EASHL Committee / EA NHL GameChangers Event #2 Recap!

[Oohwayy]

Hello OS.

This past week, the group of people introduced as the "EASHL Committee" and now known as "EA GameChangers" attended the EA studio in Burnaby, British Columbia for the second meeting.

While the first meeting held in January was discussions, debates and conferences with various members of the development team, the second one was more play-testing and giving direct feedback.

Legally, the required thing for us to say is "We attended the EA studio in which we play-tested a possible future iteration of EA Sports NHL and its game modes." - use your intuition and you should probably be able to decipher it.

EA Sports themselves will be making an announcement about this new iteration to the franchise sometime this month.

We arrived Wednesday April 29th and departed Friday night May 1st or Saturday during the day May 2nd. The event started on Thursday and we spent a portion of the first day re-meeting with the software engineers, computer design and other members of the development team in which they showed us what they had accomplished from the time we left last meeting to now. Many things that we advised and suggested to them were addressed.
We then spent approximately the next nine hours playing in a room with twelve xbox one development kits, two projectors and a whiteboard full of feedback that we gave them.
A picture of the set-up can be viewed here : http://gyazo.com/6b3ac6da771f6126af4eb0cb6f4a50b8

The second day we came back we started in the morning and played for another seven or eight hours before saying our goodbyes and leaving.

At this point in time, the game we played was an alpha/beta version of what may come in the future. For the most part, all of the core features they have planned have been implemented and work properly. There are some things which still need to be fixed, tuned and perfected.

If everything that they said will be done in the next few month actually gets done, then I will be very excited for the next installment of the EA franchise. I'd rate the beta game I played at a 9/10. For reference, I'd give the current NHL 15 game a generous 6.5/10

I can try to answer questions to the best of my ability.

-Oohwayy

Edit: I'm no longer on twitter anymore. The account " @TheJonnyOohwayy " is not me. Please do not trust that as a legitimate source. My only access to twitter is via @YouTubeOohwayy in which I only view tweets and don't actually tweet anymore myself.

[Simple Mathematics]

Did you guys just play "play now" games? Or were you allowed to play other modes?

Gameplay-wise, could enforcers still deke like Datsyuk? Was defense touched since last year? Is there an increase in player separation? Is there more physicality besides big hits? We're goaltenders improved?

Is edit player back in the game?

Will this game be more than just including all the same features from the last gen NHL 14?

Should this game be called HUT 16 instead of NHL 16?



I know you won't be able to answer probably any of these questions, but it's worth a shot.

[Oohwayy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Simple Mathematics

Did you guys just play "play now" games? Or were you allowed to play other modes? Gameplay-wise, could enforcers still deke like Datsyuk? Was defense touched since last year? Is there an increase in player separation? Is there more physicality besides big hits? We're goaltenders improved? Is edit player back in the game? Will this game be more than just including all the same features from the last gen NHL 14? Should this game be called HUT 16 instead of NHL 16? I know you won't be able to answer probably any of these questions, but it's worth a shot.

I played more than just "play now" games. There were online servers available for dev team members and gamechangers to play one another.
Every game mode that currently existed in the beta version they gave to us I tried for at least one hour to see the changes. Of course, the modes that never interested me (i.e GM, Be a Pro) I spent less time playing.
No, enforcers cannot still deke like Datsyuk.
I did notice changes in defense and defensive gameplay.
Player separation - not sure how I can answer this.
There is more physicality aside from big hits.
Goaltenders were improved in my opinion.
Edit player - Not sure if I'm allowed to answer this or what not.
This game is more than just the features of last-gen NHL 14 transferred to a new gen version. I cannot announce these game modes at this time. Wait for EA.
This game should not be called HUT 16.


Hope that helps.

[Cletus]

Thank you for keeping us informed. I know we seem surly, but it's nothing personal.

Can you say if there's more neutral zone pressure and if the puck acts more independently than previous years?

[sweetjones]

Thank you for your information. Can you comment on if boardplay has improved eg. no/less suction?


Thank you!

[bigwill33]

I'm sure it is tough/worrisome to speak while under the NDA for some of you guys, but I have a question that I am certain you can answer;

Can you tell us, and speak to, what specific information or feedback that you brought to EA that was directly from the community you are representing at OS?

Like, could you provide some specifics in which you made our concerns, ideas, complaints, findings, and potential solutions a talking point during your time spent interacting with the game's developers, whether in Vancouver or just by way of correspondence?

Perhaps shed some insight for our community that you are a part of about how you were able to really get us involved with the producers and developers. Was there anything that we have noted or have put together that they found to be intriguing, perhaps? How often do they read our forums and what do they think? Please be specific, and thank you.

[Oohwayy]

Quote: Originally Posted by sweetjones

Thank you for your information. Can you comment on if boardplay has improved eg. no/less suction? Thank you!

Cannot comment on it because I don't recall taking note of it. If there was a change, it was not evidently noticeable.

Quote: Originally Posted by Cletus

Thank you for keeping us informed. I know we seem surly, but it's nothing personal. Can you say if there's more neutral zone pressure and if the puck acts more independently than previous years?

Not my first time taking heat on the Internet haha. Most of my gameplay experience did not involve computers in the neutral zone. When they did, they followed the quick D-pad / button strategy positioning for the most part. There are new mechanics and changes being implemented for puck control and the independent puck as a whole.

[Oohwayy]

Quote: Originally Posted by bigwill33

I'm sure it is tough/worrisome to speak while under the NDA for some of you guys, but I have a question that I am certain you can answer; Can you tell us, and speak to, what specific information or feedback that you brought to EA that was directly from the community you are representing at OS? Like, could you provide some specifics in which you made our concerns, ideas, complaints, findings, and potential solutions a talking point during your time spent interacting with the game's developers, whether in Vancouver or just by way of correspondence? Perhaps shed some insight for our community that you are a part of about how you were able to really get us involved with the producers and developers. Was there anything that we have noted or have put together that they found to be intriguing, perhaps? How often do they read our forums and what do they think? Please be specific, and thank you.

Well, although I do not post very often, I do read many of the threads on OS. Many of you guys specialize your NHL gameplay experience towards be a pro and be a gm, which is something that I do not. Many of the GM mode ideas/suggestions/comments you (OS) made about this years next-gen version and previous years' versions were noted and brought up when we got to talk with one of the main developers of GM and BaP. - Side note, GM is absolutely nuts this year. The whole "you should be excited" thing I said in my first experience to EA was not just about the EASHL committee. the changes in GM mode are crazy. I was quite shocked and personally think you guys will enjoy it, seeing as many of you are hardcore simulators.

Not sure if I mentioned this before, but there is also a Skype chat that we have setup for the GameChangers as well as a few dev guys (Rammer included) in which they occasionally ask us questions for feedback online while we aren't in Vancouver.
After the first event, OS'er AdamJones113 had sent me a packet of information that he himself had made. He represents the community here far better than I, and I made sure to pass on things he said that were not already brought up at the first event.

The guys at EA definitely read forums, whether it's OS or EA forums. I can't comment on what they themselves think, but I know that they look through and try to filter positive feedback and constructive criticism.