NHL 15 Video and Screenshots - Next-Gen Hockey Player

[m_maclean24]

Re: NHL 15 Gameplay Series: Next-Gen Hockey Player

Alright, I'm going to have to bring up possibly the most nit-picky thing in a sports video game ever. I knew this day was coming, eventually and here it is.

I've played sports video games since the very early 1990's and I'm amazed every year at how games look better and better. I recall the first game where you could actually see the players name and number on the back of their jerseys. I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. Then they actually got the right fonts on the jerseys, and games started to make players actually look like their real-life counterparts. As games got more and more advanced I remember thinking, one day they jersey will be separate from the player and there will be some kind of cloth-like physics. NBA games have done this and now here it is, with NHL.

Now (I know, kind of long-winded), first off let me say the game looks phenomenal. But here's the nit-picky part.

If you're going to have the jerseys reacting like real jerseys they need to accommodate the fact that the numbers, letters, and logos are not the same material as the rest of the jersey. On many jerseys, such as the Blackhawks, the Indian head is quite large and is made of some heavier fabric that is used for the rest of the jersey. Not to mention all the fine stitching in the feathers (I have 9 authentic Blackhawks jerseys).

It bugs me to no end, to see the logos and numbers on players backs waving with the rest of the jersey as if they were all screen-printed onto the jersey rather than sewn on.

We're now getting to the point in sports video games where it is looking more and more like the real life games they represent. And when they look so good, small things like this start to stick out.

Hopefully, as technology evolves this can be something that EA and other producers can implement in their games.

I think a lot of people were thinking the exact same thing once the trailer was released that showed Datsyuk standing, while his Wing's logo fluttered around in an apparent wind. In addition to this there is a lack of name bars on the back of the jerseys. Call it nit-picky if you want, but I too would like to see this addressed at some point. Gotta say though, the trailer released yesterday looks just dandy! I hope it loks just as good in action as those trailers look.

[Comp]

Re: NHL 15 Gameplay Series: Next-Gen Hockey Player

Looks good from what I can see. Definitely like the emotions/celebrations.

[MizzouRah]

Re: NHL 15 Gameplay Series: Next-Gen Hockey Player

Yet another non gameplay video. Unbelievable. Also looking at Ovechkin's goal, it looks like we still don't have realistic net physics. In real life, they shoot so hard that the puck often rockets out of the net. In the game, the puck just dies when it hits the net, it looks so bad. This has always been one of my pet peeves with the NHL games.

I thought I read somewhere net physics were in the game this year?

[GROGtheNailer]

Game is 2 months away and there is no real game play footage, game play seems to be also taking a back seat here, if the game play misfires, it will not matter what the game looks like.

[PhillyGuy11826]

Re: NHL 15 Gameplay Series: Next-Gen Hockey Player

I thought I read somewhere net physics were in the game this year?

Look at Kane's goal in the E3 trailer. Puck/net reaction looked great. The Ovechkin goal cut away almost as soon as it hit the net.

[Sparkles]

Re: NHL 15 Gameplay Series: Next-Gen Hockey Player

Alright, I'm going to have to bring up possibly the most nit-picky thing in a sports video game ever. I knew this day was coming, eventually and here it is.

I've played sports video games since the very early 1990's and I'm amazed every year at how games look better and better. I recall the first game where you could actually see the players name and number on the back of their jerseys. I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. Then they actually got the right fonts on the jerseys, and games started to make players actually look like their real-life counterparts. As games got more and more advanced I remember thinking, one day they jersey will be separate from the player and there will be some kind of cloth-like physics. NBA games have done this and now here it is, with NHL.

Now (I know, kind of long-winded), first off let me say the game looks phenomenal. But here's the nit-picky part.

If you're going to have the jerseys reacting like real jerseys they need to accommodate the fact that the numbers, letters, and logos are not the same material as the rest of the jersey. On many jerseys, such as the Blackhawks, the Indian head is quite large and is made of some heavier fabric that is used for the rest of the jersey. Not to mention all the fine stitching in the feathers (I have 9 authentic Blackhawks jerseys).

