Operation Sports is proud to present our interview with Tim Tschirner, Producer of NBA Live 2003.

GAMEPLAY

Operation Sports: How many different dribble moves can be performed with the freestyle control?

Tim Tschirner: A player of average ballhandling ability has the following single moves available: Seven from a standing dribble, nine from a running dribble, eight different hold positions from Triple Threat and 16 different drives from Triple Threat. Each of these moves seamlessly blends into each of the other moves creating a matrix of literally thousands of different move combinations. For example, you can hold the ball low between your legs a la Paul Pierce, drive to the left around your defender, whip the ball behind your back, quickly followed by a high-wrap spin as you move through the lane and throw down a monster dunk. There are also a number of 'move packages’. What this means is that players of varying ability will use different animations based on who they are, so a cradle-crossover move by a player like Jason Kidd is a different animation than a cradle-crossover by Shaq. In fact, the total animation count for Freestyle Control (including Post moves and Defense) is well over 100.

Operation Sports: How is the online aspect of the game for the PS2? Is it similar to madden?

Tim Tschirner: I'm very excited about the online feature for PS2. It's a very straightforward implementation and similar to Madden. Once you bought Sony's Network Adaptor and established your network configuration, you create an Online Account and then connect to the NBA Live Server. From there you can go into rooms and chat with other gamers and challenge them to an Online Exhibition game. Your Wins, Losses and Disconnects are being tracked. We will also offer Roster updates for download. I am convinced that this will be a very popular feature.

Operation Sports: Will players show a skill difference among two good players in the same position, but with different strengths?

Tim Tschirner: Absolutely. This year we have put a huge amount of focus into differentiating players’ abilities from one another, particularly through the Freestyle Control. For example, a power forward like Elton Brand will have limited dribbling abilities (he will dribble the ball off his foot if you try to get too fancy with the Freestyle Control), but he can back down almost anyone in the paint and can execute very fast, powerful spin-offs and drive animations from the backdown which allow him to get to the hole quite easily. On the other hand, a power forward like Shareef Abdur-Rahim is quite competent in Freestyle Control ballhandling and breaking his defender down off the dribble, but he has to rely more on finesse and fadeaway shots out of the post. He doesn’t have the strength to backdown too many other power forwards and centers and his Freestyle arsenal out of the backdown is quite limited.

Operation Sports: The game seems fast, can we adjust the game speed?

Tim Tschirner: The game speed cannot be adjusted by a slider. However, certain teams play a much more up-and-down style of play which definitely adds to the game speed, so you can try playing against more half-court oriented teams until you get used to the speed. However, be warned: if you are playing on the higher skill levels the CPU will take advantage if you don’t get back on D regardless if you’re playing Utah or Dallas.

Operation Sports: Do different teams finally have different playing styles? (Like Philly plays defense, Dallas plays offense and Boston plays the 3-pt game)

Tim Tschirner: Absolutely. Every player in the game has a rating which determines who takes most of the shots on a given team. For example, on the Lakers this rating is very high for both Shaq and Kobe, but quite low for a player like Samaki Walker. In addition to that, each player will want to shoot or score in a manner which best suits their ability, so Shaq will obviously want to shoot from the post and Kobe will want to either run Isolations for himself and breaking down his defender off the dribble or shoot the three if he’s open. Based on this, the Lakers will set up in their traditional triangle and generally run their offense through the post or clear out for Kobe. In much the same way, Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker are the go-to guys on Boston and they both like to score by taking three's.

Operation Sports: In the game, do the players perform signature moves? (like passing, dribbling and FT shooting stuff, like Kidd kiss the sky and A.I tapping his arm) Can you give a few examples?

Tim Tschirner: We originally designed a number of the Freestyle moves based on various players signature moves; for example the Paul Pierce 'Swing-the-ball-low-between-the-legs' in Triple Threat, or MJ’s 'Post-up-lean' or C-Webb palming the ball out from his chest. However, these moves were just way too cool to limit to only a single player, so we allow other players to use them as well. After big dunks, clutch three’s or big blocks you will see players celebrating during the normal course of gameplay. Watch for various players executing signature moves in these circumstances.

Operation Sports: Are there any T fouls?

Tim Tschirner: You can be assessed a technical foul by either calling a timeout when you have none left or by violating the defensive 3-second rule.

Operation Sports: Are there random injuries on your team during franchise even when you are not simulating? Did you increase the frequency of injuries?

