NBA Live 13 - Cancelled [Archive]

cdj

02-25-2012, 07:01 PM

pastapadre speculates that the early promotional effort for NBA Live 13 may be providing hints on the direction of the game. (http://www.pastapadre.com/2012/02/25/early-promotional-effort-for-nba-live-13-may-be-providing-hints-at-direction)

The announcement of the name going back to NBA Live, as well as the tagline of “The Future of Basketball”, has stirred up a surprisingly high level of interest in EA Sports’ return to a sim NBA offering. However there may be more to glean from the recent events that provide some clues into the company’s plans for the franchise.

“The Future of Basketball” represents not just EA’s reboot and attempt at a fresh start but also plays off the competitor (NBA 2K) which has chosen to focus on the league’s past by crafting their product around legends and historic teams.

It’s no coincidence then to see that EA has brought on a particular type of player in the early days of promoting their upcoming title. They’ve stuck marketing deals with Kyrie Irving, John Wall, Ricky Rubio, and likely many more in their mold.

What do they have in common? They’re young, high-profile, rising stars in the league. That those three play point guard may or may not be relevant but it’s worth noting in case it does. Dwight Howard is involved too but that comes as little surprise given his strong marketing ties to EA. Not only was he on the cover of NBA Live 10 (the last one) but he’s even a character they put in a pre-order incentive for Tiger Woods 13.

Full article (http://www.pastapadre.com/2012/02/25/early-promotional-effort-for-nba-live-13-may-be-providing-hints-at-direction)

JeffHCross

02-25-2012, 09:10 PM

You know both companies have to be falling over each other to get Lin to sign on as an endorser.

Rudy

02-26-2012, 03:41 AM

I'm excited for what Live 13 might be. I just hope they built the game off the original Live 10's engine rather than the Elite engine.

I know Mike Wang felt that the Live engine had a lot more potential due to all the ratings it had. He had said that 2K covered up some of the problems with its older engine with animations while Live had a chance to be much better.

ram29jackson

02-26-2012, 04:32 PM

bla bla bla the truth is,theyve never been as good as 2K at basketball..and if they actually succeeded this time,it would be a first time

JeffHCross

02-26-2012, 05:35 PM

theyve never been as good as 2K at basketballNever is a long, long time.

Rudy

02-26-2012, 07:52 PM

Never is a long, long time.

Exactly. How old is Ram anyway? Live set the bar with Live 95 imo. That game was flat out fun and the series was great until they moved to the PS2. I loved the last game I had on the PS1. But much like EA does with most of its series they reboot on a new console to often poor results. The NHL and NBA series were awful in their first attempt on the PS2. NHL rebounded but Live did not. I had bought a basketball every year until then. After buying the second game of Live on the PS2 I never bought another basketball game until College Hoops 2K6.

All I can say is I really like Live 10. It does a ton of things well. I prefer it over NBA 2K12 (admittedly only had the demo and one full retail game to compare it to) simply because I like the controls so much better. The shot stick is a good idea but having to map the dribble controls to the triggers and stuff isn't natural and I got annoyed quickly.

steelerfan

02-26-2012, 08:04 PM

Ram is like 60.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk

SmoothPancakes

02-26-2012, 08:33 PM

Ram is like 60.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk

Acts like he's 10 with some of this posts and responses.

JeffHCross

02-26-2012, 09:12 PM

Live set the bar with Live 95 imo.Though you kind of made his point for him since 2k didn't exist until, well, 2k. But even so, if you look at the PS2 era games, the bar between the two companies was so close that it really came down to personal style. Live 2005 received an Editor's Choice from IGN, for example. Most of the 2000-2005 years were so close that it would be nigh impossible to declare a winner, based on review score. Now, after that, EA's reputation certainly took a big hit. But even Live 10 managed an 81 on Metacritic. It wasn't until 2k11 that 2k really jumped high on their scores either (89 and 90 for 11 and 12).

bdoughty

02-26-2012, 11:52 PM

Though you kind of made his point for him since 2k didn't exist until, well, 2k.

I prefer to discuss the 2K Basketball games chronologically by using the following.

