The miscellaneous "Hopes for Live 2004" thread

[Andrew]

There's probably a lot of little things we're looking forward to/hoping to see in NBA Live 2004. Since not all of them are big enough to warrant their own topic, I thought I'd create this thread, for the "odds and ends" - improvements here and there, that aren't going to be listed in the Key Features, but will be apparent when we play the game.

So, without further ado...

Inbounding

I think I've already mentioned inbounding when speaking about teammate AI. Hopefully, players will move around a little more, especially when you're looking to launch a last second shot.

I'd also like to see the ability to designate the player to inbound the ball. I'm hoping that Live 2004 will allow someone other than the small forward to inbound the ball when there is a foul called, the ball goes out of bounds, or any other infraction is called.

Obviously, no big deal if it doesn't appear in the game, but I feel it would be a handy.

[BIG GREEN]

In regards to inbounding...if their adding deflections like they said they will...you should have the ability to deflect inbounding balls. It would be nice if we were also able to set an inbounding formation as seen in last minutes of a game. Also, animations should be in place for the player inbounding: showing him having dificulty inbounding(faking passes etc).

[Andrew]

Yeah, I like that idea. On the subject of faking passes, I don't believe they were in Live 2003 (but were in Live 2000-2002). It would be nice to see their return, and on inbounds passes, too.

[joemimic]

Better ball handling in the post, I hate getting stripped right when I start to post and I end up with 5-6 turnovers a game. Some players like a post game hopefully the man who is free via the double team moves a little bit better this year.

[Andrew]

Another good point. Adding to that, not every player gets double-teamed in the post eg. if Rasho Nesterovic is posting up against Shaq, there shouldn't be any need for Rasho to draw a consistent double team, which often leads to the player being stripped.

[Matthew]

I just want the game to be more focused on being a simulation of the nba rather than a "over-the-top" game.

[Ugur]

yeah man thats what every real NBA lovers want from EA.
A real game not an arcade if i want arcade i d play street hoops.

[Venom]

yeah all those things are needed

and also better AI... both of your opponents and you teammates.it's stupid that ones you get past your defender you can walk to the hoop and no one will react

also it's frustrating when you run from the 3point line to the basket,and the guy behind you catches up even though he was on half court

[Tuomas]

I would like if EA looked back and used some of the good things from their older games.
I suggest fixing the crowd. In NHL 2000 the moving crowd didn't slow gameplay, but it looked great, and somehow EA messed it up in 2001.
The best NBA crowd was in Live 2000 or 2001, the crowd in 2003 is AWFUL!

NHL 2000 crowd pics:
http://koti.mbnet.fi/finnboy/pictures/picture_crowd1.jpg
http://koti.mbnet.fi/finnboy/pictures/picture_crowd2.jpg
http://koti.mbnet.fi/finnboy/pictures/picture_crowd3.jpg

And when taken close-ups, some crowd members could wear a game jersey, like in NHL 2002. THAT was cool.

A crowd raises the momentum. In NHL 2000 is awesome to score a goal in overtime, and see the crowd standing up and screaming. And I have a great speaker system so the sounds are awesome as well! (In fact, the best part of my system are the speakers!!!)

[Andrew]

That'd be a pretty cool effect for the crowd, if some people were wearing team jerseys (mostly home, some for the away team). As far as their reactions went, I didn't think the Live 2003 crowd was too bad, though Live 2002 was pretty good (cheering non-stop when the home team went on a big run, grew a little quiet if the away team made a couple of baskets).

[bishibashiboy]

For the love of god, I hope they re-implement the in-game save option. I can't stand needing to sit thru one game in on session; especially if my computer is shared in my house.

As for the inbound passing, I hope if it IS implemented, they don't go crazy with it and allow you to deflect passes too easily. That would just make inbounding extremely tedious.

More post moves would be nice, especially quicker fakes.

I also hope that when I rebound with a center or PF, my guards aren't already half way sprinting up court. Nothing more annoying than using Shaq to bring up the ball after every defensive board.

And finally, my overall pet peeve on the technical side of things, would be that the game be better programmed. There's no reason that 2003 was so poorly optimized for mainstream systems with graphics cards capable of running something like Unreal Tournament 2003 with all options on capably, yet choking at the first sign of increasing the shadows, or texture detail.

[Jux]

One other thing. When there is no full-court press defence ... than there is no need to take the ball over court by three men (pg, sg, sf). Other two should run to offence allready.

[Andrew]

As for the inbound passing, I hope if it IS implemented, they don't go crazy with it and allow you to deflect passes too easily. That would just make inbounding extremely tedious.

Agreed. That was about the only downside with Freestyle control. It was great in that defenders finally fall for fakes and crossovers, but unfortunately, it worked too well. Hopefully, deflections are not too frequent, because that will just mean too many steals.

I also hope that when I rebound with a center or PF, my guards aren't already half way sprinting up court. Nothing more annoying than using Shaq to bring up the ball after every defensive board.

