nba live 08 or nba live 07

[gotrice]

which is better? i saw a topic on this but i wanted a little more explanation on why before i buy

[Sportsgamer]

I think 08
There are go-to-mpves and everybody is currently workin at gameplay fixes. Also you always get more than 1 current roster update (Alby and Andrews NLSC). For 07 only Andrews

[Andrew]

You might not get a whole lot of responses because this has already been discussed but if you're talking about the PC version, I'd recommend NBA Live 07 over NBA Live 08. The community has done a lot with NBA Live 08 but there are some things we just can't fix. I've actually gone back to playing NBA Live 06, though there are less patches available for 06 these days which is something to consider if you were thinking of choosing it rather than 07 or 08.

[BigMx]

Well if it's PC, then after about 40ish hours of playing 08, I realized that I missed 07 and actually like it more.

The best thing about 08 over 07 to me is smoother gameplay, smoother menu screens, more realistic play (not as arcadey as 07 can get with FSS moves) and more importantly the relaxed nature of the animations to the point they don't restrict your ability to control your man. In 07, animations lock your man in positions where you can do nothing but watch the opponent do what they want. Also, I don't know exactly what to call it but the distance between the opponent (and what that opponent is doing) and when an animation takes control over your man is way too large or too far. being 3-5 feet away and backing away from the ball handler when he's dribbling up court can sometimes force your man to abandon the backpedaling and instead run up and jump in close on the ball handler simply because the ball handler is advancing (not even trying to drive, just dribbling up court to set up a play).

So in 08, I'm glad that has been fixed. However, in 08 they may have fixed that but now with the addition of go-to-moves in place of the FSS moves, it has taken a lot of the defense out of the game.

Basically the biggest thing that stands out is the lack or complete inability to steal the ball from a ball handler in any way other than waiting for him to pass it and you jump into the passing lane. So in those 40ish hours of playing the game, I wasn't able to steal the ball out of a ball handlers hands except for 1 time that i can recall and even then that was just because I happen to beat him to the ball after I slapped it lose. But also, slapping it loose is a rare phenomenon as well. I could stand there swiping at the ball 20, 30, 40 times in a row while the ball handler is standing there, not moving and just dribbling waiting for the other players to setup and run the play and I cannot slap the ball away or even steal it. If the ball handler happens to move forward slightly or to the side at a bit while your swiping, your man goes into what looks like an intentional foul animation....even sometimes going with a full out 2 hand push or shove. I've knocked PG's on their side (they should have been hurt really) and I'd just be swiping at the ball....not move, just standing still holding turbo and swiping...because holding turbo seems to be the only time I can even knock a ball loose....which is why I do it.

then there is the defensive assist change where you don't have to switch players or press jump/shot block to contest a shot....the computer does it automatically if you hold the defensive assist button...which in 07 I believe simply put your player in a defensive stance and allowed you to hold position better. But now in 08, it's so relaxed that your only defense most of the time is bumping the player...by the way which is a foul in the NBA...you can't bump a ball player like that in real basketball.

There are other issues with 08 too a lot of which are listed in the bugs thread. Somethings dealing with menu screens and anything that can be modded are able to be fixed by the fans and modders....but frankly that's something EA should be doing. I mean I like to program and stuff myself, but why should I buy a game in which I have to finish programming or modding just to make it play like it's supposed to.....Heck EA should put modders on their payroll if that's gonna be the case with the PC Releases.

Last thing I'll mention which is really nothing hugely wrong with it, just more of my opinion about it and that is the go-to-moves. Very very nice addition and concept...

however, 95% of all GTM's are fade aways or jump shots and the rest are tear drop shots/awkward looking floaters. or variations of them. The GTM moves aren't any better than 07's FSS moves either. For one thing, GTM's are very easily blocked...yes even fade aways. Uhm when was the last time you saw kobe or yao get their fadeaway blocked from the front (heck even the back). I personally never seen it happen before. But one on a couple occasions in a game and in 1-on-1, tim dunkin blocked dirk and kobe's fadeaway 4 or more times in a row. So it's like if you don't have the perfect timing when you do them, they are worthless. If you get them off, they are money in the bank though.

