IGN HANDS-ON NBA LIVE 2004

When it comes to recognizable athletes, the NBA is top dog. Kobe, T-Mac, Stevie Franchise, you not only know these guys by name, you know them by face. And that's where the NBA has a decided advantage over other sports. Their athletes aren't wearing helmets that block their smiles, or hats that shade any eye contact from the crowd. When Shaq smirks after knocking down five defenders with a two-handed throwdown, the TV cameras get jammed so far up in his grill you can damn near count his teeth. So when the development team over at EA Canada took a look at the Live series, they decided that in order to change the face of basketball videogames, the first thing they needed to do was improve the actual faces in their game. Using countless numbers of photographs of each athlete, from profiles to straight-on shots, the developers were able to improve everything from basic jaw structure to the actual head shape of certain players. And the results so far, are simply incredible. Looking at a side-by-side comparison of the Yao Ming player model from the 2003 game to 2004, it's like trying to compare Sam Cassell to Ray Allen. One's a movie star and the other, well, sorry Sam, but the other is just plain ugly.
But the improvements to Live 2004 aren't simply cosmetic, as the developers have implemented some truly innovative gameplay aspects into the series as well. In-air collisions look to make a big impact on drives to the hoop as the offensive player can actually initiate contact with the defender attempting to block a shot. Once contact is made, the shooter can attempt a variety of shots from a fade-away jumper to a scoop shot, depending on what button is pressed. At the same time, the defensive player can counter by attempting to block the shot or even by choosing to foul the offensive player extremely hard. The in-air collisions will also effect rebounding as multiple players fight for position in the paint and leap toward the rim to snatch a board off of the glass. Also new to the series is one-button play calling that allows you to dribble the ball up court with your point guard, scout the defense, then call a play like the triangle or pick and roll to exploit any mismatches on the floor.

One of the groundbreaking gameplay elements implemented last season was Freestyle Control. This year it's been improved by not only offering the same jab steps and jukes, but by also adding player specific moves. That means that while you won't see Tim Duncan busting a crossover dribble, you're sure to see Allen Iverson break some ankles with some his mad shakes on the way to the rim. Speaking of authentic play, the computer AI will also play each team as they're meant to be played, with the Mavericks running the floor looking for every opportunity to fast break, the Lakers methodically bringing the ball up court and dumping the rock inside to Shaq, and the Nuggets playing more like little nuggets that resemble anything but gold.

On the features side, Live will enable you to customize your game with a variety of AI sliders, including adjustments to the game's speed, the speed of passes, and even limiting the number of dunks. The game also includes old school squads (and their arenas), from the championship Bulls teams of the 90's to the great Celtic teams of the 80's, complete with the parquet floor of the famed Boston Gardens. And when it comes to authentic courts, NBA Live 2004 will be the first game in the series to feature fully rendered replicas of every NBA arena, including everything from retired jerseys hanging in the rafters to championship banners. Online play has also been enhanced with one-on-one games added to the multiplayer mix. In addition, the awesome EA Sports Bio rewards system will also be implemented to track your stats, rank your ability, and unlock secrets across a variety of EA Sports titles.

In terms of Live's franchise, or as they like to call it, Dynasty mode, EA is still keeping things on the hush-hush. All that we know so far is the fact that a variety of mini games (like Madden) will be added to incorporate preseason mini-camps and in-season training sessions.

When it comes to sound, Marv "I like to wear heels and bite you in the ass" Albert and "The Czar of the Telestrator" Mike Fratello have been added to the audio lineup to handle the game's commentary. EA promises plenty of player specific comments including in-game stats, as well as added insight into team offensive and defensive sets.

NBA Live 2004 is set to ship in time for the start of the next NBA season this fall. EA Sports hopes its game will not only be as fan-tastic as the league it imitates, but as recognized for greatness as the superstar players it represents. Obviously, only time will tell, but so far, the game at least has the face of greatness, and there's something to be said for looking pretty, even in these early stages.

Ign isn't the best site when it comes to sports games, but this article really makes Nba live looks very promising indeed.

People have compaired NBA live 2003 with NBA 2k3 and most say NBA 2k3 is a much better game. Why? Because the graphics are better (better faces), the speed is better, the gameplay is better (even though in NB2 2k3 passing is crap), franchise is also better and there are no gameplay sliders.
Well for those who say that,
look what will happen to NBA live 2004:

Graphics: The faces are going to be awesome, real arenas are added

Gameplay: Sliders are added and they address the real problems. Sliders for speed, passingspeed and dunks! No more centers doing crossovers! Freestyle will be improved upon (and it's already great).

Franchise: Looks like NBA live is going to look more like their other sportsgames, like Madden. Which is a good thing. I love the sportsbio. And what about importing draftplayers, doesn't that sound good.

