Tag Archives: Face Scan

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with my thoughts on mobile basketball gaming, and why I’m not a fan of it myself.

NBA Live is not dead. I don’t say that because I believe that the series is poised to make a big comeback – though every so often, there are hints that it might be a slim possibility – but rather because the name does technically live on through NBA Live Mobile. I do actually have NBA Live Mobile installed on my phone, but it’s not part of my basketball gaming rotation. Although I’ve seen fit to continue installing it as I’ve upgraded to a couple of new phones over the years, I’ve barely touched it except to get screenshots.

The same goes for the mobile version of NBA Jam. I posted a brief but positive review of the Android release over a decade ago, but it hasn’t been a regular in my rotation either. As for the mobile versions of NBA 2K, I haven’t ever bothered to buy and play them. Indeed, since I gave up on getting the face scan to work, I no longer even install the companion app for the console/PC releases! I’m not here to bash mobile gaming, basketball or otherwise. I’m all for developers exploring different platforms, and if you enjoy those releases, more power to you! However, I do have an aversion to mobile basketball gaming, and frankly, I don’t think it’ll ever win me over.

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Welcome to another edition of The Friday Five! Every Friday I cover a topic related to basketball gaming, either as a list of five items, or a Top 5 countdown. The topics for these lists and countdowns include everything from fun facts and recollections to commentary and critique. This week’s Five is a list of five more creepy moments in various basketball video games.

Last year, I finally got around to a Friday Five topic that I’d been considering for some time: creepy moments in basketball games. It felt like an appropriate topic for an article coming out around Halloween, and although that spooktacular holiday is next Monday, I thought I’d get us in the mood early rather than repurpose it for the Tip-Off. There are a couple of examples I forgot about when writing the previous Five, and upon further reflection, a few more came to mind. On top of that, I’d suggest that producing a sequel pays fitting tribute to many horror franchises!

As I said in my previous article, creepiness and horror aren’t usually the hallmarks of basketball video games. It’s not in the spirit of the genre to be creepy and frightening, but there are nevertheless moments on the virtual hardwood that make us jump. Once again, they’re generally unintentional, being the results of glitches or perhaps strange design choices. However, this time there is one example that is definitely deliberate, and while it likely didn’t cause any nightmares, it’s fitting for Halloween. To borrow the tag line of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series: reader beware, you’re in for a scare! Well, perhaps not, but these are some unusually creepy moments in virtual hoops.

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As you may have seen, Patch 1.6 has come through for NBA 2K22 Next Gen. The patch should begin downloading automatically as long as your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S is online. If it doesn’t come through, try restarting your console or checking for updates manually.

Patch 1.6 includes 39 likeness updates for both current and historical NBA and WNBA players. It also resolves some issues in MyCAREER quests, and a rare disconnect that was occurring in The W Online. A few problems in MyTEAM have also been addressed, and injuries have been disabled in Draft games.

The update originally caused some corruption issues with user data and saves, which 2K has ascribed to temporary server problems. It appears as though the issue has since been resolved for some people, but if you are still encountering difficulties, you may want to open a ticket with 2K Support.

You can find the full notes for Patch 1.6 below, as well as in our NBA 2K22 Next Gen update history. Feel free to add your thoughts and impressions in the comments, 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 a list of ways that I’ve changed my habits when it comes to MyCAREER.

Today’s my birthday, and for those who are interested, I’ve turned 36. Yes, I was just a couple of months shy of turning 17 when I took over the NLSC in August 2001; time sure has flown! In that time, I’d like to think I’ve grown, matured, and gained a new perspective. Of course, there are some people who might say that running a site dedicated to video games at the age of 36 isn’t a sign of maturity, but hey, let’s leave the cynicism to Next Gen! I say that as long as you keep things in perspective and take care of your responsibilities, video games are a perfectly acceptable adult hobby.

Of course, as I’ve grown older and basketball games have evolved, so too have my tastes. As I’ve mentioned before, I always considered myself a franchise gamer, as I became a huge fan of those modes once they were introduced in the late 90s/early 2000s. Over the past decade however, I’ve spent more time with career modes and their connected online experiences. Mind you, the way I play MyCAREER has also changed from when I first got hooked on the mode back in NBA 2K13. Some habits have been influenced by the changes in recent titles, while others could probably be attributed to me getting older, grumpier, and less patient. Here are five examples!

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The NBA 2K20 Demo has been released! As previously announced, it’s available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The demo will not be available on Steam, but the PC version will have all the same features that are being previewed. Please note that 2K has advised that it may take up to an hour for it to download and install. If you don’t see the demo in your console’s store, try restarting.

This year’s demo allows gamers to get a head start with the new MyPLAYER Builder. It provides an opportunity to check out the preset builds, as well as all the tools for creating a custom Archetype. We’re also able to test out our MyPLAYER’s potential, and see how they will perform at different levels of Overall Ratings.

The MyNBA2K20 companion app, featuring the Golden State Warriors’ D’Angelo Russell as its cover player, is also available for Android and iOS devices. Now that the demo has been released, it can be used to scan your face for use with your MyPLAYER. It also includes the usual Card Battle mode, and methods of earning VC in the full version of NBA 2K20 once it’s released.

