NHL 14 News Post

NHL 14 - Be a GM and GM Connected Improvements

09:59 PM - August 9, 2013 by Dougie_G_93

EA Sports has posted a list of NHL 14 Be a GM and GM Connected improvements.

Optimized GM Connected Functionality – GM Connected will be more user-friendly and allow you to spend less time on loading screens, thanks to improved speed and performance in both menu loading and simulation behavior

Other updates include:

Commissioners can now accept & decline trades on mobile devices.
Counter trades can be proposed directly from the mailbox.
The ability to accept trades directly from the Trade Details Screen.
Users can invite others to a league.
All games in the league can be seen on the Master Schedule.

Deeper Be a GM Progression and Trading Intelligence – Be a GM game mode is all about creating an authentic hockey management experience. New scouting features, realistic ice-time simulations and adjustable trade difficulty settings create a deeper, more customizable experience in Be a GM mode.

Other updates include:

Potential is now affected by the number of scouting visits, creating a more organic experience.
Difficulty can be scaled to make it more (or less) challenging to trade with the AI.
CPU can sign and re-sign players during the off season for the user.
Player swapping is easier with just one transaction in the Roster Management Screen.
Players develop during the season, making for a more authentic gameplay feel.

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Game: NHL 14Reader Score: 7/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 6 - View All

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Member Comments

# 1 jyoung @ 08/10/13 12:28 AM

Disappointing to see no mention of adjustable season lengths. 82 games is simply too much.

# 2 Garism @ 08/10/13 02:59 AM

"Players develop during the season, making for a more authentic gameplay feel."

That's great.

Not much details. Seems like its more towards GM connected. I just hope they fix the PS3 simulation time.. it's ridiculous. Like 5 minutes for like a week simulation.

# 3 Fiddy @ 08/10/13 08:45 AM

Oh man.. Unbelievable!

edit -

i just cant believe we didnt get anything for the online GM Connected. i mean i guess i believe it, but was holding out hope for just a few options.

the commish, with no upgrades to what he can or cant do. would be great to throw out a score, like in NCAA. be able to use custom sliders from within the league! yes you can now, but everyone has to have them set and saved on their 360, not happening with a bunch of guys. so again, stuck with default sliders!

we get faster loading times? umm thanks i guess..

we can now see who hasn't played their game via a master schedule? ummm, cool, thanks..

we can now approve trades on a mobile device? sigh, thanks i guess..

all i wanted was more commish control like NCAA and a site like NCAA (even if it was as good).

id be fine with if they limited the league to just 12 owners, if that meant other things could be developed and fixed. wishful thinking..

disappointed yet again!

# 4 Babar61 @ 08/10/13 11:49 AM

That's it? How utterly dissapointing. I think I'm skipping NHL this year, first time since 2007. I only really play be a gm mode and it is beyond stale. It's frustrating ea doesn't seem to care to address anything in it. Quite honestly any effort at all would be appreciated.

I'm sure the same dumb screen will pop up at the start of the year "hey I want 50 wins outta you this season". Meanwhile you win 49 and your division but the owner is still dissapointing in you.

I'm sure you still can't sign players to extensions DURING the season.

I'm sure you can't hire coaching staffs and scouting staffs (that should effect certain attributes of your players).

I'm sure that players who only score 20 goals a season with an 84 overall will ask for 6-8 million a year.

Im sure the computer logic still isn't capable of offering a good trade offer to you and still is t capable of even managing their own. (Signing a high rates goalie to a 7 mill a year contract when they already have a highly rated/payed goaltender, putting superstars on waivers randomly...in my last gm Ottawa put spezza on waivers and Colorado put duchene on waivers)

I'm sure the other CPU Gms are nameless identities that are always there. By that, I mean all the other teams Gms should have a name (preferably real NHL gm ones) and in a news feed it shoul announce if a gm retires/fired, coaches retire/get fired or assistants leave for a head coaching gig etc.

Even smaller things that would improve it...