Tim Tschirner: If you simulate games in Franchise Mode there will be a variety of injuries, mostly based on a player's proneness to injuries. Players can get injured during gameplay only after hard fouls. We are aware that a lot of our users would like to see a bigger variety and frequency of in-game injuries and we will definitely address that going forward. Unfortunately there wasn't enough time to properly include this in NBA Live 2003.

Operation Sports: I saw a lot of clips on NBA Live 2003 around the Internet and the game seemed to flow a lot smoother than last year. However, I did notice that the blocks on the game gave it more of an arcade look instead of simulation (especially when half the blocks seemed to go out of bounds or half way down the court). It's a nice addition to the game but will the block engine be toned down for the final product? Is it still easy to block with a tall player without any relation to his blocking rating?

Tim Tschirner: One of our goals for NBA Live 2003 was to make playing defense as fun as playing offense. A lot of work went into redesigning and tuning the way blocks and steals are being executed and they feel very satisfying now. Ultimately we wanted new users to be able to pick up the game and have instant success on defense and I am confident that we achieved that. You will find that as you play on higher skill levels (especially Superstar) the number of blocks and steals becomes quite realistic - we are forcing you to learn how to take intelligent shots and make smart passes. In user vs. user games the stats we are getting are near perfect, and an experienced user will be able to play a full game and only be blocked or have the ball stolen by the CPU a handful of times. Now if a user makes it their sole purpose on defense to block CPU shots, they can definitely block more shots than in a typical NBA game, but they will also quickly discover that on the higher skill levels playing this type of defense will only guarantee one thing: a loss.

You will also notice that certain players use animations that allow them to switch hands in the air, do reverse lay-ins, etc. These types of shots are far more difficult to block than basic dunks and lay-ups. Also, players with a high block rating are more likely to be successful in their block attempts through a variety of different factors such as jump velocity, reach and in-air positioning. So in other words, the likelihood of AI blocking any shot from Shaq during the normal course of gameplay is about the same as it is in reality - very very slim. He might get dunked-on by Shaq a lot, though.

Operation Sports: In a 12-minute\qtr game, what would constitute a typical score? Could you tone it down so it would typically be around 90 and not around 135?

Tim Tschirner: The score you get in a 12 minute quarter game depends on your style of play. If you like to run and gun your typical scores will be higher than if you play a more realistic style and use the clock efficiently. The CPU will change their style of play depending on certain game situations, the score, etc. If you let the CPU play vs. the CPU a 12 minute quarter game you will end up with pretty realistic scores and stats.

Operation Sports: Are there any new more interesting stats displayed during the game (player season averages, team averages and so on.)

Tim Tschirner: During gameplay we show a lot of different overlays with stats, trends, comparisons, averages etc.

Operation Sports: Do good bench players get more playing time?

Tim Tschirner: The playing time for bench players depends on a number of factors, e.g. the stamina of the starters, foul trouble, etc.

Operation Sports: Does the CPU alter its own defensive matchups logically or do we have to alter for it as usual?

Tim Tschirner: By default, the defensive matchups are based on position. However, we did a huge amount of work on the defensive AI this year, so during the course of a game the CPU will adjust their defense by calling different plays (e.g. Zone if you’re scoring inside too much, Man-to-Man if you’re bombing from outside). Also, this year’s CPU defense is as intelligent and aggressive in regards to double teaming players as any game I’ve ever seen. Please note though that these changes will not be reflected on the Defensive Matchup screen.

Operation Sports: Will we be able to turn off auto-subs for the user permanently?

Tim Tschirner: Unfortunately we didn't have enough time to make this a permanent setting this year, but it is on our wish list of things to do.

Operation Sports: Does a team have a flexible rotation? (i.e. a good sub subbing both at pf and center)

Tim Tschirner: Teams with solid bench players (e.g. Sacramento) have a very flexible rotation while teams with weaker benches (e.g. Cleveland) will have fewer attractive substitution options. Wherever possible, our player ratings are derived directly from statistics so the abilities of various bench players will be exactly the same as their real-life counterparts.

Operation Sports: Is there a realistic amount of non-shooting fouls?

Tim Tschirner: Yes, especially with the new addition of the take charge functionality on defense.

Operation Sports: Have centers stopped the nasty Live 2K1 habit of positioning themselves around the three point arc during the offense?

