Things needing to be changed in general:
1. The Front End definately needs a re-think - not only is it limited to 640x480 resolution, it does not support the scroll wheel on the mouse (essential for long lists of players) and provides no right mouse button functionality - and limited keyboard functionality.
A number of the other EA products (Madden etc.) support these features and NBA Live should be brought into line (the EA Sports departments need to talk to each other - they are from the same company for Pete's Sake!)
2. It's a given that the Franchise mode needs re-working - I believe very little effort at all has gone into the Franchise mode since Live 2000, with common things still occuring - Seasonal Performance does not affect player progression, the trading system is still very shallow (no draft picks to trade etc.).
I think firstly they need to devote at least one or two staff members specifically to this part (if they aren't doing it already) and really treat this area as true management sims do - not just make it sugar-coated seasonal play
3. What can be said about the AI in this game? It has come a long way over time but their are still numerous errors in it (fadeaway 3-pointers, point-guards going all the way to the hoop and then passing off, despite being completely unguarded etc. etc.)
It may be a mammoth task to strip the AI down to it's barebones, but I believe it is necessary. I do know AI is limited by Processing Power, but I'm also not asking that it completely emulate the way Kobe Bryant thinks & acts, but to get the essential things right. Again, this is another area of the game that should get full development support - not just one or two AI programmers.
4. Rebounding. I know a lot has been talked about re-bounding over the years - first you used to get very little offensive rebounds (if any), then in Live 2001 it offensive rebonding became a joke with 6'1" point-guards pulling down 6-7 off. boards a game! This rebounding problem seemed to be caused simply becuase the defenders refused to jump, and the ball fell into the hands of the offensive player. In Live 2003, they seemed to just reverse the Rebounding AI, as you will now see offensive players refuse to jump without user interaction (how many times have you seen Antonio McDyess stand around and watch a 6'7" small forward out rebound him? He would contest pretty much ALL the time.)
The fix for this is fairly simple in principle. Have both players (offensive and defensive) jump when the ball is in their general area. Their ratings would determine the area in which they can obtain the ball, with offensive/defensive awareness determining their positioning around the basket and how well they can box out their opponents. Remember, rebounding is about position, not skill!
These four areas is where I would concentrate the development efforts, before moving on to bigger and better things. I do know however, that the marketing machine like features being added like Pure Player control with EA Sports Freestyle Controls! etc. not just Improved Franchise Mode or Fixed: Artificial Intelligence. At the end of the day it doesn't sell.
EA must refrain from going down the Microsoft path, where they just add more and more new features without really fixing the problems that occur time and time again with the User Interface for example.
I wish that EA will FIX the problems, as I would buy a version similar to Live 2003 (without many new features) IF they fixes problems like the ones I have mentioned. I would hasten to say that so would many of the other people on the NLSC boards.
Thats all from me... Let me know what you think
