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NBA Live 16 Companion App Out Now

Hoop Gawd in NBA Live 16

The NBA Live 16 Companion App featuring GameFace HD is out now, on both Google Play and iTunes. The app is used to scan your face into NBA Live 16 for your Rising Star, and will be compatible with the demo, slated for release very soon.

Google Play Description
Play with you, as you, with unprecedented quality. Exclusive to NBA LIVE 16, GameFace HD allows you to scan your face using your mobile device to create a high-definition 3D model to use on your created player in game. Now for the first time, the same cutting-edge technology used to process and scan NBA players is available to you!

iTunes Description
Rooted in self-expression, the NBA LIVE Companion App takes player customization to another level. Get in the game like never before with the all-new GameFaceHD.

The app requires Android 4.4 or later, or iOS 8.0 or later. Be warned that it is not compatible with a lot of older devices. Several users are sharing their face scans as they get ready for the NBA Live 16 demo to drop, which EA Sports are re-Tweeting over on the official NBA Live Twitter account.

For those who’d like more information on how to use the NBA Live 16 companion app with GameFace HD, TicoisTocory has posted an overview and walkthrough video, which you can check out below. As always, feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section, as well as join in the discussion here in our NBA Live 16 Forum.

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NBA 2K16 MyCAREER Trailer, Info, & Impressions

NBA 2K16 MyCAREER Preview

2K Sports has released a trailer for MyCAREER in NBA 2K16, providing a few hints about this year’s storyline. As previously announced, MyCAREER in NBA 2K16 is a “Spike Lee Joint”, featuring a player that is nicknamed Frequency Vibrations. Through Year 1 of MyCAREER, you’ll take your MyPLAYER and guide them through a turbulent journey to the NBA, which, as demonstrated in the trailer, is at times rather dark and gritty.

As mentioned in Bleacher Report’s hands-on impressions of NBA 2K16, the story-driven elements are mostly contained to Year 1 of MyCAREER. From Year 2 onwards, there’s a much stronger RPG element to the mode, as you’ll have to make decisions about what you want to do on your off-days, the connections you want to make within the league, and so on. You’ll also be able to create your own MyCOURT, where you can practice, and host pick-up games.

Various YouTubers including Chris Smoove have also posted some insights into MyCAREER in NBA 2K16, breaking down some of the aforementioned features. Be sure to check out their videos below, along with the “Livin’ Da Dream” trailer.

What are your thoughts on MyCAREER in NBA 2K16? Are you interested in the story, or would you prefer 2K steered away from that approach? Sound off in the comments below, and as always, feel free to join in the discussion in the NBA 2K16 section of the NLSC Forum.

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NLSC Podcast – Episode #129 (Chat with NBA Live 16 EP Sean O’Brien)

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Episode #129 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! We have another special episode this week, as I chatted with NBA Live 16 Executive Producer Sean O’Brien about this year’s game. Some of the topics we covered include:

  • The development team’s confidence in NBA Live 16, with the early gameplay footage and blogs at E3 2015.
  • Sean talks about the key gameplay improvements, in terms of controls, animations, responsiveness, and artificial intelligence.
  • LIVE Pro-Am, featuring the Summer Circuit and LIVE Run, has been the main focus as far as modes in NBA Live 16 are concerned. Sean discusses a couple of the improvements that have gone into the game since the community event back in July.
  • Sean comments on the status of Dynasty Mode and Rising Star in NBA Live 16, and talks a little about plans to improve them in NBA Live 17 and beyond.
  • Likewise, Sean gives a candid answer about the status of roster editing in future games, and the situation with player customisation in NBA Live 16.
  • Since he goes a long way back with EA Sports and the NBA Live series, Sean offers up some recollections as part of our 20th Anniversary of NBA Live celebrations.
  • Turning our attention back to this year’s game to close out the show, Sean provides us with a few more tidbits about NBA Live 16, including the status of the GameFace HD app.

Click Play to listen to the show!

A big thanks to Sean once again for coming on the show! Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

NBA Live 16 Videos (Shacknews)

EA Sports held an NBA Live 16 event at Terminal 23 over the weekend, attended by cover player Russell Westbrook, MICK, Jadakiss, and members of the gaming media. The game was on display, and as such, a few NBA Live 16 videos are making the rounds today.

Shacknews has posted three NBA Live 16 videos, demonstrating gameplay from the first game in Rising Star mode, previewing the creation process of your Rising Star player, and showcasing the various shoes that your player can wear. You can watch all three NBA Live 16 videos below.

For those who may have missed it, EA released a few new NBA Live 16 videos of their own over the weekend, showing off some raw gameplay in Pro-Am and Tip-Off. If you haven’t seen them yet, you can check them out here.

