Lebron’s Got Game

THE DESIGNERS OF NBA 2K19 GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO MAKE S8RE <O8R FA9ORITE ATHLETES ARE REʝCREATED

What is unique about the way N%$ star Steph Curry lofts the basketball from beyond the 3 point line" +ow e[actly does /e%ron -ames take off toward the basket for one of his trademark dunks? For the development team at 9isual Concepts these aren’t idle questions. They’re obsessions.

To put together NBA 2K19 the 2 th game in the franchise dating back to -eff Thomas and his team of designers paid close attention to detail and a technology called scanning. They traveled with N%$ athletes during their regular-season games and filmed each person with a custom-made mobile camera rig—a kind of portable photo booth. The rig has 5 different camera lenses that can shoot the players from all angles and capture details such as beards tattoos and facial expressions. The players were happy to participate in the scanning process says Thomas the studio’s vice president because ţthey realize now that they want to look good in the game.”

The developers have also ranked each of the N%$ avatars on a 99-point scale based on how the athletes performed over the past season. The ranking determines how well each player shoots dribbles and dunks in the game. Thomas claims real-life players such as -ames have taken a passing interest in their avatar’s ranking. ţwhen we met with -ames we said şcongratulations! You’re a 98 in 2K ’” says Thomas. ţ+is first reaction was şnot bad for an old hag.’”

NBA 2K19 is available now on ;box 2ne PS Nintendo Switch and PC.