Three Keys: NHL 16 - Operation Sports

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Three Keys: NHL 16

Submitted on: 12/01/2014 by Chris Sanner

In what might be an understatement: EA Sports’ NHL series didn’t have a good year. Some other words you could use for this last year could include disaster, fiasco, or wreck.

NHL 16 will have so many things to work on, coming up with just three keys for the game to succeed is a pretty tough chore. Nonetheless, here are three keys for next year’s game which will make it a competitive game with the rest of the sports genre:

1. Feature Parity with Last-Gen. EASHL, a full single player experience, and the rest of the options you had come to expect from NHL need to simply return. There’s no excuse, this was a gaping hole in the series last year.

2. Goalies/Net Play needs to be improved. Play around the net and the goalies in particular need to become a lot more dynamic. There are other various areas within the gameplay which need addressing, but the ability to score shots in a more realistic manner — and have goalies stop shots more realistically — would result in the biggest leap possible with the gameplay.

3. Make the Presentation Next-Gen. This year’s improvements to presentation were good, but there’s nothing overly special about the actual presentation versus any of the game’s peers in our genre. The commentary needs to continue to improve and the camera wipes, etc. need a bit of help still.

What do you think needs to be done to bring the EA NHL series back to the top of the world?

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Member Comments

# 1 MDgolf @ 12/01/14 10:01 AM

I think the gameplay itself is excellent. I have been wearing headphones while playing and the sounds are great. I agree that presenatation especially within GM mode needs to immerse itself better with what is happening. Take a note from NBA 2K.

# 2 AdamJones113 @ 12/01/14 10:07 AM

No way, I totally disagree with this, what NHL 16 needs is HUT upgrades, Big Head 3-on-3 hockey and Zamboni Racing... NOT.

Frankly I'd prefer to see Nos. 1 and 2 switched around in levels of importance (as I'm sure most in this forum know I would), but I think you've definitely linked #1 with EA's #1. Good list.

# 3 csamuelsvt @ 12/01/14 11:13 AM

This game needs to completely revamp the goaltending.

Signature Goalie Styles would be incredible. Make all of them play like their counterparts.

# 4 GrandMaster B @ 12/01/14 11:13 AM

Stats, stats and more stats during games and EASHL.

# 5 menloe24 @ 12/01/14 11:41 AM

I am really enjoying this years game. The commentary could be much better - but I love the NBC presentation. I think the game is AWESOME!

# 6 menloe24 @ 12/01/14 11:42 AM

More games need the network style presentation - NCAA Basketball '10 set the standard in this.

# 7 Cycloniac @ 12/01/14 12:17 PM

1. Probably biased since I've done alot of work in this area, but: custom music needs to return. Definitely increases replayability and uniqueness of arenas.
2. Way too many bugs; this HAS to be addressed going forward.
3. Offline modes need to become more of a focus instead of being placed on the back burner. BAGM mode hasn't been substantially improved in atleast 4 years. BAP/Live The Life was always rushed and incomplete.
4. There needs to be more physicality than just big hits and fights.

# 8 Simple Mathematics @ 12/01/14 01:07 PM

Take a look at the thread titled "What are YOUR game-changing ideas?" for my keys to NHL 16, along with some other people's ideas. But in addition to those, the major key I see is for them to not add zamboni races or 3 on 3 big head hockey and focus on simulation NHL-style hockey. And revamp BaGM.

Oh, did I say revamp? Let us have our custom rosters back!

# 9 MizzouRah @ 12/01/14 01:41 PM

I'm a BeaGM player..

1. More immersion.. stat pop ups during the game, between period score board with scores from around the league, talk about the last game played vs X team if it applies, rankings for PP's, PK's, stat leaders, starting lineup overlays, more injury information, plus who's scratched for each team, etc..

2. Better net play from the goaltenders, but I don't want brick walls either.

3. Better D awareness, especially from CPU AI players on your team.

4. Team and player differences, I should know when Kane or Tarasenko is on the ice as well as if I'm playing the Kings or Edmonton.

5. Would like to see coach movement too with their styles of play when they take over another team.

# 10 Syce @ 12/01/14 02:31 PM

sadly a lot of things we want wont happen atleast for several versions of the game with a few here and there added each year IF they do add them. the problem is they just dont have the man power to add what we all want. which is why it will ALWAYS fly low in the background, simply because the development team size is just not as large as the other sports games.

# 11 canucksss @ 12/01/14 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cycloniac


	3. Offline modes need to become more of a focus instead of being placed on the back burner. BAGM mode hasn't been substantially improved in atleast 4 years. BAP/Live The Life was always rushed and incomplete.

YES....if EA ignore again BaGM offline....Im avoiding this game like a DISEASE.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sycecg


	sadly a lot of things we want wont happen atleast for several versions of the game with a few here and there added each year IF they do add them. the problem is they just dont have the man power to add what we all want. which is why it will ALWAYS fly low in the background, simply because the development team size is just not as large as the other sports games.

I am sorry but I just hate people giving excuses for EA...not much man power etc. Then why not just produce this game every other year? No my friend, EA dont care $#!7 for gamers...all they need is easy bucks. Can you imagine the EA asking us to a bs survey as if they are really interested IN OUR OPINION? ( http://www.operationsports.com/forum...-nhl-16-a.html ) I bet that zamboni will be in plus the big heads in NHL 16, which IMO reflects the ego of these people in charge with NHL franchise.

If they have a real issue in terms of less man power and limited budget, they why not just improved on the modes that they already have? BaGM, BaP/LVF, EASHL, and HUT. Instead of creating other modes in the game.

