NHL 11 Chat: Gameplay Enhancements & Quick Clips - Hustle Button Announced

[Fiddy]

Re: NHL 11 Chat: Gameplay Enhancements & Quick Clips - Hustle Button Announced

I'm surprised nobody addressed wrist shots in the chat session. I'm hoping that goals have a little more variety this year and are not so predictable. After playing hundreds of games of NHL 10 I seem to score 99% of my goals on cross crease one-timers. I just hope they have tweaked the goalies so that more random types of shots actually score.

THIS.

Honestly, i felt that the goal variety was better in NHL 09. When i played NHL 09 i used Manual AIM and had some great goals scored, unpredictable goals scored etc online and offline. With NHL 10 for me to get that element of surprise that a puck beat the goalie i had to use AUTO AIM. bc all the goals i was seeing on Manual were all the same. This is why NHL 2K8 still gets playing time to this day in my 360. The goal variety is amazing (with the right set of sliders that fit each persons play style).

I cant wait to get my hands on NHL 11, bc it will be a blast, but hoping for more goal variety.

[Qb]

Re: NHL 11 Chat: Gameplay Enhancements & Quick Clips - Hustle Button Announced

The hustle button is something I didn't get a very good feel for at the community event. Notice I'm not saying "I got a bad feeling about it", rather that it was a bit hard to get a handle on as a new control. A lot of us weren't entirely sure how it worked or when to it was best to use it and so on.

I think of it like the push puck you can do when in possession. With push puck, you have to do it in the right situation (eg, behind the defense or lots of open ice) for it to be helpful; if you don't, it's almost automatic that you'll turn the puck over. I think the team is striving for the same kind of balance with hustle. I believe the intention is for straight line puck races like icing touch-ups or dump & chase or trying to get behind the defense for a home run pass. For those that have played hockey, think of when you really dig in, get low, and focus on getting the most powerful stride you can to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. I think that's what they're going for...

I believe we were told it wasn't fully refined in the build we played -- we had a rather early build so a lot of stuff needed more tuning/tweaking -- so it's hard to give a definitive opinion. It was hard to tell when it was in effect... so in other words, it was not a drastic speed burst. We talked a lot about it in our initial feedback session, especially regarding some animations to show the player "hustling", like putting their head down, getting low, or a quicker stride. I expect it to be much more refined by release.

[Money99]

Re: NHL 11 Chat: Gameplay Enhancements & Quick Clips - Hustle Button Announced

I loved hearing how receiving passes really depends on the situation and the players skill.
I just pray it's the same for both the user and the CPU.

[JezFranco]

Re: NHL 11 Chat: Gameplay Enhancements & Quick Clips - Hustle Button Announced

I'm not just getting the "hustle" button thing.....1 click on L3 for a bit of an increase, 2 clicks for more and 3 clicks for full burst....but how do you go back to normal? If I click L3 once do I have to click 3 more times to cycle back to normal?

I think having it mapped to L3 might be a bit awkward.....you'll be pushing forward on L stick to move and if you're like me you might be pushing down hard and accidentally activate it, or not be able to activate it when you want.

I guess we'll see when we get the demo.
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Same thing I'm wondering, I hope you don't have to wait for your energy bar to get depleted to go back to normal speed.

Well my guess is that this is a quick acceleration and speed burst, so it's something that will just be working for a few seconds, so basically you wont have to go "back to normal".
But if... how about just stop pushing your left stick (i.e. slowing down).

[plaidchuck]

Re: NHL 11 Chat: Gameplay Enhancements & Quick Clips - Hustle Button Announced

And the puck physics video... Hmmm... It's hard to tell since it's in slow motion, but like someone already mentioned the puck doesn't seem to have any weight from what I can see. The d-man hits the puck with a light one-handed backhand, and the puck goes into orbit?

But overall, god I want this game right now.

Yeah I didn't feel that video was a very good example of whatever they're trying to do.. although it's cool you can grab the puck in different positions and circumstances this year other than just the overhead grab.

[ericromain]

Re: NHL 11 Chat: Gameplay Enhancements & Quick Clips - Hustle Button Announced

For those that have played hockey, think of when you really dig in, get low, and focus on getting the most powerful stride you can to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. I think that's what they're going for...

Well put. This is exactly why i am sold on this feature (as sold as i can be without seeing video or trying it) It reminds me exactly of hockey's situations where you just need to put your head down pump your legs as hard as you can.

I'm surprised nobody addressed wrist shots in the chat session. I'm hoping that goals have a little more variety this year and are not so predictable. After playing hundreds of games of NHL 10 I seem to score 99% of my goals on cross crease one-timers. I just hope they have tweaked the goalies so that more random types of shots actually score.

