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 explores five possible alternatives to having Overall Ratings in basketball video games.

If you play basketball video games – and in particular, if you maintain the rosters for them – then Overall Ratings often cause a lot of hassle. I’ve written not one but two articles on the matter, and since then, the situation sadly hasn’t gotten any better. During this past preview season, there was plenty of grumbling when an Overall Rating was revealed and it didn’t seem quite right. For their part, players themselves have strong opinions as to what their ratings should be. Of course, many of them feel they should be 90+ Overall; even rookies who still have everything to prove!

Overall Ratings remain a point of contention in basketball games (and sports games in general), but unfortunately, they are a necessary evil. They provide us with a succinct overview of a player’s value and standing in the league compared to his peers, which is important when trying to put together trades in the franchise modes. The concept of 99 Overall Ratings also gives us a lofty goal to shoot for in the career modes. As such, Overall Ratings aren’t going anywhere. I do think we need them, but what if we were to replace them with a less controversial system? Does such a solution exist? Well, here are five possibilities that I can think of, that might be viable alternatives.

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A new patch (1.03, or alternatively Patch 3) has come through for NBA 2K19 on all platforms, and will be downloaded automatically as long as you have an active Internet connection. If you encounter any problems, try restarting your console or Steam client, or checking for the update manually.

According to the patch notes, the new update fixes a variety of issues across several game modes. It also includes the Denver Nuggets’ new alternate court, which will be available in-game in the next roster update.

Please see below for full details on Patch 1.03. You can find a complete update history for NBA 2K19 here in our Wiki. As always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below, as well as join in the discussion here in the Forum.

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As evident from both of last week’s title updates, the NBA Live 19 development team is committed to pushing through new content and fixes on a regular basis. To that end, a new update has come through, and is available to download now.

Although EA are calling it a title update, the latest update does come through in-game, and NBA Live 19’s update history is still at version 1.05. The new update does contain bug fixes though, addressing issues with records in Head 2 Head, create-a-player clothing, gear conflicts, and NBA combine ratings.

The latest transactions are also included in the update, along with shoe and gear updates, WNBA ratings updates, and jersey number corrections. Anklebreakers and shooting Traits have also been tuned. Check out the full changelog below, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section, and join in the discussion here in our NBA Live 19 Forum.

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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 taking a look back at the NBA Live Academy.

I’ve discussed my desire to see NBA Live’s Franchise mode get better and deeper on more than one occasion, and it’s something that I still hope will happen in the future. Something that we really need to see with the mode is the return of several useful and innovative features that flesh out the experience and make it more engaging. I’ve mentioned a few of these features in previous articles, but one that deserves a more in-depth look is the NBA Live Academy. Having recently gone back and taken a few screenshots, it feels like a good time for a retrospective!

Also known simply as the Academy, it was both an aesthetic enhancement, and an improvement in the way that player development was handled. It was only featured in a couple of NBA Live games, but that was enough to make its mark, and establish it as a concept that I for one would love to see reintroduced in Franchise mode in the not too distant future. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is set to launch on October 16th, but if you’re in North America, you might be able to get an early hands-on look at the game. Saber Interactive and 2K Sports will be launching a Closed Beta test that tips off this Friday, September 28th, and runs through Sunday, September 30th.

In addition to only being available to users in North America, the only platforms involved in the Closed Beta are PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 will of course also be available on PC and Switch, but they won’t be involved in this beta testing. Participants will take part in the new Championship mode, and be able to play on all ten of the new playgrounds that are featured in the game.

Please note that there are limited spots available, so signing up won’t guarantee a place in the Closed Beta. For your chance to take part, register here over on the official website as soon as possible.

The NBA 2K14 PC modding community is still going strong! Today’s file additions feature the latest player and court mods, including faces for future prospects and new courts for the 2019 season. Download them all at the links below.

