NHL 13 Delivers Major Innovations That Will Change the Way You Play the Game

[Therion7]

Hmm. Intrigued by the skating but I've got a funny feeling that the title is going to be "deja vu all over again" once that hour or two of "hey, the animations are slightly different!" wears off. The game will live or die for me by the CPU AI visibly showing some variations between players and styles. It's all very well to say that the AI is smarter or the skating makes a difference but it needs to be evident on a player through team basis.

Team-specific presentation? That will be nothing more than a "set your favourite team" option on launch, then a backdrop change in the frontend. Something FIFA, MLB, Madden have been doing for years now.

Refined on-ice presentation? The goal celebrations back from NHL 11 probably. Well, I hope so anyway!

Still holding out hope for customisable season length as that might be included for the sake of online Be A GM.

Cautiously optimistic, but some new anims in the same old inaccurate rinks, shrouded in the same black veil of a frontend will get tiresome before Bill and Gary give us the same old schtick about "absolute lasers".

[hollywood_cpm]

Quote: Originally Posted by murph17

Seriously. When are they going to realize what a goldmine idea this would be. Take the old assets, use the current teams/players (licensing), and spend a few weeks figuring out online play. $10 ($5 would be even better and sell more). Cash checks. Done.

Completley agree. I'm shocked it's not an Xbox Live game yet. I don't want just the new teams/players though. Give me the 94 teams and all the old players too.

[murph17]

Quote: Originally Posted by hollywood_cpm

Completley agree. I'm shocked it's not an Xbox Live game yet. I don't want just the new teams/players though. Give me the 94 teams and all the old players too.

i hear ya. ultimately that's what i would want too. but it would cost them and be a real pain in the butt to license all the old players again. since they already have the current NHL and NHLPA licenses, it would be a lot cheaper and quicker this way.

[andrew165]

all of this looks great my only other hope is that they have finally change the stanley cup celebration as the current one is four or five years old

[hollywood_cpm]

Quote: Originally Posted by murph17

i hear ya. ultimately that's what i would want too. but it would cost them and be a real pain in the butt to license all the old players again. since they already have the current NHL and NHLPA licenses, it would be a lot cheaper and quicker this way.

argh you're right. I totally forgot about the individual licences needed for all non-current NHLPA players - see Legend Teams this year - that would be a massive undertaking and likely impossible.

Oh well current rosters NHL 94 ftw!

[BlueNGold]

I hope that the new skating shows a difference between the good, great, and bad skaters. With over 1000 new animations I'd like to think that will be the case.

[hollywood_cpm]

Quote: Originally Posted by BlueNGold

I hope that the new skating shows a difference between the good, great, and bad skaters. With over 1000 new animations I'd like to think that will be the case.

What i'd really really like to see is different skating styles. I might be too hyped on the news but to me watching Hall skate in the trailer reminded me of how Taylor Hall actually skates. Very wide stance and arms more to his side than out infront of him. I'm hoping they have multiple skating styles to really add some realism much the way the 2k NBA games have different shooting styles.

[MizzouRah]

They have my attention, now I want to see some in game footage.