What Needs to Stay in NBA Live 11

Feature Article

Submitted on: 04/23/2010 by Dustin Toms

After looking through NBA 2K10 and writing about what needs to stay, NBA Live 10 is next on the list.

1. Dynamic Season

For all those franchise lovers out there, the Dynamic Season feature gave a whole new meaning to the word realistic. Sure, it is fun simply taking control of your team, making trades and signing veterans, but when you get to play exactly like your team did during an entire 82-game schedule it gets me all giddy inside. Let’s hope this feature is back next year -- this time without all those pesky rotation issues.

2. Play Calling

Every year the majority of hoops fans seem to prefer the 2K series over Live. But, you also always hear comments like “why can’t 2K use Live’s play-calling system?” This year Live stepped it up big time and came out with a solid game, but even before Live 10 was released, the past few games still had a decent play-calling system.

3. Jersey Selection

If you have read some of my articles in the past, then you should know by now how much it kills me to see the Thunder playing so well. I will admit that the only reason I originally wanted to even play Live was so I could use the Seattle SuperSonics jerseys. I kid you not, the Sonics jerseys made this game 10 times more enjoyable in my household. In addition, having multiple jerseys for each team was a great move by Live. Certain other basketball games get knocked for having clothing/accessory problems, but Live really did a great job by having so many jerseys in the game.

4. Controls

I felt the controls in this game were superb. Having the ability to choose how you want to shoot, dribble and pass really made this game turn into something I thought it would not be. The more you practice in the game, the better it really becomes. Once you have all the moves down, the game feels near flawless at times.

5. A Solid Product

Everyone has to admit one thing: NBA Live 10 stepped up its game this year. A lot of people believe this was at least in part due to Mike Wang getting them to the top, and I am one of those people. With Wang returning to NBA 2K for NBA 2K11, Live 11 all of a sudden has a huge void to fill. I am sure the developers can fill it, but there is also still a chance they will revert back to their old ways. Regardless, they need to stick with what they have right now and not revamp the game or change it into something it should not be.

What do you think needs to stay in NBA Live 11?

Member Comments

# 21 ScoobySnax @ 04/24/10 08:03 PM

If anything, keep the movement/player control the same. That was the best control of any basketball game created to date. The arena lighting was pretty good as well.

# 22 TreyIM2 @ 04/24/10 08:36 PM

23 - If u didn't get what I was saying, I think it's a matter of EA brass being too controlling and not just giving the devs and such more free reign. I think "Corporate EA" THINKS that sticking to whatever business model THEY feel is best instead of thinking more about what the people who actually buy their game want has been their biggest prob until recent years.
I think having Peter Moore has been ESPECIALLY helpful for them when it comes to their football and basketball titles although Fifa and NHL were already to the point to where they reclaimed the crown from Konami and 2K, in those two sports.

Based on that, this is why I believe that Live 11 won't just go in some completely different direction, which was never exactly spelled out by MW, to begin with. Maybe he meant that they were going in a different direction than what HE originally had planned and laid out to EA, not necessarily kill what is already there and do the unthinkable...like NBA Live Jam 11 or sumthin. Lol.

# 23 TreyIM2 @ 04/24/10 08:50 PM

23 - Oh, another thing I think is big for EA is that their sports engines are old and instead of completely building a new engine and implementing it (which they could be doing behind the scenes and could take years to build, to begin with. who knows), they work with what's there. The coding is so deep into the engine that fixing some things would take considerable time as well as break the engine. That's actually been said by someone from EA, last year, but it's something I thought, anyway, since, hell, some things have been there since I can remember in Live as well as Madden.

