NHL 14 Demo Feedback For Developers

[CupCrazyManiac]

The NHL 14 demo is available now for 360 users (queue it up here at 1.46 GB) and later today for PS3 users. We will update this post when it arrives. The NHL 14 demo details can be found here.

Similar to how "LuGer33" (at the EA Forums) has things setup, we think it is a good idea to manage the NHL 14 demo feedback for the developers.

Follow the format below so the other developers can quickly and easily gauge the community for tuning, before or after the launch of the full retail game on September 10th.

1) Be respectful and constructive with all responses
2) The demo is based on an older build of the game and may not be representative of the final product.
3) Online games are played at "All-Star, Normal" skill level and gamestyle, so be sure to play on those settings if you want to gauge how effective poke-checking will be online, whether or not a particular move is too effective on goalies, whether or not goalies are too strong, too soft, etc.

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What I Like About the NHL 14 Demo
(1)
(2)
(3)

What I Want to See Improved or Changed
(1)
(2)
(3)

Possible Bugs / Glitches
(1)
(2)
(3)

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Off-topic, disrespectful, and otherwise disruptive posts will be removed and the user will be banned.

[budc]

Re: NHL 14 Demo Feedback For Developers

1.) Love the "feel of the new engine"
2.) Arena Music is much better "mix" Reverb sounds natural for an arena setting.
3.) Fight mechanics are vastly improved.


1.) Five Hole desperately needs to be "tightened up" on slapshots
2.) Goalie stick side high from the slot. still a sweet spot for shooters.
2.) While fight engine rocks. Fight "stats" need to be addressed. Very few "little guys are going to throw down with a "wall" like Chara. "Discipline" needs to be tweaked in regards to fighting. In a 0-0 tie in the third period you are far less likely to see 2 top liners on the same team take 5 minute majors where it would be much more realistic to see more fights in a 4-0 butt whooping. Played 10 demo games so far and Chara has gotten a 5 min major for fighting
in EVERY game.

Great first impression. Hopefully these tweaks make sense to the devs and get addressed. As others have said "NHL '94 mode" was way overhyped. Focus on the core gameplay and franchise/career modes more please.

[Al_Tito13]

Re: NHL 14 Demo Feedback For Developers

I played 6 periods of play now and two full HUT tournaments so far and I have to say that I loved how the game felt. I played on Hardcore Simulation. However, it's still way too early to be able to have a good judgement on the game.

What I Like About the NHL 14 Demo:
- Hitting: more realistic, with accidental contacts and some big hits.
- Skating: more fluid, pivoting is better and strafing is a great addition.
- Passing: more responsive, cycling and team play are better, one-timers too.
- Fighting: so much fun.

What I Want to See Improved or Changed:
- No penalties for shooting or hitting after the wistle, which always starts a fight. It will get abused.
- Even if they are fun, fights happen way too often in the demo. And we should always have the choice to start or decline a fight.
- Faceoff spamming is still possible.
- Game pace is too fast.
- Goalies rebound control is still not that good.

To me, the main problem with NHL 13 was superhuman goalies, so I'll have to play more games with 14 to see if goalies were tuned down enough. So far, it seems better, but I may even have to wait for the real game to make a final idea. I'm also not sure that I like the changes made to poke checks, I will have to play more games for this too.

[gopher_guy]

Re: NHL 14 Demo Feedback For Developers

What I Want to See Improved or Changed

1) Watch any NHL game that's ever been played. Notice how all players on the ice behave after a goal is scored. Put that into the game.

[canucksss]

Re: NHL 14 Demo Feedback For Developers

What I Want to See Improved or Changed

1) Watch any NHL game that's ever been played. Notice how all players on the ice players behave after a goal is scored. Put that into the game.

still no team celebration after the goal

[Mongo14]

Re: NHL 14 Demo Feedback For Developers

What I Want to See Improved or Changed

1.) Ability to turn a fight down when offered. I don't like how after every big hit you have to fight. In modes like Live The Life, say a player who hits but doesn't want to fight hits a player and is then forced to fight. Let me turn it down or even draw a penalty from the aggressor

2.) Fight Instigators. I'm pretty sure that if there is a huge hit in the game and a player skates across the ice with his gloves off to fight would get the 2 for instigating as well. If my player will get the 2 for just moving a little bit to challenge, then the rink long skate towards a guy with his gloves off should get the 2 as well

[aparks87]

Re: NHL 14 Demo Feedback For Developers

What I Want to See Improved or Changed

- Realistic Net Tension. For some reason, every goal you score (in the history of NHL video games) where the puck hits twine, there's an invisible force in the back of the net that makes the puck drop straight down. Havent the Devs watched a game where a scorching wrister and or bomb one-timer hits the back of the net and pops right back out? Why...because the actual netting on the goals is tightly fastened. Scoring is such a major and satisfying part of the game. You guys take pride in realism and make this game so awesome every year...but this is a small detail that has been overlooked for years that could go a long way.....It would make those sweet goals THAT more satisfying for die-hard NHL fans. Great Demo nonetheless.

