NBA Playgrounds Update Now Available

New Features:

• Added: The Challenge Mode feature, which allows you to challenge other players to online matches
• You can now switch between unranked challenges and ranked games in the online mode
• To challenge another player, you must switch to the challenge mode in the online menu and define a challenge code. By default, your challenge code is your nickname, but you can change it to your own, personal code. The person you are challenging must enter your code.
• If you have been challenged, please enter your challenger’s code and press “Accept”.
• All challenges are unranked and your ranking/ELO will be unaffected by the results of the challenge.
• Added: Toxicity system/Disconnection Manager, which penalizes players who abandon matches in any other way than surrendering
• Added: 5 new versions of Shaquille O´Neal in various teams from his career (Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic)
• Added: 15 new players join the roster
• The following players were added: Dennis Rodman, Isaiah Thomas, Larry Bird, Giannis Antetokoumnpo, Kenny Smith, Gary Payton, Klay Thompson, Devin Booker, Tony Parker, Kemba Walker, Seth Curry, Tiny Archibald, John Starks, Tracy McGrady, Pete Maravich
• Added: A shot-meter was added to help finding the perfect timing for shots, dunks etc. The shot-meter can be disabled in the options and it takes the distant to the hoop and the player's statistics into consideration.
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• Added: ‘International English’ with metric units was added as default language in case none of the supported languages is the user’s native system language

Notable Changes:

• Adjusted: Shots were adjusted to make the system more accessible and unified throughout all variations
• Adjusted: Timing for layups and 2-pointers from under the hoop was adjusted. Layups are now easier to perform, and players with low stats for 2-pointers are slightly better than before
• Adjusted: The steal action was adjusted to better fit the intended gameplay
• It is now possible to perform a steal action when behind an opponent
• Changed: The Stars Lottery Pick will only be awarded if a team is at least 6 points behind
• Changed: 3 pointers no longer fill lottery pick bar
• Improved: Rebounding accuracy improved
• Improved: The online matchmaking algorithm
• Increased: The duration of the 3 points x2 Lottery Pick was increased
• Increased: The difficulty of 3 pointers was increased
• Reduced: The duration of the Stars Lottery Pick was reduced
• Reduced: The number of steals required for the Las Vegas Challenge Nr.2 was reduced to 10 (was 15)
• Reduced: The number of 3-pointers needed for the Paris Challenge Nr.4 was reduced to 6 (was 7)
• Reduced: The number of 3-pointers needed for the London Challenge Nr.1 was reduced to 6 (was 10)
• Reduced: The number of 3-pointers needed for the Las Vegas Challenge Nr.3 was reduced to 8 (was 12)
• Reduced: The inbound time was reduced to adjust it to the overall style of the game

Notable Fixes:

• Fixed: An issue that occasionally caused the ‘Lighting Ball Lottery Pick’ not to score from longer distances was fixed
• Fixed: A misspelling of a player's name was corrected
• Fixed: An issue that prevented users from seeing off-screen markers sometimes was fixed
• Fixed: Several desynch issues in bad network connection scenarios were addressed
• Fixed: A problem where a dunk could score after the match ended was solved
• Fixed: Several problems that made the ball getting stuck on the top of the backboard were fixed
• Fixed: A problem that prevented the ball from stop spinning after scoring was fixed
• Fixed: A problem in which failed dunks could score if the teammate was performing an alley-oop was fixed
• Fixed: Issues related to the strength of the force feedback effects were addressed