NBA Live 14 News Post

If NBA Live Has a Future, It Has to Look Radically Different

02:53 PM - December 6, 2013 by RaychelSnr

EA Sports had a clear opening opening with NBA Live 14, and they didn’t even realize it.

NBA 2K14 fumbled its launch about as much as 2K Sports could manage, which is to say — there are still some problems, a few of which are quite serious which consumers are facing, but the game is largely quite good.

Connectivity issues, save file issues with MyCAREER, crashes, and some old legacy gameplay issues are hampering the product at this point. A patch has fixed some issues, but many remain it appears.

In all reality, there is a lot you can find wrong with NBA 2K14 if you look hard enough.

And despite the wasted opportunity this year, it's now clear there have been key areas of mismanagement which plague the NBA Live series, and until each is fixed individually, this series has no future.

Read More - If NBA Live Has a Future, It Has to Look Radically Different

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

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Member Comments

# 161 The 24th Letter @ 12/11/13 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonWuan


	You looked up someone's twitter? I must be getting old (27). Speaks volume's Once again I do agree with OP. Sent from my M353 using Tapatalk

People 27 and over shouldn't access twitter?

# 162 DonWuan @ 12/11/13 10:34 AM

Of course they can its built for old people.

Just kidding. But I will keep my thoughts to myself.

Sent from my M353 using Tapatalk

# 163 JoeDog10 @ 12/11/13 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundown


	I played the Live demo and thought it looked and felt like an abomination, but that there were some promising animations. I played it again later with a friend and discovered how terrible the actual basketball is with hop step cheese. Still, some of the animations looked kind of okay in moments if I didn't concentrate too hard. I played it one more time while waiting for a 2K patch to download-- I was curious about Synergy updates and just wanted to mess around mindlessly for a few minutes. I wasn't even sure on the positives I saw previously. It looked worse AND played worse than even I remembered even when I wasn't trying overly hard to be critical. It's a bad looking, bad playing, bad feeling basketball game that doesn't even appear to be as good as Live 10. No it doesn't. Unless hopstep circus layups with Andrew Bynum is good basketball. Terrible defense, horrible dribbling model, off-ball AI that does nothing (is this a demo only thing?), AI defenders that seem disinterested in contesting, AI forgetting to shoot the ball when quarters run down, zero explosiveness in player movement, not to mention all the bad animations that equal a bad simulation of player interactions. A lot of the 2K issues can at least be mitigated by sliders and difficulty levels even though momentum has always been too strong in the game. But when the most effective move is to hopstep repeatedly regardless of player or handles, Live does not look or play like any semblance of good basketball. With all due respect, it seems that your frustration and familiarity with 2K's flaws have completely blinded you to everything that is more poorly done in Live in almost every aspect of the game outside of a few nice pass animations.

Sundown, you make a lot of good points here.

Live is strictly a single player game for me, so the hop step cheese doesn't ruin the game for me. Could I exploit it against the CPU every time down and get to the basket with ease? Yeah, pretty much. But I only use it in realistic situations, so this doesn't even bother me. I'm enjoying the game a lot playing against the CPU, but I couldn't imagine playing against someone in the same room or online. It wouldn't be pretty.

I don't play the demo anymore so I can't compare the demo and the retail version, but I can tell you that on the retail version, the players no longer just stand around on offense anymore. The "Automotion" option wasn't available in the demo, and I'm guessing that's probably the reason why. The offenses move well and play pretty realistically, and the spacing on the court is really evident.

The biggest problem I'm seeing after having spent a lot of time with game is the points in the paint. It's not always a problem, but I'd say maybe 3 out of every 5 games or so. Going back to the point you made about "hop step circus layups with Andrew Bynum", there are certain stretches of the game where you see that happening. And that's because you really can't "body up" someone in the post once they have the ball. So a lot of times, it results in an easy bucket for the CPU and it's usually an ugly animation too, LOL.

I guess any video game is what you make of it. But, I do think Live plays a good game of single player basketball. It's far from perfect, but it's also not nearly as bad as so many people make it out to be. It's stopped me from playing 2K outside of human vs. human games.

# 164 Slater James @ 12/11/13 02:08 PM

Live is really in a miraculous place if you think about it. This series should be stone dead. But the other game has somehow managed to keep gamers looking for an alternative. All EA has do is put out a solid game and they could actually force their way back into the conversation. The opportunity for them to reclaim their place is as open as its ever been.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk

# 165 KG @ 12/11/13 02:16 PM

I don't understand why they released a demo without Synergy AND Automotion? Seems like self-sabotage. It's one thing to release a demo that has a few bugs, it's another thing to release it w/o major gameplay features.

# 166 alexthegreat @ 12/11/13 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slater James


	Live is really in a miraculous place if you think about it. This series should be stone dead. But the other game has somehow managed to keep gamers looking for an alternative. All EA has do is put out a solid game and they could actually force their way back into the conversation. The opportunity for them to reclaim their place is as open as its ever been. Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk

# 167 shutdown10 @ 12/11/13 02:31 PM

The only agenda I have on this forum is to make sure EA is not let off the hook anymore with poor efforts like this one. If they cannot make a sound basketball game, then allow another company to take their place in the basketball market to compete with the other company.

