EA SHOULD MAKE A "NBA MANAGER" GAME.

by **killerht** on Thu Apr 10, 2003 7:52 am

This would be awsome. If you don't really care about gameplay, and you mostly play Franchise and simulate, you don't need NBA Live.

And since 2000, when the Franchise was first introduced, that's been the best thing. Everybody wishes for new and batter Franchise additions and improvements. And Franchise is the funnest part nowa-days.

So, why don't EA make a game without gameplay, but with just managing a team. That way it can be soooo realistic, it's the funnest game ever.

Make the signing free agents, or re-signing players more realistic and better. If the game has no gameplay, then EA can spend soo much time making the managing part of the NBA sooo great.

Then Franchise could be like 50-100 years, rather than only 25 years.
And you should be able to sell your team and take some time off and just watch the NBA simulating itself, and then ask around the league and buy a new team.

Then you could have signing coaches, assistent coaches, GMs, and all those people.

Handle the whole team and the business. Arena attendance, and how much money tou make from the fans and stuff. If the attendance goes down if you dont have a good or exciting team, then you won't get much money and can't sign good players and you can go bankrupt and would have to sell your team.

Well, that kind of a game would be the best basketball game ever.
There is soo much more I could say but I have to run now.

by **Colin** on Thu Apr 10, 2003 11:46 am

It wouldn't make enough $ for EA to bother doing it

YouTube · by **Andrew** on Thu Apr 10, 2003 12:00 pm

This would be awsome. If you don't really care about gameplay, and you mostly play Franchise and simulate, you don't need NBA Live.

Agreed, and it's an idea that's been brought up before. Unfortunately, I would say pretty much everyone who buys NBA Live buys it so they can actually play the games, controlling NBA players. I think there's probably more basketball fans who would rather control virtual NBA players than just simulate - or at least, they'd want both.

So, why don't EA make a game without gameplay, but with just managing a team. That way it can be soooo realistic, it's the funnest game ever.

As I said before, most people find fun in taking control of virtual NBA players, not simulating in the frontend. I don't see people spending $70 (well, that's the Australian price for the PC version at least) on a basketball game that has no gameplay - at least enough people for EA to make a profit.

If the game has no gameplay, then EA can spend soo much time making the managing part of the NBA sooo great.

But it likely wouldn't appeal to as many people as NBA Live, which could have both gameplay and additions to Franchise Mode, such as the ones you have suggested.

Well, that kind of a game would be the best basketball game ever.

I'm sorry, but I must strongly disagree. Since NBA Live 95, the whole idea of the series has been the ability to control an NBA team and all the players, with more and more general manager stuff added over the years - multiple seasons, the rookie draft, free agency and so on. I think a basketball game with gameplay will prove to be more popular than one without, because there's a greater level of interaction and better replay value.

by **Metsis** on Fri Apr 11, 2003 1:07 am

I don't want to see a separate game... I want it all in one... Live is so far already, but this could be implemented by making really a realistic engine to the game and maybe another for arcade players.

I play ball and the wish I'd choose to get implemented would be the one with the game being totally REALISTIC. But I understand EA that they have to think about the money too and ultra realism would propably loose them some money. But a realistic franchise mode on top of the gameplay would propably bring in more clients.

Ofcourse a game in which I could be a GM or a single player would be nice and fun, but these wishes are really out there.

We need more places we can adjust and modify to get more immersed in the game... Immersion is the thing that really gets a player hooked on a game. Has anyone ever played Deus Ex? The graphics aren't that beautiful, but the game is so immersive that you just can't let go...

I just want a good and solid game.

YouTube · by **Andrew** on Fri Apr 11, 2003 1:03 pm

I don't want to see a separate game... I want it all in one...

Exactly. After all, the frontend of Franchise Mode is fun too, so any improvements/added realism to this aspect would be most welcome. If it's all in the one game, then people who want to just simulate can just simulate and handle the GM stuff. People who want to just play the games can play the games and simulate the offseason. People who want to do both can do both.

by **Metsis** on Sat Apr 12, 2003 6:06 am

Yeah, all in one. And the franchise has a solid bottom already with a couple of glaring flaws. It wouldn't take too much to make the game more manager like. The NBA has so clear and present rules about the teams, transactions and tons of information about the trades so that you could make a very good trading engine. And expanding the off-season to something else from the simulating stat increases that is now. Maybe adding some training camps for the rookies like... Maybe stats from the rookie camps before the draft could be shown. So that you'd have some statistics about the rookies, so that if you needed a real scorer well you could actually see who was one and who wasn't. Like it should show that the guy scored 16ppg in the Chicago invitational camp as well as his usual strengths and weaknesses.

Off-season should be a big part of the franchise. It is always exciting to follow during the summer in real life. Like some free agents waiting for bids from other teams before signing with someone. And the fact that you could throw money at the players with a bigger piece of the pie then just the default amount that there is now.

And the players would need some sort of personalities too... Stats are just numbers and there actually are people behind those stats too. Some are happy with where they are. Some people want a bigger role and some people just don't like each other. Or someone is playing in the wrong position etc. These are all real problems and some sort of happiness should be in the game. So you actually couldn't build a team with Kobe and T-Mac and the other starting from the bench. There could be something like this already, but it just needs to show in the game. If you go ask a player if he's happy now, well he would propably tell you if he wasn't too happy. As basket ball is a very emotional game, well it should be seen too, not just as an abstract thing out there somewhere. This could help predict the mysterious "Refuses to Sign" bug in the game. As in real life the players have goals that they want to achieve. If it is a title well he will propably not sign a new deal with a loosing record team. Or if it's just cash, well you get the idea. There should be 3-4 stats representing this and a team with most players with the same goals, playing styles etc. should play better then teams with all kinds of different players.

And these changes would make the franchise come alive in a whole new different way... But the most important thing still is to get the game to work as it should.

by **killerht** on Sat Apr 12, 2003 9:01 am

All I'm saying is, that EA should make a Manager game just for simulating and franchise, not just make an NBA Manager game and no Live.

EA should keep making Live, but also a NBA Manager kind game.

by **Metsis** on Tue Apr 15, 2003 6:18 am

Why make two separate games???

And the fact is that the basket ball leagues in the world are not as a good source of good gaming as say european soccer...

They should just make Live franchise deeper...

by **Malignant** on Wed Apr 30, 2003 5:14 am

uh why seperate them? If you want them to keep making Live also they should just add the two together. Its not as fun just staring at text. I have OOTP5 which is a baseball text sim. Its fun but it just doesn't ahve the same feel as watching a baseball game. I'd like both, graphics and a good sim.

by **nmje2k1** on Fri May 09, 2003 6:50 pm

@killer you might wanna check out Fastbreak Basketball
or if you into College Ball check out Tournament Dreams. I only played the demo of FBB but it seems pretty nice with tons of stats and all (including Allstar Break Slam Dunk Champion for each year and that sort of stuff) it costs about 20 bucks I think.
TD is awesome. I bought it instantly ($35 i think) loads of options hundreds of college teams. Hardcore recruiting. Just awesome