Thanks,

-AP

[The Amaizen Blue]

Re: NHL 14 Demo Feedback For Developers

What I Want to See Improved or Changed

- Realistic Net Tension. For some reason, every goal you score (in the history of NHL video games) where the puck hits twine, there's an invisible force in the back of the net that makes the puck drop straight down. Havent the Devs watched a game where a scorching wrister and or bomb one-timer hits the back of the net and pops right back out? Why...because the actual netting on the goals is tightly fastened. Scoring is such a major and satisfying part of the game. You guys take pride in realism and make this game so awesome every year...but this is a small detail that has been overlooked for years that could go a long way.....It would make those sweet goals THAT more satisfying for die-hard NHL fans. Great Demo nonetheless.

Thanks,

-AP

I thought I was weird for wanting that small feature in these games; glad I'm not the only one

[giantsharks]

Re: NHL 14 Demo Feedback For Developers

What I Want to See Improved or Changed

- Realistic Net Tension. For some reason, every goal you score (in the history of NHL video games) where the puck hits twine, there's an invisible force in the back of the net that makes the puck drop straight down. Havent the Devs watched a game where a scorching wrister and or bomb one-timer hits the back of the net and pops right back out? Why...because the actual netting on the goals is tightly fastened. Scoring is such a major and satisfying part of the game. You guys take pride in realism and make this game so awesome every year...but this is a small detail that has been overlooked for years that could go a long way.....It would make those sweet goals THAT more satisfying for die-hard NHL fans. Great Demo nonetheless.



Thanks,

-AP

That would be amazing. I really like this game, i took a year off last year so it definitely feels like a lot of improvements. The one thing i would like to see is the presentation added to. i understand not everything at once can be added in and i think the new fighting engine is presentation more then gameplay and i love it but i would love to see presentation added in centering around goals. A puck bouncing out of the net after a hard wrister would be amazing, also better goal celebrations. Goal scoring just feels anti-climactic right now.

[robinson]

Re: NHL 14 Demo Feedback For Developers

Like
-lots of things, good stuff. Beauty, eh.

Improve
-name plates need to show there rectangle with stitching & no holes. The detail in the jersey is good except for this.

-ice more detailed, more of a fresh zamboni to used ice look (in the graphics, etc.). Maybe when 4k ps4 systems game nhl15 is developed, if there is any limits to something like this. It would be wicked to have the ice look awesome, with the 1080p definition designed games.

-fans/crowd are way too big, that it looks like theres only 7,000 people in stands. Make all of the people and stadiums smaller, so everything looks 'real' size (22,000), etc. (thats more inportant, the people doing jumping jacks...) I think this would make the stadiums look sweet.

-Got to get the zamboni on the ice for every intermission (no crazy design logos on zambonis, etc. just basic color/maybe just team color, but only one color, you dont want to have more than one color... otherwise its too much and looks dumb...). If you want you can watch & hear the all the noises the zamboni makes (the crew opening the doors & take the nets off out of the way, the zamboni drive on ice, then turn on its function, etc.) as it cleans & makes the ice smooth again, until the entire rink is done... Then the crew closes the 'board' doors & puts the nets back in place. Then the game automatically goes to intermission menu... (if you want to skip this you just press button, like you do after it shows replays after each whitsle...).

Zamboni time. nhl15,with 1080p definition would be a good time to include this...

[robinson]

Re: NHL 14 Demo Feedback For Developers

You need more of a sample size & to be able to set settings to really be able to comment.

I would think that the fights are not like that/or that would be stupid. (in terms of star players in that part of 3rd period, every game...) Thats just for the demo, to show the new things. If you dont want to fight, you should be able to just not click the triangle button & theres no fights, your option...

Thats also why it seems too fast because of the game speed settings... I think oince you put your own settings in, it will be very close/same as your used to... Then will be the upgrades added...

The lower camera angle, does make the crowd/stadium look bigger, but I want to see everything in a smaller 'font' size and moar rows in each level of the stands. So it really looks like 20,000 people not 6,000. Maybe in nhl15 with 4k ps4, 1080p definition graphics & not as many limits...

Faces look better/upgraded. Could use some more players added.