Pre-Wang
Wang-Era
Post-Wang
Wang-Era Part Deux

morsdraconis

02-27-2012, 12:12 AM

Neither game has been worth a shit for anyone hardcore about basketball for a few years now. Neither game has come anywhere close to being like real basketball. There are flashes of it, but, for the most part, it's stiff with no real flow to the game whereas real basketball can be like a ballet with players flowing in perfect unison.

ram29jackson

02-27-2012, 04:04 PM

Acts like he's 10 with some of this posts and responses.

lol look whos talking..all your posts are duragatory to say the least...the fact is, by and large, 2K has done a much better job year after year in giving basketball a texture and feel in a video game..dont bring up something done in 95' LOL that has nothing to do with it/this

ram29jackson

02-27-2012, 04:07 PM

The Future of Basketball” represents not just EA’s reboot and attempt at a fresh start but also plays off the competitor (NBA 2K) which has chosen to focus on the league’s past by crafting their product around legends and historic teams.

if thats an early promo idea, they are already failing for lack of originality

cdj

02-27-2012, 04:13 PM

Here is today's news:

The EA SPORTS NBA LIVE Team is looking for YOU to come work with us on NBA LIVE 13!!! Here's what you have to do:

1) Send an email to EASPORTSNBA_ADCOUNCIL@ea.com.

2) In 100 words or less, tell us why you should be selected as part of the inaugural Advisory Council. We are looking for passionate, dedicated fans to provide insight and feedback.

3) Winners will be selected by the NBA LIVE Development Team.

Hit LIKE if you are interested in becoming part of the first-ever EA SPORTS NBA LIVE Advisory Council!

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/s720x720/429259_10151337603140627_231749955626_23141095_632 76697_n.jpg

bdoughty

02-27-2012, 06:00 PM

Following a long line of Advisory Councils...

http://www.startrekonline.com/dyncontent/startrek/uploads/council.jpg

ram29jackson

02-27-2012, 08:32 PM

what does advisory council even mean ? it doesnt specify what you need to know about either basketball or design of a game ? or what ? weed out who might or might not be interested by being specific about what you want...?

JeffHCross

02-27-2012, 10:51 PM

what does advisory council even mean ?Looks like it's a specially-named version of the Community Day events.

cdj

04-26-2012, 09:33 PM

Two Years Out of the NBA, EA Sports Puts Its Live Back Together

By the end of October 2010, everyone knew NBA Elite 11 was doomed. Though officially "delayed" that September, one week before the game was due to release, no one really expected it ever to ship, even internally. The ambitious makeover of the NBA Live franchise simply had too many problems to be published. That last Friday of the month, word spread from EA Sports' operations in California and Canada to Florida. NBA Elite would be canceled outright.

Jason Barnes, then at his desk in Florida working on an MMA game, took a call that day from someone on his studio's executive team. "If NBA was coming here," Barnes was asked, "what would you do?"

Full article at Kotaku (http://kotaku.com/5905536/two-years-out-of-the-nba-ea-sports-puts-its-live-back-together).

Rudy

04-26-2012, 09:52 PM

I'm worried about the direction of Live 13. I really liked Live 10 but it sounds as though they are using Elite's code and not Live's to make this game. I hope it works out.

JBHuskers

04-27-2012, 09:53 AM

I'm worried about the direction of Live 13. I really liked Live 10 but it sounds as though they are using Elite's code and not Live's to make this game. I hope it works out.

I think it's neither. I think they went from scratch.

JeffHCross

04-27-2012, 07:57 PM

I think it's neither. I think they went from scratch.:+1:

cdj

04-29-2012, 09:21 PM

Kotaku: NBA Live Moves with a Purpose to Make You a Better Baller (http://kotaku.com/5906169/nba-live-moves-with-a-purpose-to-make-you-a-better-baller)

An excerpt:

"The majority of people don't call plays," conceded Nick Wlodyka, the NBA Live 13 executive producer, who was on the court with us that day. "They run up the court, try to create a shot for themselves or they look for an open guy—and, more often than not, they don't try to find an open guy, they try to create their own shot.

"And that's just ... video game basketball," he said with a shrug.

***

One of the first things Jason Barnes, NBA Live 13's creative director, did when EA Sports' NBA products were sent down to Florida, was convene focus groups in New York and in Chicago to watch them play video game basketball. Specifically, NBA 2K11, the acknowledged No. 1 basketball simulation whose offering that year was a consensus sports game of the year.

Barnes and his team didn't tell the players who they represented or what they were working on, they just wanted to see them play and use those observations to begin the rebuilding process for Live, which failed to launch as NBA Elite 11 in 2010 and took the year off in 2011. He echoed Wlodyka's appraisal of typical video game basketball play.

"What most people do is they get to the top of the key or in an isolation," said Barnes, a former college point guard, "then dribble move, dribble move, dribble move, hope the defender gets faked, and then dunk."

