Guest: Alex Armour - Sony
Host: Rio Pesino - PodTech
Rio Pesino - PodTech
This is Rio Pesino for PodTech.net here at the Sony PlayStation store where the Sony PlayStation 3 is just a couple of hours away from launch. I am here with Alex Armour who is a Sony Computer Entertainment America representative. Alex, I welcome to the Podcast.
Alex Armour - Sony
Thank you, I am glad to be here.
Rio Pesino - PodTech
Alex, we're here playing NBA 07 one of the launch titles for the PlayStation 3. This game is already out on the PlayStation 2 as well as PSP. Go ahead and tell us some of the features -- the PS3 exclusive features for this game.
Alex Armour - Sony
Well, the key thing for the PlayStation 3 this year is obviously graphics; we're looking at full true high definition at 10 ADP running at 60 frames a second, which has been unheard up to this point for any video game. So, for us to have this kind of graphical capability is impressive in utilizing the PS3 hardware has really made it happens, so we've got all new AI, we've got better Crowd Technology and some very cool mini-games and games that will utilize the past and current season as scenarios that you need to complete. So, very cool stuff.
Rio Pesino - PodTech
Well, for our listeners out there, we're actually playing NBA 07 right now, and I can tell you right now, it looks really, really sweet. The detail of the player models are a lot more clearer than the PS2 version. Let's go ahead and talk a little bit about some of the in game features for 07, if you could just elaborate on that.
Alex Armour - Sony
Well of course, the controls are going to feel very similar to folks who know about our NBA franchise and this year is no different. We've got some great new modes again, we've got NBA -- our PlayStation Skills Challenge straight from the NBA All-Star Game. We've got three-point shoot-out. We've got some cool mini-games. We've got the NBA Replay now, where you'll be able to download scenarios from the current season, as well as place scenarios from '05 - '06 season, where you're going to try and replicate kind of highly real activities from a variety of players.
Rio Pesino - PodTech
And that's something that's never been done before, from almost taking into basketball game.
Alex Armour - Sony
Never and especially now, with our online technology, we're able to offer players each week five new scenarios that -- by the next week, they'll be able to download any of those five scenarios and it's going to be of variety of stuff from being -- having -- get the most assists or a number of rebounds in a certain time period, points are made -- it's going to give them a lots of options for the game play.
Rio Pesino - PodTech
So, this will be available on the PlayStation Online Store. Is that, where you would find these scenarios, these updated scenarios?
Alex Armour - Sony
Yes, you would be able to just download those straight from our online network, which is all free of charge.
Rio Pesino - PodTech
Right, right. Okay, now one of the main features of NBA 07 is the Live; that was featured last year in 06 as well, is that feature included in the PS3 version as well?
Alex Armour - Sony
We don't have the Live as it was presented in the last versions of NBA that we've had; however, with the NBA Replay and NBA Games of the Week, we're going to find a very similar interface where you're going to be replicating scenarios, trying to complete goals, get specific "extra mile" goals, which would be like the show time stuff. So, it's going to give have that similar feel and interface where you're going to really feel like you're completing certain goals and moving towards the ultimate goal, which is going to be - you can Kobe's 81-point game or (Inaudible) unfold in the....
Rio Pesino - PodTech
Chamberlain's 100 point game is adding there too?
Alex Armour - Sony
Hey, we don't have any of the historic stuff, but it's all related to the '05-'06 season and then again, we're going to have stuff for this coming season as well. So, lots of scenarios and from people, who are true NBA fans nothing better than, if you're following some games, to be able to -- the next week, download a scenario from those games that just happened and would be able to reenact it, it's very cool feature.
Rio Pesino - PodTech
Well, I do remember one game recently, where the Branda (ph) helped them come back, up the (Inaudible) 20-plus points divested against the Celtics, will we see something like that?
Alex Armour - Sony
Absolutely, again we have five per week, so you're going to find a wide variety of scenarios from various players so it's not going to be just specifically set to one or two All-Star players in top markets - you're going to have a variety of stuff, so it's going to give a lot more opportunity to really try out different scenarios. Again, for the fans of the NBA and fans of NBA Gaming, it just doesn't get any better.
Rio Pesino - PodTech
Right, I am a hardcore Warrior fan so -- and a big NBA fan so, feature like that is something that -- is actually, I think it's pretty cool.
Alex Armour - Sony
Yeah, absolutely I am a Warrior...
Rio Pesino - PodTech
You got to have more Warrior stuff. Let's hope the Warriors come out and make the play-off this year, and so we could see some of those highlights on NBA 07, right?
Rio Pesino - PodTech
Hey, that's all about; they're looking games so far this year.
Rio Pesino - PodTech
Oh yeah, I know six and three, so well see how they do against Sacramento; they play them tonight. Alex, I wanted to bring up the SIXAXIS Controller and using the controller, to perform jukes, spin moves and stuff like that. Now, how does that work with the controller?
Alex Armour - Sony
Well, it's really cool what we we've implemented here. Now, with -- I am going to -- on offense - you have a variety of offensive moves that you can perform, so when I have the ball I can do everything from spin move by doing a little steering wheel motion with the controller. I can pull back to create space.
Rio Pesino - PodTech
Wow!
Alex Armour - Sony
I can crossover by going right or left with the controller, so it's a true SIXAXIS -- you are going to up, down, front, back, side-to-side in six motions, and they are all relevant here on the offensive end, so it's a really cool thing, and again, as the games become a little more -- as we move forward and the PS3 evolves, the games are really going to see, I think, more functionality. The developers are going learn how to utilize it better, so it's going to really work out well.
Rio Pesino - PodTech
Any defensive or shooting functionality with the SIXAXIS?
Alex Armour - Sony
Not right now this year; we do have some low post functionality. So, you can do that same spin move in the low post and you're going to be basically hooking -- kind of hook your guy to get well position, you can pump in. I can definitely see movement forward -- using it in creative ways and it's all up to the development teams and I think we'll definitely challenge them to do some cool stuff.
Rio Pesino - PodTech
Alex, last question for you. Let's just talk a bit about some of the game modes in NBA 07, I am guessing there's SCEA franchise stuff like that, could you just go -- give us larger list of some of the game modes for NBA 07?
Alex Armour - Sony
Right, now the biggest mode we have is going to be a NBA Replay. That's again going to be our way of really showing of how the game can relate to current and then past NBA scenes and scenarios? But, this year it's going be really focused on the game plan itself. So, we are not going to have a lot of franchise modes that most are used to; it's something that we want to implement in the future versions, but really I think we wanted to get the game played down right first, to get the technology in place -- again, we do have some pretty cool stuff like the skills challenge and some of the All-Star modes so -- we are excited about that and where the technology is now, running on full HD and we are just going to keep adding features to that in upcoming versions
Rio Pesino - PodTech
Wow! As the game looks great, you guys have taken a step in the right direction with the PlayStation 3. Thanks a lot for the podcast and thanks for having me here.
Alex Armour - Sony
Yeah, absolutely. Thanks for checking it out.