Monday 19 September 1997.

As of now, even though debates continue in the media between anti-video game and pro-video game advocates, Zaboru himself is not overly concerned. The controversy, while still active in headlines and talk shows, has largely stabilized, and he considers the situation under control. With that matter settled for the time being, Zaboru has shifted his focus back to what he believes truly matters—game development. Specifically, he's turned his attention to one of his elite teams at ZAGE USA: Team Enigma.

Team Enigma has just completed development on one of their headline projects—Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. The project wrapped up smoothly and on schedule, with the game set to release this coming Saturday. The process had been remarkably efficient, with no major setbacks or delays, which left the team energized and confident.

Now, with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater in the final stages before launch, Team Enigma finds itself with some breathing room. Despite already being deep into development on Nascar Rumble, which is planned for an October release, and Spider-Man, scheduled to drop in December, the team is prepared to take on more. This is thanks to the internal structure and efficiency of ZAGE's studio system, which allows each of its teams to handle up to three games in active development simultaneously. It's a testament to their capability, organization, and experience, and a reflection of the high expectations Zaboru places on his staff. He believes in pushing creative limits, and Team Enigma is proving they are more than ready for it.

Zaboru then summoned John Romero and the lead members of Team Enigma to the main meeting room—an expansive space adorned with sketches, whiteboards, and display monitors often used for planning and brainstorming new ideas at ZAGE. This meeting, however, carried a different kind of energy. There was something special in the air, and everyone could feel it.

As the team filed in and took their seats, Zaboru stood at the head of the room with his usual calm but charismatic presence. He gave them all a confident nod before speaking. "Good morning, everyone. As you can see, Team Enigma has flawlessly executed one of its core tasks—developing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater—and I want to personally congratulate each and every one of you for your incredible work."

He paused as a wave of applause broke out across the room. The team members exchanged grins and nods, excited not only by the praise but also by what was coming next. At ZAGE, game launches were always celebrated, and bonuses were a tradition whenever a game shipped on time.

Zaboru raised his hand to quiet the room, smiling. "The game is set to launch this Saturday. Not only are we confident in its success, but we've already seen early previews generating positive buzz in both print media and gaming circles. That's all thanks to your effort. Your work ethic, your passion, your discipline—it's setting the bar for what we do here at ZAGE."

He gestured to a large screen that displayed the Tony Hawk logo spinning slowly over gameplay footage. "Enjoy this moment. You've earned it. But now, I have something new for you. Something big."

"Well, I know you all still have two major tasks on your plate," Zaboru began, pacing slowly in front of the projector screen. "But here at ZAGE, we don't settle. We push ourselves, always. That's our identity. As you already know, I expect each team to juggle three game developments at a time—not just to meet deadlines, but to stretch our creativity, our technology, and our ambition."

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle in.

"Which brings me to your third assignment," he continued, his voice taking on a hint of excitement. "This next project isn't just another game. It's special. Because for the first time ever, ZAGE is stepping into the world of sports on the ZEPS 3 console. We're opening a new frontier."

A murmur of curiosity swept through the room.

Zaboru grinned wide and stepped aside as an assistant handed out a sleek black folder to each person in the room. Gold lettering stamped across the front read: NBA Live 98.

As the team opened their folders, eyebrows rose and heads tilted forward in interest.

"Yes, this will be our very first sports title for the ZEPS 3 console, and our first basketball game as well. It also acts as a spiritual and mechanical sequel to NBA Live 1995, which we released two years ago in 1995. Even though the upcoming NBA season will likely already be underway by the time our game hits shelves—probably sometime around October or November—we're aiming for a release at the end of March or early April next year. And no, it doesn't matter if the season is already in progress. That's not the point," Zaboru said, his voice calm but full of conviction.

He looked around the room at the curious and focused expressions of the team. "What I want with this release is to create a foundation—a framework upon which we'll build our future NBA titles. This isn't just a one-off. This is the beginning of something long-term. I plan for ZAGE to release an NBA game every year if we can manage it, or at the very least, every two years without fail. We're not here to dip our toes in. We're here to plant our flag."

