User manual GAMES NINTENDO GAMECUBE NBA LIVE 2003

NBA LIVE 2003 NINTENDO GAMECUBE MANUAL 40 pages + REG CARD 209 Redwood Shores Parkway Redwood City, CA 94065 Part #1538005 CONTENTS GETTING STARTED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 COMMAND REFERENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 BASIC CONTROLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 COMPLETE CONTROL SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . 8 EA SPORTSTM FREESTYLE CONTROL . . . . . . . . . 11 SETTING UP THE GAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 MAIN MENU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 PLAY NOW--STARTING AN EXHIBITION GAME. . . . . . . 16 ON THE COURT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 GAME SCREEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 PAUSE MENU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 SETTINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 STRATEGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 USER PROFILES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 GAME MODES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 SEASON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 FRANCHISE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 PLAYOFFS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 1 ON 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 PRACTICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 EA SPORTSTM FREESTYLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 TEAM MANAGEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 ROSTER MANAGEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 STATS CENTRAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 OPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 SAVING AND LOADING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 CONFIGURE CONTROLLER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 LIMITED 90-DAY WARRANTY . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 -3- GETTING STARTED NINTENDO GAMECUBE TM COMMAND REFERENCE NINTENDO GAMECUBE TM CONTROLLER CONFIGURATIONS L Button R Button Z Button CONSOLE POWER Button RESET Button Controller Socket 1 Memory Card Slot A OPEN Button Control Stick Y Button X Button A Button B Button START/PAUSE NOTE: NBA Live 2003 only supports Memory Card Slot A. Control Pad C Stick 1. Turn OFF the Nintendo GameCubeTM by pressing the POWER Button. 2. Make sure a Nintendo GameCubeTM Controller is plugged into Controller Socket 1 on the Nintendo GameCubeTM . MENU CONTROLS Highlight menu item Change highlighted item Select/Go to next screen Cancel/Return to previous screen Help menu Control Pad or Control Stick Control Pad or Control Stick A Button Y Button Z Button 3. Press the OPEN Button to open the Disc Cover then insert the NBA LiveTM 2003 Nintendo GameCubeTM Game Disc into the Optical Disc Drive. Close the Disc Cover. 4. Press the POWER Button to turn ON the Nintendo GameCubeTM and proceed to the NBA LiveTM 2003 title screen. If you can't proceed to the title screen, begin again at step 1. For more information on NBA Live 2003 and EA SPORTSTM titles, visit EA SPORTS on the web at www.easports.com. -4- -5- BASIC CONTROLS Before you can run the floor and dunk with style, you must first master the fundamentals of the court. INTRODUCTION NBA Live 2003 lets you live your dream of being an NBA superstar. When the game's on the line, you're the one everyone's watching. Featuring EA SPORTS Freestyle Control, call for the ball and drain a buzzer-beating "3" and send your opponent packing, or "D-up" and reject a last-ditch shot and show the world you own the paint. Lead your team to victory in the biggest games imaginable, and do it year after year to create an NBA dynasty and become an NBA legend. Gameplay brings the physically challenging, fast-paced action of the NBA to life, and spectacular animations and audio deliver the awesome drama and emotion of the NBA experience. NBA LIVE 2003--it's more than just basketball. OFFENSE ACTION COMMAND Move player Shoot Pass Crossover Spin Turbo Control Stick B Button A Button X Button X Button (press and hold) R Button FEATURES A Revolutionary EA SPORTSTM Freestyle Control--Unprecedented control over both hands lets you make lightning-quick steals, anklebreaking crossover dribbles and a variety of post moves and ball fakes. DEFENSE ACTION COMMAND Move player Switch players Steal Take a charge Block/Rebound Turbo Control Stick A Button X Button Y Button B Button R Button TM A NBA Speed, NBA Power--Hundreds of animations, including signature moves that showcase the explosive drives and thunderous jams of the NBA. A "D-Up"--With amazing control and shot blocking animations, swatting with authority can be just as fun as making a huge dunk. A Ground-Shaking Rebounding--The battle for the ball gets physical with over 30 rebounding animations. A The Show within the Show--Over 50 cut scenes, from a coach jawing A NBA Live 2003 features many other moves--including EA SPORTS at the ref to bench players erupting as a sweet three beats the buzzer. Freestyle Control--on both ends of the floor that can help push the outcome of any game in your favor. For more information, Complete Control Summary on p. 8. A Stylin' Old-School Uniforms--Gear up like hardwood legends-- check out uniforms of the Elgin Baylor/Jerry West-era Lakers, Dr. J's New York Nets, and more. -6- -7- COMPLETE CONTROL SUMMARY After you figure out how to shoot, pass, and