Value for money rating / enjoyment factor...

[Court_vision]

When I bought LIVE 06 for next gen...I felt like the game showed a bit of promise as to what the next gen could deliver, but was such a shallow product that it was extremely poor value for money.

Live 07 and 08 I expected a lot more...and those games were absloutely terrible. I felt like EA had stolen my money. They were a disgrace to the company. Live 07 should never have even been released, it was that bad.

Here we are with LIVE 09 and I feel like this game is excellent value for money.

It's got it's flaws...but it's still very playable.

Regular roster updates.

DNA is great...even just to be able to look at the actual data NBA teams use is kind of cool.

Rewind games are great fun.

The guys being here and showing a geunine interest in assiting us with the game.

A patch is coming soon.

I'd rate this around 8/10 for value + enjoyment this season. If the patch fixes things, I'd be willing to put that up to 9 + .

I vowed never to pay for another EA product after LIVE 07. Most of you were lucky enough to not pay for that game. As someone who did, it felt like going in to a resteraunt and ordering a burger with the works...and the waiter brings you a piece of old bread with a half eaten sausage on it. Live 07 was that big a waste of money.

Good to see they've turned things around. Nice work Steph, Mike and the fellas there

[funky_chicken]

There is no such thing as a perfect game. All games have flaws. Like you I too am ejoying the game. It gives me my NBA basketball fix.

I have a blast when buddies come over and we play. The games are usually competitive see-saw matchups that end up going down to the wire.

[23bluesman]

I definitely agree with you Court_vision.

I loved Live 09 when it first came out. After the "newness" had worn off and the flaws began to surface, I had my moments of frustration, irritation, and disappointment. Despite those, I am still enjoying the game right now. And to think that a patch is still coming out to correct some of the issues.

Much of the enjoyment that I get from Live, aside from the gameplay, is from Dynamic DNA and Live 365. Despite its rough start, and even though it's still in the phase of "working out the kinks", I believe that it truly is the revolutionary feature that they hyped it up to be.

Never in my years of playing video game basketball, or any other sports game for that matter, have I felt such a connection between the real thing and the video game. I mean, I watch these games almost everyday and then at night I go and download the latest update, and see the actual lineups and the evolving DNA of the teams/players, all based on the real thing! Just thinking about it, how cool is that man...and the fact that it's everyday updates makes it even sweeter...

It's no longer just "move Billups to Denver and let the AI do it's thing"...it's now "move Billups to Denver, evolve his and the team's DNA based on actual statistics, and in a couple of weeks we'll have a Nuggets team that plays differently from before the trade". This might be the first game where I'll still be playing a couple of "play now" games even if I'm already in the middle of my Dynasty, just to see how the players and teams are evolving in real life and in the game.

Accessory and ratings changes, NBA Academy, FIBA mode...I mean, for me, the whole package is just great. Great effort by the Live team. A lot of nagging issues still, but great effort and a fun game nonetheless. Definitely worth my money.

And yeah, stephensonmc/iminurbase/Beluba helping us out, answering our questions, taking in our suggestions, giving us updates, etc. simply makes this whole experience better.

[Berliner]

Bluesman, you made a great point in this part; "It's no longer just "move Billups to Denver and let the AI do it's thing"...it's now "move Billups to Denver, evolve his and the team's DNA based on actual statistics, and in a couple of weeks we'll have a Nuggets team that plays differently from before the trade".

To me, I think we take that aspect for granted. It's not just A.I. on Detroit now, it's A.I. changing how Detroit plays basketball and the game reflecting that INSTANTLY.

[Walker8]

Not to be a wiseass, but do you guys work for EA? Because what you say sounds like you are marketing this game for them... I admit it can be a fun game, but it really comes down to what do you consider fun? I like the future of 365 and what it can do, but as it stands it seems to me like it's a very sim feature in a very arcade basketball game. It doesn't really make the impact that it should, because Live as it stands is nothing mroe than an arcade game. To be honest who cares if a guy goes left 66% of the time when there really is vere little strategy involved minus running up the floor and dunking it? There are very little sim aspects to this game whatsoever even still. I know some people are saying that live took step forwards in that area this year but this game still is not a realistic representation of basketball imo or at least what it could be. That's not to say Live is even trying to be that. This game can be fun especially when playing pickup games or against online opponents but it doesnt really offer much as far as realism outside of 365.

[23bluesman]

Quote: Originally Posted by Walker8

Not to be a wiseass, but do you guys work for EA? Because what you say sounds like you are marketing this game for them... I admit it can be a fun game, but it really comes down to what do you consider fun? I like the future of 365 and what it can do, but overall it seems to me like it's a very sim feature in a very arcade basketball game. It doesn't really make the impact that it should, because Live as it stands is nothing mroe than an arcade game. To be honest who cares if a guy goes left 66% of the time when the tempo of this game is so fast and there really is vere little strategy involved minus running up the floor and dunking it? There are very little sim aspects to this game whatsoever even still. I know some people are saying that live took step forwards in that area this year but this game still is not a realistic representation of basketball imo. That's not to say Live is even trying to be that. This game can be fun especially when playing pickup games or against online opponents but it doesnt really offer much as far as realism outside of 365.