# 168 Boilerbuzz @ 12/11/13 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slater James


	Live is really in a miraculous place if you think about it. This series should be stone dead. But the other game has somehow managed to keep gamers looking for an alternative. All EA has do is put out a solid game and they could actually force their way back into the conversation. The opportunity for them to reclaim their place is as open as its ever been. Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk

Hit the wrong button. Do not like this post because I don't think it's true. "The other game" has pissed of many folks. But FEW of them see Live as an alternative. Those that do consider it quickly go back. But that is only a SMALL number of "hardcore" users and their parrots. People need to realize how small an audience forum posters represent. Sad, but true.

Also, EA has to do much more than just a "solid" game. People act like a few weeks of a rough next gen launch, which is VERY common, equates to multiple years of underachievement, to downright no release at all from the Live series. Joe Schmoe does not trust EA, let alone the Live franchise.

And this "reclaim their place" talk baffles me. It screams of the EA arrogance that is so pervasive in their marketing. As if being the top brand is their entitlement. And some fans buy right into it. I think that's why they don't do **** with their games. They didn't deserve the status and they need to learn how to really earn it in ALL of their titles.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

# 169 El_Poopador @ 12/11/13 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shutdown10


	The only agenda I have on this forum is to make sure EA is not let off the hook anymore with poor efforts like this one. If they cannot make a sound basketball game, then allow another company to take their place in the basketball market to compete with the other company.

there is nothing stopping any other company from making a basketball game so that doesnt really make any sense.

# 170 Boilerbuzz @ 12/11/13 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El_Poopador


	there is nothing stopping any other company from making a basketball game so that doesnt really make any sense.

Uh... Yes there is. It's called business sense. It's FAR to expensive to make a game of this scope this day and age. And with the market dominated as it is, good luck making any of that money back. It's easy to sit there and say it's easy to do something if your money and livelihood isn't on the line, huh.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

# 171 blackceasar @ 12/11/13 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KG


	I don't understand why they released a demo without Synergy AND Automotion? Seems like self-sabotage. It's one thing to release a demo that has a few bugs, it's another thing to release it w/o major gameplay features.

It's called Board Members and Share Holders and Bonuses and Stock Options.

The people at the top don't really understand the business of video games. They understand the business of making money. They wanted the demo out to get people pumped about the game that came out at launch. Yes I know you have a point with saying the demo got no one pumped but what I'm saying is the people who are pushing these dates are NOT the people developing the game, which is what happens when a publisher gets TOO BIG and gets really top heavy with people with MBA's and have never even probably had a genuine interest in the video game market at all. To them EA and EA Sports is just a company they are a part of. They could work there, or work for Apply, or Sony, or Dyson Vacum Cleaners, or Whirlpool, you get the trend. Its not about the product for them, its about the business and their MBA's give blinds them to the fact that your product affects your business.

# 172 blackceasar @ 12/11/13 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slater James


	Live is really in a miraculous place if you think about it. This series should be stone dead. But the other game has somehow managed to keep gamers looking for an alternative. All EA has do is put out a solid game and they could actually force their way back into the conversation. The opportunity for them to reclaim their place is as open as its ever been. Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk

This SOUNDS GOOD in PRINCIPLE. But the reality is that if they put out a good game and take advantage of the opening 2k left (this year) it wouldnt be because of how EA treats their Live franchise.. it would be in spite of how EA treats their live franchise.

Truth is, the reason why the Live franchise has been OUT of the conversation are the same reasons why they wont get back IN the conversation. It doesnt take 2k to put out a buggy broken basketball game (this year) for Live to actually do well. All Live needs to do is do Live Well and Live will DO WELL. Make sense? What I'm getting at is it's probably not the devs and the soldiers working on the game that have to change first.. the first change has to start at the top, well above the pay grade of the people working 80 hours a week there.

And I'm not sure what you mean by "miraculous" place... EA has a TON of money.. enough to buy an NFL License.. its not like bad sales of live (or that Elite 11) travesty would stop them from making a game. They have money and resources to publish Live every year regardless of what happens with the "other game".

You are romanticising something that just doesnt need it.

# 173 El_Poopador @ 12/11/13 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boilerbuzz


	Uh... Yes there is. It's called business sense. It's FAR to expensive to make a game of this scope this day and age. And with the market dominated as it is, good luck making any of that money back. It's easy to sit there and say it's easy to do something if your money and livelihood isn't on the line, huh. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

i was speaking in context of the post i quoted.

Quote:


	The only agenda I have on this forum is to make sure EA is not let off the hook anymore with poor efforts like this one. If they cannot make a sound basketball game, then allow another company to take their place in the basketball market to compete with the other company.

let me rephrase my reply to that:

there is nothing that ea is doing that would prevent any other company from making a basketball game.

# 174 jyoung @ 12/11/13 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeDog10


	Live is strictly a single player game for me, so the hop step cheese doesn't ruin the game for me.

