Things Have To Change!

[Tuomas]

I'm very disappointed. With a bit over 6 months of Live 2005, I'm bored. Live 2005 was supposed to change everything: a dunk contest, complete dynasty mode, authentic arenas, real cyberfaces etc.
Ok, Ima get to the point: I don't like, or yet better, I HATE the way EA is making NBA Lives right now. Since Live 2000 it has been steadily crawling on the ground. Me and us as loyal EA fans have always standed this, praising the new Live, just because it's Live. Come on, live it Live whoa
But right now I'm fed up. I can't stand it no more.

NBA Live series is dead

Let me tell you why:
The PC versions suck. EA doesn't use enough time to convert it to pc. And you hear how terrible it sounds? CONVERT? EA should make the PC version completely different since the consoles use much less resources than computers.
But the game itself sucks. Not in so much in basketball games perspective, but in perspective of games generally. It's simply not so fun to play anymore. NBA Live used to be addictive, now it's simply plain boring. You don't get a thrill out of great plays anymore, if there are any.

NBA Live sucks compared to other EA Sports games and I think it's ridiculous. Look at FIFA, MVP Baseball and NHL! They are awesome, so lifelike, so not NBA Live-value, they're plain better! I'd rather play NHL 2005 than NBA Live even though I prefer basketball to ice hockey. MVP Baseball seems amazing and makes me want to watch baseball again and FIFA is a footballer's dream. NBA Live? Makes me want to change my sport.
Take a look and try to get what I'm saying:





look at the player models!!! stadiums!!! WTF, 3D crowd???
then take a look at this:


are they playing in the attic or something...

When compared to other EA Sports games, NBA Live looks like a cartoon or a puppet show. the animations look awkward, the player feel and controlling feels forced and horrible.

I want that EA Sports would put the same effort into NBA Live than into MVP Baseball for example. When comparing the pictures, NBA Live has lot to improve. I can imagine how much better the players, stadiums and textures could be. EA has that potential so why doesn't it do it? Is it that NBA Live is the only bball game for PC out there? Well, NHL is practically the only hockey game for PC and it rocks. I can't understand why EA holds back on NBA Live

The other thing is that NBA Live is not that innovative anymore. They should add something totally new (all-star mode my ass, that was the first addition since the three point shootout in 2000, which was taken away the next year) like ESPN NBA's 24 mode. NBA Live needs some more juice, more flavour. It is about NBA I know, but add something refreshing, olympic tournament, streetball tournaments, crunch events, jam vans or whatever. Add more game modes!!

Add more room for customization. The music should be replaced. Take NBA Street's customization mode to Live, custom teams etc. Everyone wants to do their own thing.

EA should listen people for once. The game sucks plain and simple. I'd rather play NHL 95 (in fact I did this week) just because it's MORE FUN. Yea, NBA Street is fun, but why shouldn't NBA Live be fun? It's supposed to be a NBA simulation but simulations could be fun...? Right now NBA Live is a boring simulation of the NBA.

NBA Live is stuck with the same stuff. Something needs to be done and soon. All the other games keep getting better and better while Live shows no signs, or minimal signs of improvement.

The bottom line:
EA has to make a new Live since Liv 2005 isn't really a base to build on in order to make a realistic simulation of NBA in every aspet. Live 2005 was ... well, not worth 50€. If they can't improve it enough, at least lower the price because the game isn't worth the normal price, anymore. EA is the biggest video company in the world so I think they can afford to do something.

If NBA Live doesn't improve enough, I am not going to buy it and I suggest you too saving your hard earned money and using it for something more higher quality thing.

[T-Comm55]

Well as hard as it is for me to admit, the NBA Live series has been getting a little sluggish in terms of improvement. But there aren't any NBA games out there, thats really better than NBA Live so I guess we just have to hope that Live series gets better starting with NBA Live 2006.



PS: Good Post The Answer

[blair710]

They should have like 2 on 2s and 3 on 3s and stuff like that. Tournaments and stuff.

