NBA Live 17

Episode #182 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane, Kenny, and myself as we discuss opportunities for NBA Live 17, some more exciting victories in 2K Pro-Am, the start of the 2017 NBA season, and more.

On this week’s show…

• It appears as though advertising is starting to appear after the third quarter in NBA 2K17. We discuss the controversial practice of in-game advertising in AAA titles.
• Once again, we touch on the problems with an “always online” approach to modes such as MyCAREER, after a recent PSN outage made it impossible to play.
• With some of the dissatisfaction gamers have with NBA 2K17 and the way 2K has handled things with VC and so forth, has the door been left open for NBA Live 17?
• In Our Week in Basketball Gaming: more clutch wins for the NLSC 2K Pro-Am squad, a blossoming rivalry, a trip to MyPARK, and the Walk-On experience.
• The 2017 NBA season has tipped off! We talk about the first couple of days which saw a triple-double from LeBron James, a huge win for the San Antonio Spurs, big numbers from Anthony Davis, and the official debut of Joel Embiid.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:25:53 — 41.7MB)

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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.

Episode #175 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! We’re in the final countdown to NBA 2K17, so it’s been another busy week with several previews. Join us as we react to the latest news, share our recent basketball gaming experiences, and talk about a couple of other topics that caught our attention.

On this week’s show…

• We now know a lot more about what to expect from MyCAREER in NBA 2K17, by way of a developer blog and a trailer. What do we think of this year’s approach?
• The MyNBA2K17 app is out now, but as of recording, it isn’t much use yet.
• A couple of new tidbits about MyLEAGUE and MyCAREER have given us some ideas for league expansion. We’re also really glad that there’ll be no four point line.
• The Arena Authenticity trailer spotlighted some cool presentation elements, but are we particularly hyped about them?
• We discuss what certainly appears to be a hoax about a PC version of NBA Live 17, and recap what we know so far about the next game from EA Sports.
• In another social media gaffe, Ronnie 2K continues to alienate basketball gamers who dare to express legitimate complaints about NBA 2K.
• Our Week in Basketball Gaming includes some of our final sessions of 2K Pro-Am – though there might be a couple more – and a return to NBA 2K11 for the Jordan Challenge. Also, a bit of talk about NBA Live 16 (yes, it’s been a while).
• We wrap up Episode #175 of the NLSC Podcast with another game of Trivia Time!

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:36:27 — 46.2MB)

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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.

Episode #171 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! It’s our longest episode in a while as we had a lot to talk about this week, from the first teaser trailer for NBA 2K17, to the Boomers vs. Team USA. Also, some of our favourite memories of Dynasty Mode, and our most recent sessions of 2K Pro-Am.

On this week’s show…

• The first official teaser trailer for NBA 2K17 has been released. We react to the trailer, and some of us struggle to correctly articulate the name of the US national anthem.
• On the subject of teasers and news, we also discuss the problem with gaming sites and YouTubers who engage in clickbait, tricking their fellow basketball gamers with fake news and completely unrelated content.
• Will an increase in video game prices and the rise of microtransactions result in longer development cycles for sports games?
• What are some of our favourite moments in Dynasty Mode/franchise modes over the years? Which was the best edition of the mode?
• In our Week in Basketball Gaming: Possible burnout on 2K Pro-Am, and perspective on some of the improvements to shooting mechanics in recent years.
• The Orlando Magic have unveiled what is perhaps our new least favourite alternate jersey. Bring on the Nike contract!
• Australia had a fine performance against the USA in the preliminary round of the 2016 Olympic basketball tournament. We’re still picking the USA to win the gold, but are we more optimistic about the Boomers’ chances of winning a medal?
• We wrap up Episode #171 of the NLSC Podcast with another edition of Trivia Time!

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:44:09 — 50.3MB)

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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.

Episode #170 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Unfortunately, we encountered some technical difficulties with the software we normally use to record the show, and its temporary replacement definitely isn’t as good. Nevertheless, we hope you’ll enjoy another episode in which we discuss the latest NBA 2K17 previews, recap our week in basketball gaming, and play our favourite podcast game.