Or, "it's catch the ball, pump fake, pump fake, pump fake, pump fake, pump fake," he says, "hope the guy bites on one of them, and then go in and dunk."

But there were some exceptions.

"Two guys that were just awesome," Barnes said, the admiration evident in his voice, "they ... kinda ran plays more than anybody else. But they were also the most disciplined on defense. They didn't try to swat every shot, or reach in and steal the ball every time, and they were just awesome."

However, "some of the others, you could see they were trying to swat and steal on every possession," Barnes said. "And they were down 25. Now, they clearly knew the game, because they paused the game, set up the camera angle, adjusted their starting lineups, that sort of thing. But they were getting killed."

***

Wlodyka, cautiously, suggests that the teammate AI in NBA Live 13 may move that expectation, over to the human player recognizing his teammates' movement and acting on it, rather than initiating a play and managing all aspects of it. "It's like, OK , the screen's set, I can work off it and drive, I can work off it and hit the guy rolling off the pick," Wlodyka offers. "The whole idea is you shouldn't have to call plays in order for players to move dynamically. You're the court general, these are professional players. You can call plays if you want—and that's where you can get into the depth of the game, of knowing that this style will work against this opponent, and this style won't.

"But from the outset the focus is on fun," Wlodyka said, smacking his fist and making passing and shooting gestures. "Wow, these guys are moving, wow, I saw that, I recognized the situation, I hit the pass at the right time, it made the right pass for me, I had an awesome experience, awesome bucket as a result."

Rudy

04-30-2012, 05:55 AM

I imagine most gamers don't call plays. I would call plays on Live 10 maybe 25% of the time. I tried to get offense from the general movement and auto plays but if I wanted to target something specific or needed a good play I would call one.

morsdraconis

04-30-2012, 10:28 AM

I ALWAYS call plays, but 2k fucked that up with this year's game (ruining the simplistic setup of some of the plays and DESTROYING the CPU's ability to run plays, most of the time).

2k11 was amazing because I had a couple of plays for each player on my team that I'd run to get the look I wanted.

I doubt NBA Live will be able to ever capture that again.

JeffHCross

05-04-2012, 08:08 PM

NBA 2k12 almost ruined in-game play calling for me. The system was horrible, and even when I used the CPU-called plays, often the play wouldn't "finish" (i.e. the guy that was supposed to shoot didn't get the ball) until the shot clock would have expired.

That said, I've either manually called plays or used CPU-called plays in almost every basketball game I've ever played. Nick's right about the majority, even me. When I first pick up a new basketball game, I'm usually trying to play a 1-on-1, or turbo past everyone style. But once I remember that crap won't work, I usually have the CPU call plays. I probably haven't called my own plays, regularly, since CH 2k5 or earlier (Coach K, maybe?).

All that being said, I'd love to see an NBA game where streetball/backyard basketball worked a little better, even if it's not "sim".

cdj

05-07-2012, 10:27 PM

Some video of Kyrie Irving and Ricky Rubio at Tiburon looking NBA Live 13 from around the All-Star Weekend:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cN4vQXdb5I&feature=g-all-u

cdj

05-22-2012, 04:51 PM

MyNBALivePad owner (and TGT community member) CoreySA has posted an interview with NBA Live Creative Director Jason Barnes (http://mynbalivepad.com/exclusive-interview-with-nba-live-13-creative-director-jason-barnes/).

COREY - When Tiburon received the rights to development, what were your team’s first key goals when it came to recreating an authentic NBA experience?

JASON - For me it started with a statement, a philosophy, that we could measure our gameplay experience against, which was “move with a purpose.” My dad was a basketball coach and actually played under John Wooden at UCLA in the 50’s, so this was a common phrase to hear at practices. I have taken this same attitude and applied it to our game. NBA players in video games should move and react like real NBA players. By this I mean we are designing our players with the right basketball IQ to get open, or help you get open, by setting picks, spreading the floor or playing help-side defense and acting like you would expect them to; they will move with a purpose. The goal is to have your CPU teammates react dynamically to your actions on the court. We want to remove the constant need for the user to initiate the offense or call a play. In real NBA basketball situations, players aren’t always standing around waiting for the coach or point guard to tell them what to do. They know how to get themselves or another teammate open. The goal is to still to give you total control of your team, but eliminate the frustration when you see a teammate not doing the right things on the court.

Player’s signature styles are a big part of what makes the sets the NBA apart from the other major sports. The NBA athlete isn’t covered up with pads or a mask, so fans can get up close and personal with the players; they can see their emotion and feel their intensity at a level that not many other sports can replicate. So to properly reproduce these experiences, every detail counts, from player gear and tattoos to the way the arena lighting is set to create ambiance on the court. All of these components work together to produce and authentic NBA experience.