[jhunjhunjhunjhun]

if you ask me, Gamplay is the things to change and improve, I agree to you that the graphics of NBL is poor but for me if the graphics is good but the gameplay is poor it is also a crap,

[Carlo.29]

yeah, the graphics in other ea games are so nice, but i NBA Live, its not.. seriously, i dont like the graphics in NBA live... so, Please EA, make nba live 2006 the best NBA Live at all.. i think in NBA live 2005, they focused in the all star weekend.. the dynasty is not that good... GAMEPLAY AND THE GRAPHICS IS THE FIRST THING TO IMPROVE!

[GAME_ZONE]

The_Answer send this letter to EA maiby they hear u
P.S i agrre with u

[J@3]

I doubt EA listens to anything fans say, I thought everyone was being harsh on them about the gameplay before I played ESPN 2K5. It has its flaws aswell but nothing that can't be easily fixed and it's a billion times better than Live, so no people aren't being harsh Live is just one of the worst EA games. The graphics are horrendous, why is it they can make David Beckham look exactly like David Beckham but they can't make Jahidi White look any different to Darius Miles? This "fast paced, high energy" thing they're going for sounds very very ominous. We're going to get another arcadey type cartoon game with a different cover.

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

NBA Live is a good game. It's just not as good as most of the other EA Sports products. Simple.

The question you should ask yourselves is: Do I like playing NBA Live? Yes ... or ... No.

Yes it could be better, and unless something is perfect and it could always have been better. If you like it, if you enjoy it, then by all means play the friggin' game.

Another issue. EA has a projext team in charge of the NBA Live series, and an established one at that. Have you any idea what it would cost to change that team to produce a better product? MUCH! And there's no way that the game code will change dramatically unless the projest team changes, and starts from scratch. Ar you willing to wait 2 or 3 years for the next Live? Because that's how long it will take to make a new, thoroughly tested game from ground zero.

All in all, if you like the game, play it. If not, don't buy it. Simple.

[J@3]

If it meant the game being as good as it should be, I'd be happy to wait 2-3 years for another Live game. Lets face it, the next 2-3 Live games will be virtually the same thing, just in a different package. I buy it because I feel some sort of weird sense of loyalty towards the series, but complacency within the people buying the game won't bring improvements.

[Bang]

I liked NBA Live 2005 a lot. As for graphics, well it is lacking, but whatever, see the graphics of nba live 2006 right now, I think it is much better. I've never cared about graphics. The only thing I care about is the gameplay. What is the big deal about 3D crowds? I don't even look at the crowds, nor would I even care if they were paper.
And FIFA is complete crap compared to PES/Winning Eleven. I think this is a prime example of when graphics are put on focus a bit too much and then the developers do NOTHING to change the game. In FIFA 2004, which is a DECENT game, they just ripped off Winning Eleven 6, but still arcadey. It is the same thing with FIFA that they are going through. It's so damn successful I don't think they'd change much. They've changed it a little now since there is some competition, but sadly not a lot of people don't even know about winning eleven, so they basically just ripped off their system. Hopefully with the non-exclusivity contract of the NBA they'll change their mindset and release better games. But still NBA Live sells more than 2k series and why should they start from the ground up if the series is so successful? Starting from scratch is really difficult and annoying. Also, probably a lot of people don't know the 2k series, not as much as people not knowing winning eleven, but still that factor is present. Now with EA Sports having the ESPN license, they have the potential of putting ESPN in all their games and it will of course cause confusion to all gamers that don't pay attention to the gaming world. They'd go to EB games and go "this has ESPN in it, it's probably the sequel to the game I played last year." I don't think NBA Live 2006 will be too different, but I'll probably still buy it since I need to play a new basketball game every year. Hopefully they'll look past just laziness and profits and release a completely new live, but I doubt it...

Actually I think the problem with NBA Live is how different it is from the real game of the NBA, maybe the FUN aspect of it. Who the hell does 300 tricks to get through the defender? Why the hell are there so many damn dunks? Why are there so many blocks? Why are there so many steals? Because some people think dunking in every single possesion is so fun and that blocks should be the only form of defense.

As for making the PC version different...why would you invest extra time in the department that produces the least amount of money? It doesn't make any sense.

[Andrew]

I doubt EA listens to anything fans say

It might seem that way at times, but considering the amount of features suggested on previous Wishlists that are now in the game, I think it's safe to say they give some consideration to our input.

[Metsis]

Boy you boys don't know your history on NBA Live games...

