NBA Elite 11 Delayed

[hova-]

I really admire this decision. It takes some courage to delay a game by month one week before the release. I don't mind though, as I go with 2k11, but I really think they it's a good decision by EA to overhaul their gameplan.

[The X]

Great decision. They still make some money off Jam, the Elite series gets a chance to add a lot more polish.

[HyP82]

I expected more maturity and intelligence out of these so called "sim heads." Talk to someone in real life who doesn't devote this much time to a sports game like a lot of us do. The best response would probably be- "It's just a game, play it for what it is. If you like it, good. If you don't, then why waste your time?"

I agree. It's just a product. Don't need to overreact.

[Patr1ck]

Everybody agrees that the animations have some major problems. I believe most of those problems stem from the choice of animations from the physics engine, along with the technology for the rebounding and blocking animations looking like a tech demo, not a realistic visual simulation which is what they need to be shooting for. Combined with that, I think the game looking spastic is just an effect of giving control to the user instead of using a closed contextual system. You can easily make the game look less spastic(except for a few of the in-air collisions) when your acting as if you are playing an nba game and not a random game of pickup ball. I like having the option to play how I want.

Look at the comments and the youtube videos. They get mad that pass is on the right trigger and can't inbound the ball. They think there is a delay because they have to release the trigger to make the pass since you can hold it down. They get the ball stripped because they forget to protect the ball(it should be contextual anyways). Shooting hookshots from 3 point land, why? It's the same release as a regular jumpshot with the same window, I checked it in practice mode. People seem to be looking for nothing but the bad in the game, and they are the loudest. To their credit, though, there is a lot of bad. Mostly bad looking, though.

[shadowgrin]

I would prefer if EA never released at all and concentrate on improving it for Elite 12. Having less than a year is not enough time to completely overhaul a game and release it with sufficient polish.

imo, the only reason to even push through with the (delayed one month) release is for EA to get as much money as it can (to recoup losses). Amirite Peter Moore?

[Andrew]

Everybody agrees that the animations have some major problems. I believe most of those problems stem from the choice of animations from the physics engine, along with the technology for the rebounding and blocking animations looking like a tech demo, not a realistic visual simulation which is what they need to be shooting for. Combined with that, I think the game looking spastic is just an effect of giving control to the user instead of using a closed contextual system. You can easily make the game look less spastic(except for a few of the in-air collisions) when your acting as if you are playing an nba game and not a random game of pickup ball. I like having the option to play how I want.

Look at the comments and the youtube videos. They get mad that pass is on the right trigger and can't inbound the ball. They think there is a delay because they have to release the trigger to make the pass since you can hold it down. They get the ball stripped because they forget to protect the ball(it should be contextual anyways). Shooting hookshots from 3 point land, why? It's the same release as a regular jumpshot with the same window, I checked it in practice mode. People seem to be looking for nothing but the bad in the game, and they are the loudest. To their credit, though, there is a lot of bad. Mostly bad looking, though.

It doesn't help that if you express those sentiments, you're shouted down as a biased fanboy with no credibility or knowledge of the game of basketball. It's the way of the Internet but frustrating nevertheless when you're trying to be constructive.

[bronco_4_ever]

could all this be planned to not put nba jam in nba elite 11. Why not wait and still put nba jam in elite 11

[Andrew]

Pastapadre has speculated that the plan was to release 360/PS3 standalone all along, but whatever the case may be there I think the delay just comes down to the unfavourable response to the demo and concerns that the product needs more polish.

[bronco_4_ever]

yea but what if they made the demo like that

[shadowgrin]

What if the moon landing didn't really happen?
What if there is really a 4th gunman that shot JFK?
What if the entire world is actually controlled by a shadowy organization?

[Andrew]

It'd be cutting off their nose to spite their face. The plan could've been to simply boost sales of NBA Elite 11 with the inclusion of three modes of NBA Jam then increase revenue by releasing a full version of NBA Jam for 360/PS3 at a later date, perhaps accounting for poor sales of NBA Elite 11. The fear that NBA Elite 11 really wouldn't sell well at all then forced them to adjust the plan slightly.

I get where you're coming from, the whole idea that it could be a New Coke type of situation, but I honestly don't think so. I think it's more a combination of damage control and attempts at appeasing an unsatisfied customer base, while trying to save face by not putting out a product that seemed destined to be widely panned. It's certainly open to speculation though, perhaps we'll know more in time and hopefully have a chance to provide constructive feedback that is put to good use.

