NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

[Cycloniac]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

...I'm kind of dissapointed after watching the video and reading the press release...

The video, first of all, was 90% real hockey and 10% gameplay; very little to go on from that. It looked good and it was a fast-paced "Sizzle" style trailer, but after buying these games for 7 straight years since the whole NHL 07 revamp, the illusion of huge improvements has faded.

There was no mention of presentation or BAGM improvements. I guess we'll have to wait until next-gen for any presentation overhauls, and a likely new commentary team of either Doc Emrick (and someone else) or the CBC team again.

The fighting engine overhaul is long overdue though. Maybe there'll be fights in CPU vs CPU games now? I think I may even give BAP another look; haven't touched it since NHL 10.

Dissapointed...but remaining somewhat hopefull.

[TreyIM2]

So no Infinity Engine 2. My guess was wrong, there, but the Player Impact engine is cool...

Anyway, trailer seemed like mostly real hockey game footage and a little bit of NHL 14. Hard to discern at times when the gameplay was being shown. Oh, well. I need to see how this one feels. 13 didn't make me pull the trigger. I forget how long it's been since I bought an hockey game. Sheesh.

[CaptainSuperman]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

...I'm kind of dissapointed after watching the video and reading the press release...

The video, first of all, was 90% real hockey and 10% gameplay; very little to go on from that. It looked good and it was a fast-paced "Sizzle" style trailer, but after buying these games for 7 straight years since the whole NHL 07 revamp, the illusion of huge improvements has faded.

There was no mention of presentation or BAGM improvements. I guess we'll have to wait until next-gen for any presentation overhauls, and a likely new commentary team of either Doc Emrick (and someone else) or the CBC team again.

The fighting engine overhaul is long overdue though. Maybe there'll be fights in CPU vs CPU games now? I think I may even give BAP another look; haven't touched it since NHL 10.

Dissapointed...but remaining somewhat hopefull.

Well it was only 1 trailer. A debut trailer, meant to get you hyped. Having "Boys Are Back" play behind that after this years lockout was pretty cool. It did it's job, and it has my attention. They will release more trailers and show off what they have done.

[Diehardfan]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

When I was 11 or 12 years old those giant player animations they show in every trailer used to impress me but am I the only one who doesnt give a rat's azz about giant players that are unusable in real gameplay. EA, how about showing us what real gameplay looks like? Or you just pining to pre-teenagers this year?

[Bluejaysfan65]

Kind of thinking about buying this game with the so-called revamped Be A Pro mode. Really excited for the off-ice interactions.

[@legendm0de]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

i definitely don't see evidence of any large scale enhancements but in my opinion I think it's great they are getting us alot more & better animations on ice. But they really should refined puck control and stick handling all the way around. Alot of the animations skating with the puck and maneuverability around defenders with a puck were very basic and you couldn't get to creative on the nice. I don't know if this is a need for overhauling puck physics or just capturing alot more animations. They mention they improved on the skating, which is very cool, true life skating was the very best new feature ea ever has put onto this series, so it's good that they'll build upon that, but I don't get the impression that these new animations will have anything to do with the way we stick handle and move with the puck.

plus finally getting closer to establishing a hitting engine this game should have had a long time ago, is really nice but it remains to be seen how accurate and pleased with it I would be. Fifa 12s engine was basically poor, but still nice to see their effort in that direction (Fifa 13s war far and away improved, and the gameplay/contact etc is phenomenal). I haven't seen enough footage out of NHL 14 to know if their version of this engine meets our standards as gamers. As important as hitting is in hockey games, it's important that they don't miss the mark here.

The A.I i'm sure is going to receive improvements in certain areas, and I expect them to talk about it and spell that out where they have made improvements. It probably isn't enough of a feature in the selling games department, to make a big fuss about in the trailer reveal. I expect them to have made some notable A.I improvements though.

Honestly their games modes, are very intricate and deep gives us alot to do, including some online modes, I don't think they need their resources on any huge new modes. A return to be a pro will be nice and welcome though.

