NBA Live 14 News Post

How To Fix NBA Live 14

11:05 AM - November 26, 2013 by RaychelSnr

If you read my review of NBA Live 14, then you should have an idea that the game's developers have a mountain of work towering above them. Even the team has acknowledged the game must be fixed, by posting an apology and promise to bring NBA Live to an acceptable level of performance and play.

Now here we are, with a specific checklist of what needs to be improved to make NBA Live 14 worth the $60 that Electronic Arts is asking basketball fans to pay.

Read More - How To Fix NBA Live 14

Game: NBA Live 14Reader Score: 4/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS4 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 17 - View All

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# 1 ccoaxum @ 11/26/13 11:13 AM

Good write up should email this to them

# 2 yungflo @ 11/26/13 11:30 AM

I don't see them implementing all those changes in a short amount of time before having to work on nba live 15. we're talking animations, ALOT of animations that are simply missing from the game. I don't think a few patches will solve collision detection

# 3 Rhouston @ 11/26/13 11:41 AM

In all honestly, you nailed it Chris. Your list is quite long and comprehensive, which is a sign to me that EA Sports simply can't work off the current build and has to build Live from the ground up. But to say that this isn't going to happen would be an understatement.

I'm not "fanboying" -- I'm basing my opinion off of the recent history of this series. It's become evident that for whatever reason, EA Sports' programmers and art team just can't figure out how to make a SEMI-realistic representation of basketball -- Mike Wang must contain the secret information that he took with him when he went from Live to 2K after Live 10. If you've played the NBA Elite 11 demo and then played NBA Live 14, they play a lot closer than EA Sports wants us to think.

We can make a list of everything Live needs to fix, but at the end of the day, I'd be shocked if they fixed at least half of the list in the next 2 or 3 years. And once again, EA Sports will just be setting itself up for failure.

Like some of the people on these boards, I think the best option is to scrap NBA Live altogether -- the series has been tarnished to the point that it's beyond repair.

# 4 Gramps91 @ 11/26/13 11:53 AM

Some great suggestions. I don't know if they'll try again though.

# 5 soonermagic88 @ 11/26/13 11:57 AM

So basically.... scrap it and start all over, because from what i can tell everything but the presentation is poo....

# 6 El_Poopador @ 11/26/13 11:57 AM

while i do agree with some of this list most of it is ridiculous. half of the things on this list arent in any game to date. the crashing issues are console related and not specific to the game.

basically what i just read is that in order for this game to be worth $60 it must be 100% perfect.

# 7 cgalligan @ 11/26/13 12:02 PM

Damn thats a laundry list of "fixes"

They might as well scrap it and starting working on a brand new game from the ground up...

# 8 DirtyJerz32 @ 11/26/13 12:10 PM

Good read JY. If EA is committed to fixing Live they just need to copy and paste this to a cork/black board in a meeting room and start marking off things as they goo. With these consoles there's not reason to get them fixed.

And if EA really wanted to please the fans, they should give some kind of deal to those that did purchase Live 14

# 9 cashless @ 11/26/13 12:12 PM

I hate to say it, but erase the source code and fire everybody.

# 10 nolesfan69 @ 11/26/13 12:20 PM

They should have never made this game. They know that can't compete with 2k with a game so flawed. Just cancel the series all together.

# 11 facu23 @ 11/26/13 12:20 PM

Impossible to fix

# 12 dtq @ 11/26/13 12:22 PM

Realistically, at this point, they can't afford to scrap the entire game and start over because that would mean embarking on another 3-years plan.

They're stuck between a rock and a hard place; the current foundation is not strong enough but fans certainly will not (save for the usual suspects) accept another refresh.

# 13 The 24th Letter @ 11/26/13 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El_Poopador


	while i do agree with some of this list most of it is ridiculous. half of the things on this list arent in any game to date. the crashing issues are console related and not specific to the game. basically what i just read is that in order for this game to be worth $60 it must be 100% perfect.

Examples of the ridiculous suggestions?

# 14 Rhouston @ 11/26/13 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashless


	I hate to say it, but erase the source code and fire everybody.

Normally, I would take the humanized approach and stand up for the individual Live team members -- "They have families they need to take care of, just like you and me!"

However, I'll put it in a more subtle fashion... people DO need to be let go "to seek other opportunities." It's hard to say exactly who because we don't know the inner bureaucratic workings of EA Sports. For all we know, the programmers and art team could have designed a solid-playing and visually more impressive game if it wasn't for the "higher-ups" wanting to "innovate," which could have sacraficed those areas. We can't be so quick to blame the individual programmers and art team.

However, I know at least a few people who logically should be updating their resume (but of course, won't be) -- Andrew Wilson, Peter Moore and Sean O'Brien (well, Sean O'Brien might not be AS safe). They are the three individuals who allowed a product of this quality to release, and they are the three individuals who could have stopped it.

# 15 yungflo @ 11/26/13 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashless


	I hate to say it, but erase the source code and fire everybody.

They did that with ELITE 11. I think it has more to do with the higher ups then the devs. I think the higher ups are screwing the workers. How do you have three years to work on a title and not come up with anything? Live 11,13,and 14 all looked rush Like developers are trying to meet some deadline.

EAC produced Skate. They make some great games. Tiuburon or however you spell it, doesn't have a great track record.

