In a quick Q&A with OperationSports forum members, Mike Wang answered some of the users concerns about the upcoming 3rd patch for NBA 2k16. 2k is still actively working on the patch, but it will be submitted to Sony and Microsoft soon and then pushed out to the public within 10-14 days. Mike Wang didn’t want to divulge all of the patches details just yet, but he does let it be known that the CPU in Pro-AM will be addressed as well as shooting.
Check out the Q&A below and stick around for the full patch notes when they release.
Q: When will the third patch be released?
A: It should be finished this week… Then off to MS and Sony
Q: CPU being overpowered in Pro-Am.
A: This will be addressed in patch 3.
Q: Are blocks being addressed?
A: We’re just nerfing poorly rated shot blockers so guys like JJ Redick aren’t throwing shots like Lebron.
A: Blocks are being addressed in Patch 3.
Q: Is there a chance we could see stationary stepbacks and step shots get a healthy boost (especially when open) for the players that can do them (or have high ratings and relevant badges)?
A: This one’s tricky, Sundown. Currently, standing stepback jumpers are treated the same as other “skill” shots like spin jumpers and pull-up J’s. So to fix zig-zagging pull-ups, all of these shots took a pretty big hit. I need to put standing stepbacks in a separate category to be able to boost JUST those shot types, so it’s something that we’d have to address in the patch. I’ll investigate that today.
Q: Does shooting and Patch 3 tweaks apply in already in progress MyCareers?
A: Yes. They apply everywhere.
Q: Regarding stepback jumpers.
A: I think we have a solution for Patch 3. Until then, it’s kind of hacky, but there is a workaround. If you hold LS away, tap Shoot to do the stepback jumper, but then pause for a brief moment (technically, breaking out of the shot to a live dribble, then shooting immediately after) rather than doing it as a Tap+Press&Hold mechanic, you can still create space with the stepback and then branch into the shot portion without incurring the penalty.
Q: Getting an off balance “contested” shot when you don’t complete your dribble.
A: It will be patched.
A: Yes, this is what I was referring to when I said it will be patched. Guys playing fadeaway contested anims at inappropriate times. The defensive threshold to trigger those shot animations is just way too low. Nothing is changing with shot percentages… it’s just an aesthetic change.
Q: Gameplay updates.
A: We’ve made a number of significant gameplay fixes for this 3rd patch and my time has been swamped trying to test and balance gameplay before it goes out the door, while also starting new designs and feature work on 2k17. So as much as I’d love to mess with you guys by tweaking the game every day, that’s simply not a good use of time.
Shooting Changes
Q: Contested shots at the rim.
A: The change I made only impacts contact shots. Across the board, you should see those drop less. But you can tell by the animation, if the collision looks heavy (defender noticeably knocking the shooter off balance for example), the shot % gets dropped much lower than if the collision looks light (shooter is getting hit by the defender but his layup looks relatively undisturbed.)
Q: What constitutes an “excellent shooter” for these wide open 3 %s you’ve adjusted?
A: I don’t want to give away how our shot heuristics work, but basically, anybody above a 75 rating would see a slight increase in wide open 3’s since Saturday. The higher the rating, the bigger the increase. But again, the boost was pretty conservative.
Q: Contested threes.
A: Yeah, I didn’t touch contested 3s at all. I can make a tweak there as well if you guys all feel it’s a problem. Seems like most people are seeing plenty of bricks on well contested 3s though, so it’s a little scary to hit them even harder. It’s also possible that what you’re perceiving as a well contested 3, is actually considered open as far as the game is concerned. That would change how I go about fixing your issue.
Q: What did the two shooting updates do?
A: The two updates mentioned by bcruise are the only shot % updates made to date. The first was to lower middies, the second to lower contact layups. I have noticed a significant increase in 3pt success since day 1 (primarily in the park), but I attribute that mostly to you guys getting better at the game and your players’ leveling up over time.
Roster Updates
Q: Is there any type of live DNA updating that affects players day-to-day based on NBA day-to-day activities?
A: Mike Stauffer is our roster guy and is making regular updates, yes.
Other Updates
Q: Deadeye badge in NBA 2K16 compared to last year.
A: Deadeye was way too OP last year, essentially it made the game think that closing defenders were not there at all. It’s still one of the strongest shooting badges, but we did have to neutralize it a bit.