The team that made the Live 2000 is no longer working on the project... The Live games have gone through the growing pains from Live 2001 to 2003... Live 2004 was already a way better game and Live 2005 is even better... The graphics might not be that good, but when you have to deal with consoles, the graphics don't have to be that good...

EA is low balling us in one situation... They are making the game first for the devices (consoles) that don't have the resources and then porting it to the device (PC) that has all the resources in the world. How much better game we would have if they made the game for the PC first and took advantage of all the resources in that and then just strip it down for the console users... PC users would definitely get a better game and I believe the console gamers would get a better game too as they probably notice that this we could do and I never even realised that etc. etc. with the console resources...

Live 2005 is a good game... The new basis is there and now it's finally time to start building on it... Live 2006 will be better and 2007 will be better too... There are stuff in the databases that already hint at the future and all that, but the fact of it is that there is only a single year to come up with something revolutionary new stuff that will rock the world of the bball fans and you can't expect that to happen to every year...

One more thing... About the all-star stuff etc. The EA marketing people have to sell the game year in year out... They cannot sell the game with "This game has a better gameplay AI and the menu's have been made clearer and give out more information". You just can't sell that... You can sell "This game has a all new fabulous all-star weekend feature with a dunk competition with 30 million dunk combinations"... Now that you can sell... It is a bit sad, but it is a bussiness... The game will evolve again another step... We'll just have to see if it's a small baby-step or a huge leap accross grand canyon...

I'm buying Live 2006 for PC... There is nothing else...

I have to agree with you boys on one thing... The game needs a new injection of life into it... The game is still too much similar to Live 2000 and nothing really big has changed since that... Give us more options for managing our team... If we are the GM than why our only options for managing the team are roster related??? We need live players and players egos etc. There are clashes between players like Kobe and Shaq soap opera we've had for the last couple of years... There are guys that just are trouble like Danny Fortson... One of the greatest rebounders of all time, but he's got an attitude that made him sit on the Denver bench for a long time... We need the option of firing and hiring new head coaches and possibly even the assistants and make the coaches have attributes too that will effect the game... Some are better offensively and some defensively... Some coaches clash with their players and some go to extreme lengths to keep their stars happy...

We need something new... The game is good, but it's about time to get some real improvement into it... NO GRAPHICS UPDATES PLEASE... The graphics are good enough. The guys who play this game for the graphics should just get NBATV and watch all them real games and the graphics are right on the money on the television broadcasts. We want more depth... Living breathing personal players and other people... NBA Live SIMS would be nice...

[MaD_hAND1e]

if the game is gonna play like 05 or 04... i'm giving buying it..... i'm might even just dl it

[Rokas[LTU]]

If NBA Live doesn't improve enough, I am not going to buy it

So what ? We don't care...

[Mavericks]

I agree with you, last year i ditched NBA live 2004 for ESPN's game which was alot better IMO. I have played NBA live 2005 and thought it was ok but i agree with everything you said. Apart from one thing, FIFA sucks! FIFA really really really sucks! Pro Evo is 100x better than FIFA

[PiksS]

damn this is so true....nice post The_Answer

[Rokas[LTU]]

FIFA really really really sucks! Pro Evo is 100x better than FIFA

[tsherkin]

While I very much enjoy the Live series, there are definitely some things I'd like to get changed:

I'd like them to take away that goddamned code that makes the computer players infinitely capable of halting your fast break. If I steal the ball from you, especially with Wade or someone, I'm friggin' gone. YOu can't catch up, physics prevents it from happening, so don't do it.

I want fewer blocks out on the perimeter, because they're harder and a lot rarer. I want MUCH improved post play because it sucks in every version of every basketball game ever made. The moves are all stiff and too poorly controlled, and too hard to pull off.

I want the dribbling not to be so damned slow, because people dribble faster than that.

I want the players to move with a modicum of their actual speed. There's no one in the NBA as ponderous as some of the low-end players in Live, they're all at least reasonably athletic. I want the low-end dribblers just to be easier to pick, not so bad they lose the ball anytime they dribble or bust a move.

And I very much want them to change their rating system so athleticism isn't given the same weight as basketball skills.

[Metsis]

And I very much want them to change their rating system so athleticism isn't given the same weight as basketball skills.

