NBA 06 Preview

Pre-E3 Preview 2005

The idea was a simple one – provide gamers with a behind-the-scenes look, an all-access look if you will, into what it takes to become an NBA superstar. To that end, the development team at 989 Sports took the NBA franchise for the PlayStation 2 and gave it a completely new look and feel.

“We created a unique gameplay-driven NBA story with mission-based objectives,” stated Senior Producer CJ Connoy, during a Gamer’s Day held in San Diego. The result was a game that they called NBA Life Vol. 1.

The game tracks the story of an NBA rookie, from the pre-NBA draft workouts, through the draft, and on into the season. But players don’t have to worry about playing out the entire, grueling NBA season. The game drops players into key moments within the scope of the season.

While the game does have all the NBA players, teams and arenas, it begins with a terrific premise. Gamers create the point guard who will be the focal point of the game. The EyeToy can be used to create the avatar, then gamers choose the team they would like to play for and attend the workouts, you earn attributes and learn to play, acquire an agent (who is responsible for the contract and endorsements). You even get to attend draft night in New York City, then it is off to the summer pro league to earn that all-important invite to the NBA team training camp.

There are innovative training drills, mini games, and crunch-time scenarios. Of course, the team you are going to play for has a point guard, and it is up to the gamer to force management to make the hard choice and deal the former point guard away to make room for his or her avatar. That, in itself, creates an archrival.

The game evolves with the team management wanting selfless team-oriented goals while the agent pushes for more flamboyant showmanship to earn the big endorsements.

Because of the cinematic nature of this NBA Life Vol. 1, more than 25 actors lent their talents to the game, which also features more than 200 scenes, and more than 60 unique NBA game types.

Players will build up attributes, develop relationships on the tame, and how those play out will affect how the team chemistry combines to either drive toward the playoffs or fall short.

(Oh, and don’t worry, there is a full array of multiplayer modes available for those who thrive on taking other gamers to the hole. SCEA offered one of the types for hands-on, a LeBron-Kobe shootout that demonstrated the game’s basic shooting mechanics. This was quite good, though the development is still a little early to make hard-and-fast determinations about the game itself.)

The game’s graphics uses tandem animations to take the player graphics to a whole new level. Screens, blocks, steals are all exceptionally rendered and look amazingly lifelike.

Core gameplay features include attribute-driven AI, data-driven simulation contests as well as a new shooting system.

While this is very much a 5-versus-5 NBA simulation, with tradition features, the uniqueness of the NBA story-driven gameplay and the way the team concept and style concept plays off each other creates a game that steps out onto the hardwood with a new direction and some truly interesting and immersive basketball action.

The release date for NBA 06 is Fall 2005.