If you check out the E3 questions thread, you'll notice I also answered some questions in there.
You know BW, asking the same question in the span of 30 minutes doesn't help your cause.
Anyway, I was playing the game within a new mode of sorts, but I don't believe I am supposed to talk about it at this point. Otherwise, they weren't talking about new modes as of yet so I am not keeping anything else as a secret.
I agree on both fronts. I mentioned having cumulative stats for OTP while talking with David Littman, but I don't believe it will make it in this time around. I also hope hardcore, or at least normal, is the default when playing online because it will be messed up if one team is playing with hardcore controls while the other team uses the casual controls. It would completely tip the scales and probably force many players to use the casual passing controls to keep up.
1. All the time. I took some running charges at some players, while other times I simply kept slashing players on the other team. After a bit of the novelty factor wore off, I started to just face wash guys and try to draw instigator penalties rather than hurt my own team -- I didn't get called for penalties during those instances.
2. Yeah, I shot at the goalie a few times, which got the other team angry. I also shot the puck at opposing players (Alfredsson style circa the Stanley Cup finals against the Ducks), which also got the other team chapped.
Yeah, female fans are in the game now.
Oh yeah, absolutely. What's cool is you can play the puck to an area and have the other guy skate to the puck and rip it in one motion. The same goes for something like a drop pass. Just drop the puck and let someone come up behind you and drill the puck.
And no, the speed of the one-timer is no longer automatic on hardcore because now you control where the puck is going, and at what speed, at all times. It's all about how much pressure you put on the passing trigger.
Fascinating!