The Friday Five: 5 Ways to Improve MyNBA Eras

[Andrew]

The Friday Five: 5 Things That Spoil Multi-Season Modes

So, I've explained why I strongly believe that multi-season modes are awesome, and I stand by that. I wouldn't maintain an interest in them if I didn't! However, I also won't pretend that they're perfect and that nothing can spoil the experience. Please note that when I say spoil, I don't necessarily mean that the mode is completely ruined and no longer capable of being enjoyed. Again, if these were insurmountable issues, then my interest in multi-season modes would soon evaporate, and even after all these years, that obviously isn't the case!

Nevertheless, there are quirky things that are annoying or detract from the intended experience in some way. Even if they ultimately don't stand in the way of enjoying multi-season modes, they're among my pet peeves in some of my all-time favourite basketball video games, and issues that I'd prefer future games to avoid. In other words, if you were to ask me what are my least favourite aspects in some of my favourite modes and games, the issues that I'm discussing here are definitely on that list! I adore multi-season modes and will always recommend them as a fun way to play basketball games, but be warned: these are some issues that you might encounter.

[Andrew]

The Friday Five: 5 Best Retro Pick-Ups

Expanding my basketball video game collection in recent years has been immensely satisfying. Sometimes I don't like to think about the cumulative cost, but as I've said in previous articles and on our podcast, it's always my goal to strive to be as savvy and frugal as possible. I'm not going to overpay just to get a game that I want right away, unless it's particularly rare and difficult to get hold of. Even then, I'm still going to shop around and balk at any price tag that's straight-up gouging. My advice to any would-be video game collector is to not overspend on your retro pick-ups.

Although snagging some bargains is definitely a part of what makes some of my retro pick-ups so satisfying, I don't just collect for the sake of completion, or the thrill of the hunt. I want to play these games and create content about them, so it's been a joy to finally get my hands on titles that I overlooked, couldn't access, or simply didn't know about years ago. Unsurprisingly, some of them are more challenging than others to obtain years and indeed decades later, especially without paying more than they're worth. These five games are among my best and most satisfying retro pick-ups, as it took some good deals and good fortune for me to snap them up for my collection.

[Andrew]

The Friday Five: 5 Things You'll See In Unpatched Games (Part 2)

As I noted in my first article recalling things that you'll see in unpatched games, official updates are a contentious issue. Day 1 patches do little to convince gamers that modern titles aren't rushed out before they're ready, and frequent updates can be annoying when they're several gigabytes in size, essentially forcing you to download the entire game all over again. From the list of issues that they have to fix to some of the undesirable changes that are pushed through, the sight of a pending patch is one that makes many basketball gamers groan in frustration.

However, when we consider that we used to have to beg and plead for patches that barely fixed any issues, and for a long time weren't viable on console, I've come to believe that having too many patches is actually the lesser of two evils. While there are times when foregoing an update or downgrading to a previous version is in fact preferable, you'll also be reminded of some weird and bothersome issues when you play unpatched games. Of course, you'll also see some interesting snapshots of the league when a game and its rosters are restored to their vanilla state. With that being said, here are five more noteworthy things that you'll encounter without patches.

[Andrew]

The Friday Five: 5 Rosters I'd Like To Make for NBA Live 06

Even though I haven't been as active in the modding community as I was during the heyday of NBA Live on PC, the lure to tinker with the games I'm playing has always been there. Admittedly I haven't been moved to mod recent NBA 2K games any more than I have been to play them, but should a future release capture my interest, I won't rule out the possibility. For now though, just as I've gravitated towards retro gaming, I'm far more interested in creating mods for old favourites that find their way back into my rotation...or new old favourites, as the case may be.

One old favourite that I'd like to play more often and mod once again is NBA Live 06 PC. Although it was generally well-received in its day - and in my view, is the last great all-around release in the NBA Live series - that may sound like a strange choice. Compared to games such as NBA 2K13 and NBA 2K14, it doesn't have the same significant following several years after its release. To that end, I accept that any rosters that I create for NBA Live 06 will be niche projects, and indeed likely largely for my own use. That doesn't mean I can't and shouldn't create them, though! They're worth considering at least, and to that point, here are five ideas that I have in mind.

[Andrew]

The Friday Five: 5 Warnings for Basketball Game Collectors

As a 90s kid who got into more than a couple of collecting fads over the years, I'd have to say that basketball video games have been among the most satisfying things to collect. It certainly helps that I don't have to rely on favourable odds and hope that what I want is in a pack I'm opening, but compared to trading cards and other such collectibles, video games have a practical use. Of course, there are some people who collect video games of all genres simply for the purpose of displaying and eventually selling them, but I collect basketball games to play them...and yes, to create content.

Mind you, whatever your reason for collecting video games - whatever the genre - it's a hobby with fluctuating difficulty and expense. Furthermore, because there is money to be made, too many people are hoping to cash in on the enthusiasm - or indeed, the desperation - of collectors. I've strived to be as savvy and frugal as I possibly can be while building my basketball game collection, and I'll always advise any would-be collectors and retro gamers to do the same. To that end, there are some warnings that I strongly suggest you heed. Retro gaming and collecting is a blast, but you do need to be careful about costs, and keep a few things in mind if you want to play those games.

[Andrew]

The Friday Five: 5 Reasons I Enjoy Weird Stints in Games

Although my favourite memories of players are from when they were on the teams they spent most of their careers with - or in some cases, where they were when I first got into basketball - I do oddly enjoy their weird stints as well. Granted, while I'll never enjoy watching Michael Jordan in a Washington Wizards jersey quite as much as seeing him doing what he did best for the Chicago Bulls, I can appreciate those years in hindsight. As much as I wish he and other long-tenured Hall of Famers never suited up for other teams, it's undeniably interesting to see them in different jerseys.

Naturally, that interest carries over to the virtual hardwood, where video games have preserved the weird stints of so many big names over the years. Much as I ultimately prefer to watch games and highlights where those players are in familiar uniforms, my first choice is to revisit video games - or play with classic teams - that represent those famous stints. However, just as I find it oddly fascinating to watch Wizards MJ or Patrick Ewing playing for the Seattle Supersonics alongside Gary Payton, it's also fun to be reminded of those bizarre tenures whenever I encounter them in an old release. To that end, here are five reasons why I enjoy all of those weird stints in video games.

[Andrew]

The Friday Five: 5 Ways to Improve MyNBA Eras

MyNBA Eras is one of the most impressive modes in the history of basketball video games. The ability to wind back the clock and start a franchise game in previous eras, with the league evolving with expansion, re-branding, and even different rules and formats, is a concept that once seemed impossible. As is the case with any historical content in sports video games, there are obviously limitations. Licensing and likeness rights are the biggest issue, so if nothing else, we can expect to see some placeholders standing in for players who can't be included.

Beyond that, I never want to downplay the hard work that has gone into creating a mode that so many of us fantasised about, but never expected to see. With that being said of course, this doesn't mean we can't critique MyNBA Eras, or suggest ways in which it could be better. It certainly helps that the framework is already in place, and generally speaking, the mode functions as intended while making the most of its huge but incomplete roster of historical players. Hopefully Take-Two can continue to work with the NBRPA to add those missing players, but in the meantime, there are some improvements that can be made to the content and experience that's already on offer.