The Friday Five: 5 Limitations With A Sensible Explanation

Talk about the NLSC Podcast, Monday Tip-Off, Wayback Wednesday, The Friday Five, Top 10 Plays of the Week, and our Parsec Tournaments! This is also a section for NLSC and community announcements, and other site-related topics.

Re: The Friday Five: 5 New Basketball Games I'd Like to See

Postby Andrew on Fri Sep 06, 2019 9:53 pm

The Friday Five: 5 New Basketball Games I'd Like to See

Happy 2K Day everyone! NBA 2K20 is out today, which means a lot of gamers in our community will be spending time with it this weekend; I know I will be! While I hope I'll enjoy NBA 2K20 as much as I did NBA 2K19, I'm also hoping that it won't be the only release this year. We're still waiting on any information about NBA Live 20, and the future of the NBA Live series. A release is slated for next quarter and various reps have said that EA Sports aren't pulling the plug, so we can only wait and see what happens.

I still firmly believe that we need at least two viable choices when it comes to the sim-oriented NBA games on the market. Ideally, we'd also have some more arcade games and other titles to choose from, too. Obviously a lot of people are getting the virtual basketball experience they crave from NBA 2K, but competition, alternatives, and different takes on the sport are important to have. Beyond seeing NBA Live catch up to NBA 2K and be competitive again, there are other ideas for basketball games that I'd like to see come to fruition. Some of these ideas are easier said than done when you take licensing into account, but I'm throwing them out there anyway.
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Hot Takes on Basketball Gaming in 2019

Postby Andrew on Fri Sep 13, 2019 11:49 pm

The Friday Five: 5 Hot Takes on Basketball Gaming in 2019

Another Friday the 13th is upon us, and I'll be honest: I'm drawing a blank on fresh ideas related to good luck, bad luck, and the number thirteen. I suppose I could talk about having terrible luck with disconnections in NBA 2K, or how I lost my progress in my NBA 2K17 MyCAREER when I accidentally overwrote it with an old backup from the cloud, and then access to the save file entirely because the server was shut down during a time when I'd uninstalled the game. I could look back at NBA 2K13, or even the ill-fated NBA Live 13, but that's more suited to Wayback Wednesday.

Instead, I'm going to take us into the weekend by sharing five hot takes about hoops gaming in 2019. After all, does anyone want a fair and measured take anymore? I'd like to think so as that's my preferred approach, but there's no denying the popularity of hot takes. If you agree with them, they make you feel clever and self-righteous. If you disagree with them, you can enjoy getting fired up and firing back at the person tossing them out. I can't quite bring myself to abandon all reason and give you some hot takes on the level of an obnoxious talking head on a panel show, but I'll share a few thoughts regarding our beloved hobby that you may or may not agree with.
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Wholesome Moments in Basketball Gaming

Postby Andrew on Fri Sep 20, 2019 9:41 pm

The Friday Five: 5 Wholesome Moments in Basketball Gaming

Let's face it: it's easy to get bogged down in negativity. Sure, criticism is an important part of constructive feedback, but it shouldn't be our only focus here in the basketball gaming community. Most online communities have their toxic elements and sadly we aren't immune, especially when certain elements of the games cultivate and contribute to a toxic atmosphere at times. It's therefore important that we take time to recognise the positive aspects of our hobby, and celebrate all of the fun that we have with it. After all, most of us do enjoy playing the games at least some of the time!

Beyond our enjoyment of all the things we do on the virtual hardwood, basketball gaming has been responsible for some wholesome moments throughout the years, and those should be celebrated as well. I know that it's difficult not to be cynical and write off such gestures as nothing more than PR stunts, but the mere fact that there's the prospect of positive press doesn't mean that these wholesome gestures are insincere, or that they aren't admirable. With that in mind, let's wrap up the working week with some positivity, and take a look at five wholesome and heart-warming moments from various basketball video games, and give some credit where it's due.
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Unsolved Modding Mysteries

Postby Andrew on Fri Sep 27, 2019 3:53 pm

The Friday Five: 5 Unsolved Modding Mysteries

In many ways, modding is about unravelling the mysteries of video games. It involves digging through the game files to find out how they work, and how we can alter them to improve a title, or create brand new experiences. Modding has allowed us to find and utilise hidden and leftover content, put assets to use in new ways, and with a bit of trial and error, swap files between games to add missing content and even rig up some unofficial fixes. In short, modding helps us to become familiar with the inner workings of the basketball games that we play.

