Roundball: artists create a 3D animation, projected in 360 degrees, to promote EA's NBA Live 06.(Electronic Arts Inc.)

electronic arts recently challenged the digital artists at Brickyard VFX to a game of roundball, only the court, the players--and everything else involved--were completely digital.

Electronic Arts wanted an animated piece promoting its EA Sports game title NBA Live 06 that would feature the video game's characters, realistic virtual versions of actual professional basketball players from the NBA as they performed amazing feats on the court in front of a packed arena. And, the presentation had to play out on a large 360-degree screen in front of the gaming industry's most discriminating eyes.

For this project, the name of the game was realism--NBA Live ...