Yeah, that was the problem with Live 2003 - your guards were gone too soon to make a safe outlet pass and start the fast break - meaning the fast breaks were too fast, and too numerous.

[Tuomas]

As I posted before, I definetly would like improvement on the environment.

But gameplay first, then the graphics.

[Nel]

I hope that when i drive to the basket and kick it out to my cpu teammate he would shoot the jumper. Plus i just wish they bring back the fadeaway shot on the inside. Its annoying players taking shot in the paint with the same shot they used on the outside.

[Andrew]

Speaking of shooting styles, hopefully the two different jumpshot styles - the normal style and the "ugly" style - do not depend on the height and weight of a player to be assigned (perhaps we'll see some other jumpshot animations as well). Again, just a small thing, but that's what this thread is for, all the small things that we'll notice after we sample the gameplay, graphics, and new Dynasty Mode features.

[Tuomas]

Speaking of shooting styles, hopefully the two different jumpshot styles - the normal style and the "ugly" style - do not depend on the height and weight of a player to be assigned)

Right. And bring back the forward leaning jumper like in 2001!

[smithy_17]

i think the overall atmosphere should improve. crowd should react to the game, to calls/ noncalls. also the game should have more non-gametime-time (don´t know how to express). i mean after such things like a foul is called or you had a turnover live2003 just has a short cut-sequence (which you are annoyed of after watching it a couple of times) and after a second the game goes on. i often even missed the chance to substitute because it´s that short. i´d like to see no cutscenes. instead (all by staying with the camera-mode you have for playing the game) there should be some player reactions, coaches talking to players, the ball handed over to the ref, the ref showing the foul etc. and while stuff like that goes on there should be stats shown like team fouls, fouls to give, foul trouble, top scorers, scoring droughts and stuff like. that would make the game experience more intense and real. i remember playing nhl 98 and it was feeling just like that (i don´t play the recent nhl games). And also i´d like to see more kind of stats shown. for example in a playoff series e.g. spurs-mavs, you are in the 4th qtr of game 5 and your opponent (spurs) has a rebounding advantage of 40-30 and a stat shows : "spurs are 8-1 in postseason when outrebounding opponent". such things would be cool.

[Andrew]

I agree, it would be good if this year, cut scenes can be turned off, as opposed to turned down to a bare minimum. I know the frustration of skipping a cutscene, only to have a CPU opponent inbound the ball before I had a chance to sub or call timeout. Of course, it's possible to bring up the pause menu during a cut scene. Of course, sometimes you forget.

More reactions outside of cut scenes would be nice, too. But, make it possible to penalise someone for their celebration. If a player just stands under the ring celebrating after a big dunk, it should be possible to throw the ball up court to his man, and capitalise on the advantage. To be fair, you could also control your player's celebration to a certain extent, ie. have him run back on defense while still waving his arms.

[smithy_17]

exactly. i think there was a game (maybe live 2001?) where you could run back after a dunk while the player was still waving his arms. it looked awkward though.
there should be a button you press in order to celebrate. if you dunked on someone or you were fouled hard going to the rim there should be some trash talking taking place. i don´t dare to say that it should possibly lead to tech´s because i know not everyone shares that point of view

[Andrew]

Well, if you're going to have techs for arguing calls, you might as well throw in one for heated trash talking. Again, it can't be too random...I can just imagine the commentary. "Tim Duncan is a player who really need to learn how to settle down!"

The early NBA Lives allowed you to run back on defence pointing after a dunk (Live 95) or with your arm in the air (Live 96). I believe NBA Live 97 had similar animations too. At present, everyone waits while a player recovers his composure after his highlight reel dunk or game clinching three.

[sixerfan03]

When I get a defensive rebound, I'd like the point guard to wait for the ball. It's wierd either throwing full court passes, or bring the ball up with my center.

[JBIIRockets]

two things I am hoping for

1. lots of classic teams

2. More TV like camera options. In 2003, it was press, and that was the only option. And that was high for a press camera view. Make a lower angle and keep that high angle. Provide TV press options

NBA LIVE 2001 for PS2 had the best TV camera angle, I beleive it was called press as well. But the camera angle that year actually looked like I was watching a game on TV.

2002 was the same way, but it was zoomed in a little too close.

Anybody understanding what i mean here?

[Tuomas]

Anybody understanding what i mean here?

I do. I would also like more TV-like presentation (get rid of Live 2003 replays, they suck), and more TV-like camera-angles!!!!
And the Tv-angle would be the bomb!

[Andrew]

I agree, the press camera angle in NBA Live 2002 was better, I'd like to see it return. I also agree about the replays. They just seemed too "arcade", especially the ones that showed the same motion three times from three different camera angles before showing the end result - also, the replays were usually shown before the player even touched the ground. Still, I usually play with instant replays switched off, so if they're the same, it won't bother me too much.