NHL 13 Hands-On Preview with Lots of Good Info (Game Informer)

[savoie2006]

Re: NHL 13 Hands-On Preview with Lots of Good Info (Game Informer)

Any news if we can have MORE SANDLOT type of control over our Franchises to make adjustments to other team's strategies, rosters, etc?


Or MORE Importantly,....can we FINALLY select ANY GAME from a FRANCHISE Schedule and jump in and PLAY the match if we want???.....This feature has been in almost all the sports video games franchise modes for years now except for the NHL series. Sometimes we simply like to take a break from playing with our own team and like to jump in and play a key matchup during the season OR just like to play out all the playoff matches at the end of the season!

At least make it a toggable option when your SETUP your franchise so that some of us can enjoy the extra god like controls of a Franchise mode

Yeah, full control during BAGM would be great especially with all the new strat/forecheck options. Maybe EA got each team right though...

[jaiman]

Re: NHL 13 Hands-On Preview (Game Informer) - Lots of Good Info

I wonder if that means a new broadcast camera during gameplay? I don't think that is what they are saying here, though.

[MizzouRah]

Re: NHL 13 Hands-On Preview with Lots of Good Info (Game Informer)

Excellent read.. I'm optimistic, but excited for sure!

[Vikes1]

Re: NHL 13 Hands-On Preview with Lots of Good Info (Game Informer)

Vikes if what they say is true, they said there are going to be neutral zone strategies as well so that will be the setting that we can change to make the CPU put more pressure on the puck carrier when entering the zone. Hopefully we will be able to set every teams strategies in the game and save them like we can with FIFA, Madden, and NCAA. That is another one of the great things that 2k10 has. It looks like EA is finally adding this. Great to see.

I sure hope we can, Bwiggy. [change AI controlled strategies]

I really enjoy the heck outta the game. And really like my quite time of playing vs the AI. But man...I'm really hoping that for '13', we do at least have the option of a more pressure type of gameplay. Ie, dump and chase gritty style of play.

The first time I dump the puck in...because I actually had to, I'll be !

[bwiggy33]

Re: NHL 13 Hands-On Preview (Game Informer) - Lots of Good Info

That's a scary though. Mike Emerick is probably the worst broadcaster in sports. He's painful to listen to. As stale as the commentary is in the NHL series now, I'd much rather have that over Mike Emerick.

Not to change this into a commentary thread but, Are You kidding me? People who don't even like hockey at all rant and rave at how good Doc Emmerick is and how they wish he would do other sports. He shows passion and energy in the sport and ignites it into the people watching. The thing is he isn't over board with his energy. It's at the appropriate times during a game that he shows it. If you complain about Pierre Mcguire thats one thing, but not Doc. He is probably the best announcer in sports, Jim Nantz and Al Michaels are there as well, but nobody shows more passion and excitement like Doc.

As for Gary Thorne and Clement in NHL, they need to be dropped bad. They don't announce together, there have hardly been any lines added since 07, and the announcing is just absolutely brutal. They are my favorite announcing team in sports history, but they are way past their prime. Clement does local Philly stuff and Thorne announces the NCAA Frozen Four and thats it. They need to switch it up. The announcing has been bad since basically day 1.

[Bloop33]

Re: NHL 13 Hands-On Preview with Lots of Good Info (Game Informer)

This is looking good. best quote for me from the article was " Look for more updates on how EA plans to improve the Be A GM mode in a couple weeks."

Quite honestly, I spend 95% of my NHL time on GM Mode, it's enjoyable for the most part.

The only things I'd like to see included with the AI intelligence (I have a lot more wishes, but with what they've given so far, here is a refined list)

1) Line Matching. Would LOVE to have my top line facing another teams shut down line, especially in the playoffs.

2) If you can't edit a teams strategies (or they don't edit according to their team), I would like if they built their teams properly rather than best available.

3) Drafted players used good sticks (flexes), skates and equipment (more visors). The fact that you need to edit everyone after the draft (2015 and beyond) is just plain lazy.

[SinisterAlex]

Re: NHL 13 Hands-On Preview (Game Informer) - Lots of Good Info

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aBaYVo89mmY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>






That is all.

[Vikes1]

Re: NHL 13 Hands-On Preview (Game Informer) - Lots of Good Info

Not to change this into a commentary thread but, Are You kidding me? People who don't even like hockey at all rant and rave at how good Doc Emmerick is and how they wish he would do other sports. He shows passion and energy in the sport and ignites it into the people watching. The thing is he isn't over board with his energy. It's at the appropriate times during a game that he shows it. If you complain about Pierre Mcguire thats one thing, but not Doc. He is probably the best announcer in sports, Jim Nantz and Al Michaels are there as well, but nobody shows more passion and excitement like Doc.

As for Gary Thorne and Clement in NHL, they need to be dropped bad. They don't announce together, there have hardly been any lines added since 07, and the announcing is just absolutely brutal. They are my favorite announcing team in sports history, but they are way past their prime. Clement does local Philly stuff and Thorne announces the NCAA Frozen Four and thats it. They need to switch it up. The announcing has been bad since basically day 1.