Like being able to trade at the draft inbetween picks. I can't believe you have to wait between rounds.

Or being able to trade expiring contracts of good players for a low pick.

Or not having the salary cap go up every single year (it gets over 100 mill eventually).

There is so much that should be done (I could go on forever) but I would be happy for anything at this point.

Instead, here guys, here's be a pro mode with a new name that features....wait for it...answering text questions on a screen! But wait, that's not all....introducing gimmicky NHL 94 mode which most people will only play once as its off line only anyway. And finally you have been asking for years so we final fixed this crucial game play function...fighting! Yes, despite the fact there so many other things to improve, this seamed like the easiest to do.

Ea needs competition...

# 5 Dougie_G_93 @ 08/10/13 12:05 PM

"Ea needs competition..."

Yup.
Big time.
When NHL2k10 still has great features that EA doesn't is rather disgusting.
Such as:
goalie mask creator
playoff beards
much,much better create a team options
roster sharing
I could go on...

It's pretty clear the NHL series is just about raking in money and not providing a top notch hockey experience.
I know all video game companies are about making money, but some actually make quite nice improvements....

# 6 Fiddy @ 08/10/13 12:07 PM

oh and let me add, i wanted the commish to be able to set user teams to auto pilot as well. wishful thinking! bah

# 7 Dougie_G_93 @ 08/10/13 12:32 PM

I play offline be a gm only. I would love a commish option for roster control to fix idiotic cpu trades......

# 8 shogunofharlem3 @ 08/10/13 12:35 PM

Was hoping for custom sliders to be set as well. I use a set for my buddies and I in 5 vs. AI coop and then I was in two leagues, I had to keep switching sliders, every.....freeking....game.............ugh.

Was also hoping they'd allow for multiple GM's per team. Let me explain. My 5 buddies and I play on the same team (Bruins) in a coop GM Connected. We are game to play alot, but we are all old and to get 5 guys is tough. We want to bang out a season, whether it be 5, 4, 3 etc of us. But unless the GM is there you can't start a game.

Would be nice if you could mark your league as Coop, and allow any team member to start games.

Speeding up the GM Connected.............thanks. It only took me 7 hours to sim between seasons!

I'm still dead red 2k10 guy, but the allowance of a 5 man coop is the only thing that interests us. Only show in town, so what can ya do.

# 9 TDKing @ 08/10/13 02:58 PM

No shorter seasons = no buy. NHL15 ?

# 10 BostonMVP7 @ 08/10/13 03:56 PM

I feel like this series is now a running joke

# 11 savoie2006 @ 08/10/13 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dougie_G_93


	I play offline be a gm only. I would love a commish option for roster control to fix idiotic cpu trades......

Well maybe the trade difficulty option will make it so the cpu doesn't make the awful trades. I agree that the changes aren't much to get excited about though. What I'm looking forward to most is improved hitting, penalties, and skating. If those are as promised, the game will be fine by me. I'm not expecting major things when new consoles are getting ready to drop and those are likely be the main focus from here out. Hopefully, they get it right and sooner for those consoles.

# 12 RedVikings @ 08/10/13 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoie2006


	Well maybe the trade difficulty option will make it so the cpu doesn't make the awful trades. I agree that the changes aren't much to get excited about though. What I'm looking forward to most is improved hitting, penalties, and skating. If those are as promised, the game will be fine by me. I'm not expecting major things when new consoles are getting ready to drop and those are likely be the main focus from here out. Hopefully, they get it right and sooner for those consoles.

I completely agree with this... has been my feeling since it was announced that NHL 14 won't be next generation.

# 13 Babar61 @ 08/10/13 04:18 PM

The only way to get anything changed is by not buying the game. It's the only form of communication companies understand. I have been guilty the last few years, not being impressed but caving eventually, buying into the hype and buying the game.

I really hope this years NHL game is the lowest in sales for the series to give them a serious kick in the a$$, but I doubt it...