I think the ea suits simply aren't taking this title seriously. They are procrastinating and not putting enough resorces to the game cause they believe its live, it'll sell on the name, and they probably feel the need to cut down costs.

Its crazy to think they only have one dev cycle. 2k14 ps4 had two years of development...yet live only had one? crazy decision by upper managament. the devs are the scapegoat, while there is some fault with them, it doesn't stick with them. If they had more time, they make a better game.

# 16 El_Poopador @ 11/26/13 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The 24th Letter


	Examples of the ridiculous suggestions?

Eliminate clipping issues with limbs, bodies and the ball.
at this point no game is without clipping.
Make steal attempts more dependent on proper collision physics and less reliant on attribute-driven "dice rolls."
from what ive seen steals seem to be based on actually getting a hand on the ball. but again this is something that no game has perfected.
Provide more on-screen feedback explaining why shots do or do not go in (late timing, contested shot, off-balance attempt, etc.).
Eliminate clipping issues between the screener and the on-ball defender.
see above
Enhance the effectiveness of screens and how often they impede an on-ball defender.
not every screen needs to be powerful. they are meant to create a small opening in the defense. i would say this game does a decent job of that. a more explosive first step would correct this issue rather than making getting around a screen take longer.
Referees make way too many incorrect blocking calls or no-calls and not enough charging calls.
another one of those things that i really havent seen done well in any game to date. charging calls are incredibly rare in any game ive played in my life.
Create an in-game Jalen Rose model that appears on-screen during his studio show.
this is fluff thats not necessary until the rest of the game is great. definitely not even worth mentioning for a first year. most games today dont even have ingame models of the commentators.
Have Jalen Rose show video highlights, not just box scores, for the night's out-of-town games.
again this is something that should be looked at for a future game and not for a year one fix. once the current halftime show is seamless they can add in things like that.
Solve the random in-game crashes.
this is not specific to nba live. rather it is a console issue.
Reevaluate each position's starting attributes. The default ratings are way too low for a first-round pick.
this is subjective. you are choosing the type of player you want to become not the type of player you already are. the career modes are meant to make you work to become a better player. you also have the option to increase a few ratings before playing. ive seen plenty of people do just fine with their default ratings.
Develop off-the-court storylines and cut scenes.
this is another unnecessary thing for year one. focus on the base of the mode first. not everyone wants a scripted storyline and cut scenes. some people just want to play the game as themselves or create their own play style. they dont need a story behind it.

# 17 Barbatrucco @ 11/26/13 12:55 PM

It's not a question of what to fix, it's a question of total rebuilding.
Rember what Mike Wang say to ESPN when he leaves EA in 2010? I will remember to all of you:

"When I went over there (to EA), a lot of it was for personal reasons. I wanted to try something new, try a new challenge. But after being there and spending some time over at EA, it was clear that they do things a different way, and in a way it's just inefficient and just not the place to be to make the best games,"

And then what's happen? EA fails with Nba Elite 11. Disappeared in 2012 and 2013 and return for next gen with this impractical Nba Live 14.

EA has failed to improve. It has been sitting on its laurels in the middle of the past decade not realizing that behind the 2K advancing at double speed. When the EA has been overtaken by 2K (2005?) the rate of improvement in the 2K was so high that then there was no more competition.
What is worse, for me, is that EA has had three years to work for the NBA Live and this is the result.
I do not give any hope to the EA for what concerns the basketball. There is no race.
The EA has proven that he can not change, because to compete with NBA 2K you have to change everything and start from scratch. Everything.

# 18 RUFFNREADY @ 11/26/13 12:56 PM

great list; But this list won't ever be completed, without turning the game into 2K!
EA must have had at least 3/4 of that list on all their black/chalk/white boards, but they didn't have time!!!!
Live14 is their only foundation going forward, and it appears to be on shaky ground! Everything you do and see in Live14, is in NBA ELITE! (and that's SCARY).
Don't get me totally wrong here; Live's ESPN package is real nooice! It's just that everything else falls way short of being finished!
Now, I do have a quick analogy: Building as House vs NBA LIVE 14;
You start with a foundation (of course, you have a construction plan *); maybe EA has one?
You plan on the time of year that you would like to start building! (Does make a difference when you start your project); EA, used some parts, and an old foundation* for LIVE14
You start construction on your home! EA has been placing things inside this "foundation", trying to see what fits where*
While building your home; there are certain "procedures", "Steps" while erecting you house! Once again, EA, is just trying to place pieces in the house frame, that they don't really have***
The frame is up and you can now take your time and complete your home in an ordinary fashion!!! EA has given US the "frame" of the house, and has told US that they will be adding pieces on,"On the FLY!!!" Does that not alarm any of you?
EA has rushed this game out, and has no real direction!!
The list JY has presented would be of a good foundation; but EA cannot implement half of those things because it won't FIT!!!!! So don't think any great fixes for this year! $60 is not worth the headaches it would give a die hard LIVE series fan!

cheers

# 19 RUFFNREADY @ 11/26/13 01:02 PM

@ # 17 Barbatrucco
you hit the nail on the head! Nice find; as I was looking for the same article.
cheers

# 20 cmehustle @ 11/26/13 01:52 PM

That is a lot on EA's to do list. How about they just create another game?

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