NLSC Your source for basketball video games.

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown. This week’s Five is a list of five ways that retro teams could be improved and better utilised in future NBA 2K games.

I know I’ve talked about retro teams a lot over the past few weeks in The Friday Five, but there are just so many intriguing possibilities. I’m taking a break from suggesting specific squads that I’d like to see added, and instead taking a look at how retro teams could be put to even better use in future iterations of NBA 2K. The current approach is certainly satisfactory for the most part, and in terms of providing extra content, it’s a long way ahead of what NBA Live is offering. Nevertheless, there are ways in which the retro teams could be handled better.

Obviously, there are other priorities to consider when it comes to the quality of future NBA 2K titles. Refining player movement and physics is important. Achieving a good balance between online and offline play is an ongoing challenge. Addressing issues with the amount of grinding and fairness of recurrent revenue mechanics is something that absolutely needs to be sorted out. However, there is room to discuss ideas for the bonus content, and indeed, the prevalence of retro teams in NBA 2K has more or less established them as a key part of the experience, year in and year out. To that end, here are five ways to improve NBA 2K’s retro teams!

Read More »

Today’s file additions for NBA 2K17 PC include a tool that can be used to swap 3D hair files between NBA 2K17 and NBA 2K18, and a 1985 CBS scoreboard and transition wipe. Download them at the links below!

trevorjpt33
Hair 3D Add-Swap

sticky-fingers
1984-85 CBS Scoreboard & Wipe

Thanks to everyone who continues to contribute to our Downloads database! If you need help uploading files, be sure to check out this video tutorial. For more information about downloads, the modding community, and File Additions bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! In this feature, we dig into the archives, look back at the history of basketball gaming, and indulge in some nostalgia. Check in every Wednesday for retrospectives and other features on older versions of NBA Live, NBA 2K, and old school basketball video games in general. You’ll also find old NLSC editorials re-published with added commentary, and other flashback content. This week, I’m taking a look back at Livin’ Da Dream, the MyCAREER story in NBA 2K16.

Career modes have come a long way since they were essentially franchise modes with player lock. The concept has continued to evolve this generation, with MyCAREER pioneering the use of in-depth stories to accompany the gameplay experience. This hasn’t been to everyone’s liking – indeed, I’ve been critical of the approach on more than one occasion – but there’s no denying that a tremendous amount of work has gone into the production values of MyCAREER stories. 2K has also brought big names on board to bolster both the writing and performances of the tales told in MyCAREER.

After telling the story of competing with Jackson Ellis in NBA 2K14 and enlisting the help of several NBA players to voice themselves in cutscenes mentoring your player in NBA 2K15, 2K went all out in NBA 2K16. They brought in acclaimed (and now Academy Award-winning) director Spike Lee to develop a story for the mode that allows gamers to live out their dreams of playing in the NBA. That theme gave the story its title – Livin’ Da Dream – and it was a significant milestone in the continuing evolution of MyCAREER. Let’s take a look back…way back…

Read More »

The latest assortment of file additions for NBA 2K19 PC includes player faces, a new global, and a court update for the Brooklyn Nets. Check them all out at the links below!

JH13000
Bradley Beal Face by JH13000

Torogi
Aron Baynes Face
Aaron Gordon Face (Updated to v2.0)
Muscle And Sweat Global (Updated to v5.0)

Manni Live
Brooklyn Nets Barclays Arena 4K

Thanks to everyone who continues to contribute to our Downloads database! If you need help uploading files, be sure to check out this video tutorial. For more information about downloads, the modding community, and File Additions bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with a look at how partnering with 2K has impacted the NBA Playgrounds series, both positively and negatively.

Since its release last October, our coverage of NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 has been fairly light. I must admit to missing a few bulletins regarding official patches, something I’ve tried to remedy recently. One of the main reasons that our coverage has been so lax is that our community hasn’t really taken to the game. There was some support of the first NBA Playgrounds a couple of years ago, especially when we heard that it would be available for PC as well as consoles, but since then, there hasn’t been much enthusiasm around these parts. The lack of modding probably doesn’t help.

It’s unfortunate, as NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 has made some pleasing improvements on its predecessor. It has its shortcomings, but overall, it’s a very solid arcade basketball game. The partnership between Saber Interactive and 2K has helped the game attain a higher profile, and also facilitated new content and features that are most welcome. At the same time, however, there have been some changes that definitely feel as though they’ve been influenced by the larger company. These changes incorporate some of the worst parts of recent NBA 2K titles, and are thus disappointing to see. Let’s go over some of the best and worst aspects of NBA Playgrounds joining the 2K family.

