Headlines
- Four Keys to Success for MLB '11: The Show (29)
- NBA Elite 11 OS Exclusive Video: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Detroit Pistons (289)
- NHL 11 Hands-On: Be a GM Impressions (41)
- Out of Bounds: A Sports Gamer's Manifesto (6)
- NBA Elite 11 OS Exclusive Video: Milwaukee Bucks @ New York Knicks (551)
- Dynasty Musings: NCAA Football 11 Recruiting Tips (24)
- Interview with NHL 2K11 Cover Athlete Ryan Kesler (0)
- NBA Elite 11 OS Exclusive Video: Milwaukee Bucks @ New York Knicks (551)
- NBA Elite 11 OS Exclusive Video: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Detroit Pistons (289)
- NBA 2K11 Developer Insights: My Career w/ Video (175)
- NBA 2K11: My Player Mode, Take the Podium For Your Own Press Conferences (149)
- NCAA Football 11 Patch #3 Coming Soon, Possibly This Week (125)
- Blog: First Cut Down Date Here, Redskins Waive Four by LHSLax_D24 (26)
- Blog: Redskins Place WR Kelly on Injured Reserve by LHSLax_D24 (26)
- Blog: 20 Best Madden Innovations by sgibs7 (14)
- Blog: Thursday Other Stuff (9-2-10) by Steve_OS (11)
- Blog: The Atlanta Braves make me sick by goalie (11)
Friday, September 3, 2010
10:28 AM - September 3, 2010. Posted by 23bluesman.
- Video: Hands-on with the new Xbox 360 controller with transforming D-pad
- Toshiba StorE TV+ drive connects up to 2TB of media directly to your HDTV
- Atari 2600 Teardown
- Toshiba Camileo S30 and P20 pocket camcorders get touchscreens
- Video: NCAA Soccer Cat Fight: 2010 Edition
- Videos: 25 Awesome Animal Attack Videos
- The crap we put up with getting on/off an airplane
- 35 New Hidden Logos of 2010 – Messages revealed
Happy Birthday to the following OS'ers!
Steelerfan2k1 (40), SportsTop (39), BIGROC (33), bronco4434 (28), OliDegu2008 (23)
05:50 AM - September 3, 2010. Posted by Steve_OS. Written by Steve Noah
According to Jon Murphy, PES Team Leader, the Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 demo should arrive on September 15th for PS3 and PC. 360 hasn't been confirmed.
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Thursday, September 2, 2010
07:14 PM - September 2, 2010. Posted by MMChrisS. Written by Christian McLeod
Baseball's pennant push is in full swing, and several teams are feverishly trying to claw their way to a division title. For those of us whose teams have already been eliminated from postseason consideration (my beloved Tigers included), the only baseball we really have to look forward to right now is next season's entry of Sony's stellar MLB: The Show franchise. While this year's title was an excellent addition to the series, there are definitely some nagging issues holding the game back from the elusive "GOAT" status.With plenty of time still left in this year's development cycle, I figured I would put together a couple critical aspects of the game that should be altered for the upcoming season.
Read More - Four Keys to Success for MLB '11: The Show
05:58 PM - September 2, 2010. Posted by Steve_OS. Written by Steve Noah
The new NBA 2K11 Developer Insight is online. This one talks about My Player mode.
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05:00 PM - September 2, 2010. Posted by Steve_OS.
User vs. AI Video:
Our second NBA ELITE 11 gameplay video features more 5 on 5 action with NBA ELITE Gameplay Producer Novell Thomas taking on a CPU controlled Oklahoma City Thunder. The game is played on a pre-final build on All Star difficulty. Check out REAL AI in action as Kevin Durant attacks the basket with sequences that he recorded himself. You will be seeing more of these videos leading up to the demo.
In NBA ELITE 11 you're in control.
The poll question, "Has the ability to create patches hurt initial game quality?"
Unless you are a very young gamer, you may very well remember the day where console games were not patchable. In fact, there was a time when what you saw was what you got. So in a lot of ways, creating a game on a console was a one shot kind of thing.
So it was interesting to see your perceptions on this relatively new phenomenon among console gaming (PC Gamers know all too well what patches have traditionally meant.)
The results?
As of this writing, 64% of you believe that patches have at least somewhat hurt initial game quality. Over 2/3 of you in that camp believe that very strongly.
