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 takes a look at five of the best NBA CAPs I’ve seen in NBA 2K20’s Neighborhood.

Since the introduction of Park, 2K Pro-Am, and ultimately The Neighborhood, it’s been interesting to see what kind of players people create. I don’t mean their build or Archetype, though that’s obviously an interesting discussion as well. I’m talking about the appearance gamers choose for their MyPLAYERs. Whether it’s through the face scanning capabilities or expanded face creation tools, we’re invited to insert ourselves into the game. While a number of gamers do indeed choose to do this, it seems that many prefer to create an original avatar, or in some cases, run with an NBA lookalike.

I would suggest that most gamers choose custom faces and NBA CAPs for the same reason that I gave up on face scans: the functionality is cumbersome, buggy, and takes too long to inform you that a scan has failed. Even when a scan has been successful according to the app, the game will often inform you that there’s a problem, with the condescending error message “try again and play close attention to the instructions”; instructions, mind you, that along with any troubleshooting info, do not exist. It’s no wonder people prefer to role play as a goofy avatar, or as an NBA player. Some of the NBA CAPs are quite good, with these five ranking among the best I’ve seen so far.

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Today’s file additions for NBA Live 06 feature a 2020 season roster update by swishnet, creator of a similar mod for NBA Live 2005. Once again, while this roster appears to have been based on one of my previous updates, I didn’t have anything to do with its creation and can’t offer any support for it. Check it out below, and be sure to contact swishnet if you run into any issues!

Swishnet
Swishnet’s 2019-2020 Roster

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 even more NBA players who became familiar faces in strange places, and those stints in video games.

It’s time to once again look back at the various stints of NBA players that we may have forgotten, or at least don’t think about too often. We expect to see role players bounce around the league, as teams seek out their services to bolster their rosters. Although it’s getting more and more common to see perennial All-Stars changing teams in their prime as well as late in their careers, it’s still often a surprise, and seeing them in their new uniform takes some time to get used to. Funnily enough, photos of them wearing their old jersey eventually seem like the stranger image!

As I’ve noted before, in addition to photos, footage, and records in resources such as Basketball Reference, we’ve got another way of documenting familiar faces in strange places: video games. Fire up an old video game, and you’re bound to see at least a few players on teams you don’t remember them playing for, including some big names who were in the midst of a less memorable stint than one that usually comes to mind. I’ve got another ten examples to share today, so let’s take a look back…way back…

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As announced at the end of June, the PlayStation 4 version of NBA 2K20 is currently free for all PlayStation Plus subscribers. The offer is available through to August 3rd, so if you haven’t picked up this year’s game and want to check it out on PS4, now’s your chance to get it.

While there’s no legal way to get NBA 2K20 for free on PC – and please note that we don’t support the pirated version in our community – the game is also currently discounted on Steam. The Standard, Digital Deluxe, and Legend Editions of NBA 2K20 PC are all on sale at 85% off. Once again, if you don’t have the game and want to check it out before NBA 2K21 comes out, it’s a good opportunity to do so.

If you do pick up the PC version, don’t forget to check out the many mods in our Downloads database! You can also keep tabs on all the releases and work-in-progress mods in the NBA 2K20 Modding section of the Forum. I also invite you to go back and tune into Episode #313 of the NLSC Podcast, where Derek and I discuss our further impressions of the game, six months after its release.

A new 2020 season roster by swishnet can be found in today’s file additions for NBA Live 2005. Please note that while the roster does appear to be based on my updates, I had nothing to do with its creation, and therefore cannot and will not provide support for it. Please contact swishnet with any and all support queries. Check it out at the link below!

swishnet
Swishnet 2019-20 Roster and Faces

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 thoughts on the importance of fixing MyREP, not just in terms of its rewards system, but also allowing it to carry over year-to-year.

Keeping an annually-released basketball game fresh in a way that satisfies its toughest critics – the hardcore hoops gamers – is easier said than done. Take a ranking and rewards system such as MyREP, for example. If it’s the same year after year, we’re prone to complain about it being too stale and familiar. If it changes, there’s bound to be a lot of people who preferred the old system, as well as those that were open to a change, but aren’t feeling the new approach. There’s also the issue of having to start over from scratch every year; a common complaint in general these days.