It bugs me to no end, to see the logos and numbers on players backs waving with the rest of the jersey as if they were all screen-printed onto the jersey rather than sewn on.

We're now getting to the point in sports video games where it is looking more and more like the real life games they represent. And when they look so good, small things like this start to stick out.

Hopefully, as technology evolves this can be something that EA and other producers can implement in their games.

lol didnt notice that until you pointed it out. now every time i watch the trailers, i always cringe when i see the logos wave haha

[Pezell04x]

Re: NHL 15 Gameplay Series: Next-Gen Hockey Player

Alright guys, every game has it's flaws. NHL 15 won't be perfect, but it's worth buying, right?

no idea because we haven't watched any gameplay yet. It's all been slowed down montages and fluttering jerseys.

[PhillyGuy11826]

Re: NHL 15 Video and Screenshots - Next-Gen Hockey Player

The game was announced only a little over two months ago. It's not surprising we haven't gotten any raw gameplay yet.

The earliest raw gameplay footage I can find from 14 was uploaded on July 16th of last year & that was 94 Anniversary mode.

We have plenty of time to see non-cinematic gameplay

[pm83]

Re: NHL 15 Gameplay Series: Next-Gen Hockey Player

lol didnt notice that until you pointed it out. now every time i watch the trailers, i always cringe when i see the logos wave haha

They probably should been using few minutes to test an actual jersey in motion before creating this "authentic jersey" experience. Maybe next year.

[Morry83]

Re: NHL 15 Video and Screenshots - Next-Gen Hockey Player

So stoked to see the Bauer 4500 back in the game. Little is wearing it in the screenshot and from the net cam in the trailer, Toews is wearing it as well. Although Toews isn't wearing it during his celebration which seems odd.

[Simaofan-20]

Re: NHL 15 Gameplay Series: Next-Gen Hockey Player

Yet another non gameplay video. Unbelievable. Also looking at Ovechkin's goal, it looks like we still don't have realistic net physics. In real life, they shoot so hard that the puck often rockets out of the net. In the game, the puck just dies when it hits the net, it looks so bad. This has always been one of my pet peeves with the NHL games.

Watch the first trailer

[meep316]

Re: NHL 15 Gameplay Series: Next-Gen Hockey Player

Alright, I'm going to have to bring up possibly the most nit-picky thing in a sports video game ever. I knew this day was coming, eventually and here it is.

I've played sports video games since the very early 1990's and I'm amazed every year at how games look better and better. I recall the first game where you could actually see the players name and number on the back of their jerseys. I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. Then they actually got the right fonts on the jerseys, and games started to make players actually look like their real-life counterparts. As games got more and more advanced I remember thinking, one day they jersey will be separate from the player and there will be some kind of cloth-like physics. NBA games have done this and now here it is, with NHL.

Now (I know, kind of long-winded), first off let me say the game looks phenomenal. But here's the nit-picky part.

If you're going to have the jerseys reacting like real jerseys they need to accommodate the fact that the numbers, letters, and logos are not the same material as the rest of the jersey. On many jerseys, such as the Blackhawks, the Indian head is quite large and is made of some heavier fabric that is used for the rest of the jersey. Not to mention all the fine stitching in the feathers (I have 9 authentic Blackhawks jerseys).

It bugs me to no end, to see the logos and numbers on players backs waving with the rest of the jersey as if they were all screen-printed onto the jersey rather than sewn on.

We're now getting to the point in sports video games where it is looking more and more like the real life games they represent. And when they look so good, small things like this start to stick out.

Hopefully, as technology evolves this can be something that EA and other producers can implement in their games.

That's not nitpicky at all, it's the first thing I noticed when I watched the trailer.

Watch the first trailer

I just watched it again. There's nothing there that refutes what I said. Also I don't know what that other guy is talking about with him saying that they cut away from the Ovechkin goal too quickly to tell, no they don't. You clearly see it hit the net and then start spinning and die, that puck isn't rocketing out of the net like it's supposed to.

