NHL 2K10 News Post

NHL 2K10 Developer Insights: Gameplay Mechanics Part I & II

03:36 PM - August 11, 2009 by We Want The Cup

Check out the NHL 2K10 Developer Insights going over gameplay mechanics.

Part I

Quote:


	"The first improvement in NHL 2K10 that I�ll talk about is a minor change that goes a long way. Passing will not require you to let go of the pass button anymore. The pass is triggered upon the press of the button now. This basically means you can pass loose pucks by holding down the pass button while skating to it, and you can keep it held to chain passes around the ice. Once the player receiving the pass gains control of the puck, he will immediately pass the puck if you have the pass button held down. This is something that really helps the cycle in the offensive zone a tremendous amount. That, combined with the AI awareness changes, make the game a huge improvement right off the bat. I�ll get to those AI changes in a future Insight. And don�t worry about people trying to exploit this. Your passes will be a bit less accurate when performed this way, and the speeds will drop if you aren�t passing at the proper angle. Also, like I mentioned before, the player does have to accept the pass before getting rid of it, so it won�t just shoot off his stick once it touches the puck."

Part II

Quote:


	"First up, we have the new Stick Lift mechanics. One of the biggest issues that we had as a dev team was figuring out what we wanted to do and how we wanted to do it. We really didn�t want to go with the simple press of a button that plays a generic stick lift animation where the stick just rises above the player�s head. We wanted to really capture the hard physical aspect of the NHL. So we went into the lab and decided that we wanted our stick lifts to be a nice medium between a check and a stick tie up. Some of you out there that hit the ice know it�s not just about trying to whack the stick as much as it is about using your body to help get in between the opponent and the puck. Understanding what we wanted, we headed to the rink to capture 200+ variations of 2 person stick lifts. Players in the game will actually use both their bodies and sticks to attempt to take the puck away. It�s these two person animations that really separate us from the competition. Some of the variations that you can expect to see in the game are lifts where the players tie up, lifts where the puck carrier shields the puck or angles away from the defender, clean steals by the defender, lifts where the puck handler gets his stick knocked away but he kicks the puck back to himself, and lifts where the defender ties up the stick and kicks the puck away."

Game: NHL 2K10Reader Score: 6.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS2 / PS3 / Wii / Xbox 360Votes for game: 23 - View All

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Member Comments

# 1 CarryTheWeight @ 08/11/09 03:52 PM

WWTC! Welcome back!

The bit about passing is intriguing but will there be any way to control the direction of your cycles? I would think aiming the pass with the left stick would be the best way to accomplish this - sort of like the way a player passes in NBA Live 09. If the puck just went back and forth between random or out-of-position players on the ice, it wouldn't really be logical.

This "hold pass" technique may make odd-man rushes more satisfying, especially if you want to force the goaltender to overcommit and beat him with a last-second one-time pass on the rush.

# 2 Money99 @ 08/11/09 03:59 PM

Thanks WWTC!
Great blog!

And we get another blog entry tomorrow? Sweet!

# 3 kerosene31 @ 08/11/09 04:10 PM

Great info!

Quote:


	Oh yes, almost forgot about sliders. First things first, our slider system is completely revamped this year. Many sliders are making a return, but they are tuned a bit differently than in the past. The biggest change is that the difficulty levels in the game are now simply slider presets. No more under-the-hood mystery changes when going from Pro to All-Star. No more CPU ratings boosts that you cannot see. What you see in the sliders is exactly what you will get.

This sounds really cool.

# 4 Eddie1967 @ 08/11/09 07:27 PM

Love it, more great info. Not a big slider fan but I plan on tweaking the games difficulty this year a bit.

# 5 18 eighty 5 @ 08/11/09 10:39 PM

Really liking the sound of all of this!!

# 6 Avizzv92 @ 08/11/09 11:47 PM

Very informative, waiting for part two tomorrow!

# 7 savoie2006 @ 08/12/09 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealmK


	Disliking everything to do with dekes, yet again needless button combos. Everything else sounded good though.

Why? It seems like it will be a more realistic approach.