Everyone around the table was caught off guard but clearly energized by the announcement. Whispers of excitement and a buzz of ambition filled the room as the gravity of the task ahead started to settle in.

The meeting participants flipped through the folders, intrigued by the choice of cover art: an image of Michael Jordan mid-air, delivering a powerful slam dunk. Most of them exchanged curious glances, wondering about the decision. Among them, John Romero—an avid NBA fan—finally spoke up.

"Boss, why is Michael Jordan on the cover?" he asked with genuine curiosity. "Why not someone like Magic Johnson? Or Larry Bird?"

Zaboru smiled, folding his arms as he leaned casually against the table. "Well," he began with a chuckle, "I could say it's because I love the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan, but that would be too easy." He grinned wider. "I'm joking, of course—it's not just personal bias."

He straightened up and gestured toward the folder. "Look, Magic Johnson might win MVP this season, sure. He's had a great run. But who's right behind him? Michael Jordan. And not just statistically. The guy is young, driven, explosive on the court, and he's becoming a global icon. I genuinely believe he has unlimited potential. He's not just the right face for this game—he's the future of basketball."

John Romero let out a small sigh and nodded. "You're probably right."

Zaboru squinted at him, amused. "You're a Lakers fan, aren't you?"

John shrugged with a sheepish grin. "Yeah… born and raised in Los Angeles. No offense though—Jordan's a phenomenal player. I'll give you that."

Zaboru laughed heartily. "It's fine, Rom. I'd be disappointed if you weren't loyal to your hometown team."

The room chuckled, and the moment helped ease any remaining tension. Zaboru then picked up a remote and motioned toward the screen. "Alright, let's keep going."

"Anyway," Zaboru said, turning back to the team, "we're going to go far beyond what NBA Live 95 has offered in the past. This won't be just an update—it will be a complete reimagining. First off, the graphics must be superb. I want this game to fully utilize the ZEPS 3's capabilities and really push the console's limits. We're talking next-level rendering, smooth character animations, detailed courts, lifelike lighting—everything that makes people say, 'Wow, this is what the future of sports games looks like.'"

He clicked a new slide on the projector showing early concept art and player models. "We'll also focus heavily on individual player detail. Every player, especially the stars, must have specific skills that mirror their real-life abilities. This is where we make our mark. Skill mechanics won't be generic; they'll be custom-fit."

He pointed at Magic Johnson's stats on the screen. "Take Magic Johnson for example—he's known for his incredible passing vision. In our system, he'll have a skill called 'Dime.' When he passes the ball, it will temporarily boost his teammate's scoring stats, increasing the chances of a successful shot. These aren't gimmicks. They're mechanics that reflect real-world traits in a way gamers can feel."

The room lit up with interest. Heads nodded. Some were already jotting notes.

"And this won't be limited to just Magic," Zaboru continued. "Larry Bird might have a 'Deadeye' skill for sharp perimeter shots. Jordan might have an 'Air Master' for dynamic mid-air moves. We'll create a full library of signature skills tailored to real legends. And down the line, we'll even adapt them to rising stars and newcomers. This is the kind of innovation that'll make NBA Live 98 stand out for years."

Everyone was clearly invested now. The energy in the room was shifting—from curiosity to ambition.

"Gameplay-wise, we need to improve significantly as well," Zaboru said, pacing slowly in front of the screen. "The first step is introducing a Release Method system. This system will measure the timing and quality of a player's shot—essentially showing how well the player is executing their shooting form. For the initial version, every player will share the same generic release, but in the future, we plan to personalize it. Each player's release animation will be unique, reflecting their real-life form and rhythm."

He paused, letting the idea land, and then continued with more intensity. "But we won't stop there. We'll expand our animation systems across the board. Layups? We need variation—more angles, more momentum-driven motion, maybe even player-specific styles. Dunks? Same thing. We need a wide library of dunk types, including contact dunks, fast-break dunks, signature dunks. Our goal is to make every movement on the court feel fluid, dynamic, and grounded in reality."

Zaboru clicked to the next slide, which showed early sketches of motion-captured player movements. "To make this happen, we may need to bring in real NBA players. Hire them. Bring them into our ZEN Motion Capture studio. Get the actual moves—crossovers, spin layups, euro steps, jump shots—recorded with high accuracy. We want authenticity, not just flashy gameplay. Real mechanics, real movement, real basketball."