Full interview here (http://mynbalivepad.com/exclusive-interview-with-nba-live-13-creative-director-jason-barnes/)

JBHuskers

05-22-2012, 05:47 PM

Barnes is definitely a good guy. He was a designer on the EA MMA game before going to NBA.

cdj

06-02-2012, 06:17 PM

First Look at NBA Live 13 Shows a Game Making Great Passes—Even the Bad Ones (http://kotaku.com/5915198/first-look-at-nba-live-13-shows-a-game-making-great-passeseven-the-bad-ones)

Amaré Stoudemire stands 6-foot-10. At that height, little lob-in passes are what the Knicks power forward receives, not what he throws. But he's a little out of position, with Carmelo Anthony set up on the right block in front of Miami's Udonis Haslem, asking for the ball. So here goes, because, it's not like Stoudemire's gonna call for a pick-and-roll with Jeremy Lin, even if this is video game basketball.

Stoudemire, as you would expect from a big man, sort of pushes the ball out and it's not on target. Anthony has to lunge away from the basket and high with his right hand to corral it, so there'll be no lowered-shoulder drive to the baseline. But there is now space between him and Haslem, so he turns and plops a 12-foot fadeaway with a signature flick of the wrist.

Even as a broken play executed in a video game that has yet to enter alpha state, it demonstrates that NBA Live 13, shown exclusively to Kotaku yesterday, has moments where it hits its gameplay ideals: authentic passing, recognizable players and behaviors, and a sophisticated, believable outcome with a minimum of control inputs.

***

But while Kendrick Perkins is leaden and LeBron James is a jackrabbit, both maintain starting times and stopping distances that allow for precise movement. I've found this especially important when you're playing from a broadcast camera angle, trying to position yourself on the far wing for a three-point shot, for example. The dribble moves, entirely on the right stick, just like NBA Live 10, are quickly interrupted when you change direction with the left. It didn't take much to get the hesitation-and-go move for Westbrook properly timed.

The broadcast is more than ESPN's logo; the network's camera locations and replay angles are used, too.
The game's visual presentation already shows refined detail and strong polish, even with more work to be done. NBA Live 13 will incorporate ESPN's broadcast package and thus lean heavily on motifs familiar to televised basketball. Each arena will, in consultation with ESPN producers, be "filmed" from the specific camera locations the network uses in them. This goes for pre-game and timeout cinematics. I was happy to see the traditional tight close-up of a player squaring up for a free throw on the opposing team. Replays will come from these angles.

The true-to-life camera angles mean the main broadcast view will be slightly different in each arena. It's steeper and shows less of the crowd in Oklahoma City than it does in Miami. But you may still play with a top-to-bottom baseline angle that some seasoned ballers prefer. (There will also be an alternate camera angle, which I didn't see, that is an homage to NBA Live from the 1990s). Additionally, some, but not all, of the arenas were scanned using the same technology that imaged Augusta National for Tiger Woods PGA Tour. The result are more distinctive arena interiors, particularly in Orlando and Miami (imaged because they're near the Florida studio building the game).

***

Players are large and recognizable in their modeling though some texture work still needs to be done. They've done a good job with Dwyane Wade's baby face and Tyson Chandler's beard has the appropriate level of mange. Players also can be picked out by how they act. A pet peeve I have when playing with an unfamiliar team is when I've rebounded the ball, the team's in transition, and I can't spot the point guard who should bring it up, especially if it's a taller guard. But I could recognize Westbrook on sight for the outlet pass, without looking for his uniform number or name in the player call-out.

Link (http://kotaku.com/5915198/first-look-at-nba-live-13-shows-a-game-making-great-passeseven-the-bad-ones)

Rudy

06-02-2012, 07:06 PM

Sounds good. I like that the dribble moves are still on the r-stick. I like that control system more than 2Ks system which uses the r-stick as the shot stick.

JeffHCross

06-02-2012, 07:33 PM

Definitely sounded interesting. The passing in 2k12 is so pathetic that I'll definitely be interesting in seeing what NBA Live brings to the table.

ryby6969

06-03-2012, 08:34 AM

Definitely sounded interesting. The passing in 2k12 is so pathetic that I'll definitely be interesting in seeing what NBA Live brings to the table.

