The Latest on NBA Live '99

EA's Stan Chow, the producer for the upcoming NBA Live '99, told videogames.com a bit about the next sequential game expected for the Nintendo 64 and the PlayStation later this year. Here's what Stan had to say about the changes, improvements, and Live '99 game plan in general.

videogames.com: Live 98 for the PlayStation was a dramatic improvement over Live 97 on the PlayStation. Will we see the same dramatic difference from 98 to 99, or will Live 99 be basically the same game with refinements and improvements?Stan Chow: There will be dramatic differences both graphically and in gameplay. We are developing some very cool technology to make the players look more realistic than ever. We are also reworking the game's AI to make it play more like real basketball than it ever has before.

videogames.com: What will some of the new gameplay features be on the PS? The N64? Stan Chow: Look forward to seeing the most realistic graphics ever. Our new AI will translate to the best gameplay in the business. We've got all-new animations after redoing all our motion capture. Players will see new moves - fakes, dunks, passes, dribbles, etc. You'll also see new andadditional speech. videogames.com: The Live series has been chastised in the past for its artificial intelligence. Will 99 finally be the year that EA makes the game smart in addition to fun?Stan Chow: As mentioned, we are reworking the AI this year and the goal is to make it play more intelligently and realistically than ever before. However, sometimes reality and fun work against each other and in the instances where they do, fun must prevail.

videogames.com: Live 98 tried to implement posting-up in the paint, but it didn't seem to work too well. Is this being tweaked? Other games such as NBA Courtside are starting to get a handle on this.Stan Chow: You are right. Look for big improvements in Live 99 in this area.

videogames.com: How is the N64 version of Live progressing?Stan Chow: Very well. We are very pleased with the development of Live 99 N64. It is looking and playing very well for its current stage in development.