Agree completely, Bwiggy.

I was hoping big time that we'd get news that Doc and Eddie were in the game for '13'. I think there's lots of good teams out there...but Doc and Eddie are my favorite. These two seem to really enjoy what their doing, and seem to genuinely like each other.

I have to admit...I am a bit disappointed Gary and Bill remain. Even though I personally don't hate the current commentary. [as stale now as it kinda is]

[BestServedCold]

Re: NHL 13 Hands-On Preview (Game Informer) - Lots of Good Info

Looks like I might buy it this year. I hope they add on to the Be A GM mode though. That's what kept me away last year.

[SinisterAlex]

Re: NHL 13 Hands-On Preview (Game Informer) - Lots of Good Info

Looks like I might buy it this year. I hope they add on to the Be A GM mode though. That's what kept me away last year.

I hope an online add on is good enough for ya

[JezFranco]

Re: NHL 13 Hands-On Preview (Game Informer) - Lots of Good Info

This all sounds amazing.


I just really hope that EA nails it, and don't screw up. Cuz really the last few years their intentions have been great, but it's like they screwed up just before the goal line.


I really love 12 and have played it to death, but there is a feeling about it, like if EA lost control somewhere with the patches & tuner sets... Not only do you feel it because there are some things not working in 12, but what happened to the feedback from EA? It's been very quiet this year.


Specifically I'd like the sliders to be more effective.
If I put penalties on "0" the game should basically allow anything, for anyone that wants an arcade game... When it's on 50% it should reflect a "normal" setting and on full, it should be penalties even in cases where it's a legal check.
Some sliders is already working like this, but to many does not (penalties, pass reception, flip pass etc).




Bar the skill stick, I'd say that the introduction of the full slider set is one of the most important things to this series. So it's important that it works properly.

[Dazraz]

I don't actually have a problem with the commentary team but boy do they need far more lines to improve the true broadcast effect. Dynamic commentary to keep pace with season progress & more historic team/player specific anecdotes are required. Sadly there is little to suggest that we will see much improvement in this area.

[Broncos86]

Re: NHL 13 Hands-On Preview with Lots of Good Info (Game Informer)

I don't actually have a problem with the commentary team but boy do they need far more lines to improve the true broadcast effect. Dynamic commentary to keep pace with season progress & more historic team/player specific anecdotes are required. Sadly there is little to suggest that we will see much improvement in this area.

I think the issue is simply that the commentary isn't horrible. It really isn't. It's decent. The problem is simply that it's very stale. We've heard it before. Every single line. Whereas you look at Madden, and the commentary was in absolute disarray. Thus, resources and priorities have been placed elsewhere. I did read that some new lines were recorded for NHL 13 to directly relate with the new skating and AI.

One hopes that next year, an emphasis can be placed on new commentary.

[hollywood_cpm]

Re: NHL 13 Hands-On Preview (Game Informer) - Lots of Good Info

This all sounds amazing.

I really love 12 and have played it to death, but there is a feeling about it, like if EA lost control somewhere with the patches & tuner sets

Bar the skill stick, I'd say that the introduction of the full slider set is one of the most important things to this series. So it's important that it works properly.

This and this.

The tuners always seem to fix something at the expense of other things. And the fix almost always is for online at the expense of offline. There's too many online players who just exploit a good game and EA has to dumb it down to keep things "fair" which comes at the expense of the entire game experience.

As for sliders. Spot in. If they worked properly in NHL 12 I know I would have had a lot more challenging games and thus more enjoyable games.

[Rogie Vachon]

Re: NHL 13 Hands-On Preview with Lots of Good Info (Game Informer)

Sounds great on paper. Let's hope it actually translates to the gameplay as it's written up.
Couple things in that bullet list stood out at me

Part of the AI work includes making sure there is better player differentiation on the ice. Fourth liners will go into corners more aggressively and finish their checks.

Excellent and it's about time, Hank I think they finally heard us.



12. EA is also working on making sure teammate AI knows what to do when you have an odd-man rush on offense. If you cross over into their lane, they will know that they should criss cross and position themselves for a scoring opportunity

Also excellent along with players being aware of situations rather than just where the puck is. Goalies coming out to challenge to cut down the angle on a 2 on 1 for example.
my edit -...this isn`t really correct,the goalie has to be conservative and still play both the shot and the pass ,....if his defenseman can tie up and nuetralize the open guy,then we can hedge our bets the puck carrier will shoot and wait him out.
If the pass does happen,we can get across with our whole body in butterfly,instead of having to do the splits from being too far out,and out of position for the pass.
If we come out and challenge too far,..then we are sitting ducks for a cross crease pass every time,whether we have an all star Dman on the play or not,....

Really digging what I'm hearing, I still want to SEE it in action however before I get a chubby about it.

I made and edit with an explaination.