Tim Tschirner: Our default offensive AI has been completely rewritten and now a center like Shaq will only move outside the arc if he’s clearing out for a player running an Isolation Play; otherwise he will always camp out in the post. A center like Raef LaFrentz will obviously behave differently, alternating between playing inside and setting up outside since he is so competent at shooting the three.

Operation Sports: Do point guards shoot less three pointers?

Tim Tschirner: If you leave any player on a CPU-controlled team open for long enough, they will likely attempt a shot when they are within their given shooting range. If you want guards to shoot less threes against you, it is upon you as a defender to get out and D them up. If the CPU is lighting you up from outside, try using the Freestyle Control to contest their shots and get a hand in the shooter’s face. This is an extremely effective way of decreasing their shooting percentage without running the risk of being whistled for a foul.

Operation Sports: Are there different defensive skills (post D, perimeter D, etc.)

Tim Tschirner: Yes. In much the same way that we give offensive players certain boosts in using Freestyle Control when on offense, we give well-known defensive specialists the ability to play better, tighter defense. Certain players will block better, face-up faster, have a quicker first step to recover after biting on a Freestyle dribble move, pick off passes easier and/or execute steals quicker and more effectively.

Operation Sports: Are there still spin move animations that take a player out of bounds or has that been fixed?

Tim Tschirner: This has been fixed in two different ways. We have made it harder to go out-of-bounds by slowing your momentum as you near the sideline and with the EA Sports™ Freestyle Control you have total control over the direction of all your moves.

Operation Sports: Do the players celebrate after a game-winning shot? Is the celebration only shown in a cut-scene?

Tim Tschirner: Yes, players celebrate after a game-winning shot or a close game. The post-basket celebrations take place during the normal course of gameplay. There are also celebrations presented in cut scenes.

Operation Sports: Is there a way to ensure that both players are playing on the same difficulty in multiplayer games?

Tim Tschirner: Yes. When playing online on the PS2 or the PC, the person who hosts/creates the game is in control of the skill level. This will be enforced on the client's machine.

Operation Sports: Are there realistic dunks on fast breaks?

Tim Tschirner: Yes. The fast break is the one area of the game where we wanted players to be able to showcase some of their more off-the-hook dunks, so rest assured if a player is all alone on a fast break and has the ability to dunk the ball with ease, he will do something exciting.

Operation Sports: How do you initiate the fast break with the white button, do you just press it?

Tim Tschirner: That button doesn't actually initiate a fastbreak, as your teammates will run the lanes whenever the opportunity is there. However, the biggest key to running an effective break is to make a good outlet pass and the ‘Fastbreak’ button functions as a pass to the closest man to the basket, so it is extremely effective for running the fastbreak.

Operation Sports: Are there combos to make super ankle breaking moves?

Tim Tschirner: The Freestyle Control is unlike anything you have ever experienced in a basketball video game before. Once you have seen and felt this level of variety and total control over your dribble moves, the old concept of simply pressing a button to cue up a random animation will seem ancient. We paid as much attention to the level of defensive reaction you achieve relative to the move you just pulled off, so you will quickly learn hundreds of combinations that can leave your defender in the dust. And you will need them all to beat the CPU on Superstar.

Operation Sports: Do high attributes in ball handling mean crossing over with ease? And if so, is it easy with everybody?

Tim Tschirner: The level of ball control is directly related to player attributes, though the dribble rating is not only factor. Ratings such as speed and quickness also affect Freestyle dribbling. It is amazing how different the same moves feel with different players; the Freestyle Control introduces a completely new level of NBA Player differentiation. Pulling off a ‘hesitation move – cradle – crossover behind the back’ combo is fast and amazingly smooth with Jason Kidd, but if you try the same combo with Felton Spencer he will be rather slow and deliberate while likely still fumbling the ball off his foot before the combo is complete. Every player falls somewhere in between the two, giving every player in the league a unique feel. In NBA Live 2003 it is up to the user to learn who can and can’t dribble the ball very well. Finding this out is half the fun.

Operation Sports: Are there special Street moves?

Tim Tschirner: As an Easter egg, we gave some superstars a couple of hidden Freestyle moves that you may or may not discover. Spend some time in Practice mode to see what you can find out.

Operation Sports: Are the refs active in Live 03 (not just in cut scenes)?

Tim Tschirner: The referees are only present during cut scenes.

Operation Sports: Can you fake left or right when posting up? Can u spin off while posting up?