On this week’s show…

• Two new NBA 2K17 screenshots have officially been released, featuring Team USA 2016 and the pre-order exclusive 1992 Dream Team. The screenshots are drawing some mixed reactions to say the least, so we chime in with our own critique.
• Once again, we lament the lack of news about NBA 2K17, which isn’t helping us get hyped for this year’s game from Visual Concepts. Who is directing the MyCAREER story this year? We need to know!
• For anyone who is still speculating on whether EA is planning on dropping the console version of NBA Live in favour of the mobile platform, their latest investor release mentions a console release for Live in Q1 2017.
• In Our Week in Basketball Gaming: Bratty behaviour in 2K Pro-Am, and no, not by us. We’re left asking ourselves, is the mode sim enough for our tastes? Also, can’t we all just get along?
• The basketball tournament at the 2016 Olympic Games will be tipping off soon. Team USA seems like a safe bet for the gold (what a bold prediction!), but what about our team, the Australian Boomers?
• We wrap up Episode #170 of the NLSC Podcast with this week’s edition of Trivia Time!

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 55:00 — 25.6MB)

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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.

Episode #168 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Arcane and I are a two-man booth this week, while Kenny is out of town celebrating his 30th birthday. With a lack of meaningful NBA news, it’s a shorter episode, but the past week has delivered us some promising details on NBA 2K17, and an NBA Live 17 rumour.

On this week’s show…

• After a Monday Tip-Off column lamenting the lack of a preview season, we received a developer blog on the improvements to MyGM and MyLEAGUE in NBA 2K17. We recap all the details, and offer up our thoughts.
• An interesting rumour is making the rounds regarding BDotADot possibly providing some motion capture for NBA Live 17. Could we see a lot more signature animations, when the game drops in early 2017?
• In Our Week in Basketball Gaming: A recap of last week’s 2K Pro-Am games featuring NLSC Greatness, recent activities in MyCAREER, and a bargain on a LeBron James card in MyTEAM.
• We wrap up Episode #168 of the NLSC Podcast with a long-term Bold Prediction by Kenny that turned out to be correct. Unfortunately, he isn’t around to gloat about it.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 46:01 — 22.7MB)

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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.

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.

If you’re a regular listener of the NLSC Podcast, you’ll have heard me describe the current time of year as a very quiet period. After the initial flurry of deals, all of the major free agent signings are over and done with. There’s been Summer League play, of course, but here in the basketball gaming community, we’re anxiously awaiting the start of the preview season. With NBA Live 17 being pushed back to early 2017, we’re obviously not going to hear much about it for some time. NBA 2K17 will be dropping in mid September, but details on that release are similarly scarce.

That isn’t anything too out of the ordinary, though. Even when both titles have been released around the same time, Visual Concepts has often waited until almost the last minute before finally revealing the juiciest details on the next NBA 2K game. I would suggest that a lot of the time, the information has been worth waiting for, and the success of the series certainly speaks for itself. At the same time, I miss the days of getting a steady flow of information, and feeling really hyped about the upcoming releases.

As such, I find myself asking: where is the preview season?

Read More »

Episode #167 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! We’re coming up to the really slow part of the offseason, but we do have some news to discuss this week in the form of a new NBA Live 16 roster update, as well as some more 2K Pro-Am games to recap. Also, a significant rule change, and the retirement of a future Hall of Famer.