For all the shit EA takes for the football games, it is amazing to me how 2K can have this fundamental part of basketball so screwed up and nobody say a word for the most part.

cdj

06-04-2012, 05:09 PM

Six screens of the game, courtesy: pastapadre (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151030620209073.490010.150042789072&type=3)

cdj

06-04-2012, 09:39 PM

First reveal of features (basic) for NBA Live 13:

Product Description

The NBA LIVE franchise makes its return with key innovations to core gameplay, presentation and online experiences that connect you to your friends and to the real-world of basketball all season long. NBA LIVE 13 delivers the excitement of authentic NBA basketball with smart and spectacular gameplay. The all-new Playmaker Engine leverages world-class animation technology that delivers unprecedented feel, responsiveness and authenticity to NBA LIVE 13. The game will feature a fully integrated ESPN broadcast package, bringing the gold standard of televised NBA games to the franchise. Your favorite NBA players are brought to life with photorealistic heads, authentic body types, signature moves and emotions. With best-in-class online technology, NBA LIVE 13 provides gamers with a meaningful and progressive online experience that gives gamers and friends the ability to connect and compete. So hit the hardwood and start creating your highlight reel with NBA LIVE 13!

Features

· Smart Spectacular Gameplay – NBA LIVE 13 features smart and spectacular gameplay through Basketball IQ which delivers organic team play as your teammates react and respond to the flow of every game. Driven by Basketball IQ, each team has the ability to adjust quickly to any situation where players can analyze and read off of each other. Gamers will experience the feeling of hitting a cutting player at just the right time for an open lay-up or driving the lane to dish to a teammate for an open jumper – this is real, intelligent, team basketball. Relive those wow moments, and experience what it is like to be Jeremy Lin and deliver the perfect pin-point alley oop pass to a high flying Tyson Chandler!

· ESPN Broadcast Presentation – NBA basketball fans will enjoy a fully integrated ESPN broadcast package in NBA LIVE 13. The presentation will look, feel and sound like a real NBA broadcast, from detailed player images and arena modeling, to the on-air personalities of ESPN’s #1 commentary team of Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Breen, to authentic camera angles from ESPN’s TV broadcasts that will immerse players in a realistic NBA game experience.

· Player Authenticity – NBA LIVE 13 features a brand new graphics engine that takes player authenticity to a whole new level! Your favorite NBA players will mirror their real-life counterparts with photorealistic star heads thanks to EA SPORTS state-of-the art technology. In addition to authentic player shoes, tattoos and hair, signature bodies enable NBA LIVE 13 to scale and map every single player to their real-life size and tailor the player model to each individual’s body composition. The game will feature a full package of signature styles for all the top NBA superstars – from look and feel to tendencies and emotions, such as Lebron James’ chase down block.

· Connecting Experiences – EA SPORTS has always delivered great online experiences and NBA LIVE 13 will feature all-new online features that will keep players connected and competing all year round!

cdj

06-05-2012, 09:38 PM

Steve Noah's (OS) NBA Live preview (http://www.operationsports.com/previews/148/nba-live-13/). He says the game is currently at 60%, so it sounds like it is tough to get a read on it. I thought it would be further along by now, but things can come together quick.

IGN Preview - E3 2012: NBA Live Returns (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/06/e3-2012-nba-live-returns)

cdj

06-28-2012, 09:52 PM

EA SPORTS tweeted out the OVR ratings for the majority of the first round during the NBA Draft and will release the OVR for all first rounders on Friday. (List courtesy: pastapadre (http://www.pastapadre.com/2012/06/28/nba-live-13-top-rookie-ratings#more-61091))

Anthony Davis (#1 Hornets) – 80
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (#2 Bobcats) – 78
Bradley Beal (#3 Wizards) – 76
Dion Waiters (#4 Cavs) – 76
Thomas Robinson (#5 Kings) – 77
Damian Lillard (#6 Blazers) – 74
Harrison Barnes (#7 Warriors) – 76
Terrence Ross (#8 Raptors) – 71
Andre Drummond (#9 Pistons) – 75
Austin Rivers (#10 Hornets) – 74
Meyers Leonard (#11 Blazers) – 73
Jeremy Lamb (#12 Rockets) – 74
Kendall Marshall (#13 Suns) – 71
John Henson (#14 Bucks) – 73
Maurice Harkless (#15 76ers) – 71
Royce White (#16 Rockets) – 70
Tyler Zeller (#17 Mavericks, Traded to Cavs) – 74
Terrence Jones (#18 Rockets) – 73
Andrew Nicholson (#19 Magic) – 70
Evan Fournier (#20 Nuggets) – 68
Jared Sullinger (#21 Celtics) – 74
Fab Melo (#22 Celtics) – 68
John Jenkins (#23 Hawks) – 67
Jared Cunningham (#24 Cavs, Traded to Mavericks) - 64
Tony Wroten Jr (#25 Grizzlies) – 69
Miles Plumlee (#26 Pacers) – 61
Arnett Moultrie (#27 Heat, Traded to 76ers) – 71
Perry Jones III (#28 Thunder) – 74
Marcus Teague (#29 Bulls) – 68
Festus Ezeli (#30 Warriors) – 65

