Tag Archives: Interview

Episode #357 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Derek (aka Dee4Three) and I are your hosts for this week’s show.

This week we’re interviewing Andy Hull, the creator of Dunk Lords and programmer on Spelunky! Andy talks about his background in programming and breaking into the industry, which included a stint making wooden toys. He also provides us with several insights into the development of Dunk Lords, which began life as a prototype called Buckets of Blood. We also talk about NBA Jam and Andy’s other video gaming influences, how working on Spelunky helped him to go on to create his own game, and ask a few listener questions that were sent in for this week’s special edition of the mailbag.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:53:56 — 78.3MB)

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What’s your take on this week’s conversation? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Episode #318 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! This week’s show is a continuation of our 25th Anniversary of NBA Live celebrations as I interview Andrew Jinks, programmer on NBA Live 95-98.

As our celebrations of the 25th Anniversary of NBA Live continue, we welcome Andrew Jinks to the NLSC Podcast! Andrew was a programmer on the series from NBA Live 95 through to NBA Live 98, and he shares his insights into how the early NBA Live games were developed. His stories cover his experiences working on the front end, schedule generation, and other aspects of the games. He also talks about the cancelled 3DO version of NBA Live 96, provides more backstory on the legend of “Jox Steele”, and shares some other tales from behind the scenes. Our trip down memory lane also leads us to reminisce about some other classic games from back in the day, including a few LucasArts favourites.

Tune in below!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:41:38 — 69.9MB)

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I hope you enjoyed the interview! Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as suggestions for topics that you’d like to hear us discuss in future episodes. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

Episode #316 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! This week’s episode is part of our 25th Anniversary of NBA Live content. Join me as I chat with Darren Schueller, former NBA Live programmer and the man behind implementing DBF files in the PC version.

Our 25th Anniversary of NBA Live celebrations continue with another developer interview! Former NBA Live programmer Darren Schueller joins the show to chat about his time working on the game from NBA Live 97-2001. As the man behind implementing DBF files in the PC version of NBA Live, Darren explains how that development came about, and the details may surprise you! We also talk about his work on the user interface throughout the years, as well as the hidden developer teams and other Easter eggs. Darren also shares anecdotes about how he got into the industry, pranks and other amusing moments during his tenure at EA Canada (including his Need for Speed cameos), and some of his favourite games.

Tune in below!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:59:09 — 81.9MB)

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I hope you enjoy the interview! Do you have any fond memories of NBA Live 97 through 2001? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as suggestions for topics that you’d like to hear us discuss in future episodes. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

To mark the 25th Anniversary of NBA Live, we’re taking a look back at every game in the series with retrospectives and other fun content! This also includes re-running some features from our 20th Anniversary celebrations, with a few revisions. Whether you’re a long-time basketball gamer who grew up with NBA Live and are keen on taking a trip down memory lane, or you’re new to the series and want to learn about its history, we hope that you enjoy celebrating the 25th Anniversary of NBA Live here at the NLSC! Today, it’s an interview with Dave Warfield, who worked on the series from NBA Live 95 through NBA Live 98.

In addition to joining me on the NLSC Podcast to talk about NBA Live as we celebrate the series’ 25th Anniversary, former Lead Programmer Rod Reddekopp was kind enough to put me in touch with some other people who worked on the game in the early days. I’m looking forward to chatting to them about the history of the series, and we’re beginning those conversations today with a Q&A with Dave Warfield. As I noted, Dave worked on the series from NBA Live 95 through NBA Live 98, focusing on the menus and the games’ rosters. Read on for an insight into the development of classic NBA Live!

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Episode #310 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! This week’s episode tips off the next phase of our 25th Anniversary of NBA Live celebrations as I chat to Rod Reddekopp, programmer on NBA Live 95-2001.

Rod Reddekopp joins the show to talk about his time working on NBA Live, beginning with the acquisition of Distinctive Software and his early work with EA. From there, Rod takes us through the years, from the revamp of NBA Showdown into NBA Live, to the way the game grew and became a flagship property for the company. Along the way, Rod describes his various roles as a programmer on the series, as well as many of the technical aspects of the early NBA Live titles. He also shares some fun stories from behind the scenes, and reveals a few Easter Eggs for us to go hunting for.

Tune in below!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:07:46 — 46.6MB)

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I hope you enjoyed Rod’s insights into the early days of NBA Live! Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as suggestions for topics that you’d like to hear us discuss in future episodes. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

Episode #306 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! It’s an episode of returns as Arcane joins the show for the first time since August last year, and Josh and Dave from Namo Gamo are our guests for the second time. Dee4Three is also along for the ride as we talk about Basketball Classics, retro gaming, and the NBA.

Version 1.0 of Basketball Classics launched on Steam last year, so we’re glad to welcome Josh and Dave from Namo Gamo back to the show! We chat about the journey from Early Access to full launch, and how the game has grown since it first became available to the public. The game will be supported for some time to come, as the guys have some great plans for future updates, and are also looking at feedback from the community. To that end, we even managed to workshop a few ideas while we were recording! We also compare indie and AAA gaming, reminisce about old favourites, and talk a little about the real NBA.

Tune in below!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 2:31:55 — 87.0MB)

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What are your thoughts on Basketball Classics and indie gaming? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as suggestions for topics that you’d like to hear us discuss in future episodes. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

Episode #280 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Dare I say it, this week’s episode is ON FIRE, as I had an opportunity to chat with the legendary voice of NBA Jam himself, Tim Kitzrow! It was a lot of fun talking to Tim, who was very generous with his time and stories. Be sure to follow Tim on Twitter, and hit up Who Said What Now to order your own custom audio messages from the Baron of Boomshakalaka!