On this week’s show…

• A new NBA Live 16 roster has been pushed through, featuring pre-Draft transactions such as Derrick Rose to New York. Unfortunately, it seems that no further offseason updates are planned at this time.
• Development of NBA Live 17 is still underway, as EA reps have been posting photos of rookie face scans that are being conducted during Summer League play.
• Our latest 2K Pro-Am sessions have yielded more fun and frustration, including an impressive win with a very undersized centre, and a somewhat angry dunk. A couple more community members have also recently joined in the fun.
• The NBA has announced further changes to the Hack-a-Shaq rules. A lot of fans are criticising the decision, but we’ve got a very different take on the matter.
• Tim Duncan announced his retirement with little fanfare, walking away from the NBA in the most Tim Duncan way possible. We reflect on the career of the player most now consider to be the greatest power forward of all-time.
• Episode #167 of the NLSC Podcast ends with our new favourite game, Trivia Time! Play along at home and answer this week’s questions about NBA Live, NBA 2K, and NBA Jam.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:20:20 — 38.7MB)

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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.

While EA Sports have previously mentioned that they have no concrete plans to release any further roster updates for NBA Live 16, it seems that we may be in luck after all. A very minor offseason roster has been pushed through featuring a few of the pre-Draft moves, such as the trade that sent Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks.

The roster is dated July 7th, so it was obviously finalised before any free agent signings were made official. As such, Kevin Durant is still on the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dwyane Wade is still on the Miami Heat, Dwight Howard is still on the Houston Rockets, and so on. With many players now signing the contracts they agreed to at the beginning of free agency, those moves should be included in any future roster updates.

There aren’t any rookies in the new roster either, but if the offseason roster updates do continue, it seems possible that they might be added. As demonstrated in this Tweet from Ty Stover, Manager/Marketer at EA Sports, the team is using the Summer League to get the rookies in to have their faces scanned. That would obviously provide them with assets they can not only use with the console version of NBA Live 17, but also roster updates for NBA Live 16.

With NBA Live 17 being delayed until early 2017, pushing through offseason roster updates for NBA Live 16 is a great way to maintain brand awareness, and promote goodwill with basketball gamers. It’s something that we’ve discussed at length on the NLSC Podcast, and I’m glad to see it happening. Hopefully, EA will continue to update the rosters through the offseason, from free agent signings to this year’s rookie crop. We’ll be sure to keep you posted of any further developments. In the meantime, see below for a couple of screenshots of Derrick Rose and Robin Lopez on their new teams.

Read More »

We’re back to our regular schedule this week, with Episode #166 of the NLSC Podcast! Join Arcane, Kenny, and I as we talk about the release of NBA Live Mobile, recent NLSC Greatness games in 2K Pro-Am, and the latest offseason movement, including Kevin Durant’s surprising departure.

On this week’s show…

• The server move is complete and a few lingering problems have been addressed, so it should be business as usual from here on out!
• NBA Live Mobile has been released worldwide for Android and iOS devices. We offer up some initial impressions of the game, and touch again on the future of NBA Live on consoles.
• In Our Week in Basketball Gaming: Another win for NLSC Greatness, grinding towards 99 Overall, and paying towards 88 Overall.
• Kevin Durant has shocked the basketball world by joining the Golden State Warriors. What does this mean for next season, and his legacy?
• We give our thoughts on the other major offseason moves from the past week, including Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo to the Chicago Bulls.
• Episode #166 of the NLSC Podcast ends with our new favourite game, Trivia Time! Can you answer questions about some old school basketball games before Arcane and Kenny?

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:20:45 — 39.1MB)

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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.

Episode #164 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! This week, Arcane, Kenny, and I discuss the epic conclusion of the 2016 NBA Finals, some NBA Live 17 and NBA 2K17 tidbits, and our latest sessions in 2K Pro-Am.

