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Like most sports, basketball is a game of streaks. Teams get hot and go on epic runs only to inexplicably begin tripping over themselves. This trend is probably even more important in basketball given the lengthy season and almost daily game schedule. These types of performance flip-flops are exactly the type of thing EA is looking to present with this year’s big feature in NBA Live 09 – Dynamic DNA.
First unveiled during EA’s press conference, Dynamic DNA is based on information from one of the premiere sports analytics companies, Synergy Sports Technology and breaks down player tendencies based on how they are playing during the season. While player updates aren’t anything new to sports games, especially now that roster updates are almost an automatic thing in some titles, with NBA Live 09 EA is taking on the daunting task of providing daily updates of player tendencies. This will lend a new dynamic to the entire play experience or, as EA Sports put it, games are “Based on Last Night, Not Last Season”.
The system will monitor players across a range of skills, including ball handling, spot and cuts. These numbers will then be displayed on a player’s in-game profile. Based on the demo shown at the conference, the system will also play into the hotspot system, which displays a color-coded overlay on the court showing where a player has a better chance of making a shot. In addition, player tendencies will aggregate into an overall team rating. A team’s tendencies will then have an impact on how successful certain plays will be, which will also be indicated by a rating on the play screen.
NBA Live 09 will also feature brand new features like Pick and Roll Control, Quickstrike Ankle-Breakers and Defensive Lockdown Control. A training system, NBA Academy, is also around for players who want to hone their skills.
Look for NBA Live 09 this October. |
