NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

[CaptainSuperman]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

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.

That's probably about right. They probably take a couple months off, then get together and think of ideas of what and where they want to improve the game, and off they go. But I do have a feeling that they are working on bigger improvements at the same time that the don't include in every release. Like the skill sticks, the skating, the bigger things that "changed" the series. I don't think those things were completed in just once production cycle.

Maybe they are working on some big improvement right now that they won't include until 15 or 16.

[mcavner]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

Really hoping they put a stick check in that doesn't result in a high-stick penalty half the time. Players can actually move their sticks across in hockey... it doesn't have to go up into the guy's face.

[Cletus]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

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.

The reason I said January was because I can't remember a patch or major tuner coming out after December. By that logic, they spend up until early or middle december fixing the game and maybe take a week off before they start work on the next season.

[bwiggy33]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

That's probably about right. They probably take a couple months off, then get together and think of ideas of what and where they want to improve the game, and off they go. But I do have a feeling that they are working on bigger improvements at the same time that the don't include in every release. Like the skill sticks, the skating, the bigger things that "changed" the series. I don't think those things were completed in just once production cycle.

Maybe they are working on some big improvement right now that they won't include until 15 or 16.

100%. Last year the Devs said that they had been working on the new skating engine for 2 years or so before they wanted to release it. They obviously didn't want to put in the system if it wasn't going to work properly in the game. There would pretty much be no way to put in game changing features without having developed them for a couple years.

That's where I get angry with NHL though. We haven't seen nearly enough game changers since 07. What I can name is Skill Stick, hitting physics (which are now no longer in the game), online features (not gameplay related though), and the skating engine. Otherwise it's been small tuning for the other gameplay elements, when IMO that should not be the case. That's basically 3 big things and one of them is being stripped in favor of FIFA's physics engine. Sounds like a waste of time by the development team. For me there just hasn't been nearly enough game changing type additions in this 7 year span, when the game clearly needs it.

[bwiggy33]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

The reason I said January was because I can't remember a patch or major tuner coming out after December. By that logic, they spend up until early or middle december fixing the game and maybe take a week off before they start work on the next season.

That's very very possible. MLB The Show just released what is most likely their last patch. Russell (the dev) came out and said that they are done with this years version because they have to start on MLB 14. It got released like 5 or 6 weeks ago but going off your logic of when the last patch is released that would line up. SCEA and EA are much different though so maybe me basing it off of each other isn't the best example.

[CaptainSuperman]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

100%. Last year the Devs said that they had been working on the new skating engine for 2 years or so before they wanted to release it. They obviously didn't want to put in the system if it wasn't going to work properly in the game. There would pretty much be no way to put in game changing features without having developed them for a couple years.

That's where I get angry with NHL though. We haven't seen nearly enough game changers since 07. What I can name is Skill Stick, hitting physics (which are now no longer in the game), online features (not gameplay related though), and the skating engine. Otherwise it's been small tuning for the other gameplay elements, when IMO that should not be the case. That's basically 3 big things and one of them is being stripped in favor of FIFA's physics engine. Sounds like a waste of time by the development team. For me there just hasn't been nearly enough game changing type additions in this 7 year span, when the game clearly needs it.

Well I imagine that they aren't a very big team being just a sports franchise that has already established itself with previous outings. I'm sure once they found their winning formula, they trimmed some fat so to speak, and are just going forward with guys to improve what's there, along with bring some new features to the table.

So the only other viable option would be releases every other year. But the problem with that is now your team is working on a title for two years, and people are gonna expect a lot of progression and a very different title. If you get a game two years later that feels like the one you have now, you're gonna lose your fan base. And what if you come out with a game that feels TOO different, or maybe some of the features aren't welcome? You just spent two years working on something nobody wanted.

[cheechoo98]

The new decking system will be great - because that's what they had in the 2K series. It was really good.

