NBA Elite 11 Message Board older than one year ago

#clips As tipped last week by a preorder bonus on GameStop's site, the "Become Legendary" mode for NBA Elite 11 is indeed the game's singleplayer career, the first for the series. This video gives a taste of what to expect. More »

Hey guys, I’m Yaw (pronounced as “yao” like Yao Ming) and I’m the NBA Community Manager from Electronic Arts Canada. I work alongside the EA SPORTS: NBA ELITE and NBA JAM development teams. We have exciting news to share with all of you today — three modes of NBA JAM will be included with your purchase of NBA ELITE.

This year, our team at EA SPORTS wanted to create the ultimate basketball experience for PS3 owners. If you’ve been following all the news and updates on NBA ELITE, then the first thing that you’ve seen is the game is no longer called NBA LIVE. So why the name change?

Well, we believe that NBA ELITE will revolutionize the way you think, feel and play basketball video games — forever. The dev team is driving never seen before innovation in the form of a number of features that are radically different than what you have seen in previous NBA games. The first change you will see is in the revised control scheme: Hands-On Control. This year you have full control over everything in the game; from offense to defense. Your shooting is based on skill (not on the dice roll of hitting a button and letting the AI determine your success.) Dribbling is one-to-one movement, you can link moves together seamlessly like; euro-steps, dunk adjusts, spins-moves and so much more.

The second major revolutionary innovation you’re going to see is the inclusion of real physics driving the game. We’re leveraging the physics animation technology that drove NHL, FIFA and even Fight Night into the upper echelons of sports video games and applying it in way that works specifically for basketball.

People that we’ve shared the game with to date have told us that they are impressed (even amazed) at how NBA ELITE is the first game to “play and feel like real basketball.” We feel this comes down to all the little things you are able to see in this year’s game, such as unique ball deflections every time you play the game and various player collisions that make NBA basketball as exciting as it is. Look for more details to come on real physics, killer new modes, and more about our revamped in-game presentation centered around ESPN and their lead commentary team of Breen, Van Gundy, and Jackson.

With all the new additions that have gone into NBA ELITE 11 — we really feel that we’re doing everything to blaze a new path for basketball games — and we want you to play the game to see for yourself. To make NBA ELITE the ultimate basketball experience for you, we will be including three modes of NBA JAM for FREE with NBA ELITE 11. That’s right, not only will you be getting NBA ELITE 11 when you buy the game, but you will also have NBA JAM available as well — so for the price of one game, you’re getting two full NBA experiences. Another important note to share with all of you — the ONLY way you will be able to play NBA JAM for the PS3 is to buy NBA ELITE 11.

With NBA JAM on the PS3, the team is bringing you the classic two-on-two experience that you once knew from the original arcade game but this time with updated teams, and of course all in glorious HD. The controls are very easy to pick up and once you start throwing down monster dunks or begin heating up, it’s going to be hard to put down the controller. The game stays true to the original game but at the same time it offers a brand new take on the classic, with updated graphics and new game-play mechanics.

We’re very excited to be able to share the news with all of you, I know talking with a number of people in the community; everyone has wanted to see NBA JAM on the PS3. I can finally let you all know that your wish has become reality. I’m definitely curious to hear your thoughts about all of this. Be sure to comment below and let us all know what you think of the news.

Pencil mid-to-late September into your calendars for the NBA ELITE downloadable demo on PSN. We really believe that once you play the game for yourselves, you will see the revolutionary change that we’ve been talking about. For more information, join us on Facebook at EA SPORTS NBA, or you can follow me on Twitter @blackflash83.

BOOMSHAKALAKA!!

We play a full game for the very first time.

This video showcases player reactions to NBA ELITE.

EA has a lot riding on NBA Elite 11, the reboot of its once-great-but-gone-stale NBA Live series. Using its brand-new control scheme primarily utilizing the analog sticks, our time with the game was a breathe of fresh air -- and it would seem a few NBA players agree.

Past the break, you'll find a video of Stephen Curry, Brandon Jennings and cover star Kevin Durant sharing their feelings on the game. Overall, they seem to agree that the new control scheme feels natural. Oh, and just because it's an EA-created video, we don't think you should write off its content: Curry's tale of failed three-point shots speaks volumes about the new skill-based shooting.

#nba A video of NBA Elite shown at the NBA draft last week did plenty to rile fans of both sides in sports gaming's last real competition. One sent a link to NBA 2K's community manager, who tweet-replied "That looks awful." More »

There's a lot riding on NBA Elite 11. Now that EA has decided to retire its NBA Live series -- which graced consoles for the last 15 years -- and completely overhaul its game engine, it's hoping to reclaim the throne it lost to the NBA 2K series so many years ago.

The first change that's apparent is the new controls. Gameplay is handled primarily through the use of both analog sticks -- the left stick acts as your feet, while the right stick represents your hands. It was jarring at first trying to link together moves in succession. But after only a few minutes, I was able to execute lay-ups, crossovers and even dunks. Once I really started to think of it in terms of feet and arms, it all really became intuitive.

A new control scheme breathes new life into EA Sports' beleaguered basketball series.

EA Sports reinvents the basketball category with new hands-on control.

#coverstory EA Sports' rechristened NBA franchise picked Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder for its cover today. He's the third player to make the cover of an EA Sports video game both as a collegian and as a pro. More »

#stickjockey Looking back, I can't shake the feeling that it's what I didn't see at E3 that will provide, again, the juiciest story for the year in sports gaming: The showdown between NBA 2K11 and NBA Elite 11. More »

#e32010 Alone in the gym, I start popping the three pointers, what everybody does in a casual shootaround. After four or five I feel like I've got a rhythm from this range, almost a shooter's instinct. Then I ask about ballhandling. More »

It's one thing to talk the talk, but it's entirely something else to walk the walk -- and this NBA Elite 11 dev diary strolls gallantly. EA wasn't just yanking your chain when talking about the changes made to the series. Frankly, we haven't been this excited for a basketball game since NBA 2K1!

This video introduces the two major gameplay changes that the franchise will introduce to the basketball videogame genre.

#clips NBA Live renamed itself NBA Elite, brought in the producer of the widely acclaimed NHL series, and set about fixing two huge gameplay gripes - unfathomably random shooting, and losing control once you entered a two-player animation. More »

#sports ESPN's booth trio of (from left) Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Breen will be the new voice talent for NBA Elite 11, according to a by-the-way mention at the bottom of an AP story on the broadcast team today. More »

#sports EA Sports put out three more screens of the newly renamed NBA Elite 11, and series producer David Littman - you might recognize that name from NHL 11 - gave an interview explaining how the new controls will work. More »

Longtime basketball series gets a new name.