On the other side, 20% believe that games have always been flawed and will remain that way, just the nature of the beast. The discussion generated by the poll was quite interesting as well (and somewhat heated as usual).
As for me? I'm in the camp of the former group, patches have always had a negative effect -- whether developers ever admit it or not -- on initial game quality. But I don't believe it's a universal truth. Some games simply get it right, but they're also the special ones which we remember forever.
If you haven't voted in the poll, or if you want to share your theory, be sure to sound off by commenting below!
Chris is the Executive Editor of Operation Sports and maintains this blog on the site. He is also a native Oklahoman and avid storm chaser. You can follow him on Twitter @ChrisSnr.
03:59 PM - September 2, 2010. Posted by TheFlyGuy3.
Well... it's time. Those of you who have spent your summer crying out for BAGM information should find many of the answers here. I spent a good deal of time at the May community event tinkering with GM mode, so I have no shortage of nuggets of BAGM knowledge to share. I'd like to think there wasn't a stone unturned in my explorations, but I'm sure as I spend more time with the full version of the game I'll discover a thing or two that slipped by me...
With that, let's start with an overview of the key new features/improvements:
• CHL Integration
• RFA/UFA rules per the CBA
• Preseason
• Revamped trade AI for more realistic CPU/CPU and User/CPU transactions
• Ability to trade up to 5 years worth of picks
• Improved trade screen with ability to make up to 5-for-5 deals
• New stats panels in BAGM hub screen by scrolling with R-stick
• Authentic draft pick ownership
Sounds good, eh? But much of this was previously announced and what I'd like to do is give the OS community some insight into some of the finer details that await us in NHL11 BAGM. So without further delay…
CHL/Player Rights/Draft
To me, this is biggest addition for the long term value of Be A GM mode. With the integration of the CHL and its players, the inclusion of NHL rights for previously drafted players was a logical next step. However, the EA Canada team didn’t stop there… perhaps your team recently drafted a European prospect that remained overseas for further seasoning (e.g., Tedenby, Pajaarvi-Svensson, or Granlund). Provided the league in which they play is in NHL11, these players will be tied to the NHL clubs per the rules of the CBA and imported into your BAGM. In addition, we will be able to draft real prospects from the CHL and all five European leagues, along with created prospects from other regions.
Which leads nicely to the subject of draft re-entry and rights expiration… NHL teams hold player rights for two years, after which a player will re-enter the draft or become a free agent (depending on his age) if he is not signed. So as the GM of an NHL franchise, you’ll have to make the call on when to sign your draft picks in accordance with CBA rules. Sign your top picks right away to give them a shot at the NHL club or let them develop for a year or two before committing. Remember, you’ll have plenty of decisions to make regarding your draft picks, as the entry draft is now an authentic 7 rounds.
Authentic RFA/UFA Rules
I can’t possibly approach the level of detail provided in the recent In the Crease blog, so I won’t even try! During my brief foray into the re-signing phase at the community event, I was able to get a small glimpse of the depth of this much requested feature. RFA status is true to the NHL CBA, with qualifying offers required to retain the player’s rights or you can offer an extension from the start. However, you must make a qualifying offer or agree to a new contract with all RFAs prior to the start of UFA (July 1), otherwise they become unrestricted free agents.
Qualified RFAs remain property of the team but are subject to potential offer sheets with the authentic compensation rules. My brief test run with RFA/UFA in May was with the Rangers. My notes reveal I was able to re-sign Marc Staal to a 4-year, $14M ( $3.5M/yr) extension as an RFA, a fair deal for all parties involved if say so myself. I was tempted to offer him an 8-year deal, but I decided not to push my luck… yes, the maximum contract offer is now 8 years. Unfortunately, that testing session ended before I could submit any offer sheets…
A few final points of interest, the correct December 1st eligibility deadline for RFA holdouts to sign a contract is in. If a restricted free agent does not sign by 12/1, he cannot play in the NHL during that season. Are you listening Bobby Ryan? Also, we will be able to trade the rights of tendered RFAs (think Dan Hamhuis to Philly then Pittsburgh). Finally, the new team contract screen is flat-out top-notch. Anyone familiar with CapGeek should instantly see some similarities. Players are clearly designated as signed or unsigned and color-coded by status. Yearly cap hits are displayed in an easy to track chart to assist cap-conscious GMs in building their organization.