jump, take your game to another level with these advanced moves. Jump to block/Rebound Turbo Faceup/Boxout the player you are guarding Direct Player Switch (to a specific player) B Button R Button L Button Z Button + A Button, B Button, X Button, or Y Button start Control Pad i, g, h, f C Stick OFFENSE ACTION COMMAND Move Player Shoot Pass (Direction of the Control Stick chooses receiver) Crossover Spin move Turbo Back down defender Alley-Oop pass (When teammate has a clear lane to the basket) Direct pass (to a specific player) Pause game Call an offensive Quick Play ( p. 18 ) EA SPORTS Freestyle Control ( p. 11 ) Control Stick B Button (Press and hold to jump then release to shoot; Tap to fake) A Button (Hold and release to execute a Give-and-Go) X Button X Button (press and hold) R Button L Button Y Button (Tap Y Button to pass to closest man to basket) Z Button + A Button, B Button, X Button, or Y Button start Control Pad i, g, h, f C Stick Pause game Call a defensive Quick Play ( p. 18 ) EA SPORTS Freestyle Control ( p. 11 ) ADDITIONAL LOW POST MOVES To back your defender down, press and hold the L Button and choose one of the following moves: ACTION COMMAND Jump hook/Slam dunk Fade away jump shot Drop step Control Stick toward basket + B Button Control Stick away from basket + B Button Control Stick to side of direction you want to step + B Button (tap to pump fake) Control Stick in the direction you want to spin and release L Button Drop step, pump fake then tap the Control Stick toward basket and press B Button Spin move from back down "Up and Under" Finger roll/Slam dunk A You can call a timeout from the Pause menu ( p. 20) DEFENSE ACTION COMMAND Move player Switch players (Direction of the Control Stick chooses receiver) Steal Take a charge Control Stick A Button X Button Y Button -8- -9- OFFENSE (PLAYER LOCKED) In Player Lock mode, you control a single position for the entire game rather than controlling the ball handler after every move. When you don't have the ball, use the special controls listed below: ACTION COMMAND EA SPORTS TM FREESTYLE CONTROL Take full command of your players with revolutionary EA SPORTS Freestyle Control. For a detailed description of this feature, be sure to view the EA SPORTS Freestyle Control tutorial video ( p. 31 ). NOTE: For more information on how to use the EA SPORTS Freestyle Stick visit www.nbalive2003.ea.com. Make computer ball handler shoot Call for pass from the computer ball handler Post up Y Button A Button L Button OVERVIEW Basketball is a sport of individual expression and every player has their own style. EA SPORTS Freestyle Control is designed to give you the opportunity to use the exact set of moves that you want to execute at any given time. It lets you bring your style of basketball to the court. NOTE: You can turn Player Lock ON/OFF from the User Profile screen ( p. 24). FREE THROWS Use the T-MeterTM to aim free throws when your player goes to the charity stripe. Set the distance Aim right/left Press the A Button or B Button when the cursor is in the center of the t-meter for best accuracy How it Works When you make a shape using EA SPORTS Freestyle Control (C Stick), a move is played out on the court. Making the same shape will always result in the same move. This means that you can decide exactly which move to use in a specified situation. OFFENSE Every player likes to show off when they have the ball and this is where EA SPORTS Freestyle Control shines best. EA SPORTS Freestyle Control produces moves based on what your player is doing at any given point during a game. However, different moves are performed depending on which hand the ball carrier is holding/dribbling the ball with. Dribbling In Place/Jab Step/Back Step While your player is standing in one place and dribbling the ball, you can execute a basic crossover between the legs. When dribbling with the right hand, tap the C Stick h. The player crosses the ball between his legs to his left hand. If your player is dribbling the ball with his left hand, tap the C Stick f. The player crosses the ball between his legs to his right hand. To perform a jab step, tap the C Stick i. To back step away from a defender, tap the C Stick g. The back step move is a great move to use when you want to create space between yourself and the defender, or to relocate your Player behind the 3-point line for a shot attempt from downtown. -10- -11- Advanced Moves You can perform more advanced moves by moving the EA SPORTS Freestyle Control in more than one direction. These moves take a little bit of practice, but once you get the timing right you will be leaving defenders in the dust. Standing Without Dribbling (Triple Threat) An important part of the game occurs after a player has received a pass or brought down a rebound, but has not yet begun to dribble. At this point, a player is said to be a "Triple Threat" which means he can drive, shoot, or pass--making him extremely hard to defend. There are eight different positions you can maneuver your player into in order to set up for a drive past a defender. To try an advanced move, use a basic crossover to get your player dribbling the ball with his right hand. Without moving, move the C Stick from its centered position g and then h (in the shape of the letter "J" in one smooth motion). The player crosses the ball behind his back from his hand to his left. Example One: Move the C Stick g and hold it there. Your player will step one foot back and palm the ball behind his body. From this position he is set up to drive past a defender to the left or to the right. In order to execute a drive from any of the Triple Threat positions: When dribbling with the right hand, you can also cross the ball in front of the body to the left hand by moving the C Stick i and then h. Cradle Move Each of the crossover moves can be further enhanced with a cradle move. 1. From Triple Threat, hold the C Stick g. 2. Move the Control Stick h or f and hold it there. 