Sastre Matulin
2018 Smart Araneta Coliseum Court (2019 World Cup Qualifiers)
2017 Smart Araneta Coliseum Court (2019 World Cup Qualifiers) (Updated to v3.0)

Pep
2018 United Center (Chicago Bulls Court)
2018 TD Garden (Boston Celtics Court)
2018 Madison Square Garden (New York Knicks Court)
2018 Scotiabank Arena (Toronto Raptors Court)
2018 AT&T Center (San Antonio Spurs Court)

Blang
Jaylen Hoard Face
Charles Bassey Face
Quentin Grimes 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 a few thoughts on making peace with the prospect of simulated games in franchise modes.

While there have been changes in my life since I started running the NLSC as a 17 year old back in 2001, I can still make ample time to play video games, basketball or otherwise. I don’t have a family, so in that regard, I do have fewer responsibilities than other members of our community. However, like anyone with a day job and a social life, I do have to ration my time accordingly. Video games are something that I have to fit in between being a sole trader, exercising, catching up with friends, and of course, my responsibilities both running and creating content for the NLSC.

To that end, as I look to make a return to franchise gaming this year, I must get used to the idea of simulating games. Should I back off a little on my intention to take a break from career modes, I’ll have to further ration my time, and that means a decent portion of games – possibly in both modes – will need to be simulated. On the surface, it may seem odd that this is something I need to get accustomed to. The simulation function has been available in season modes for over two decades, so it’s hardly a concept that I’m unfamiliar with. However, it is an approach that would mark a change in the way that I play basketball video games.

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Before it gets too much bigger, let’s get caught up on the latest batch of File Additions for NBA 2K19 PC. The latest mod releases include faces, jerseys, courts, rosters, and more. Check them all out at the links below!

pinoy21
Boston Celtics Jersey (pinoy21)
Denver Nuggets Jersey (pinoy21)

Torogi
Stephen Curry Face
Kevin Love Face
Bradley Beal Face
Jordan Clarkson Face with Tattoos
C.J. McCollum Face
Muscle And Sweat Global
Seth Curry Face
Justice Winslow Face
Derrick Favors Face & Body
Jimmy Butler Face

TwisT
Crowd Update – Northwest Division

Shuajota
Anthony Randolph Face
Shuajota’s Realistic Roster (Updated to v2.1)
Shuajota’s Modded Files (Updated to v2.0)

MauMau78
Classic Shorts Update
Classic Shorts Update V1.1

SexCurryBeats
Triple Threat Full Court
Animation Lab Full Court
Blacktops Without Floor
Pro-Am Arena
Full Size High School Gym

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.

Episode #263 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! With no connection issues this week – well, fewer connection issues, anyway – Kenny and I are back on the air to provide our initial impressions of NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19. We also discuss the latest trailer and news for NBA 2K Playgrounds 2.

On this week’s show…

• We tip off this week’s show with our thoughts on NBA Live 19, covering everything from gameplay and game modes to face scanning and commentary. There are definitely positives, though naturally we do have a few criticisms, too.
• IGN awarded NBA Live 19 a score of 7.9, their best score for an NBA Live title this generation. We discuss the significance of the score, the progress NBA Live has made, and the direction the game is heading in.
• NBA 2K19 has been described as the game we should’ve received last year. We discuss whether that’s a fair assessment, and offer up our own impressions. Suffice to say we have our gripes, but there are also aspects of the game we really like. We even have some nice things to say about the MyCAREER story!
• We wrap up Episode #263 of the NLSC Podcast with our thoughts on the latest NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 trailer, and some news about the forthcoming release.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:33:23 — 64.2MB)

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.

We have another new update for NBA Live 2005 PC from Kelly_E today. Today’s file addition is a jersey update pack for the Atlanta Hawks, including their Icon, Association, and Statement uniforms. Download it at the link below!

Kelly_E
Atlanta Hawks Nike Jersey Pack

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.

If you’re still modding NBA 2K18 PC, then you’ll want to check out today’s file addition. trevorjpt33 has updated gregkwaste’s Importer/Exporter script for Blender, which anyone working with model files should find very useful. Download it at the link below!

trevorjpt33 (original by gregkwaste)
2K18 Blender Importer/Exporter

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.

