Where's Jordan?

[Mook Dog]

MJ is not on the 90's Allstar Team. Does anyone know if he has to be unlocked?

[cklitsie]

he's not in the game, his contract with EA expired

[durvasa]

Does EA have contracts for every legend player in the game? How did they get Maravich in the game (he's dead)?

Can anybody explain in detail how the licensing stuff works with players? I never understood this.

[e.z.o]

I'm pretty sure that the contracts/agreements are done with the NBA and that there is a players union. And if they are in the union, then they are in the game. But if they are not in that union then they wont be in the game, or they will want to negoitiate a contract by themselves with the game company. This is the same thing that happened to Barry Bonds. He dropped out of the union cuz he wanted his own contract to be in the game, but ea decided not to put him in MVP, but replaced him with a player named Jim Dowd and you were able to edit that player to look like Barry. Greedy ass bastards.

Also, if you remember on the older Lives. They had a guy named Roster Guard or somtin like that as the starting sg on the Bulls.

[Andrew]

Does EA have contracts for every legend player in the game? How did they get Maravich in the game (he's dead)?

Can anybody explain in detail how the licensing stuff works with players? I never understood this.

The likeness rights would have to be cleared with his estate, just as music must be cleared with the artist (or their estate if they're deceased) before it can be used in a movie or television show.

[Tuomas]

I guess Ima have to create him (once I get the game) and get make him a face (unless somebody beats me to it)

[durvasa]

Does EA have contracts for every legend player in the game? How did they get Maravich in the game (he's dead)?

Can anybody explain in detail how the licensing stuff works with players? I never understood this.

The likeness rights would have to be cleared with his estate, just as music must be cleared with the artist (or their estate if they're deceased) before it can be used in a movie or television show.

Ok, but why can't EA put his information in the game (like the stuff the announcers say), but leave it up to the user to create his likeness as we see fit? That wouldn't be legal?

At the very least, it would be cool if the announcers could say "Michael Jordan" or "Charles Barkely" or whatever if we name our created player by that name. Is Live not doing this for legal reasons, or have they just not gotten around to putting in the game?

[Andrew]

Traces of player audio are usually left in the game (in the PC version of NBA Live 2004 it was possible to create Charles Barkley and have the PA announcer call his name by editing the DBF files) each year. I'm not sure of the exact situation with using a player's name in the audio (ie recording more lines for commentary) when he's not signed to be in the game, but it's possible EA cannot do that when it comes to former NBA players. It wouldn't be laziness, it would be a legal issue.