As for rebounding, I think they did a MUCH better job than recent years because people can actually GET REBOUNDS NOW and sometimes I EVEN GET REBOUNDS I DON'T THINK I HAVE A CHANCE AT GETTING!! Lol. I have little issue with the rebounding.
Shot blocking, OH YEAH-YER, that's a HUGE issue. I can't stand how when I control a player trying to block a shot, he just TOTALLY inept, facing the wrong direction, swiping at nothing and/or using the wrong hand to try to block a shot.
Some of the movement can be quirky but I MUCH prefer more control with the right stick than with that non-sense Iso-motion. 2K has some odd movement issues, as well, but I have not played a retail version of 2K10 with all the patches but I've heard it's not that great in some posts, even rockchisler reiterated that. I HAVE owned every 2K prior to that except 2K7 so I know about their issues but this is not what this blog is about. Lol.

# 24 23 @ 04/24/10 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreyIM2


	23 - If u didn't get what I was saying, I think it's a matter of EA brass being too controlling and not just giving the devs and such more free reign. I think "Corporate EA" THINKS that sticking to whatever business model THEY feel is best instead of thinking more about what the people who actually buy their game want has been their biggest prob until recent years. I think having Peter Moore has been ESPECIALLY helpful for them when it comes to their football and basketball titles although Fifa and NHL were already to the point to where they reclaimed the crown from Konami and 2K, in those two sports. Based on that, this is why I believe that Live 11 won't just go in some completely different direction, which was never exactly spelled out by MW, to begin with. Maybe he meant that they were going in a different direction than what HE originally had planned and laid out to EA, not necessarily kill what is already there and do the unthinkable...like NBA Live Jam 11 or sumthin. Lol.

Well what are they keeping.. that is the question?

...when you figure that out, therein lies the problem and its not strictly a corporate mandate

Looking at Live 09, what good do you get out or removing charging, adding chest bumps and vanquishing all of the other animations between player to player among many other things?

This is the reason why the game seems directionless.

# 25 23 @ 04/24/10 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreyIM2


	23 - Oh, another thing I think is big for EA is that their sports engines are old and instead of completely building a new engine and implementing it (which they could be doing behind the scenes and could take years to build, to begin with. who knows), they work with what's there. The coding is so deep into the engine that fixing some things would take considerable time as well as break the engine. That's actually been said by someone from EA, last year, but it's something I thought, anyway, since, hell, some things have been there since I can remember in Live as well as Madden. As for rebounding, I think they did a MUCH better job than recent years because people can actually GET REBOUNDS NOW and sometimes I EVEN GET REBOUNDS I DON'T THINK I HAVE A CHANCE AT GETTING!! Lol. I have little issue with the rebounding. Shot blocking, OH YEAH-YER, that's a HUGE issue. I can't stand how when I control a player trying to block a shot, he just TOTALLY inept, facing the wrong direction, swiping at nothing and/or using the wrong hand to try to block a shot. Some of the movement can be quirky but I MUCH prefer more control with the right stick than with that non-sense Iso-motion. 2K has some odd movement issues, as well, but I have not played a retail version of 2K10 with all the patches but I've heard it's not that great in some posts, even rockchisler reiterated that. I HAVE owned every 2K prior to that except 2K7 so I know about their issues but this is not what this blog is about. Lol.

Moving over to nex gen, they told us that they built a new framework for it. I guess they lied because there are some very basic things that are really wrong from what I see.

Rebounding is better than it was but needs to be much better... Shoot the ratings need to be fixed because there is no way guys who dont rebound should be snatching boards over you in the default game.

As far as what rock said, that was just a cop out. Im not even going into 2k, and if he wants to do that then their list of things to keep is far deeper than any Live made this gen.

# 26 bigeastbumrush @ 04/24/10 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 23


	Then explain the lack of fixing fundamentals in the game for years? Rebounding, shot blocking, movement? Dismiss that as corporate restriction and I wont ever take another post of yours serious.

The devs either lacked fundamental basketball knowledge, time to implement it properly or desire to implement it properly.

# 27 23 @ 04/24/10 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigeastbumrush


	The devs either lacked fundamental basketball knowledge, time to implement it properly or desire to implement it properly.