# 8 savoie2006 @ 08/12/09 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealmK


	In ways yes, but if I want to do a toe drag for example let me roll the actual stick back and drag. Don't make me hold a bumper, a button, then make a stick move. I'll put the effort in to get used to it as it certainly appears theres a ton of improvements over 2k9 and I'll at least give the game a fair chance this year to impress. But I absolutely have always hated how unintutive NHL2k is with control schemes. overly complex controls /= sim imo.

Well in all honesty, with the exception of the basic loose puck deke in EA, I don't find their one on one dekes very easy to learn and even harder to master. Maybe because I haven't invested alot of time into them, but I would think 2K's would be more user freindly.

# 9 BigH2k6 @ 08/12/09 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealmK


	I think its one of those which do you feel more comfortable doing. Most of EA's one on one dekes are a simple movement of a right stick and the bumper which for me personally is easier to quickly pull off during gameplay than having to take my thumb off the right stick to press a face button as well as a bumper and move the stick all at the same time which is how it sounds in the description to be. Some prolly have an easier time doing that, I'm just not one of them.

Hey Realm, when I read the blog, I read it as having to press the right bumper but having a choice to press a face button or a direction on the right stick. I don't think you absolutely need to press a face button. So if that's the way it is in reality, you would have the option of using a face button or the right stick, one or the other, along with the right bumper to execute the dekes.

Unless I read the blog wrong

# 10 BigH2k6 @ 08/12/09 08:48 AM

What I like about the Ovi dekes is the execution and the dekes performed are supposed to be based on player ratings which is a welcome difference from EA's everyone dekeds the same way (hoefully this is different for NHL10

)

# 11 Money99 @ 08/12/09 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigH2k6


	What I like about the Ovi dekes is the execution and the dekes performed are supposed to be based on player ratings which is a welcome difference from EA's everyone dekeds the same way (hoefully this is different for NHL10 )

I agree with both you and RealmK.
I think there's a happy medium between both systems.

For some complicated deke's I don't mind having some pre-set canned animations available to star players when on a breakaway or shootout.
However, for some simple moves like toe-drag, that should be allowed using the right-analog only.

I also hope that EA has fixed their stickhandling engine so that not everyone can perform the same dekes.
But for now, I'm going to believe they have fixed it and I look forward to testing out both games control schemes.

# 12 slickdtc @ 08/12/09 09:58 AM

The way I read it is the "Ovi Dekes" (dekes on the goalie) can be controlled by Left Bumper + either a face button OR a right analog flick. So hitting X and pressing left on the right analog would do the same thing, for example. The 1 on 1 dekes are different in that it's Left Bumper + face buttons pull off some moves, and then the left bumper with the right analog pulled off different moves.

But the face buttons for the 1 on 1 dekes are seemed to be more rare moves you'd see, like spins. The A button allows you to kick the puck off your skates/deke through your legs.

Anyway, I loved this insight blog. It's great getting the insight from someone we know and trust in WWTC. It's so cool seeing someone who was just a hardcore fan of the game and is now actually there helping make the game. So you know some of that stuff hardcore fans have been wanting will make it into the game because guys like WWTC and Shadow are on the NHL 2k team.

I like the new way passing is done, mostly because of how WWTC explained it: you can now pass loose pucks! I think that'll be incredible when there's a loose puck in the goal mouth and maybe you don't think your guy has the angle for the shot even if the goalie is out of position. Add that extra pass and it's a slam dunk. Great to hear dumps are done better as well; they're very important, especially when playing a sim game, but often overlooked. Glad they got some love.

Finally, and what I loved the most, the discussion on sliders. Specifically, I was thrilled to hear that difficulty is based off the sliders instead of a difficulty setting and then sliders to adjust that. That's how NFL 2k5 did it, among other 2k Sports games, and I always thought that was the best way to go about it. Like WWTC said in the article, no "under the hood, mysterious" boosts. Also, great description for the sliders and I really hope that add that in the game too (like MLB 09 The Show). Too many times I've looked at a slider and said, what exactly does this do? Everyone seems to have a different opinion on what a slider does, but when it's explained, it cuts down on that (though not totally

). Plus, WWTC gives us a nice little tip regarding speed burst and how to set it so everyone can get about 20 seconds of juice.