You basically moved the LStick in a different position, (12, o'clock, 2 O'clock, 3 o'clock, 5, 6, 9 o'clock etc ) and pressed a button, X, so each player had 8 dekes 'in their pocket' in the offensive zone.

PLUS it was dependent on either neutral zone or offensive zone, therefore each player could have another 8 possible dekes In the neutral zone. Very easy to pull off and made the game look and play so good.

PLUS++ it was dependent on the player's deke rating. So not all players had so many dekes.

PLUS+++ it was dependent on the global Human/CPU deke sliders. So you could limit or show all the rare dekes possible.

That's one of the gameplay aspects that 2K did so well, it's what made it so much fun to play.

- hasn't EA been touting a new physics hitting engine for the past 3 yrs? As in 'you'll never see the same hit animation twice!' LIE.

- and I hope the A.I. is fixed, they need an A.I. strategy like the 'Regroup' one that was in the 2K series as well... That way, your wingers would skate to open ice on a rush, instead of following their same path - you know what I mean with NHL13

[fiddlerpaul]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

For me it's all about realistic gameplay, whether it's expressed through the animations or the AI. I like the sound of the skating improvements and hitting engine.
One thing that would be huge is if the AI would show a little creativity on defense as you're skating down the wing. As it is, they always just stay near the center of the ice and don't challenge you. Too predictable. They should occasionally run you into the boards or something.

[Fiddy]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh

Fifa engine etc? cant wait to see all the whacky animations that hockey brings to the table with this.

i like the online seasons type stuff. good to see they copied that from Fifa as well.

other than that, yaaaaaaaawn. same game, new year, and ill still buy it. LOL

[predator828]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

Remember when, i think after NHL 2010, the dev team told us they were moving towards a completely physics based engine for everything, and that they should achieve that within 3 years? Well, i guess we're still working on hitting physics 4 years later, and there is no mention of better puck or goalie physics, and skating physics could still use a boost.

also, just let me create the hartford whalers. thats all i ask. its all ive been asking for ages. how hard is it to insert "Whalers" or "Nordiques" into the stupid create-a-team team name list? why hasnt that list been changed in 5 years? who is in charge of that?

[tfer717]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

Am I the only person who thinks the shooting animations need to be re done? They look so stiff and clunky! The way they shoot backhands and snapshots looks so unnatural. Very robotic!

New deking has me excited tho... the loose puck dekes felt very unrealistic to be honest. And I hate that they would stop moving their feet when you stick handled with the right stick

[darknmild]

I guess all EA games have issues. Going back to Madden and NCAA threads.

[canucksss]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

No mention of improvements to CPU AI or Be A GM = same old, same old for EA NHL.

exactly my thoughts. same old game with different cover perhaps?

Looked good and sounded good.........like in every video game commercial.

always good commercial but somehow fail miserably in the final product. I HOPE im wrong about this with NHL 14.

Looks interesting, but I need to seem improvements to AI and presentation.

yea....i'll not buy NHL 14 unless i see the improvements regarding these 2 points you mentioned.

I am bummed out nothing was mentioned on improving the defensive aspects of the game which is a large percentage of the game, or should be. I am surprised they leave this out each year.

after nhl 13, i stopped being surprised about the effort of EA. i will just resort to not buying it if i see the comments of some people here in OS that i highly respect.

[Dougie_G_93]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

Geeze some guys act like EA is proposing a new revolutionary free health care system. It's a video game, and the best thing to do is rent before you go and plop down $60, which is what I did this year. In their first release they aren't going to go over every aspect that is new. Hopefully they correct the glaring flaws that have gone uncorrected for years

[Gotmilkman24]

Re: NHL 14 Official Trailer, Six New Features Announced

All I want to throw in is that this looks good. Not great, but I'm sure there is more to come. However, some of you guys should stop complaining.. I mean go ahead if you want EA to have less devs for this game.. but this game needs as much support as it can get being that its on a low budget. I do know though that this little trailer release.. isnt everything they have. I'am excited for the new BaPro mode.