Of course, for all the creative minds we've had in our modding community over the years, there are times when we've been stumped. For all our digging, tinkering, and experimenting with all the techniques that we know, there are a few things that we just haven't been able to figure out. Although these unsolved modding mysteries haven't prevented us from creating several amazing projects year in and year out, they have meant that some ambitious and creative ideas have been left on the drawing board, or necessitated workarounds. Join me as I take a look at five mysteries in NBA Live and NBA 2K modding that, as far as I know, remain unsolved.
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Re: The Friday Five: Top 5 Announcers in Basketball Games

Postby Andrew on Fri Oct 04, 2019 9:53 pm

The Friday Five: Top 5 Announcers in Basketball Games

It's been almost a year since I did a Top 5 countdown in The Friday Five. Seeing as how it's one of the reasons this feature is The Friday Five, it's time to remedy that. This time, I'm counting down the Top 5 Announcers in all of basketball video games, meaning both sim and arcade titles. I'm also featuring announcers who call real NBA games and voice actors who have provided commentary over the years. If that isn't already a spoiler, yes, legendary voice of NBA Jam Tim Kitzrow is on the list. The question is: who are the other four announcers?

For that matter, what makes a great announcer in a basketball video game? In a sim game, it usually means authenticity in replicating a broadcast, from play-by-play to colour commentary. Conversely, arcade games benefit from commentary that isn't as focused on play-by-play, but rather exaggerated reactions and catchphrases. The announcers play a key role in establishing the overall atmosphere and vibe of a hoops title, which goes a long way in getting us hooked and keeping us engaged. Obviously countdowns like this are always subjective, but I'd suggest that thanks to these five announcers, our experiences on the virtual hardwood have been greatly enhanced.
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Re: The Friday Five: Top 5 Worst Announcers in Basketball Games

Postby Andrew on Fri Oct 11, 2019 7:48 pm

The Friday Five: Top 5 Worst Announcers in Basketball Games

Two Top 5 countdowns in a row? Yes indeed! Last week we took a look at my picks for the five best announcers in basketball games, so it seems only right that this week, we count down the five worst. Once again, this is all subjective and down to personal preference to some extent, and I don't want to come across as mean-spirited with this countdown. After all, I'm sure that everyone I've named here did try their best in the booth. Nevertheless, these are my picks, and reading comments from other basketball gamers, I know that I'm not alone in some of these selections.

Since I outlined what makes a great hoops game announcer last week, I suppose I should set out my criteria for the worst announcers. Essentially, it's the opposite. The performance may be stilted and boring, or inauthentic. In some cases, it may be a bad fit for the style of basketball game in question. Other times, the performance isn't the problem, but the things the announcer is saying are annoying or distracting, and take you out of the experience. In short, commentary that is flat, uninspiring, ill-fitting, or annoying will make the action on the virtual hardwood seem far less fun and exciting, and that's one of the main problems that I (and others) have with these announcers.
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Steps To Setting Up A MyLEAGUE Game

Postby Andrew on Fri Oct 18, 2019 7:06 pm

The Friday Five: 5 Steps To Setting Up A MyLEAGUE Game

The 2020 NBA season tips off next week, and it's set to be a very interesting one. There are several new duos around the league, and the path to the Larry O'Brien trophy seems as wide open as it's been in quite some time. Excitement for the tip-off of the new NBA season is no doubt going to stir up some interest in MyLEAGUE in NBA 2K20. If you're like me, you're probably waiting for updated opening night rosters to get started in MyLEAGUE, and from there create your own reality as you take on the role of GM, coach, and every player on your roster.

As more than a coupled of failed threads in our Stories section have demonstrated however, it can be all too easy to lose interest in a franchise game. Sometimes, the idea is more fun on paper than it is in execution. If you make the wrong choices when you're setting everything up or the wrong moves once you've begun, you can easily derail what should have been an extremely engaging and enjoyable experience. To that end, for this week's Friday Five, I'm offering up five tips for setting up your MyLEAGUE game for success. You'll ultimately have to make the decisions that work for you, but hopefully this will be a helpful guide to get you started.
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 False Memories in Basketball Gaming

Postby Andrew on Fri Oct 25, 2019 10:54 pm

The Friday Five: 5 False Memories in Basketball Gaming

False memories are recollections of something that didn't actually happen or exist, or of something happening in a way that differs greatly from reality. There are plenty of examples such as misquoted lines from TV, film, music, and literature, not to mention recollections of completely non-existent works. False memories can also involve commonly held, yet erroneous beliefs. The latter phenomenon has been labelled the "Mandela Effect", after the belief that Nelson Mandela had actually passed away in the 1980s. The spelling of the Berenstain Bears is another famous example.