Preseason Games
New for NHL11 is a preseason schedule. If my notes are correct, it consists of four games against NHL opponents. These were implemented to let the user get a look at their prospects before they make roster decisions regarding returning players to the AHL or CHL. So yes, authentic rules apply, and we will have the ability to return signed CHL players to Junior if eligible. If it is done before they play 10 NHL games, it will not count as a year of his contract.
Revamped Trade AI and Interface
While it is impossible to make a definitive judgment on CPU trade AI from such a small sample size, the results were encouraging. Without having the time to simulate entire seasons, I have to rely on what I was told -- the frequency of trades and players being placed on waivers was greatly reduced when compared to NHL10.
While simulating the 2010 draft, I saw only a handful of CPU/CPU trades; Robert Nilsson & 4th for Chuck Kobasew & 2nd and Cory Sarich & 2nd for Sami Salo & 4th were two deals I noted. When using the Rangers, I had Donald Brasher on the trade block during the draft; during the third round, Carolina called me to offer Casey Borer (a mid-70s 20-something D-man of C/B-/C potential) for Brashear and my 2011 2nd round pick. Eager to dump Brashear, but reluctant to part with a high pick, I countered with my 2010 4th rounder in place of the 2nd and it was accepted. Seems reasonable enough, right?
Now to reveal why I chose to test with the Rangers… I wanted to see if I could offload Wade Redden and his albatross of a contract. And the answer is I could not, at least not during the draft, and this is despite him having an overall rating above 80. I tried to match up team wants, tried to find teams with cap room, tried to ask for mid 70s guys with average potential… all rejected. Perhaps if I had some more time I could have gone for an insignificant late pick or a career AHLer, but I can say I wasn’t able to get anything of value for him during my attempts.
While wheeling & dealing, I took note of the improved trade interface, which includes the ability to scroll through additional player information and ratings by using the R-stick. Very helpful and a welcome addition for anyone who remembers trying to access info when putting together trades in NHL10. I was disappointed to see that when the CPU accepts your offer, the trade still goes through. An additional prompt for the user to accept the trade would’ve been a nice addition. But don’t worry, that information will reach the right people…
And not to gloss over it, but we can now trade future draft picks for up to five seasons, with future picks having less trade value the further you go out (although 1st rounders are pretty valuable regardless of year). Also, five assets per team can be traded, so best of luck in putting together a huge offer to pry away a superstar or in blowing up your underachieving team in a massive multi-player deal with virtual Darryl Sutter…
BAGM Main Hub
This one is hard to do without visuals, so if I find any screens, I’ll get them in… The BAGM main hub was tweaked to provide more information on one easy to navigate screen. A stats panel on the right displays a wealth of data from standings to scoring leaders and other stats leaders. The bottom of the screen now features games and scores from around the league. I believe it is scores only for now (no expandable box scores), but at least we can now see what our rivals are doing. It should add a little spice to the playoff chase…
Draft Pick Ownership
A slick (and unexpected) addition, this user option when setting up your BAGM accounts for real life trades of draft picks when “authentic” is selected (eg, the Kessel trade). “Default” results in every team having all of its picks at the start of the mode. Very cool attention to detail by the NHL team for those of us who like things to be as accurate as possible.
Final Thoughts
I know it was difficult listening to my broken record of “don’t worry, there’s no shortage of BAGM improvements”, so I hope it was worth the wait. I tried to be as comprehensive as possible considering this is based only off my time with NHL11 in May. I’m sure there are a few tidbits I missed either in writing or in researching… for example, while digging through GM mode, I discovered we are now able to edit positions, height/weight, handedness, and NHL rights. (Editor’s note: I believe editing is still limited to the user team during BAGM, however it’s fair game from the main roster management screen.) While some issues from NHL10 require long-term evaluation to see if they were truly resolved, I am confident that I’ll be telling my EASHL teammates on multiple occasions that I’ll be a few minutes while I finish my franchise game.
Feel free to post questions and I’ll answer what I can, when I can. Remember, it’s community event impressions only for now, so I don’t have sim results.
