College Hoops 2K8
By: Eric M. Martin |
Thursday November 15, 2007 |
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2K Sports releases the next title, showcasing realistic NCAA action. |
| Greetings gamers, both sports and non-sports. Static Multimedia had the fortunate opportunity to speak with Zach Timmerman, producer at 2K Sports. College Hoops 2K8 is the next step in 2K Sports’ smashing series of games showcasing the NCAA arena. Hands down, 2K Sports provides a level of game that is on par, if not better, than rival competitor EA Sports. The dev teams at 2K Sports spend unimaginably countless studying the other NCAA console offerings, as well as their own past productions and various forums and fan sites in order to constantly improve. Zach stated that the overall goal for CH2K8 was to make most authentic game possible. With previous releases, 2K Sports has targeted the hardcore gamers of video basketball, but now they have shifted their focus to attract a more general audience. For example, CH2K8 offers up the All-American Training Challenge. The AATC may seem nothing more than a combination training drills, but constant exposure may help you develop a sense of the game’s controls, if indeed you are new to college basketball video games. There have been some improvements from CH2K7, including new movement models for characters, stronger and smarter AI modes for offensive and defensive players, the on-the-fly coaching method from NBA 2K7 and the addition of a lock-on defense. The Chant Creator has been improved, which seems to be a unique quirk amongst players. CH2K8 also offers a Play Designer, which offers great customization for your draft picks or overall playing style. All of these are fantastic additions to overall gameplay, but the biggest highlight is not about actual gameplay. It seems that the buzz on the forums and websites is the addition of 2K Share. Using this, players can trade legacies, rosters, chants, whatever they want. According to Zach, use of 2K Share will be closely monitored by for ideas on what players like to trade, and also how to improve and tweak future titles. Ranking right up there with 2K Share, the 6th Man Advantage hopes to provide the one element of college basketball that can make or break any game: the environment. Zach notes that for college teams, it means a lot to play in your home gym and have your fans behind you. 2K Sports did a lot of research at colleges, invented a lot of formulas, and did a lot of testing. They didn’t want to make it just another cheesy, annoying aspect that you want to turn off. The 6th Man is meant to be an actual incorporation of the game and give your team that extra advantage (or, if need be, give the other team a disadvantage.) This is a college basketball package that features 339 teams, leaving you with a veritable mess of customization options. College Hoops 2K8 hits the bleachers on November 19th, just in time for Thanksgiving gatherings or an early Christmas gift purchase. |