Can't be time when its been a multiple year thing. You get what im saying

# 28 Tomba @ 04/24/10 10:11 PM

Global editing needs to stay.

# 29 TreyIM2 @ 04/24/10 10:49 PM

23 - I feel u, though. It's been a long time coming for things to be added, even some of the most fundamental of things, and it makes no sense how some things get removed. We can talk about Madden, in that "subtraction" regard, like crazy, but I think that, now, EA "gets it" and I strongly believe that the OS community had some serious effect on EA's thinking. Like that Empire of the Sun song goes, "WE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT RULE THE WORLD!!..." Heh.

# 30 23 @ 04/24/10 10:57 PM

Well I dont believe they do.. we will see

# 31 str8artist @ 04/25/10 04:36 AM

CONTROLS... everything else needs some work for real.

# 32 bigeastbumrush @ 04/25/10 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 23


	Can't be time when its been a multiple year thing. You get what im saying

I could be wrong but weren't the devs constantly turning over?

It was only I believe 2 years ago when they released the footage of those cheesers (tourney winners) going up to EA Studios for input and they showed the dev team.

Then Marcus became involved more heavily (2009?).

Then the Wang era...err...year. (2010).

# 33 carnalnirvana @ 04/25/10 09:02 AM

another thing about rebounding is that 99% of rebs seem to be from 1-10 ft from the rim

i rarely see a reb from the ft line area or beyond and when a random reb does go out there the offense resets and not go right away its too rare

# 34 sroz39 @ 04/25/10 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreyIM2


	23 - I feel u, though. It's been a long time coming for things to be added, even some of the most fundamental of things, and it makes no sense how some things get removed. We can talk about Madden, in that "subtraction" regard, like crazy, but I think that, now, EA "gets it" and I strongly believe that the OS community had some serious effect on EA's thinking. Like that Empire of the Sun song goes, "WE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT RULE THE WORLD!!..." Heh.

Trey, I get what you're saying about them not going in a complete 180. I may have taken my comments a bit too far. At least I hope I did lol. You bring up Peter Moore and you're right, I truly don't believe he would allow "NBA Live Jam 11" when you consider what direction every other sports title under the EA embrella is going in.

Having said that, the only year that the Live series has been playable past a week (for me) since NBA Live 2005 was last year's and that was with Mike Wang at the helm. On top of that, Marcus has moved on as well. Basically, the two major positives that happened with that dev team in recent years are gone now. Whatever the reasons, whether it be a 180 change in direction or a 90 or even 45, is bad news for us. That's why I said that it doesn't really matter what they keep from last year's game for 11 because the biggest thing they needed to keep, Mike, is already gone.

Which is really sad because I felt NBA Live 10 was such a great step for us as basketball gamers. It was the perfect hybrid between the ultra-realistic 2K series (sticky movement and all) and the arcadey Live series that exited before the Mike Wang era. It seemed like NBA Live 11 was going to be the ultimate basketball game marrying just enough "sim" characteristics (plays, DNA) with a few "arcadey" traits (R-stick dribbling, player control which I felt was the best in any sports game. Ever). As such, we have to hope and pray that the Live dev team has learned enough from Mike and Marcus in a year and a half to keep that vision going. And personally, I just don't have that faith.

