[Bleacher Report] Really Informative Interview ft. Scott OG

**RGmoney** · 11-23-2013, 03:15 PM

Re: [Bleacher Report] Really Informative Interview ft. Scott OG

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/o7R5YQ057QQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

NBA Live 14 has been a lightning rod for the virtual hoops community since it released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One Nov. 19. I rated it a 7.8 overall. I noted the obvious issues with graphics and animation, but I did give the game credit for a few solid gameplay components and sweet presentation.

The game is not better than NBA 2K14, that is quite obvious, but it is better than what many are saying, at least in my opinion.

A few weeks back, I attended the PlayStation 4 review event in New York. I had an opportunity to sit down with developers from almost every next-generation title. The NBA Live team was one of the groups I spoke with. During that time, I was taken through a walkthrough of the game's controls and each one of its components by designers Scott O'Gallagher and Ryan Ferwerda.

Because of this experience, I was a little more acquainted with the controls and qualities of the game. Truth be told, the visual shortcomings are probably a turnoff that gamers somewhat understandably can't get beyond.

During the 45-minute to hour-long session, O'Gallagher spoke a little about passion for virtual hoops, the NBA Live series, his professional basketball career and the interesting path he took to work with EA Sports.

The latter was especially inspiring. There are so many people who simply love to play video games that don't realize how far they can ride their passion. Learning of a success story like O'Gallagher's is important and could help the next gamer take gaming from a hobby to a livelihood.

Whether you have an appreciation for NBA Live or not, there is some redeeming value in O'Gallagher's story. Take a listen and a look at the NBA Live 14 gameplay featured to balance out the audio interview.

**bigeastbumrush** · 11-23-2013, 03:47 PM

Re: [Bleacher Report] Really Informative Interview ft. Scott OG

This interview was just done for this guy's conscience since he was the only one in the entire world to rate this game above a 6.

So he goes out and does this interview to prove what exactly?

No one has ever questioned SOG's basketball knowledge. He knows the game and wants it played in a certain way. Fine. We get it.

But something went awry when they transferred his knowledge from paper to animation.

Do we need to have the art director's entire backstory too?

Sorry, but this isn't the sympathy business.

The game is not representative of a next generation game and I seriously wish they would stop belittling the gaming community by saying that we only care about visuals.

Everyone knew from jump that Live 14 wasn't going to be able to compete from a visual aspect.

Take the art aside and they missed on controls, animations, technique, commentary, options, presentation and realism.

**DonWuan** · 11-23-2013, 04:08 PM

Re: [Bleacher Report] Really Informative Interview ft. Scott OG

I was thinking about this after my gm told me a unreachable goal that I have to reach by the end of fiscal year.

I'm thinking EA saying hey Scott here's the scraps from live 10/11/12/13 and we need a game in 9ish months(1 Dev cycle).

Oh and we are skipping current gen and going for next gen launch.

Sent from my M353 using Tapatalk

**BrianFifaFan** · 11-23-2013, 06:10 PM

Re: [Bleacher Report] Really Informative Interview ft. Scott OG

I really feel for the developers, but like others have said, this game is past "lacking polish." I'm sitting there watching the halftime show, one of the few things that really does have an appeal to it, and one of the highlights actually shows the ball bouncing above the floor after the dunk. This isn't about missing leg sleeves, which I also tend to think is petty, but a game filled with jarringly bad animations. And it's not a text sim, guys. It's a video experience. It just amazes me how they are trying to get people to overlook it. You can't. It is impossible to play a videogame without looking at it. And I think the interviewer did more harm than good. He's trying to show support for the game, but shows it's biggest single turnoff (the much maligned graphics) for the entire length of the interview. SMH.....

**bigeastbumrush** · 11-23-2013, 06:36 PM

Re: [Bleacher Report] Really Informative Interview ft. Scott OG

Originally posted by BrianFifaFan

I really feel for the developers, but like others have said, this game is past "lacking polish." I'm sitting there watching the halftime show, one of the few things that really does have an appeal to it, and one of the highlights actually shows the ball bouncing above the floor after the dunk. This isn't about missing leg sleeves, which I also tend to think is petty, but a game filled with jarringly bad animations. And it's not a text sim, guys. It's a video experience. It just amazes me how they are trying to get people to overlook it. You can't. It is impossible to play a videogame without looking at it. And I think the interviewer did more harm than good. He's trying to show support for the game, but shows it's biggest single turnoff (the much maligned graphics) for the entire length of the interview. SMH.....

I don't feel bad for the Devs because they knew the game was garbage.

They just strung people along until the game released. Every week it was an excuse from the Devs.

If P.R. told them that they weren't to show any gameplay until the game dropped then don't come out and say you're showing gameplay next week. Don't do a podcast of a guy playing the game while all we can do is listen to the audio.

This was a coverup plain and simple.