Also, maybe depending on how team is doing during the season, have the better teams have sell out crowds w/99% home team fans & more fans on road games for those teams. Then for the bottom tear teams, have empty seats & more road team fans, etc.

or

You could base it on 'real' stats from stadium attendance averages over the past 5 years (to base it on...).

Another cool thing they could add (for nhl15/1080p definition) is have a 'fly over' view of the city & stadium from the outside before every game (including time of day...). That would be sweet to see. Maybe even have the players get to rink by bus & have them walkng in... They really could add all of these thing to the new system games, even if its mostly all just better definition graphics and these new features.

Get the Zamboni s in there

[Gagnon39]

Re: NHL 14 Demo Feedback For Developers

I've played this game religiously since NHLPA 93 and am a huge fan of the series so let me give my suggestion which I think would honestly go a LOOOOONG way in making this game much, much more realistic.

What I Like About the NHL 14 Demo
(1) ---
(2) ---
(3) ---

What I Want to See Improved or Changed
(1) There needs to be WAY more loose pucks throughout the game. Many more errant passes, passes need to glance off sticks, etc. And a players ability to gain control of a rebound (often on a backhand) and then get a quality shot on net needs to be toned down BIG TIME. If this is tweaked then the game (in my opinion) would truly have a "hardcore simulation" feature. Until then, it still has an element of an arcade game.
(2) PLEASE add some life to the presentation (especially after goals). The group hug needs to make a return as I'm not sure why it was ever taken out of NHL 12.
(3) ---

Possible Bugs / Glitches
(1) Didn't see any.
(2)
(3)

[The Visualizer]

Re: NHL 14 Demo Feedback For Developers

What I Like About the NHL 14 Demo
(1) Body checking and it's consequences are implemented well
(2) Unnecessary slow turning and pivoting have been improved
(3) Better goal variety with screens, deflections, one-timers, slapshots are possible now

What I Want to See Improved or Changed
(1) Slapshot power needs to be toned down. It seems like everyone hits slapshots like Chara and as a result they go in clean way too often
(2) Late hit or away from the puck hit interference needs to be called. You guys promoted this in your dev blogs and really late hits are still allowed.
(3) Tone down tape to tape passing. Overcooked passes should be penalized with a bobble and there should be some random bobbles or unclean receptions. Ratings should heavily influence this. Right now I can make Dan Carcillo playmake like Claude Giroux.

Possible Bugs / Glitches
(1) Instigation penalties aren't given for fights when a player rushes over to help a fallen comrade. They should get a 2 and 5 on those.
(2) I saw a clean wrist shot from just inside blue line in the center of the ice go in top corner. Goalies like Rask and Crawford on Superstar should not let something like that in ever
(3) The chop move when executed in certain instances (i think when you are too close to the puck) results in the animation slowing down and you whiffing on the chop. I don't mind the whiff so much, but the animation stands out like a sore thumb

[JezFranco]

Re: NHL 14 Demo Feedback For Developers

What I Like About the NHL 14 Demo
(1) Hitting/Checking
(2) Skating and pivoting
(3) The new fighting

What I Want to See Improved or Changed
(1) Declining fights, and...
(2) One time there was a post whistle scrum, Chara (CPU) was facewashing Duncan Keith (Me), and I thought it was time to accept, so pressed triangle. However, I instead "accepted" a fight with Toews in another scrum outside the view, and ending up getting my star players whipped and on the bench for 5 minutes.
(3) Still to much rebounds on lose shots, bad shots, weak shots and passes. After years of playing offline, that's probably how the CPU scores 85% of their goals. Weak backhands from the blue line that end up as "big juicy rebounds".

Possible Bugs / Glitches
(1) On a few occasions, there were rebounds from lose shots, or even from a pass that was going with the speed of light. I only played "play Now" about 10 periods, but saw this three (or so) times. The puck just bounced away faster than it seems possible to even shoot the puck, and it was all from lose shots or passes.

[sweetjones]

Re: NHL 14 Demo Feedback For Developers

What I Like About the NHL 14 Demo
(1) Skating is vastly improved. It's great playing defense now.
(2) Fighting is cool.
(3)

What I Want to See Improved or Changed
(1) This should be an easy adjustment. I've tweeted, fb commented, & emailed the right contacts so hopefully it's not too late. Please adjust the zoom factor of the "True" Broadcast Camera in both team's zones. This cam would be PERFECT if you could see the entire offensive zones. All that needs to be done is zoom out just a little so no parts of the zones are off-site. That's all it needs.

Possible Bugs / Glitches
(1) Poked & loose pucks still magically gravitate to cpu players. Physics issue?
(2)
(3)