Read More »

We’re wrapping up the weekend with some new file additions for NBA 2K11 PC. The latest releases, which include a generic face pack, an update for DaCrispy’s College Hoops 2K mod, and a new jersey for the Miami Heat, can be picked up at the links below. I’m also working on some projects of my own for NBA 2K11, so stay tuned!

DaCrispy
100 NBA 2K11 Generic Cyberfaces with Portraits
College Hoops 2K V2 Update Pack
College Hoops 2K Roster and Settings (Updated to v2.0)
NBA 2018-19 Team Logo Update (Updated to v3.0)

JamCentral
Miami Heat Vice Jersey 2019 (Black)

Thanks to everyone who continues to contribute to our Downloads database! If you need help uploading files, be sure to check out this video tutorial. For more information about downloads, the modding community, and File Additions bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.

Here are the latest file additions for NBA 2K14 PC! Today’s new and updated releases include player faces, along with current and retro jersey updates. Spruce up your copy of NBA 2K14 by downloading them at the links below!

IceCr
Denver Nuggets 2006-07 Season Face Pack

BBTxJoKer
Devin Harris Face
Jeremy Lin Face

Pep
NBA Nike City Uniforms 18/19
1990s Dallas Mavericks Uniforms
NBA Nike 2018/2019 Sponsors Update (Updated)
Nike NBA Earned Uniforms 18/19 (Updated)

Thanks to everyone who continues to contribute to our Downloads database! If you need help uploading files, be sure to check out this video tutorial. For more information about downloads, the modding community, and File Additions bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown. This week’s Five is part eleven in a series of lists of retro teams that I’d like to see added to NBA 2K.

It’s just about time for me to be moving on to some other topics with the Friday Five, as I’ve been covering retro teams I’d like to see in future NBA 2K games for a month now. However, I do have another five teams that I thought of while planning these features, so I figured I’d wrap things up for now and come back with new lists later on down the road. After all, this may be the last list for now, but I’m sure more teams will occur to me. As I’ve said, when you look beyond former champions, their opponents, and other noteworthy teams, you can come up with some fun and unorthodox ideas.

There are certainly some teams in Part 11 that fit that description! With the current decade drawing to a close, I’ve also looked to include a couple more retro teams from the past ten years, as some of them are becoming nostalgic in their own right. If I can talk about NBA 2K17 in Wayback Wednesday, then I can surely include a few teams from the early 2010s on these lists! As with my previous features, I’m making these suggestions in addition to the teams I’ve already mentioned; I’d still like to see those teams in NBA 2K as well. I’m also assuming that enough of the necessary players will be licensed, if they’re not in the game already. With that said, let’s get to the list!

Read More »

This week’s content update has come through for NBA Live 19. In a nutshell, it features updated rosters and lineups, several ratings adjustments, new player gear, and fixed colours for team gear. Some of the biggest movers in terms of ratings updates are as follows:

• Karl-Anthony Towns (+1 to 93 Overall)
• Derrick Rose (+1 to 82 Overall)
• Joel Embiid (+1 to 94 Overall)
• Paul George (+1 to 93 Overall)
• DeMarcus Cousins (-2 to 88 Overall)
• Draymond Green (-2 to 86 Overall)

Check out a full breakdown of the March 14th content update here over on the EA forums! If you’d like to discuss the latest update or anything NBA Live 19 topics around these parts, feel free to comment below, or join in the discussion here in our Forum.

Patch 1.07 has been released for NBA 2K Playgrounds 2. The latest title update addresses issues with player stats and challenges, which had occurred following the release of Patch 1.06.

#Playgrounds2 online game modes are up and running again. This latest patch addresses recent issues players faced with player stats and challenges following the latest content drop, thanks for your patience.

Stay tuned to find out more details about last week's update!

— NBA 2K Playgrounds (@2KPlaygrounds) March 13, 2019

No new content has been added in Patch 1.07, as it’s strictly a bug fix. As always, feel free to share any thoughts in the comments below, as well as join in the discussion here in the Other Basketball Games section of the NLSC Forum!

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! In this feature, we dig into the archives, look back at the history of basketball gaming, and indulge in some nostalgia. Check in every Wednesday for retrospectives and other features on older versions of NBA Live, NBA 2K, and old school basketball video games in general. You’ll also find old NLSC editorials re-published with added commentary, and other flashback content. This week, I’m taking a look back at a mistake in the PC version of NBA Jam Tournament Edition that I haven’t noticed in over twenty years.