We’ll have more insights into NBA Live 16 to share with you very soon, as we chatted to Executive Producer Sean O’Brien for the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, which we’ll be posting as soon as we get the green light. It won’t be long before everyone will have the opportunity for some hands-on time with the game itself, as the NBA Live 16 demo will be out on September 15th. The full version of course will be released on September 29th.

In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts on the three NBA Live 16 videos from Shacknews in the comments below, as well as join in the discussion here in the Forum.

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NBA Live 16 Pro-Am Courts: Real Life vs. The Game

NBA Live 16 Pro-Am Courts

EA Sports has posted another blog over on the official NBA Live website, providing side-by-side comparisons of the Pro-Am courts in NBA Live 16, and their real life counterparts.

The new LIVE Pro-Am experience is about proving yourself and playing team basketball. The venues in Pro-Am are just as iconic as the players who played there. You’ll find authentic courts that were laser-scanned with the same technology used to create NBA arenas.

This attention to detail can be seen in every aspect of the game, from player likenesses, shoes, tats, and gear to these historic, real-world courts.

Take a look at side-by-side comparisons of real-life versus in-game for the venues of LIVE Pro-Am that you can enjoy in the newest mode of NBA LIVE 16.

You can check out the side-by-side comparisons below, as well as over in our NBA Live 16 screenshots gallery. If you haven’t caught my hands-on impressions of Pro-Am, featuring LIVE Run and the Summer Circuit, be sure to check them out here.

Are you looking forward to playing LIVE Pro-Am? What do you think of all the courts? Sound off in the comments below, and as always, feel free to join in the discussion in the Forum!

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Top 5 Centers in NBA Live 16

Top 5 Centers in NBA Live 16

The NBA Live 16 ratings reveals continue today, as EA Sports has posted a list of the top five centers (or if you prefer, centres) in this year’s game. They are as follows:

  1. Marc Gasol (95 Overall)
  2. DeMarcus Cousins (94 Overall)
  3. Dwight Howard (92 Overall)
  4. Andre Drummond (91 Overall)
  5. DeAndre Jordan (90 Overall)

As with the previous NBA Live 16 ratings reveals, the article goes into detail about some of their individual ratings. Marc Gasol has some of the highest post offense and post defense ratings in the game, DeMarcus Cousins’ ratings make him adept at scoring around the basket, and Dwight Howard is one of the strongest players in NBA Live 16, capable of finishing in the paint and throwing down dunks despite contact. As you would expect, Andre Drummond and DeAndre Jordan both have beastly rebounding ratings.

Screenshots of all five players have also been posted; you can check those out below, or over in our NBA Live 16 screenshots gallery. For more information on their individual ratings, be sure to read the blog post over on the official website, linked above.

What are your thoughts on the latest NBA Live 16 ratings reveals? Any noteworthy snubs? Are you concerned about the number of 90+ overall players? Have your say in the comments section below, and join in the discussion in this thread over in the NBA Live 16 section of the NLSC Forum.

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NBA Live 16 Raw Gameplay Videos, Arena Screenshots

EA Sports has posted three raw gameplay videos of NBA Live 16. The videos spotlight the beginning and end of a couple of games in Summer Circuit, and the opening of a Tip Off game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Portland Trail Blazers.

As you’ll notice in the Tip Off gameplay video, NBA Live 16 includes new on-court playcalling diagrams, providing you with additional instructions and prompts to help you run plays. I was definitely impressed by that feature when I played NBA Live 16 back at the community event in July, and it’s a step up over the onboarding in previous games.

All in all, I would have to say that the gameplay in NBA Live 16 is looking great, and I can attest to it being a huge step up over NBA Live 15; not only in the way it looks, but in the way it feels on the sticks. Hopefully, I can go into more detail on that soon, as we’re lining up a chat with NBA Live 16 Executive Producer Sean O’Brien. Stay tuned for that interview, and more insights into this year’s game!

In the meantime, you can check out all three of the NBA Live 16 gameplay videos embedded below. Additionally, EA has posted screenshots of all 30 NBA arenas, which you can check out here. As you can probably guess from the screens, that’s what you see when gameplay is loading in NBA Live 16.

What are your thoughts on the first raw gameplay videos of NBA Live 16, and the arena screenshots? Have your say in the comments below, and as always, we invite you to join in the discussion in the NBA Live 16 section of the NLSC Forum!