Tim Tschirner: Yes, yes and yes. Plus so much more!

Operation Sports: Are there different post up animations depending on the size/weight/position of the player?

Tim Tschirner: Different players will be able to successful 'move' other players based on their size, different players will be more effective at spin moves out of backdown, different players will be able to dunk over defenders, different players will be able to execute sick up-and-under combinations and other players will be more effective at fadeaways, etc. This again ties in with our whole philosophy of differentiating player ability based on their real-life NBA counterparts and again, it is up to you to discover who can do what moves more effectively than others.

Operation Sports: Are there different running animations depending on the size/position of the player?

Tim Tschirner: Yes. Big men run and dribble the ball differently than smaller, more athletic guards. They also shoot the ball in different ways using different animations.

Operation Sports: Are alley-oops automatic or manual? Are there new passing motions for alley-oops? Will Live have a alley-oop lay-up animation for Players who have low dunk ratings?

Tim Tschirner: Alley-oops can be executed both automatic (if the player you are passing to is in position for an alley-oop he may go up automatically) and manual (keyed by a button press). Obviously the manual alley-oops are far less successful than the automatic alley-oops since they are forced. Try throwing a manual alley-oop on the fast break when your teammate is running the lane in front of you.

FEATURES

Operation Sports: Is all-star weekend in the game, if not in 03, then when? Will an All-Star weekend (All-Star game, 3 Point Shootout, 3-3 Hoop it up and a Dunk Contest) be included in the future versions of Live?

Tim Tschirner: We don't have a full All-Star weekend this year, but you can play the All-Star game in both Season and Franchise mode. I can't speculate about which features will be in future versions of NBA Live.

Operation Sports: Will we be able to trade draft picks in Franchise Mode? Have they expanded on the 3-way trade feature that was in NBA Live 2001?

Tim Tschirner: We would have loved to include trading of draft picks, but our focus for NBA Live 2003 was to enhance the gameplay and make this game the most fun to play basketball game on the market. We still made some enhancements to Franchise Mode this year by including a new Offseason design and adding features like MVP Watch and Upcoming Free Agents.

As for the three team trades, even though the feature worked fine in NBA Live 2001, we felt that it might have been confusing to some users (you either needed to control two of the three teams involved in the trade or toggle the "Modify CPU Rosters" option to On), so we decided to not include it in NBA Live 2003.

Going forward, we definitely have plans to include these features in future versions of NBA Live. We actually have a lot of cool new features and ideas lined up for Franchise Mode.

Operation Sports: Will it have press conferences in the future? (Like when you trade a player or someone is injured or any announcements)

Tim Tschirner: I can't speculate about which features will be in future versions of NBA Live.

Operation Sports: Is there a practice mode where you can practice and improve your team?

Tim Tschirner: We have a practice mode in which you can practice the Freestyle Control moves with any player. You cannot improve your player or team by doing that, but you can improve your own gaming skills and become a better NBA Live 2003 player.

Operation Sports: Is there a workout practice we can see the rookies play against some NBA guys and then choose them from the draft? (Because sometimes the scouting report isn't enough)

Tim Tschirner: This is not a feature this year, but we have a practice mode in which you can practice the Freestyle Control moves with any player.

Operation Sports: Is there a "Coach Of The Year Award”? "All-Star MVP Award”? "GM Of The Year”?

Tim Tschirner: We have a "GM of the year" award in both Season and Franchise Mode.

Operation Sports: Can you make your own plays? Ability to create your own Offensive/Defensive Sets?

Tim Tschirner: This is not a feature this year.

Operation Sports: Are there any 1 on 1, 2 on 2, 3 on 3, etc. modes?

Tim Tschirner: Our 1 on 1 mode offers three different locations to play on. There are no 2 on 2, 3 on 3, etc. modes, but they might be in a future version of NBA Live.

Operation Sports: Is there a depth chart that you can see which players you need to fill in your weak positions?

Tim Tschirner: The Reorder Roster screen is a good place to view your depth chart.

Operation Sports: Are there going to be "Live Cards" (like Madden Cards) in future versions of Live?

Tim Tschirner: I can't speculate about which features will be in future versions of NBA Live.

Operation Sports: Have there been any new additions to the playbook?