As I’ve mentioned on several occasions, NBA Jam Tournament Edition is one of my all-time favourite basketball games. While I own the game on both Super Nintendo and PC, I’ve always been partial to the latter. It’s the version that I played the most, and I have many fond memories of playing the game with my cousin. One school holidays, we spent a lot of time playing with and against every single team, beating everyone to unlock all the secret players, and challenging ourselves to hit statistical milestones. For a while, it was a fixture of our basketball gaming rotation.

That’s why it’s so strange that I’ve never noticed a certain mistake in the game in over twenty years of playing it. While playing as the New Jersey Nets for the No Threes Challenge, I noticed that Kevin Edwards actually has Blue Edwards’ portrait. I knew about both players and what they looked like, basically from the time I started playing NBA Jam TE, so it’s really odd that it’s never clicked until now. I thought that I’d see if I could delve into the issue further, so let’s take a look back…way back…

Read More »

I’m still cooking up some big projects that I hope I can finish before March Modness 2019 is over, but in the meantime, I’m tipping off my releases with a couple of smaller mods. Following up on my previous NBA Live 18 and NBA Live 19 title screen updates for NBA Live 2005-08 PC, I’ve released a new title screen featuring the NBA Live 19 All-Star Edition artwork.

In an overdue release, I’ve also gone back and updated my Next Gen Title Screen mod for NBA Live 07. The first release used the pre-boot screen as it was easier to crop for use in the original NBA Live 07 file, but this release uses the file from NBA Live 08, which means I’ve been able to use the actual title screen from the Xbox 360 version of NBA Live 07.

Download the NBA Live 19 All-Star Edition mod here, and the new NBA Live 07 Next Gen mod here. Be sure to stay tuned for more March Modness releases!

The latest file additions for NBA 2K19 PC include player updates, shoes, and rosters. Check them all out at the links below!

Torogi
Aaron Gordon Face
Nikola Vucevic Face
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Face
RKJ No Injuries Roster (With New Retro Teams) (Updated to v2.1)

seanbarkley
[seanbarkley] KICKSOLOGY (Updated to v3.2)
SB Kicksology 3.2 (Injury Free) (Updated to v3.2)

Shuajota
Giannis Antetokounmpo Face

Thanks to everyone who continues to contribute to our Downloads database! If you need help uploading files, be sure to check out this video tutorial. For more information about downloads, the modding community, and File Additions bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with some experiments in NBA 2K19’s MyCAREER, and the discoveries about the mode that they’ve yielded.

Once again, despite my belief that I was over the career experience on the virtual hardwood, I’ve ended up playing MyCAREER extensively in NBA 2K19. It’s been a fun and rewarding experience this year, and I’ve enjoyed grinding my way up to 90 Overall without buying any VC, completing the first season and bringing another virtual championship to Chicago, and more recently, hitting 92 Overall and maxing out all my Badges. The online experience hasn’t been stellar this year, but I can say that I’ve enjoyed much of what the single player portion of MyCAREER has to offer.

Spending so much time with MyCAREER has piqued my interest in finding out more about the mode. In addition to the observations I’ve made over the course of playing my main game, I’ve also run a few experiments with additional saves. I’ve wondered whether certain events are scripted and consistent, if there’s a game over should you play or sim long enough, the mechanics of the Daily Prize Wheel, and even the speed of the bikes. Through those experiments, and a thorough playthrough of the mode, I’ve compiled some information about MyCAREER that I hope will be both helpful and interesting to gamers who may have similar questions about all of its ins and outs.

Read More »

Episode #278 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join me for a look back at the updates that came through for NBA Live 19, NBA 2K19, and NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 this week, as well as a couple of other basketball gaming topics.

On this week’s show…

• New rosters have come through for NBA Live 19, featuring further lineup, gear, and ratings updates. We also have some clarification on the situation with Kawhi Leonard’s shoes.
• In celebration of LeBron James passing Michael Jordan on the all-time scoring list, we have another shot at a Pink Diamond LeBron in NBA 2K19’s MyTEAM. March Madness packs have also been added, while the Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers are featured in the latest throwback packs.
• The latest patch for NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 has added new content including players, vanity items, and a Safe Schools for Alex Playground, as well as a new Court Editor. Unfortunately, the approach to the Court Editor doesn’t match the goodwill of their charitable endeavours.
• Experiments with MyCAREER have yielded some interesting information about the popular mode. More to come in next week’s Monday Tip-Off!
• Episode #278 of the NLSC Podcast wraps up with a listener question regarding celebrity teams, and the likelihood of celebrities being featured in future versions of NBA Live and NBA 2K.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 18:49 — 13.0MB)

Subscribe: Android | RSS

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.