Even if you have the self-discipline not to use the hop step, the computer players will still use it all the time to clip through your defense and get cheesy layups.

So yes, it ruins the single player modes, too.

# 175 shutdown10 @ 12/11/13 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El_Poopador


	i was speaking in context of the post i quoted. let me rephrase my reply to that: there is nothing that ea is doing that would prevent any other company from making a basketball game.

No other company has made an NBA sim basketball game in the past 4 years instead of 2k and EA sports. Both those companies have taken a large share of that market, so a third company is not going to come in a over-saturated market that has two games taking all the licenses, market share, and sales from consumers. Sony's last basketball game was in 09, but they axed the title because of low sales and the inability to expand on their game with resources basically taken by the other two companies. Even though EA did not come out with a basketball title for 3 years, they still had their paws on that EA license and still had a contract with the NBA to produce Nba games every year. Do you understand that the contract with the NBA and Espn could have been put to good use elsewhere? EA not putting a game out for three years shortened the market to one NBA basketball game because they still held on to the NBA contract and licenses which are expensive. No other company was going to come in and try to make a basketball game under those circumstances with EA and 2k hogging most of the resources.

# 176 El_Poopador @ 12/11/13 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shutdown10


	No other company has made a NBA sim basketball game in the past 4 years instead of 2k and EA sports. Both those companies have taken a large share of that market, so a third company is not going to come in a over-saturated market that is has two games taking all the licenses, market share, and sales from consumers. Sony's last basketball game was in 09, but they axed the title because they were not able to expand on their game with resources basically taken by the other two companies. Even though EA did not come with a basketball title for 3 years, they still had their paws on that EA license and had and still had a contract with the NBA to produce Nba games every year. Do you understand that the contract with the NBA and Espn could have been put to good use elsewhere? EA not putting a game out for three years shortened the market to one NBA basketball game because they still held on to the NBA contract and licenses which are expensive. No other company was going to come in and try to make a basketball game under those circumstances with EA and 2k hogging most of the resources.

that makes no sense. the only possible argument you provided was the espn license. but there are plenty of other stations that can be utilized (tnt fox etc.). or they could go with a generic package like 2k has done.

again my argument is that ea is doing nothing to prevent any company from making a game if they wanted. just because they might have a contract with the nba doesnt mean that another company couldnt do the same if they chose to. if they dont want to get into the market then thats their own decision but dont make it sound like they are blocked because of something ea is doing. if i wanted to put the time and resources into making an nba game i could do it.

# 177 JoeDog10 @ 12/11/13 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyoung


	Even if you have the self-discipline not to use the hop step, the computer players will still use it all the time to clip through your defense and get cheesy layups. So yes, it ruins the single player modes, too.

It ruins it for you. I clearly said that it didn't ruin it "for me" while acknowledging the CPU does use the hop step and it gets annoying at times.

I'm done posting in this particular thread. I'm well aware that I shouldn't be enjoying this game. But I'll stick to the impressions thread where there are a handful of other people that are enjoying it.

# 178 shutdown10 @ 12/11/13 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El_Poopador


	that makes no sense. the only possible argument you provided was the espn license. but there are plenty of other stations that can be utilized (tnt fox etc.). or they could go with a generic package like 2k has done. again my argument is that ea is doing nothing to prevent any company from making a game if they wanted. just because they might have a contract with the nba doesnt mean that another company couldnt do the same if they chose to. if they dont want to get into the market then thats their own decision but dont make it sound like they are blocked because of something ea is doing. if i wanted to put the time and resources into making an nba game i could do it.

I don't think you read my whole post carefully. I said EA and 2K basically have the available licenses locked up at the moment, not only EA. 2k has commentators who are contracted with TNT, so the they have that license. Fox is not in NBA basketball, so that would be false license marketing. Give me one license that is available at the moment for a new company to come in and use? Please don't use networks that are not invested in NBA basketball.

# 179 WTF @ 12/11/13 05:01 PM

Fox Sports Network

I know Fox Sports Indiana carries the Pacers games, FSOhio carries Cavs games, etc etc etc.

Fox Sports is in the NBA. It goes under FSN.

# 180 El_Poopador @ 12/11/13 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shutdown10


	I don't think you read my whole post carefully. I said EA and 2K basically have the available licenses locked up at the moment, not only EA. 2k has commentators who are contracted with TNT, so the they have that license. Fox is not in NBA basketball, so that would be false license marketing. Give me one license that is available at the moment for a new company to come in and use? Please don't use networks that are not invested in NBA basketball.

i was referring to fox sports. one of the greatest parts about the pc version of nba 2k is the modding community. plenty of different scorebugs (like tnt and fox sports) to replace the generic one that 2k uses. and again they dont even need an official license as 2k has done just fine without one. as far as commentary there are plenty of options out there. ea and 2k have a combined five commentators in their game. are you trying to tell me there are only five people who broadcast nba games?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ers#ESPN.2FABC

theres a list of all the possible real life broadcasters.

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