John Romero was already practically bouncing in his seat, grinning with excitement. He could see it—the possibilities, the vision. And he wasn't alone. The rest of the room was now fully tuned in, absorbing every word.

"Next, we're going to expand on the strongest modes that already existed in NBA Live 1995—specifically MyCareer and MyTeam," Zaboru said, as he advanced to a new slide showcasing concept art for the updated menus. "These were fan favorites, and this time, we're taking them to an entirely new level."

"In MyCareer," he continued, "we're going to add immersive narrative elements. Players will experience moments like real post-game interviews with reporters. We'll build a dynamic system for character reputation and personality traits, where every decision on and off the court impacts how fans, coaches, and even sponsors see you. Whether you're humble or arrogant, a team player or a lone wolf—it'll shape your journey."

The room listened intently as he stepped to the next image on the screen. "We're also implementing what we're calling the 'Grind System.' Instead of just allocating points, players will now earn Training Points. These can only be obtained through active gameplay—by completing in-game objectives, winning matches, and doing practice drills. The idea is to make development feel rewarding. Players will feel excited and motivated to grind for their custom character's progress."

Zaboru then shifted to the MyTeam section. "Now, for MyTeam, the foundation will remain familiar, but we're adding depth. A major new feature will be a more aggressive and realistic player market. Star athletes will switch teams frequently during seasons, influenced by performance, morale, and financial deals. It will mirror the chaos of real-life trades. As seasons progress and years pass, most real NBA players will retire, and the league will be organically replenished by computer-generated rookie classes, each with unique stats, potential, and backstories."

"We want every mode to feel alive," Zaboru concluded. "Like a living, breathing league where every decision and performance leaves a lasting impact."

Everyone was in awe. The level of ambition, vision, and technical innovation Zaboru had just laid out was far beyond what most expected. The energy in the room felt electric. There was no doubt among the team—this was going to be something special.

As the applause and chatter began to settle down, Zaboru took a step back from the projector and gestured toward the floor. "Alright," he said, "let's open up the floor for some Q&A. I want to hear your thoughts, concerns, or any ideas you might want to contribute."

John Romero was the first to raise his hand. "Boss, for the MyCareer mode, are we going to have branching storylines depending on our player's choices? Like, say if the player chooses to be selfish and not pass often, would that impact their reputation or even get them benched?"

"Exactly," Zaboru said with a nod. "That's what we're aiming for. Player decisions—on and off the court—will ripple through the career path. The way you play, the way you interact with media, teammates, and even coaches, all of that will matter."

One of the engineers raised his hand. "Will we be building a new animation engine for this? Especially with the addition of all those unique player motions and shot types?"

Zaboru turned to him. "Good question. We're not rebuilding from scratch, but we are creating a modular layer on top of our current engine. That way we can plug in new animation sets and scale the system without breaking the old frame work of our Unreal Engine Z3"

Another team member, a lead environment artist, chimed in. "Any chance we'll be allowed to travel for reference? Maybe even attend NBA games?"

Zaboru chuckled. "I thought someone might ask that. We'll look into it. If it helps the art team recreate stadiums with more authenticity, it's definitely on the table."

John Romero leaned forward again. "Will there be classic teams or retro players we can unlock?"

"We're talking about it," Zaboru replied. "If we can sort out the licensing, then yes. There's a lot of potential there for bonus content, especially for fans of 80s and 90s basketball."

The questions kept coming, and the answers only deepened everyone's excitement and Team Enigma itself are really excited with this task.

After the meeting, Zaboru returned to his office with a clear sense of satisfaction. For him, this moment marked a significant milestone—ZAGE's long-anticipated expansion into the sports genre was finally underway. The foundation had been set, the direction was clear, and the excitement was real.

Meanwhile, over at Sonaya, spirits were high as well. The team was celebrating their own upcoming release: a brand new football title for their GameStation 32-bit console. They thought that they would rise again with the newest sport title. Little did they know that ZAGE is now releasing their sports game too.

To be continue

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