On this week’s show…

• We tip off the show with some housekeeping matters, specifically our forthcoming server move, and our appeal to help us cover the hosting costs moving forward.
• The season finale of NBA 2KTV revealed a few interesting tidbits about NBA 2K17, from changes to Locker Codes to the development of a face scanning app for mobile devices.
• We recap some Tweets of interest from the official NBA Live Twitter regarding NBA Live 17, and the possibility of future roster updates for NBA Live 16.
• There are rumours that NBA Live 17 will feature a story-driven career mode. We consider the possibility, and reflect once again on NBA 2K16’s MyCAREER mode, now that we’ve all finished the first season.
• What are the advantages of basketball gaming on the PC versus playing on consoles, and vice versa?
• Our Week in Basketball Gaming featured several more games of 2K Pro-Am, a couple of which were really, really satisfying.
• The 2016 NBA Finals are in the books, as LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off the unlikely comeback. Once again, we discuss LeBron’s legacy.
• Ahead of the 2016 NBA Draft, we discuss a couple of big trades that have been announced. A eulogy for Derrick Rose’s Chicago Bulls career is included.
• We wrap up Episode #164 of the NLSC Podcast with this week’s Trivia Time! Can you get the answers before Arcane and Kenny?

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:42:01 — 51.1MB)

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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.

Episode #162 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! It’s been a quiet week for basketball video game news, but Arcane, Kenny, and I do have a couple of tidbits to talk about, as well as our latest experiences in 2K Pro-Am, and the 2016 NBA Finals. Also, a new segment makes its debut!

On this week’s show…

• We tip off the show with another discussion on the lack of updates for NBA Live 16 through the end of the regular season and Playoffs, and what we’d like to see EA do during the offseason in the lead up to NBA Live 17.
• 2K Sports are unveiling Team 2K, their talent lineup for NBA 2K17 which includes cover player Paul George. We speculate on the silhouettes in the teaser image.
• In Our Week in Basketball Gaming, we reflect on last week’s 2K Pro-Am session, where we discovered that contrary to what Homer Simpson once said, there are actually sweeter and more satisfying things than winning by default.
• Turning our attention to the 2016 NBA Finals, we reflect on the first two games, and make our predictions for the rest of the series. Sorry, Cleveland Cavaliers fans.
• As it stands right now, who is the Finals MVP? What does it mean for Stephen Curry’s legacy – and the Michael Jordan comparisons – if he doesn’t have a big series?
• With the season winding down, we tally our final scores for Bold Predictions. We’re hoping to do better next year.
• Episode #162 of the NLSC Podcast wraps up with a brand new segment: Trivia Time! Andrew is the quizmaster, as Arcane and Kenny square off in answering three trivia questions. This week, the questions cover NBA Live and NBA Jam.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:09:53 — 33.8MB)

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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.

Episode #161 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane, Kenny, and myself as we discuss the reveal of the NBA 2K17 cover, a promising tidbit regarding NBA Live 17, the upcoming 2016 NBA Finals, and our week in basketball gaming.

On this week’s show…

• Paul George has been officially revealed as the cover player for NBA 2K17. A good choice, but was he our pick? We also discuss the pre-order bonuses.
• It seems that former NBA player Jamario Moon is providing motion capture for NBA Live 17, suggesting that a fully featured console release is definitely still in development.
• Speaking of NBA Live 17, a recent report by GameInformer has revealed that all EA Sports titles will apparently be making the transition from the Ignite engine to the Frostbite engine. We discuss what this might mean for the NBA Live series moving forward.
• We remind PlayStation Plus subscribers to pick up the PlayStation 4 version of NBA 2K16 via June’s Instant Game Collection, if they don’t already own it, or would like to double-dip.
• In Our Week in Basketball Gaming: 2K Pro-Am frustration, Stephen Curry in NBA Live 95, and more MyLEAGUE plans.
• Moving on to the real NBA, we recap the end of the Golden State Warriors/Oklahoma City Thunder clash, and look ahead to the NBA Finals.
• Do we think that Kevin Durant will be moving on from the Thunder, following their collapse and disappointing elimination in the Western Conference Finals?
• We briefly touch on the fatal shooting of Bryce Dejean-Jones.
• Episode #161 of the NLSC Podcast ends with this week’s Bold Predictions.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:31:23 — 44.7MB)

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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.

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.

