Ask Me Anything: Sean Ramjagsingh, NHL 15 Producer

[Jet Sufferer]

How different is the AI this year? From what we've seen in gameplay footage the CPU AI seems very similar to last gen.

It seems very easy to gain the zone, it looks like your CPU defensive teammates are very passive, has there been any re writes to their behavior?

Has there been an effort to make goal scoring more organic and more real life? Will the same "hot spots" work from last gen?

I understand you have a small team, but I could totally forgive the omission of modes if the AI was organic and more realistic and goal scoring came from proper hockey plays and angles.

In the future will it be a priority for your team to aggressively improve the meat and potatoes of the game, specifically the AI to strive for a realistic, organic game of hockey and do you think that's a realistic expectation on my part on this generation of consoles?

This is all I really want in a game, a somewhat realistic AI, preferably customizable by effective sliders. The bells and whistles are nice, but what I really want is to feel the difference between players and teams, use realistic tactics and skills to score and defend and not feel that neither I or CPU players use "cheap" tactics to score and win.

I believe if you concentrated on that philosophy in the long run you would gain the simulation and the casual gamer. The graphics are nice enough, I would be more than happy with last gen graphics if we could get the kind of gameplay I described in my previous paragraph.

Thanks for your time.

[Trist5382]

Is there any chance of EASHL coming out later this year or next year in an update?
I think if you did that, all would be forgiven c:

[BearishRiggs]

Hey Sean,

First let me echo what mostly everyone else here has stated; thank you to yourself and the rest of the NHL team for the work they've done over the years. I've sunk countless hours into this series since I was a kid playing it for the first time. There are certainly flaws, always will be, but I love hockey. I love these games. Now, onto the questions.

1) As a 360 player who wasn't planning on making the jump to next-gen regardless, I'm a little bit scared that myself and other last-gen players are getting left by the wayside. We obviously won't be seeing the graphical improvements or likely the new physics engine, but what exactly is going to trickle down from the Next-Gen versions? New commentary team? NBC Presentation? Puck physics? Any new animations, etc. etc. etc. Basically, is the on-ice product going to differ from NHL 14?

Off-ice, will the GM and Live The Live modes be improved or expanded upon at all?

I know this is a tough question to answer, but I'm essentially asking...is NHL 15 last-gen going to be a significant improvement over 14? Will there be big enough improvements to warrant the purchase?

2) This is more wishful thinking here. Is a mobile GM Mode game possible? Will it ever be? I have no idea how extensive the code is for everything that goes into the Be A GM Mode, but this is kind of my dream as a hockey video game fan. Having an iOS GM game where we can build a team, draft, trade players, etc. etc. and simulate seasons the way we do on the console version...I would plop down $5-10 for that in a heartbeat. Probably a longshot because the work/dollars involved might not even out with the return, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Thanks for dedicating your time here with us tonight. I know having to break this news isn't easy for you or the team, but hopefully we'll see the results/benefits of these decisions in the coming years.

[ajs41072]

if Be A Pro mode is in Xbox One/PS4, and OTP is planned to be patched in at a later date, will you be able to use your Be A Pro player for OTP, like Drop In Games were, just no EASHL? Or when OTP is patched in, it's limited to only NHL players?

[Dante_X]

also wondering if season mode is still in as I often do a season with a junior team.

[cowboys282]

Hey Sean,

So why exactly was it so easy to include Hockey Ultimate Team in the Next Gen console and not EASHL?

Exactly how many developers were assigned over the last year to work on Hockey Ultimate Team?

How many developers were assigned to work on OTP and EASHL?

[rp05ev]

Quote: Originally Posted by ajs41072

if Be A Pro mode is in Xbox One/PS4, and OTP is planned to be patched in at a later date, will you be able to use your Be A Pro player for OTP, like Drop In Games were, just no EASHL? Or when OTP is patched in, it's limited to only NHL players?

He already answered this. Only NHL players but said something about they realize its important to bring back created players as it is necessary for EASHL. Update you will be only play with NHL rosters on OTP when they release it as content patch.

[Jepockn]

Hi Sean,

Is custom music included on the xbox one? And or ps4?

Is create a team available on the next gen consoles?


Thanks,