:: First Look :: NBA Live 2004

E3 2003: NBA Live 2004
From the point to the paint, Live's ready to run the show.

May 08, 2003 - Control. Janet Jackson sang about it, everyone strives for it, and it's the reason the NBA Live series made the leap from pretender to contender last season to run all competitors out of the gym. They call it Freestyle Control to be exact, and it was one of the biggest innovations to hit the hardwood in years. This season, EA Sports returns, jersey already hanging in the rafters, with even more focus on control. Get ready to break some ankles.

Freestyle Control enables ball handlers to juke, jive, and jab step defenders out of their kicks using the right analog stick. Add to that the fact that this season you'll be able to call plays from the point guard position with the press of one button, and you see what we're talking about when it comes to ultimate control. Take John Stockton for instance. You're dribbling the ball up court using the future Hall of Famer and a defender is all up on you trying to steal the rock. What's an old white boy to do? Simply hit the right analog stick to fake your defender into looking like a fool, then with one button call for the pick and roll and deliver a sweet pass to the Mailman cutting toward the hoop. That's Jazz basketball, and that's exactly the same scenario you'll find in NBA Live 2004.

New this season, you'll also find a variety of gameplay sliders that enable gamers to customize different game options, as well as all new animations, player graphics (down to the mesh in team jerseys), and an all new announce team featuring the voices of Marv Albert and Mike Fratello. In addition, EA promises an enhanced AI with more focus on rebound battles and defense. How this will be implemented, however, is still yet to be seen.

But EA's not stopping with just additional gameplay elements, they're running the floor with a variety of cool features as well including historic teams like the Laker and Celtic championship squads of the eighties featuring realism all the way down to the parquet floor of the old Boston Garden. Speaking of stadium detail, every arena will be represented in fully rendered form and will even sport championship banners and retired jerseys in the arena rafters. Referees and courtside photographers have also been added to bump up the courtside realism to unprecedented heights. If that isn't enough, Live's Dynasty mode has also been revamped, enabling gamers to import college players from March Madness 2004.

Online play also looks to have been improved by adding one-on-one play as well as a deeper set of stat tracking. The innovative EA Sports Bio will also be implemented in the game to keep further track of your record and stats, rewarding you with plenty of unlockables across all of the participating EA Sports game titles.

It's still extremely early, but EA Sports once again looks like a top prospect. By adding even more control to an already incredible package, it could be Live that's in control of the sales charts for another year. IGN will have more on this title next week from the E3 show floor.

OH MY GOD they finally have the real arenas!!!!

Gamespot said we'll be able to import college players.

anyway, the basket still looks ugly.......... ....Why they just can't improve the basket. It's not that difficult to make some new models.

looks great...
the jerseys look better
the courts look better
finnaly the arms look real

the same ugly shoes...

and btw, nash looks like a kid in the first pic and his hair color is much darker in real life

ok, before everyone will complain on how the players look....Its Only A Very Early PREVIEW!!!

Yup...awesome that there will be real arenas with banners and retierd jerseys and stuff. And Finally championship teams...sounds great, but I wonder if EA will keep their promise

Where it comes to graphics...no one should be complaining. Cause when that game comes out...me and all other patchers are gonna be on it like flies to shit. Balee that.

Last edited by BIG GREEN on Sat May 10, 2003 4:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

I happen to like the fact that Marv Albert and Mike Fratello will be calling games now...

It might be the first time to put two cyber players on the cover..

Yao Ming is on the cover, this game will be selling like crazy in China.

I happen to like the fact that Marv Albert and Mike Fratello will be calling games now...

marv albert is good but i don't like fratello voice.

Last edited by Scary Hedo on Fri May 09, 2003 9:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

can't watch them bigger








http://www.easports.com/games/nbalive2004/home.jsp?ncc=1

Step up your game with NBA LIVE 2004. With expanded EA SPORTS™ Freestyle Control, authentic gameplay, and stunning graphics, NBA LIVE 2004 delivers the definitive basketball experience. Whether running the point with one-button Quick Plays, spinning free in the lane for a vicious dunk, or locking down on "D", LIVE puts players in total control. With a dramatically enhanced Dynasty mode, the ability to take the court at all 29 NBA arenas, and all-new commentary from Marv Albert and Mike Fratello, NBA LIVE 2004 is all about authenticity.

Key Features for 2004:

-Play the Point: Run team-specific offensive and defensives sets for every NBA team. Be the point guard on the floor and own the flow of the game.

-Enhanced EA SPORTS™ Freestyle Control: Express your game is the ultimate authentic basketball gaming experience.

-Build a Powerhouse Dynasty: Recruit the top free agents and import your top college players in a revamped Dynasty Mode. Run your franchise your way and build the perennial NBA champion.

-New All-Star Announcer Team: Marv Albert teams up with on-air partner Mike Fratello to provide the most authentic play-by-play available.

-Battle Inside: New animations, new AI logic, and enhanced focus on rebounding battles make playing "D" a way of life.

-Championship Graphics: Completely revamped player models and details as fine as the mesh holes in your team’s jerseys.

I have a question, but regarding to 2003 .

In the post above me, the first picture, one player posts up against Raef LaFrentz i think. Is it possible to make this move with the player in 03? I havent figured out how to post up in this way. The Computer does it all the way, but i dont know how i can do this.

TheBigEasy

I like the Italian accent of Mike

anyone notice how dark vlade divac is in one of those screenshots up there?

Love the T-Mac dunk, it's not too arcade, but Steve Nash looks like E.T.!

Steve Nash looks like he is made of rubber.

It looks like a good start though.

I have a question, but regarding to 2003 .

In the post above me, the first picture, one player posts up against Raef LaFrentz i think. Is it possible to make this move with the player in 03? I havent figured out how to post up in this way. The Computer does it all the way, but i dont know how i can do this.

You press the pivot button and move your arrow keys/analog/d-pad towards the hoop.

It might be the first time to put two cyber players on the cover..

Yao Ming is on the cover, this game will be selling like crazy in China.

YUP!!! But only for ILLEGAL COPIES of the original game!

It might be the first time to put two cyber players on the cover..

Yao Ming is on the cover, this game will be selling like crazy in China.

YUP!!! But only for ILLEGAL COPIES of the original game!

they got the illegal copies because EA is not gonna release this game in china( or they have to wait like 6-7 months after the game released)

It might be the first time to put two cyber players on the cover..

Yao Ming is on the cover, this game will be selling like crazy in China.

hey buddy , we got the same last name

I'm certainly looking forward to NBA Live 2004, even though these are just early previews.

Man, 2004 looks promising, finally they got those real arenas on it.

t-mac's cyberface and shoes sucks!! i hope in live'04 you can change the shoes of a player.(ps2)

I have no concerns about the graphics and shoes....just like what the thug said - THE patchers will be like flies editing the details and stuff.

What I would really like to see EA to be doing is some improved gameplay with regard to realistic gameplay on both offense and defense. NO TWEAKING REQUIRED. More features as well as game option would definitely set this game apart from the rest of the basketball sims out there

I also hope that they could add half time players of the game just like in previous nba live versions.

The bottom line here is that....I CANT WAIT FOR THE RELEASE OF NBA LIVE 2004

I don't there should be too much concern about graphics at this point. The finished product nearly always looks better than the early screens. At the very least, the graphics are polished up here and there. At the moment, the most telling part of the previews is the features list - after E3, hopefully we'll have some previews of the actual gameplay.

The screens closer to the release of the game will give us a better idea of how the finished product will look (which is significant for console users, who cannot make use of patches).