3. Release C Stick. Your player executes an aggressive move in the direction you chose with the Control Stick. Each of the eight Triple Threat positions has its own unique drives in either direction for a total of 16 different moves. TIP: If the defense begins to anticipate your moves and starts to back away, tap the C Stick g to execute a step-back dribble and hit the wide-open shot. Now you're a real Triple Threat! Before executing a crossover, move the C Stick from its centered position in the same direction as the hand that is dribbling the ball (i.e., to the right if you are dribbling with your right hand). Next, quickly fire the ball over left by performing any of the three crossover moves described above. NOTE: Any of these moves can be executed in either direction based on which hand is dribbling the ball. TIP: Not everybody is capable of pulling off dribble moves with the same speed and effectiveness as a Jason Kidd, so be sure to try these moves with players of varying abilities. Standing Without Dribbling (In The Post) Another game situation in which the Total Player Control can be used with great effectiveness is in the post. Dribbling On The Run You can execute all of the crossover moves (described above) while your player is in motion. From the Triple Threat position, tap the C Stick i and your player turns his back to the basket. From here you will be able to execute moves similar to those described above. Tapping or holding the C Stick i while you are on the move executes two different spin moves. Tapping the C Stick g executes a hesitation move. A There is also a hidden spin move that only the best players in the league can execute. See if you can figure it out! Linking Moves After you have mastered the moves listed above, link the moves together. Linking moves together is particularly effective when combining Triple Threat drives with "dribbling on the run" crossovers. Spend some quality time in Practice mode and you will realize the staggering number of combinations that can be achieved by linking moves from these two states. -12- -13- DEFENSE Of course, the game experience would be somewhat incomplete if EA SPORTS Freestyle Control were not available to you while you are playing defense. Relative to the arsenal of moves available on offense, the number of defensive moves is much smaller since the primary objective on defense is to prevent your opponent from scoring, however it is a skill that will take some time and effort for you to master. SETTING UP THE GAME Life on the hardcourt begins from the NBA Live 2003 Main menu. MAIN MENU Skip all of the pre-game activities and "Play Now" ( p. 16) Stealing The Ball/Intercepting Passes In order to steal the ball or intercept an errant pass, you will have to pay close attention to which hand you want to use. Get in the game by playing in more advanced game modes ( p. 25) Get the scoop with the Basic EA SPORTS Freestyle Control tutorial ( p. 11) EA SPORTSTM Extras: Get a Season Preview and view game credits NOTE: Default options are listed in bold in this manual. In order to steal with your right hand, tap the C Stick f. To steal using your left hand, tap the C Stick h. Facing Up The Ball Carrier Staying between your man and the basket is no easy feat, especially when that man is someone like Jason Kidd. However, if you use the C Stick and face up your opponent, you may force a turnover or an errant pass. Manage your rosters and take full control of a team or check out player, team, and user stats ( p. 31) Load or save your game, or adjust your user configurations ( p. 33) In order to face up the ball carrier, move and hold the C Stick g. Your player drops into an aggressive defensive stance. From here, you have full mobility with your Player using the Control Stick. TIP: While facing up a ball handler, move the C Stick h or f and quickly Down again without returning it to it's centered position. Your player executes a steal without ever leaving the face up position. EA SPORTS EXTRAS Credits: See who made NBA Live 2003 the best basketball game in the world. Season Previews: Take an inside peek at the all-star lineup from EA SPORTS for 2003. Contesting Shots In order to prevent your player from being aggressively backed down, or to alter an offensive player's shot, hold the C Stick i. Your player raises his arms above his head to contest a shot. From here, you will have full mobility with your player using the Control Stick. This is a great way to decrease your opponent's shooting percentage without putting yourself at risk for getting whistled for a foul like when attempting to block a shot. -14- -15- PLAY NOW-- STARTING AN EXHIBITION GAME Go straight to the court in an Exhibition game between any two teams. To start a Play Now game: SELECT JERSEYS SCREEN Select an "old school" retro jersey to wear for the upcoming game or sport your team's current uniform instead. From the Main menu, highlight PLAY NOW and press the A Button. The Select Teams screen appears. SELECT