HOLD UP!!!!!

[Matt]

Lets not get too excited about Live 05. Sure we’ll have a revamped Dynasty mode with all it’s fancy features like scouting and testing out players and other stuff but for all we know this is to take our attention away from the real issue => Gameplay. Now I remember reading about changes to the ProHop effectiveness and an improved (or installed) mid-range game. Fantastic. However those are 2 small steps alleviated from 04’s many flaws. I want to know if the shot-blocking has been fixed. Are perimeter players going to block more shots than the big men? Is defense good in this game? I don’t want to work for 23 seconds and have Nazr Mohammed make a 3 in the clutch (which happens EVERY single game I play vs NY). I don’t want a lay up drill as far as the game goes. I prefer no fast breaks rather than constant fast breaks. In 04 no matter how good a team was at Half Court bball I’d beat them effortlessly whereas inferior teams that were Fast break teams were tough to beat. Sure Dynasty mode will be great, but that’s half the fun. It’s like building a car, after you’ve built it you want to use it. Same with Live. After you build your Dynasty you wanna test it out.

Rather than rush to the stores, I’ll wait 2-3 weeks and see what everyone else has to say for the game. I don’t wanna dish out $70 and then spend the next 12 months bitching about the game on these forums, and I’m sure some of you are already annoyed at my random psychotic Live 04 rants. I’m not gonna get giddy like a little school girl over this game just yet. I’ll see what the respected Live gamers have to say first.

[thegreatdivide]

Do you go and read the Operation Sports forums? there are some gameplay reviews over there that speak of your concerns about blocking and other aspects.
Nice to see another perthanite here.

I also share some of your concerns, but after looking at the videos and reading the reports and stuff, i just cant see myself waiting. In the end after you hear the reports from other people with the game - and their gripes - will you still buy it anyway. Games have flaws, but surely any upgrade from 04 would be welcomed...hell the fact that it has real money is enough to make this game better right there.

anyways, when i get the game i'll be sure to let you know in an unbiased opinion if its a good buy.
peace

[Matt]

i must admit everything looks good, but EA never shows anything negative about the game (and theres no reason it should). If you read about the games features it's all good.

04 had stuff like "battle for position" "Make mid-air decisions" etc...but it didn't say "be tempted to throw your monitor out the window with our new feature that allows you run into the defence and bounce off".

I wanna get both sides of the story, not just the positive

[John-John Joe]

i must admit everything looks good, but EA never shows anything negative about the game (and theres no reason it should). If you read about the games features it's all good.

04 had stuff like "battle for position" "Make mid-air decisions" etc...but it didn't say "be tempted to throw your monitor out the window with our new feature that allows you run into the defence and bounce off".

I wanna get both sides of the story, not just the positive

Wussup Matt, I feel your pain my brother. Some of the things you eluded to in the 1st post of this thread I can most certainly relate to. Especially the part about playing solid D and getting beat with the three, and if you attempted to defend a foul was almost always called.

However, after reading reports from gamers just like us (not paid by EA) these problems have been fixed and more. No one can guarantee a perfect game or even a game where we'll have no complaints, but EA Canada seems to have really answered the bell this year in regards to gameplay.

From everything I read in those EA Summit reports the gameplay has made tremendous strides, spacing is better, and defending has become alot more fun. Have faith Matt, I think we're going to absolutely love this game!

[Matt]

i certainly hope so, i want this game to be great. However, I'm not going to get excited just yet, and then disappointed later on. If ppl say this game is good, then I'll go out and buy it.

[BIG GREEN]

I personally dont see how live could be anything but better than last year's version...which was the best video game basketball experience i've ever had..and continue to have. I still play off and on and i manage to get really awsome games 50% of the time. Which is more than i can say for any previous nba live.

[Matt]

for me th best live was 2002 PSX. With just a few touchups and a dynasty mode i would have been happy forever. It didn't have sliders but it was an EXCELLENT game, and that's not something i can say for 03 & 04 (PC versions)

I really hope 05 is something special, and we'll all be happy with it....just like how we were when we got 00 and discovered MJ, Franchise mode with salary cap + draft etc.

[Sauru]

Rather than rush to the stores, I’ll wait 2-3 weeks and see what everyone else has to say for the game. I don’t wanna dish out $70 and then spend the next 12 months bitching about the game on these forums, and I’m sure some of you are already annoyed at my random psychotic Live 04 rants. I’m not gonna get giddy like a little school girl over this game just yet. I’ll see what the respected Live gamers have to say first.

i guess this is the one good thing about buying live for the pc, we now get to wait a month and see what the console users think of the game.

[J@3]

If it's not called NBA Live 2001 I'll buy it

[hmm]

....................................

[John-John Joe]

You could download first and try the game Matt. And if you really like it you can buy it then.

That is what i am going to do. and i believe there are others that will do the same.

We don't promote illegal downloading here at the NLSC.

[Bang]

You know, I'll buy it regardless of whatever possibility there might be that the game sucks. I buy Live blindly since I know they'll be good. We're all slaves to EA Sports anyhow...I think?

Must...buy...Live..Must...buy...Live..

[[Q]]

If it's not called NBA Live 2001 I'll buy it

ditto... I'm still scarred after my purchase of Live 2001...

[Silky Smooth Vlade]

Am I the only one that started out with Live in 95 all the way up to 99, then switched to 2k, 2k1, and 2k2, then converted back to Live for 2003 and the rest of eternity? I am a hardcore Live fan now, and don't see myself switching back. And yeah, I buy EA products blindly as well. I am a slave to them.

[John-John Joe]

Am I the only one that started out with Live in 95 all the way up to 99, then switched to 2k, 2k1, and 2k2, then converted back to Live for 2003 and the rest of eternity? I am a hardcore Live fan now, and don't see myself switching back. And yeah, I buy EA products blindly as well. I am a slave to them.

Actually I started with Ea's first Lakers vs. Celtics and have played EA titles except for three years.

- In '94 I didn't like NBA Showdown so I went with David Robinson basketball for the Genesis.

- Live 2001 and 2002 for the consoles disappointed me so I played 2K1 for Dreamcast and 2K2 for PS2.

[Sauru]

yeah i started back with celtics vs lakers and i have not missed a game yet, even that horrid nba showdown in 94. like me and dre have talked about before in other threads, tom chambers started my love affair with the nba video game.

[WallyHopp]

for me it was live until 99, then 2k, 2k1, 2k2, 2k3. and then live.. and now.. its questionable... very questionable

[Matt]

ive been with Live since 98

[Wormy10]

ive been with Live since 98

Same here

[Matt]

honestly, i had the most fun with 98....looking back it was a poor game but i used to play that all the damn time

[Stevan]

As with any version of Live, you need to play it for a while before any flaws become really obvious and annoying. So I agree with Matt in a sense, even those positive reviews don't mean too much yet.

LOL @ Live 2001. Fucking terrible, and I still played it a whole lot! I can't believe I spent days making a 97 patch for the most horrible basketball game ever, and played the sucka like it was gold!

[SonnyDano]

silky, i'm like you, but i'm not an exclusive live supporter. sports games are to inconsistent to just buy the same one blindy every year. games will be great for 5 years and then go through stretches of crappiness.

[Matt]

even though ive read positive reviews and am 80% convinced of buying the game i will not get it until 2 weeks after the release date (lacking in funds atm) and also I'll need 4/5 positive reviews from the vets around here

[hmm]

.............................................

[Matt]

cool, all sounds good then