NHL 17 News Post

How Could Presentation Be Improved In NHL 18

11:41 AM - February 6, 2017 by RaychelSnr

Okay, hands up, who can remember the disappointment that was NHL 15? The jump to current-gen was a tough transition for the NHL series, as it was for many other long-running franchises. In the midst of the move, a whole range of features were stripped away, including the ultra-popular EA Sports Hockey League. In some ways, it felt like a lockout year for our beloved hockey series as our collective, team-based aspirations of virtual glory went on hold for 12 months.

As disappointing as it was to be a fan during this time period, that first current-gen release implemented a wide variety of gameplay and presentation upgrades, thereby establishing a solid base for the future. Since then, an additional two iterations of the series have been released on Xbox One and PS4, and while upgrades have been made across the board, certain presentation features have been left largely untouched. Of course, NHL's visual and audio aspects aren't exactly sub-par in general, but while many of them remain impressive, others have simply grown stale.

I personally love EA Sports' NHL series, and above all else, I'm a huge fan. Like any dedicated supporter, I've got bugbears and wishlist items to detail, so here are my thoughts on the future of NHL's presentation suite.

Read More - How Could Presentation Be Improved In NHL 18

Game: NHL 17Reader Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS4 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 5 - View All

NHL 17 Videos

Member Comments

# 41 actionhank @ 03/16/17 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MizzouRah


	I agree that franchise mode needs a major overhaul. The CPU AI is horrible at signing players that can make a difference. They will have 2 top starting goalies and many other issues signing players that make no sense because they have youth at that position who should be in the NHL instead of the AHL. The offseason should be about stories.. like in RL where will Shattenkirk go? We need bidding and some sort of team summary report to see who went where, etc.

Agreed. While I don't know the demands of creating the complex AI it would take to get GM's to act like GM's (Saying to themselves "I have X number of good Centers, I don't have any RW. I need to trade/sign RW"). That said, I'm not paid to.

The current state of things just makes dealing with other teams so frustrating. Teams don't deal from surplus, they don't try to move UFA's, they don't try to stockpile draft picks and prospects when they're terrible...they just all seem to do whatever random thing it is that they want.

It would really be nice to see teams moving out forwards for picks, being able to offer contract bonuses to help lure players to your team (which would require AI players that tried to get what they wanted, be it money, term, location, a cup, etc).

Another thing that I think would be great (this is getting off topic, sorry) is the ability to force trades between all teams. That way I can decide to stop the trades in game and make my own moves, or if the AI is shutting down a realistic trade, I can force it. It's my game, let me ruin it if I want to.

# 42 MizzouRah @ 03/16/17 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by actionhank


	Agreed. While I don't know the demands of creating the complex AI it would take to get GM's to act like GM's (Saying to themselves "I have X number of good Centers, I don't have any RW. I need to trade/sign RW"). That said, I'm not paid to. The current state of things just makes dealing with other teams so frustrating. Teams don't deal from surplus, they don't try to move UFA's, they don't try to stockpile draft picks and prospects when they're terrible...they just all seem to do whatever random thing it is that they want. It would really be nice to see teams moving out forwards for picks, being able to offer contract bonuses to help lure players to your team (which would require AI players that tried to get what they wanted, be it money, term, location, a cup, etc). Another thing that I think would be great (this is getting off topic, sorry) is the ability to force trades between all teams. That way I can decide to stop the trades in game and make my own moves, or if the AI is shutting down a realistic trade, I can force it. It's my game, let me ruin it if I want to.

Maybe they need to implement team focus - could be "win now", "neutral" and "rebuild" or something like that for each team, that way when the AI evaluates its team and goes into a particular focus, it would then have a set of AI rules to follow per the focus for that particular season. Each season it should re-evaluate and change/if necessary. If they are out of the playoff picture, they should go into a "rebuild" mode and try to trade older players and high cost players and ask for prospects/draft picks. Likewise, if they are top of the league, they should be trying to acquire that last piece, teams with neutral would most likely stand pat, but could look for the right deal or sell if looking towards next season.

