20 different shot gauges, the developers detail the new ones

Alone in its field, NBA 2K never forgets to question itself, sometimes to the chagrin of the faithful who have to relearn certain mechanics from one year to another, whether they like the changes or not. For NBA 2K23, Visual Concepts studios has made many further changes to the gameplay, including up to 20 different shooting gauges to manage in the game now. In fact, there are five basic ones, but 15 more will be added as we progress through the Seasons and will be unlocked at that time. The idea behind this imposing number is to improve the fluidity and authenticity of the movements around the racquet. Visual Concept has set up different gauges, large, small, some are above the head, others on the sides or even below the shooter. Each gauge fills completely until the end, which represents the ideal point to release the ball, then empties a little late, at 2K17-2K20. Once again, at the request of the community, the objective is to satisfy everyone and with these 20 gauges, everyone should find something to their liking.

The developers also specify that shooting arcs have been used in NBA 2K23, to indicate whether you are ahead (high arc), late (flat arc) or just in time (ideal arc). In this way, we can see if the release is shifted or not. It is also clarified that if the “shot analysis” feature is enabled, then the timing/cover overlay and perfect timing animations are delayed until the moment the ball hits the basket. Visual Concepts wants to reinstate the suspense that was sometimes lacking in shots with perfect timing, in order to encourage players to continue playing during possession rather than returning to transition earlier.

Other new gameplay features have been announced, and we will obviously have to wait for the game to be released on September 9 to see if everything works perfectly in game. However, here is a list of the changes this year:

Improvements to the pro order system: New move combinations have been added to the pro controls system. These new movements allow a lot of new possibilities when it comes to shooting and handling the ball. When it comes to dunks, new controls expand the possibilities to allow players to dunk exactly the way they want, without making mistaken moves.

Approach the basket with precision & adrenaline boosts: New gesture combos give players even more ball handling and shooting options for their attacking arsenal. Additionally, another new feature designed to avoid over reliance on dribbling is the concept of adrenaline boosts. Boosts are used whenever players perform a hard start or an explosive sprint throw. Once all three boosts have been consumed, speed and boost ability decrease significantly for the remaining time of possession.

Defense : Defensive gameplay includes major updates aimed at creating more realistic on-ball defense and shot-blocking, as well as interceptions and ball steals. This year, blocks have been tuned to a more realistic level, leading to more predictable results, with good players making proper saves when they time their block attempts well. There’s also a marked improvement in ball safety for good dunkers, and much more.

Badges: Introducing an all-new tiered badge system for players on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. There will be 16 badges per attribute category: eight in Tier 1, four in Tier 2, and four in Tier 3. The underlying concept is that players will need to earn a certain number of badges from the lowest tiers. lower before reaching higher levels.

Takeovers: While the primary and secondary takeovers remain identical to previous versions, the team takeover has been reworked. Team takeover takes the form of a collaborative system, where the entire team shares a single gauge. The new design is much more logical and better represents what it means to be warmed up as a team, to face the game as one.

AI gameplay: Players on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S will notice improvements to AI ball handling, pick and roll execution, defensive tendencies, and practice decisions.

New information about the next best-selling NBA basketball simulation video game will be revealed in the coming weeks.