FriskyTanuki
07-10-2007, 01:10 AM
http://wii.ign.com/articles/802/802392p1.html
Where NBA Live 08 really sold us, however, was in the online portion of the package. Details are still pretty sparse due to the game's level of completion, but EA did share an interesting note with us. NBA Live 08 supports console vs. console play, which means up to eight players can go online and face off against each other. Since there are only two Wii systems connecting, EA treats it as a "team vs. team" situation, so you can play online with either one, two, three, or four controllers supported on each console. There were also rumblings that once connected, consoles could actually change players on each team; so you could go online with a group and then trade players pre-game and do a little mixed online competition. We'll wait to see that one in practice, but according to EA it's entirely plausible. Regardless, four-on-four online is confirmed, so get your teams ready, organize tournaments on the message boards, and kick a little ass via eight player online.
As for the game itself, it's aiming for a Madden-style Wii makeover.
Shooting = Flick remote up for jump, flick down for shot (think Wii Sports Tennis' serve)
Passing = Flick remote left or right to pass to the player to your left or right. Press A for a pass to the closest player.
Crossover Dribble = Nunchuck flick
Slam Dunk = Twist remote.
On defense, blocking is the same moves as shooting, stealing is the same as passing, the A button switches player control, and that's about it for the control scheme at the moment.
Miis are avatars, like they will be in Madden 08. Party mode has right now a 3pt competition and a dunk contest.
As for what they thought of the early demo:
Since the game is still in its preliminary state there are some things missing right now. From what we could tell there was no way to call plays, set up picks, do alley-oops, or perform speed boosts or spin moves, but we're sure all this will factor in with time. As for what's there, it's extremely rewarding even in its most basic state. Yes, all the motions in the game act exactly like a button press (you won't be missing shots because you're not "shooting" properly with the Wii-mote, something we can only dream about for Wii's later years…), but it's still a great feeling to do the motion, sink a three-point shot, and leave your hands up in the air to rub it in a little while playing a human rival. We did it… we loved it… guilty as charged.
Sounds like it should be fun.
Screens:
http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2046006/nba-live-08-20070709015257565_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4688910.html)http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2046007/nba-live-08-20070709015300799_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4688911.html)http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2046010/nba-live-08-20070709015313034_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4688916.html)
http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2046011/nba-live-08-20070709015316284_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4688917.html) http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2041287/nba-live-08-20070703005457446_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4675601.html) http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2041288/nba-live-08-20070703005458133_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4675602.html)
http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2041289/nba-live-08-20070703005458930_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4675603.html)http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2041290/nba-live-08-20070703005459477_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4675604.html)http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2041291/nba-live-08-20070703005502993_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4675605.html)
Where NBA Live 08 really sold us, however, was in the online portion of the package. Details are still pretty sparse due to the game's level of completion, but EA did share an interesting note with us. NBA Live 08 supports console vs. console play, which means up to eight players can go online and face off against each other. Since there are only two Wii systems connecting, EA treats it as a "team vs. team" situation, so you can play online with either one, two, three, or four controllers supported on each console. There were also rumblings that once connected, consoles could actually change players on each team; so you could go online with a group and then trade players pre-game and do a little mixed online competition. We'll wait to see that one in practice, but according to EA it's entirely plausible. Regardless, four-on-four online is confirmed, so get your teams ready, organize tournaments on the message boards, and kick a little ass via eight player online.
As for the game itself, it's aiming for a Madden-style Wii makeover.
Shooting = Flick remote up for jump, flick down for shot (think Wii Sports Tennis' serve)
Passing = Flick remote left or right to pass to the player to your left or right. Press A for a pass to the closest player.
Crossover Dribble = Nunchuck flick
Slam Dunk = Twist remote.
On defense, blocking is the same moves as shooting, stealing is the same as passing, the A button switches player control, and that's about it for the control scheme at the moment.
Miis are avatars, like they will be in Madden 08. Party mode has right now a 3pt competition and a dunk contest.
As for what they thought of the early demo:
Since the game is still in its preliminary state there are some things missing right now. From what we could tell there was no way to call plays, set up picks, do alley-oops, or perform speed boosts or spin moves, but we're sure all this will factor in with time. As for what's there, it's extremely rewarding even in its most basic state. Yes, all the motions in the game act exactly like a button press (you won't be missing shots because you're not "shooting" properly with the Wii-mote, something we can only dream about for Wii's later years…), but it's still a great feeling to do the motion, sink a three-point shot, and leave your hands up in the air to rub it in a little while playing a human rival. We did it… we loved it… guilty as charged.
Sounds like it should be fun.
Screens:
http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2046006/nba-live-08-20070709015257565_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4688910.html)http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2046007/nba-live-08-20070709015300799_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4688911.html)http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2046010/nba-live-08-20070709015313034_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4688916.html)
http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2046011/nba-live-08-20070709015316284_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4688917.html) http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2041287/nba-live-08-20070703005457446_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4675601.html) http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2041288/nba-live-08-20070703005458133_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4675602.html)
http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2041289/nba-live-08-20070703005458930_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4675603.html)http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2041290/nba-live-08-20070703005459477_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4675604.html)http://media.ign.com/thumb/204/2041291/nba-live-08-20070703005502993_thumb_ign.jpg (http://media.wii.ign.com/media/826/826440/img_4675605.html)