The Medium is the Message: EASHL, Transparency, and the Core Gamer

[actionhank]

Quote: Originally Posted by ericromain

EA NHL had a lot more transparency a few year ago (NHL09-NHL10 era) When David Littman would give us quick clips breaking down subtle nuances of changes. There were live chats, developer blogs, redshirt used to come on the forums, a ton of community outreach talking about how much they are listening to the hardcore guys, and Littman (being an ex NHLer himself) really made me believe that the game was being made by hockey fans for hockey fans. I've never really had that vibe from rammer. I don't think they've stopped listening, but they've stopped reaching out. NHL 14 kinda gave us all the features all at once in May and we've just been riding the sizzle trailer train all summer. Perhaps we're seeing an oddball year for the launch of next gen, where so much had to be rebuilt that they are afraid to call out what is getting squeezed in and what has to be cut. It is a shame that they are keeping us in the dark this year over some tough cuts.

Agreed. Those updates used to be great. When they introduced stuff it was nice to see a little in game footage where Matt would go through and point out what took place in the old game, and how the new game worked. We could see side by side, as well as in game, the changes that were being implemented.
Now nothing gets released without awesome graphics and slow motion cuts. I don't want any of that stuff, just tell me what's changed, and how you've made it better.
I remember watching videos of them just showing new improvements without the need for it looking like a movie trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_MIPsGAY4g And sure the game has improved some since then, but it would be pretty hard to tell NHL14 apart from that video. The players move a bit less spastically thanks to the improved skating, but honestly, board play doesn't look too changed.
I might end up holding out on 15. I don't want to buy NHL14 with Next-Gen graphics, just for the sake of playing hockey. I've got NHL14, and hopefully someone will release a roster update for 14 to get this next season started.
All of which sucks, because i was really looking forward to playing 15.

[13whitebread]

EA pro business marches on. Frustrated along with others

[IG 88]

A shame. For every step EA seems to take in trying to win people over, they almost immediately fall right back. For all the slow leak of information (finally, gameplay! arenas!), it is unfortunate that it takes this long to get the information people would care about the most (loss of modes for "NEXT GEN").

Considering NHL 14 had pretty minimal updgrades (pitiful Live the Life and nominal NHL 94) and that current gen NHL 15 seems almost untouched (just the announce team?) ... seems like the last two years were not well spent. Nobody wins.

[jbush3]

I am one of the casual NHL fans. I probably don't know more than 15 players in the league, but I love this game. Me and about 4 of my friends buy this every year for the EASHL, and we have a blast. We suck, meaning we may win one out of every 6-7 games but man do we enjoy it.

Obviously not having it in the game for the Xbox One, we as a group will not buy it. We were looking forward to this for months (we all finally have the next gen), and we are crazy disappointed that its not in the game.

We are hoping and anxiously waiting that the Crew will be back in NBA 2K for the next gen.

[jaateloauto]

I applaud EA for at least saying something. Unlike with NBA 2K12 when on release date we found Crew mode (EASHL equivalent) missing.

Still, I have no reason to buy the game without EASHL so see you next year.

[Smooth Grizzly]

It's not a lack of communication problem for me personally. You could of said: "We didn't realize NHL 15 comes a year after NHL 14" or "we built it from scratch" months ago. You still don't have it. I like the approach of a super limited game over canceling multiple releases though.

[thejudicata]

Quote: Originally Posted by Smooth Grizzly

It's not a lack of communication problem for me personally. You could of said: "We didn't realize NHL 15 comes a year after NHL 14" or "we built it from scratch" months ago. You still don't have it. I like the approach of a super limited game over canceling multiple releases though.

Their statements are conflicting too.

Like Rammer said they didn't make the decision to cut EASHL until the announcement a few days ago?

So if you just realized 20 days before release EASHL won't be ready, why not just patch it in? I mean how far along is it? I'd have to assume if you JUST realized it 20 days before release it won't be done, it must be far along?

IE if EASHL is only 10% done, you would have realized a long time ago you don't have the time/resources to finish it and not made a last minute announcement. Because you are basically saying that at 30 days or 45 days you thought EASHL could be finished in time.

It just doesn't make sense and reeks of dishonesty.

Its also about trust, if they held this key information back for so long, what else are they holding back on? Before this EASHL announcement, a lot of members on this board kept making note that EA was unusually not showing much of the game and very little actual gameplay.

[Reejer]

Great read. I have been frustrated with the degradation of the Madden brand by using this business method. So all I had to really look forward to was NHL 15, wow what a swift kick in the crotch. It is great to hear that I am not alone.

I hope that NHL doesn't follow Madden into the MUT hole, and they get back to the old reliable "core" gamers, who have purchased the games for decades. Because a loyal customer is a good customer, and once you dump on them, it is pretty hard to win them back.