NBA Live 10: What We Know (So Far...)

With NBA Live '10 news and previews right around the corner, I've decided to make a thread here in the NLSC Forum to compile what we already know about the game so that we can bring ourselves up to speed and answer a few questions people might have before we're flooded with media, producer blogs and more. Check back soon for some more NBA Live '10 content here on the NLSC.

And so, without further ado...

NBA Live 10: What We Know (So Far...)

• As of this post, the exact release date is unconfirmed. Some sites have listed a date of September 28th, 2009, but others simply list October 2009. Since a recent producer blog mentioned an early October release, I would suggest that the September 28th date isn't right and that the release will be around the same time as last year.
  
  
• NBA Live '10 will be released for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Playstation Portable. Unfortunately, there will be no PC version of NBA Live '10; releases for the Playstation 2 also appear to have been discontinued. IGN is also listing an iPhone version of the game.
  
  
• A demo has been alluded to, based on the last couple of years it will likely be out about a month before the actual release for both the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.
  
  
• NBA Live 365 and Dynamic DNA will be a part of NBA Live '10, with the subscription running for the duration of the 2009/2010 NBA season. Presumably, features such as NBA Rewind will still be a part of NBA Live 365. A surprising addition to NBA Live 365 has been hinted at in a couple of recent blog posts.
  
  
• On the subject of the NBA Live 365 subscription, it will be provided free of charge courtesy of a sponsor for all new copies of the game. If the game is bought second hand, a subscription will need to be purchased seperately from a game retailer, the Xbox Live marketplace or the Playstation Store. Presumably the cost will be similar to last year.
  
  
• NBA Live '10 will be discontinuing the use of seperate shoot and dunk/layup buttons, as confirmed by Mike Wang on the Operation Sports forums. However, the user will still retain control over the shot attempt and presumably shots will still be contextual to a certain extent, so there'll be no dunking from the free throw line etc.
  
  
• Particular attention has been paid to backboard usage, not only on layups but for players who like to use the glass on jumpshots. Shot arcs have also been an area of focus, with some players having signature shot arcs.
  
  
• In addition to player specific moves and animations such as signature jumpshot styles and Go To Moves, players will also have signature dribbling animations in NBA Live '10. Presumably there'll be a couple of different generic animations as well to cater for players who do not have a unique style. There will also be greater differentiation between footspeed for different players.
  
  
• A blog post requesting feedback on the audio for NBA Live '10 has confirmed that Marv Albert and Steve Kerr will continue to provide commentary in NBA Live '10.
  
  
• The game will make use of the EA Sports Virtual Playbook technology.
  
  
• Substitution logic has apparently been re-written this year with more emphasis on secondary positions. Gameplay in general would appear to be the focus this year with several blog posts emphasising an approach of "fixing the cracks in the foundations" and other snippets in the OS forums referring to creating a realistic basketball game and addressing issues with defense (notably Lockdown D) and minimising exploits that lead to cheesy play, especially online.
  
  
• Visuals and presentation will also receive an upgrade this year. An early work-in-progress of LeBron James performing his pre-game chalk toss can be seen here. Early screenshots have also shown players on the bench wearing warmups and displaying jersey numbers, as well as signs in the crowd.
  
  
• The soundtrack will consist of hip-hop tracks with strong basketball themes.

players wearing warmups on the bench is inclusion worthy as well i think

Ah, of course. Added.

Not to mention the fan signs

i usually don't ask questions but Nba live10 really interest me

[*]will you have the same features and more like keeping the academy (awesome feature) and adding a d league or summer league (would be awesome)



[*]will you keep some of the music you had like champion(the best song on there in my opinion)

well the developers dont hang around here at all, so dont expect answers from them

there has been no word about the academy or about the dleague/summer league, although those would be awesome

the music end of things, is going "back" to the basketball/hiphop culture is what one of the developers said

I don't believe they'll drop NBA academy that was a huge feature I think they'll add some extra things in to it. I'll try and find out more.

well since it was frustrating and people complained about it on OS this year, it might go

none of us saw the 2 button method going, yet evidently people hated it

Player speed differentiation is also being worked into NBA Live 10.

thank you for answering my question though i have one more

how does the NCAA import work? never really tried to use it
i really want to know

there hasn't been an NCAA import feature since Live 2004

there have been no announced plans to bring it back

well the developers dont hang around here at all, so dont expect answers from them

Here's hoping we can get a little more participation this year.

I'd be pretty disappointed if the Academy goes. I think it needs a few tweaks and the addition of free throw practice would be nice too, but I love the concept. It took them a while and an experiment with three different shot buttons before they decided multiple shot buttons wasn't the way to go, so hopefully the Academy is something that gets refined before it's scrapped/replaced.

Yes what a major disappointment it would be for the Academy to be gone. I agree it needs some tweaks to. I think within the academy you should not only be able to practice 5 on 5 but 3 on 3, 2 on 2 or even 1 on 1.

Thanks, some stuff i didn't know

I'm glad they are fixing the substitution, it was really annoying the last two years

when do you guys think we will see more videos on this game. all we have is a 30 sec trailer.

be able to practice 5 on 5 but 3 on 3, 2 on 2 or even 1 on 1.

And to think, that option was present in the past Lives (97 or 98?)

how will the procedural awareness affect the game

seems like a cool feature

when do you guys think we will see more videos on this game. all we have is a 30 sec trailer.

I thought we'd be getting some more by now, but perhaps later this month.

They better have that game top notch before they release anything lol. I seriously can't wait to see all the new animations they put in this game, I'm really eager to see if Wang fixed the robot players on the court, that's the first thing i'm checkin for lol

I also hope they fixed the rebounding problems.

I hope they come with some video's soon to but the truth is I what them to take there time and don't send it out till its right because the ones that I've seen like at the draft it just seems like nothing game wise is really new, I don't even think the graphics are to much new as the look is concerned. I mean come on this is 2010 release I love NBA Live I am expecting a big step up from 09 and I really liked 09.

They better have that game top notch before they release anything lol. I seriously can't wait to see all the new animations they put in this game, I'm really eager to see if Wang fixed the robot players on the court, that's the first thing i'm checkin for lol

If they do release any videos early, a "Work in Progress" label as they've done in previous years would be a good idea.

It's hard to make too many fair judgements from videos though. Videos almost always highlight aspects of the offensive game and are affected by other factors including difficulty level and whether or not it's player vs player, in which case it comes down to the two players attempting to play the style of basketball we want to see. To that end videos really should be CPU vs CPU, but we really can't judge gameplay until the demo comes out (or we otherwise get some hands-on time with it).

personally, i'm wondering if they'll reintroduce the shorter season options.

Welp, i saw this coming for the playstation 2, nba live for the playstation 2 started to go down with 08. Looks like i'm going to have to get a playstation portable, i saw this coming because simulation stats were horrible for the playstation 2.

personally, i'm wondering if they'll reintroduce the shorter season options.

Yes! I am afraid that this game may be a bit too realistic in gameplay that its difficult to play, but aslong as it has ashorter franshise season I'll survive haha