NLSC Your source for basketball video games.

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 preview of some modding projects that I’m looking to work on during the offseason.

I’ve been creating content for basketball video games since 1997, and needless to say, a few things have changed since then. The games have come a long way, and I have different responsibilities and interests within the hobby. Over the years, I’ve become less involved with modding. As I’ve discussed in previous articles, that’s mainly due to a combination of burnout, and having to ration my free time accordingly. Not as many people are playing the old games that I have more experience editing, and there’s a lot to learn in terms of modding NBA 2K, so I’ve felt less motivated.

However, having enjoyed the hobby for many years, it’s hard to resist the lure of making updates for games; especially old favourites. While I don’t want to set any dates or make any concrete promises, I am looking at getting involved with some bigger projects during this offseason. I’ve been tinkering here and there and mulling the possibility of getting more involved in modding again for a couple of years now, and the recent release of the new version of the Ultimate Base Roster has provided me with some added inspiration to dust off those modding tools. I’m also inclined to try out some new things. Here’s what I’m looking at working on in the coming weeks.

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We’re tipping off another week here at the NLSC with the latest file additions for NBA 2K18 PC! Today’s new releases include player and coach faces, court updates, custom menu art, and fixed jerseys for the 2004 Los Angeles Lakers. Download them all at the links below.

Torogi
Jerami Grant Face

Rockmonts
Steve Kerr Coach Face

Team Rakker 2K MODS
Allen Iverson Menu Art (2K18-2K19)
Philadelphia 76ers Fictional Court
Summer League Court and Stadium
Studio Interview Logo (2K18 to 2K19)

PeacemanNOT
2003-2004 Lakers Jerseys – PeacemanNOT

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 #256 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and I as we chat about the past week in basketball gaming and NBA news. Topics include the latest NBA Live 19 previews, the NBA 2K19 cover reveals, allegations and speculation about 2K’s business practice, and big offseason moves.

On this week’s show…

• A brief trailer and a few screenshots spotlighting Quai 54 in NBA Live 19 have been released. In our opinion, the venue and the game are both looking very nice.
• Rookies are getting their faces scanned for NBA Live 19 during the NBA Summer League. This leads to a discussion of the development cycle, and the increasingly early release dates for NBA Live and NBA 2K.
• Giannis Antetokounmpo has been officially revealed as the cover player for the Standard Edition of NBA 2K19. Ben Simmons, meanwhile, will grace the first ever Australian cover.
• A recent video discusses an allegedly since-deleted Reddit post, purported to contain damning leaks from an ex-2K employee regarding the company’s business practices. While the claims are unconfirmed and the video quite possibly unsubstantiated clickbait, the alleged explanations for certain design choices are eerily plausible.
• Our Week in Basketball Gaming featured a few more challenges in Ultimate Team and new additions to the squad, as well as a couple of modding developments including a potential roster update for NBA 2K11 PC.
• We wrap up Episode #256 of the NLSC Podcast with a discussion of the latest NBA offseason news. LeBron James, DeMarcus Cousins, and Tony Parker surprised us with their decisions, while Carmelo Anthony remains one of the biggest names left on the market.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:31:50 — 63.1MB)

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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.

EA Sports has posted a new trailer spotlighting Quai 54 in NBA Live 19. Although brief, it does a good job showing off the Paris-based court, and spotlights some of the further improvements to animations. Check it out below, along with some screenshots of the court and various player shoes.

As revealed by the official NBA Live Instagram and other sources including the Houston Rockets’ Twitter, EA also has a presence at the NBA Summer League where they are scanning the faces of the new rookies. While face scanning isn’t mandatory, most players do sit for scans at some point. In recent years, NBA Live has also received new face scans during the season via the official roster updates.

For those who are unaware, NBA Live 19 is currently available to pre-order at a 33% discount through NBA Live 18. Xbox One users with an EA Access subscription can get an even larger discount, picking up the game at a cost of $36 USD. Pre-order bonuses include several in-game items related to cover player Joel Embiid.

Once again, check out the latest preview media spotlighting Quai 54 below. What are your thoughts on NBA Live 19 so far? Have your say in the comments section below, and feel free to join in the discussion in the Forum!

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Here are the latest file additions for NBA 2K14 PC! Today’s new releases include retro player faces, a few rookie faces, new menu art, and the 2019 World Cup Qualifiers court. Check them all out at the links below!

