But let's see how many "traditions" survive. I already see that #2 is alive and well. And #15 came true.
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1. Someone will infer way too much from the first preview screenshots about the game, particularly that it will be nothing but a highlight reel because the first screenshots are of highlights. (check)
2. EA will claim some new graphics overhaul that makes players look better than ever. Whether it's implemented or not, it's usually forgotten within the first day or two of gameplay or the graphic changes are unnoticeable. See: Live 98, 2000, 2002, 2004...(check)
3. EA will claim to be including classic teams, only to retract it at some point due to either time or legal concerns. See: Live 96, 2000, 2001, 2004...(amazingly yet to happen)
4. There will be vague claims of specific updates to franchise mode, only to find that the changes are lazy and insignificant at best, and with one or two changes the mode is the same as last year. See: Live 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 (check)
5. Someone will guess that Michael Jordan will be the coverman for this year's game, before and after preview photos are released. See: Live 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004
6. EA will claim that signature moves have been implemented for specific players, but will never say exactly which players have them or how to execute them...and curiously no one will ever be able to get any of them to work until EA eventually admits that there are no signature moves. See: 98, 2000, 2002, 2003,
7. Someone will claim that they managed to put in each player's individual jump shot style...and will note that Peja Stojakovic's shot looks JUST like his real one. And when confronted with the reality that there is no such thing in the game and Peja's shot looks just like everyone else's...they will quietly slink away. See: Every preview forum for each Live since 2000...
8. EA will ignore wishlists and introduce a brand new gimmick that no one wanted or requested as the key feature for this year's version. It will be interesting but totally overpowered and make it far too easy to score. Until next year's version when it is neutered completely and replaced by the new gimmick. (check. See: The 2001 floater and post-up game, Freestyle control, The Pro Hop, Freestyle Air)
9. EA admits that last year's game had such and such major flaws that have no been perfectly fixed in this years game...and they have been improved...but the new engine now introduces some brand new massive flaw that they will claim to have fixed next year. See: Live 96, 97, 98, 99, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)
10. Many, many people on the NLSC will listen to early reports of the flaws in the game and truly believe that EA will fix all of them in the two weeks between the console release and the PC release. (See: Every Live since the NLSC opened)
11. Most of those same people will also expect a patch from EA that fixes the flaws in the game...only to be heartbroken when none comes. (See: Live 2001, 2003, 2004)
12. Rebounding will be very messed up...but people like me will claim that it works perfectly in the first few days. (See: posts from me about Live 2002, 2003 shortly after their release)
13. Someone will confuse the early high-rendered concept shots with actual in-game footage See: Live 2000 (Tim Duncan and Jordan), 2001 (KG and Duncan), 2004 (Yao and T-Mac) etc... (check)
14. Someone will be shocked that they're STILL using those uncool "salary points" instead of actual dollars for franchise mode salaries, though EA is legally unable to use dollar salaries. (See: Live 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)
15. I will play the game every day despite it's flaws. (95, 96, 98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03, 04)
Some aren't quite correct, but still nice...
Yea.. well... the EA developers, in deciding how the gameplay should be for live 2005, only watched the Pistons-Pacers Eastern conference finals last year and Prince's catch up block on Miller, so they decided "hey! this must happen regularly in the NBA", so now it's an official feature, for 06 they'll include it at the back of the box.