**NoTiCe_O** · 11-24-2013, 01:29 PM

Re: [Bleacher Report] Really Informative Interview ft. Scott OG

I feel they're definitely headed in the right direction. I think they just have to gain consumer trust again, I like what Scott said about trying to educate the gamer, I think he can really bring real basketball intelligence to the virtual court and force people to think basketball. It would do a tremendous amount for the competitive community of sim gamers.

I don't know if you guys watch competitive fighting games like street fighter and Marvel vs. Capcom but these guys study those games like nobody's business. They come in with a strategy against each player, they watch the top guys compete and they work at the game to get good. I believe we need that in sports gaming, we need the learning curve again. I hope EA doesn't make the game "easier", stick to the sim path.

**King_B_Mack** · 11-24-2013, 02:24 PM

Re: [Bleacher Report] Really Informative Interview ft. Scott OG

So just so we're clear on this. Guys have spent the past 10 plus years dissing 2K for it's learning curve and praising Live for being so easy to pick up and play and pull off all the crazy moves possible and now suddenly sports gaming needs the learning curve and not be made "easier?" **** is absolutely hilarious to read some of this stuff.

**Boilerbuzz** · 11-24-2013, 02:26 PM

Re: [Bleacher Report] Really Informative Interview ft. Scott OG

Originally posted by King_B_Mack

So just so we're clear on this. Guys have spent the past 10 plus years dissing 2K for it's learning curve and praising Live for being so easy to pick up and play and pull off all the crazy moves possible and now suddenly sports gaming needs the learning curve and not be made "easier?" **** is absolutely hilarious to read some of this stuff.

The EA double standard continues.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

**NoTiCe_O** · 11-24-2013, 05:32 PM

Re: [Bleacher Report] Really Informative Interview ft. Scott OG

Originally posted by King_B_Mack

So just so we're clear on this. Guys have spent the past 10 plus years dissing 2K for it's learning curve and praising Live for being so easy to pick up and play and pull off all the crazy moves possible and now suddenly sports gaming needs the learning curve and not be made "easier?" **** is absolutely hilarious to read some of this stuff.

Speak for yourself. I never disregarded 2k's learning curve. 2k actually used to make games where learning the controls was one of the better aspects of the game. It brought individual player skill and identity out. I used to demolish my friends with the post moves, before all the tutorials were added; but there was a time where if you wanted to be a successful 2k player you researched the game.

I researched ways to defeat the 1-3-1 zone years ago because of 2k, it just seems like now the game is catering to the casual fans and not necessarily to the individuals who want to really showcase the skills they've aquired through practice.

Live on the other hand is resurfacing the depth necessary to appeal to the guys who really want to establish themselves as elite players. You can see it just by the dribbling, you can watch someone play Live and tell if their a beginner, intermediate, or advanced just by the way they dribble the ball. Exactly how it should be. Watching all the video reviews of Live you can tell the reviewers didn't even spend time to learn the controls, it's apparent just by looking. On the other hand you watch Scott O' Gallagher stream and the game is night and day.

The reason I like the foundation is because the depth of the controls are universal throughout. Post game has depth, play calling has depth, defending has depth, coaching has depth, shooting has depth, the depth is distributed evenly throughout the game. You could be a master at the dribbling, but how's your post moves, you might be able to pull of euro-steps and floaters but hows you dribbling?

You see they have a control set ready to be layered on and added to which will only improve the game and differentiate the elite from the casual (just like Street Fighter or other competitive games). Not to mention it's not overrun by animations, when you make a mistake or turnover nine times out of ten it's your fault. Not the cheese or the animation but user error. So when competing you have no one to blame but yourself.

Animations, and everything will eventually be there, but right now the foundation is solid, and plays sim if you decide to invest the time to working on your overall game and executing with basketball intelligence.

**Tomba** · 11-28-2013, 07:57 AM

Re: [Bleacher Report] Really Informative Interview ft. Scott OG

Originally posted by bigeastbumrush

This interview was just done for this guy's conscience since he was the only one in the entire world to rate this game above a 6.

So he goes out and does this interview to prove what exactly?

No one has ever questioned SOG's basketball knowledge. He knows the game and wants it played in a certain way. Fine. We get it.

But something went awry when they transferred his knowledge from paper to animation.

Do we need to have the art director's entire backstory too?

Sorry, but this isn't the sympathy business.

The game is not representative of a next generation game and I seriously wish they would stop belittling the gaming community by saying that we only care about visuals.

Everyone knew from jump that Live 14 wasn't going to be able to compete from a visual aspect.

Take the art aside and they missed on controls, animations, technique, commentary, options, presentation and realism.

I liken Scott to Reggie Fil Ames from Nintendo. Always will to make you see THEIR side and hoe from their side they are buyable....

[Bleacher Report] Really Informative Interview ft. Scott OG

Recommended Videos

[Bleacher Report] Really Informative Interview ft. Scott OG

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment