Chris' Blog: Playing the blame game with NBA Elite 11

[JWiLL02]

The blame goes to whoever silenced Mike Wang's creative voice. Say what you want about giving one guy too much credit, but what he values in a basketball game (whether it's from his Inside Drive days, or 2k7-2k8) shined through in many areas of Live 10, and more often than not were done better than ever before (player movement, shooting).

There had to be some meeting, conversation, altercation or some kind where he was alienated and felt the need to get out.

Why would you bring a guy in as Lead Designer on your basketball game, then after your best reception in years from a critical standpoint, completely abandon his vision? Did they expect to just outsell 2K immediately after destroying consumer trust in previous years?

The Live 10 team just seemed like a bunch of guys who loved basketball making the best game they could. That's the feeling I had when I would watch the frequently released development videos they put out last year, another area they all but abandoned with this cycle (I know there's a couple minute long things out there, they don't count).

Revamping the control scheme of your great controlling basketball game simply because it worked for your hockey franchise is downright arrogant. I guess this should come as no surprise from EA.

[Playmakers]

Quote: Originally Posted by bdiggs25

I like the new elite more than the 2k cause 2k's getting boring and elites something new. The controls are easy to get used 2

is controlls all that matter in a basketball game?

tell me something beyond controlls that made you think it was playing basketball?

Do you enjoy the the things you see out of the AI?

Are you happy with the way the game moves once you leave the practice gym?

Do you even care that the AI still attempts the weirdest looking shots even within 5 feet from the basket?

Is this game just all about what you can do with the control of your players or does anything else even matter to you guys

[ChaseB]

Chris you must have missed out on the second Live game on 360 and also the first Sony title on PS3 -- now those were BAD games.

That being said, I don't really have strong feelings one way or the other on this title as of now -- at least not ones that are that different from how I felt at E3.

[Logic Doctor]

Don't mean to say I told you so but......

Here's what I said 3 months ago when Pasta posted the article about the Live name change to Elite.

"Something EA definitely had to do. Live's reputation became too much to overcome regardless of what was released.

NBA 2k owns the simulation crown which is both a gift and a curse. Why you ask? Because the closer you get to a simulation the further you move from a fun game. Ultimately, a large majority of gamers want to be able to pick up a controller and dominate without having to focus intensely or spend hundreds of hours refining their stick skills......and that is a completely reasonable expectation.

There is in fact a market for a more arcade like, storyline-driven NBA gaming experience. Hence my next point.EA should have put NBA JAM at the fore front of their basketball gaming strategy this year releasing the classic across all platforms. Once released on PS3 and XBOX 360, I guarantee NBA JAM outsells Live/Elite 11', by a LARGE margin. If EA corporate had any sense they would have clearly seen the benefit in that this move would have allowed them an extra year for the development of what is ultimately going to be a new NBA title and a realistic opportunity to really go back to the drawing board and do something cool and different with NBA Live/Elite.

Instead, I fear NBA Elite is destined to simply be a retread of NBA Live sprinkled with a bit of NBA Street, held together with scotch tape and toothpicks. I mean, what else could be reasonably expected from EA in 1 year? From any development team really, especially when your competition is the unstoppable juggernaut that is 2k and an in house rebirth of basketball gamings God Father, NBA Jam.

I hope i'm wrong and EA manages to pull an awesome alternative to NBA 2k out of their *** because like I said earlier, 2k is moving in a very tricky direction with regard to the definition of simulation and if their not careful may begin alienating segments of their fan base as well as newcomers to the series. Only time will tell I guess."

creepy isn't it

[hokupguy]

still cant belive they released the demo like this. Plus whats up with the lighting? the players have not light to them . And the unis letters and numbers look like crossing gurad reflectors.

[chronos_14]

Quote: Originally Posted by gameova24

this guy is crazy.....its not the worst.....and its not bad

you crazy, open your eyes boy and even do a side by side comparison if you need, you just gonna see whats better

[theprocess]

Quote: Originally Posted by gameova24

this guy is crazy.....its not the worst.....and its not bad

You must be playing the LIVE 10 demo...

I played it again this morning with a clear head and some rest, sadly though it's worst than it was yesterday.
Who knows what went on in those offices but clearly somebody had an epiphany, it was just horrible intuition. I don't blame the DEVS...I'm sure they warned the suits that it wasn't enough time to start from scratch. Some one out there running the company clearly does not care about the consumer.

Sure people will buy this game they are just not playing basket,..they're playing vieo games.

[BrianFifaFan]

People forget the Marcus also jumped ship. Those two had a definite vision as to what could make Live great again, and saw this coming. At best, the brass should've done like Konami and developed Elite in the shadows as they fully developed Live from it's direction last year, each team building it's efforts where you could match the controls and physics to the existing game. That's a real plan, and one which seems to be serving Konami quite well.

But, like you said Chris, it's all about the panic and the yearly iteration. I know that, many times, I feel like I'm paycheck to paycheck, is that EA's feeling to? "Oh God, if we don't sell another 5 million copies we're gonna go bust?" If so, that's not visionary, it's reactionary. And maybe that's why, more than not, a lot of the modern games tend toward the mediocre and forgettable..... "Gotta make that Gold date...."