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NLSC Podcast – Episode #247

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Episode #247 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and I as we discuss DLC ideas for future NBA Live games, the tip-off of the NBA 2K League, NBA Street Vol. 2, and other news and events from the past week in both basketball gaming and the real NBA.

On this week’s show…

  • FIFA 18 will be receiving free downloadable content for the World Cup, which gives us ideas for future NBA Live games. In fact, there’s quite a few things NBA Live could borrow from its EA Sports brethren.
  • Play has begun in the NBA 2K League, with the inaugural tip-off tournament now complete. We offer up a few impressions of what we’ve seen so far.
  • In order to make the Wall of Fame in NBA 2K19, you’ll need to reach 99 Overall by May 31st. For some of us, that’s simply going to be too much grinding.
  • A recent GQ article took a look back at NBA Street Vol. 2, calling it the last truly great basketball game. Do we agree with that assessment?
  • Our Week in Basketball Gaming included more games of Ultimate Team, and a foray into MyTEAM.
  • We wrap up Episode #247 of the NLSC Podcast with a few NBA topics, including the latest action from the 2018 NBA Playoffs, and a head coaching opportunity for Becky Hammon.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

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Dee4Three
Dee4Three
May 10, 2018 2:00 am

Great podcast again – One thing in regards to adding new content, and it being continued in future releases.

The biggest problem I have seen is content being taken out or stripped down after adding it, which has irritated consumers. Live unfortunately has gone that route in the past, which you have mentioned. Taking out decade teams, or a legends pool, or taking out the ability to have multiple teams used in a franchise, or stripping down the dynasty mode in general, etc.

I agree with both of you in regards to if they add content into a game (And it’s well received), they should continue to include that content in future games. In the case of 2K removing the Euro teams, it almost made sense to remove them. They certainly didn’t seemed focused on that content, considering they had real players names… but only a handful of real cyberfaces. Most every one of those teams had far more CAPS than real player faces. They weighed which was more consumer demanded, All-Time Teams, or Euro teams. They went the All-Time Team route. I don’t believe the Euro teams were super popular.

Adding in the WNBA was a great move by Live, that can’t be understated. However, making the Dynasty mode more robust, making it complete again, will win back some consumers. Also, adding content like you and Arcane mentioned (All-Star content), wouldn’t hurt either. I think that Live needs to do a better job advertising the game as well. Maybe now that they have some momentum, we will see more advertising for Live 19.

In regards to the 2K league, using broadcast makes sense like you both have stated, but the quality of the games depend on a lot of things, some things that real NBA players have to adjust to. Team chemistry being one, players have to put egos aside. Another big one is, how much do they want to fake sim and not exploit the cheese? Part of the reason for complaints in regards to the gameplay probably have to do with the cheese, with the gameplay issues/exploitations. I think 2K18 was not the right game to start this project with, considering its a completely new gameplay system that was just implemented. The other part of this is, are these players really the best? I have heard rumblings that they certainly didn’t select the best, but basically people who would push 2K even more on social media. Just because someone has a YT channel with a ton of subscribers, and gameplay videos (Livestream or not), doesn’t make them an elite 2K gamer. I’ve heard that some of these players didn’t even perform that well in the combine (Pre-selection process).

The VC gauge won’t stop, because they are still crushing sales with the original product. The only thing that would stop the VC gauge being so intense, would be sales going down. Hopefully, EA puts the time into Live that they put into Madden and Fifa, and Live takes sales away from them to teach them a lesson. Hearing the frustration in your voices when discussing 2K18’s business decisions is kind of heartbreaking, because both of you know as well as I do that we single handedly cant do anything about it. I made a major stink about the gameplay, but I know that I am just one person in a sea of hungry consumers who continue to purchase based on the fad as opposed to the actual on court action, or proper business practices.

Everything has become so much about money, that is hurts the virtual hardwood the same way it hurts the actual hardwood.

Either way, great podcast.

Dee4Three
Dee4Three
May 11, 2018 12:10 am
Reply to  Andrew

Agreed on the WNBA.

I would actually entertain starting a season if they had a WNBA season mode. That shouldn’t be so hard to implement, but again I am not a programmer.

Really excited for Live 19.

Dee4Three
Dee4Three
May 11, 2018 3:43 am
Reply to  Andrew

Absolutely.

I think the thing that surprised me most with Live’s WNBA teams, was the accuracy/attention to detail on many of the players. Amazing job considering it was the first attempt at having the WNBA in a game.

Hopefully they get more licenses (Like for the coaches, etc). But like you said, they need to beef up the NBA experience before moving onto anything else.

I doubt they exclusively have the WNBA license, so I am guessing we will see the WNBA in 2K at some point soon. They copied right stick dribbling from Live(Which a lot of new 2K gamers are unaware of), so I wouldn’t put it passed them to jump on the opportunity to also include WNBA teams.