The reveal of the cover player for NBA 2K17 is just a couple of days away, set to coincide with the grand final of the Road To The Finals Pro-Am tournament in NBA 2K16. Stephen Curry seems like a good bet to appear on the cover for the second year in a row, perhaps joined by Klay Thompson, or maybe even the Golden State Warriors’ entire starting five. Paul George also seems like a distinct possibility, seeing as how he was the cover player of the MyNBA2K16 app, and appeared in the trailer announcing the Legend Edition of NBA 2K17 featuring Kobe Bryant on the cover.

Admittedly, for a lot of gamers, the player that appears on the cover of NBA Live and NBA 2K is largely unimportant. In the grand scheme of things, it has no bearing on the quality of the game, and is mostly only significant in terms of marketing. I imagine that under normal circumstances, very few people would flat out refuse to buy a game if a certain player was on the cover, and anyone who does was probably looking for an excuse not to buy it anyway. Yet, as often as it’s dismissed as an irrelevant topic of discussion, it’s something that we inevitably end up talking about every year.

So, why do basketball gamers care about who’s on the cover of NBA Live and NBA 2K?

Read More »

Join Arcane, Kenny, and I for Episode #159 of the NLSC Podcast! Tune in for this week’s discussion on future content and title updates for NBA Live 16 and NBA 2K16, tales of our latest exploits on the virtual hardwood, thoughts on the 2016 NBA Playoffs, and a mailbag question that really made us think outside the box.

On this week’s show…

• We tip things off with an update on the latest NBA Live 16 roster patches, and Patch #6 for the PC version of NBA 2K16.
• With NBA Live 17 being delayed until early 2017, do we expect post-release support and content updates to be extended for NBA Live 16?
• In response to one of the most creative topic suggestions we’ve received, we compare the Golden State Warriors in NBA Live 16/NBA 2K16 to the Chicago Bulls in NBA Live 96. Yes, really!
• Our Week in Basketball Gaming includes triumph and tragedy in 2K Pro-Am, Dynasty and MyLEAGUE plans, and some further reflections on the future of the NBA Live series.
• Moving on to our NBA discussion, we ponder the futures of Chris Bosh and Tim Duncan.
• The 2016 Conference Finals are upon us. Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals hasn’t made us fans of a certain Warriors player.
• It’s time for another NBA Fashion Critique, as the Philadelphia 76ers get a jersey sponsor for the 2018 season, and the Utah Jazz unveil their new branding.
• We give a couple of thoughts on some recent coaching changes, including one that really seemed to come out of left field.
• As is the norm, Episode #159 of the NLSC Podcast ends with another round of Bold Predictions.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:20:45 — 39.1MB)

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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.

Despite a couple of connection issues this week, Arcane, Kenny and I are coming at you with Episode #158 of the NLSC Podcast! In this week’s show, we give our thoughts on EA’s major announcement regarding NBA Live 17, recap our recent efforts on the virtual hardwood, discuss the 2016 NBA Playoffs, and more.

On this week’s show…

• As the 2016 season draws nearer to its end, NBA Live 16’s rosters are finally close to being 100% accurate. We quickly recap the May 5th update.
• Speaking of rosters, NBA 2K16 will be receiving a special update in which Stephen Curry will be rated 99 overall.
• The big news this week is the announcement that NBA Live 17 won’t be out until 2017, while a new NBA Live Mobile game will be released later this year. We give our in-depth thoughts on the situation, and the future of the NBA Live series.
• In Our Week in Basketball Gaming, we all team-up for some games of 2K Pro-Am, representing the NLSC in the Joel Anthony Arena. Also, we discuss some possible plans for Dynasty Mode and/or MyLEAGUE.
• Moving from the virtual hardwood to the real NBA, we recap the latest action from the 2016 NBA Playoffs, and revisit a few of our previous predictions.
• Stephen Curry has repeated as MVP, in a unanimous decision. Elsewhere, R.C. Buford has won his second Executive of the Year award. We also discuss some recent comments by Hall of Famer Charles Barkley.
• We wrap up Episode #158 of the NLSC Podcast with this week’s Bold Predictions, and a noteworthy accomplishment by Udonis Haslem.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:29:15 — 43.2MB)

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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.