It seems the NBA Live development team aren’t messing around when it comes to title updates this year! Less than 24 hours after the release of Patch 1.04, Patch 1.05 is now available. It should come through automatically as long as your PlayStation 4 or Xbox One is connected to the Internet. If it doesn’t, try restarting your console, or checking for the update manually.

A full list of patch notes has been posted over on the official NBA Live Reddit. The latest update includes some further gameplay fixes and tuning, adds more stat tracking to the online leaderboards, and fixes an issue with edited rosters within Franchise mode.

Please see below for the full patch notes. You can also find an update history for NBA Live 19 here in our Wiki. As always, feel free to share your impressions in the comments section, as well as join in the discussion here in the NLSC Forum.

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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 another double countdown, this time featuring the Top 5 Positives and Top 5 Negatives in NBA 2K19.

My full reviews for NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19 will be out shortly, but before then, I wanted to offer up some more of my initial impressions of this year’s games. This time I’m talking about the latest offering from Visual Concepts, NBA 2K19. After really enjoying NBA 2K17, I was quite disappointed with NBA 2K18. It wasn’t just the unapologetically greedy approach to microtransactions and the brutal grind, either. I just didn’t enjoy the gameplay experience, and thus shelved NBA 2K18 much earlier than previous games, firing it up only to get screenshots for articles.

In a nutshell, I felt that NBA 2K18 was a surprising regression for the NBA 2K series, uncharacteristically stumbling off course. Is NBA 2K19 heading back in the right direction? In some respects, yes, but there are some key areas of concern, and design choices that I’m disappointed in. The team at Visual Concepts clearly did learn a few lessons from last year’s game however, and took gamer feedback to heart. With that in mind, NBA 2K19 is – as quite a few people have put it – the game that we should’ve received last year. At the same time, it’s not entirely the game that I was hoping for this year. Let’s take a look at the Top 5 Positives and Negatives, at least as I see them.

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Patch 1.04 has come through for NBA Live 19. It’s a title update, so it will be downloaded via your console’s dashboard, providing you have an active Internet connection. If it doesn’t start downloading automatically, try restarting your console, or manually checking for the update. An in-game update featuring new rosters, updated contracts, and new gear in the store has also come through, and will download automatically when you fire up NBA Live 19.

The development team has provided full patch notes for the new title update. In addition to addressing issues with switching and positioning on defense, the speed of the ball on passes, player velocity, and a bug with shooting fouls, it updates some of the rules for Court Battles, adds new player faces and a ton of new commentary, and changes the ICON upgrade visuals. A few bugs and issues with online matchmaking and leaderboards are also addressed, and sweat effects have been tuned.

Please see below for the full patch notes. You can also find an update history for NBA Live 19 here in our Wiki. As always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below, as well as here in our NBA Live 19 Forum.

Read More »

We already have over 60 mods and tools in the NBA 2K19 section of our Downloads database; thank you to everyone who has shared their work so far! The latest releases include updated faces, jerseys, rosters, and more. Download them all at the links below!

R4zoR
Tracy McGrady Orlando Magic Face

TwisT
Nike Arm Sleeves
Crowd Update – Atlantic Division

AC209
NBA 2K19 Cyberface Look Up Tool

pinoy21
Utah Jazz Jersey (pinoy21)

Torogi
John Wall Face
Jason Tatum Face
2003-04 Kobe Bryant Face
Russell Westbrook Face
Kawhi Leonard Face

Sitew33
Dennis Schroeder Hair Update
Gerald Green Braids

raven
LeBron James Face

Shuajota
Ultra Realistic Global Chensisi V3 Vitaminized (All in One)
Limnono Trainer (English Version)
Limnono Trainer (Español)
Shuajota’s Realistic Roster (Updated to v1.4)

Limnono
Limnono Trainer (NBA 2K19 Xiugaiqi) (Updated to v3.0)

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.