STACK September 2017 Issue 155

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018 SEPTEMBER 2017
visit GAMES FEATURE
How much work has been put into
improving the player visuals for 2K18?
WouterVanVugt: As with every iteration
of NBA 2K, we take realism very seriously. Not
only do we have the possibility to do full body
scans for the first time this year, meaning that
players look like their real life counterpart even
more, we’ve also worked with Nike to fully scan
the new outfits, making NBA 2K18 the most
realistic version of the series yet.
What kind of involvement does that mean
for the players as far as scanning/etc is
concerned?
Nowadays we have a mobile scanning and
motion capture set-up, meaning we can go
around the different NBA teams and scan their
players relatively quickly. Our main mo-cap
studio is in North California and throughout the
year we’re scanning players who are in the area
there.
Can you talk about what improvements
have been made on the MyPlayer and
MyCareer systems?
We’d need a few more pages to explain all
the new features for MyPlayer and MyCareer,
and we have some surprises up our sleeve.
One of the bigger changes is what we call “The
Road to 99”, which entails that you can now
upgrade your player and earn VC in every game
mode you play with your MyPlayer, including
online modes such as Pro Am and MyPark.
How do ensure that the series remains
accessible for newcomers?
Last year we’ve introduced 2KU, where
newcomers can learn about the basics of
NBA 2K is back for 2018, and of course there are a few improvements on the
original.Wouter VanVugt, 2K games head of international communications,
has everything he thinks we need to know. Words Alesha Kolbe
basketball. This mode makes a welcome return
in NBA 2K18. You’ll also find that in the menus,
there are a lot more explanations around more
in-depth basketball tactics and plays.
Why was it important to revamp the body
type system?
It’s all about realism. Having realistic body
types doesn’t just allow us to make players
look more realistic, but react more realistically
as well.
What changes can we expect from
multiplayer?
Amongst other things, the “Road to 99” will
change things up drastically, as players can now
build their character up in every mode, including
online modes.
• NBA 2K18
is out Sept 15
Did you
know?
LeBron James is the
highest rated player
in NBA 2K18, with a
player rating of 97
Did you
know?
The Legend Edition
features Shaquille
O’Neal as cover
athlete
NBA
The series has released a new game
every year since 1999, making 19 games
all up.
The 2K series was published by Sega
until 2004, but has since been released
by 2K Sports.
ESPN NBA Basketball, the fourth
game in the series, was the first to
feature a career mode.
All games in the series were
developed by Visual Concepts.
The MyTeam mode was introduced
in NBA 2K13 and allows players to
construct their own teams and compete
against others online.
Kyrie Irving appears on the cover
of NBA 2K18 in a Cleveland Cavaliers
uniform, however has since been traded
to the Boston Celtics.