TEAMS SCREEN Select the teams for the next game. User Controlled team (Player 1) Press the L Button or the R Button to rotate the jersey To choose a throwback jersey, press the Control Pad or Control Stick h or f Press the X Button to navigate the home and away teams Away team Team ranking Home team Press the Z Button to access the Help menu Press start to go to the Quick Settings screen. QUICK SETTINGS SCREEN Setup the basic setting for the upcoming game. Skill Level Press the Y Button to go back to the Main menu Press the B Button to adjust the starting lineups Press the L Button to access the User Profile screen ( p. 24) Set your skill level to ROOKIE, STARTER, ALL-STAR, or SUPERSTAR. The difficulty level increases with each category. Set the quarter length from 2-12 minutes. Default is 5 minutes. Choose one of five camera views: CENTER COURT, SIDELINE, BASELINE LOW, PRESS BOX, or BASELINE HIGH. Quarter Length Camera View Selecting the Teams To run a team for the upcoming game, press the Control Pad or Control Stick h or f and move the Controller icon beside the team logo of the team you wish to control. If a team doesn't have a controller icon positioned beside it, the CPU controls that team. To play with teams other than the defaults (Nets vs. Lakers), highlight the current team logo and press the Control Pad i or g to scroll through the rest of the teams in the league. Press the R Button to select a team at random. Press the L Button to access the Settings screen ( p. 21) Press start to begin the game. User Profiles Keep track of your individual game stats for every contest played with the help of a User Profile. You can create a User Profile by pressing the L Button from the Select Teams screen. For more information, User Profiles on p. 24. Starting Lineup To adjust your starting lineup, press the B Button. For more information, Roster Management on p. 31. Press start to continue on to the Select Jerseys screen. -16-17- ON THE COURT Run the point, dominate the paint, and take full control of your NBA Live 2003 experience. Post up If you want to try one of the new post moves like the "up-andunder" but no one is positioned in the low post, tap the Control Pad f. One of your teammates relocates to the low post and calls for a pass. Get him the ball and get to work! GAME SCREEN If your player is off-screen, an arrow the same color as your control indicator points toward him from the edge of the screen. Press and hold the Control Stick in the opposite direction of the arrow to bring the player on-screen. Pick and Roll If you like to stick to the basics and play old-school ball, run the pick and roll. Press the Control Pad g and one of your teammates sets a pick on your defender and then rolls toward the basket. Blow around the screen with an EA SPORTSTM Freestyle Control move and either take it to the basket, or dish to the roller--the choice is yours. 3-Point Play Controlled Player Game Clock Is the defense showing zone? Or, maybe your three-point specialist is on a hot streak. Either way, pressing the Control Pad i sends three of your teammates out to the perimeter to spot up for a three-point attempt. Swing the ball around and let it fly! TIP: Try combining different Quick Plays for added effectiveness. For example, call an isolation play, and once they have cleared out call for a post up. Now you can run a two-man game against the defense for an easy back down play or a quick kick-out for three. QUICK PLAYS In NBA Live 2003 you can direct traffic on the court with the single touch of a button using the new Quick Play feature. There are four default plays on both offense and defense that give you unprecedented control over what your teammates are doing on the court. DEFENSE Man-to-Man The most common defensive choice in the NBA is man-to-man defense. Every player is assigned a specific player to guard from the opposing team. The man-to-man is a strong defense against outside shooting but is vulnerable to isolation and post up plays. To call a man-to-man defense, press the Control Pad f. Current Play Zone When playing zone defense, players guard a specific area of the court rather than a particular player. The zone is a strong defense against isolations and post up plays but is vulnerable to outside shooting. To call a zone press Control Pad h. Shot Clock OFFENSE Isolation If you want to show off your skills with the EA SPORTS Freestyle Control there is no better way than with the isolation play. Get the ball to a teammate on either side of the court and press the Control Pad h. Your teammates relocate to the opposite side of the court, leaving only you and your man to battle it out to the basket one-on-one. -18- Double Team If you feel one your teammates is having difficulty guarding the ball carrier, press the Control Pad i and one of your teammates will come over and double-team the ball carrier until he shoots or passes the ball. Intentional Foul Use Intentional Foul by pressing the Control Pad Down. Call an Intentional foul when you need to stop the clock late in the game when the score is close. To assign different set plays, Strategy on p. 23 -19- PLAYER ICONS During gameplay, all ball-handlers and user-controlled defensive players are represented with a player icon indicating their skill specialty. Use these players to your advantage. ICON FEATURE/NAME SETTINGS Change your game settings to fit your playing style. A You can also access this screen from the Pause menu. RULES Tweak