NHL 11 Interview with Sean Ramjagsingh (Puck Podcast)

[plaidchuck]

Thought it was kinda weird he said it would be difficult putting a video up of the goal reviews. With all the extensive testing the game gets (I assume) they can't post a replay of a disallowed goal?

[JayhawkerStL]

Quote: Originally Posted by Lubey

It's all based on collecting cards. There are bronze, silver, and gold cards. You start off with a 'starter pack' of mostly poor rated players (probably CHL and bad Euro league players). As you play games you get coins. You can spend the coins on bronze, silver, or gold 'packs' which include cards to upgrade your team. There's also a marketplace where you can buy or sell cards in auctions. There will be a lot of gold cards, but the super super stars will be very rare. Ovechkin and Crosby will be extremely expensive, and you'd be very very lucky to get them in a pack. That's the jist of it. There's some other details, like chemistry and contracts. It's pretty fun. I've gotten the past 2 versions of the FIFA one.

I've never played the FIFA version, but the mode was darn additive and fun in Madden. Well, it would have been except for one thing. It's actually a stealth cash grab by EA.

The contacts are actually 10 game limits for each player. So once you accumulate enough points and purchase a silver or gold pack, the clock is ticking for you to earn enough points to add players, otherwise it is back to the bronze crud players. But EA has made this tough enough, that what you really get to do is use cash to buy more cards.

There is an auction house, so you can the cards you don't ned for more points. And the economy is out of whack because of the infusion of cash earned points, so you can sometimes make a nice little run by selling cards to kids that have absolutely to ability to evacuate what a card is worth. But since you know how much money the points cost, and how many games a player can play, it becomes clear that there is a definite imbalance.

What makes this worse is that when you take the field with your team of bronze, silver, and maybe a couple of gold players, you will face teams of elite gold players formed by the kids that just spent money to build there teams up. Even worse, you earn more points by winning by larger margins and running up stats. This makes online play a cheesefest that puts the normal pub games to shame.

For the first month or so, I LOVED UT. But the bloom came off the rose, and not only was it not worth paying to play, it wasn't worth playing for free. It's too bad, because if they had sold this as a $20-30 DLC, but didn't sell points, and tuned the game so that building a team was possible, I would have been so in. The strategy involved, as well as the fun of "opening" new packs to see what you got was just great fun.

But EA did it right, because it's clear they made a TON of money on this. The game is not built for me. They made their money of the kids that actually love the glitchfest mode.

One possible positive side-effect could be less cheeseballs in the pub games. Otherwise, as enticing as UT is, I just can't stomach the actual implementation.

[plaidchuck]

You gotta pay for it? Pass.

[BlueNGold]

Quote: Originally Posted by plaidchuck

You gotta pay for it? Pass.

In FIFA you did. In Madden it was free. Same with Madden 11 this year.

[scitychamps87]

I really hope this presentation overhaul includes a plethera of elements that make an nhl game or broadcast unique. By this I mean new commentary with Ed Olcyzk and Doc Emrick, replay wipes, authentic arena music with intros and goal songs, and finally as a pittsburgher, the inclusion of the Winter Classic would put the icing on the cake!

[green94]

Quote: Originally Posted by scitychamps87

I really hope this presentation overhaul includes a plethera of elements that make an nhl game or broadcast unique. By this I mean new commentary with Ed Olcyzk and Doc Emrick, replay wipes, authentic arena music with intros and goal songs, and finally as a pittsburgher, the inclusion of the Winter Classic would put the icing on the cake!

I love Gary Thorne but I also agree, get Eddie O and Doc in the game. Maybe some NBC presentation!? I can dream can't I?

Anyways, overhauled presentation is what this game needed, the only thing lacking IMO. Can't wait to see what they've done.

[MizzouRah]

The NHL team for EA really does a great job every year.. they could add a few little things and call it a new game, but each year it seems like they strive to make the game better in all areas.

Can this team work on the NCAA game?

[Tsuki]

Quote: Originally Posted by MizzouRah

The NHL team for EA really does a great job every year.. they could add a few little things and call it a new game, but each year it seems like they strive to make the game better in all areas. Can this team work on the NCAA game?

and madden please