Video courtesy: NBA Live Series Center

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwXKVlpLKQs

cdj

08-21-2012, 11:15 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbM9gBZBe7A&feature=player_embedded

Unsure of how old this footage may be and I'm also guessing this video won't be up for long.

gschwendt

08-21-2012, 11:30 AM

I'm not a big basketball guy but that definitely looks sloppy with all of the sliding by the players/animations. The presentation, commentary, and crowd all look/sound pretty good but obviously that only goes so far. At least we didn't see any Jesus Bynums.

In regards to age of the footage, the video likely has been captured very recently as CastleStorm has not even been released yet. Obviously the build that the guy was playing might be very old but the video captured was fairly recent.

The shroud of information around this game continues to build.

gschwendt

08-21-2012, 12:24 PM

Video has now been removed by EA... not surprisingly. I do have it downloaded though.

JBHuskers

08-21-2012, 12:39 PM

Someone was probably jumping over desks to get YouTube to pull that down.

cdj

08-21-2012, 01:00 PM

SmoothPancakes

08-21-2012, 04:09 PM

From Kotaku (http://kotaku.com/5936592/it-lives-heres-10-minutes-of-gameplay-from-nba-live-13):

Update: EA Sports responds: "The video appears to be captured from a pre-alpha build months ago and is not an official EA SPORTS release. It does not represent a final build or feature set for NBA Live."

Well of course they're going to fall over themselves getting that statement out. The last thing they would want is people thinking that was a recent build (whether it actually is or not). Once that line of thought gets into the heads of people, it's the kiss of death for that game, though I already think the kiss of death has been planted by the complete and total lack of any information whatsoever, yet we're only two months away from the NBA season starting, and a month and a half away from NBA 2K13 dropping.

JBHuskers

08-21-2012, 04:30 PM

Yeah ... CDJ earlier brought up the fact that there was an Exit Game option. Which means it could be a PSN/XBLA title in it's first incarnation with just a Play Now & Dyansty option? That is my best bet at this point.

CLW

08-21-2012, 04:33 PM

Good lord this game is allegedly coming out in how many days and NOONE has seen any gameplay footage and/or read ANY real info about any "features" for this game. I've given 2K a hard time but comparing the two its NOT EVEN CLOSE.

Rudy

08-21-2012, 05:31 PM

gschwendt

08-21-2012, 05:33 PM

It is alarming. The game should be a few weeks away from going gold for crying out loud.
Not necessarily if they're going digital only. That theoretically would give them a little bit more time for development since physical copies wouldn't have to be pressed and shipped.

CLW

08-21-2012, 05:38 PM

Not necessarily if they're going digital only. That theoretically would give them a little bit more time for development since physical copies wouldn't have to be pressed and shipped.

That's true but if the game is even decent why haven't we at least seen EA controlling what we see with game play "clips".

jaymo76

08-22-2012, 02:24 AM

Wow! Watching that video was painful. That game looks dreadful. At times it looked worse than PS2 graphics. Plus the weird, jerky animations... yikes! Someone need to put 2k13 visuals side-by-side to see how bad EA's version looks. Why exactly did they take Live from EA Canada move it to another entity and create pretty much the same quality???

cdj

08-22-2012, 08:16 AM

That clip was very weird. It's tough trying to date it or fully evaluate it...

- No cover athlete in opening. Perhaps there isn't one?
- 'Exit Game' indicates it being a downloadable game. Those who saw it at E3 said that was not there then, so that implies it being a build from May/June.
- None of the gameplay features appeared to be in the build: No 'Basketball IQ,' no 'Playmaker Engine,' no signature moves or emotions. (Perhaps they were shut off until at a more complete/stable level? Maybe scrapped?)
- The game looked very stable. No real hiccups, freezes, or crashes.
- I find it interesting that they list the career mode as "Dynasty" (a term usually in college games) and not "Franchise"
- The structure looked relatively bare-bones, lending credence to JB's idea of the game offering additional modes as DLC, hence that feature on the main menu.
- The sliding is very evident, maybe more than any other EA game.