The voice of NBA Jam, Tim Kitzrow, joins the NLSC Podcast this week for an extended interview. Tim provides an insight into how he went from classically trained actor and improv artist with The Second City in Chicago, to being the voice of one of basketball gaming’s most iconic series. From the origins of the word Boomshakalaka and fascinating tidbits about NBA Jam and other games Tim has worked on, to Tim’s recent projects and a bunch of other fun stories, this week’s show is a must-listen for all NBA Jam enthusiasts!

Tune in below!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:16:27 — 52.6MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

I hope you enjoyed my interview with Tim Kitzrow! Sound off with your thoughts on the NBA Jam series in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as suggestions for topics that you’d like to hear us discuss in future episodes. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

Episode #262 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! This week, I’m presenting my interview with Josh and Dave from Namo Gamo, in which we talk about their fantastic retro-oriented PC game, Basketball Classics! We also talk about the process and difficulty of video game design, some of our favourite NBA memories, and a lot more.

It was a really fun interview, and I very much enjoyed getting some insight into an awesome game that already feels very polished, even in Early Access on Steam. We’ve discussed Basketball Classics in previous episodes of the NLSC Podcast, and will definitely have more coverage of the game moving forward. In the meantime, I’m sure you’ll enjoy my chat with Josh and Dave.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:37:59 — 67.4MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

During the 2018 NBA Awards show on TNT, Joel Embiid was officially revealed as the cover player for NBA Live 19. Embiid was considered a likely candidate after gamers noted that he was prominently featured in the reveal trailer that was released a couple of weeks ago.

The official NBA Live website has posted an interview with Embiid, in which he discusses his journey to the NBA, the players who inspired him as a basketball player, and the challenges he’s faced since arriving in the league. An avid gamer, he also expresses his excitement at landing the cover of NBA Live 19.

Notably, Joel Embiid is the first Philadelphia 76ers player to appear on the NBA Live cover. Glancing at the official website, he’s also been unveiled as a member of the NBA Live Squad on a promotional image that also features the silhouettes of four other players. Much like Team 2K, the Squad is most likely a collection of players who have signed on as ambassadors for the brand, and will likely be featured in LIVE Events and other aspects of The One. Further details will no doubt be revealed when the rest of the Squad is unveiled.

Embiid certainly seems like a solid choice for the cover of this year’s game from EA Sports. In addition to establishing himself as an All-Star in the NBA, the “Trust the Process” mantra that has been adopted by the rebuilding Philadelphia 76ers can also apply to the NBA Live series. It’s been a slow comeback for the once-dominant brand in basketball gaming, but from all accounts, it sounds like EA’s own version of The Process is finally starting to pay dividends.

NBA Live 19 will be released on September 7th, 2018. A demo will be released on August 24th, and Xbox One users with an EA Access subscription can check out a trial of the full game on September 3rd. Check out the NBA Live 19 cover art below, and feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section. You can also join in the discussion taking place here in the NLSC Forum.

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A few more NBA 2K18 screenshots have been released, featuring Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Markelle Fultz, and Lonzo Ball. As such, we also have confirmation of their ratings, at least out of the box:

• Kevin Durant: 96 Overall
• Steph Curry: 94 Overall
• Markelle Fultz: 80 Overall
• Lonzo Ball: 80 Overall

With Durant’s overall rating of 96, it’ll be interesting to see if LeBron James equals or surpasses that mark in the default rosters. As noted by Yahoo! Sports, Fultz and Ball’s overall ratings are the highest for rookies since John Wall was an 81 Overall in the default rosters of NBA 2K11. Check out the screenshots below, or here in our NBA 2K18 gallery.

Dave DuFour recently chatted to Chris “LD2K” Manning on his podcast, On the NBA. LD2K wasn’t at liberty to reveal too much at this time, but he did mention that defense is a priority in terms of gameplay improvements this year. He also noted MyPLAYER Archetypes will be receiving some attention. By referencing MyPARK, LD2K also squashed an odd rumour about MyPARK being cut, which seemed highly unlikely given that it’s the most popular online mode in NBA 2K.

Daily Star also spoke to Erick Boenisch in the wake of last week’s developer blog on MyLEAGUE and MyGM. Erick reiterated the team’s commitment to the franchise experience, and notably described the MyGM story as a “light-hearted jaunt”. He mentions that the story will continue every few games, and doesn’t overwhelm gamers with narrative-based decisions.

Check out the latest screenshots and interviews, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. You can also join in the discussion taking place in our NBA 2K18 Forum.

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Our friends over at Operation Sports will be visiting 2K Sports next week, where they’ll have an opportunity to chat to former community members who are now working on NBA 2K. As such, they’re inviting the community to submit questions for them to ask. If there’s something you’d like Chris to ask, be sure to let him know here over on OS.

Please note however, as clarified here by the one and only Leftos, this interview won’t be touching on any issues related to NBA 2K17, or providing any information about NBA 2K18. The conversation will be focusing on what it’s like to make the transition from a gaming community to the development team, what it’s like to work in the industry, and other developer stories.

I’m also happy to pass along questions that get posted here at the NLSC, either in the comments below, or in this thread that I’ve set up in our Forum. Post them ASAP, and I’ll be sure to shoot them across to Chris.