[SpectralThundr]

Re: NHL 15 Gameplay Series: Next-Gen Hockey Player

That's not nitpicky at all, it's the first thing I noticed when I watched the trailer.


I just watched it again. There's nothing there that refutes what I said. Also I don't know what that other guy is talking about with him saying that they cut away from the Ovechkin goal too quickly to tell, no they don't. You clearly see it hit the net and then start spinning and die, that puck isn't rocketing out of the net like it's supposed to.

actually when Kane scores around the 1:04 mark in the first sizzle trailer with the overlay of commentary from Doc, the puck does come back out of the net pretty quick after. on a good goal. When you go out of your way to hate every year however I can understand how the little details could be missed.

[MizzouRah]

Re: NHL 15 Gameplay Series: Next-Gen Hockey Player

Look at Kane's goal in the E3 trailer. Puck/net reaction looked great. The Ovechkin goal cut away almost as soon as it hit the net.

Ok so I'm not looney.. lol

[actionhank]

Re: NHL 15 Gameplay Series: Next-Gen Hockey Player

Alright, I'm going to have to bring up possibly the most nit-picky thing in a sports video game ever. I knew this day was coming, eventually and here it is.

I've played sports video games since the very early 1990's and I'm amazed every year at how games look better and better. I recall the first game where you could actually see the players name and number on the back of their jerseys. I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. Then they actually got the right fonts on the jerseys, and games started to make players actually look like their real-life counterparts. As games got more and more advanced I remember thinking, one day they jersey will be separate from the player and there will be some kind of cloth-like physics. NBA games have done this and now here it is, with NHL.

Now (I know, kind of long-winded), first off let me say the game looks phenomenal. But here's the nit-picky part.

If you're going to have the jerseys reacting like real jerseys they need to accommodate the fact that the numbers, letters, and logos are not the same material as the rest of the jersey. On many jerseys, such as the Blackhawks, the Indian head is quite large and is made of some heavier fabric that is used for the rest of the jersey. Not to mention all the fine stitching in the feathers (I have 9 authentic Blackhawks jerseys).

It bugs me to no end, to see the logos and numbers on players backs waving with the rest of the jersey as if they were all screen-printed onto the jersey rather than sewn on.

We're now getting to the point in sports video games where it is looking more and more like the real life games they represent. And when they look so good, small things like this start to stick out.

Hopefully, as technology evolves this can be something that EA and other producers can implement in their games.

I don't think it's wrong to notice, buuuut, i do think it's definitely something that falls into the "More effort than it's worth" category.
The way it is now (Based on my limited understanding of 3D modeling, and texturing) is that the sweaters are essentially a fluid model that can be placed over the equipment. They have one universal way of moving from what it seems, and that corresponds to the whole thing. Then the texture of the entire sweater, and the logo and numbers is tossed on top of that collision model that reacts to hits, player movement, etc.

The problem is, to really model the way a logo is sewn on, and nameplates and numbers are stitched on, and more stiff, you would have to essentially paste another "solid" model layer to represent that, which i would imagine would eat up a lot of GPU power in applying the physics reacting between the jersey, and then the outside forces like pucks, and moving over the players pads and body.
I think it's something that could definitely be done, but in terms of what you get back with looks, i don't think it outweighs the time spent programming it to move like it should, affect the "fabric" around it, and fix the bugs that would be found.

That's just my take on it. I think it's like playoff beards. Something that could be done, but would A. Be a massive development time hog, and B. Not really return that much. If players could grow playoff beards, every player model would have to either get a "drawn on" zone where beard grows during the playoffs, or a generic face which would look terrible, when you have guys like TJ Oshie swapping beards with Jumbo Joe. I think it would be nice if they added beards as an option, like in MLB The Show, and gave realistic looking beards to guys who traditionally have them like Thornton and Oduya, maybe even have it randomly turn the beard on and off for a few months at a time or something for a little variety. But, playoffs beards seems like another good idea, but one that's hard to execute, and not as important as some of the more pressing issues.