IceCr
Shaquille O’Neal Face
Anthony Mason Face
Anfernee Hardaway Face
Grant Hill Face
Nicolas Batum Face

Rockmonts
NBA 2K19 Presentation
Kobe Bryant NBA 2K19 Title Screen

Ronin2K
Trey Burke 2018 Face
Dennis Smith Jr Face
Billy Preston Face

Blang
Josh Okogie Face
Isaac Bonga Face
DeAndre Ayton Face

Sastre Matulin
2018 Philippine Arena Court (2019 World Cup Qualifiers)

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’s been a big week for NBA 2K14 modding, and it continues with a new version of U R Basketball by skoadam and slimm44! V55 of URB 2K14 has been updated as of the 2018 offseason, and some of its key features are as follows:

• Transactions updated through 5th July
• Rotations updated through 5th July
• 1st and 2nd Round Draftees
• Coaches updated
• New 2019 Denver logo update
• New 2019 season screens update
• Age & years pro correct for 2019 season
• 2019 Rookies portraits

You can download V55 of U R Basketball here. Check out the release topic here for support, previews, and more information. At this time, there is no further update for the NBA 2K13 version of URB, but you can keep tabs on the status of that mod in its own release topic.

We have four new file additions for NBA Live 08 PC today. giannoski has released a couple of 2018 Draftee faces, and I’ve uploaded custom NBA Live 18 and NBA Live 19 title screens. Check them out at the links below!

Andrew
NBA Live 19 Joel Embiid Title Screen
NBA Live 18 James Harden Title Screen

giannoski
Marvin Bagley III Face
Mo Bamba 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.

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 ways that basketball video games are more fun these days.

We tend to enjoy basketball video games around these parts. It may not always seem like that, but a hardcore fanbase is always going to be passionate, and criticism always comes across louder than praise. We have our complaints, and there are things that we want to see improve, but generally speaking, we do have fun with basketball games. Whether we prefer franchise gaming, team building modes, the single player career experience, or online play, there’s usually at least been a handful of games that have given us memorable and enjoyable moments on the virtual hardwood.

Of course, basketball games have been fun for a long time, and if you’ve been playing them for many years, then it’s likely that you have many fond memories of older titles. It’s often fun to revisit an old favourite, but other times, it’s best to leave the memories alone. After all, technology and design concepts have come a long way over the past couple of decades, and there have been many improvements that make more modern basketball games more fun to play than their predecessors. It’s not always apparent until you go back and play an old game, and there are always exceptions, but if you’re feeling sceptical, here are five ways that basketball games are more fun now.

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PlayStation Australia has revealed that 2018 Rookie of the Year and former number one overall draft pick Ben Simmons will appear on the Australian cover of NBA 2K19. This marks the first time that Australia has received a regional NBA 2K cover.

As reported by Operation Sports’ Steve Noah, the cover will be available in both Australia and New Zealand. Furthermore, it will apparently be double-sided, with Ben Simmons on one side and Standard Edition cover player Giannis Antetokounmpo on the other.

The cover art is very similar to the Standard Edition and 20th Anniversary Edition, featuring slogans associated with Simmons and his journey to the NBA. As a Novocastrian, I was disappointed to see that there aren’t any references to his time in the city where he played rep basketball (and where his father played professionally in our NBL), but it’s still great to see him on the first Aussie NBA 2K cover.

Ben Simmons is the second Philadelphia 76ers player to appear on an NBA 2K cover, with Hall of Famer and original 2K cover player Allen Iverson being the first. Teammate Joel Embiid was confirmed as the cover player for NBA Live 19 last week.

Check out the full cover art below. As always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section, as well as join in the discussion taking place in our NBA 2K19 Forum.

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The comeback is complete! After a three year hiatus, HAWK23 and company have released V40 of the Ultimate Base Roster for NBA 2K14. The new version adds rosters for the last few seasons, and includes an update for the current offseason, accurate as of July 4th 2018. Some of the key features include:

• Added Ult Base Roster V40 Roster (current rosters as of 7/4/18)
• Added UBR V40 Assoc July 4 Roster (current rosters as of 7/4/18 best in association mode)
• Added UBR V40 Post Draft Roster (rosters as they were immediately after the draft)
• Added 2019 Roster V1 (mirror image of the UBR V40 Assoc file)
• Added 2018 Roster V1 (end of the year 2017-2018 rosters) [with real game calendar]
• Added 2017 Roster V2 (end of the year 2016-2017 rosters) [with real game calendar]
• Added 2016 Roster V1 (end of the year 2015-2016 rosters) [with real game calendar]
• Added updated Association News Stories/Pictures/Captions

V40 of the Ultimate Base Roster also features several art updates including faces, portraits, and much more. The news stories at the beginning of the first year in Association mode have even been updated to reflect the results of the 2018 season, and LeBron James signing with the Los Angeles Lakers. Download it here, and check out the release topic here.

While there are no further updates for the NBA 2K12 version of the Ultimate Base Roster at this time, it is readily available once again as HAWK23 has updated the download links. Please see our earlier bulletin for more information.

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 gameplay sliders in NBA Live 2004.