Tim Tschirner: No. Based on feedback from our customers we determined that the majority of users found the existing playcalling methods of all basketball games on the market to be cumbersome and ineffective. So we spent a great deal of time re-writing the offensive AI to make it far more realistic and user-friendly than previous versions of Live that relied heavily on the playbook. NBA Basketball is more about reacting to what the defense is showing you and trying to create mismatches through pick-and-rolls, screens, etc. than running actual set plays from start to finish, so we designed an offense that reacts to what the defense is doing, creating a much more dynamic play set. In addition to this, we designed four new QuickPlays that are available via a single button-press of the D-Pad. These plays are quite simple in design yet incredible effective when executed. They can also be called in combination with each other, so you can call for an Isolation to clear out the defense, then call for a Post-up to send your strongest available post player to the low block, thus creating the dynamic necessary to run a two man, inside-out game. Incidentally, for long-time users of NBA Live that enjoyed using the extensive playbook we have developed over the years, all 137 play sets from NBA Live 2002 are still available.

Operation Sports: Is there an in-game save? In NBA Live 2000 you could save your game at any point in a game. So if you only wanted to play half a game you could save it, come back later and play the other half. This feature was not in NBA Live 2001 for PC. Is the in game save in NBA Live 2003?

Tim Tschirner: There wasn't enough time to implement a Save game in Progress feature this year. It is definitely on our wish list for future versions of NBA Live.

Operation Sports: Is there a street mode?

Tim Tschirner: There is not a real Street Mode, but our 1 on 1 mode offers three different locations to play on. Two of these locations are outside: the Urban Court and the Beach Court.

Operation Sports: Can you save replays?

Tim Tschirner: There wasn't enough time to implement a Save Replay feature this year. It is definitely on our wish list for future versions of NBA Live.

Operation Sports: The custom team feature in NBA Live 2000 was very popular and made the game great, everyone loved being able to create their own team and take it through a season. The custom teams were not in NBA Live 2001. Will we see them back in NBA Live 2003? If not why?

Tim Tschirner: We would have loved to include a Custom Team feature, but unfortunately there wasn't enough time to implement it this year. It is definitely on our wish list for future versions of NBA Live.

Operation Sports: Will EA make roster updates? And if so, player looks also? I know that Yao Ming will not be in the game but will he be added when you guys do roster updates for the PS2? If Yao Ming signs now will you be able to squeeze him in the final product as well as Avrydas Sabonis who has just recently signed with the Blazers?

Tim Tschirner: Yes. We are currently planning to make Roster updates available on our new PS2 Online service once a month. All players that have signed a contract at those dates will be included in the Roster update. It would have been great to be able to include Yao Ming right out of the box, but we cannot include players in the final product who haven't signed a contract by the time of Roster approval. The Roster approval date for the console version was August 31st and neither Yao Ming nor Arvydas Sabonis had signed a contract by then. Even to this date Yao Ming has not signed a contract, but Sabonis will be included in the PC version.

GRAPHICS/AUDIO

Operation Sports: Why are the only sneakers in the game made by Reebok? What happened to the Reebok and Nike licenses for sneakers?

Tim Tschirner: I'm not sure where the information about the Reebok shoes is coming from. NBA Live 2003 offers a lot of different kicks in Create and Edit Player, but they are all our own creations.

Operation Sports: How many throwback jerseys does each team have?

Tim Tschirner: Each regular team has one Hardwood Classic jersey.

Operation Sports: Any plans on updating technology to sculpt more realistic looking players? Unlike many games were the players face may be hidden by helmets, hats and mask; basketball allows fans to become more personal because you actually view the participants of the game and their emotions. Many fans feel it is important to have players resembling their real life counterparts (along with good gameplay) to have a true basketball gaming experience. Patches may work for the PC but doesn’t help the console owners.

Tim Tschirner: I think that our faces are the best and most accurate looking in any basketball game on the market. I agree that it is very important that players resemble their real-life counterparts and we have achieved that.

Operation Sports: Can you choose what jersey you want to wear before the game starts?

Tim Tschirner: Yes. We have an all-new Select Jersey screen that lets you pick what jersey you want before each game. You can select between home, away, alternate (if available for the team you selected) and Hardwood Classic.

Operation Sports: When are we going to see some real crowd chants? Where are the horns you would hear in Arco?

Tim Tschirner: The crowd in NBA Live 2003 sounds good like never before and features a variety of different chants. Having arena-specific chants is definitely on our wish list for a future version of NBA Live.

Operation Sports: Is it the same arena for all 29 teams? If not, can we choose which to play in? If there are no different arenas, will they have it in live 2004?