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Top 5 Power Forwards in NBA Live 16

Top 5 Power Forwards in NBA Live 16

The ratings reveals for NBA Live 16 continue today, as EA has posted a list of the top five power forwards in this year’s game:

  • Blake Griffin (95 Overall)
  • Anthony Davis (95 Overall)
  • LaMarcus Aldridge (94 Overall)
  • Pau Gasol (91 Overall)
  • Zach Randolph (90 Overall)

Once again, EA Sports has posted some player screenshots to accompany the reveal of the five best power forwards in NBA Live 16. Check them out below, as well as over in our NBA Live 16 screenshots gallery. Since Anthony Davis is one of the NBA 2K16 cover players, there’s no screenshot of him in the article.

The next ratings reveal will be the top five centres (or if you prefer, centers) in NBA Live 16, followed by an Eastern and Western Conference ratings reveal. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on the ratings for the top five power forwards in this year’s game? Sound off in the comments section below, and join in the discussion here in the NBA Live 16 section of the NLSC Forum.

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’07 Cavaliers & ’04 Timberwolves in NBA 2K16; Hands-On Preview at OS

NBA 2K16: 2007 Cleveland Cavaliers & 2004 Minnesota Timberwolves

The 2004 Minnesota Timberwolves and 2007 Cleveland Cavaliers have been confirmed as the final two new historical teams in NBA 2K16. For those who have missed the earlier announcements, there will be a total of 12 new retro teams in this year’s game:

  • 2000 Toronto Raptors
  • 2000 Portland Trail Blazers
  • 2001 Los Angeles Lakers
  • 2003 Dallas Mavericks
  • 2004 Detroit Pistons
  • 2004 Minnesota Timberwolves
  • 2005 Phoenix Suns
  • 2006 Miami Heat
  • 2007 Cleveland Cavaliers
  • 2008 Boston Celtics
  • 2008 Houston Rockets
  • 2013 Miami Heat

Additionally, Operation Sports’ Dustin Toms has confirmed that Greg Anthony is the third commentator in NBA 2K16, replacing Steve Kerr. Kerr remained a part of the commentary team in NBA 2K15, despite taking over as the head coach of the Golden State Warriors last season.

Dustin has had some hands-on time with NBA 2K16 and subsequently shared his impressions, which Dommy73 has summarised here in our Forum. Apparently the new Playoff structure will be accounted for on day one, there are interviews between quarters, and the gameplay is greatly improved and refined. You can read Dustin’s full report here over on Operation Sports.

Any thoughts on the twelve new historical teams in NBA 2K16, or Dustin’s hands-on impressions? Have your say in the comments below, and as always, we invite you to join in the discussion in our NBA 2K16 Forum.

The Friday Five: 5 Worst Features in Great Basketball Video Games

The Friday Five

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! This is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to basketball video games, the real NBA or another area of interest to our community, either as a list of five items or in the form of a Top 5 countdown.

In last week’s Friday Five, I took a look at the five best features in subpar basketball video games. It wasn’t the easiest list to compile, since the main reason subpar basketball video games have that reputation is that they don’t have much going for them in the first place. However, even in the worst releases, there are usually some good ideas, and concepts that have merit.

This week I’m going in the other direction, as I take a look at five of the worst features in some of the best basketball video games. All things considered, this was probably the tougher list; while no game is perfect, great basketball video games don’t achieve that status by having too many game-breaking flaws. Nevertheless, some of the best games have had their weaknesses, and surprisingly disappointing features. At the very least, there might be a mode or feature that just doesn’t seem as good when compared to everything else in the game. With that said, let’s get started on the Five.

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NBA Live 16 Developer Blog: Defense & Playcalling

NBA Live 16: Playcalling

A new NBA Live 16 developer blog has been posted over on the official website, detailing improvements to the defense and playcalling in this year’s game.

The blog describes the new playcalling system, which takes the form of the Play Wheel, accessed by holding LB/L1. More plays have been added for each team in NBA Live 16, all of which can be accessed via the Play Wheel. Alternatively, you can tap LB/L1 as you bring the ball up court to run a quick play. An on-screen prompt will let you know which play has been selected, should you wish to run it.

Improvements on the other side of the ball in NBA Live 16 include better help defense, ball denial on the perimeter, and screen defense. Players are challenged more often at the rim, with help defense collapsing into the paint when players drive to the basket. On the perimeter, good off-ball defenders will make it tougher for you to get an open shot, or make the pass to your best shooters. You can also do this yourself by pressing LT/L2 when you get near your opponent.

Finally, the defensive AI on screens has been improved, so that you can’t just call screens and score every time down the floor. A few new screenshots have been added in the blog, demonstrating some of the new features and improvements to playcalling and defense in NBA Live 16. Check them out below, as well as here in our NBA Live 16 screenshots section.

What are your thoughts on the latest NBA Live 16 gameplay blog? Add your thoughts in the comments below, and join in the discussion here in the NLSC Forum.