What are your thoughts on the NBA 2K20 Demo? Have your say in the comments section below, as well as join in the discussion here in the NLSC Forum!

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 comparison of my experiences with face scans in NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19.

Hey, do you think by using the words “Two Face” in the title of this week’s Tip-Off, I’ll draw a few hits from people Googling the iconic Batman villain? Probably not, but if for some reason that is how you got here, I’m afraid I’m going to have to disappoint you. Likewise, if you’re looking for articles about the colloquialism “two-faced” or a certain psychological concept, you’ve hit upon the wrong article. Of course, if you do happen to enjoy basketball video games, then I certainly invite you to stick around and take in our content!

With that being said, basketball gaming is, as always, the topic of the day. On this occasion, I’m talking about my different experiences performing face scans in NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19. While it is my intention to dial back my involvement with the career modes this year, I was always going to check them out. Since the option is available, I also tried to scan my face in for both my One Player and MyPLAYER. There were moments of frustration attempting both face scans, but one game yielded far better results than the other. Without any further musing about drawing in a few unsuspecting people via the SEO, I present a Tale of Two Face Scans.

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NBA 2K19 The Prelude is now available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One! As in previous years, this early hands-on look at NBA 2K19 allows us to get a head start on MyCAREER, as well as a feel for this year’s game. It weighs in at around 17 GB on each console; find it in the PlayStation Store here, and the Xbox Live Marketplace here.

The recently released MyNBA2K19 companion app can be used to scan your face for use in The Prelude and the full version of NBA 2K19. Please note that you won’t be able to log into your console account via the app until you’ve fired up The Prelude or the retail game. Also note that while the PC version will support face scanning via MyNBA2K19, The Prelude is exclusive to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

As always, feel free to share your impressions in the comments section below. You can also join in the conversation here in the NBA 2K19 section of the NLSC Forum.

As an update to the previous bulletin, the NBA Live Companion App has now been updated for NBA Live 19. The new version of the app should be pushed through automatically for those who downloaded it last year and still have it installed. Otherwise, it’s available through Google Play and the App Store.

For those who may be unfamiliar with the companion app, it is used to scan your face into the game. The app can be used for both the demo and the full version of the game, with the face data that you scan in for the demo carrying over to the full version of NBA Live 19, should you pick it up. Progress made in the demo will also carry over.

The NBA Live 19 demo is slated for release at midnight on August 24th. If you download it, be sure to share your impressions with the community in the NLSC Forum! Also feel free to share the results of your face scans in this topic.

With the NBA Live 18 demo coming out next week, EA Sports has released the companion app for Android and iOS devices. The app can be used to scan your face into the game, for use with your player who will be The One. A breakdown of the app is as follows:

Become THE ONE anywhere, anytime with the NBA LIVE Companion app. NBA LIVE 18 is centered on your legendary basketball career, defined by the shots you take and the choices you make. With the companion app, you can take your in-game identity to the next level with GameFace HD, an easy-to-use mobile scan that puts your face into THE ONE’s all-new, dynamic experience. Create your player and have the freedom to play how you want and with whom you want, where the respect you earn in THE STREETS matters just as much as the rings you earn in THE LEAGUE. Follow no one, be THE ONE.

If you still have the companion app for NBA Live 16 installed on your Android device, it is recommended that you uninstall it first to avoid any issues. Note that the app does not allow you to select a hairstyle this year, but there will indeed be a wide variety of hairstyles available in the in-game editor.

In Episode #216 of the NLSC Podcast, recorded last night and coming out soon, Arcane and I did speculate on when the companion app would be released. Clearly, those predictions are now outdated! If you’re trying out a face scan with the app, be sure to share the results with us here in the NBA Live 18 section of the NLSC Forum.

In addition to handing out this year’s “Hey Guys” awards, the Season 2 finale of NBA 2KTV has given us a sneak peak at some of the features we can expect to see in NBA 2K17. In addition to running down the three different pre-order bundles, the episode also details a couple of noteworthy tidbits.

It appears as though Locker Codes in NBA 2K17 will be timed, rather than limited to a set number of users. This is certainly good news, and addresses a problem that I’ve previously commented on in-depth. In short, it should allow more users – especially those outside of North America – to have a decent chance at claiming Locker Codes. Of course, the quality of the rewards remains to be seen.

Similarly, MyTEAM will feature timed free agent cards, giving gamers more of an opportunity to play with some of their favourite players for at least a couple of games. It’s essentially the same concept as the short term player cards in NBA Live 16’s Ultimate Team, which can come in handy when your team needs a boost in a tough challenge. The developers have also been working on signature animations, and have added full control over get back animations, using the right stick.

Perhaps most exciting is the less-than-subtle hint that NBA 2K17 will be supported by a companion app that allows users to scan their faces into the game, again similar to what NBA Live 16 has done. As someone who’s struggled to get the face scan to work using the PlayStation 4 camera, but found the NBA Live 16 app to be very effective and user-friendly, this certainly comes as very good news.

Your thoughts? Have your say in the comments below, and feel free to join in the discussion here in the NLSC Forum. If you’d like to watch the Season 2 Finale of NBA 2KTV, you can find it embedded below, or here on NBA 2K’s YouTube channel. Be sure to watch it in-game if you’d like to snag some VC and other rewards.

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