NBA Live 09 365 Details
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EA Sports has just revealed the “ground-breaking” feature for NBA Live 09 that will “change the way sports games are made”. Known as NBA Live 365, the feature will update Live 09 daily with the latest statistics and the game will interpret that with changes to player ratings and tendencies. Through an exclusive agreement, Synergy Sports Technology will be providing the data from every game played on a daily basis.
No longer are you stuck playing a game based on what happened last year, instead you’ll have the ability to play with up-to-that-date information that will reflect on how the game plays in standard play now and online games, as well as what you can begin your dynasty with. Synergy tracks every game on a possession by possession basis. At this time that includes only the tracking of offense and not defense. Not only are stats kept but player tendencies based on what is done every time they get the ball. The whole idea is to keep the game “fresh” throughout the year.
Each player (and subsequently team) will have their own “DNA”. That is based on the following categories: isolation, pick and roll-ball handler, pick and roll -roll man, post up, spot up, off-ball screen, and cuts. How much a player does that in real life will be reflected in how much then do it in the game.
In addition to the “Hot Spots” that you can display while playing (this year being outlined sections instead of solid colored) will be tendency indicators. When pulled up you’ll see the ball handlers tendency from the spot on the floor they are in. The percentage they’ll drive right, drive left, or shoot.
One thing the producers stressed is that tendencies are sometimes realized as being dependent on how a defense attacks a particular player. Just because someone has a tendency to shoot from a specific spot on the floor doesn’t necessarily mean they are great from that spot. It could be they shoot more from that area because that is what the defense is giving them.
The main example used to explain 365 was the Boston Celtics. Here you had players like Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen who filled very different roles with their teams in 2007 as compared to how they played on the Celtics in 2008, and Paul Pierce who adapted to them arriving. Ray Allen became more of a spot-up jump shooter and Kevin Garnett worked more out of the post. Because of 365, they would play much differently in game than they had the previous year thanks to the new data.
Another benefit is when it comes to rookies. Instead of guessing how they’ll play and just being able to adjust ratings, now real info will be used to update them throughout the year to play true to life. In the example of Jamario Moon, who was unable to be added to the game last year, a generic player would be added the day following someone’s first appearance. After that the Live team will be able to edit that generic player (or the user can themselves) to get their likeness correct for the rest of the year. After a few appearances the data should start to shape how that individual plays.
Something that ties in with 365 is the “NBA Live Rewind”. This is actually the aspect that I feel may have the most widespread appeal, though the others in attendance seemed to dismiss it going as far as to ask why time was spent on it (apparently very little as it just uses data that was already available). You’ll be able to replay any game from last season or the current one. Games are expected to be available for replay the very next day. Not only will this have every game available but you’ll be playing them with AI specific to that game alone. And if certain players were injured at the time of the game, or trades were made since then, it won’t matter. The players who were on the roster at the time of that game will be available. This mode will present something unique for every game you “rewind”.
At the community event it was literally two hours of going through, displaying, and Q&A around 365. Once a certain point was reached I somewhat lost interest in it though. I’m just not that detail oriented I suppose, I just want the game to feel right when playing it. At this point it is unknown if this feature will deliver on that.
Later in the discussion it was noted that this is activated via code that will be found in the game’s case. Essentially they are “giving away” the feature for free to those who buy it, and anyone who rents it or purchases it used will have to purchase a code off of XBL/PSN. It was noted however that the updated 365 is automatically used for online play regardless of having the code or not. This became a hot topic amongst those in attendance as basically it looks as though this will be a feature that will be charged for in future years. It’ll be interesting to see if consumer reaction is that the feature is valuable enough that they would pay extra for it. I’m not convinced that is going to be the case.
While this feature is very much something the hardcore crowd will find value in, I feel as though most gamers are just going to consider it to be a daily roster update. However even just as that it would be a welcome addition.
July 15, 2008 at 3:01 am
You control the tendencies for all 5 players on your team and your opponent?
You’re clearly not thinking this through James…
Why on earth can you not understand that it will update the tendencies of a player based on ALL of their previous games, not just their last one… THUS making it realistic.
