NHL 10 Producer Blog: Part One

[RealmK]

Quote: Originally Posted by Qb

On that note, my off-the-wall take on this quote -- BASED ON NO ACTUAL FACTS -- and the previous mention that 3rd & 4th liners will have more use is that physical play will have a cumulative effect on players. So pounding on someone all game will cause them to be less effective through loss of stamina and/or a higher chance of injury, as well as some sort of individual aggression level that will fluctuate during the game. So repeatedly targeting an opposing player could cause them to lose their cool, possibly taking a penalty in the process. How's that for creating a feature out of a relatively vague quote, Will?

QB that would be fraking awesome! It would make players like Shaun Thorton actually useful for something, And shame on you Will, whats wrong with some speculation while we wait for game info? At least it gets some discussion going about ideas and where EA can go with things.

[catcatch22]

Quote: Originally Posted by Qb

On that note, my off-the-wall take on this quote -- BASED ON NO ACTUAL FACTS -- and the previous mention that 3rd & 4th liners will have more use is that physical play will have a cumulative effect on players. So pounding on someone all game will cause them to be less effective through loss of stamina and/or a higher chance of injury, as well as some sort of individual aggression level that will fluctuate during the game. So repeatedly targeting an opposing player could cause them to lose their cool, possibly taking a penalty in the process. How's that for creating a feature out of a relatively vague quote, Will?

That wouldn't be anything new, 2k did this with enforcers a while back and intimidation. That would just be stealing something 2k already did, which is good since they need to steal alot more than that from 2k.

One area he had nothing to say about was the one timers. This has been a problem with hockey games since the dawn of time. No hockey game as ever gottne this right and it MUST be addressed. A right handed shooter needs a pass from the right side of the ice and a left handed shooter vice versa. This is an important part of hockey and any powerplay. Handedness and the ability to shoot onetimers. Also the ability and skill to deflect or tap pucks in on cross creases.

With the new passing and maybe some added stick control for one timers and deflections maybe they can make it really authentic.

[RealmK]

Quote: Originally Posted by catcatch22

That wouldn't be anything new, 2k did this with enforcers a while back and intimidation. That would just be stealing something 2k already did, which is good since they need to steal alot more than that from 2k. One area he had nothing to say about was the one timers. This has been a problem with hockey games since the dawn of time. No hockey game as ever gottne this right and it MUST be addressed. A right handed shooter needs a pass from the right side of the ice and a left handed shooter vice versa. This is an important part of hockey and any powerplay. Handedness and the ability to shoot onetimers. Also the ability and skill to deflect or tap pucks in on cross creases. With the new passing and maybe some added stick control for one timers and deflections maybe they can make it really authentic.

While it does sound similar to 2k's enforcer system, 2k's implimentation of said system was pretty sucktastic. A system like that affecting players over the course of an entire game or series rather than a minute or two could add another element of depth to strategy.

Agreed on the onetimers, though aside from 2k's fighting system, face offs and some of its goaltending animations there's not much else I'd want to see stolen for EA's game.

[Clarke_311]

Quote: Originally Posted by catcatch22

That wouldn't be anything new, 2k did this with enforcers a while back and intimidation. That would just be stealing something 2k already did, which is good since they need to steal alot more than that from 2k. One area he had nothing to say about was the one timers. This has been a problem with hockey games since the dawn of time. No hockey game as ever gottne this right and it MUST be addressed. A right handed shooter needs a pass from the right side of the ice and a left handed shooter vice versa. This is an important part of hockey and any powerplay. Handedness and the ability to shoot onetimers. Also the ability and skill to deflect or tap pucks in on cross creases. With the new passing and maybe some added stick control for one timers and deflections maybe they can make it really authentic.

Exactly, I can never get a good one-time off. I want to be able to pass it back the point on a power play and boom it with Souray, its the biggest issue they need to adress IMO.