I know there's a blogging coming up that they are going to address goal scoring and goalie AI, so the devs in the chat were probably intentionally ignoring these questions.
I agree though, nhl10's were improved in their abilities (smarter, still stupid, but smarter) but that feeling of being able to snipe a goalie when you should was just gone, wristers feel like trying to put a tennis ball through a brick wall. I really hope they put a lot of effort in tweeking last year's improved goalies and player shooting to open up the real opportunities without letting 09's always goals back in.

[sanders]

Re: NHL 11 Chat: Gameplay Enhancements & Quick Clips - Hustle Button Announced

For those that have played hockey, think of when you really dig in, get low, and focus on getting the most powerful stride you can to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. I think that's what they're going for...

This is the problem I have with push puck. Rarely even when you have the puck do you push the push the puck up ahead of you. You extend your stick out in front of you and just guide it on the end of your stick while you dig in, get low and use your other arm to pump. Hustle should be just that whether you have the puck or not. One hand on the stick getting on your horse. Your turning would be limited, you'd get lit up with a check easily and you'd have your stick lifted and checked off the puck eaily.

Push puck is pretty useless because in most of the situations where you'd use it the puck goes to the defense or somewhere you don't want. Take driving wide on a dman and cutting to the net. You can't because push puck will push the puck all the way to the corner. If you could use hustle to brielfly burst outside the dman and keep control then try to protect puck and cut to the net I will be very happy becaue that is a staple of the forwards that really isn't translated well in past NHL games.

[MizzouRah]

Re: NHL 11 Chat: Gameplay Enhancements & Quick Clips - Hustle Button Announced

The "hustle" had me excited until I read about it.. doubt I'll ever use it.

They should do it like NCAA and Madden where your player automatically bursts when the need arises, who's going to click buttons in a split second?

[KraZe]

Re: NHL 11 Chat: Gameplay Enhancements & Quick Clips - Hustle Button Announced

The "hustle" had me excited until I read about it.. doubt I'll ever use it.

They should do it like NCAA and Madden where your player automatically bursts when the need arises, who's going to click buttons in a split second?

I think you're underestimating it, to be honest. Once you get used to having that ability available to you, and you pick off a pass and see you have open ice between you and the other end of the ice, it'll become instinctive to use it and get the jump on the defense.

[akula]

Re: NHL 11 Chat: Gameplay Enhancements & Quick Clips - Hustle Button Announced

The "hustle" had me excited until I read about it.. doubt I'll ever use it.

They should do it like NCAA and Madden where your player automatically bursts when the need arises, who's going to click buttons in a split second?

it's right on the same stick you are already using to skate around.. need a hustle? push down. seems intuitive enough

[Whammer]

Re: NHL 11 Chat: Gameplay Enhancements & Quick Clips - Hustle Button Announced

I think that 'hustle' should cancel as soon as you have possession of the puck. This would prevent accidental activation when you're pushing down hard on the LS. Hustle should just be used to win races for the puck. When you've got the puck you have push puck to get a little speed and separation.
Hopefully EA reads this post.

[MizzouRah]

Re: NHL 11 Chat: Gameplay Enhancements & Quick Clips - Hustle Button Announced

I think you're underestimating it, to be honest. Once you get used to having that ability available to you, and you pick off a pass and see you have open ice between you and the other end of the ice, it'll become instinctive to use it and get the jump on the defense.

I hope you're right...

[MizzouRah]

Re: NHL 11 Chat: Gameplay Enhancements & Quick Clips - Hustle Button Announced

it's right on the same stick you are already using to skate around.. need a hustle? push down. seems intuitive enough

I'll have to see how it is while playing.. just seems like alot of different button combos in this years game.

[RealmK]

Game looks great imo. I think people need to keep in mind this is year 1 of the physics additions, its not going to be 100% where they want it to be in one cycle. So is the downside of having to put out a yearly title.
I'm sure the game will have its quirks that will be improved upon within the next couple cycles.

What I'm more interested in to be honest is what, if any, improvements have been made to the presentation aspect, be it overlays, or some form of other game highlights/box scores viewable, or a weekly wrapup show ala madden 10.

The game is fairly solid as it is and the addition of real time physics is really the next step to make it actually reach that next level of "Next Gen" we expected going into this cycle of consoles in the first place. It took a while, but I think the next couple years as developers really tap into the potential of the current crop of systems is going to be pretty interesting for sports games and the industry on the whole.

[Whammer]

Re: NHL 11 Chat: Gameplay Enhancements & Quick Clips - Hustle Button Announced

I think people need to keep in mind this is year 1 of the physics additions, its not going to be 100% where they want it to be in one cycle. So is the downside of having to put out a yearly title.
I'm sure the game will have its quirks that will be improved upon within the next couple cycles.

There really is no reason for this. You don't just "put" something into a game without working the bugs out. Physics should've been something that they've been working for a couple of years and now it's to the point that it can be added into the game without it being a "work in progress".
NHL 11 should not be a "test" game to see how real time physics works.

I love the NHL series but you can't just give EA free passes for why the game might not be top level. People have been doing this for years with Madden and that game franchise has turned to crap.