# 12 GlennN @ 12/01/14 04:21 PM

1) Improve BeAGM mode - no real improvements, if any, since NHL 10

2) Improve stat tracking, including tracking of awards and teams played for (again, no improvement since NHL 10)

3) Make a faceoff slider that works. I HATE the faceoff system in NHL 14 and 15. Yeah, I am not a skilled player. I also don't want to waste gaming time practicing faceoffs. Let me make them easier. Frankly, this was the biggest dealbreaker for me with NHL 14, and what sent me, once again, back to 10.

# 13 Sub_ZERO2777 @ 12/01/14 07:07 PM

All I want is revamped BeAGM built form the ground up how long will it take for them to that us be able to give contract extension to players or fix the drafting system

# 14 Syce @ 12/01/14 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canucksss


	YES....if EA ignore again BaGM offline....Im avoiding this game like a DISEASE. I am sorry but I just hate people giving excuses for EA...not much man power etc. Then why not just produce this game every other year? No my friend, EA dont care $#!7 for gamers...all they need is easy bucks. Can you imagine the EA asking us to a bs survey as if they are really interested IN OUR OPINION? ( http://www.operationsports.com/forum...-nhl-16-a.html ) I bet that zamboni will be in plus the big heads in NHL 16, which IMO reflects the ego of these people in charge with NHL franchise. If they have a real issue in terms of less man power and limited budget, they why not just improved on the modes that they already have? BaGM, BaP/LVF, EASHL, and HUT. Instead of creating other modes in the game.

dont you see, they removed modes because they didnt have the man power to fix them and make them better, they basically put all their manpower into presentation. Why do you think they had to add modes later after release? because they didnt have the manpower to implement them for the release of the game. besides im not defending EA at all, they took out the only true mode i enjoyed GMC.

# 15 mayers911 @ 12/01/14 07:18 PM

i'm 100% agree for zambonis

# 16 BaylorBearBryant @ 12/01/14 09:18 PM

Bring back EASHL and fix the physics for online team play.

# 17 ericromain @ 12/02/14 01:44 AM

I don't think NHL15 has been a disaster. Gameplay is solid and the rinks look great. I think the content of the between minute 0 and minute 60 are what matter most.

I think NHL16 needs to have all content added back. Manual control goalies in shootouts, action tracker with full replay integration are what i miss outside of game modes. Custom music.
Then all missing modes need to be added back to last gen quality.
Even HUT is kinda of a thin mode.

What's new is needed?
Goalies need updating. True performance skating a couple of years ago drastically improved the form of the players, their form looks like a real hockey player now, but the goalies need the equivalent. Their form, the way they flop and push off, they way they skate and handle the puck are looking particularly old.

I want more customization: Roster sharing. An improved team creator that lets you recreate real uniforms and share them. Custom board ads. Custom faces.

# 18 Inflict @ 12/02/14 04:09 AM

Number 1 and 2 are a given, but Number 3 isn't really an issue for me. Presentation is great with authentic arenas and goal horns and a new commentary team. However, Doc E. doesn't really give a good performance and hopefully some of his lines can be re-recorded.

What needs to be improved is board play. Its horrendous. It's been the same since they implemented it last gen (albeit with less suction) and it's just too predictable. Once you are pinned, you can't protect the puck at all and you are forced to pass it immediately as you will get no help from your AI teammates (they stay 10 feet away from you at all times) and the opposing team will always poke it away and gain possession. Also, protecting the puck (X on PS4) is way too powerful along the boards. Your checks almost always bounce off the player and pinning them to the boards requires extremely precise precision. They need to increase the radius again and provide more animations to board play. There should be situations where you almost pin them, but the player escapes but is slowed down or draws a penalty. Chipping the puck along the boards should also have a shorter/faster animation.

One more major feature they need to implement is to allow stick on stick or stick on player collisions. No more canned stick lift animations (it should not be predetermined), no more of the stick clipping through players and other player's sticks (though I am not apposed to the clipping that happens through your own goalies net. AI and player positioning is not yet good enough to compensate for a realistic approach).

When all is said and done, I do still love the gameplay. Puck physics, stick handling and skating (for the most part) are perfect. Passing could be better (can't control pass speed, make short passes in front or beside you or control which player receives the pass if there are 2 or more players in the same passing lane) but it's better than the previous gen. Defense is good, but the pokecheck is slightly too effective. A pokecheck during a shot animation should not result in a whiffed shot. It should be a deflection.

I could write a ton of things that need to be fixed, but I definitely think they have a great foundation to build upon. Can't wait for NHL 16.

PS. I agree with a previous poster that Action Tracker needs to come back. A very underrated feature and one of the best replay systems in all of sports.

# 19 Smirkin Dirk @ 12/02/14 04:10 AM

The more player and team differentation, the better.

Custom rosters are a must.

# 20 headzapp @ 12/02/14 07:37 AM

EASHL wasn't left out because they didn't want it in. I thought the team got butchered to help with ufc. So yes it will be in next year. Better goalies would be nice. I love the presentation and for a year one attempt it's great, and will get better.
My only gripes are in bagm some games the goalie stats are all zeros. I'd like to have total goals for the player who scored. like a player scores in game have it say goal Tarasenko 1 (12) assist Jackman (5) Schwartz (8). Little things like that. Different stadium announcers for teams, and since we have legit stadiums mostly have legit stadium sounds. Like the cartman thing for L.A., and the ONE TWO THREE chant for how many goals there are when the Blues score and so on. Have reverse hits, board play, defensive sticks where you can chop down on players with the pucks to make it harder for them to get away. Physics where the sticks don't go through everything. Goalie mask customization. Give us colors and team stickers and designs to make masks close to the real things. and have a vault to download others masks , and roster vaults for the nhl, and ahl teams.

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