I want to talk about both of those issues related to MyREP: its use as both a reward and matchmaking system, and the concept of being able to carry over rep from the previous game. It’s something I’d like to see NBA 2K get right as we enter a new generation with online basketball gaming as popular as it’s ever been, yet also in rough shape. Because of its effects on features and the online experience, it’s more than a cosmetic badge. We have good reason to give a damn about a bad MyREP system. Yes, that is a reference to “Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, and indeed, I’m keeping the musical motif going as I wax lyrical about this matter.

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Episode #330 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Derek (aka Dee4Three) and I are your hosts for this week’s show.

The three cover players and their editions of NBA 2K21 have been revealed, and it turns out our predictions were pretty good! We react to the choices, and some of the community’s opinions on them. We’ve also discovered that the Next Gen version will have cross-platform VC and MyTEAM progression, but more controversially, a $10 price increase. Breaking down the pre-order bonuses also suggests that the approach to microtransactions and grinding won’t be much different this year. With confirmation that NBA 2K21 PC is a Current Gen port, we weigh up the pros and cons, and what it means for our modding community. Elsewhere, reactions to Madden 21’s Franchise mode have made us wonder about the future of franchise gaming in basketball titles. Finally, we’re noticing some new waves of nostalgia among younger and older hoops gamers alike.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 2:28:17 — 101.9MB)

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What’s your take on this week’s conversation? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as suggestions for topics that you’d like to hear us discuss in future episodes. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

Attention is naturally turning towards NBA 2K21, but as you can see from today’s file additions for NBA 2K20, our modding community is still creating great updates for the current game. The latest NBA 2K20 file additions include current, retro, and future prospect player faces, fictional courts and jerseys, scoreboards, and more. Check them all out at the links below!

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.

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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 more outdated details in basketball games.

Developers tend to do a great job of updating basketball video games for the season they’re set in. As I noted in my previous Friday Five covering this topic, they have the benefit of being sent updated artwork from the NBA, so they’re able to account for branding changes that aren’t yet officially announced. To that end, apart from missing transactions that occur after the cut-off date, and the absence of rookies and other players who haven’t signed in time, most games don’t have too many outdated details. These days, official updates are also far more comprehensive.

With that being said, sometimes games end up shipping with a variety of outdated details. Perhaps a change was announced too late for it to be included, and in the case of older games especially, it may not be something that can be patched. Oversights happen, and inaccuracies can be caused by strange circumstances. I’ve come up with another five examples, which I’m sharing with you all today. Please note that once again, I’m avoiding the obvious examples related to cut-off dates or the old practice of releasing games with a previous season’s roster, and only noting things that were or became outdated details when a game was new and current. Let’s begin with…

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The final NBA 2K21 covers have been revealed! As expected, the third edition of the game is the Legend Edition, which this year is named the “Mamba Forever” edition after its cover player, the late Kobe Bryant. Additionally, the Current Gen and Next Gen versions of the Mamba Forever edition of NBA 2K21 will each have their own cover art, which you can check out below.

NBA 2K21 is now available to pre-order for all platforms. The Current Gen version, which refers to the PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Google Stadia releases, will be out on September 4th (and not October, as previously reported). The Next Gen version will be a launch title for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X this holiday season. See below for details on the pre-order bonuses.

As reported by Operation Sports, the Mamba Forever edition of NBA 2K21 will also grant dual access to the Standard Edition on the other generation at no additional contest. This means that if you opt for the Mamba Forever edition on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, you’ll get a copy of the Standard Edition on PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X as well (and vice versa).

OS has also revealed that there will be cross-platform progression for MyTEAM, and your VC wallet will also be shared between Current and Next Gen. This comes as excellent news for anyone concerned about having to start over from scratch, or simply having to buy the game again for that matter, once the PS5 and XSX are released.

