by 22cedric on Thu Feb 11, 2016 12:37 am
Here are some great things I would like to see in NBA Live 17 via The Gaming Tailgate
NBA LIVE 17 needs a big year to help pacify and meet the lofty expectations and demands of the basketball community.
Community Involvement & Interaction; Marketing: There is a passionate group of NBA LIVE fans who tweet, livestream, post videos featuring game ideas and feedback, and genuinely desire to see the franchise succeed. Some of these same fans have felt their feedback and ideas are not being heard as there is an understandable lack of response - it would be impossible for all videos and comments to be noticed and/or receive a reply. While the idea behind their public game feedback and ideas are genuine and well-intentioned, the franchise needs more public videos of bugs and issues like the proverbial hole in the head. After all, isn't that part of the reason the franchise is in the position it finds itself in?
There are ways to channel this feedback into a productive manner, such as establishing a public e-mail account for feedback to be sent to or perhaps copy what NCAA Football and Madden NFL have done in the past with crowd-sourcing information. If the feedback is truly welcome, this could help ensure as many details as possible are included and properly represented in the game as well as fostering and growing the community.
Community members who share feedback want to know they are being heard or feel that they are helping in some small way with the title. As the franchise keeps improving, the community payoff in waiting to see if feedback has been heard or utilized cannot come only once a year - it needs to be an on-going practice. Currently, the inability to develop consistent feedback and interaction with the community is only alienating fans and perpetuating doubts that the franchise is not long for this world.
Perhaps most importantly, the company needs to market the game. With the lack of mainstream marketing efforts for the title at launch, some fans take it as a vote of 'no confidence' by the studio while leaving casual fans in the dark about the mere existence of the title.
The Fundamentals
- More Accurate Rosters, Editing & Sharing: Perhaps the most basic starting point for any sports game, rosters have been a sore point for the franchise since its return with NBA LIVE 14. While the goal seemingly began to utilize Synergy for updated daily rosters, it currently takes weekly updates for roster changes to be implemented and reflected in-game. d Each year it has taken weeks for rookies and new players (acquired or traded) mid-season to finally be reflected in-game. Players/rookies who have yet to play are bad enough, but when key contributors are missing, one of the lowest base expectations of the game (correct rosters) has not been met. In addition, there have been weeks in which no roster update was issued - with no communication from the studio/dev team. These issues have existed for three years under three different designers in charge of rosters which indicates a larger issue with the roster technology and methodology, especially when the competing basketball title can push out daily roster updates.
This issue could have been somewhat alleviated if the game included roster editing, player creation, and roster sharing similar to that found in the Madden NFL franchise
Gameplay
- Improved/Revamped Post Game: For as much as the perimeter game in NBA LIVE has improved in the last three years, the post game has received little to no help or focus. Signature moves, more variation of moves and outcomes, and more animations would go a long ways here. Worth noting is that the franchise has been solid in terms of making top shot blockers and rebounders stand out. Rebounding animations and logic have been cleaned up in 16, but there's still work to be done.
- Improved Defense (Help Defense, Lane Denial, etc.): Perhaps the biggest complaint regarding NBA LIVE's gameplay is that it's just too easy to get to the basket. Players under the basket are slow to come over and contest drives in their role as the last line of defense and are just not effective enough when they do.
- In-Game Injuries: Perhaps the one gameplay feature that has the biggest ripple effect. Aside from the obvious realism, in-game injuries would help (force?) users to manage a roster in Dynasty Mode, think twice about always driving the lane during gameplay, and utilize a range of players in Ultimate Team.
- Increased User Control & Strategy Controls/Elements: One of the most-repeated lines regarding the direction and goal of gameplay within franchise the last three years has been in providing the utmost control to the user, typically in the form of quick responsiveness. However, that same amount of control does not exist or has been removed in other game areas, such as the ability to select the screener on pick & roll and a manual control options for bounce passes and floaters.
Furthermore and more importantly, some strategy settings do not appear to work or are bugged (legacy issues, at that) - making both the interface and implementation so discouraging that the game is virtually forcing users away from using strategy elements. These non-working or bugged strategy options may be one of the reasons team play styles do not match their real-life counterparts, another big ticket gameplay item that needs addressed.
- Authentic Team Styles, CPU/Player AI, etc.: While NBA LIVE 16 helped make top players stand out and become offensive threats (as compared to being excessively PG-centric in the past), there is little to no differentiation in team playing styles. As mentioned above, this issue may be due in part to some strategy settings/options not working, such as Tempo & Crash Boards. Working plus additional settings, options, and plays (team-specific, offensive, and defensive) may help address this issue.
AI has been an issue for the franchise, namely as it relates to situational and late-game moments. Making the CPU appear more realistic, engaged, and intelligent throughout the course of the game would help each team and game feel unique, as well.
- Improved Animations, Player Movement & Transitions, etc.: A given in terms of natural progression and development for the game, but still worth mentioning. Improved animations have greatly aided the game both visually and in terms of gameplay the last few years. However, there are still plenty of old or disjointed animations that stand out, almost jarring the user's ability to be immersed in a game that is very sharp visually in many areas.
Features
- All-Star Weekend: One of the most-requested features, NBA LIVE fans have been asking for All-Star Weekend (ASW) to return for years. Currently, the game only has the All-Star Game. Fans have been hoping for other festivities to be included which could include the Rising Stars Challenge, All-Star Celebrity Game, Shooting Stars, Skills Challenge, Three-Point Contest, and Slam Dunk competition. The Slam Dunk competition would be the most difficult considering it would require its own set of mechanics.
All-Star Weekend has its own feel and is when many casual sports fans begin to pay close attention to the NBA. Incorporating ASW would add a mid-season break (and fun) to Dynasty and Rising Star modes. Including an online element to the festivities would add depth to this inclusion, while using licensed legends as part of the Shooting Stars event would ring nostalgic for many. As you can tell, there are many opportunities and possibilities for how All-Star Weekend could be incorporated into multiple facets of the game.