All The Modes in NBA LIVE 14

The wait is over! NBA LIVE 14 is now available on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

NBA LIVE 14 features revolutionary new bounceTek dribble physics, dynamic player and team ratings and tendency updates via CourtQ and Synergy Sports, constantly evolving LIVE Season Challenges, the fan-favorite Ultimate Team mode and much more.

Here's all the different ways you can experience NBA LIVE 14.

LIVE SEASON

CourtQ and Synergy Sports are the driving force behind LIVE Season in NBA LIVE 14. Within LIVE Season, fans can find BIG Moments and NBA Rewind, each of which offer a fun twist on traditional basketball games. As of the time of this writing, the NBA Season is not even three-weeks old and there are already 900 in-game challenges across BIG Moments and NBA Rewind. Check out more detail on the modes below.

BIG Moments consist of short challenges meant to help fans relive the performances that will be making headlines the next day, ranging from nailing a buzzer-beater to keeping pace with a player who had an incredible quarter. BIG Moments can be team-based or player-locked, so while one challenge may task you with getting three steals in a quarter with Chris Paul, another could require you to record four blocks with the Clippers in the first three minutes of a quarter. Every day will bring an influx of new BIG Moments, all of which will be based on the players and performances that made you sit up and take notice the night before.

When playing a NBA Rewind game, not only will the players on the court be in the same form as they were the night before, but you’ll also be given objectives to recreate or surpass some of the game’s top performances. For instance, if Kyrie Irving scores 30 points and has 12 assists, you could be challenged to match or beat his numbers. Conversely, if you’re playing against the Cavaliers it might be your task to cool Kyrie down and try and hold him to 20 points or limit his ball distribution. Objectives are dynamically created based on the real players’ performance in each game, creating nearly limitless opportunities.

NBA Rewind objectives are generated dynamically by CourtQ, as it looks at the best performances from each game and creates goals based on the game’s biggest stars. The automation of the process allows for a quick turnaround, with NBA Rewind games being uploaded and playable within a few hours after the real game ends.

Both NBA Rewind and BIG Moments feature asynchronous competition, with your score in each challenge being posted on leaderboards. Track your performance against not only your friends, but players around the globe. Do you have the skill to stand atop the NBA LIVE leaderboards?

LIVE ULTIMATE TEAM

The fan-favorite Ultimate Team mode makes its way to the NBA LIVE franchise for the first time this year. Players can use coins earned in-game to purchase packs of players and items which will allow them to build multiple lineups consisting of the NBA’s greatest stars. In addition to standard head-to-head matchups, NBA LIVE Ultimate Team will also feature a variety of Fantasy Showdowns that will challenge both your stick skills and your ability to put together a solid roster.

While some Fantasy Showdowns are open for any lineup at any time, others have more exotic requirements. For instance, the Point Guards Challenge requires you to build a team entirely of floor generals, who must then match up against a variety of other teams. Can you pull together a squad with the ability to drive, shoot, pass, defend and rebound? How will you stack up against a team of nothing but centers? Fantasy Showdowns provide yet another avenue of diverse, dynamic content, with the ability for persistent players to earn some incredible prizes. Victory in a fantasy showdown means an influx of coins, and new pack of players or items or both, so it’s definitely worthwhile to tackle as many of the challenges as you can.

In addition to receiving coins for playing games and Fantasy Showdowns, there are several other factors which will help fans reap enough rewards to quickly earn enough for their next pack. Bonus coins are awarded for things like difficulty of your opponent as well as stats like rebounds, assists, blocks and more. Better performances earn more coins, so pull off a triple-double or the vaunted five-by-five to maximize your reward.

Challenges, packs and players will continue to update and evolve over the course of the season based on what’s happening in the NBA. Fans should also look out for major promotions and huge additions to the mode over the course of this first year.

RISING STAR

Rising Star provides a way to live out your dreams of becoming an NBA superstar at any position or specialty. Go from hot young upstart to revered Hall of Famer all while filling a specific role on your chosen team. Stick with one squad for your entire career, or jump from team to team to collect as many championship rings as you can. The control is in your hands to build the player you truly want to be.

Know Your Role

The first step in your journey is selecting what type of player you want to be. If you cherish the concept of being a key cog in the offense, then select a scoring point guard or shooting guard. If you’d rather play a critical support role, then opt for a rebounding center or a defensive forward. All options offer viable paths to success, as for the first time ever in a basketball game you are rewarded for specializing and truly playing to your strengths.

Selecting a specific player style will highlight key skills for your role and provide point discounts for improving those abilities. While you’ll always be able to upgrade whichever skills you want, you get the most bang for your buck by first focusing on the key attributes for your position and role. Once you’ve mastered these skills, you can start branching out and rounding out the rest of your game.

The best thing about the system is that it’s up to you to decide what good looks like, allowing you to play the game your way. Historically in basketball video games, players have been forced into a scorer’s role in order to succeed, and while that is still an option in NBA LIVE14, it’s not the only option.

First Steps

Your first stop in Rising Star is at the Under Armour Elite 24 game, where you’ll have the opportunity to strut your stuff and impress the NBA scouts, Your performance in this matchup determines where you go in the NBA Draft, so play hard in order to increase your stock. Think you’ve got it in you to really wow the teams and come off the board as the first overall pick? The first round of the Draft will mirror last year’s actual selections, so whose spot will you steal with your performance?