Big games bring big numbers. When there's a new installment in the GTA series, or Halo or StarCraft or World of Warcraft or whatever, people come out in droves and drop good money to get their games. There's nothing like it. New movies hardly ever top the $20 mark, and albums, when they're not being stolen, come nowhere near the $60 range video games are fond of pushing.
Read More - Out of Bounds: A Sports Gamer's Manifesto
- Video: iPod touch (2010) first hands-on
- Apple TV vs. the competition - how does it stack up?
- Crazy Microsoft Rumors: A new Zune HD?
- All the Cool New Stuff From Apple
- Music Unlimited Powered By Qriocity Coming To PS3
- PS3 3D Blu-ray playback pushed back to October
- Video: Samsung Galaxy Tab preview
Happy Birthday to the following OS'ers!
FSU4LIFE (37), jonpt (37), Rob. D (24), sraczk2011
12:26 AM - September 2, 2010. Posted by Steve_OS. Written by Steve Noah
Worthplaying has posted some new NBA 2K11 screenshots.
Thanks chaosJutsu!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
11:21 PM - September 1, 2010. Posted by Steve_OS. Written by Steve Noah
NBA ELITE 11 is back with the first of two gameplay videos featuring 5 on 5 action. This video is a user vs. user matchup with NBA ELITE Gameplay Producer Novell Thomas taking on NBA Community Manager Yaw Obiri-Yeboah (also known as blackflash83 on the forums) . The game is being played on a Pre-final build with some tuning left to do but it provides a good representation of how the game will play once you developed your skills with the new Hands-On control.
Be sure to check out some of the quick plays being called during half court offensive sequences (press X on the 360 to begin a quick play or the Square button on PS3) and the importance of playing the passing lanes as balls can get deflected. You have complete control this year in NBA ELITE 11.
06:54 PM - September 1, 2010. Posted by Haval93.
*Click here to view the new NBA Elite 11 screenshots.
Features
Hands-On Control
NBA ELITE 11 reinvents the entire basketball experience by allowing you to take control and showcase your skills. For the first time in a basketball video game, all elements of the experience are based on skill, not luck. With the left stick controlling your feet, and the right stick controlling your hands (one-to-one dribbling, shooting, passing, stealing, blocking etc), NBA ELITE 11 offers the most authentic basketball experience yet.
Real Physics
Radically improved game physics rid the days of locked animated sequences leaving you in control of the player at all times. When you drive aggressively to the net and go up with authority, you can be sure that whoever is standing in your way has a pretty good chance of getting tossed to the ground.
Real AI
Driven by the technology of other best in class EA SPORTS titles like Fight Night and NHL, NBA ELITE 11 offers CPU play that truly plays like a real human. Thousands of captured moves (including some captured by Kevin Durant himself) play back when the CPU is on offense. The end result is CPU offensive moves which are extremely responsive and mimic what a user player would do. There are Real AI sequences for dribble moves, post moves, shots, and signature player moves.
Become Legendary
You’re the ultimate star in the all-new Become Legendary - Be a Pro mode. Pick up the demo and start your career in the Jordan Draft Showcase to get drafted into the NBA! Once you land on your new NBA team, work your way through the 23 Legend Levels creating your own unique career, making ESPN headlines and gaining endorsement deals on your way to becoming legendary.
ESPN In-Game Broadcasting
Our primary focus for presentation this year was to integrate the authentic ESPN broadcast package. With this year’s game feeling more like real NBA basketball than ever before, we wanted to make sure that it looked and sounded just like a real NBA game on ESPN. We’re bringing you a dynamic, exciting and realistic experience like no other in which you will truly believe you are in the game.
EASBA
Online Team Play in past iterations of the NBA franchise has been popular, but lacked a sense of player and team progression. For NBA ELITE 11, we created the EA SPORTS Basketball Association; an online multi-player league, complete with your own created player and created teams. If it sounds familiar it is because we have taken a page from NHL’s EASHL (which has over half a million users).
NBA Jam
Included with the purchase of NBA ELITE 11 is a one-time downloadable code that will enable users to access three modes of NBA JAM – Play Now, Classic Campaign and Online. Already set to revolutionize the way basketball simulation games are played, the inclusion of NBA JAM will make NBA ELITE 11 the ultimate basketball video game experience available on the Xbox360.
05:58 PM - September 1, 2010. Posted by convince.
The 2K Sports Facebook page has released some more NBA 2K11 My Player news.
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