[catcatch22]

Quote: Originally Posted by Clarke_311

Exactly, I can never get a good one-time off. I want to be able to pass it back the point on a power play and boom it with Souray, its the biggest issue they need to adress IMO.

I actually think it's too easy. You should have to seit up more and not be so easy.

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by catcatch22

I actually think it's too easy. You should have to seit up more and not be so easy.

For whatever reason, it was done perfectly in NHL07 but then removed for 08.
In 07 the pass had to be in the wheel-house in order to get one off. If it wasn't, instead of the player firing off a one-timer from their skate laces, the player would stop, collect the puck, and then wrist a shot away.

It added a level of realism and made you work to get that perfect pass. And of course, the better passers could almost always put it in the right spot. So you wanted them to have the puck over anyone else.

I'm still peeved that this was changed for 08 and 09.
In those games, everyone could one-time a laser to the top shelf no matter where the pass was - which meant the value of a playmaker also went down as everyone could deliver a perfect one-time pass.

[RealmK]

Quote: Originally Posted by Money99

For whatever reason, it was done perfectly in NHL07 but then removed for 08. In 07 the pass had to be in the wheel-house in order to get one off. If it wasn't, instead of the player firing off a one-timer from their skate laces, the player would stop, collect the puck, and then wrist a shot away. It added a level of realism and made you work to get that perfect pass. And of course, the better passers could almost always put it in the right spot. So you wanted them to have the puck over anyone else. I'm still peeved that this was changed for 08 and 09. In those games, everyone could one-time a laser to the top shelf no matter where the pass was - which meant the value of a playmaker also went down as everyone could deliver a perfect one-time pass.

Agreed, its not quite as well implimented as it was in 07, for whatever reason they changed the differentation between scrubs and allstar players. I do still at times fan on one timers in the slot when pressured but the way they have it now if the player fans on the shot, you end up locked in an animation which usually means loss of possession of the puck. It was much better handled in 07 like you stated.

We do know they plan 3rd and 4th liners to mean more, what we don't know if this is either better board play in general, an enforcer like system like 2k had a few years back or if its as detailed as what QB suggests (awesome suggestion btw QB) Hopefully it means better seperation between 4th liners and star players after all is said and done.

I think this is the year to get alot of situations at least up to a level of contentness for the hardcore guys. What I mean by this is getting the game to play a less clean game, more puck battles along the boards, better puck physics in front of the net (no more pucks rolling off a goalies back), more errant and sloppy passes. Just a more organic feel from puck physics to passing, to reactions of the puck off of players/tenders etc. With NHL11 being their 20th year anniversary for the series, I would think they would want to make sure it plays as realistically a game of hockey as it possibly can at that point. So finally getting alot of these outstanding issues nailed down would go a long way to get there.

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by RealmK

Agreed, its not quite as well implimented as it was in 07, for whatever reason they changed the differentation between scrubs and allstar players. I do still at times fan on one timers in the slot when pressured but the way they have it now if the player fans on the shot, you end up locked in an animation which usually means loss of possession of the puck. It was much better handled in 07 like you stated. We do know they plan 3rd and 4th liners to mean more, what we don't know if this is either better board play in general, an enforcer like system like 2k had a few years back or if its as detailed as what QB suggests (awesome suggestion btw QB) Hopefully it means better seperation between 4th liners and star players after all is said and done. I think this is the year to get alot of situations at least up to a level of contentness for the hardcore guys. What I mean by this is getting the game to play a less clean game, more puck battles along the boards, better puck physics in front of the net (no more pucks rolling off a goalies back), more errant and sloppy passes. Just a more organic feel from puck physics to passing, to reactions of the puck off of players/tenders etc. With NHL11 being their 20th year anniversary for the series, I would think they would want to make sure it plays as realistically a game of hockey as it possibly can at that point. So finally getting alot of these outstanding issues nailed down would go a long way to get there.

Well said.
By the way Littman addressed the too-perfect passing, it seems they realize that a majority of their customers want a realistic hockey game that shows the sloppiness to the sport. I hope he can deliver that.