NBA LIVE Post Launch Support

[utexas]

Post launch I would like to see the further development of the online bball league and live run. I thought live run was excellent this year, but very choppy. Is it possible to deal with the lagging and crashing post launch?

[blackflash83]

Quote: Originally Posted by utexas

Post launch I would like to see the further development of the online bball league and live run. I thought live run was excellent this year, but very choppy. Is it possible to deal with the lagging and crashing post launch?

The crashes were something that the development team were looking at all year. The test team didn't see that at all during testing and I have the game myself (of course ) and I haven't run into any freezing that people have talked about. However, it was and is something that the team are investigating to ensure that it doesn't happen again. Again, this is me talking but nobody should have to deal with freezing.

Regarding online, online is going to be HUGE initiative for us with next year's game and there are a lot of cool plans in place regarding community events around this. Related to online, what initiatives would you like to see?

[ehh]

Quote: Originally Posted by 23

Im not going to make this an ncaa thread, but thats hogwash and thats the main reason EA is continually losing fans as it is now. You dont release a broken game and leave the fans screwed like that in the name of the series not returning. If anything you're making people look at EA as their stigma says they are in the gaming world.

Yeah, I obviously see your point and agree to an extent. But it was friggen NCAA Basketball, it's not Madden or Live we're talking about. It was bushleague and did not help EA's image as you said, but it was basically an insignificant series to EA.

[Pared]

Quote: Originally Posted by blackflash83

There is absolutely nothing I can say about this post that you just made. Again it may sound like me just saying words but the big part of what I'm looking to improve on is ensuring that there is improved user feedback. User feedback that goes into pre-launch as well as post launch. Post launch going referring to any updates that may be on the way, online events such as community play dates, tournaments, all sorts of things to improve the experience. However, you are correct when you say that input from people who want to see an improved NBA product is paramount and regardless of whatever I may hope to accomplish post launch it's what's in the game that matters the most and I have faith in the development team and what they are trying to deliver. We will be going in depth regarding what is going to be happening in the game and as I've said several times before it's very easy for me to talk, I would rather show you guys what the team are cooking. Actions speak louder than words and it's actions from our end that we want to be delivering to all of you, the hardcore basketball gamer. The team are always on the forums lurking reading what you guys have to say about the game. I receive wishlists from a lot of people and so do members of the development team. I send everything that comes my way to them and they do read everything. It would be awesome if they could implement everything that you guys want to see in the game but of course there are numerous challenges to overcome. However, everyone knows how important it is to make a game that all of you want to be able to play and to do that means that we need to be listening to all of you. The team HAVE been doing that but it's about taking another step and being able to implement everything the community wants and that of course has its challenges.

I hear what you're saying but it comes down to there needs to be equal support, post AND PRE-launch. You have a lot of minds on this board that can not only offer you unique ideas, but ways to implement. Solutions to problems that exist now - how hard has EA looked at their rating system and how it ties into the way the game plays? Many guys on the forum have found that a lot of the gimped animations from last year are the result of ratings that, while numerically look quite accurate, don't translate to the result you expect when playing the game?

Like I said, I can keep pulling this stuff out of every little corner, but it seems pointless to do this.

And I hope you don't take it personally. Someone said that a few individuals are using this as an avenue to "bash you" and that couldn't be more off. The frustrating most gamers have lies in the product and end result of the work of your staff. Obviously there is a product time cycle that needs to be met, but this isn't a new concept and I'm sure the staff are used to that. It's a matter of the direction and execution not flowing parallel and having a significantly solid end result.

[utexas]

Quote: Originally Posted by blackflash83

The crashes were something that the development team were looking at all year. The test team didn't see that at all during testing and I have the game myself (of course ) and I haven't run into any freezing that people have talked about. However, it was and is something that the team are investigating to ensure that it doesn't happen again. Again, this is me talking but nobody should have to deal with freezing. Regarding online, online is going to be HUGE initiative for us with next year's game and there are a lot of cool plans in place regarding community events around this. Related to online, what initiatives would you like to see?

I want a full functioning Online franchise with salary cap, drafts, retirements, trades, free agency, year end rewards, etc. That would add unlimited replay value

[noshun]

Quote: Originally Posted by 23

Im not going to make this an ncaa thread, but thats hogwash and thats the main reason EA is continually losing fans as it is now. You dont release a broken game and leave the fans screwed like that in the name of the series not returning. If anything you're making people look at EA as their stigma says they are in the gaming world.

Exactly.. people see what they wanna see. Not only that freezing issue within that(NCAA) game, but the same thing happens sometimes with Live 10. And there has been nothing to rectify it whatsoever.

Ea has released 2 broken & non POST SUPPORTED basketball games within a 4 yr period: Live 07 and NCAA 10. Reading Bshadows comment, this has nothing to do with the competititon, so I have no clue why he typed that nonsense.
Post support for EA's Live series and they still havent figured out how to stop people from glitching win's, for what a few years now of the same thing over and over.

Here's a good example: (straight from EA' forums)

http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/366884.page

thread started Jan 15th.

Quote: Originally Posted by Blackflash

...we are going to take firm action against this

April 7th

Quote: Originally Posted by Blackflash

...While the process isn't as fast as anyone would like we are taking action against cheaters

April 13th

Quote: Originally Posted by VinceRich

I reported a guy with that type of record back in January....They were still playing and had the same records the last time that I signed in. I decided to figure out as many "cheats" as possible in turn.

Aside from here on OS, how are they going to take care of the concerns we have here, when EA's own forums are neglected?

Post support, you kidding me ..post support. Gotta call a spade a spade here.

I just hope for the people that still play and buy their games, that something does happen, but it's not coming fast enough. Months go by before anything is done, as with the example I provided above. before you know it the next game in the series is released, and the cycle continues like it has for a few years now.

[23]

Quote: Originally Posted by ehh

Yeah, I obviously see your point and agree to an extent. But it was friggen NCAA Basketball, it's not Madden or Live we're talking about. It was bushleague and did not help EA's image as you said, but it was basically an insignificant series to EA.

ehh, thats straight up complacency

Reason being, they took the Live engine which was basically done for them and added NOTHING to it. That's a freaking shame.

It was something that made them lose customers is what it was. You can keep conjuring up support and false hopes but once you lose people's support you dont gain that back on a whim.

EA basketball is on the verge of sitting in the same dark room as Sony's is. Right now the track record does not give anyone confidence and I feel bad for backflash because he's caught in the middle, it wasnt his fault and he's doing his job but believe me, more marketing gimmicks and garbage and the backlash will be huge.

[ehh]

Oh, I agree that it's complacency. But from a business perspective, why would EA put in a ton of effort to add something new to the engine for NCAA BB when the game barely sells and was on it's deathbed? They were losing those customers anyway because the series is dead. Anyone who thought EA was going to patch NCAA BB given the situation was living in a fantasy world.

They did tweak some things for NCAA (I wrote a blog about the differences between Live and NCAA 10) but nothing drastic. Again, from a business perspective I can't blame them, especially if they knew going in that NCAA 10 would be the last in the series.

All of the other issues you mentioned are true. They have screwed the fans in the past (empty promises, not fixing issues that have been there for years, etc) and lost fans because of it and it's not easy to gain them back. Once trust is lost it's very hard to earn it back, in any walk of life.

But in the end, Live's biggest issue is not post-launch support. It's the actual game. It needs a lot of additions, corrections and tweaks.