September 17, 2009

NBA 10: The Inside Producer chats about the next iteration of the series
By Michael Lafferty

“My favorite part of the sport is when a team is hitting on all cylinders”

Basketball is a game that has to do with the ebb and flow of the action, who goes hot and can’t miss, and who couldn’t buy a basketball, as well as teams that go on runs. Easy enough to grasp when you watch a game, but when it comes to getting it right as a video-game developers have done a remarkable job of realizing the flow on consoles and handhelds.

SCEA is gearing up for the launch of the next PlayStation Portable iteration and, naturally, we wished to know what will separate the next release from previous games. 

Bob Staite, Associate Producer for NBA 10: The Inside, chatted with GZ about the title.

Question: When you release the retail of a franchise version, how long do you usually take before you begin work on the next iteration and what are the first things you look at when considering what to do next with the franchise?

Bob: With a yearly iterative product it is ideal to begin work on next year's version as you approach the end of the development cycle for the current year. The next basketball season will start regardless of whether or not our product is ready, so it is important that we get started as soon as possible.

With NBA 10, what elements received your first attention in terms of what you wanted to expand on, or to change?

Bob: Our Quest modes and Carnival games have been well received in the past and we wanted to expand on those features while polishing our 5 on 5 gameplay experience.

What new features in this release have you the most excited?

Bob: Definitely the Quest modes. We are adding three new Quest modes to this year's title. In DodgeQuest you must eliminate the opposing team in a game of dodgeball. Power ups are awarded as players are eliminated. Give&GoQuest highlights the Give&Go mini-game. In Give&Go each pass made during a possession raises the point multiplier that will be applied to the next made basket. And finally MiniQuest which gives the team that is being challenged the opportunity to choose from Dodgeball, Conquest, Elimination, and Give&Go.

Why did you feel it necessary to continue to offer mini-games that may have an NBA skin but are not necessarily basketball oriented?

Bob: Over the years our NBA franchise for PlayStation Portable has built a great "pick up and play"/"on the go" gaming experience which included our vast collection of mini-games. Some of these mini-games are basketball centric, and some are not. At this point that mix of games has become what our fans expect and we felt that not expanding on that collection would be a disappointment.

What changes have you made to the graphical elements of the game?

Bob: Player models, arenas, and uniforms have all been improved for this year’s game.

What is the hardest aspect of basketball to realize when it comes to video-games?

Bob: Basketball at its core can be a simple game. Pass, Shoot, Block. It's adding the variances and little nuances that make the game feel organic, that is what can be the most challenging.

Obviously you have a root game that is standard, regardless of whether you are making NBA 1 or NBA 10. How do you keep the newest iterations compelling enough to convince series veterans to buy the next iteration?

Bob: Series veterans know what to expect from our title. It's a full NBA simulation game with a suite of mini-games that are both basketball and non-basketball centric. This has been what has set us apart from the field for years. We wanted to expand on that experience with new Quest modes and mini-games while fine-tuning our core game experience. Veterans of the series will not be disappointed and new-comers will be pleasantly surprised by the wide variety of modes and mini-games that we offer. What other NBA game let's you play skee-ball, pinball, or bowl 10 frames?

What do you like the most about the sport, the video-game and what is your favorite team to play as?

Bob: My favorite part of the sport is when a team is hitting on all cylinders. When all five players on the court have hit their rhythm at the same time and it doesn't matter who takes the shot, it's going in. At that moment the team is unstoppable. In regards to NBA 10: The Inside, I'm a fan of the Franchise mode. I've always been a Franchise mode geek and I like building my team to compete 10 years down the road. My favorite team to play as is the New Orleans Hornets. Chris Paul is a player who can do it all and that translates well into the game.

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