July 15, 2008 at 5:02 am
I though the special feature was to make the game better, but obviously it isn’t. This game is light years behind 2K in terms of graphics and gameplay and EA does very little to close the gap.
July 15, 2008 at 5:04 am
Questions:
1. Many of the european countries do not have live service, useless feature.
2. Many of the xbox users do not have live account, useless feature.
3. I can not really understand this DNA thing. If NBA live 09 is not an AI vs AI game, You play vs the AI, so You control the players, You are telling them, what to do, where to shoot from, no reason for the daily updated database.
4. Sometimes happens, that Kobe finishes a game with 5 points, 3 rebs, 4 assists. What is then? The game underrates him, makes him equal with Chris Wilcox?
5. I feel, technically this daily update system will cause many troubles to people.
6. It is frustrating to have your own franchise, but your players are injuring, behaving like their real counterparts. I do not want to copy the NBA, I want to play my own game.
7. What is that player tendencies thing? You want to dunk with Paul, but he makes a lay-in, coz he made his decision, felt it better, or just last night the real Chris Paul made more layins?
9. You can see a lot of skating, especially from players before they stop.
I think, EA misunderstood something about the complaints of the last few years. The players want more freedom, not invisible hands – controlling the gameplay. Make the game look like and play like the NBA, but give me the freedom to control everything on and off the court, otherwise it shall become only a stupid internet-data-based reality sim.
July 15, 2008 at 5:39 am
right now a 2k producer is wiping his brow, realizing that THIS is the “groundbreaking” feature. Another year of NBA2k9 reigning supeme…….too bad there’s no more College Hoops. The company only makes good basketball games now………………………………………………
July 15, 2008 at 6:07 am
[quote comment="28777"]Questions:
1. Many of the european countries do not have live service, useless feature.
2. Many of the xbox users do not have live account, useless feature.
3. I can not really understand this DNA thing. If NBA live 09 is not an AI vs AI game, You play vs the AI, so You control the players, You are telling them, what to do, where to shoot from, no reason for the daily updated database.
4. Sometimes happens, that Kobe finishes a game with 5 points, 3 rebs, 4 assists. What is then? The game underrates him, makes him equal with Chris Wilcox?
5. I feel, technically this daily update system will cause many troubles to people.
6. It is frustrating to have your own franchise, but your players are injuring, behaving like their real counterparts. I do not want to copy the NBA, I want to play my own game.
7. What is that player tendencies thing? You want to dunk with Paul, but he makes a lay-in, coz he made his decision, felt it better, or just last night the real Chris Paul made more layins?
9. You can see a lot of skating, especially from players before they stop.
I think, EA misunderstood something about the complaints of the last few years. The players want more freedom, not invisible hands – controlling the gameplay. Make the game look like and play like the NBA, but give me the freedom to control everything on and off the court, otherwise it shall become only a stupid internet-data-based reality sim.[/quote]
1/2: Xbox Live Silver is good enough to take advantage of this feature. Basically you just need to have your console connected online. Right though that not everyone will be able to use this but the number that can is always rising and I wouldn’t want to be held back because some people aren’t connected.
3: Not all players on the court are controlled at all times. What players do when they don’t have the ball is a big part of this also.
4: No. One example they gave was Ben Wallace. Say he starts the year at 85. In the past he would’ve stayed close to that all year. But gradually a player will start to drop based on performance as should have been the case with him. One game, or even a handful of games isn’t going to affect ratings that much if at all. You’ll see slumps or hot streaks based on 10 games, but not to the extent that you’re describing. It would probably take a full month of poor play to see Kobe Bryant’s ratings start to drop at all.
5: I don’t see why/how that would be.
6: Once you start a dynasty this doesn’t affect anything. As has been the case with roster updates. What happens in your dynasty is based on actions in the dynasty not real life. What you can do though is start your dynasty with the data that you want. Whether that be the most up-to-date or from sometime else.
7: No, it just helps determine what a player does on the court. Ultimately if you’re controlling him you make the decision. But the AI will be affected to play more like that individual would in real life.
