Ask Me Anything: Sean Ramjagsingh, NHL 15 Producer

[EASPORTSNHL]

Quote: Originally Posted by thedudedominick

With all the focus on continuing to update the Next-gen versions of NHL 15 (Which I understand), will there be continued support and updates of any issues that arise for those that play it on the 360/ps3?

Yes there will.

[bwiggy33]

Hey Sean,

Are you looking into fixing the neutral zone play in this series? This game has never forced the user to change up their strategy when entering the offensive zone. At the present time I can enter the offensive zone with ease every single time. In fact I can enter the zone and stand there being watched by all 5 defensive players, until all of my players enter the zone and then I can work the puck around. I am forced to create house rules for myself so that I dump the puck in just to vary the game up. Due to the lack of neutral zone pressure or "easy entry" I go offsides a grand total of about 2 or 3 times a game (sometimes 0) and when I play the game it's on 12 minute periods minimum. Offsides happens in hockey and I never see it at all in this game.

Is custom AI still in the game? Going along with this question is there any thought of adding more sliders or Custom AI options to allow people to really change how the AI thinks? Currently this game is tuned so that the flow and pace is back and forth ping pong hockey. That is no question the game that many people want to play, but there are people like myself who don't want a back and forth game all the time. Giving us more sliders and custom AI options would massively help users with creating the game to the style they want. Also more sliders and options mean everyone can create the type of experience they are looking for. For instance a neutral zone slider so that people who want neutral zone pressure can have it and people who don't want it don't need to.

Do you guys plan on revamping goalies? Currently goalies warp across the crease instead of having real push off movements. I'd also like to see when a goalie makes a glove save or sucks the puck into his body, that he doesn't go into the freeze puck animation every time.

I'm going to be flat out honest I have been really disappointed in this series the past 4 years. To me this game seems completely tuned for the fast paced, back and forth, no stoppages type player. That doesn't appeal to me or many other people on this forum. I truly believe more options would help massively with building this game for everyone. For the user who doesn't want a ton of sim in the game, the gameplay is nearly perfect the way it is now. For the players who want a more sim style experience it doesn't cut it because we don't have the tools to make it play the way we want it to. On some of the threads in this forum you will see a long list of suggestions, frustrations, and input from people who want this type of experience.

I apologize for being so blunt but I have been very aggravated with this series and I needed to let it out knowing that the head developer was reading this thread. I would be more than happy to buy this game again but not until I see it improve towards a more realistic hockey experience. Me and so many others on this forum have no problem adjusting settings to mimic the experience we want, we just need the settings and options to do that.

I'd like to thank you for coming on here and answering questions. To me that's what shows us you guys truly care what the buyers want included in the game. You may see a ton of negativity on this forum but a lot of that is due in part to not ever hearing from the developers. If you guys continued to check in on this site and listen to our ideas I would be willing to bet this game would improve massively. Once again thanks for taking the time today.

[cowboys282]

Quote: Originally Posted by EASPORTSNHL

HUT gameplay is essentially Online Vs. Step 1 was getting online up and running which is essentially Online Vs. Once that was up and running, applying it to HUT was 'relatively' simple because it's still 1v1 with different rosters. OTP/EASHL is a different configuration that needs to account for up to 12 user controlled players all on their own console. This increases the likelihood of desyncs, it's a new set of complex testing that needs to be done, there are potential issues around matchmaking etc. In a nutshell, HUT's online gp is the same as Vs whereas OTP is very different.

Thanks for answering. If Micro Transactions were not involved I wouldn't question this. However they are very much involved.

I respect the fact that 12 player online is far more complex then 1v1 which HUT involves. However HUT seems to have much more involved as far as menu options, 100's of different cards, the ability to buy packs, the coin system, the auction house, online tournaments, and much more.

Unless you were using most of the same code from the last gen version I can imagine the scope of setting up HUT is far more involved then just using "1v1 with different rosters"

But lets say you finally get OTP/12v12 up and running. Why not go the full length and add a stripped down version of EASHL? Once 12v12 is tested and working adding some quick stat trackers should not be hard?

Seems like you want to hold this back as a selling point to buy NHL16? But that's just adding an old feature back. It should not be used as a selling point.

I personally would buy NHL15 and even play HUT some if I knew EASHL would be added at some point to NHL15. But only adding OTP, and waiting until now to announce it, seems as though there's more going on.

[TDKing]

Sean, can you comment on the future of GM Connected? Thanks

[Jellobiafra]

Quote: Originally Posted by jayenomics

Rammer, I see you've skirted my question. I understand development of a game on a new platform is tough, but GM Connected is 1v1 online at it's basic core, with Be a GM added on. Why not take a key from Madden and just make offline and online one in the same, with alll the same features, with the only difference being one hosted in the cloud with multiplayer (your servers) and one being local? Surely that isn't beyond your team's capabilities. Sucks that you had to kill GM Connected, and in turn kill several great communities like the GMCHL.

Now that it is confirmed no connected franchise mode I will not be buying NHL15. Can you please advise if connected careers will be considered again for future iterations. How about if you can find a way to charge extra for connected GM would that make it easier to include as a game mode? Was arranging a gm mode for players in Australia and New Zealand now none of my friends will be buying this game.

[jayenomics]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jellobiafra

Now that it is confirmed no connected franchise mode I will not be buying NHL15. Can you please advise if connected careers will be considered again for future iterations. How about if you can find a way to charge extra for connected GM would that make it easier to include as a game mode? Was arranging a gm mode for players in Australia and New Zealand now none of my friends will be buying this game.

Yes please, please answer this.

[tpblue]

Will people still be able to play 6v6 in NHL 14 until NHL 16 comes out as most of the online leagues are pretty much deciding to boycott 15 and play next season on NHL 14?
And is NHL 15 going to be cheaper on the next Gen consoles as there is so much less content?

[Majingir]

Quote: Originally Posted by Rules

Sean, Will penalties be called more often this year bringing the game closer to what happens in real life? Without it, no power plays, no penalty killing lines or strategy needed. This has been an issue over the past few years and the sliders made little to no difference. Thank you.

I got same question,but an add on to that.....Will the penalty slider make a big difference in the amount of penalties we see(for example,will the penalty slider on 1 vs slider on max, lead to a much different amount of penalties seen in a game)? As mentioned in the quote above,the penalty issue has been a problem for a few years(since NHL12 to be exact) and the prior years of EAs NHL video games haven't had an issue with the amount of penalties being called(it's not just a handful of people either,it's a real large amount of people not just on this forum,but even the official EA forums who've tried everything and had little to no luck in getting a good amount of penalties per game,even on max penalty sliders)


Also.....Will Be A GM mode have faster sim speeds for users on PS3? The last be a gm mode I played,it took like 10 seconds to sim a single day in the game(which adds up to about 5 minutes per month,and 40+ minutes per season to sim)

And final question.....Will we see as many rebound goals from AI players in this years game? It's been an issue in past games where a real noticeable amount of AI goals seem to be rebound goals(where the puck bounces off the goalie,and the puck happens to bounce towards the direction of the closest AI player who then has an easy shot at the net)