NBA 2K12

Got the demo from the US PSN store. Quite underwhelming. I think I prefer the presentation of 2k11 - default camera view makes sprites seem smaller. Not much of a benefit of seeing more of the court.

Main thing about it is how much is missing - you can play as Mavs, against Heat, but not the other way round. No play-calling, no sliders, no defensive settings. Thanks to new control system I have no idea how to do a signature gather. AI players post up all over the court. And I hit a game freezing glitch - a defensive three second violation put me at the free throw line, but my player froze and wouldn't do anything. Also, no option to change difficulty - the demo is on a very low level, and it feels like threes are free with the Mavs. Also, without the commentators the presentation suffers greatly, and audio on dunks seems very subdued.

It's fine, but this demo wouldn't win me over if I didn't play last year's game.

Lots of improvements over last year - AI seems to have stepped up a notch, both for CPU opponents and teammates running plays. The playbook overhaul is really impressive.

I was concerned about the control changes before I played it properly but I'm really liking some of the new stuff. Spin shots may be pointless, but putting a half spin dribble as a tap on the run button is much appreciated, and I'm looking forward to getting the new post moves down.

Haven't played online yet - my timing on blocking has gone out the window in the new game so I have no defence for the time being. But I took a look at the online menu - they seem to have got rid of lobbies and gone for matchmaking? I liked being able to look up stats on prospective opponents with the VIP Viewer last year, hopefully there's a way to do that in 2k12.

Am I the only one feeling totally out of control of what happens in this game? I haven't started My Player mode yet, have been trying to get to grips with the mechanics in exhibition matches and online - and I have a lot of complaints about how this plays as a team game.

When I first played I thought the AI defending had improved - but it hasn't. If you're defending someone in the post, regardless of what you set in the defensive settings menu, some idiotic teammate AI means you always get help defense. The effect is that it leaves someone completely free outside, and I'm seeing a lot of stupid mid-range and three point shots being handed to other team.

On defense again, the point guard's first step is lethal. It's suicide to play tight on-ball if you're close to mid-range because if you edge the left stick to step back if the opponent tries to go past you then you'll go to far, and possibly face the wrong way, holding L2 means you'll go too slow unless you've moving well before your opponent decides what to do, and while holding L2 and R2 for that crab tracking stance is probably the best thing for retreating and to keep facing the right way, it doesn't feel smooth enough.

And if you're not playing tight on ball, then even when walking normally player is moving too little or not enough to be exactly where I want him to be.

If I don't have a ball in my hand, my mobility should be better than when I do - and it doesn't feel like this is the case.

I like that throwing up a block takes much longer to recover from - I wasn't a fan of the spam blocks in 2k11 - but they weren't that effective against a player who could wait a half-second. But in 2k12 I'm watching my player throw up blocks after the ball has gone, the start-up animation doesn't initiate fast enough. The answer to this is not hitting the block button earlier, because you're going to be totally exposed to someone who just pump fakes first every time, and shoots when you can't recover.

I think hands up defence is the way to go, but if that's the case the controls would be better if hands-up was on the steal button and put steal on the right stick.

Also, online is horrible. Not being able to pick who you play based on a ping meter when there was one last year annoys me. But even in low latency games I've played with players in Ireland I have been plagued by lag.

There are a lot of decisions in how the game has changed from last year that I agree with, I'm glad the game has moved away from stupidly running at the basket. But I didn't think there was a problem with the block system on contested jump shots or on point guards playing a sensible distance from their matchup.

Maybe it'll click with me, but right now when I play I know what I want to do, I was led to believe I knew how to do it - and it is not coming together.

sheehy83 wrote: »

Playing tight D turns the player into a snail.

In 2k11 I used L2 a lot for 'intense D', and I guess they've put the speed penalty in there to prevent its abuse. Just tapping L2 at the right time will knock the ball away if the other guy bumps you while dribbling too quickly/loosely, and it can assist with interceptions. For me it's a hard habit to break to let up on using the button. Getting there though. I can move grand when nothing is happening, but when someone starts to run by me suddenly is feels like I'm lunging into the space and tracking the run is tricky.

I think each game I get a little bit more in control of what I want to do. I mean, it was just silly in last years game that the ball was connected to you at all times - and people were always charging around court and never worrying about the ball getting loose. So I'm glad ball control is a bit of an issue, and guards shouldn't get it too easy to steal.

But my control issue affects my game when I try to keep with the ball handler under the screen. I'm getting better at using the help defender to get the block on the shot, but I'd much rather if my PG could just stay with the man.

For the time being I'm setting all double teams to never in defensive settings, and all players to go under the screen with no hedge. Games against the AI have been a bit more manageable. CPU is still hitting threes, some really unlikely ones too, but the percentage is dropping since the marker hasn't left his man all alone.

2k11 broke my heart too when I started playing it, I think it could take me another week to get to grips with this year's version.

Shot quality is based on more than just shot stick timing. You need to make space for the shot, or take a shot that moves you into space. I haven't worked out if it's like 2k11, but it's possible that a later release has more chance of scoring if you are shooting over a block. The longer you shoot for the more follow through, and thus the shot falls shorter. Your player will always try to shoot over a block, and with perfect timing a contested shot will go higher, and a later release will actually be beneficial.

Also, you can make space and miss a perfectly timed shot, but still be graded A+ on it because it had a good percentage chance.

If anybody is trying to play this game online - one thing to note is that the game will disconnect if you change any defensive settings on the loading screen menu. You will get into the game, but at some stage in the first or second quarter the game will throw you back to the menus and report a network error.

In order to get an online game to work all players in the game need to leave the quick settings alone until the game has fully loaded, then you can make all the changes you want in the game menus after you can see players on the court.

In other news online play is worthy of Sisyphus, so even if it doesn't work you're not missing much.

I thought the G symbol was the same as last year's Gatorade logo - ie your player's stamina has been drained and maybe he needs to be benched?

I have given up on this title for the time being - the patch would want to work miracles.