Needless to say, video games provide us with plenty of examples of false memories and the Mandela Effect. This is usually due to rumours and urban legends that are perpetuated despite being debunked time and time again, or simply an incorrect recollection of a game you haven't played in a long time. Other times, the memory may be accurate in that it's something that was experienced, but inaccurate in that it was the result of a mod, or something seen in an early preview. As is often the case, basketball gaming provides us with its own examples of false memories, and today I'm taking a look at five of them, along with some possible explanations.
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Suspended Players in NBA Video Games

Postby Andrew on Fri Nov 01, 2019 8:59 pm

The Friday Five: 5 Suspended Players in NBA Video Games

The Phoenix Suns have won three of their first five games to open the 2020 season. If they're to keep racking up wins for the foreseeable future, they'll be doing so without last year's number one overall pick Deandre Ayton, who was suspended for 25 games after testing positive for a diuretic. Although no other banned substances were found in his system, the use of a potential masking agent nevertheless triggered an automatic ban under the league's anti-drug policy. The NBPA is currently appealing the ruling, but even if they're successful, Ayton will likely still miss several games.

That means that he'll be on the inactive list in forthcoming roster updates for NBA 2K20, but still available in the game. Of course, getting suspended or banned from the NBA doesn't necessarily mean that you'll be missing from the virtual hardwood. A handful of players have remained active in video games after they were suspended in real life, often in the free agents pool where they can be signed in a franchise game at affordable rates. A noteworthy exception is Chris Andersen, who didn't appear in any games during his suspension in the mid 2000s. The following five players, however, were not removed after the league prohibited them from playing.
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Suspended Players in NBA Video Games

Postby [Q] on Sat Nov 02, 2019 1:47 am

Interesting how nowadays players can just be removed from new updated rosters automatically while in previous years they would still be in the game. Odd situation when a rare death occurs as well.
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Suspended Players in NBA Video Games

Postby Andrew on Sat Nov 02, 2019 11:19 am

They can be, but seems that they're not for the most part. From memory, they removed Bryce Dejean-Jones after he was fatally shot back in 2016, though I'd have to double-check that. That was an extremely tragic and unfortunate turn of events to say the least.
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Suspended Players in NBA Video Games

Postby [Q] on Sat Nov 02, 2019 12:24 pm

Yeah i was thinking pre internet/auto updates though. Bobby Phills, Malik Sealy, and Jason Collier come to mind
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Suspended Players in NBA Video Games

Postby Andrew on Sat Nov 02, 2019 12:38 pm

Yeah that was well before there were regular official updates that did that. As far as suspended players are concerned though, they have been left in the following game in recent years as well.
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Ways We Can Be Less Toxic

Postby Andrew on Fri Nov 08, 2019 11:17 pm

The Friday Five: 5 Ways We Can Be Less Toxic

Toxic behaviour and video game communities: name a more iconic duo, right? I've talked about toxicity in our community before, and the situation hasn't improved in the past twelve months. That's not unexpected of course, because unfortunately it's something that's rather ingrained in online culture. However, with some of the issues that basketball gaming is facing at the moment, it's a shame that we can't all get on the same page more often. We've never been in complete agreement and we never will be, but it does feel like we're more divided these days.

With that being said, there's no reason that we can't try to bridge the gap and strive to change the culture. If nothing else, we can set ourselves up to have more positive experiences, and simply avoid some of the more toxic aspects of the hobby. To that end, in addition to pointing out ways that we can be toxic, I'm proposing solutions to make the basketball gaming community a nicer scene. Considering how certain toxic behaviours not only cultivate an unfriendly atmosphere, but actively work against our best interests as consumers, it's a matter of cutting off our nose to spite our face if we don't at least try to change the way we think and interact.
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Players Who Only Appeared on Certain Teams in Games

Postby Andrew on Fri Nov 15, 2019 10:45 pm

The Friday Five: 5 Players Who Only Appeared on Certain Teams in Games

I've mentioned that one of the fun aspects of revisiting old games for my Wayback Wednesday features is that they're a snapshot of the NBA at the time. It's interesting how it can jog your memory when you fire up an old title, see a familiar name, and think "Oh, I forgot he played for them!" For me it happens with a lot of journeyman who I recall from the 90s and early 2000s, and even a couple of stars who had brief stints with unusual teams at the end of their careers. With the way that some players change teams, it can be difficult to immediately find them in older titles.