the rules to enhance your NBA Live 2003 experience. Shoe with wings Lock 3 Ball Hand Big dunker Tight D 3 Point Shooter Shot Blocker Defensive Fouls Offensive Fouls Foul Out Adjust the frequency of defensive fouls called. Adjust the frequency of offensive fouls called. Adjust the number of fouls allowed before a player fouls out of a game. You can set the number of fouls between 0­9. The Default is 6. When ON, you must take a shot attempt before the 24 second shot expires. The ball must, at the very least, hit the rim to be considered a shot attempt. When ON, players can't dribble out of bounds. When ON, the offense can't return the ball to the backcourt after crossing the midcourt line. When ON, players can't take more than two steps without a dribble. When ON, defenders can't block a shot attempt after the ball descends toward the basket. When ON, any defensive player, who is positioned in the 16-foot lane or the area extending 4 feet past the lane endline, must be actively guarding an opponent within three seconds. When ON, offensive players are not allowed to stand in the key for more than three seconds at a time. When ON, you must inbound the ball within five seconds. When ON, you have eight seconds to advance the ball over the half court after inbounding in the backcourt. INDICATORS A Player Indicator--an illuminated blue ring located under the player's feet-- tells you which player you or your opponent is controlling. Shot Clock A A Star Player Indicator represents the team's best player on the floor. PAUSE MENU Access the Pause menu to reset game settings and options, call a timeout, make player substitutions, and more. Out of Bounds Backcourt Violation Traveling Goaltending Defensive 3 Seconds To access the Pause menu, press start at any time during gameplay. Resume Game Home Timeout Return to the current game. Call one of six timeouts per game (home team). The number listed in parentheses changes to reflect the number of timeouts remaining. Call one of six timeouts per game (away team). Go to the bench and sub in some reserves for your starters. ( Team Management on p. 31). Switch the User-Controlled teams mid-game. Away Timeout Substitutions Select Controller Camera Options Settings Stats Central Strategy Instant Replay Rematch Quit Game -20- 3 in the Key Choose your camera view and set your camera options. Adjust the rules and game preferences ( Settings on p. 21). View Player, Team, User Stats and Shot Display for the current game. Set your Team, Offensive, Defensive, or Defensive Matchup Strategy ( Strategy on p. 23). View the action from the last few seconds of the game. Start a new game between the same two teams without exiting out to the Main menu. Abort the current game and return to the Main menu. 5 Second Inbounding 8 Second Half Court -21- PREFERENCES Adjust the preferences to suit your mood or game style. STRATEGY Set the audio mode to STEREO, SURROUND, or MONO. Adjust the volume of the music that plays at menu screens. Adjust the volume of the music that plays during the game. Set volume levels for the play-by-play and analyst commentary. Set your team, defensive, and offensive strategies and your defensive matchups for the game. Audio Mode Menu Music Volume In-Game Music Volume Commentary Volume You can access the Strategy screens from the Pause menu. DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS Set up your defensive assignments when playing man-to-man type defenses. To set a defensive matchups: 1. From the Defensive Matchups screen, highlight the logo of the team (located on the left side of the screen) whose player assignments you want to adjust by pressing the Control Pad or Control Stick h or f. You can only adjust defensive matchups for user-controlled teams. On-Court Speech Volume Set volume levels for the players and their coaches. Sound F/X Volume Arena Volume Automatic Replays Player Cut Sequences Score Overlay Player Indicator Set volume levels for the game and player sound effects. Set volume levels for the arena announcer and the hometown fans. Set the frequency at which highlight plays are shown after made baskets. Determine the amount of non-interactive cut scenes. Toggle continuous score display during gameplay ON/OFF. Select player indicators from NAME, POSITION, NUMBER, POSITION NO., USER NAME, or NONE. 2. Press the X Button to navigate screens. The cursor moves to the opponent's lineup (located on the right side of the screen). 3. While the cursor is highlighting the first player in the opposing team's lineup, press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g and select a player that you wish to edit. Press the A Button and the name of the player will be highlighted. 