Other GTM issues is that in attempts to do them when you want, it takes away from team play because your so busy trying to get to the right hot spot on the floor with a player while trying to get a sig shot or GTM off when the game is tight, that often I found myself neglecting ball movement and getting other players to shoot. Once I caught myself playing a 7 minute stretch without a single assist (with the cavs).....the other players on the team seemed to suck at making even an open shot that I had to revert to lebron handling the ball up court and scoring all the points. The players were missing 10 - 12 shots in a row mainly because it's too hard to get them to hot spots and some players even when on hot spots still suck bad...especially 3 pt shooting.


now keep in mind that I've played a lot of games and all with various setting adjustments. changing the sliders does help your shots go down more, but most of them don't have a big enough effect for average to good players.

So I'm pretty sure all these issues are not because of my slider settings not being high enough. Sucks when a player with 80 3pt shooting who is wide open and misses everytime simply because they are not on a hot spot....and that is both on user controlled shots and cpu controlled shots....in fact, cpu controlled shots don't release the ball until the player is on the way down from the jump (not practical and it's ugly looking).

overall, If these issues were fixed, I'd like 08 better than 07...but as it is now...I find it hard to play a dynasty (which I love most about sports games)...especially since the simulation stats are all screwed up....centers leading the league in assist with 8 per game.....or the top shot blockers averaging only 0.8 blocks per game (that's guard shot blocking numbers...lol) and worst of all 15 - 20 players averaging well over 30 ppg.....and some in the mid 40's.

if you can play 08 and not care about these issues...like maybe you just like to run and gun, play no defense, don't bother using set plays, don't care about stats and like to have scores of 150 - 145 in 10 minute quarter games (because cpu scores like there is no defenders in front the them)....well then you may like 08.

personally, I hope EA or someone comes up with some fixes....I'm just glad I borrowed my friends game (well played it over his house that is)....so glad I did not pay for it....I don't plan on paying for another EA PC game until they show me some quality effort in their product.

I suggest you play before you buy...some how, some way....

[BigMx]

Oh wow, didn't realize I typed so much...guess that happens when you type 65 wpm's....just get carried away...LOL

Sorry about that.

[BigMx]

One more thing...sorry for triple post...but my opinion was asked

When they took the control of FSS moves away from the player and gave us GTM's, they failed to give us a replacement for the defensive FSS moves. The outside stopper and inside stopper FSS moves, although didn't work as well as they should have, used to be enough to get a block (need perfect timing) or steals.....steals using FSS moves worked perfectly in fact so as long as you had a player with good stealing and good quickness. 75 or more on both and outside stopper FSS moves could rip the ball from the best PG's in the game often (probably too often).....I'd been happy if they would have just toned down the FSS moves instead of totally taking them away and not replace the benefit for the defensive ones.

As for the inside stopper shot blocking....it was hard to get it to work, but it was all about timing and position to get it right...but it did work. Shot blocking is easier in 08 though, but at the expense of on ball stealing.

I would have loved to see defensive go-to-moves like g.payton, k.gill, jordan used to do. And that is the one where they are playing on ball defense against the ball handler and lunge their whole body forward, rip the ball, kinda slide their body around the ball handler so they don't knock him down and get to the ball....off to dunk it. That is a very rare defensive steal animation they could tie to a defensive GTM for defense.

Ok, I'm done....no really! I'm done

[gotrice]

thank you very much for your opinions, i will get nba live 07. i have played most of the live games on consoles, but never on a computer. it looks like you guys have done alot to 07 to make it playable and enjoyable.

[Andrew]

Oh wow, didn't realize I typed so much...guess that happens when you type 65 wpm's....just get carried away...LOL

Sorry about that.

No need to apologise for a long post. It's preferable to edit your previous post though, but no harm done.