If only they could get the computer's AI in the 4th quarter right this time...

ps
who's playing NBA2k3 or NBA ID 2003 anyway, it's too damn easy. At least you can make NBA Live 2003 challenging to play.

sounds great...now if they incorporate greater realism in gameplay they might make another classic.

When it comes to sound, Marv "I like to wear heels and bite you in the ass" Albert

lol

Sounds great, I like the player specific freestyle, and the choose to foul and it actually working.

NBA Live 2004 is really looking like being an outstanding game. Hopefully more details on Dynasty Mode will become available in time.

OMG!

Now i really want this game!! Look at all those improvments. They even added the ability to change ur shot in mid air...daaaamnnn!!

Sliders galore...exxxcellent!!

Dynasty mood...pre season camp??!!?? in season training??!!

shiiiiit. This will be the best nba live ever. Nba live 2003 out sold 2k3...but 2004 will blow them out of the water.

I can't wait to start patching that baby up. If they model players specificly with tons of pics...i dont expect the same graphic format..which is good. Mabe we will now get to patch everything at higher resolutions..especially shoes...mmm.

I hope all these things are true.

Amen to that brother.

As some of the people have said, we're all looking for improvements in almost every aspect of the game. I hope that the EA team a lot improvements in the gameplay, features, stat-tracking, etc. This preview seems juicy enough...hope it really is a game where we can sink our teeth into.

Cheers!

So if it's set to be released on time for the start of the new season is the USA, what about other countries, like Europe and Australia?

We're usually anything from two weeks to a month later, hopefully this time it will be the former.

This does sound very nice I might have to splurge and get 2k4 and live 2004. Oh well

Hope these things are true and visible, no invisible features.
But it never seems that EA includes stuff we write in those wishlists

I hope that the Championship teams and so forth do not have to be unlocked. That kind of thing is better suited to pro wrestling games, rather than a real sports sim.

I hope that the Championship teams and so forth do not have to be unlocked. That kind of thing is better suited to pro wrestling games, rather than a real sports sim.

right. I hate games that have those unlock things,... it's so frustrating....

A one thing I'd like to see one day in a NBA game is a Career-mode, in which you play with ONE player. You should practice, negotiate shoe deals, sit on the bench or carry your team. Like a first person basketball game!!! It would be a cool feature if you made yourself (with a cyberface of course) in the game and become a legend since I can't do it in reallife!!!

yeah finnboy i've been thinking of the same thing. it would be so awesome to play as a player. Of course you'd have to know the plays but you knwo they should add colored arrows on the floor to tell you where to go like in madden.

Instead of colored arrows for Career-Mode, they should make the game camera follow you! They could have that in: Options\Camera\Follow Locked Player! WOOO HOOO!!! Oh yeah. They haven't told us about Career-Mode yet.

I don't think we're going to see a single player career mode just yet.

If you've read about EA's 'Bio', it's a system that tracks play throughout EA games. As described, you have to accomplish things in other games to open features of a game like NBA Live.

For instance, this might mean you have to win the Masters Tournament in Tiger Woods Golf in order to play as the 'Showtime' Lakers in NBA Live.

No, I think it means if you play well in NBA Live we'll give you the showtime Lakers for example, or you can open xxxxx in another EA game. Or both.

For instance, this might mean you have to win the Masters Tournament in Tiger Woods Golf in order to play as the 'Showtime' Lakers in NBA Live.

I sincerely hope that isn't the case. We should not have to buy games we aren't interested in, simply to unlock a feature in another game. I don't think this would be very popular, so I'm hoping EA won't do that.

No, I think it means if you play well in NBA Live we'll give you the showtime Lakers for example, or you can open xxxxx in another EA game. Or both.

Personally, I don't want that either. I question how these teams would be unlocked - by completing various years in Dynasty Mode? Season play in NBA Live doesn't go fast enough to unlock special features. I hope that the legends, decade All-Stars and championship teams are playable from the time you install the game. To me, unlockables just aren't a good idea for a basketball game.

did any1 else get the latest issue of PSM mag. (july issue)?
its got this NBA live 04 preview, they hav this pic comparing an in
game face image of iverson in live03, and an image of him in next yrs
game... in live04 the face looks amazingly real... its practically photo realistic..
u can really see how horrible his EA face looked in 03
would share the pic if i got a scanner...

did any1 else get the latest issue of PSM mag. (july issue)?
its got this NBA live 04 preview, they hav this pic comparing an in
game face image of iverson in live03, and an image of him in next yrs
game... in live04 the face looks amazingly real... its practically photo realistic..
u can really see how horrible his EA face looked in 03
would share the pic if i got a scanner...

ben posted the pic here http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~nbalive/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=6374