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Top 5 Small Forwards in NBA Live 16

Top 5 Small Forwards in NBA Live 16

The ratings reveal for NBA Live 16 continues, as EA Sports has posted a list of the top five small forwards in this year’s game.

  1. LeBron James (97 overall)
  2. Kevin Durant (96 overall)
  3. Carmelo Anthony (91 overall)
  4. Paul George (90 overall)
  5. Kawhi Leonard (89 overall)

As with the previous ratings reveal articles, the latest list goes into detail about some of the specific ratings for each of the five players. Notably, it mentions that LeBron James is also the highest rated player in the game, with high strength, dunking, and jumping ratings. Kevin Durant boasts some of the best shooting ratings in the game, while Kawhi Leonard is one of the strongest defenders. The individual ratings mentioned for Paul George and Carmelo Anthony also seem to be on point.

The article also provided us with a few more screenshots of all those players in action in NBA Live 16, which you can check out below, as well as in our NBA Live 16 screenshots gallery.

Any thoughts on the latest ratings reveal? Agree or disagree with the ratings these small forwards will have out of the box? Sound off in the comments below, and feel free to join in the discussion here in the NBA Live 16 section of the NLSC Forum.

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20th Anniversary of NBA Live: NBA Live 97 Retrospective

NBA Live 97 Retrospective

To mark the 20th Anniversary of NBA Live, we’re posting content for every game in the series, including retrospectives, patches, countdowns, and more. Whether you’re a long-time basketball gamer who grew up with the NBA Live series and would like to take a drip down memory lane, or you’ve only recently started playing basketball games and would like to learn a little about what they used to be like, we hope that you enjoy the 20th Anniversary of NBA Live content here on the NLSC!

NBA Live 97 was another step up from NBA Live 96…depending on which platform you were playing on. If you were playing the game on Super Nintendo, you’d notice a couple of new features, and some new animations. On PC and PlayStation, however, the jump was a little bigger. Not quite NBA Showdown to NBA Live 95 big, but still fairly noticeable, especially in terms of the visuals. Let’s take a look back at the game that described itself as the “soul of hoops”, and proudly announced that it featured Shaq.

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NBA 2K16 Presents: Shaq, Ernie, & Kenny

Shaquille O'Neal, Ernie Johnson, and Kenny Smith in NBA 2K16

It’s been revealed that Kenny Smith will be joining Shaquille O’Neal and Ernie Johnson in the new pre-game, post-game, and halftime shows in NBA 2K16. 2K has released a new trailer spotlighting the addition of The Jet to NBA 2K16, and providing an overview of what to expect from their expanded presentation.

The trailer shows that there’ll be banter between all three hosts, in-arena presentation, and the aforementioned halftime and post-game shows (which includes the presentation of the Jordan Player of the Game), in addition to the pre-game show that made its debut in NBA 2K15. It also gives us a preview of some of the more amusing moments that we can expect to see, which are very similar to the antics you’d expect to see from Shaq and Kenny on an NBA on TNT broadcast.

Check out the trailer below, or catch it here on YouTube if you can’t see the embedded video.

What are your thoughts on the presence of Shaq, EJ, and Kenny in NBA 2K16, and the new halftime and post-game shows? Are they something that you’ll watch every time, or do you think you’ll end up skipping the shows after a while? Have your say in the comments section below, and join in the discussion here in the NBA 2K16 section of the NLSC Forum.

NLSC Podcast – Episode #128

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It’s back to our regularly scheduled programming this week, as Arcane and I host Episode #128 of the NLSC Podcast! An overview of this week’s show is as follows:

  • In case you missed it, last week was a big episode for the NLSC Podcast, as we welcomed Leftos and JaoSming back to the show to talk about NBA 2K16.
  • Our 20th Anniversary of NBA Live content has tipped off, and we have a couple of other housekeeping announcements to make.
  • Catching up on all the NBA Live 16 news, we give our thoughts on the soundtrack, latest ratings reveals, and screenshots. Are we hyped for NBA Live 16?
  • We recap a huge amount of NBA 2K16 news, including a new trailer, and several in-depth developer blogs. Has it moved the needle on our excitement for NBA 2K16?
  • New content for NBA Live 15 and NBA 2K15 is slowing to a halt, and we’re finding that we’re just about ready to move on. Still, we have been spending some time with last year’s games as of late.
  • The Atlanta Hawks are retiring Dikembe Mutombo’s #55, so we reflect on some of our favourite Mutombo Moments.
  • J.R. Smith has officially re-signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers; Tristan Thompson has not. Once again, we reflect on the Cavs’ chances this year.
  • What do we think of Mickey Arison’s proposed Miami Vice/South Beach alternates for the Miami Heat?
  • We end Episode #128 of the NLSC Podcast with an All-Time Lineup game.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.