Excellent blog. I'm hoping the next one (due out today?) will be just as informative. It deals with stick lifts, stumble shots, and incidental contact, which I think are GREAT additions to this year's games and will play a huge role in really making the game a simulation experience. Really looking forward to hearing the Dev Insight on these features.

# 13 Flyermania @ 08/12/09 10:07 AM

I like everything I read in this blog...really good stuff. If the siders and dekes work as WWTC says they will, it will go a long way towards the realism of this game.

Thanks for the info!

# 14 Money99 @ 08/12/09 10:14 AM

slickdtc, so in NFL2K5, when you made adjustments to the sliders to make things more difficult, did the CPU get any boosts?

Would I have to worry about lesser players becoming superstars?

# 15 slickdtc @ 08/12/09 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money99


	slickdtc, so in NFL2K5, when you made adjustments to the sliders to make things more difficult, did the CPU get any boosts? Would I have to worry about lesser players becoming superstars?

If they did, it was under the hood and you wouldn't be able to tell. And since WWTC said this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by WWTC, from Dev Insight Blog


	The biggest change is that the difficulty levels in the game are now simply slider presets. No more under-the-hood mystery changes when going from Pro to All-Star. No more CPU ratings boosts that you cannot see.

I have a feeling there won't be any funny business.

I was more talking about how NFL 2k5 had preset difficulties, but when you changed a slider, it went from that difficulty to "Custom". So the difficulties were based off the sliders. For example, on the middle difficulty, all the sliders were even. When you bumped it down, you'd have your human sliders filled 75% of the way, while the CPU had their sliders filled 25% of the way.

# 16 kerosene31 @ 08/12/09 10:43 AM

There are still going to be CPU skill boosts (speed, shooting, etc), it is just that you will be able to see (and presumably tweak) those boosts.

You're still going to see lesser players getting speed and other attribute boosts. 2k hockey typically uses speed and offensive boosts, while EA uses acceleration and turning, along with puck control.

Every sports game has some sort of artificial way to turn up the difficulty.

# 17 Money99 @ 08/12/09 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealmK


	Quote: Originally Posted by WWTC, from Dev Insight Blog The biggest change is that the difficulty levels in the game are now simply slider presets. No more under-the-hood mystery changes when going from Pro to All-Star. No more CPU ratings boosts that you cannot see. So wait, CPU boosts aren't the case anymore or its just now the're not hidden boosts and you can see them? Thats pretty oddly worded. How difficult is it to just make the AI smarter or use some form of adaptive ai rather than artificial boosts?

I'm interested to know the answer to that as well.

On "Rookie" level would the sliders be configured so that the CPU is slower, has less accuracy on shots and passes, and sloppy goalies?

I really hope there's an 'AI Intelligence' slider so we can dictate how smart the CPU will be.

# 18 kai123 @ 08/12/09 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slickdtc


	I was more talking about how NFL 2k5 had preset difficulties, but when you changed a slider, it went from that difficulty to "Custom". So the difficulties were based off the sliders. For example, on the middle difficulty, all the sliders were even. When you bumped it down, you'd have your human sliders filled 75% of the way, while the CPU had their sliders filled 25% of the way.

Yep, that way the CPU never cheated you. You were able to choose from Rookie, Pro, All Pro and Custom.

# 19 slickdtc @ 08/12/09 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealmK


	If this is actually the case and the AI ends up being halfassed again and completely reliant on speed boosts and the like on higher levels rather than more intelligent positioning and decisions, I'm gonna be pretty pissed.

I don't think this will be the case. No one wants to play against a CPU that's only better then them because they're faster. But I guess we won't know until we get to play.

Wouldn't a smarter AI be achieved by increasing their G-O-D sliders? Then again, I guess those sliders never made them smarter, just probably boosted their ratings, which, I guess, makes them more effective.

I knew there was a reason I stopped being a slider-freak. It turns the game into a math equation.

# 20 kerosene31 @ 08/12/09 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money99


	I'm interested to know the answer to that as well. On "Rookie" level would the sliders be configured so that the CPU is slower, has less accuracy on shots and passes, and sloppy goalies? I really hope there's an 'AI Intelligence' slider so we can dictate how smart the CPU will be.

I'm not reading it that way. He says no more "hidden" CPU boosts, not the removal of boosts.

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