What I'm saying is what what I feel about the game. I can get a sim game out of it, and that's what's fun for me.

Knowing how often a player will shoot, drive right, or drive left from his spot makes me anticipate his move and defend him better. That's not to say that the defense in this game is perfect, I've already said my thoughts on that before. To be honest I don't even really check my opponent's DNA that much, but knowing that it's there and it contributes to how the CPU AI plays is a good foundation for this series.

The tempo for me is not too fast, it feels right, aside from the lack of uptempo style by team's like Golden State. In that sense, I even consider the pace perhaps too slow.

The game isn't a dunk fest for me. Maybe it's my settings, but ever since the demo I've never gotten the feel that this game is a dunk fest.

You're not being a wiseass, we just have different opinions and experiences on the game, that's all.

Reading back at my post, it does sound like a marketing speech, lol. But that's just me being honest. And my post isn't an opinion on just the gameplay itself, because as I've said before as far as gameplay I would rate it as 78-80. It's really about the whole package, which imo is good value for my money.

[Walker8]

I can see giving this game a 7.5 like OS did for $60, but ultimately it really depends what you want from a basketball game. Live has potential and I still love the engine under the hood in this game a ton, but as it stands it also still has work to do. This game frustrates the heck of me ebcause I want to like it, but it's really hard to at times. Some aspects of this game are fantastic but then you run into some ridiculous animation that is so incredibly unrealistic.

I was talking about tempo when playing other people. The tempo against the cpu is good although it doesnt really change depending on who you are playing.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be here if I didn't like certain aspects of this game. I just tend to think as far as offering a realistic representation of basketball EA still has a bit of work to do. There are still too many problems with this game as far as the reactions of players and certain animations and just a lot of things. I was just playing a game adn the cpu did a fast break and it was a thing of beauty. But unfortunately that is the first fast break i have seen. That's a problem.... Still want to see different facets of the game liek different defensive strategies being implemented, offensive strategies as well. There is only so much you can do on both sides of the ball and it gets repetitive after a while.

I was ready to throw this game out the window and I started messing around with the fiba championships and played a beauty of a game between argentina and brazil which pretty much saved the game for me. I dont know if this game plays better or what when using the fiba teams. But what I'm saying is true for ht emost part i think. This game has a lot of work to do as far as building on what is here.

[Court_vision]

Quote: Originally Posted by Berliner

Bluesman, you made a great point in this part; "It's no longer just "move Billups to Denver and let the AI do it's thing"...it's now "move Billups to Denver, evolve his and the team's DNA based on actual statistics, and in a couple of weeks we'll have a Nuggets team that plays differently from before the trade". To me, I think we take that aspect for granted. It's not just A.I. on Detroit now, it's A.I. changing how Detroit plays basketball and the game reflecting that INSTANTLY.

Great post.

The half court changes with DNA 365 are / will be revolutionary. No longer simply "move a guy to a new roster" and wait until next season to get the effect of that trade of team tendencies. We'll get real NBA changes within days and weeks.

The full court game...fast breaks, attacking the rim...that's where the patch will hopefully fix things.

Walker8, how could I sound like I work for EA? I've criticised them more than most!

[Walker8]

It was a joke. It just seems to me like the general consensus on this game of people who really play basketball games really like this game. At least that is the vibe i get here. Most of what I read is pretty positive. I'm not necessarily seeing this game the same. I pretty much have a love/hate relationship with this game right now. It's probably related to the fact that i've been going back and forth between 2 games. Both games play very differently.

I personally think Live has more potential but it also has a ways to go as far as being a sim and implementing these features the way they can be. I really want to see Live add more animations as well as different kinds of passes, and refine certain things next year and add more strategic elements. The pick and roll stuff is cool, but its very basic.

After getting to teh point of wanting to return this game, I basically took a slight break complained on this forum, then played about 5 games and really worked on trying to do different things and get the flow of the game down and the control. I'm not knocking the game really. I just want more. I still like the game for the most part. I still feel like i dont have control over certain moves though. SAy I'm in backdown and i want to spin one way and fade. It seems to me like its pretty random which way you spin on a shot. Or say I want to break out of the backdown, step one way then take a shot. It's easier said than done. DEfending the post is also a chore and a half and I've pretty much given up and am staying aroudn the perimeter at this point. I do like the DNA and what it can be as far as strategy. It's a nice feature. I just want them to do more with it. All I'm saying is what is the point of Lebron going left 66% of the time when you dont have the tools to defense it? I do love how certain things feel in this game. You get a big dunk or hit a big shot i love the reaction of the crowd and how it feels throwing a big shot down. Ths game has a great feel to it in a lot of regards. But there are other things about it that just feel horky and not what it could be.

[cherone21]

Love this game more everytime I play it. Two player experience is amazing.

I have hint on defense for people that were thinking the interior defense is soft.

You have to shade the offensive player with the ball back to the middle of the court where the help defense is ready to make a play. You will get more contested shots and blocks if you do this in one and two player games.