# 35 TreyIM2 @ 04/25/10 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sroz39


	Trey, I get what you're saying about them not going in a complete 180. I may have taken my comments a bit too far. At least I hope I did lol. You bring up Peter Moore and you're right, I truly don't believe he would allow "NBA Live Jam 11" when you consider what direction every other sports title under the EA embrella is going in. Having said that, the only year that the Live series has been playable past a week (for me) since NBA Live 2005 was last year's and that was with Mike Wang at the helm. On top of that, Marcus has moved on as well. Basically, the two major positives that happened with that dev team in recent years are gone now. Whatever the reasons, whether it be a 180 change in direction or a 90 or even 45, is bad news for us. That's why I said that it doesn't really matter what they keep from last year's game for 11 because the biggest thing they needed to keep, Mike, is already gone. Which is really sad because I felt NBA Live 10 was such a great step for us as basketball gamers. It was the perfect hybrid between the ultra-realistic 2K series (sticky movement and all) and the arcadey Live series that exited before the Mike Wang era. It seemed like NBA Live 11 was going to be the ultimate basketball game marrying just enough "sim" characteristics (plays, DNA) with a few "arcadey" traits (R-stick dribbling, player control which I felt was the best in any sports game. Ever). As such, we have to hope and pray that the Live dev team has learned enough from Mike and Marcus in a year and a half to keep that vision going. And personally, I just don't have that faith.

sroz39 - Wow, I didn't know Marcus left. Just went to his page to find he went to THQ. Interesting. Maybe the "new direction" is about a "new team" for NBA Live 11 or a "team refresh." Lol.

We'll see how it pans out for 11. I really don't play 10 much, anymore, because...actually I just don't know why I don't, to be honest. I went hard the first few weeks then the emotion for Live 10 just disappeared.
When gaming, I go with what I am feeling in the moment when I turn on my PS3 and I haven't really been feeling like playing b-ball much on it. Maybe it's because I really didn't get into the NBA season, this year. Usually it takes a bit for me to get into it after the NFL season is over but this year, the emotion for the NFL just never left. I play much more Madden than ever before. I even got "heavy" into the NFL Draft the last few days, which is NOT like me, AT ALL. Lol.

Whatever the case, I hope the Live ship doesn't hit an iceberg otherwise, I will be back to 2K.

# 36 TreyIM2 @ 04/25/10 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigeastbumrush


	I could be wrong but weren't the devs constantly turning over? It was only I believe 2 years ago when they released the footage of those cheesers (tourney winners) going up to EA Studios for input and they showed the dev team. Then Marcus became involved more heavily (2009?). Then the Wang era...err...year. (2010).

Nice avatar! LOL. I need a Nets one that just says, "SUCK" or "A$$" instead of "NETS". Lmao! The bright spots of the NYC tri-state area pro-sports teams, this past year, were, of course, my Yankees and Jets, then the Devils and Rangers.

As for the dev thing, I don't know.

# 37 23 @ 04/25/10 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreyIM2


	Nice avatar! LOL. I need a Nets one that just says, "SUCK" or "A$$" instead of "NETS". Lmao! The bright spots of the NYC tri-state area pro-sports teams, this past year, were, of course, my Yankees and Jets, then the Devils and Rangers. As for the dev thing, I don't know.

Im just telling you, posts like this are going to get you infracted or anything else where you're bypassing the language filter by one of the mods.

Had better edit that one before someone decides they dont feel like giving you a break

# 38 23 @ 04/25/10 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigeastbumrush


	I could be wrong but weren't the devs constantly turning over? It was only I believe 2 years ago when they released the footage of those cheesers (tourney winners) going up to EA Studios for input and they showed the dev team. Then Marcus became involved more heavily (2009?). Then the Wang era...err...year. (2010).

Yeah it was constant turnover, constant change and Live 07 was probably worse than the college game they just released.

You cannot get anything done doing what they've been doing. Yet and still the same issues have never been fixed no matter how many years it has been

# 39 Reaman @ 04/25/10 11:52 AM

Agreed.

# 40 dskillz @ 04/25/10 12:40 PM

Things I hope to stay -

Controls
Pace of game
Dynamic Crowds (This should be even more extreme next year if your team is terrible)
Dynamic Season
Gameplay with a few tweaks

I really did like Live 10. I have been playing it throughout the NBA season and will continue to play it even after the finals. I rarely do that with sports games, though I buy them every year. So I am hoping there is not some total departure into something different for Live 11.

« Previous 123 Next »

More Links