NBA Live 14 Interview with Executive Producer Sean O'Brien - Player Ratings

[Steve_OS]

CBSsports.com has posted a new interview with NBA Live Executive Producer Sean O'Brien talking about the science which goes into rating players for the game.

NBA Live 14 will be including information from Synergy Sports Technologies, which means EA has what O'Brien calls a, "somewhat unique approach to how ratings work," in the game.

"We are attempting to be the first sports game to only use objective data to drive how the players and teams play within our game," O'Brien said. "There are still some subjective ratings within the game as this is a multi-year process and an enormous amount of work. Physical ratings such as speed and strength are still created and used."

There are other odds and ends in the interview you might find interesting, but no additional information on the game itself outside of ratings was discussed. We're expecting to hear more about the game, including actual gameplay, very soon!

[iverson_2k]

Re: Behind the Scenes of Player Ratings in NBA Live 14

Great article. I literally can't wait for the gameplay trailer to drop (expecting end of September). I can't believe they will be able to update the tattoos, shoes, accessories everyday that is insane detail. Not to mention, this might be the beginning of near perfect ratings for sports games. This competition between EA and 2K will surely give us the consumers the best possible product. Now lets just hope that 2K gets the rights back to football so we can have some competition in the football realm.

[ScoobySnax]

Re: Behind the Scenes of Player Ratings in NBA Live 14

Talk about having to scrounge for data. The last place I'd look for NBA Live info is CBS Sports. LOL.

Good read though.

[donp1981]

Re: Behind the Scenes of Player Ratings in NBA Live 14

Great article. I literally can't wait for the gameplay trailer to drop (expecting end of September). I can't believe they will be able to update the tattoos, shoes, accessories everyday that is insane detail. Not to mention, this might be the beginning of near perfect ratings for sports games. This competition between EA and 2K will surely give us the consumers the best possible product. Now lets just hope that 2K gets the rights back to football so we can have some competition in the football realm.

100% agree with 2k getting back in the business of making football games as well. I think the bet thing about the basketball games in next gen is the competition driving them. Can't wait til November 15th!! Got Live 14 preordered.

[grodbetatted]

As much as I love this read... Its the same thing we have been hearing, I want to see gameplay, the game comes out in 2 months and like 13 days or at least a screen shot

[grodbetatted]

btw i got my xbox one reserved and my nba live lets get it

[KingofATL]

I do love that there is competition back in the basketball genre, I love to see more than one company make a game. But I am troubled that EA has yet to show actual game play footage of NBA Live 14. Even 2k has leaked some footage out there on the web. Every time EA Sports does this we have historically gotten bad games. I hope to see something released (or leaked) soon or I definitely won't be pre-ordering Live.

[Gramps91]

Like others said it's good we have some competition back. Hopefully Live and 2k will both deliver. Back in the day I used to get the one I wanted most first and then the other around all star break. I miss that tradition.

[datboimall]

I have a feeling live is going to bring some heat this year

[iverson_2k]

Re: NBA Live 14 Player Ratings Behind the Scenes Video

I am not worried, I watched an interview where Machinima Sports interviewed Scott O'Brien and he looked right into the camera and said that he promises that it will come out at launch. I don't doubt that it will, I've seen at least 2 people on youtube say they played the quick demo and said it was the best thing they have ever seen. Live even got the best sports award at E3 this year. There is no reason to worry, we just need to patient. With all their failures its only going to make them work harder and prove to everyone that they can compete. I'd rather have the best 5 vs. 5 gameplay video then see some half done work where everyone starts to criticize and say that EA is back to its old self.

EA HAS to make the footage they release near perfect and include all the game modes we want or the word is just going to ignore them and just default with 2K this year again. Even the rendered photos are great to see, seeing that the in-game Kyrie photo looks photo realistic. Be patient, its coming.

[nick_sr]

Re: NBA Live 14 Player Ratings Behind the Scenes Video

I am not worried, I watched an interview where Machinima Sports interviewed Scott O'Brien and he looked right into the camera and said that he promises that it will come out at launch. I don't doubt that it will, I've seen at least 2 people on youtube say they played the quick demo and said it was the best thing they have ever seen. Live even got the best sports award at E3 this year. There is no reason to worry, we just need to patient. With all their failures its only going to make them work harder and prove to everyone that they can compete. I'd rather have the best 5 vs. 5 gameplay video then see some half done work where everyone starts to criticize and say that EA is back to its old self.

EA HAS to make the footage they release near perfect and include all the game modes we want or the word is just going to ignore them and just default with 2K this year again. Even the rendered photos are great to see, seeing that the in-game Kyrie photo looks photo realistic. Be patient, its coming.

don't forget that the nba head office was upset at ea for not releasing a game last year. live 14 is coming, just hold back on expectations and understand that it is a video game and not real life

[Profit89]

Any gameplay vids of this out there ?

[nick_sr]

Re: NBA Live 14 Player Ratings Behind the Scenes Video

Any gameplay vids of this out there ?

soon. just be patient! don't think ea or live wants to show their hand first.

[lookatmenow]

There is no way EA is showing game footage again. The last 2 times they did it cost them big time, elite 11 and live 13 received so much negative outburst that they both were cancelled before being released.
Secondly I don't understand how some can criticize 2k Sports because all they have done was raised the bar without competition. They could have been like EA and been not creative like the Madden series, by the way through a whole decade. Thirdly, if you got to question / doubt anyone doubt EA, for they have shown and produced absolutely nothing. You guys are waiting on a game that you will be laughing about later once again. EA Sports is and will always be who we thought they were, sellers!!

[iverson_2k]

Re: NBA Live 14 Player Ratings Behind the Scenes Video

There is no way EA is showing game footage again. The last 2 times they did it cost them big time, elite 11 and live 13 received so much negative outburst that they both were cancelled before being released.
Secondly I don't understand how some can criticize 2k Sports because all they have done was raised the bar without competition. They could have been like EA and been not creative like the Madden series, by the way through a whole decade. Thirdly, if you got to question / doubt anyone doubt EA, for they have shown and produced absolutely nothing. You guys are waiting on a game that you will be laughing about later once again. EA Sports is and will always be who we thought they were, sellers!!

I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one. EA is putting all their effort into this game to make it the best sim game ever. Will it sell more than 2K? No, of course not, 2K is going to be on current gen and next gen. If EA releases a video now that is half done what do you think the gaming community is going to do? They are going to tear it to shreds like they did the last 2 titles.

EA has been down this road before and knows what NOT to do. They see what 2k has been doing over the past couple years and the features it is. They know what has made 2k successful as well as things that the community hates. Such as can't block dunks, or canned dribbling animations, or infrequent roster updates. And what has EA come out and stated? They have BounceTek to counter dribbling animations, they have up to the hour updates, and you can block dunks. Live will have all those same features as 2k if not more b/c there aren't any limitations on the next gen hardware yet.


From a review I saw, they said you can see the stitching of the shoes from a afar. This just tells me EA is going all out on this game. They are being perfectionists. The game WILL come out. Be patient, we got 2 months till launch. Best early christmas gift you can ask for. haha