9: I didn’t really feel that to be the case when playing, but there probably is a slight sense of that.
The hope is that this does lead to the game playing more realistically, and no other game can do what is being done here. Whether that is the end result is still up in the air.
July 15, 2008 at 6:55 am
Thanks for the answers, it makes more sense like this.
5. Technical problems, I mean, every single day overwriting the whole player attributes, and the complete game database, it is not easy.
7. OK, so player tendencies are for the AI teams. But according to the video, this will be boring. I mean, if Tony Parker attacks the rim, You know what is gonna happen, cos 40% chance for the lay-in, and the software shall choose the layin. Where is the surprise?
So we can say, as a PC player, Live 365 is a pretty regular (daily) player PATCH?
The player moves looks much better, than last year.
July 15, 2008 at 7:01 am
Hey Pasta just curious, Ive been playing Live 08 a lot lately and I was wondering if the offensive fouls have been fixed in 09. By fixed I mean in 08 an obvious shooting foul (the defender clearly not only jumps but gives the shooter body) would be called as an offensive foul and it happens way too often. Thanks if you have any info.
July 15, 2008 at 7:26 am
[quote comment="28784"]Thanks for the answers, it makes more sense like this.
5. Technical problems, I mean, every single day overwriting the whole player attributes, and the complete game database, it is not easy.
7. OK, so player tendencies are for the AI teams. But according to the video, this will be boring. I mean, if Tony Parker attacks the rim, You know what is gonna happen, cos 40% chance for the lay-in, and the software shall choose the layin. Where is the surprise?
So we can say, as a PC player, Live 365 is a pretty regular (daily) player PATCH?
The player moves looks much better, than last year.[/quote]
Maybe not so much a patch as a new set of data. It isn’t necessarily overwriting anything because you can use any day’s data if you want. Yesterday’s, one from last week, one from a month ago. All of that data is held on a server and the latest is streamed to you on a daily basis. As far as I’m aware it isn’t anymore technical than the ESPN ticker in how it receives the info. I don’t know how it is distributed throughout the game but there didn’t seem to be any concern over what you’re expressing.
[quote comment="28785"]Hey Pasta just curious, Ive been playing Live 08 a lot lately and I was wondering if the offensive fouls have been fixed in 09. By fixed I mean in 08 an obvious shooting foul (the defender clearly not only jumps but gives the shooter body) would be called as an offensive foul and it happens way too often. Thanks if you have any info.[/quote]
The build we played the fouls needed a lot of work. We weren’t seeing enough of them and when we did they were being called the wrong direction frequently.
July 15, 2008 at 7:32 am
Pasta,
Since you have played have you seen the player model that looks awkward like kobe in this picture where his knees make his legs at a weird angle?
http://www.gamespot.com/pages/image_viewer/frame_lead.php?pid=948805&img=1#view_full_size
July 15, 2008 at 7:33 am
btw it is image 6 of 30 that has the problem
July 15, 2008 at 7:41 am
this is a very interesting feature, all they have to do now is fix up the gameplay which is the most important, and if NBA 2K ever copies this feature, that would be wack.
July 15, 2008 at 8:04 am
Pasta,
To me you don’t seem as enthused as I would think. Is there something about the gameplay, tha’s holding you back from being excited about this feature?
Thanks,
July 15, 2008 at 8:36 am
[quote comment="28793"]Pasta,
To me you don’t seem as enthused as I would think. Is there something about the gameplay, tha’s holding you back from being excited about this feature?
Thanks,[/quote]
Did you read my community event report? There are a lot of things I would like to see adjusted, luckily there wasn’t anything major so that is possible. I really like a lot of what this feature presents but whether or not it’ll impact the gameplay is a wait and see thing. I’m not convinced that people will think of this as much more than just a daily roster update. Which actually would be a good thing if thats all it was, but there is a lot more to it. It’s just not really all that exciting to me in how it will work, but more in how we’ll experience it which we can’t judge on yet.
July 15, 2008 at 9:00 am
ground breaking? nothing more than a daily rating update. i’m sure this feature will be gone by next year cuz its prolly hard to do.
