NHL 2K10 Screenshots

[Scottdau]

Not really but EA is going for gameplay first. Which is OK, but if they want to get more people they should go for presentation first. I have a feeling that more kids and adults would buy the game. People want a game that they can pick up and play and look good too. I am not saying all people. But in all honesty to you think the majority of video gamers want real sim or do you think that i still a minority? On here that is a majority, but in the World what do you guys think?

[baa7]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ridgeberg

What exactly are you trying to convey?

That EA's NHL development team has spent little or no effort on the presentation in four years, which has everything to do with saving the corporation money. I thought I made that clear.

[Ridgeberg]

Quote: Originally Posted by Scottdau

Not really but EA is going for gameplay first. Which is OK, but if they want to get more people they should go for presentation first. I have a feeling that more kids and adults would buy the game. People want a game that they can pick up and play and look good too. I am not saying all people. But in all honesty to you think the majority of video gamers want real sim or do you think that i still a minority? On here that is a majority, but in the World what do you guys think?

I agree that to much of the "gaming world" realism is probably an afterthought, heck, just play an online game of NHL09. The players that win the most try to play as unrealistic as possible or try to take advantage of a couple programming mistakes.

On that note, other than arenas, can you honestly say that NHL2K has better presentation than any of EA Sports games? The biggest knock on EA Sports before Peter Moore took over was that they get away with horrendous gameplay by making everything look pretty. Like Baa said above, the NHL2K player models are pretty bad. If you look closely at the two pictures in my previous post, the players don't even look THAT much different, save for the new sheen on the 2K10 graphics and the incorporation of player faces and high definition. The player models is one of the reasons I cannot stay interested in NHL2K. I can't get into it. You could draw a parallel to the FIFA/Pro Evolution dichotomy on the PS2. FIFA had all of the licensed teams and looked fantastic, but played like mud. Pro Evo on the other hand had few team licenses but the gameplay engine was unreal, plus you could customize everything. If 2K's gameplay was above and beyond NHL, then perhaps I could give it more time, but truth be told, it is not. It is unfathomable that they still have not moved shooting to the Right Stick. EA made an innovation there and hit pay dirt, there is no shame in copying.

And back to your original point, I would imagine the "pick up and play" factor is huge to game sales. I think this makes NHL10 even more appealing when you consider how much customization they have provided this year. Want to play a video game that tries to mimic real life hockey? Great, adjust the settings to Hardcore/Superstar, after that, if there is something you don't like, adjust the sliders. Want to play a fast, end to end, high scoring, hard checking game of arcade hockey? Great, adjust the settings to Rookie/Casual.

I understand that people have different preferences and that they may enjoy and have a higher priority for certain things. That is great and what makes the ability to choose fantastic. I start taking issue when people start to lose focus on what this is all really about, having a fun time.

[baa7]

Quote: Originally Posted by Scottdau

Not really but EA is going for gameplay first. Which is OK, but if they want to get more people they should go for presentation first. I have a feeling that more kids and adults would buy the game. People want a game that they can pick up and play and look good too.

EA's games have always been the ones that look good, and that people (kids) can easily pick up and play. And their NHL series is no exception. Also, I'm not sure pre-game cutscenes of pretty arenas is what people want. People want players and gameplay that looks like a photo-realistic representation of the sport. And EA's game beats 2K's in that department, hands down.

[Ridgeberg]

Quote: Originally Posted by baa7

That EA's NHL development team has spent little or no effort on the presentation in four years, which has everything to do with saving the corporation money. I thought I made that clear.

And how has that worked out for them? Let's see, NHL2K9 sold 0.12 million copies on the XBOX 360 last year. So, NHL09 sold roughly 4.5 times more copies. When making a business decision, it is usually wise to examine trends and the like. Considering that the EA product sold almost five times the amount as the 2K product, AND considering that 2K had the better "presentation" (and I will put presentation in quotes because I think the only thing 2K did better was the arena, not commentary or player models), it would make sense to allocate more funds towards gameplay, because obviously, presentation didn't really help 2K's sales.

So, yes, you are right. Thank you for restating was Redshirt_EA has already made clear. Whoever is in charge of allocating resources ("for the past four years") has not been heavily investing in presentation. Awesome.

[Scottdau]

Maybe I think the player models are closer this year. Also, I like the animation better in 2k10. It just looks more real. Sure there are some that are just weird looking, but some that are so smooth it looks so real. Arenas go a long way, especially if they are all different. I like what I am seeing and the graphics looks a lot better than last year. So I am happy.

[baa7]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ridgeberg

So, yes, you are right. Thank you for restating was Redshirt_EA has already made clear.

I haven't read what EA reps have had to say on the subject. I'm saying EA the corporation doesn't put much money into upgrading their games. Improvements and new features are doled out in dribs and drabs each year. And no, I don't think the inclusion of board play, which has been a staple in 2K hockey for years, qualifies as EA going all-out to improve NHL 10. And other than adding manual passing, I don't see that they've done very much to upgrade NHL 10. And again, I would guess that saving money has plenty to do with that.

Anyway, you're way off topic, so whatever it is you believe, have at 'er.

[daflyboys]

Gee... I can't wait until the next set of photos and a new review so that we can have the same discussions over and over again. Riveting.