NHL 16: Official Gameplay Balance Video, Trailer and Blog

[Gangrel]

Quote: Originally Posted by nddurst

There's a simple issue playing out here. EA Sports is continually trying to adapt the game of hockey to be palatable to the casual fan/gamer. It should be the other way around. You should be trying to push the casual gamer to learn about hockey and adapt to the real life nuances of the game. Make the product represent its sport. They've got it backwards.

How well did that work for 2ksports hockey?

EA is aiming for the largest market it can. We are not it.



Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[actionhank]

Quote: Originally Posted by snc237

Yes cause the team that had one fourth the budget as madden will be able to out do them just like that.

They did it in the past with a smaller budget and team. NHL 09 made some pretty good strides, and was rewarded by a lot of magazines and websites as one of the best sports games, if not the best at the time.

I don't think it's a matter of ability, I think it's honestly a matter of direction. EA's higher ups want the money to come in, and HUT does that. Which means HUT, online play, online balancing, and making those things look exciting is what gets priority.
Everything else slides down the list, likely in relation to how much time it takes away from online play, and how likely it is to benefit online play.

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gangrel

How well did that work for 2ksports hockey? EA is aiming for the largest market it can. We are not it. Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Saying that, I believe 2K3-2K6 beat EA's NHL games both critically and financially during that timeframe.

There's a reason why EA completely reset it's NHL series when the 360/PS3 came out.
They were getting hammered by 2K.

I look NBA2K as the gold standard. That series nearly ended the NBA Live brand.
In fact, it basically did when EA renamed it to Elite.

NBA Live/Elite is for button mashers and casual fans and yet NBA2K continues to destroy EA in the basketball market despite being geared towards the hardcore.

I know next to nothing about basketball and yet I purchased NBA2K12 and 2K13.
I'm buying a soccer game for the first time in 20 years and it's going to be PES over FIFA.
Why? Because despite my ignorance to either sport, I want realism.
And I think companies would be surprised to that most sports gamers, even casual ones, want that as well.

If EA introduced gameplay that mirrored real hockey, or at the very least 1985-1994 - best era ever! - with the same fun controls, I truly believe the sales would at the very least remain the same, if not improve.

[colintoby8743]

Quote: Originally Posted by csamuelsvt

Really liked the new skating...and some of the subtle things they discussed... But as others said, dont like the goalie animations that are still in there from previous games...don't know how much longer we can keep saying "they haven't put in the new save animations in yet." Also, the game does look extremely similar which is why I think they had to highlight what exactly is different.. And the commentary, yikess.....thought they worked on it this year? Was in the final minute and Doc once again acting like he doesn't want to be there. Just zero emotion/excitement...pretty disappointed in that. The first video was much better than the second one.

Completely agree about the commentary. I have been praying for anyone different since NHL !0 and when I found out it was Doc and the gang last year I got super hyped. Obviously I was disappointed hearing "He got reefed" like 100 times so once again they got me hyped this year when they said they improved it. I know it was a short video but my gosh I didn't hear a single new audio clip maybe one or two. He didn't even address shots sometimes. When they said his pitch rose and fell I assumed they meant in the final minutes of close games or at least give me a "Perry takes the pass and SHOOTS ONE deflected wide...." something like that haha

[nddurst]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gangrel

How well did that work for 2ksports hockey? EA is aiming for the largest market it can. We are not it. Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

2k folded during a period where there were two hockey games competing in a small marketplace. One of these games wasn't going to make it, and EA made enough strides in the jump to 360/PS3 to put a stranglehold on the market.

Today, EA is the only option out there. If they made the game play more like real hockey, people would still buy it. They could implement a lot of the stuff we're hoping for and the game could still be fun. But they're not even giving it a chance.

[bigwill33]

Here is what EA found to be positive in their own video:

Things to look for in this clip:

(markers denote time remaining in the period)