July 15, 2008 at 9:47 am
One thing’s for sure…it won’t be gone next year. EA entered into a multi-year exclusive agreement with Synergy that cost a lot of $. In fact they’ll be improving it as they go since they can ask Synergy to start tracking areas they don’t already (we need some defensive aspects tracked in the future).
July 15, 2008 at 10:29 am
I really hope NBA Live delivers this year. The most frustrating part about Live is that you definately see the potential in this game. EA always has brillliant ideas but they don’t always excecute them properly. From the video I saw yesterday, the game definately looked good (especially that play that showed Dirk driving to the lane and dunking). Definately looked improved from last year. I like how the made the score overlay a lot smaller this year too. However I noticed that the net physics still look a little jerkey (However Kobe’s 3pointer looked fluid). 2K’s net physics are so realistic & fluid. Hopefully EA will act on community feedback & iron out the kinks like Madden did this year.
July 15, 2008 at 12:27 pm
hahaha. this is sooo stupid!
July 15, 2008 at 1:25 pm
[quote comment="28841"]hahaha. this is sooo stupid![/quote]
hahaha. you are sooo stupid!
July 15, 2008 at 1:50 pm
i agree with you david hehhe
but yeah i think that this feature is going to be great
just because last year the rosters where updated but
they left out a bunch of rookies (jamario moon-toronto)
(dj strawberry- phoenix)
im excited to play this game and the trailers on ign…
the game play looked fluid to me
especially how derrick fisher shot the ball
July 15, 2008 at 7:29 pm
This feature is not only “ground-breaking” but will also make the game play a hundred times better.
OFFENSE
In the past, it has been impossible to set up how your team plays offense, aside from setting the slider between “half-court offense” and “transition”. Now you can edit your player’s tendencies so that they play the style of game you want them to play. Take Phoenix for example (my team). I will have Barbosa playing SG and Bell playing SF. I will edit their tendencies so that both players are spot-up 3 point shooters from the wings. Barbosa will also have a tendency to drive (I doubt I will have to edit this tendency). Nash (PG) will run the pick & roll with Amare (PF), or create his own 3 point shot at the top of the arc. Shaq (C) will play the low post, and Amare switching between low and high. I used this method to great effect in online play in Live 08, with three great 3 point shooters killing defences using an inside-out offense. Now with the ability to edit player’s tendencies I will be able to fine tune my offense beyond recognition. Shaq won’t be in a position to shoot 18 footers, and Bell won’t try driving every time he touches the ball.
DEFENCE/OPPONENT’S OFFENSE
The problem in the past of an opponent’s PG scoring anywhere between 40%-80% of their team’s score should hopefully disappear as PG’s develop a tendency to pass and set up plays, as opposed to trying to do it all themselves or dribble the ball at the top of the arc until there is only 3-6 seconds left on the shot clock. It is okay for Baron Davis or Chris Paul to drop 40 every so often but when Luke Ridour scores 50 you have to scratch your head.
By having AI opponents run their offense as per how they do in real life (thus different on a team-by-team basis) through plays and player tendencies, it’ll mean that you have to adjust your defence to suit the offense, as opposed to being able to use the same tactic for an entire season or Dynasty. Lock-down defence should add another variable to how opponents run their offense and create many alternative situations.
TEAM DNA
In Dynasty or Season mode, when your team is in a slump (when the majority of starting line-up are cold) you will have to play even harder and make better use of your bench in order to win games – if this isn’t a more life-like feature I don’t know what is. I could go on and on about the possibilities that EA has given gamers with these features but I’ll leave it up to those who are inspired enough to buy the game to work them out for themselves.
July 15, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Amazing this literally throws away all community roster creators forever!
July 15, 2008 at 8:01 pm
sounds GOOD in THEORY let’s see if it actually comes 2 fruition if it does i’ll def pick up LIVE this yr along with 2K but i’m NOT goin 2 assume LIVE is goin 2 be GOOD this yr by NO means
July 15, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Matt, obviously right now we do not see clearly the effect of these new features, but as far as I understand, it will determine the attributes and decisions of players, and wont change the basic gameplay. In the last few years, both 2k, and live had dozens pre-set offensive and diffensive tactics/strategies You could choose from, anytime during gameplay.
