Could NBA 2K16 be Implementing College Hoops?

[BA2929]

Sorry for the double post, but I didn't want a wall of text:

Quote: Originally Posted by Pokes404

If the college games ever make a return, I could potentially see the ability to name players, and possibly even picking jersey numbers, being removed. The computer would just randomly name the players and pick their numbers. No matter how accurately a custom roster was from a physical/attribute standpoint, without the ability to enter the real-life players' names and numbers, I would think that EA/2K would be safe from any player-likeness issues. The question would be, would enough people be OK with playing with generic players to still turn a profit?

I don't think the editing of players was the issue with the lawsuit. It was that EA was basically creating players who looked and performed EXACTLY like their real life counterparts. For example, they had a #15 QB for Florida who played and looked identical to Tim Tebow. And Ed O'Bannon was mad because they actually used him in the game without paying him. They ACTUALLY used HIM in the game. Could you imagine NBA 2k using Charles Barkley in NBA but his name was just #34 for the Suns? That's essentially what they did and why they had to fork over cash.

Instead, they could easily just get the team licenses and put 100% generic players in there and allow everyone full editing. I mean, there's no issue with people creating Charles Barkley in NBA using the CAP feature, so I don't see why there'd be a reason why they'd have to take out full player editing in a college game.

[KingAmar12]

I just hope they fix the terrible wait time to get a damn Blacktop game in. They messed up what was dope in NBA 2K13.

[dwayne12345]

Quote: Originally Posted by BA2929

Sorry for the double post, but I didn't want a wall of text: I don't think the editing of players was the issue with the lawsuit. It was that EA was basically creating players who looked and performed EXACTLY like their real life counterparts. For example, they had a #15 QB for Florida who played and looked identical to Tim Tebow. And Ed O'Bannon was mad because they actually used him in the game without paying him. They ACTUALLY used HIM in the game. Could you imagine NBA 2k using Charles Barkley in NBA but his name was just #34 for the Suns? That's essentially what they did and why they had to fork over cash. Instead, they could easily just get the team licenses and put 100% generic players in there and allow everyone full editing. I mean, there's no issue with people creating Charles Barkley in NBA using the CAP feature, so I don't see why there'd be a reason why they'd have to take out full player editing in a college game.

Actually if you remember the NBA Live series in the late 90's they couldn't afford to pay Jordan to be in the game so for many years there was a 99 rated SG on the Bulls named "Player" or something like that. So it's not like likeness wasn't used in other pro sports in games to afford licensing fees.

[CaseIH]

Quote: Originally Posted by DustinT

Spike Lee is going to take NBA 2K16 to another level with his inclusion in the game’s MyCareer story mode. Story is everything, after all. My Career is going to follow the world of your player (Ronnie 2K has confirmed “Frequent Vibrations” is not your only option) as he continues his hoops journey in high school. That sounds great, but what’s the real underlying question here? NBA rules state that a player cannot jump straight to the pros. All three of the covers released for 2K16 feature the star from their college days: Steph Curry at Davidson, Anthony Davis at Kentucky and James Harden at Arizona State. Could college hoops, after eight years and one console generation, be returning to the PlayStation and Xbox? There’s also the potential of walking in Emmanuel Mudiay’s footsteps, and playing overseas after high school. Either way, with the option to play overseas or choosing the length of your college career, simulation would be taken to the next step for sure. And Spike Lee is definitely the kind of guy that could make this happen. Here’s to College Hoops. I hope.

If college hoops was somehow implemented in the game, and it wasn't just for My Player mode, this would definitely get me to buy this game day 1. I really miss CH2k, I played that game more than any other game back in the day, and I still enjoy CHoops more so than I do NBA.

[nchary18]

Quote: Originally Posted by MarvellousOne

I doubt we see a full scale college hoops ordeal but perhaps 2k has gotten licensing of some major colleges to select from, nothing keeps a company from getting individual licensing from a college, they are not allowed to have the NCAA brand, but if I'm not mistaken any school can agree to be used if they so choose.

I think 2k will get the individual licenses from however many colleges and put the rookies from this coming year on the team. For example they'd put jahlil okafor, justise winslow, and whoever was drafted from that duke team and put them on duke. Because they are no longer in college they wont have to pay them. They could then fill up the remaining roster spots with generics.

[Ward13]

Quote: Originally Posted by iTofu

Honestly, I'd rather have the option to go to Euroleague or China than go to College. I always wondered why more players didn't do that. Get that cash now!!! Especially given how you never know how small your window is for being lucrative in basketball. I suppose Jennings and Mudiay may have been drafted higher if they had been in the NCAA. Then get drafted by the 76ers and stay there for a while, so the Sixers can continue being a terrible team acquiring draft picks and assets... lolol Joking about that part.

Ikr, Jennings and Mudiay were both drafted 10th and 7th overall in their respected draft classes and were millionaires before playing a game in the NBA. Sure its a culture shock that most American teens aren't ready to handle but I'm all for making money for something you've dedicated your whole life towards doing. It's nothing more than taking a great paying job out of HS and having to relocate to wherever that position is based.

