NBA LIVE 10: behind the backboard

Sean O'Brien, Line Producer of NBA LIVE 10, reveals what the latest title in the hit basketball series is bringing to the court.

What have you done to move the series forward with NBA LIVE 10? 

Most importantly, we completely revamped five-on-five gameplay, focusing on player movement, giving control back to the user and one-on-one matchups. We also improved the in-game presentation to make it more like a broadcast and to capture the game day atmosphere.

Dynamic DNA has been further integrated into the way the game plays, using more data to drive player and team behaviour. It also feeds into a brand new mode called Dynamic Season, which allows you to play along with the actual NBA season and have your results merge with real results to create the ultimate interactive fantasy experience within the NBA LIVE community. 

What is it about the sport that makes for compelling gameplay?

The best athletes in the world play basketball. They range from 5'5" to 7'6" in height and from 165 lbs to 350 lbs in weight. The game is played on the ground and in the air. There is physical play and finesse play. The back and forth and speed of the game allow for numerous opportunities to create and see exciting plays at both ends of the court.

The control that NBA LIVE gives you with the ball in your hands is unprecedented - you can break down your defender with your dribble, attack the basket and perform a spin, pro hop or Euro Step to find a lane to the basket, and then choose which hand you want to finish with. These exciting plays are what make for compelling gameplay in NBA LIVE 10.

Can you tell us more about Dynamic DNA?

Dynamic DNA is an online service that takes real life basketball data from Synergy Sports and updates your gameplay experience in NBA LIVE through a daily update.  This means that whatever is happening in the NBA - player trades, injuries, player performance and more - is reflected in the game. 

Synergy Sports is a company founded by a guy that has spent years coaching in the NBA and saw a need for more analytics within the sport. They provide game data to 25 of the 30 NBA teams.

Which up-and-coming players and teams should we be looking out for?

I think that this season's most promising rookies are Jonny Flynn in Minnesota and Blake Griffin with the LA Clippers. Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose are two young guys that have unbelievable talent and we're just starting to see how good they will both be.

Besides the obvious Lakers, Nuggets, Spurs, Cavs, Magic and Celtic, don't sleep on the Clippers this season. Baron Davis is going to have a huge year and keep an eye on the Raptors in the east, who have nine new players, including the biggest free agent from the summer, Hedo Turkoglu.

Finally, why do you love basketball?

Basketball players are the best athletes in the world. My father was a college coach so I grew up with the game. I played college basketball at a fairly high level and have been closely involved with the NCAA, NBA and European basketball leagues ever since.

I have a lot of friends have played and still play in domestic leagues throughout Europe, and it has been interesting to watch the popularity of the sport grow throughout the world over the last 10 to 15 years.