ESPN: Breaking down Become Legendary & EASBA modes

New Article Up

http://espn.go.com/espn/thelife/videoga ... =fullstory

In its first year, can "NBA Elite" really contend with the juggernaut that is "NBA 2K11"?

.....really? facepalm.....

If you're a point guard, you don't necessarily have to play like a traditional point guard. You don't have to get assists, steals, and be a good free throw shooter to progress through the mode. If you want to be a legendary point guard who wins the scoring title and rebounding title, you can do that. If you want to be a center who focuses on three-point shooting, offensive rebounding, and steals, you can do that. It's the idea of becoming a legend in your own way."

eh.....ok, I can appreciate a big man passing but I dont want it to be easy....

The mode starts out in a game called The Jordan Brand Draft Showcase ... It's a single-game event, and based on your performance, you're given an ESPN projected mock draft position. This game will also be available in "Elite's" demo, and if you play the demo, you will be able to carry over your draft position and your created character into "Elite" once you purchase the game.

i dont like being judged off of 1 measly fictional game....ball hogs rejoice!

It's full customization from your face, tattoos, accessories, and shoes to your jump shot style and dunk package

smh, no CAP improvements? no gameface?

Level 5, for example, you become a member of the Brand Jordan team and are given some shoes.

i hate shoe culture

... your character is rated every game on his offense, defense, and team play. Adds Campbell: "So while you're free to play whatever style you want, like a shoot-first point guard, the team play grade holds you accountable to your team and forces you to play good basketball. Then every time you reach a specific statistical threshold, like collect 10 assists, you gain a statistical level. So you can try to be the next Dennis Rodman and try to fill out all of your rebounding levels if you want, or you can spread out your stats and try to be more versatile. Hopefully this encourages users to create their own type of player as nothing is based purely by position.

ok

So if you want to be like Allen Iverson and win the scoring title but not win any championships, you can do that. Or you can be the role player who just hits threes but wins nine championships and still become a legend.

I'm still not getting the challenging part of this.

The mode enables you to play up to 25 seasons as you try to attain legendary status (and shoes), but it shouldn't take that long in order to become a top star (besides, who wants to be the old man of the NBA)

yay shoes....I just want to say one of the best things I liked about Fight Night Round 3 was near the end of your career your fighter got fat and no matter how awesome you were at drills you still lost attribute points.


EASBA's CAP is separate from Become Legendary's CAP.

"We separated it into two modes in order to keep gamers from creating these monsters offline and then bringing them online," Campbell explains. "We don't want any cheesing."

Fingers Crossed Campbell, Fingers Crossed

The EASBA is an online league where you create a player, but this time EA starts you off in the 70-range. Throughout the mode, you work your way up the 23 levels similar to Become Legendary, but according to producer Garreth Reeder, characters in the EASBA will be capped around the 90 area in order to keep games competitive.

so they range from 70-90 instead of 2k's 40-99. understandable

"After creating your player, if you don't know anybody online, you can play pickup games with your player and try to level him up," Reeder continues. "At the same time, you will be scouted by other players and teams who might see your stats and grades on the leaderboards. Then, once you get on a team, or create your own team, it's up to you to show up to your games. Games can be played with as few as 2 users up to playing with 5 users per team, and once you get on a team, it's all about increasing your pro level through grades, games played, and wins. After each level, you gain XP to build your character."

Hopefully people can find good teams easily though, I like what I heard about pick-up games though.

On a team level, your squad starts off in a little high-school sized gym with not much fan support, but then the more wins you get, you start getting more fan support and you move up into bigger and better arenas. "There are four arenas total that you unlock as you get better," adds Reeder, "then whatever team is the home team during that battle, you get to see their court.

approval, I do wish there were more arenas though....its probably the Live Run arena from '10, then generic college courts from NCAA before an NBA arena.

The other big thing associated with the EASBA is the addition of seasonal play and playoffs to the mode. "Each season is a month, and there will be three divisions -- Elite, Pro, and Amateur," Reeder explains. "So as you play your games throughout the month, you're trying to get into the best division you can. Then once the season ends, we start the playoffs and whatever division you qualify for at the end of the season, you enter that playoff bracket."

Playoffs are a 16 team knockout tournament. Think March Madness on a smaller scale.

Adds Reeder: "You need to win four in a row to essentially win your playoff, then we have a ton of awards and trophies for teams that finish with a good regular season record and win the playoffs. Just a lot of cool stuff to showoff how good your squad is.

"Then the next month, it's another free-for-all as everyone tries to qualify for the next set of playoffs. We've been having a blast playing and watching each other create characters. Some people like to create the slow seven-footer who can rebound and other guys like to create point guards and move the ball. There's a lot of yelling and screaming and passing the ball around as everyone is working to get those good grades. Gamers are really going to have a lot of fun with this."

I wonder how the scheduling will work for the playoffs...and they didnt mention anything about customizing the courts or jerseys at all.

Good read. Become Legendary mode looks promising, I can't wait to see what team I get drafted by and how late/early I get taken. EASBA also sounds like it's worth a try.

I'm liking this. . I can't' wait to create myself and become an NBA Legend LOL

I like the sound of it too, even if Dynasty remains the mode I'm most interested in. It's interesting that they note that you can advance through the game while just being a role player as that was one of the things that people were questioning given the mode is branded "Become Legendary" and that would seem to imply becoming a superstar. These sound like modes that need to be retained moving forward, along with Dynasty Mode and Dynamic Season.

Maybe depending on the difficulty, that can decide if you're a bench warmer, role player, starter etc... I'm sure everybody can become a superstar on Rookie.

True, but if you can shape your role as desired no matter what the difficulty then I think it's going to be a bit closer to 2K's My Player than the Become Legendary moniker originally seemed to suggest.

sounds revolutionary can't wait i want to get the coveted number 1 overall ranking

Yeah I knew I was going to like Become Legendary Mode.

Mode itself is pretty detailed according to the article. I'm more concerned on the player creation part now. Hopefully it doesn't end up like 2k in the past years where creation is limited and all created players look all the same.

Hopefully it doesn't end up like 2k in the past years where creation is limited and all created players look all the same.

It's not 2K's fault that almost everyone wants to have 7 feet 300 pound players in My Player mode.

Is it me or Elite's KG model is really DARK?

It's probably how the lighting is handled in the game.

Better than the oily effect in NBA Live 10.