Of course, the snapshot that games can provide of the NBA of yesteryear isn't always completely accurate. Older titles had roster cut-off dates and no official updates, so players would end up on teams they were cut or traded from by the time a title was released. Other players might indeed spend time on a team's roster during the season, but never actually play a single game for them due to injury or other factors, thus only appearing for them on the virtual hardwood. As with the players who have appeared in more video games than NBA games, I find it to be an interesting trivia note. Let's look at five players whose stints with teams only came on the virtual hardwood!
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Players In More Video Games Than NBA Games Played (Part 3)

Postby Andrew on Fri Nov 22, 2019 11:10 pm

The Friday Five: 5 Players In More Video Games Than NBA Games Played (Part 3)

While I enjoy using The Friday Five to analyse topics in five points, rank items in a Top 5 countdown, or offer up some other opinions or commentary, I really enjoy using this feature to share obscure basketball gaming trivia. A topic that I've found particularly fascinating to research is the number of players who ended up appearing in more video games than they did actual NBA games. Thanks to early roster cut-off dates and last minute roster cuts before the season tips off, several players have made their virtual hardwood debut without ever playing an official minute in the league.

My research has turned up ten such players, who I talked about in parts one and two of this series. Not only had they managed to be included in video games without ever making it to an official NBA game, but some had appeared in multiple titles despite never making their league debut! I've got five more examples for you today, but this list is a little different. All five of these players have played in the NBA, appearing in just one game apiece. However, they've ended up in the rosters of more than one video game, meaning that their appearances on the virtual hardwood outnumber their real life career total. Let's take a look at these one-and-not-quite-done players!
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Types of Retro Content We Haven't Seen Yet

Postby Andrew on Fri Nov 29, 2019 10:15 pm

The Friday Five: 5 Types of Retro Content We Haven't Seen Yet

For over twenty years, we've seen some form of retro content in contemporary hoops games. It began with the inclusion of Legends and Decade All-Stars teams in NBA Live and NBA 2K around the turn of the millennium, and exploded with the addition of historical squads thanks to The Jordan Challenge and NBA's Greatest. Since then we've also seen the addition of All-Time teams for every NBA franchise, the return of All-Decade squads in NBA 2K20, pre-built historical Draft Classes, and the inclusion of retro content in MyTEAM. Everything's been done, right?

Not quite! I can think of at least five examples of retro content that we haven't seen in NBA Live or NBA 2K yet, but I'd love to see implemented at some point. Some of it is easier said than done, and with the current backlash against nostalgia and the NBA of the 80s and 90s - all that "plumbers and dentists" nonsense - it probably isn't a high priority for Visual Concepts or EA Sports. Nevertheless, these ideas are always fun to discuss, and who knows; some day, a couple of these ideas may become a reality! It never hurts to have extra content in the game - particularly for modding purposes - and with that in mind, here are some untapped ideas for retro content.
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Types of Retro Content We Haven't Seen Yet

Postby [Q] on Sat Nov 30, 2019 4:12 am

1 & 2 are interesting suggestions I never thought of. Adding Retro courts as an in game option was an idea I was kicking around when I was patching for Live 2005 and 06. Never got around to it though.
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Types of Retro Content We Haven't Seen Yet

Postby Andrew on Sat Nov 30, 2019 10:38 am

Court and logo switching feels like something that should be done now that the infrastructure is there. Retro rules would be a lot of fun when playing with the historical teams, and handy for throwback roster mods. Really I'd say all are viable except #5, which is technically feasible but unlikely due to licensing hurdles.
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Types of Retro Content We Haven't Seen Yet

Postby [Q] on Sat Nov 30, 2019 12:40 pm

It doesn't even have to be court switching. In 2006 had an idea to add extra all star courts but rename them Great Western Forum, etc. They should be separate options for courts since they aren't going to be the default court for a team
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Types of Retro Content We Haven't Seen Yet

Postby Andrew on Sat Nov 30, 2019 12:59 pm

Ah, good point. We were able to select courts in the older NBA Live games, so extra retro ones would've been a nifty idea (and pretty easy to implement).
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Outdated Mechanics in MyTEAM

Postby Andrew on Fri Dec 06, 2019 10:04 pm

The Friday Five: 5 Outdated Mechanics in MyTEAM

There was a time when I thought that I'd never have anything to do with the team building/card collecting modes in NBA Live and NBA 2K. It seemed like a good idea for a mode, but something for other games to enjoy. However, Ultimate Team has been the mode I've played the most of in NBA Live on this generation, and I've really enjoyed it. I've dabbled with MyTEAM as well, but I've mostly been occupied with MyCAREER and its connected modes. I got some great cards in NBA 2K19, but I was too focused on getting my player to the Hall of Fame to really play with them.