4. While highlighted, press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g again and move the player to a different row (matching him up with a player from your team) and press the A Button. The players swap places in the lineup. A To change the double team and press assignments, press the L Button or R Button when a player is highlighted. DEFENSIVE STRATEGY Choose and assign different Defensive Strategies or return to the default setup. MORE GAMEPLAY SETTINGS Game Style Choose SIMULATION or ARCADE style. An ARCADE style game has a quicker pace. Simulation style plays more like a real NBA game. OFFENSIVE STRATEGY Choose and assign different Offensive Strategies or return to the default setup. Injuries Fatigue CPU Assistance When set to YES, players can become injured and must be substituted accordingly. When set to YES, players tire and you must substitute accordingly. The default is set to NO. When set to YES, the comeback abilities of the team that is trailing in the game increases. The default is set to NO. Set shot control to USER or CPU. TEAM STRATEGY Set up your team strategies, auto subs, and notifications. Shot Control -22- -23- USER PROFILES Set up a user profile to keep track of your stats, settings, and more. GAME MODES In addition to Play Now (Exhibition mode), you can test your hoops skills in other game modes. You can play a full Season, build a 10-year Franchise, participate in the Playoffs, take on an NBA superstar in 1-on-1 mode, or polish your game in Practice. Press the L Button from the Select Teams menu to access the User Profiles screen. USER PROFILES SCREEN User Profiles Select a user profile to play with. Create New Profile Player Lock Skill Level Create and enter a new profile name. Set to a specific position or choose UNLOCKED to rotate between all positions. Set your skill level to DEFAULT (your skill level is determined by the skill level set in Game Settings), ROOKIE, STARTER, ALL-STAR, or SUPERSTAR. Set shot control to DEFAULT (shot control is determined by the skill level set in Game Settings), CPU, or USER. Toggle the Rumble Feature ON/OFF. Choose between the DEFAULT Controller configuration or three pre-set configurations. For more information, Configure Controller on p. 34 SEASON Play through an entire NBA Season and make a run for the championship. SEASON SETUP SCREEN Press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g to highlight a team in the division Press the A Button to toggle the highlighted team to either CPU or User control To begin a season: Change divisions Set up a CUSTOM or DEFAULT NBA league Set the length of your season Choose a RANDOM or NBA type schedule Press the X Button to navigate the screen Set up a Fantasy Draft Shot Control Rumble Feature Configure Controller To create a user profile: 1. From the Season Setup screen, set up the new season by selecting at least one user-controlled team and selecting the season options, located on the right side of the Season Setup screen ( below). Press start to advance to the Season Settings screen. 1. From the User Profiles screen, press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g to highlight CREATE NEW PROFILE and press the A Button. 2. Enter your profile name and then press the A Button again. When creating a name, press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g to scroll through the alphabet. Press the Control Pad or Control Stick h or f to move to/from the next available space. 2. From the Season Settings screen ( p. 27), adjust your settings and press start to advance to the Season Central screen. 3. From the Season Central screen, start your first game by choosing PLAY GAME. Continue as you would in a Play Now/Exhibition Game ( p. 16). 3. Adjust all your profile options and then press start to accept the settings. SEASON SETUP SCREEN OPTIONS Division Toggle between the PACIFIC, MIDWEST, CENTRAL, and ATLANTIC divisions. League Type When set to DEFAULT NBA, the divisions are aligned as normal. You can also set the League Type to CUSTOM and rearrange the divisions. When League Type is set to DEFAULT NBA, play a 28, 56, or a full 82-game season. When set to CUSTOM, you can play a SHORT, MEDIUM, or LONG season. -25- Season Length -24- Schedule Type When set to NBA, the season schedule is set based on the real 2002-2003 NBA season. You can also set a RANDOM schedule. When set to YES, teams create a custom roster by drafting players from the entire pool of active NBA players. For more information, Fantasy Draft below. SEASON SETTINGS Sim Quarter Length Set the simulated quarter length from 2­12 minutes. Default is 12 minutes. Fantasy Draft Playoff Length Switch teams Modify CPU Rosters Trade Restrictions Trade Deadline Set the Playoff format to a 5-7-7-7, 1-1-1-1, 1-3-3-3, or a 3-5-5-5 game series. When set to YES, you are allowed to change user-controlled teams mid-season. When set to YES, you are able to change the CPU-controlled teams' rosters. When trade restrictions are set to YES, the CPU checks for unfair trades involving its own teams. The trade deadline is enforced when this option is set to YES All trades must take place before a certain deadline. For example, the trade deadline for NBA Live 2003 is in February. When set to YES, the computer prompts users with trade offers. FANTASY DRAFT With this option set to YES, all active NBA players are thrown into a single draft pool. Teams then add players to their rosters in a 12round Fantasy Draft. Once the draft is concluded, the league begins. To run a Fantasy Draft: 1. After you set up your Season or Franchise (with Fantasy Draft option set to YES), press start. The Season/Franchise Settings screen appears. Press start to begin the draft. The Fantasy Draft Order screen appears. CPU Initiated Trades 2. The team listed first is on the clock. A You can reorder the draft positions. To switch, highlight the name of the team that you wish to move and press the A Button. Press the Control Pad and select a new slot in the draft order. Press the A Button again to relocate the team in the new draft spot. SEASON CENTRAL SCREEN Advance to the Select Teams screen and play the next game Simulate the next game on the schedule View the season schedule by month or by team. You can simulate multiple games from here Check out the NBA News, mvp candidates, Season Standings, or Matchup Review Reorder your rosters, trade players, sign and release players, or create or edit a player ( p. 31) View player, team, or user stats, or view league leaders Adjust rules, preferences, and season settings ( Settings on p. 21 or Season Settings above) Load or save your season, settings, profile, or rosters ( p. 33) A You can also press the R Button to randomize the draft order. 