It is just funny, that the nba-live.com community every year was begging for official patches, and EA did not updated the actual PC version of the game for many years, so the gamers had to create home-made patches. Now EA fell to the other side of the horse.
Chopstixxx, his name is Derek Fisher, and about sig shots, he do not jump forward meanwhile shooting as much as in live 09.
July 15, 2008 at 11:27 pm
ReignMan,
I have owned every Live since 1999 and 2K7 & 2K8 so I’m aware of the offensive plays and defensive formations. What I’m talking about is being able to position specific players to certain parts of the court, and then giving them a brain as to what to actually do with the ball when they receive it. To use other post’s examples, who wants Dirk trying to drive and dunk, or Bowen posting up for fadeaway jumpshots? Not me. I’m getting a lot more excited about being able to edit my player’s tendencies in Dynasty mode than the daily downloadable updates. FIFA games have allowed the gamer to control tendencies since the early 1990’s; it’s about time an NBA label has provided this feature.
July 16, 2008 at 1:21 am
Matt,
why is it so “groundbreaking” to modify the player “tendencies” day by day? Especially, as You said, it is an existing feature in the FIFA serie?
Plus in every NBA game the tendencies are changing in frenchise mode: exercises, good games, practices are increasing or decreasing these attributes!
I want to control my players, not just command them to dunk.
You do not want to see Dirk making the drive and the dunk? That is what we see in the tutorial video.
July 16, 2008 at 4:58 am
Check the new Sony’s NBA 09 pictures on Operationsports.com.
They are not perfect, but You can feel the advanced atmoshere of the game, according to the shots they represent well the press events, player celebrations, player introductions. Both Live and 2k are lack of these really important details, they should work on it.
July 16, 2008 at 10:24 am
What are the player ratings? How has anyone not asked that. Probably as important as the rest of the game. They need to be realistic and I’m already impressed in seeing Tim Duncan is finally given some love. He’s a 95 and should have been that high forever. To say that KG was better than him in 08’s game was ridiculous. Two MVP’s and three finals MVP’s to one MVP, I mean, get real nba live. Looks like they are one the right track though. P.S. (Tony Parker is not better than Ginobili)
July 16, 2008 at 10:38 am
I saw that parker is a 90 and Manu is a 86. ( He had a jammed ankle nba live, ya’ll are bad scouts.
July 16, 2008 at 10:44 am
I know I asked for the ratings and you cant give them all, I already seen a few ( Vince-84, Kevin Martin-81, Pierce-91, KG-91, Boozer-85). Just give a run-down of the other stars whose rating has changed from live 08. Please. Pretty Please.
July 16, 2008 at 11:40 am
Brad, it is a certain thing, Parker is overrated, he is on the cover. Manu would deserve at least 92.
July 16, 2008 at 11:45 am
[quote comment="28689"]Pretty cool, but not as cool as i had anticipated[/quote]
what did u anticipate then??
July 16, 2008 at 11:47 am
[quote comment="28969"]What are the player ratings? How has anyone not asked that. Probably as important as the rest of the game. They need to be realistic and I’m already impressed in seeing Tim Duncan is finally given some love. He’s a 95 and should have been that high forever. To say that KG was better than him in 08’s game was ridiculous. Two MVP’s and three finals MVP’s to one MVP, I mean, get real nba live. Looks like they are one the right track though.
P.S. (Tony Parker is not better than Ginobili)[/quote]
Player ratings weren’t updated yet in the build we played.
July 16, 2008 at 11:55 am
I think all of us have been informed on the gameplay and features and whatknot, but the thing that the NBA Live public needs to be informed on is the player ratings. Its always a question as to their accurateness. I just need stars and impact role players, you know, see what we’re working with this year. Pasta, you’re the man if you could inform us, please, pretty please.
July 16, 2008 at 11:55 am
oh, ok, my bat.