Tim Tschirner: Every team has their specific court. In 1 on 1 and Practice Mode you can pick from a list of three courts: Urban Court, Beach Court and Practice Gym.

Operation Sports: Is the sound enhanced? i.e. Dolby, or supports certain sound card technology like EAX, A3D. Etc.

Tim Tschirner: The PS2, Xbox and NGC versions offer Mono, Stereo and Dolby Surround support. The PC version offers Stereo sound.

Operation Sports: In NBA Live 2001 the "Face in the game" feature was not very good. Has this feature been improved in NBA Live 2003?

Tim Tschirner: We have decided to not include this feature in NBA Live 2003.

PC VERSION AND OTHER

Operation Sports: Will the game be easy to patch?

Tim Tschirner: Yes, the PC version of NBA Live 2003 will be patchable. It will offer more patching abilities than NBA Live 2001 PC did.

Operation Sports: Will the on-line game stay the same as last year? Will there be IP playing for Live 2003 on PC?

Tim Tschirner: NBA Live 2003 offers online play on both the PS2 and the PC. On the PS2, users can connect to our NBA Live Server and search for other gamers to play against. They can also download Roster updates. The PC version has two different online game modes. Direct Internet Connection allows you to play someone else over the Internet (or any network that uses the TCP/IP protocol) by typing in their IP address and directly connecting to him. LAN and Modem-to-Modem play are not supported this year. The other online game mode is our new EA Sports Online service that has an expanded feature set like Match up, Clubs and Tournaments.

Operation Sports: What are the requirements for the 2003 PC version?

Tim Tschirner: We are still working on determining the actual minimum system requirements. The recommended requirements are: Pentium III 700 MHz or equivalent AMD processor 128 MB RAM (256 for Windows 2000 and Windows XP) 32 MB DirectX 8.1 compatible video card Sound card with DirectSound support and DirectX 8.1 compatible driver 12x or faster CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive with 32-bit driver 700 MB of free Hard Drive space DirectX 8.1 compatible GamePad with 10 Buttons and 2 Analog Sticks We support Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. The game will not work under Windows 95 and Windows NT.

Operation Sports: I’m sure you have plans or are working on Live 2004 at this moment, what are some of the new additions?

Tim Tschirner: I'm sorry, but I can't talk about the plans for NBA Live 2004.

Operation Sports: What are the differences between the PC vs. the console versions of Live? When there was no NBA Live 2002 for PC, the PC gamers were told that for NBA Live 2003 the PC version would have a few extras especially for PC version of NBA Live 2003. What are these extras? I have only seen the same features announced for PC version as the console versions.

Tim Tschirner: The PC Version features both our all-new EA Sports Online service and Direct Internet Connection Online play. The Franchise Mode runs over a period of 25 years (as opposed to 10 on the consoles), there are more controller configuration options and we have included historical Career Stats for all players. There are also more slots available for Created Players.

Operation Sports: When is the PC version being released?

Tim Tschirner: The PC version will be released in North America on November 5th and a couple of weeks later in the rest of the world.

Operation Sports: What controller will they endorse for Live 2003 PC? Since the popular game pad is the gravis game pad pro, but it doesn't have the analog sticks. How will the freestyle control work?

Tim Tschirner: It is highly recommended that you use a controller with two analog sticks to take full advantage of the moves that the Freestyle Control offers. There are quite a few controllers with two analog sticks available from different manufacturers. If you have a controller without analog sticks, you will still be able to execute some Freestyle Control moves. The Spin Move/Jab-Step button works as a shift trigger and when you hold it down, you can use the controls for the movement to execute Freestyle Control moves. This however only works from a stand-still position and not while you are in motion.

Operation Sports: Is it possible to do all the moves when using a keyboard?

Tim Tschirner: Using a keyboard, only a limited amount of Freestyle Control moves are available. It is basically the same as using a controller without analog sticks, so please see please see the answer to the question above.

Operation Sports: How much difference will there be in the final build (gold) compared to the build the reviewers have.

Tim Tschirner: I'm not quite sure which version was sent to the reviewers. The last stage in the product development is usually for tuning and tweaking and we did quite a lot of that.

Operation Sports: In NBA Live 2001, printing game stats did not work in multi-player games. Has this been fixed for Live 2003?

Tim Tschirner: Yes, the problem of printing out the stats has been corrected; you will be able to save stats after completing an online game.