Once again, check out the cover art for the Mamba Forever edition below, along with the pre-order bonuses and reveal trailer. Got any thoughts? Feel free to share them in the comments, as well as join in the discussion taking place here in the NLSC Forum!

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Download the 2KTV project, a custom roster project by Big Homie, in today’s file additions for NBA Live 08! Please see below for the download link.

Big Homie
2KTV (HD)

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.

Following on from the Current Gen reveal, Zion Williamson has now officially been unveiled as the cover player for NBA 2K21 Next Gen. Zion was widely expected to be one of the cover players for NBA 2K21 after featuring in the game’s announcement trailer at the PlayStation 5 event in June.

With Damian Lillard and Zion Williamson revealed as the Current Gen and Next Gen cover players, we’re just left with the unveiling of the Legend Edition cover. As I mentioned in the previous bulletin, Kobe Bryant has been a popular pick and sentimental preference for a lot of gamers. With his recent retirement, Vince Carter is also a name that’s been thrown around, and one that we mentioned among our picks in Episode #329 of the NLSC Podcast.

Speaking of Current and Next Gen, it appears as though the PC will remain a Current Gen port this year. Although this is a drawback in many ways, it also means that our modding tools will probably still be suitable for another year. It also means the PC version should be released in October, the same time as on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. No dates for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions have been announced as yet, but it’s safe to say NBA 2K21 will be a launch title for both consoles. Current Gen pre-orders begin July 2nd.

What are your thoughts on Zion Williamson being the Next Gen cover player? Have your say in the comments below, and join in the discussion here in the Forum! You can check out the full cover art below, along with the reveal trailer.

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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 going back to NBA Live 2001 to play with the “unbelievable” starting five that was posted in our original Forum many years ago.

There aren’t too many members of our original Forum who are still active, so the legacy and impact of the infamous “I Cannot Believe My Starting Five” thread may not resonate with a lot of people in our community today. I’ve covered it in-depth in a previous Wayback Wednesday retrospective, and mentioned it as one of the most bizarre moments in the history of our Forum, but the short version is as follows. A member by the name of A.L. made a post describing a lineup they’d put together in NBA Live 2001’s Franchise mode, which included Kevin Garnett at point guard.

A.L.’s insistence that point guard was KG’s “natural position” unfortunately derailed an interesting discussion about fantasy draft and trade logic, as well as experimenting with a fun idea for an unorthodox lineup, before it even began. The thread quickly turned into a catch-all for jokes and general banter, and became the first thread in the old Forum to surpass one thousand posts. However, as much fun as it was to take part in, it’s extremely unfortunate that A.L. felt unwelcome due to the way his post was received. Furthermore, it’s a creative idea that’s at least worth messing around with, so that’s what I’m going to do at long last. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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The first cover player for NBA 2K21 has been revealed! Damian Lillard has been announced as the cover player for the Current Gen version of the game. Dame has previously graced the cover of NBA Live 15, as well as the Chinese exclusive NBA 2K Online 2. He is the seventh player to appear on the covers of both NBA Live and NBA 2K.

Pre-orders for the Current Gen version of the game will begin July 2nd, and the game is slated for release in October. As of this post, no details about pre-order bonuses has been released, but that information will likely be coming soon. We can assume that they will be quite similar to last year’s bonuses, except with Damian Lillard-themed content.

With one cover reveal down, we have two to go over the next couple of days. As per ESPN, the next two covers will be for the Next Gen and Legend editions of the game. Zion Williamson has been a popular prediction after being featured in the announcement trailer, while a lot of gamers are picking Kobe Bryant for the Legend Edition.

Check out the cover art below, as well as a reveal trailer! What are your thoughts on 2K choosing Dame for the Current Gen release? Who are your picks for the Next Gen and Legend Edition covers? Have your say in the comments section below, and join in the discussion here in the Forum.

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We’ve got another release from SimonLee in today’s file additions for NBA 2K16. This mod removes the menu transitions, speeding up navigation. Check it out at the link below!

SimonLee
Remove Main Menu Transitions

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.