NHL 13 Delivers Major Innovations That Will Change the Way You Play the Game

[LuGer33]

Re: NHL 13 Delivers Major Innovations That Will Change the Way You Play the Game

Yeah, this blows last year's announcement completely out of the water. Last year all we got was a screenshot of a goalie collision happening in the Winter Classic and a video of Rammer talking about those features. This year it looks like they're going balls to the wall. I love it.

I mean honestly I would have been happy with just an announcement of the skating upgrade today but to throw in Online GM mode, a new AI system, etc, etc is just awesome.

Odd numbered years ftw.

All sounds very promising. Skating and online dynasty are huge, obviously. NHL Moments is a nice addition. I'm curious how the "100% physics based skating system" impacts collision and checking, since the hitting in NHL 12 left quite a bit to be desired. Also wondering about continued improvements to puck physics...

[Feldman011teen]

This game needs a presentation overhaul, as its football counterparts are getting. The game itself is still a great game, but its starting to get stale. I can't remember the last hockey game to have great presentation. In game highlights and daily scores of what's going around the league would really help get you into your season, especially during a playoff push.

[Millennium]

Kind of disappointed with the lack of EASHL improvements.

The changing of the base skating engine alone, if successful, will make EASHL 100x better.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[Money99]

Re: NHL 13 Delivers Major Innovations That Will Change the Way You Play the Game

There's plenty of room for skepticism and while I'll allow myself to dream at the moment, I ultimately need to see/feel the new skating in action before I'm sold on it. However, as much as the two of us have droned on & on about the need for better skating, I assumed you'd be doing the dance of joy with me.

Something I noticed in coming back to the thread a second time was the screenshot. I skipped directly to the meat of the post, but this time I checked it out. The body positioning of the players looks SO much better. Let's hope that's a good sign the NHL team is on the right track.

LOL, trust me QB, I want to be excited to read that the skating physics were completely revamped, but given the history of this series, I'm done holding my breath.
They revamped the hitting physics too and they are far from perfect. Little guys still hammer on bigger guys. I can still pin Chara with Hudler even if we're beside the boards, and I'm perpendicular to them.

The skating engine certainly needed a really, really big upgrade and I'm glad to read that they've addressed it.
But until I see that the forward-backward-pivot move (without losing momentum) has been completely eradicated I won't be getting excited for anything.
EA is no different than any other company, but they have a propensity to overhype everything and then when you actually get your hands on it, it's nothing close to what they advertised.

I hate being a wet-blanket on a sunny day and perhaps I shouldn't have posted anything. But I haven't been truly happy with this series since NHL09 so I'm not expecting this new skating engine to change anything.

I'll be downright shocked if this fixes the biggest issue I have with this game and that is proper player and team separation.
If the CPU can no longer pull of impossible moves, then I fear they will be given even greater boosts to artificially make games harder against a human opponent.

[savoie2006]

Re: NHL 13 Delivers Major Innovations That Will Change the Way You Play the Game

Everything "sounds" great, but how it will play out? First there was Adaptive AI, when helped but wasn't great. Then there was Anticipation AI, which I'm not exactly sure what it did. Now there's Hockey I.Q.... this be the one.
Hopefully the physics based skating improves the physics based hitting, which is kind of poor. Kind of disappointed not to hear of a major Presentation overhaul, but if all this works out I'll live another year.

[Fiddy]

Re: NHL 13 Delivers Major Innovations That Will Change the Way You Play the Game

I ultimately need to see/feel the new skating in action before I'm sold on it.

well lets be honest, it cant be any worse than it is now, right? i mean the skating engine is pretty much the same as in NHL 94.

so even if its not what we all expect, its still a notch better than what we have had in this series IMO..

[LuGer33]

Re: NHL 13 Delivers Major Innovations That Will Change the Way You Play the Game

This game needs a presentation overhaul, as its football counterparts are getting. The game itself is still a great game, but its starting to get stale. I can't remember the last hockey game to have great presentation. In game highlights and daily scores of what's going around the league would really help get you into your season, especially during a playoff push.

