Interview with Da Czar

Its not often we have the opportunity to sit with legends in the SIM community, but recently we had the chance to add to our Community Interview Series with none other than the head honcho of SIM Nation...Da Czar! In this candid interview he goes into what 2K Covers he's spending money on, the importance of online play, how SIM Nation started, his feelings about the prospect of no Legends online and why its important to remember that while animations may die a pixelated death; Strategy Lives FOREVER.

He really needs no introduction, so lets get into 20 Questions with the man who gave us classics like Twas The Night Before 2K7


1. For those living under a rock for the past few years and who just today, emerged; tell us who The Czar is.

Tough question. I guess, I'm just an advocate for Sim gaming. I started out making post on Operation Sports and that grew into making videos. Then i became a Video Editor for OS and worked on exclusive projects for both EA and 2K Sports.

I might be best known for my Battleground series, where I went into extreme detail to show the differences between the games in an unbiased clinical manner. Not sure who else was doing it but I started using the term SimNation a few years ago and it kind of stuck.  I noticed that there are dedicated fans of each genre who desperately want gaming decisions to be made based on the sport attempting to be replicated and not just based on a video game response. I think we have more influence and power if we band together. We may have many interpretations of what SIM is but at the end of the day we don't want to play NBA Jam 2K12 either. LOL

2. You recently made the trip to Basketball Mecca, 2K Headquarters. Give us some details!
Yes, I was blessed again to make it out to 2k. I always enjoy my trips to 2k because their dev team is so passionate about the game of basketball, and they seem to understand that as often as possible when a direction can be chosen, it should be based on the actual sport. I cant tell you how many times well be talking about something, and someone will grab a coaches clip board and start drawing it out.

3. What 2K Cover is the Czar spending his cash on?
I'll be getting a Jordan and a Magic. There are no Celtics fans allowed in our household.

4. The abuse of the pump-fake has been a facepalm issue for some time now, any chance its balanced with more consequences this year?
Definitely more balanced with the ball being live if the defender gets a hand on it while your pump faking he can knock it out. Also, they even tell you in training camp mode that too many pump fakes can cause you to lose possession of the ball.

5. After referring to the newest Insight, were referred to our Necessary Fixes List http://tinyurl.com/3jtspd8 to find many of our issues resolved. Was there anything 2K missed from "your list"?
Practically everything I brought up while there received some attention. That's another thing to love about 2k. If it was possible to fix or adjust in the given time period they went at it with reckless abandon. You have to respect that. That said, time is the master of all things when developing a game. So some things will always need more love and attention then they received in any given development cycle.

6. You know what many 2K players want to hear about, any chance we'll see a Robust Online Setup this year?
I don't have the same amount of contacts with the online team as I do in other areas of the game.  All I can say is that it was worked on. I guess we'll have to wait until October to see what that means.

7. What are the implications of deep strategic options like how our defenders react on Pick & Rolls and being able to TRULY crash the boards or lock down the paint?

The more strategic elements added to a basketball game equals a bigger advantage to those who understand the sport. So that a person who's stick skills have deteriorated but who's knowledge is superior can still have a shot at winning versus someone with superior stick skill.

Replay value. Animations can get old but strategy lives forever.

8. We've prayed for a way for perimeter players to affect shots without attempting blocks for some time (a middle ground so to speak) what's your opinion of the Contest Animations this year?
The mechanics behind the shot contest are much improved. Most of the issues people had with the shot contest were with the two player animations. So this meant regardless of your stick input, your player will contest or block based on animation. This year, its totally in your control. While I think it could be better, its definitely better than what we had last year.

9. Any chance we see more shooting fouls this year? What's your take on the current amount?

I noticed a few more but to really tell it's going to take more time with the game.

10. Too many steals from pass deflections made the game a little sloppy last year, any chance we'll see more passes deflected out of bounds this year?

I don't know about passes deflected out of bounds but you'll see less psychic defenders.

11. Pastapadre reported earlier today that Classic teams won't be available online, if true, whats your take on this?

If true, it's a blunder of magnanimous proportions. lol.

12. One of the concerns we still have is Perimeter Mismatches, any chance we see the ability to make "bigs" back up for jumpers or draw blocking fouls with players like Chris Paul this year?
This is definitely improved this year. Smaller quicker players have the ability to explode and people are finding in the demo it's difficult to stay in front of guys like Wade and Lebron with slower players. Again another strategical element.

13. Watching the KonsoleKingz footage with Kevin Hart http://tinyurl.com/3as5g7m we were amazed by the things he mentioned were good or improved. He sounded like a hardcore guy! Has 2K's true SIM-style gameplay educated their fanbase to that extent?

I think you have those that are unaffected by the sim quotient of the gameplay. They are from Wisconsin and they like the state. There are others who are learning more about the beauty of the strategy of the game due to the content in NBA 2K. Let's face it. gamers don't stop gaming as they get older. When they do they want something worth staying up late after the wife and kids go to bed. To do that you have to make games that actually make you think.

14. Zones are always hotly debated in 2K for being too effective, what's your opinion of them this year?

The zone logic was finally updated this year. It also includes a blue circle to let the user l know what his area of responsibility is. Only time will tell how much the zones have improved this year.

15. Madden's new Community feature really set a high standard for online play, any chance we'll see 2K let people play "their way" on a larger scale?

Before they get fancy, they first have to show that they can let people play. lol. After that we can be concerned with getting it your way.

16. While we LOVE the idea of the Shot-Stick, last year outside shots went in at a higher rate by button-pressing and we still see the "2 Foot Jumper" at times, any chance it'll be more intuitive by better distinguishing between times we want to pull up or continue to the basket this year?

Shot stick felt great to me. Again this is another time will tell issue, but if there was ever a year to leave the button, this is it. The amount of moves available on the shot stick is unparallelled.

17. What legend is getting the most PT on your PS3/360?

All of them. This is a brilliant mode and I had a blast every time I played with the legends. Legends are the gift that keep on giving, because today's current players are tomorrows legends.

18. Why can't we draw fouls by initiating contact with airborne defenders yet? It seems like the Shot-Stick was MADE for that, no?

Sounds like an excellent question for Mike Wang.

19. Earlier we wrote about Shot-blocking and Steals having balance http://tinyurl.com/3jwmng8 should we be concerned?

Shot blocking and steals are the best they've been in a series. Doesn't mean they cant still improve but it is a noticeable upgrade. At the end of the day that's all you can ask for.

20. The Floor's yours: Anything you want SIM Nation to know or speak on is cool with us.
I just want to say thank you. To the members of the Nation and people who support the movement in general. Most importantly, you have to ride with who's riding with you. 2k12 may not be the game you want it to be yet, but its clearly headed in a Sim direction. Just ask the guys who are salivating over the thought of what NFL 2k12 could be; if they wished they had supported the game more when it was around. So direction and not perfection should be what we as a collective, base our decision of support on. Keep your eye out for my Play of the Day sometime this week, and in depth team break downs after the games release this year at daczar.blogspot.com. And of course, Don't Play Video Games, Play Basketball!