July 16, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I really hope live 09 sticks with Timmy as a 95 rating and the spurs get their share of love. I mean, they were on the foot steps of winning 5 of 10 if they haden’t had to go through a deeply underrated suns team as well as a great team with a monster in the making (Paul should get an extra hepling of love as well). It took them to the brink and Kobe (should be the highest rated in the game with Lebron, didnt mind that part in 08 to tell the truth) on a hot streak was the lucky ace the league needed to rid this nearly official dynasty. Don’t rate Ray Allen better than a healthy Manu (the boy throws it between dude’s legs almost on a regular son), its not that bad a mistake, but a minor one indeed. And who woulda guessed, their gonna be a contender next year, sounds like “ground-hoggs day to me.”
Timmy for President.
July 16, 2008 at 2:01 pm
yo pasta
hows the crowd gonna be??
July 16, 2008 at 2:02 pm
yo pasta
do the players shake hands before the game?
July 16, 2008 at 2:03 pm
yo pasta…
brad really is gay right…
dont answer him
July 16, 2008 at 2:04 pm
just kidding
July 16, 2008 at 2:54 pm
ReignMan,
Daily updated attributes and tendencies are “ground-breaking”. What other sporting video game label has collected stats on every play of every game in order to keep their game current and as accurate as possible? Can you name one?
My example of FIFA is that you can edit the tendencies of a player in the sense that they might be an aggressive player or a docile player; or they might choose to cut in from wide positions or dribble the ball to the touch line for the cross – pretty basic but it improves the tactical side of the game. Not that it is updated daily based on the accumulation of stats.
Training during the season is a gimmick. Tell me you’d notice if a player increases their mid-range shooting attribute by 1? I think we’ll notice when a player is cold in ’09 as the effect will be more like a decrease of 10 in a certain attribute.
Obviously you want to control your players, but in an effort to be more realistic and be able to set up game plans, tendencies are far superior to anything conceived by a NBA label in the past. If you want a player like Bowen wasting his time posting up when he could be setting a screen or spreading the court then that’s your choice. Nobody’s going to pass him the ball but he could be using his time more contructively in the half-court.
If you really aren’t that impressed, go buy 2K9 or come up with your own “ground-breaking” feature and write your own basketball game code. I’m sure your game will have much better game play, graphics, and realism. Sorry to “Reign” on your parade.
July 16, 2008 at 3:10 pm
fam YOU really banking heavily on EA pulling of this feature as well as they say I REALLY HOPE ur right SERIOUSLY I do but thie is EA & this is LIVE the same guys that made 07 need I say anymore
July 16, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Hey fam, live 07 was indeed wack, but when they made live 04, everyone went crazy. I have confidence in 09 because 08 wasnt really that bad, just lacking defense and post play came to easily on offense. 2k7 was nice because it looked so good compared to live 07. But Live caught up, ya’ll stop hatin, its gonna be good this year.
July 16, 2008 at 5:35 pm
when is the DEMO for this coming out?
July 16, 2008 at 5:36 pm
^
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pasta please answer my question :] thanks ehhehe
if you do
July 16, 2008 at 9:28 pm
[quote comment="29052"]^
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pasta please answer my question :] thanks ehhehe
if you do[/quote]
somewhere around mid-September
July 16, 2008 at 9:42 pm
thanks pasta
but yeah does anybody know the song on the
Nba live 09 tutorial??????
not he tony parker trailer
July 23, 2008 at 1:40 am
And how can i connect my playstasion with my computer to do transfers etc?
July 23, 2008 at 1:44 am
When is the release date of NBA Live 09 ??
HK 88 From Greece(!!!!)
August 9, 2008 at 1:28 pm
[quote comment="28812"]One thing’s for sure…it won’t be gone next year. EA entered into a multi-year exclusive agreement with Synergy that cost a lot of $. In fact they’ll be improving it as they go since they can ask Synergy to start tracking areas they don’t already (we need some defensive aspects tracked in the future).[/quote]
If Synergy did track defensive tendencies, it would make it even better.