Reaction to NBA 2K9's Feature List - Operation Sports
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`http://Awww.operationsports.com/feature.php?id=606
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`End-of-quarter highlights displaying the quarter’s best plays have been added as well. This feature adds more of a
`TV-presentation style to the fold, similar to what you would see during an ESPN or TNT broadcast. The
`championship celebration is said to be better as well. Do we get cut-scenes of the guys standing on the podium
`accepting the trophy from the commissioner? How about the presentation of the MVP trophy? And is Cheryl
`Miller going to have cut-scenes showing her interviewing the top performer of the half?
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`Online Features
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`Here is where things geta little hairy. As most of you already know, NBA Live 09 announcedthat it will have a
`featured called “365”that will update player tendencies and ratings daily based on current performance. Therewill
`also be player-specific DNAthat takes into account the different styles of NBA players and that will be reflected
`in the 365 updates as well.
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`The community is starting to wonder if the NBA 2K9 development team copied the
`idea from the NBALivefolks orif it was the other way around.
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`Now we get a chance to look at the features list for NBA 2K9 and we see that it too has a feature with
`player-specific DNA. The community is starting to wonder if the NBA 2K9 development team copied the idea
`from the NBA Live folks or if it was the other way around. Someskeptics think that EA Sports decided to
`capitalize on the well-knownfact that 2K Sports does not release manyearly details about the upcoming NBA 2K
`game. So by holding an event and press conference before 2K Sports at E3, NBA Live 09 could announcethe
`feature first and makeit appear that NBA 2K9is copying the idea.
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`The commontheme seemsto be that the die-hard NBA 2K fans knowtheseriesis light-years ahead of NBA Live
`so the thinking is that Live is piggy backing off of NBA 2K. The sentiment is that NBA 2Kis alwaysthe best
`basketball game on the marketso naturally the player-specific DNA was 2K Sports’ idea in the beginning. Some
`are optimistic andtruly feel that NBA 2K9 development team listened to the cries and provided a way to update
`things daily. In actuality we may never know who cameup with the conceptfirst. The only thing that's clear is that
`NBA Live's DNA feature has a real-life license that feeds the game the real NBA data, whereas 2K's feature
`probably worksvia its own engine and doesn't take into accountreal-life happenings.
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`Thereare still users sounding off about what changes they hopeto see in the upcoming game. The banter back and
`forth becomes mundane because 2K Sports has usually done a good job at making the NBA 2Kseries a thing of
`beauty. You will always see users complaining about the accuracy of the passes through the lane to cutters or the
`effectiveness of the pick-and-roll, but for the most part there really isn’t anything gameplay-related that should
`makeyouraise a stink.
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`I too hoped for NBA Live to overthrow the ruler but I have now cometo mysenses.
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`The humorous thing about the previous lack of information is found when perusing the message boards at
`Operation Sports and the forums overat the 2K Sports site. There are always people claiming to love the previous
`installment of NBA 2K, but those same people are always saying that they heard NBA Live was workingto close
`the gap. I have to laugh whenI read those posts because they are reminiscent of my glory days long ago.I too
`hoped for NBA Liveto overthrow the ruler (if you don’t believe me then check my openletter to 2K Sports) but I
`have now cometo mysenses.
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`Everyonehas heard the saying that there are no sure things. Most people believe that there are no absolutes in life;
`and those of us that do, know that whenthe dust settles and the smoke clears NBA 2K9will absolutely be the last
`one standing. I knowthat regardless of the amount of information that is presented beforehand,there is no need to
`lose patience and start resigning yourself to only purchasing NBA Live when the season rolls around. I know
`which gamereigns supreme,so stand firm and know that 2K Sports will not leteveryone down.
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