Athleticism is very important for a basketball player... Why aren't there any fat guys in there if it isn't that important... You need the athleticism to be good at the game...

Athletics are on the same level as other skills. They are just as important if not even more important. This is why people like DWade, LeBron, Vinsanity, Kobe and TMac are so hard to control. I don't think they are any better shooters than say Reggie Miller, Tony Delk, Bob Sura or Keith Van Horn. Those guys are super athletic and that makes them fast and strong and provides great hops to get clearer shots over guys and thus making them better scorers... Scorers, not shooters...

I mean how do you defend TMac... If you give him space and take away his penetration to the hoop, he'll just kill you with his jumper and when you move closer to defend the jumper, he'll just blow right by you with his quickness... And even if you are close and protecting the jumper, he can probably still get it off as a fade away with his length and jumping ability... Not as easy though, but still too easy for any coach to like it...

TMac is the man... I have never seen a guy making the game look so easy... His eyes are so slumber looking that you might question if the guy is awake or not half the time and he does exceptional things with the ball in his hands... He is probably the most un-guardable guard in the league. I love his game... He makes it look so easy... And alot of it is his athleticism...

Do you think MJ would have been as effective had he not been that fast and able to jump like he did???

[[L3]1101]

i don't mind the graphics. I set the settings to high, and it's pretty good, so i wish they can concentrate on other things. It's been 6 to 7 month since the relase of 2005, and i still play as much as did back then. But, am i addicted to 2005? NO. I don't feel the urge to play it; i've seen all the moves, and plays after about a month. I only play it fo the Dynasty, and it' no way near perfect. The Dynasty has so much potentials, as people have discussed in the wishlists, but EA just fails to improve on it, or not much as we want them to. As a GM i don't think my only duties are to trade players and scout draft picks that i don't even want. There's gotta be more....
I mean, EA has made the Sims which simulates people's life/career.... i know i know, it's totally a differet team, but it just shows that EA is capable of doing more.

One of the reasons, IMO, EA makes LIVE for the console games first is because of the piracy. If the PC and console games are the same, it just makes sense that people would buy more console games more than PC games because of piracy. It is just easier to donwload PC games. As Metsis said, EA should make the PC version a little different than the console games just to attract more PC gamers. I could've downloaded 2005, but i bought it just for the loyalty.

Another thing, EA needs to improve the physics of the game. The players moves are pretty much the same as last year... but i'm not gonna talk too much on that, i think there's an another section for that discussion.

[BiGrEd819]

i think the ea canda team sux ass in makin games.... one of the best ea series like madden nd NHL r made in the U.S......if u take a look at the competiton level of ea's madden to sega's NFL games, ea's version sweeps its competitors in every category; basket ball is probably the only game dat sega can beat ea in.... not to critize the canadians but the candadian DEVELOPERS juss plainly sux ass..... long story short, they sould move the development project to the U.S.

[Matt]

the frustrating thing with EA is they move one step forward and one step back. They'll add freestyle mode and yet at the same time they'll all for crazy shot blocking.

Like Jae mentioned, this arcade thing isnt gonna do it for me. The only thing i want is some great gameplay, which i probably wont get.

Bottom line is, I want to have fun with this game....i dont wanna get frustrated. I wanna play simulation style. Till then, fuck graphics, fuck all-star mode and all other bullshit

[Alcoholic]

It's like what my teacher said about cars... If you make a car that lasts 20 years, then yea people will love it, but you won't be able to sell anything to them for 20 years! So you make crappy cars that breakdown all the time, requiring them to spend money to fix them or buy the next years model.

[T-Comm55]

Guys we have to accept the fact that there is no perfect game and a perfect game will never be created, becasue if they create a perfect game this year everyone will buy it and next year no one will buy the new game because THEY ALREADY HAVE THE PERFECT GAME. So we will just be getting closer and closer to playing a perfect game with perfect physics and perfect rating, but the reality is no such game will be produced. All we can do is buy the best one out of the competition and right now ( and for the past 10 yrs ) NBA Live series is the best basketball game. We "have" to play NBA Live game until a better one comes along.

[J@3]

I prefer ESPN 2K5.

I think this fast break rubbish might just be an advertising ploy, because we can adjust the speed of the game in the slider settings.