NHL 11 Ultimate Hockey League Q&A

[RaychelSnr]

We recently had a chance to speak with NHL 11 producer Andy Agostini about the newly minted EA Ultimate Hockey League mode. Check out the interview below.

Operation Sports: Is there anything in place to keep two people from making a ridiculous one-sided trade?

Andy Agostini: There is a limit on the amount of assets that can be traded in any one deal. What those assets are can be anything. With a salary cap in place getting an incredibly one-sided deal isn’t as useful, as you might have trouble fitting everybody you received under the salary cap on your team. We have also focused on the matchmaking, so we try to always match you up against a team with equal skill to yours. So as your team increases in skill your opponents in the EA Ultimate Hockey League will be stronger.

More after the jump.

Read More - NHL 11 Ultimate Hockey League Q&A

[patsfan188]

So is the game like over once every player retires?

[patsfan188]

nvm u can just buy a new pack when your players retire

[SinisterAlex]

Re: NHL 11 Ultimate Hockey League Q&A

Wow.... no private leagues.... that sucks. Oh well I guess I'll wait until we get a Online Franchise mode in NHL 12.

[Choneen]

Re: NHL 11 Ultimate Hockey League Q&A

I'm pretty bummed that there's no way to play exhibition games against friends in UT.

[TDKing]

Re: NHL 11 Ultimate Hockey League Q&A

Wow.... no private leagues.... that sucks. Oh well I guess I'll wait until we get a Online Franchise mode in NHL 12.

Usless feature for me if I have to play randoms. Oh well... There is a reason why we have a friends list

[FBeaule04]

Re: NHL 11 Ultimate Hockey League Q&A

"OS: Will there be "private" online leagues where only friends and/or only certain people can join?

We do not have ‘private’ leagues because we really wanted to make this league be the biggest online dynasty ever. We want you to always have an opponent to play and no preset schedule so it’s always pick up and play regardless of what time you feel like doing this. With the focus being a global league, we do have a friend’s leaderboard so you can see how well your friends are doing and compare their records to yourself."

Andy Agostini answer is simply leaving me speechless. I'm already counting the days before cheaters and glitchers takes the control of this beautiful idea.

I'll play it offline and with a good set of sliders, it's going to be fun, but no way I'm going to play against cheaters that are living for recognition online.

[SinisterAlex]

Re: NHL 11 Ultimate Hockey League Q&A

Usless feature for me if I have to play randoms. Oh well... There is a reason why we have a friends list

I have at least 15 friends (both whom I know and met on NHL 10) who would love to be in a private league where only we can play each other without cheese, glitches, etc. If this is an online dynasty, then why can't there be private leagues?

"OS: Will there be "private" online leagues where only friends and/or only certain people can join?

We do not have ‘private’ leagues because we really wanted to make this league be the biggest online dynasty ever. We want you to always have an opponent to play and no preset schedule so it’s always pick up and play regardless of what time you feel like doing this. With the focus being a global league, we do have a friend’s leaderboard so you can see how well your friends are doing and compare their records to yourself."

Andy Agostini answer is simply leaving me speechless. I'm already counting the days before cheaters and glitchers takes the control of this beautiful idea.

I'll play it offline and with a good set of sliders, it's going to be fun, but no way I'm going to play against cheaters that are living for recognition online.

Yup I agree with this 100%. I just hope they don't go as low as too not allowing us at all to play with friends because if we can't play with friends, I'm sticking to offline play.

[pjpants]

Re: NHL 11 Ultimate Hockey League Q&A

i agree 100%

[FBeaule04]

Re: NHL 11 Ultimate Hockey League Q&A

Yup I agree with this 100%. I just hope they don't go as low as too not allowing us at all to play with friends because if we can't play with friends, I'm sticking to offline play.

I don't blame EA for what people are doing online with their work, I want to get it straight. Where I have a problem is that we've seen the Trade wins in 08, 99 glitch in 09 and sliders glitching in 10.

Don't try to tell me that everything will be fine and there's no way that cheating with ridiculous trading will be negated. I'm 35, it's been a long time ago I stopped believing in Santa Claus.

Matter is that from the get go, people will cheat. Not important if you are in Elite, Pro or Amateur bracket, people will cheat because the need to win and recognize is well more important in general than playing by the rules.

Gaming will always be a reflexion of the society. Every where, people will try to cut corners and comes on top, convincing themselves they just did what others would have done, but difference is that they won.

What's the point, for people like me who work and want to have a good time by playing video games if we end up playing against cheaters? EAUHL is a great idea, the demo is looking great and fun, I really like it.

But, believing that people won't exploit the game online at all? Nah, no way, never going to happen.

That's why, creating a way to have a league of X people to play together would have been a great addition.

Instead of trying to get the biggest online dynasty ever, why not trying to have the funniest mode online ever by making everyone happy?

I don't know, just my two cents on the subject!

[JayhawkerStL]

Re: NHL 11 Ultimate Hockey League Q&A

The reason is pretty clear. If we just play each other, there is far less need for us to spend the cash to upgrade our teams. We are not the target audience.

There are a ton of kids out there that will spend ridiculous amounts of money to keep their teams elite. EA has made a nice profit from these gamers. They are not going be interested in any suggestions that do not drive the sale of more points.

[TDKing]

Re: NHL 11 Ultimate Hockey League Q&A

The reason is pretty clear. If we just play each other, there is far less need for us to spend the cash to upgrade our teams. We are not the target audience.

There are a ton of kids out there that will spend ridiculous amounts of money to keep their teams elite. EA has made a nice profit from these gamers. They are not going be interested in any suggestions that do not drive the sale of more points.

Why not have both a Global PHL(for the kiddies and cheese puffs) and the option to have a private league for me and my friends. If you do it that way you'll probably get more people playing this mode, cause as of now no one I know is going to use it.

[JayhawkerStL]

Re: NHL 11 Ultimate Hockey League Q&A

Why not have both a Global PHL(for the kiddies and cheese puffs) and the option to have a private league for me and my friends. If you do it that way you'll probably get more people playing this mode, cause as of now no one I know is going to use it.

The reason is that there are plenty of people willing to pay to ply the mode as it is. What is the advantage of creating a way for people like us to play it, when we won't spend money on it?

[zeppelin89]

Re: NHL 11 Ultimate Hockey League Q&A

This might be the wrong thread for this question...but during Ultimate Hockey League in the demo, is there any way to change the difficulty level? It seems to be set at Pro. Or perhaps there is no set difficulty?

thanks

[Roggie]

Re: NHL 11 Ultimate Hockey League Q&A

This might be the wrong thread for this question...but during Ultimate Hockey League in the demo, is there any way to change the difficulty level? It seems to be set at Pro. Or perhaps there is no set difficulty?

thanks

It's locked to pro in the demo.