NHL 14 Video and Blog - Goal Scoring Balance Improvements

[milesizdead]

Re: NHL 14 Video and Blog - Goal Scoring Balance Improvements

I've been answering gameplay questions over at EA's forums if you want some details about the game. I played about ten offline 1v1 games at EA's event in Stockholm and we were not allowed to capture video so the answers are all based on my memories and impressions.

http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/9626726.page

TL;DR, the game felt great. Improved skating, more variety in goals scored and the collision system worked really well.

[JezFranco]

Re: NHL 14 Video and Blog - Goal Scoring Balance Improvements

It would be an improvement if the CPU's loose back hand "shots" from the blue line didn't equal a "big fat juicy rebound" every time. So well, this is looking good. I Guess.

[Qb]

Re: NHL 14 Video and Blog - Goal Scoring Balance Improvements

TL;DR, the game felt great. Improved skating, more variety in goals scored and the collision system worked really well.

My hands-on source also mentioned more "good hockey goals" as the result of more natural screens/deflections/traffic. He specifically cited goalies having a hard time going laterally/post-to-post to stop one-timers when their vision is obstructed, (as in a typical umbrella PP setup). He said the goalie will often just flail at the puck and it looks & feels very satisfying when you hammer one past him like this:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ToGNTFShDV4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


EDIT: Forgot to mention that goalies are playing the angle more in shooting situations, also making it more difficult for them to get over on a play like this.

[gator3guy]

Re: NHL 14 Video and Blog - Goal Scoring Balance Improvements

My hands-on source also mentioned more "good hockey goals" as the result of more natural screens/deflections/traffic. He specifically cited goalies having a hard time going laterally/post-to-post to stop one-timers when their vision is obstructed, (as in a typical umbrella PP setup). He said the goalie will often just flail at the puck and it looks & feels very satisfying when you hammer one past him like this:

EDIT: Forgot to mention that goalies are playing the angle more in shooting situations, also making it more difficult for them to get over on a play like this.

Man I've been dying to run a true umbrella PP, but between the awful AI, positioning, spacing, and super poke checks it just hasn't been an effective strategy in 13. Hopefully these improvements will help in that regard, because most teams run some variation of the umbrella these days and I would like to as well.

I've been saying for some time now that 13 felt like a beta. A lot of potential but it felt far from a finished product. I'm not expecting huge things for 14, as I'm sure the focus has turned to developing the next gen version of the game, but as long as they ironed out the skating, tweaked the physics, and improved the AI (which looks promising in the video) I will be happy with 14. I still play 13, but it has it's moments that make me want to throw my controller through the TV.