NBA 2K12: The State of Online Play

As good as the gameplay offline is in NBA 2K12, to many online players, playing in cyberspace is the real test. Having a great SIM experience is easy when you're playing the CPU. Developers have gone to great lengths with features like Tendencies, Signature Shots and other elements to insure that players emulate their real-life counterparts. The CPU won't test every element of the AI to find exploits and loopholes in gameplay that it can abuse, that is the Beauty and the Nightmare of playing against other players. 

Critics of online play in NBA 2K have long complained about gameplay exploits that cheesers are famous for taking advantage of. Things like Full-Court Passes, Double-Teaming, Hopsteps, Spin-Dunking and Lead Passing have ruined online play for some time. While the things on that list have been largely resolved, there are some long-time issues that have surprisingly still not been dealt with. We long for the day when we can turn to our friends and laugh about things that Cheese Players USED TO be able to pull off, but that day is not here yet. Here is some of the things we've noticed online in the world of hoops in NBA 2K12.

1. Spam Rules - Sigh...Yes, its another year of watching players button mash for steals and blocks. Where are the "windows" we heard about where timing was supposedly more of a factor this year? We've yet to see it. While there are more fouls called than last year, its certainly not enough to prevent cheesers from continuing their behavior. Stop to call a play at your own risk, button mashers are out in full force. We played the Celtics online and although Rondo got called on his first steal attempt, the next three (while trailing my PG mind you) were clean as a whistle according to the referee. Please note the sarcasm.

2. Defenders? What Defenders? - One of the highlights of the NBA 2K series is the accuracy with which  players resemble their real-life counterparts in play-style and appearance. So it makes us wonder what happened to Solid and Good defenders? Why are they falling for the pump fakes that a D-League player would scoff at? In the same sense that we'd hate to see Mike Bibby Dunk from the free throw line, Shaq turn into a three-point shooter or KG perform AndOne moves, it makes us frown when players aren't given the strengths/weaknesses they have in reality.

3. What Game is This? - Want an example why more players don't play online and why many core fans get frustrated? Its the bait-and-switch, schizophrenic nature of NBA 2K. Players play, practice, prepare for and enjoy this wonderful brand of sim hoops and when they get online its nowhere to be found. Where is the game that rewards realistic play and strategy and punishes arcade style play? There's a major disconnect here and we hope it gets resolved. Many have said it before. "2K plays like a completely different game online, you'd barely recognize it."

3. Pump Fake - Someone tell me this is a bad dream. Someone please tell me this isn't STILL a problem after all this time. I feel like i'm in a cruel remake of the movie GroundHog Day. Why are my NBA defenders still falling for the same pump fakes over and over and over? Where are the tie-ups, balls poked away and steals when people abuse this over and over? Somebody wake me when its over.

4. Miracle Defensive Plays - While we like the fact that more fouls are called, there are still too many out of position defensive plays. Good Defensive position? Why bother? Just turbo in late and spam the block and steal buttons and expect more good results than bad ones. Button Mashing needs to be toned way down and Timing and Skillset need to play a much bigger role. We've watched finesse guards like Steph Curry and Mike Bibby blocking shots. Really? That's the equivalent of Ronny Turiaf "crossing up" my best defender and leading the break in transition. Why add in a hands-up option to challenge shots when there's no downside to non-shot blockers trying to block anything that moves? Wasn't that feature added specifically for them? Abilities should have a threshold rating (we're thinking 55) people without that threshold should be whistled 8 times in 10 when they attempt skills outside their area of expertise, and even players with these skill-sets should have to focus on timing to get good results.

6. Difficulty - Just what setting is the default online games set for? It feels like beginner with the ease we see people making contested, fall-away 30 footers. We played a game versus The Warriors where Curry and Ellis were 10-16 from long range--in the first quarter! It happens, right? We thought the same thing until the same thing happened against Atlanta, Milwaukee and New York. Is this the best sports game ever made or a game of HORSE? We can only tell you that it feels as Arcady and Videogamey as all get out. Now if I had just booted up a game of NBA Elite and had just seen Andrew Bynum do his best "Jesus Piece" imitation that'd be one thing, but this is NBA 2K12...isn't it?

7. Match-Making - It'd be unfair to mention the great job Ronnie2K and Chris Manning have done in trying to deal with the launch day issues of 2K12 involving My2K accounts and connecting in general. This isn't anything new, launch day issues are as old as online gaming and aren't going anywhere anytime soon. While the server reboot and hotfixes fixed issues for many, there still appear to be people who are waiting for 15 minutes before a game starts (one is a writer for our blog) Hopefully the minds behind the online setup stay vigilant and continue the process of trying to give everyone who wants to play, the opportunity to.

Maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel. Gameplay Director Rob Jones actually responded to one of our tweets regarding the all-powerful pump-fake earlier. We're crossing our fingers that they'll clean up the gameplay in the default Quick Game setting. We understand that online play has to appeal to a much broader base of players, but 2K is a simulation, it certainly shouldn't play like the long-lost cousin of NBA Jam on Fire over broadband.