[bronco_4_ever]

it could be wanting to gain respect from consumers maybe

[Andrew]

Well, yeah, it's definitely about consumer relations and addressing customer dissatisfaction.

[formx]

What if the moon landing didn't really happen?
What if there is really a 4th gunman that shot JFK?
What if the entire world is actually controlled by a shadowy organization?

What if Michael Jordan played baseball instead of basketball?
Oh wait that already happened

[mp3]

Half of me is thinking well done EA for not putting out a piece of crap game like they did so many times without a care in the world just like nba live 06 with the cpu NEVER making a sub !

But the other side of me is thinking that everyone on the dev team needs sacking for wasting a year... no wait wasting 5 years putting together nba lives/nba elite when it now looks like there gonna scrap this new "long term" plan they said they were gonna go with and make a new build.
( thats if the rumours of a march release are true!)

But overall its the people of this site i feel sorry for , i enjoyed nba live for 10 years until 06 when thing went from bad to worst for my beloved game and i thought its corner to all the 2k fanboys until i made the switch in 08 and its sad to say but i dont know if EA will ever find the magic that had me hooked for so many years.

[shadowgrin]

But the other side of me is thinking that everyone on the dev team needs sacking for wasting a year... no wait wasting 5 years putting together nba lives/nba elite when it now looks like there gonna scrap this new "long term" plan they said they were gonna go with and make a new build.
( thats if the rumours of a march release are true!)

Don't put the blame entirely on the dev team, they only follow what the higher-ups or the boss (Peter Moore?) tells them to do.
If their bosses decide to release a game despite it being crap, the dev team can do nothing about it.
If their bosses decide to revamp or overhaul a game and release it in less than a year when it's pretty much obvious they need more time than that for the overhaul, the dev team can do nothing about it.

[BigDre1992]

good thing it got delayed cause that was by far one of the worst games ive ever played... they should just give up though... 2k all the way!! RIP NBA ELITE/LIVE

[mp3]

But the other side of me is thinking that everyone on the dev team needs sacking for wasting a year... no wait wasting 5 years putting together nba lives/nba elite when it now looks like there gonna scrap this new "long term" plan they said they were gonna go with and make a new build.
( thats if the rumours of a march release are true!)

Don't put the blame entirely on the dev team, they only follow what the higher-ups or the boss (Peter Moore?) tells them to do.
If their bosses decide to release a game despite it being crap, the dev team can do nothing about it.
If their bosses decide to revamp or overhaul a game and release it in less than a year when it's pretty much obvious they need more time than that for the overhaul, the dev team can do nothing about it.

I think the point is being missed that the dev team made the game despite what the higher ups say and if it does come down to the fact that the higher ups are bone heads that dont allow the dev team to do it there way then EA and its live/elite fan base are in alot more trouble once thought.

[shadowgrin]

higher ups are bone heads that dont allow the dev team to do it there way then EA and its live/elite fan base are in alot more trouble once thought.

That's the point...

[mp3]

EA's loss is 2k's gain then...

And i think judging by the recent poll on this site a lot of people were planning on buy 2k over elite anyway.

[Houndy]

Just for the hell of it, I'll probably repair my Live 10 and play it for fun Live was fun

[rise]

Live 2003 still going strong!

[Andrew]

But the other side of me is thinking that everyone on the dev team needs sacking for wasting a year... no wait wasting 5 years putting together nba lives/nba elite when it now looks like there gonna scrap this new "long term" plan they said they were gonna go with and make a new build.
( thats if the rumours of a march release are true!)

I disagree, I think that's being too hard on the dev team given what they set out to do within a year. I'd suggest that the goals for year one of the latest three year plan were perhaps a bit too ambitious, trying to cram a bit too much into one production cycle which has seen the game suffer here and there. Maybe a few extra months will give them the necessary time to polish the game or perhaps they will have to skip this year to try and get it right.

[The Truth 101]

Whatever they do I just hope they don't scrap out Elite 11 engine. With better animations, AI work, team play styles, and more polish this could be one of the best b-ball games ever made. Unpredictable gameplay is where its at and I honestly can't see EA going back to the Live 10 engine.

[Patr1ck]

^Agreed. The problem with the constant rebooting of the series is that it never gave enough time for the game to improve or become very deep in content. Falling further and further behind the 2K series.