Another thing I wish was in the game was the ability to edit players overalls in gm mode. I'm so sick of weak draft class after weak draft class. It would be a pain to have to do even this but it would be a quick fix for ea that wouldn't require too much effort...

Anyway....anyone who is reading this. If you are tired of the lack luster effort from ea, don't buy it! Send a message! Don't cave in!

# 14 Fiddy @ 08/10/13 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babar61


	Anyway....anyone who is reading this. If you are tired of the lack luster effort from ea, don't buy it! Send a message! Don't cave in!

while i agree with this a bit, if we dont buy it guess what? EA will just say piss on the NHL and not make a game. is that what we all want as NHL fans?

tough call IMO..

for all the crap i give them, i appreciate the fact they give us an NHL game. just wish they would do more with it.

# 15 canucksss @ 08/10/13 05:02 PM

BAP - text interviews...and now this???

I guess those who are disgusted would find somehow kindness in their heart and buy NHL 14. Hit EA bad...don't buy until we see what we like being implemented in their series.

# 16 Babar61 @ 08/10/13 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiddy


	while i agree with this a bit, if we dont buy it guess what? EA will just say piss on the NHL and not make a game. is that what we all want as NHL fans? tough call IMO.. for all the crap i give them, i appreciate the fact they give us an NHL game. just wish they would do more with it.

I doubt they would just stop maing hockey games if sales dip down a year or 2. Even if they did, I believe another developer would step up and make a NHL game.

I appreciate playing an NHL game as well but in all honesty if they just release the same thing every year, I don't feel like shelling out 60 bucks for it.

# 17 Gagnon39 @ 08/10/13 05:54 PM

I guess I'm in the minority. I'm very excited about NHL 14. I like the new fighting engine a lot as I've always said this was the most underdeveloped part of the game. And they seasonal progression... I like that as well so long as it doesn't take a page out of MLB The Show and have players like Datsyuk dropping from a 94 to a 72 by the end of the first year.

I think we've forgotten that they've made improvements to the checking engine (a big step in the right direction if done right) and overall the game plays great. There are many, many things I'd still like to see changed and made better but I feel like EA's hockey game has been the best hockey game ever made each year since NHL 10.

# 18 savoie2006 @ 08/10/13 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babar61


	I doubt they would just stop maing hockey games if sales dip down a year or 2. Even if they did, I believe another developer would step up and make a NHL game. I appreciate playing an NHL game as well but in all honesty if they just release the same thing every year, I don't feel like shelling out 60 bucks for it.

Thing is, their development budget is based off sales, so poor sales equals poor development resources. It's no win situation. I'm not saying everyone has to buy the game every year, but a mass holdout like some often suggest would only make matters worse for everyone. I seriously doubt anyone else will ever step up and take on a hockey video game. Not unless the sport seriously grew in popularity in the states.

# 19 Got The Goods @ 08/10/13 07:21 PM

I've only been playing NHL since 11 so I'm not one of those people who are so disappointed in everything. I stopped buying Madden, that's a terrible product, didn't buy 2k this year because playing online is the worst. I still think NHL gives you the least glitchy play and the most ability to be creative in game. Gameplay is always the number 1 most important thing in a game which is why it's still worth buying. Yes, the other stuff is disappointing but NHL's gameplay far exceeds the other sports games, can't speak for Fifa cause I know that game gets a lot of love.

As an avid GM connected player I'm excited to see that if you have a good season with a player it actually means something now, that's important. You could have a 4.5 prospect and have a good season with him and he would not move an inch. I think that is a really awesome improvement and I look forward to seeing it. I'm hoping this means something for lesser prospects as well so if they have a good season in your minors they could make a big jump in ovr and go up in stars. That would dramatically improve the GM experience.

# 20 Pezell04x @ 08/10/13 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiddy


	oh and let me add, i wanted the commish to be able to set user teams to auto pilot as well. wishful thinking! bah

This was what I wanted the most. One would think that it's an automatic add.

Made my league a mess, having users stay as users and then win sim games.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4

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