3. Press start to begin the draft (The CPU drafts players for CPU-controlled teams). 4. To draft a player from the player pool, highlight a name of the player you wish to select and press the A Button. You can sort players by stats by pressing the B Button. Move through the available players by pressing the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g. Skip the rest of the regular season and begin the playoffs 5. After you select a player, he is added to the team roster and the draft continues. NOTE: To simulate the draft at any time, press start. -26- -27- POST SEASON To start the Playoffs: DRAFT LOTTERY Find out which selection your team will have for the upcoming rookie player draft. The 13 teams that fail to make the playoffs the previous season are thrown into a draft lottery. The league distributes draft positions at random. Although the team with the worst record has a better chance at receiving the number one pick, it's not guaranteed. 1. When all the games on the schedule have been played or simulated, choose BEGIN PLAYOFFS from the Season Central menu and press the A Button. The Playoff Central menu appears. If you jump to the playoffs mid-season, a prompt asks if you are you sure you want to go to the playoffs. Highlight YES and press the A Button. 2. Play or simulate through the playoffs as you would the normal season. 3. When the Playoffs are over, highlight EXIT PLAYOFFS from the Playoff Central screen. The Finals MVP screen, the NBA Champions screen appears. Press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g to view the players stats. Press start to return to the Main menu. RE-SIGN PLAYERS Re-sign your players from last season whose contracts are up. To re-sign a player: From the Re-sign Players screen, press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g to highlight the player to re-sign. Then press the A Button to re-sign him. When you're finished, press start to return to the off season hub screen. FRANCHISE Build a team from the ground up and then manage it from season to season. Setting up a league in Franchise mode is similar to setting up one in Season mode ( Season on p. 25). To change the number of years a player is signed for, press the X Button to highlight the contract length area and then press the Control Pad or Control Stick h or f to adjust the contract length. POST SEASON Once all of the regular season games have been played or simulated, you are prompted to return to the Franchise Central menu. ROOKIE DRAFT Fill your roster spots with NBA rookies who are coming into the league for the first time. To draft a rookie: To start the playoffs, choose BEGIN PLAYOFFS. The Awards screens appear. Awards screens See who won the awards for MVP, Most Improved, Sixth Man, Defensive Player, Rookie, and GM of the Year. You can also see who was named to the All NBA Team, the All Defensive Team, and the All Rookie Team. From the Rookie Draft screen, press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g to highlight a player from the player pool that you want to draft. Press the A Button to add him to your squad. When you're finished press start to advance to the Playoff Central screen. Play through the Playoffs as you would in a Season. When the Playoffs are over, choose EXIT PLAYOFFS from Playoff Central screen and press the A Button. The Finals MVP screen and NBA Champions screen appear. To view the scouting report, press the R Button to get additional information on a rookie player. From the Scouting Report screen, you can view player strengths, weaknesses, and projected draft position. SIGN FREE AGENTS Add a free agent to your team by signing him with a lucrative contract. To sign a free agent: After reviewing the NBA Champions screen, press start to advance to the Off Season Hub screen. 1. At the Sign Free Agents screen, press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g to select a player and then press the A Button. OFFSEASON SCREEN Before you start the next season, build up your team in the offseason by signing free agents, drafting young rookies, and making blockbuster trades. 2. To change the number of years a player is signed for, press the X Button to highlight the contract length area and then press the Control Pad or Control Stick h or f to adjust the contract length. TEAM ROSTER Begin the offseason by reviewing your current team roster. Find out which players are under contract and who may leave via free agency. TRADE PLAYERS For information on trading players, Roster Management on p. 31. RETIRING PLAYERS View the list of players who have decided to hang it up. Here you can view and compare player stats. -28- START NEXT SEASON After all the offseason activities have been completed, start the next season -29of Franchise mode. PLAYOFFS Skip the regular season and participate in a Playoff. EA SPORTS TM FREESTYLE Get a tutorial on the new EA SPORTS Freestyle Control feature. BASIC TUTORIALS Current Playoff settings Receive a tutorial on the basic moves such as jab steps, back steps, crossover dribbles, and more. Conference Playoff Tree TEAM MANAGEMENT Take complete control over your team by managing your rosters. ROSTER MANAGEMENT REORDER ROSTERS Playoff mode works similarly to Season mode. Use the information provided in Season mode ( p. 25) to set up your playoff. To reorder your rosters: 1. From the Reorder Rosters screen, select the team whose roster you want to reorder by pressing the Control Pad or Control Stick h or f. 1 ON 1 Take it to the rim and battle it out 1-on-1 against any of the league's finest players or All-Stars from the past. You can play against All-Stars from the 50's, 60's 70's 80's and 90's. To start a 1 ON 1 game: 2. To move the cursor to the player pool (or back to the team selection bar), press the X Button. 