something that's no more than a patch from 2K17. I've heard that the best thing they did was get rid of that stupid asst coach, during TO's.

I much prefer 2K17.

The defense on the perimeter is better, you actually have to work to get by the defender, and it feels good when you do.

In 2K18, the players feel like they are skating, and sometimes just out of control. I don't feel good about really anything that I pull off, because I the on court action feels sloppy.

2K17 struggled with too many backdoor cuts, and sometimes lame fastbreak defense. But it's nothing compared to the "get by anybody at any time" defense that is on display in 2K18. I never need to pull off a move because I can just run by the guy.

The graphics in 2K18 took a step back imo as well. The lighting is the worst it's ever been, and the atmosphere feels dead. The up close shots of the faces look good, but the bodies look like marshmallows and I feel like there are only like 2 body types in the game. Also, a ton of players have oversized heads, not just bench guys either, legends and all stars.

I much prefer 2K17 (pre heavy patch), and even post patch. Because I feel like it closer emulates real basketball, and you can actually feel what you are doing (I can feel my move, I can feel my shot).

So I am another person that prefers 2K17 over 2K18. But I believe I am in the minority here on NLSC with those thoughts.

JWL3, I have a lot of respect for your opinions and I agree with a lot of things you're saying about this year's game. But weren't you the same guy who last year made threads complaining about passing, shooting, too much contact in the paint and even about how overpowered the screens were? Isn't it possible that you just need some time to adjust to the game?

JWL3, I have a lot of respect for your opinions and I agree with a lot of things you're saying about this year's game. But weren't you the same guy who last year made threads complaining about passing, shooting, too much contact in the paint and even about how overpowered the screens were? Isn't it possible that you just need some time to adjust to the game?

It could very well be. I don't remember my initial reactions to 2k17. And, to be fair, my guy is only 75 rated at this point so the game could change drastically when I get to 95. However, some things will probably not change - what Dee mentioned about just turboing past your guy. They cannot stop you. But they also do not fall for pump fakes OR dribble moves. Good defenders seem to be stuck to me like glue (99 ball handling, 99 speed, no ankle breaker badge) when I try to get fancy. So I just end up saying screw it and just turning on the jets to power my way past them.

Also, the top down view is really bad in MyPark.

Storyline also seems to end after the all star game season 1. Boo boo and shammy wells disappears.

Fair enough. I don't play MyCareer at all so I can't weigh in on that. The "turboing past your guy" though is my main complaint as well. I like this year's game, but this feature kind of ruins it in my opinion.

About pump fakes, sometimes I'm able to get the defender airborne, but it doesn't happen that often.

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To add a few more observations:

a) Full court shots

2K18 a guaranteed to hit the rim no matter what
2K17 - good mix of air balls, backboard only, rim

Never had an airball happen in 2k18 so far

b) Help D is way too fast in 2k18. They can double you and zoom back to their man, making your pass to the open guy pretty pointless. This is made worse by the fact that your teammate just stands in place as his defender comes to double you, not giving you a good target to pass to. End result is that the court feels waaaay too small. I just had a guy double me, I pass to an open cutter, and the same double team guy was able to challenge the layup and force a miss.

Try it in the 2 v 1 drill. The CPU can challenge both your shots.

c) the instant you drive into 2 defenders, your ball handling rating drops to 2. I have never driven into a crowd and NOT lost the ball (99 ball control). Feels fake. Not saying it shouldn't be likely to lose ball, but every time?

The lighting is the worst it's ever been, and the atmosphere feels dead.

Well, without hard work, the lighting can be improved.
Here's a screenshot. On the left, iff files from Celtics 07 to current Bulls. On the right, vanilla current Bulls ;

The lighting is the worst it's ever been, and the atmosphere feels dead.

Well, without hard work, the lighting can be improved.
Here's a screenshot. On the left, iff files from Celtics 07 to current Bulls. On the right, vanilla current Bulls ;

[ Image ]

It is slightly better on the left, but still not even close to good enough. I am still watching for all the mods to improve the lighting, that is not something I know how to edit or fix.

have you try to play on Celtics '07 court ? i think this is the closest to 2K17 stadium feeling.

For this screenshot, I only use led_629, s629 and s629_floor_lightmap.
i havent try yet, but i guess files parameters inside f629.iff could help to improve the result.

have you try to play on Celtics '07 court ? i think this is the closest to 2K17 stadium feeling.

For this screenshot, I only use led_629, s629 and s629_floor_lightmap.
i havent try yet, but i guess files parameters inside f629.iff could help to improve the result.

I have, but it's still weak.

And I think MauMau was working on that aspect of it, and someone else. I will keep checking that section.