Why on Earth did they make the choice to have their intro be game improvements??

[CigarCityBandit]

This is nonsensical. YEah, I know it doesn't have anything to do with gameplay. But after watching Madden's Stellar intro that really captures the essence of the NFL, Why on earth did these guys miss the boat on this?
And I dont want to hear "Well, im glad they didnt spend the resources and time on putting together and intro and its better spent on gameplay improvements"... poppycock.
I know what it takes to put a highlight package together. I work with guys who do it on a nightly basis on the fly as a game is going on.
This smacks of LAZINESS. I dont know if that is what it was, but it sure seems like it.
I am enjoying the game though. I think the gameplay while it does have its issues is alot of fun. Especially the control, I really enjoy the amount of control I feel I have in the game, very responsive and I can play the game using very similar strategies that I see NHL'ers using - Digging pucks out of corners with a backhand to clear it, passing off of the boards as is done so often in the actual NHL etc. Puck physics I think are WAY improved over last season, and they were on the uptick then.
So overall a nice package but these cats need to realize that the intro to a game sets the tone for the entire feeling of the game. It gets ur juices flowing while you are getting situated in ur chair or grabbing a drink or what ever.
With all of these leagues they have licenses for, they couldve just given people a taste of what its really like out there. You know, some highlights of the Euro leagues using their own native language announcers calls wouldve been really nice. At the very LEAST show me some damn NHL intensity. After the way last seasons Playoffs went....NOTHING???
C'mon boys.

[whoaz]

I agree that the presentation has gotten really stale. When I was playing my first game, I thought I was playing '11 for a split second. Eventually, EA really has to update their graphics and infuse the intensity you were talking about. I'm sure they are trying to make huge strides in the franchise and it just takes time. Programming a context-based engine and making dine adjustments to gameplay takes a HUGE amount of time, so I would not really call them lazy. They are just prioritizing, in my opinion. But yeah, a new look once in a while would be great too.

[CigarCityBandit]

Well I agree I hesitate it say it IS lazy, I just think some people will feel that. And relative to Showing off the improvements in the intro...HUH? I mean Anyone who is a fan has already seen videos detailing the improvements. If you are not hardcore and are just casual, then probably a good idea would be to convey the excitement that the ACTUAL NHL brings to pro sports!!

[savoie2006]

Meh..there are much more pressing issues with the game. I would hardly consider this something that must be fixed. The rest of the presentation(In Game) could use an overhaul for sure though.

[bruinsftw2k]

Ill take game play tweaks to make the game better over visual tweaks anyday, gameplay is the most important thing, the cut scenes and all that other stuff gets old after a while anyways

[BelfourThibault]

I kinda like the intros, personally. You really can't compare an NHL game to Madden as far as the intros go, because NFL games usually have huge intros in real life. I was a Blackhawks season ticket holder from 1998-2004 (Yeah, regardless of what you see now, there were only about 50 of us who cared about the Hawks back then) when I moved away. During the regular season, there is no big production for intros for most teams. I've been to games in almost every Western Conference arena, and a couple of Eastern conference arenas...usually it's a video on the board, lights turned down, and the teams come out of their respective tunnels.

The only thing that I do wish they would bring back are the anthems.

[Kaladesskel]

I actually thought the intro was pretty cool.

[BA2929]

Are you talking about the intro when you start up the game? Or the intro where the players are coming out before the start of a game you're playing?

The "first pop in the game" intro I don't care about at all. I watch it once then 'X' past it every single other time.

The "playing a game" intro could be tweaked. It is getting repetitive.