Although basketball gamers who play sim-oriented titles are generally seeking the same kind of experience, it’s tough to please everyone. Not everyone has the same skill level, and not everyone wants to go out of their way to play a realistic style of virtual basketball. No matter how much attention is paid to the gameplay, it’s tough for developers to meet everyone’s expectations. In the early 2000s, we wanted to see an increase in realism, so that basketball games more accurately reflected what we saw on TV. The games of the era had their moments, but they still had a ways to go.

NBA Live 2003 had felt like a step in the wrong direction, with an almost arcade-like style. Although we tried to make the game more realistic through modding, we didn’t have a lot of success. NBA Live 2004 put the series back on track, not only in terms of implementing a more realistic style, but also through the introduction of gameplay sliders. These new settings allowed us to tinker with the gameplay without messing around with player ratings, in turn providing us with an opportunity to improve the experience from what was on offer out of the box. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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Before there’s too much of a backlog, let’s get caught up on all the latest NBA 2K18 PC file additions. The latest releases include faces, retro jerseys, custom menus, and more. Check them all out at the links below!

Rockmonts
Kryie Irving Face (with Crowd Big Head)
2003-2004 Kobe Bryant Face
Stephen Curry Face (Finals)
Jaremi Grant Face

TeamRakker 2K MODS
Kobe Bryant Menu Art (2K18 to 2K19)
Stephen Curry Bootup & Menu Art (2K18 to 2K19)

Torogi
Joe Ingles Face
LeBron James Lakers Portrait
Josh Richardson Face
LeBron James Bootup & Menu Art (Updated to v2.0)

PeacemanNOT
2004-2005 Suns Jerseys – PeacemanNOT
2004-2005 Spurs Jerseys – PeacemanNOT
2003-2004 Timberwolves Jerseys – PeacemanNOT
2003-2004 Pistons Jerseys – PeacemanNOT

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 what seems to have been a completely inadvertent leak last week, the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo has been officially revealed as the cover player for the Standard Edition of NBA 2K19. The cover art is similar in theme to the 20th Anniversary Edition cover featuring LeBron James, who has just signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Antetokounmpo becomes the first European player and Milwaukee Buck to appear on the primary cover of NBA 2K. Pre-order customers will receive a Sapphire Giannis Antetokounmpo MyTEAM card, along with 10 MyPLAYER packs (one delivered each week), and 5000 VC.

In addition to the cover reveal, we also have our first “First Look” screenshot of the year, naturally featuring The Greek Freak. Check it out below, along with the full cover art.

The 20th Anniversary Edition of NBA 2K19 comes out on September 7th, while the Standard Edition drops on September 11th. This year’s Prelude, once again only available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, will be coming out on August 31st. What do you make of the cover reveal? Do you have any thoughts on NBA 2K19 so far? Have your say in the comments section below, and join in the discussion here in the NLSC Forum.

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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 discussion of why franchise modes still matter to the basketball gaming experience.

Reading through the deep dive blog on Madden 19’s Franchise mode, I have to admit that I felt a bit envious. While not all of the specific features would be appropriate for NBA Live 19, the point is that the Franchise experience in this year’s Madden will be receiving some significant attention. Although it’s been confirmed that all modes in NBA Live 19 will be getting some additions and enhancements – good news as the game aims to take the next big step – it’s probably safe to say that Franchise Mode will be a much lower priority than The One.

That’s understandable of course, as it’s catering to the current trend that favours career modes and their connected online experience. However, it’s been a long time since NBA Live’s Franchise mode was a high priority, receiving the attention that it needs and deserves. Indeed, there were a few missteps in the “streamlined experience” in NBA Live 18, so I’m hoping for some much-needed enhancements this year. NBA 2K meanwhile has featured a much deeper franchise experience in the form of MyGM and MyLEAGUE, though it could benefit from a few fixes and some fine-tuning. I hope neither game neglects their franchise modes, as they still matter to gamers.

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Outstanding news for everyone still playing NBA 2K12 or NBA 2K14: the official website for the Ultimate Base Roster is back online! HAWK23 has restored working download links for the NBA 2K12 version of UBR, so head on over if you haven’t previously downloaded the massive mod pack.

The links for the NBA 2K14 version of UBR will be back online soon, after the completion of a July 2018 update. This is obviously fantastic news, as not only will the previous season mods be available, but there’ll be brand new rosters for NBA 2K14 as well. It’s been some time since the last UBR update, and from the reaction in our Forum, gamers are really looking forward to the forthcoming one.

You can find the topic for UBR 2K12 here, and the UBR 2K14 topic here in the NLSC Forum. Be sure to check them out for download links, previews, status updates, and support. You can also connect with HAWK23 here on Twitter, where he’s posting updates about the Ultimate Base Roster.