OS... the home of people who want to watch, not play, their video games.

Haha I'm kidding, of course, and I do agree that presentation is a huge component of our sports games and the NHL franchise in particular is lacking a bit, but I still don't get why it's such a priority for some people. If you gave me the choice of overhauled and dynamic, NBA 2K or The Show style presentation for NHL vs. something like new skating, hitting, and puck physics, I'm going to choose the gameplay upgrades every time.

I get the sense (from OS especially) that a lot of people would honestly choose the presentation elements, which baffles me, but hey, to each their own.

[tlobster12]

Re: NHL 13 Delivers Major Innovations That Will Change the Way You Play the Game

I'm pleasantly surprised I love the new skating physics and team specific presentations. Great time to be a hockey fan.

[savoie2006]

Re: NHL 13 Delivers Major Innovations That Will Change the Way You Play the Game

So why does it look like there is a bit of 2K Fog in the screenshot

[plaidchuck]

Re: NHL 13 Delivers Major Innovations That Will Change the Way You Play the Game

Yeap will believe it when I see it, i.e. in actual gameplay vids that come out later in the year. The question is even if this is improved will they follow the usual pattern of breaking or neglecting 15 other things in the process? Will live goalies still be a train wreck? GM mode improved? Anything added to make offline modes worth playing? Will the EASHL still be a glitch fest where only 2 or 3 attributes matter? Will I still be able to level Chara with my 5'6 sniper?

Whole lotta questions to be answered before I even feel a tinge of excitement for this.

[Qb]

Re: NHL 13 Delivers Major Innovations That Will Change the Way You Play the Game

well lets be honest, it cant be any worse than it is now, right? i mean the skating engine is pretty much the same as in NHL 94.

so even if its not what we all expect, its still a notch better than what we have had in this series IMO..

Believe me, I'm very happy my number one on-going gripe with the series is finally being addressed. Now if only they can find a fair way to keep EASHL skating attributes at reasonable levels...

[speedtrucker]

Re: NHL 13 Delivers Major Innovations That Will Change the Way You Play the Game

I have basically been holding off on buying NHL again since the last gen games because I've been waiting for 1 thing to finally happen...

an online dynasty mode that allowed for CPU controlled teams.

we attemptedt to Play Madden's online franchise mode in 10 & 11 but gave up because they kept doing the bare minimum and putting no effort into it.

we have played and loved the NCAA online dynasty mode since it was put out, we are going into our 6 season currently in NCAA'12 and we all love the effort(if not the execution) they have put into the online mode reflecting the offline dynasty version.

myself and at least 9 other friends are all pumped at the news that NHL is bringing their "be a GM" franchise mode online.

[canucksss]

Re: NHL 13 Delivers Major Innovations That Will Change the Way You Play the Game

Sorry to be skeptical, but I've read releases like this before "LOOK!!!! All new!!!! Super awesome stuff!!!!"

The more bold characters and "!!!" used must mean the game has improved 1000-fold.

This game is strictly a rental first. I will not pay more than $5 for this game.
If the skating and AI has really improved then perhaps.
But correct me if I'm wrong, but I didn't read anywhere in there that player separation or roles would be a lot more defined in NHL13.
So I'll wait and see.

Chances are the CPU will still be able to do whatever it wants with any player on the ice regardless of who it's controlling.

same with your opinion. i cant blame you being skeptic about this...many times EA will say this and that but then when the final product is made...disaster.

i can live without improvements on: name of home ice, commentaries (i can bring down the volume i wanted to), goal celebration, schedules in the succeeding years in BaGM.

BUT i will not shed money until EA make the distinction of a poor team vs oil machine, grinders/tgh vs superstars.

if the answer for this is in the skating machine...well and good. but i need to see it first. i will rent this game and monitor your opinions before buying NHL 13

[misterkrabz]

$79.99???? Ouch. They priced me out.

[Tide311]

Re: NHL 13 Delivers Major Innovations That Will Change the Way You Play the Game

Finally, they are adding Online GM. Come September, i'll be setting up an Online GM and will be looking for sim players.