[Pokes404]

Quote: Originally Posted by BA2929

I don't think the editing of players was the issue with the lawsuit. It was that EA was basically creating players who looked and performed EXACTLY like their real life counterparts. For example, they had a #15 QB for Florida who played and looked identical to Tim Tebow. And Ed O'Bannon was mad because they actually used him in the game without paying him. They ACTUALLY used HIM in the game. Could you imagine NBA 2k using Charles Barkley in NBA but his name was just #34 for the Suns? That's essentially what they did and why they had to fork over cash. Instead, they could easily just get the team licenses and put 100% generic players in there and allow everyone full editing. I mean, there's no issue with people creating Charles Barkley in NBA using the CAP feature, so I don't see why there'd be a reason why they'd have to take out full player editing in a college game.

I really wish I could find it, but I swear I remember reading somewhere that part of EA's settlement was agreeing not to allow roster sharing in any future installments. The only thing I can provide is a comment Pastapadre made on one of his articles. He voices a similar opinion, but like I said, I can't find anything concrete. And a post from someone on the Internet, even from someone fairly credible, certainly shouldn't be taken as the final word on the matter. Hopefully we're both mistaken because I'd love to see the college games return, and generic rosters with the ability to edit and share them would seem to be the simplest solution.

- pastapadre in reply to > Emperor GaSouthernEagles06 • 4 days ago "My understanding is the settlement may have included terms that prohibited EA from allowing users to share rosters, had they continued making a game. If that's the case, which I think EA would likely pull it even if they weren't required to do so, it's hard to see them making a completely generic (players) game."


And the reason there isn't a problem with people creating Charles Barkley in NBA 2K is because no one has tried to sue them over it yet. The problem with EA is that they have been sued over the player likeness issue, and now they're going to air on the side of caution on anything that could even remotely be used against them. So like Pasta said, even if they weren't required to pull roster sharing/playing editing, they might do it just to be safe. They know there's some lawyer out there who could make an argument that EA is knowingly using the roster share feature as a workaround to profit off of the student-athletes' likenesses without paying any player-likeness fees.

If the college games ever come back, I think they'll either have to be completely generic (with possibly limited, or even zero, player editing ability), or EA is going to have to pay player-likeness fees to the NCAA, which they can disperse to the players after their eligibility is up. But in either case, whether the games are still financially viable at that point is up for debate.

Now that we know college teams are going to be involved in some way in NBA 2K, it'll be interesting to see what that looks like. If they are teams that you actually get to play with (not just present during cutscenes or something), it might give us a sneak peak at what college games (should they ever come back) could look like in the future.

[King_B_Mack]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pokes404

I really wish I could find it, but I swear I remember reading somewhere that part of EA's settlement was agreeing not to allow roster sharing in any future installments. The only thing I can provide is a comment Pastapadre made on one of his articles. He voices a similar opinion, but like I said, I can't find anything concrete. And a post from someone on the Internet, even from someone fairly credible, certainly shouldn't be taken as the final word on the matter. Hopefully we're both mistaken because I'd love to see the college games return, and generic rosters with the ability to edit and share them would seem to be the simplest solution. - pastapadre in reply to > Emperor GaSouthernEagles06 • 4 days ago "My understanding is the settlement may have included terms that prohibited EA from allowing users to share rosters, had they continued making a game. If that's the case, which I think EA would likely pull it even if they weren't required to do so, it's hard to see them making a completely generic (players) game." And the reason there isn't a problem with people creating Charles Barkley in NBA 2K is because no one has tried to sue them over it yet. The problem with EA is that they have been sued over the player likeness issue, and now they're going to air on the side of caution on anything that could even remotely be used against them. So like Pasta said, even if they weren't required to pull roster sharing/playing editing, they might do it just to be safe. They know there's some lawyer out there who could make an argument that EA is knowingly using the roster share feature as a workaround to profit off of the student-athletes' likenesses without paying any player-likeness fees. If the college games ever come back, I think they'll either have to be completely generic (with possibly limited, or even zero, player editing ability), or EA is going to have to pay player-likeness fees to the NCAA, which they can disperse to the players after their eligibility is up. But in either case, whether the games are still financially viable at that point is up for debate. Now that we know college teams are going to be involved in some way in NBA 2K, it'll be interesting to see what that looks like. If they are teams that you actually get to play with (not just present during cutscenes or something), it might give us a sneak peak at what college games (should they ever come back) could look like in the future.

I would have to disagree with that sentiment. I'd bet that there's been more attempts to sue over that sort of thing than we really have or will ever hear about. Mostly stemming from the fact that they A) lead nowhere and B) are probably so early in the process that nobody ever knows. I say all that because if there's a chance for somebody to make a few quick bucks from compensation for something like that, they'll jump all over it. I also look at games like the WWE series. There's been an insanely more robust and accurate roster sharing/creation tool in WWE games for over a decade and counting now with little to no legal ramifications coming of it. If there's one group of professional athletes you can count on to look for the kind of publicity a lawsuit against a big video game developer would net them in addition to a large sum of money, it's professional wrestlers.

With the addition of logo creators in the WWE series you can create an share other entire wrestling companies in the game to the point that you could confuse someone into thinking you're not even playing a WWE game but another companies game. In fact, you can PERFECTLY create NBA or NCAA players in the game with all their trademarks, logos and likenesses and share it with the rest of the WWE community. I've yet to hear about one of the thousands of indy wrestlers who're getting paid like 50 bucks a night to do a show in the gym come calling for a lawsuit because his/her perfect recreation is turning up on these games. Same with the NCAA players that have been in 2K Draft Classes created and shared throughout the entirety of this whole legal battle over likenesses. Bottomline, if there were actual legal grounds to sue these companies over the roster sharing aspect of these games, someone would have jumped all over it by now.