NHL 12 Video - Winter Classic and Action Tracker

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by Biggs11

They said they were focusing on presentation this year? Yeah the intro to the winter classic is a nice touch but in game, it looks like the cutaways are the exact same as before and the same useless stats are used. I'm optimistic about the final product, but if they were putting an emphasis on presentation, I would expect new, different cutaways, stats between two teams, history etc... you know, stuff you actually see when you watch a game. The focus should be freshening things up, I'm tired of the same old stuff we've seen since 08 as I'm sure most are.

Agreed. I was hoping for real-time cutscenes as well.
That's the direction every sports game is going in.
But seeing Kunitz skate around as a right-handed shot during one cutscene, I knew right away they were all canned.

I know some will laugh at my nitpicking, but that's something that has bothered me for years.
I can only imagine how baseball or football fans would feel if during a cutscene, Albert Pujols was swinging left-handed while on deck, or if Tom Brady was throwing left-handed while warming up before the game.
It's simple touches like that which fool the gamer into believing they're on the field.

EA's done a remarkable job of turning this series around from last-gen, but they still stink at sucking the gamer in and making them think they're part of the action or a bigger picture.
In the NHL games, every game feels like a solo episode, instead of part of a 30-team, 82-game league.

[DJ]

I am going to see a lot more, presentation-wise for me to commit to this game.

[plaidchuck]

So all they've added is Heinz Field, goalie fighting, and the stat overlays/replays? Sounds like something that could be done with a $5 DLC/patch. The replays and stats are nice but they should have been in there years ago, even 2k10 had it. If history has shown us with EA, what you see with these videos is what you get. Let's not let the "work in progress" tag fool us.

Now I'm going to hope we see some major changes in other gameplay videos but I'm not holding my breath either. I think the demo will give me enough of an idea if it's even worth renthing this. At this point I'd honestly be more excited about a new and improved 3 on 3 Arcade.

Shouldn't be surprised though, when you think about it all NHL11 added for gameplay was the goal reviews and a couple new useless dekes.

[FBeaule04]

Quote: Originally Posted by plaidchuck

So all they've added is Heinz Field, goalie fighting, and the stat overlays/replays? Sounds like something that could be done with a $5 DLC/patch. The replays and stats are nice but they should have been in there years ago, even 2k10 had it. If history has shown us with EA, what you see with these videos is what you get. Let's not let the "work in progress" tag fool us. Now I'm going to hope we see some major changes in other gameplay videos but I'm not holding my breath either. I think the demo will give me enough of an idea if it's even worth renthing this. At this point I'd honestly be more excited about a new and improved 3 on 3 Arcade. Shouldn't be surprised though, when you think about it all NHL11 added for gameplay was the goal reviews and a couple new useless dekes.

Some will say you are pretty cynical, but I have to say I'm a bit like you in a way. I had the impression, with NHL 11, and all the selling that was done over blogs, facebook, etc, that they took me for an idiot.

The 3 on 3 arcade game made me wonder if the problem isn't just there. When we play the 3 on 3 game, we expect to see our little player become big so they can run over people, we expect sloppy play, un-realistic checking, etc. In fact, we expect pond play and moves that we see in the backyard since it's a backyard.

The NHL series as become too much "arcade" and less hockey-simulation. From the videos we saw so far, the real question we have to ask is : "What's NHL is all about for EA?". Glass-breaking, stick-breaking, dekes more ridiculous, hit that destroy everything, and now, goalies fight.

The more you try to catch people, the more a game become so wide-open that you lose your hardcore gamer in the process (go see what happened with Madden). That's the case for NHL in my books. So far, what amaze me is all the effort done on things that aren't that important while there's people asking for things for the last 3 years.

Will see Sept.13, but I won't be surprise if that game is a deception again. You can't ask people to be happy when priorities are at the wrong place. They work on nice things when game is paused, but overlook the cutting scenes we're you see players with their stick on the wrong side.

Note : Some will say it's an improvement since in NHL 09, people had their stick to the wrong side, but with the right curvre (meaning a right-handed was having his stick in lefty, but with a right-curve). :-)