3. From the player pool, press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g to highlight a player to move and then press the A Button. 1. From the 1 on 1 Select Players screen, press the Control Pad or Control Stick h or f to choose a team from the team selector. 4. Press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g to select the second player who will swap places with the first player and then press the A Button. A You can switch the location of 1 on 1 mode to GYM, BEACH, or URBAN. 2. Once the player pool is highlighted, press the A Button to select a player. At the prompt menu, highlight HOME or AWAY and press the A Button. The new player is selected for the next game. 5. When you're finished reordering the roster, press start to accept the change and return to the Roster Management screen. Press the Y Button to cancel the change and return to the Roster Management screen. 3. Follow step 2 above to choose a second player. 4. Press start to advance to the Select Controller screen. Continue from there as you would in a Play Now (Exhibition) game ( p. 16). TRADE PLAYERS To trade players: 1. From the Trade Players screen, select the two teams who will be involved in the trade by navigating between the team selection bars (press the X Button to move the cursor from one side of the Trade Players screen to the other). PRACTICE Practice the new EA SPORTS Freestyle Control moves here! To start a practice: 2. When the team selection bar is highlighted, press the Control Pad or Control Stick h or f to scroll the team rosters. 1. From the Game Modes menu, choose Practice. The Select Player screen appears. 3. Once a team roster is located, press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g to select a player to trade and then press the A Button. The player's name is highlighted and placed on the trading list. To change teams, press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g when the team bar is highlighted. 2. To select a player, press the X Button to highlight the player list and then press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g to cycle through the current team's players. 4. Press the X Button again to jump team rosters. 5. Follow step 3 and then press the B Button to execute the trade. 6. Press start to accept the change and return to the Roster Management screen. 3. Press the A Button to select a player and then press start to advance to the Select Controller screen. Continue from there as you would in a Play Now game ( p. 16). -30- Press the Y Button to cancel the change and return to the Roster Management screen. -31- SIGN/RELEASE PLAYERS To sign or release a player: CREATED PLAYERS LIST View the entire list of created players. You can create up to 50 players at one time. 1. From the Sign/Release Players screen, press the X Button to toggle between the team selection bar and the Free Agent pool. 2. When the team roster or Free Agent list is highlighted, press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g to select a player to sign or release. Press the A Button and the player is either added to the team roster, or released to the Free Agent pool. RESET ROSTERS Cancel all trades, signings, and other transactions and reset all team rosters back to their defaults. STATS CENTRAL View Player Stats, Team Stats, or User Stats. 3. Press start to accept the transaction. Press the Y Button to cancel the change and return to the Roster Management screen. CREATE PLAYER To create a player: OPTIONS Load and save your game file to and from a Nintendo GameCubeTM Memory Card, change your Controller configuration or create a User Profile. From the Create Player screen, highlight one of the create player options and press the A Button. Access Options from the Main menu. SAVING AND LOADING (LOAD/SAVE) Save your game, settings, and roster files to a Memory Card. NOTE: Never insert or remove a Memory Card when loading or saving A From the Bio screen, create a first and last name, select a nickname, a birthdate, and a birth city and state. Highlight DONE and press the A Button when the bio is complete. A From the Info screen, select your player's height, weight, primary and secondary positions, hand, jersey number, former school, and years pro. Highlight DONE and press the A Button when the player info is complete. files. To save a file: A From the Ratings screen, set the slider on a respective attribute between 50­99. The higher the rating, the better the player. Highlight DONE and press the A Button when the player ratings are complete. 1. From the Load/Save menu, press the Control Pad or Control Stick i or g highlight the type of file you want to save. Press the A Button and the save screen appears.