And then this morning from the Sports Business Journal's Eric Fisher:
"Still radio silence from @EASPORTS on NBA Live 13 plans. A gameplay clip leaked yest but looked very sim to pre-alpha work I saw in May."

I'm not sure how much Live can advance in 2-3 months, but IMHO it looks like some gameplay features were either shut off or have been scrapped. The presentation and atmosphere seemed pretty sharp, but Live 10 had impressive game atmosphere so that isn't a surprise.

I don't think this is a state secret as some attendees stated it on Twitter, but there was a Live Community Event four (?) weeks ago and there have been 2 or 3 of them this year. While I saw one attendee say after the second event they 'saw something in it they didn't like,' it still seems as if - as of relatively recently - EA is planning on putting out Live. Even if they go the digital route to open additional development time, they are nearing (past?) the zero hour in terms of promoting and announcing the game.

The last two years with Live/Elite on the shelf, EA put out NBA JAM and NBA JAM:On Fire Edition. I don't know what the license with the NBA states, but if they must put out a game each year, they may have no choice but to put out Live 13.

Rudy

08-30-2012, 06:33 PM

SmoothPancakes

08-30-2012, 07:24 PM

Well it looks like EA is admitting that Live isn't ready or polished. NBA Live 13 will likely be a digital release only and only $20. Sounds fair.

http://www.pastapadre.com/2012/08/30/nba-live-13-apparently-may-still-be-on-track-to-release-and-do-so-at-just-20

Exactly as expected. I didn't see a way in hell they could have possibly tried to release it as a full game on disc and sell it for $60.

gschwendt

09-13-2012, 02:46 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8sXPKbIfJo&feature=em-uploademail

Rudy

09-13-2012, 04:09 PM

Game delayed indefinitely? Holy crap EA.

cdj

09-13-2012, 04:11 PM

From Kotaku:

NBA Live 13 is, Basically, Delayed, Although This Trailer Suggests It Hasn’t Been Canceled (http://kotaku.com/5943075/nba-live-13-is-basically-delayed-although-this-trailer-suggests-it-hasnt-been-canceled)

NBA Live 13 is effectively delayed indefinitely. While EA Sports may say the game isn't, technically, delayed because it was never given a release date, the publisher today acknowledged many had expected it to release Oct. 2 alongside competitor NBA 2K13, and said it's giving the NBA Live development team more time to shore up a game that left E3 roundly panned and had gone AWOL in the three months since.

The release of that trailer above, however, at least pushes back speculation that the entire project would be scrapped, the fate that befell its predecessor, NBA Elite 11, back in 2010. But EA Sports provided no guidance on when this game would release, whether that would be in the month of October or even 2012. A release on Oct. 2 would seem to be off the table, though.

An EA Sports spokesman also would not comment on rumors that the game would be released as a download-only version over Xbox Live Marketplace and the PlayStation Store.

"The team is making steady progress, and we're continuing our work on NBA Live," Andrew Wilson, the executive vice president in charge of the EA Sports label, said in a statement. "We remain focused on rebuilding this franchise for the future."

Another statement from EA Sports acknowledged that customers had been anticipating an Oct. 2 release but "our plan is to release at a later date. We will share more information in the future."

Questioned by Kotaku, an EA Sports spokesman refused to discuss release format, time frame, or the game's anticipated feature set. Asked why this series, which has been off shelves for three years, couldn't hit an Oct. 2 release date with a 70-man team in place for a year, he said:

"We're not going to get into that level of detail with this announcement. In early April, you saw where we were with this project and how ambitious it was, that they had to take down the code of Elite and rebuild it. Its easy to surmise that also took time, in the development cycle, to get the whole thing up to speed. It was an ambitious project and it is a challenging game to create."

Asked if anyone from the NBA Live team had lost his job, Kotaku was told—apparently as a prepared statement—that EA Sports had "no announcements regarding staffing."

NBA Live 13 was moved to EA Sports' Tiburon studio in early 2011 after NBA Elite 11, the successor to NBA Live 10, was canceled one week before its scheduled release in 2010. Much of the first year of development was spent tearing down the last version of the game and salvaging its parts. The current development team didn't hit full strength until about a year ago.

bdoughty

09-13-2012, 06:35 PM

KARMA CONTINUES TO HIT EA IN THE NADS.

This is what you get for completely screwing your customer who bought NCAA Basketball 10 and never patched a known issue with the game that froze more often than an Alaskan bridge in January.