I'm saying this as a person who thoroughly enjoyed 13' and was a big fan / supporter of how much they did in that game. I probably will be skipping 14' to continue 13' and for a number of other reasons but I want to continue being updated on what they brought new for the series on 14'. Especially leading into 15' on the PS4 I want them to give me the best hockey video game ever by NHL 15' (PS4)

[Twenty Four]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

I was really hoping for them to improve GMC mode and Be A GM mode... neither of which were improved. Not overly impressed... however the new features do look nice. I just wish they would make improvements to GMC, its fun to be in an online league... but it lacks the capabilities that Connected Careers Mode (Madden) and Online Dynasty (NCAA) have. Still have my hopes up though. And as always I will get sucked in on release day.

[Cletus]

Also remember, these aren't the only things they're working on. They most likely have just started working on 14 in January. Complaining about how things didn't get fixed is like complaining that things didn't improve in The Show in November. The only people that know what has changed under the hood can't talk about it yet because of legal reasons.

[Tsuki]

so did no one read the part about enforcers not just the third-person fighting?

[Stormyhog]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

so did no one read the part about enforcers not just the third-person fighting?

I am glad it's third person as I hated the first person view. Fighting is part of the game and I am glad they are at least addressing it. I hope fights can be started by the cpu as well not just us initiating them.

[ruddamucker]

Goalies look great this year, awesome save animation by Luongo at the 20 second mark - really like that he abandons the butterfly t-push and instead goes for a slide into second base.

Love that stance by Pekka Rinne in the thumbnail image for the video. He often plays with his glove hand resting against his pad.

Cool hitting engine. Will there be hammer icons next to every player's name?

[bwiggy33]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

Also remember, these aren't the only things they're working on. They most likely have just started working on 14 in January. Complaining about how things didn't get fixed is like complaining that things didn't improve in The Show in November. The only people that know what has changed under the hood can't talk about it yet because of legal reasons.

Actually from what I've heard, developers have to start working on the next game only a few weeks after the one they just released. Due to the short production cycle with sports games, they have to start right away in order to add to the new version. They don't get much time in between release and starting the next game. I could be wrong but this was based on what I heard from an NHL Community Day Invitee back in 09 I think.

I agree though there's definitely going to be more things added to the game, just maybe not the back of the box. They always tune the AI and whatever else, but as you said they don't talk about that stuff until a certain date due to legal reasons.

[Twenty Four]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

@ PF8363 - As a strictly OFFLINE player. i welocme the changes to BAP and GM. IMO Online play if for people who dont really know the ins and outs of true hockey. All they know is end to end no defense, thats not realistic as we know its a game but are looking for the most realistic option. If i hd my way there would be no HUT or EASHL. ONLINE sucks and will never get better.

@ CLETUS - Great point. I am a strictly offline player and cant wait for the improvements. This game is GREAT the way it is and i can live with a few issues here and there. Gamers expectations are far too high for console gaming.

I for one cant wait for more videos. This video release showed nothing.

I half agree and half disagree...

YES, HUT is just a huge cheese fest, as are ranked games, and EASHL (although if you have some buddies to play with, it can be fun), but as for GMC, there are many good sim style players who play proper hockey. Of course there are a lot of guys in the leagues who don't know much about hockey, and that can get annoying. But I wouldn't say GMC sucks, if you find the right league. And I agree with PF about goalies, big disappointment that they didn't majorly approve them.

[stooge 1010]

hopefully goalie fatigue will be in this year.

[Bloop33]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

Well, maybe it's a good thing this "announcement" isn't that great. Last season I got extremely hyped about NHL 13 with everything they wanted to implement, and if not for the OS GMC league I'm in, NHL 13 would have been a huge waste of money.

I can only hope the good karma of FIFA (EA Sports' best game) will rub off on NHL 14. I won't be pre-ordering this year unless something new comes out. I'm happy for the BAP players, but gameplay is severely lacking, and it begins with goalies being worse now than the past, no real ability to play D on the game other than playing New York Rangers block 50 shots per game hockey, and AI who still play like idiots.

Sad times for EA Sports. Hope this means the PS4 version is insane.