And by the quick look I got of the game (the producers played one half between the Heat and Mavs), he couldn't be more right, as even at this early stage, hardcore fans will already be able to notice some of the smoothed out dribbling and increased defender awareness on the court. They'll also be blown away by the new game introductions that play out before every contest. These intros take everything you love about pregame, from locker room shots to Dwyane Wade posing for the crowd to LeBron tossing the chalk into the air, and chops them up into one movie that plays out to bumpin' beats. What's cool is these shots are randomized every time, meaning no two videos will be the same, and when you see all of these great little touches all blown out to music before a game, it really gets you pumped to play.
"Another thing we added is more of a playoff atmosphere, and that extends right down to our broadcast package," said Boenisch. "You'll even see a unique presentation of the starting lineups. Little things like that go a long way."
Also being tweaked this year is the lighting on the player faces. This year, Boenisch promises that gamers will be able to see more expressions on the court, helping to add to the drama of every dunk and big shot, as evidenced by a big Dirk grin after he busts a three.
"And when it comes to the A.I., we've really done a lot of work when it comes to taking advantage of each player's skills," added producer Rob Jones. "Last year, the user really knew how to take advantage of every player, but the A.I. just wouldn't attack you the same way. This year, the A.I. will play more like the real players out on the court."
Whether or not that means virtual LeBron will disappear in the fourth quarter, we'll just have to wait until October to find out.