CLW

09-14-2012, 08:53 AM

This game is NEVER going to reach the consumer. 2K is going to release and its sales will basically take the entire basketball video game market so there is no point in putting out what will CLEARLY be inferior to 2K's product.

That trailer showed absolutely NOTHING but closeups so you cannot learn anything about how the game plays.

I OU a Beatn

09-14-2012, 09:20 AM

No one in their right mind would buy Live over 2K anyway, so I don't see why they're even still wasting money on development. Scrap and make a new NBA Jam.

cdj

09-15-2012, 07:24 AM

No one in their right mind would buy Live over 2K anyway, so I don't see why they're even still wasting money on development. Scrap and make a new NBA Jam.

You might get some casuals to buy Live over 2K, but I get the feeling their goal is just for people to give Live a chance this year. If they release 4-6 weeks after 2K13 at $20 - and 2K has some 'major' issue (online play, gameplay imbalance, etc.) - quite a few 2K diehards might give Live a test run, especially if Live says it has (for example) solid online play, balanced or some unique gameplay feature(s), etc.

They key is probably the timing of the release as they have to hit when the 2K glow starts to wear off - when bugs/issues start to turn a few people off or annoy them.

Rudy

09-15-2012, 07:59 AM

NBA Live is done. It died the moment they discontinued it after Live 10. Live 10 had a lot of promise but they shelved it after 2K smoked them in sales. There is no guarantee Live 13 is a better game than Live 10 at this point and decent chance it's worse. That means they have lost 3-4 years of development time to the industry leader. Cheap price point is there only advantage but they are blowing that by delaying the game. First week sales are huge and all the basketball gamers will have picked up 2K13 early. EA is just fighting for scraps. I will try out the game but I just don't see how the sales will be good at all. EA would be much better off putting their resources into resurrecting a baseball game with zero competition on the 360 than to fight with 2K for basketball rights.

gschwendt

09-27-2012, 03:11 PM

NBA Live 13 officially cancelled
http://kotaku.com/5947066/ea-sports-cancels-nba-live-13

"Having continued to look at the game over the past few days, it's clear that we won't be ready in October," Wilson said. "And rather than launch midway through the season, we're going to sit out the full year and stay focused on making next year's game great."

Rudy

09-27-2012, 03:44 PM

The series is finished. What a huge waste of money. Once they quit after Live 10 they were screwed.

CLW

09-27-2012, 03:47 PM

LMFAO! Wow 2 years and the product still isn't ready for release even by EA's standards. At this point, they should just save the $ and get out of the basketball market.

souljahbill

09-27-2012, 04:46 PM

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/09/28/tu8a5yre.jpg

CLW

09-27-2012, 04:54 PM

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/09/28/tu8a5yre.jpg

That's funny

JeffHCross

09-28-2012, 09:50 PM

Wow 2 years and the product still isn't ready for releaseThat's not surprising. From what I understood, it was largely a ground-up re-start. 2 years, or even 3, isn't necessarily enough time for that.

From the Kotaku article:

Much of 2011 was spent analyzing the remains of NBA Elite and seeing what was usable. NBA Live 13's development staff of 80 was not fully hired until about this time last year.Ouch. Even further behind the 8-ball then.

Even so, sports video games are built on an annual cycleMisleading statement. Sport games are released on an annual basis. They're not re-built from the ground up, even if you have the foundation from another game, annually.

JBHuskers

10-03-2012, 12:22 PM

Canceled NBA Live 13 noted as downloadable title, EA has 'no comment' (http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/03/canceled-nba-live-13-downloadable-title/)

EA Sports' canceled NBA Live 13 was going to be a digitally distributed product on Xbox Live Arcade. The word of the XBLA release comes directly from Microsoft community guru Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb. It had been rumored before that NBA Live 13 was going to be a digital release for $20.

"NBA Live 13 was supposed to be today's XBLA title, but EA made the decision not to launch it today," wrote Hryb on Twitter. He then directed queries on the topic to the September 27 announcement of the game's cancellation.

Checking with Hryb to confirm he meant to say XBLA and not Microsoft's retail Games on Demand section of the Xbox marketplace, he noted the information was "unclear."

EA Sports responded to our request for clarification with a "no comment."

EA Sports had been sketchy about NBA Live's status ever since its absence from the company's E3 press conference, finally mentioning in mid September the game had been delayed. This will be the third year in a row the company skipped or canceled its basketball game due to quality concerns. Meanwhile, Take-Two's NBA 2K series has the run of the court.