Performance Grading

In every game you play in Rising Star, you’ll be rated across three categories; offense, defense and team play. Your offensive rank will increase with points scored and good shots, but will go down if you start forcing shots or getting blocked. Defense goes up with steals, blocks and getting in the face of your matchup, but falls when you give up easy baskets or commit fouls. Team play is measured through smart passes and assists, screens and generally working the ball around to get the best possible look on a possession. This grade is reduced when you make bad passes, hog the ball or put yourself front and center to the detriment of the rest of the team.

All three categories are scored on a 1-10 scale, and the higher your score in each category the more Rising Star points you’ll earn for your player at the end of each game. The score in each category is weighted given your role on the team, so a defense-first player won’t be penalized for only scoring six points. You’re also provided with objectives both during each game and throughout the season which pay out in more Rising Star points when successfully completed. Spend Rising Star points to upgrade your player, improve your attributes and dominate the court. Perform well enough long enough and you might just put yourself into the conversation of who deserves to be known as the Greatest of All Time.

DYNASTY MODE

Dynasty mode allows you to unleash your inner GM as you build your own powerhouse team and lead them through 25 seasons of NBA action. When starting a Dynasty you have the option of either playing with current rosters utilizing updated Synergy data, redoing the 2013 NBA Draft to change the distribution of rookies, or putting every player in the league into the pot and conducting a fantasy draft to set the rosters. Want to break up the Big Three in Miami and alter the NBA landscape? Then opt for a fantasy draft and see what new superteams emerge.

No matter how you set the rosters, your first move in Dynasty mode is to set your team goals for the year. While some squads are stacked and ready to win now, other teams are looking toward the future with the hopes of building up a core of talent that will pay off in future seasons. These concepts are reflected in NBA LIVE 14 through the inclusion of team goals.

Every year you are given the option to rebuild, compete or go for broke and win the Finals. Rebuilding teams don’t have high winning expectations, but you do need to grow your young players and draft well in order to set yourself up for the future. Competitive teams shouldn’t plan on bringing home the Larry O’Brien Trophy, but should have a solid winning percentage and at least make the playoffs. Finally, those that opt to try and win it all right now will be considered failures if they fall short of playing in the Finals. These teams are expected to spend extravagantly in order to put together an unstoppable roster, but would-be GMs should be wary. Fall short, and you may be in a rough position for the next several years.

Each team goal comes with a set of objectives, successful completion of which earns you Staff Points. These points allow you to upgrade your staff and build an all-around better team. Hire a new team doctor to limit injuries or shorten recovery times, or call up a new scout to give you a more in-depth report on the talent pool coming into the next Draft. You can also hire new offensive and defensive coaches, as well as upgrade your athletics staff.

User teams aren’t the only one with team goals, as each CPU coach selects a path for his team as well. The goals they choose will dictate the moves his team makes both during the draft and throughout the season. Don’t be surprised if a win-now squad comes calling with trade offers for one of your biggest stars, or if they spend lavishly to try and woo all the top free agent talent.

As a would-be coach and GM, you can also put players on the trade block, view upcoming free agents and keep tabs on your players’ contracts. It’s worth noting that older players will start to regress as age and the wear-and-tear of the game catch up to them, so there may come time to part ways with a star player who’s starting to fade as you see his stats begin to fall. You also set the rotation and distribute minutes for your players, all through easy-to-use sliders. Player ratings progress the more they play, so you’ll want to keep that in mind as you set your distribution. If you’re rebuilding a team then it may be worth it to give your rookies and young up-and-comers more minutes than your aging vets as you look ahead to the coming seasons.

EA SPORTS HoopsNet

EA SPORTS HoopsNet is a new way for fans to get rewarded for playing NBA LIVE 14. Everything from playing Rising Star games to completing BIG Moments and more earns HoopsNet XP, with profiles leveling up the more you play. Gaining levels unlocks LIVE Ultimate Team rewards, providing incentive above and beyond bragging rights to keep playing and keep trying to outshine your friends and rivals. Players will receive their first LIVE Ultimate Team pack upon reaching level three, and will continue to earn rewards as they advance. Can you reach the highest level and earn the greatest reward?

HoopsNet also serves as a social network to keep you apprised of what your friends are doing in NBA LIVE 14. You’ll see messages when one of your buddies posts a high score in a LIVE Season challenge, or when they upgrade their LIVE Ultimate Team. Thanks to HoopsNet, you’ll always be on top of all the action in NBA LIVE 14.

HEAD-TO-HEAD SEASONS

All online head-to-head games will be wrapped in the banner of Head-to-Head Seasons. As you win games you’ll rank up and take on tougher opponents, but if you begin to struggle you may face relegation to a lower tier. Levels are grouped under four tiers – Rookie, Pro, All-Star and Superstar – which will serve as a benchmark for matchmaking. Those in the Rookie tier can expect to face opponents levels 1-3, Pro goes from levels 4-6, All-Star houses levels 7-9, and Superstar is the exclusive club where only the level 10 players play.

 

NBA LIVE 14 is now available in North America for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. NBA LIVE 14 will also be available worldwide on November 22 for Xbox One, and November 29 for PS4.

Order today, and be sure to check the NBA LIVE website, Facebook and Twitter for updates.