NBA Live and the Future of Basketball Videogames

[ZoneBlitz]

I am thoroughly excited about the direction of basketball videogames now due, in part, to the direction the NBA Live developers have indicating they are taking their game - and by extension, the genre. What has me excited is reading about how the developers wanted to move away from twitch-based, hectic and frenetic game play. This is typified by people just jerking their controls and moving real fast without having to pay too much attention to basketball fundamentals. Now, moving away from that approach opens up so many possibilities.

First, I must give serious congratulations to the NBA Live team based on what I have seen in the demo. This game thoroughly discourages twitch-based flying around and leaves you with almost no choice but to adhere to real basketball to be successful. It seems you are now playing basketball via a videogame instead of playing a videogame via basketball. As a (still) devoted 2k fan, I must congratulate the EA developers on a product that potentially seems, at least to me, to represent a pivotal moment in basketball gaming. While NBA Live is not quite at the point that I will purchase it this year, it still will be an awesome game.

Now, what does this mean for basketball videogames? I look forward to actually being stressed out and thinking when playing a basketball game. I look forward to mismatches that matter, and a general feeling that I have earned whatever I have accomplished. I look forward to basketball videogames that now require me to know both my team, my players and the same for the other team and their players. I truly believe, fellow gamers, that we could be on the eve of something significant in our digital past-times.

Where do you think basketball videogames will be over the next few years?

[JkA3]

Re: NBA Live and the Future of Basketball Videogames

I think competition is what is making the best of the bball improvements. Remember when football had compitition- things were different. As sports gamers, whether Live or 2k fans, it's great to have options and compitition.

[ZoneBlitz]

Re: NBA Live and the Future of Basketball Videogames

^^^ True.

[DW3]

Re: NBA Live and the Future of Basketball Videogames

Competition is always great for consumers

[fffffffff9]

Re: NBA Live and the Future of Basketball Videogames

Hopefully game companies are getting past the trend of bringing in a bunch of random yahoos to do focus testing. Seems to always end up in a case of attempting to please everyone and winding up pleasing no-one.

I think the majority of sports gamers want something that's realistic and fun.

Please us and you will please the reviewers, and get a word-of-mouth campaign going which will eventually put your game on top.

[oOausarOo]

Re: NBA Live and the Future of Basketball Videogames

Overall I'm disappointed at where NBA gaming is in general. There are three major areas I'm disappointed in.

1) There still is not enough of an individual feel to each player. They all basically handle the rock the same and look the same while doing it.

2) The online experience is not where I'd expect it to be. 2k had some great stuff going with 2k9 with the league websites that tracked stats, but other than that I haven't seen what I thought I would this gen.

i.e. no online association, very limited online 5v5 user options, very little investment in ranked gameplay and eliminating exploits.

3) To me it feels like NBA games put very little investment in testing the game user vs. user. They are also horrible at making adjustments throughout the year.

Games in the shooter genres release patch after patch after patch. CoD4 I believe just recently got another patch, look how old that game is. I understand with NBA games they haven't found a way to milk people with DLC like shooters so that plays a factor.

Also the NBA games are annually released, but NBA games are in this vicious cycle of never providing gamers with a polished product. They release a game, never coming close to perfecting it because the cycle when the game is popular is so short. They then go on to release another new game every year with new problems, never coming close to perfecting it. wash, rinse, repeat

[22cedric]

Re: NBA Live and the Future of Basketball Videogames

I think NBA Live will become a realistic simulation title & that EA Sports will cater to the simulation crowd & listen to the consumers now that they are realising that it's time for a change and that their current gen games have been stale & boring with very little innovation.

[kolanji]

Re: NBA Live and the Future of Basketball Videogames

u know most importantly that the fundamentals are exactly what makes the best foundation for a sports game followed by a very responsive control input system....EA sounds well on their way in making the game of basketball a very easy conversion from watching on tv playing in real life and playing on the couch....nba live 13 i await u

[Jay Jay]

Re: NBA Live and the Future of Basketball Videogames

I am thoroughly excited about the direction of basketball videogames now due, in part, to the direction the NBA Live developers have indicating they are taking their game - and by extension, the genre. What has me excited is reading about how the developers wanted to move away from twitch-based, hectic and frenetic game play. This is typified by people just jerking their controls and moving real fast without having to pay too much attention to basketball fundamentals. Now, moving away from that approach opens up so many possibilities.

First, I must give serious congratulations to the NBA Live team based on what I have seen in the demo. This game thoroughly discourages twitch-based flying around and leaves you with almost no choice but to adhere to real basketball to be successful. It seems you are now playing basketball via a videogame instead of playing a videogame via basketball. As a (still) devoted 2k fan, I must congratulate the EA developers on a product that potentially seems, at least to me, to represent a pivotal moment in basketball gaming. While NBA Live is not quite at the point that I will purchase it this year, it still will be an awesome game.

Now, what does this mean for basketball videogames? I look forward to actually being stressed out and thinking when playing a basketball game. I look forward to mismatches that matter, and a general feeling that I have earned whatever I have accomplished. I look forward to basketball videogames that now require me to know both my team, my players and the same for the other team and their players. I truly believe, fellow gamers, that we could be on the eve of something significant in our digital past-times.

Where do you think basketball videogames will be over the next few years?

So you played NBA Live 13 or is this based off the Elite 11 demo?

[chrome_305]

Re: NBA Live and the Future of Basketball Videogames

u know most importantly that the fundamentals are exactly what makes the best foundation for a sports game followed by a very responsive control input system....EA sounds well on their way in making the game of basketball a very easy conversion from watching on tv playing in real life and playing on the couch....nba live 13 i await u

Have fun playing with you robots and have fun using everyone who will feel the same, dunk the same, move the same etc.If EA cared about the fans they would not have tried to release the failure that was NBA Elite.I'm all for competition but EA is not the company to bring it.EA will always cater to the arcade fans.

[RayRay34]

Re: NBA Live and the Future of Basketball Videogames

So you played NBA Live 13 or is this based off the Elite 11 demo?

Look at the freakin date he's talking about the Live 10 demo. The ignorance of some people!!!

[kolanji]

Re: NBA Live and the Future of Basketball Videogames

Have fun playing with you robots and have fun using everyone who will feel the same, dunk the same, move the same etc.If EA cared about the fans they would not have tried to release the failure that was NBA Elite.I'm all for competition but EA is not the company to bring it.EA will always cater to the arcade fans.

hey thanks only thing is i dont play VS the cpu am player vs player either offline or online

nobody said that AI isnt important ur assuming this.furthermore visuals alone are not what makes a game. obviously ur NEO looking at the matrix screen for the first time u cant see what i am seeing and thats fine.but dont take my opinion and try to make it ur own.cant change opinion with opinion u have to change it with facts.

making and breaking off a game for some ppl are headbands logo in the wrong position or arm sleeve/socks too short.i play semi pro basketball which is in no comparison to the nba as such, but its fun and its competitive and i love it.so when i fire up a video game basketball game i want to be able to mimic that feeling with my know how and knowledge of basketball

so gameplay is where it is for me with a control system that is a good marriage to that.positoning on defense,beating a player to a spot,contesting shots,boxing out,playing to a players strength,forcing ur will on ur opponents...i can go on and on but giving me the tools to do those things are what i love spending my $60 dollars on

[22cedric]

Re: NBA Live and the Future of Basketball Videogames

I wonder what game will be the most authentic simulation NBA Live 13 or NBA 2K13 ?