1:50 – Silfverberg shoves Sustr from behind, who loses control of the puck in a subtle stumble.
1:25 – Silfverberg’s stick makes contact with the defender's legs which causes him to lose control of the puck.
1:19 – Stick on stick contact from backside pressure, which causes Silfverberg to fan on the shot. Sustr picks up the puck but loses control after running into traffic.
0:57 – AI defender Vatanen makes a smart pinch after holding the blueline and picks up the puck in stride.
0:55 – AI defender Sustr shows strong facing when he parks in front of his net early. His good position helps him pick off a cross-crease pass and is able to quickly transition out of the zone.
0:46 – AI defender doesn’t have enough time to react and just misses defensive deflection on the pass from behind the net. Boyle takes an unsettled one-timer and the shot goes wide.
0:42 – The relative speed of the pass is too hard for the Anaheim player to handle in close proximity, so he mishandles the pass before picking it up with control.
0:38 – AI defender Coburn is in good position and cuts off the passing lane from the streaking offensive winger.
0:33 – AI defender is able to get a stick into the passing lane, but the puck still deflects to Kucherov who is able to corral the puck. This slight break-up in timing forces Filppula to drag his foot to stay on-side.
0:30 – Kucherov turns the puck over as he gets rubbed out into the boards. The strong back-check and defensive support from Thompson results in a quick breakout for Anaheim.

[canucksss]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gangrel

How well did that work for 2ksports hockey? EA is aiming for the largest market it can. We are not it. Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Yes we are not the market (realism, true-blooded hockey enthusiast) that EA is after. No matter what improvement they are trying to implement, it gears more to the HUT mode than the offline.

In regards to your question about the 2kSports hockey and its demise.... Money nailed it.

Quote: Originally Posted by Money99

Saying that, I believe 2K3-2K6 beat EA's NHL games both critically and financially during that timeframe. There's a reason why EA completely reset it's NHL series when the 360/PS3 came out. They were getting hammered by 2K. I look NBA2K as the gold standard. That series nearly ended the NBA Live brand. In fact, it basically did when EA renamed it to Elite. NBA Live/Elite is for button mashers and casual fans and yet NBA2K continues to destroy EA in the basketball market despite being geared towards the hardcore. I know next to nothing about basketball and yet I purchased NBA2K12 and 2K13. I'm buying a soccer game for the first time in 20 years and it's going to be PES over FIFA. Why? Because despite my ignorance to either sport, I want realism. And I think companies would be surprised to that most sports gamers, even casual ones, want that as well. If EA introduced gameplay that mirrored real hockey, or at the very least 1985-1994 - best era ever! - with the same fun controls, I truly believe the sales would at the very least remain the same, if not improve.

If I may add, 2K demise was their fault....releasing a game with a "tilting" ice??? Lack of improvement in graphics??? If I am not mistaken, it was 2k who first utilize the Right Stick, I think it was for hitting. But EA capitalize on it by using it as the hockey stick. Again, it is the competition that drive companies to do their best and bring consumers the best product. But now, EA has the monopoly for NHL video games, they have the luxury to develop and drive their game towards to whatever they would benefit the most, and the hardcore enthusiasts was put in the "penalty box".

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by canucksss

Yes we are not the market (realism, true-blooded hockey enthusiast) that EA is after. No matter what improvement they are trying to implement, it gears more to the HUT mode than the offline. In regards to your question about the 2kSports hockey and its demise.... Money nailed it. If I may add, 2K demise was their fault....releasing a game with a "tilting" ice??? Lack of improvement in graphics??? If I am not mistaken, it was 2k who first utilize the Right Stick, I think it was for hitting. But EA capitalize on it by using it as the hockey stick. Again, it is the competition that drive companies to do their best and bring consumers the best product. But now, EA has the monopoly for NHL video games, they have the luxury to develop and drive their game towards to whatever they would benefit the most, and the hardcore enthusiasts was put in the "penalty box".

100% agreed.
2K rested on their laurels and were completely unprepared for what EA had in store for NHL07.
Not sure if that's the development teams fault, or if they were given limited resources which prevented a serious upgrade when the next-gen consoles arrived.
Regardless, EA poured money into their NHL game and it paid off.
But since burying 2K, they're the ones who are now resting on their laurels.

I still contend that if given the time and resources, VC would have turned 2K around.
I saw a lot of great things with 2K10 (DJ NEO's vids are awesome).
Too bad they weren't given a full year to make 2K11 what it should have been (and I don't count the Wii release).

And now we're here...

Quote: Originally Posted by nddurst

Today, EA is the only option out there. If they made the game play more like real hockey, people would still buy it. They could implement a lot of the stuff we're hoping for and the game could still be fun. But they're not even giving it a chance.

Great point!
I highly doubt sales drop if they go for more realism.
Besides, they could easily put in an NHL94 mode to appease Fratboy Bobby and his need for 14-12, pond hockey - in fact, I believe they have that mode already.

I think EA's reluctance to create a realistic game is because it requires a lot of time and effort to program that level of AI.
Instead of wasting time on useless stuff like NZ pressure or proper team and player separation, the programmers are told to fine tune EASHL and HUT.