I've spent more time with MyTEAM in NBA 2K20, and it's been fun so far. The developers working on the mode made some welcome changes, such as making it far easier to unlock the Auction House, adding the daily login bonuses, and generally allowing us to build decent collections at a steady pace without paying money. That last point in particular is important, especially in a mode that is a big money-maker for 2K. Still, as much as I like MyTEAM and have enjoyed getting into it more this year, I can't help feeling that some of the mode's mechanics are outdated. They don't ruin the experience, but I'd consider them drawbacks in an otherwise fantastic mode.
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Players Who Only Appeared on Certain Teams in Games (Part 2)

Postby Andrew on Fri Dec 13, 2019 10:36 pm

The Friday Five: 5 Players Who Only Appeared on Certain Teams in Games (Part 2)

It's time for Part 2 of a topic I've previously covered here in The Friday Five: players who appeared on certain teams in video games, but not in real life. As I said last time, one of the fun parts of revisiting old games is seeing a snapshot of the NBA as it was when they were current, and recalling players' forgotten stints with various teams. In doing so, you can also discover oddities such as players appearing on the rosters of teams that they never actually suited up for in real life. Although these look like mistakes, there are several reasons why it happens.

As I noted in my previous article, these include early roster cut-off dates and deals made later in the offseason, deals that are voided, and injuries that put players on the shelf for the entire time they're with a particular team. Roster cut-off dates aren't an issue anymore thanks to official updates - and we could always make updates to the rosters ourselves - but due to the aforementioned circumstances, some players will still only ever suit up for a particular team on the virtual hardwood, while being little more than a name on the roster/payroll in real life. Once again, I find trivia like that to be quite interesting due to the different back stories, so here are five more examples!
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Retro Teams You Can Create in NBA 2K20

Postby Andrew on Fri Dec 20, 2019 9:54 pm

The Friday Five: 5 Retro Teams You Can Create in NBA 2K20

One of my ongoing series here in the Friday Five suggests retro teams that I'd like to see included in future NBA 2K games. The more historical content we have in the game, the less we have to create for retro modding projects, and the more we have to play with out of the box. Of course, the amount of content that's already in the game provides us with a good starting point for several retro projects, including adding or replacing the existing classic teams. With that in mind, I've got five suggestions for teams that are quite feasible to create - or get a head start on creating - in NBA 2K20.

Whether you simply reuse their assets or borrow players from their existing All-Time and retro teams is up to you, and depends on what kind of project you're making. If it's a roster that you intend to share publically, you might not want to spoil any of the existing squads' lineups. Note that I've picked teams that already have the appropriate courts, logos, and jerseys in NBA 2K20, with the assumption that you'll either reuse those assets, or overwrite the existing retro teams. For this list, I've also avoided simply rolling a team backwards or forwards a season, though there are plenty of ideas to explore there as well. Without any further ado, let's get to the suggestions!
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Re: The Friday Five: 5 Landmark Basketball Games of the 2010s

Postby Andrew on Fri Dec 27, 2019 11:20 am

The Friday Five: 5 Landmark Basketball Games of the 2010s

It's the final Friday Five of 2019, and indeed, the final Friday Five of the decade! As the 2010s draw to a close and a new generation looms on the horizon, it feels like a good time to reflect on the decade that was in basketball gaming. Originally, I was going to compile a Top 5 countdown of the best basketball games of the decade, but it's difficult not to omit some worthy candidates in a list of five. It's also potentially a very boring countdown, given NBA 2K's dominance and NBA Live's struggles over the past ten years. The more I thought about it, the less appealing the idea became.

As such, I've decided to talk about landmark releases, as there have been a handful of those during the 2010s. That may sound like a distinction without a difference, but to me, a landmark game doesn't necessarily need to be one of the best or the absolute pinnacle of its genre; just one that had a great impact and was very influential. Of course, there is some overlap as the games I'm listing here are great releases and could be candidates for a "Best Basketball Games of the Decade" countdown, but the point is that wherever you rank them, there's no denying their importance and effect. These games represent important milestones in basketball gaming over the past decade.
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