In the offseason, the AI should evaluate its roster and depending on the focus, react accordingly.

Franchise mode needs legs... I don't think the AI has had much work for long term sims.

# 43 robinson @ 03/27/17 02:47 AM

Get the jerseys to look authentic. Use the face thing and make it more realistic, even if its less video game looking.

# 44 actionhank @ 03/27/17 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MizzouRah


	Maybe they need to implement team focus - could be "win now", "neutral" and "rebuild" or something like that for each team, that way when the AI evaluates its team and goes into a particular focus, it would then have a set of AI rules to follow per the focus for that particular season. Each season it should re-evaluate and change/if necessary. If they are out of the playoff picture, they should go into a "rebuild" mode and try to trade older players and high cost players and ask for prospects/draft picks. Likewise, if they are top of the league, they should be trying to acquire that last piece, teams with neutral would most likely stand pat, but could look for the right deal or sell if looking towards next season. In the offseason, the AI should evaluate its roster and depending on the focus, react accordingly. Franchise mode needs legs... I don't think the AI has had much work for long term sims.

I thought they had added something similar, but it still doesn't seem like it affects how the AI deals and trades.

I think that could be huge. If teams valued a player differently based on their needs long-term. A team at the deadline pushing for a playoff spot may want your depth defender more than a team that's 30 points out. Similarly, a team stockpiling rookies and picks is going to be less likely to take that defender, and also less likely to send picks back the other way.

Another huge thing would be the AI learning to move players up and down depending on their trade. I've seen so many trades blocked because of "too many skaters". I'm sure you love that 7th defender...but I'm sending back Jaden Schwartz...maybe you send him down?

# 45 csamuelsvt @ 04/14/17 03:28 PM

One thing that is just unacceptable and funny at the same time when you realize it is the following:

How is this video not in when you're playing as it is a staple of the NHL on NBC? Or at LEAST just for prime time games. I mean come on....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-tSkBRJTIs

# 46 JPD_Patrol @ 04/16/17 01:40 PM

Anything related to Franchise Mode or Be A Pro mode.

The lack of polish is disgusting. I already found it underwhelming in NHL 14/15 to spend hundreds of hours following my pro or my franchise over the course of a quarter of a century and then only have a very minimalistic wrap up pop up telling me how many cups I've won and etc.

Now ? IT'S EVEN WORSE. There's nothing. Just a message saying ''Be a Pro mode is complete.'' It's absolutely crazy that in 2017, that's the benchmark EA has put themselves. Where are the standards ? If you want fun with these gamemodes, and be able to look back at them, you basically have to get the notepad open and start writing every stat down because this game sure as hell won't remember them for you.

# 47 MizzouRah @ 04/19/17 01:25 AM

1. More arena specific music, like in Nashville they play DMX as the announcer yells time for a Predators power play. In St. Louis they play a dance song, etc... I want to feel like I'm at home or on the road.

2. Bring back the 3 stars of the game where they come back onto the ice.

3. More game specific stat overlays.. power play %, penalty kill %, who's hot, who's not, points per game, etc..

4. Would love some sort of out of town scoreboard during the game.

5. More excitement by the fans and I would love to see the home team skate onto the ice at the beginning.

THIS IS THE MOST EXCITING SPORT IN THE WORLD, WE NEED TO FEEL THAT!!!

# 48 adh5199 @ 04/19/17 10:33 AM

I don't feel as though the between action scenes are organic. Score a goal? Here's a cut to your bench with the guy bumping everyone's gloves. Same animation every time but with different players. This is one example, but pretty much all the cutaways are like that to an extent.

Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

# 49 kazjason @ 04/19/17 12:20 PM

Deeper stat overlays, more pullback views to show off the arenas. Better replays where you actually see plays develop. GM mode needs box scores from all games.

# 50 Money99 @ 04/24/17 06:08 PM

Out of town highlights.
Weekly wrap-up show.
More mentions of what's happening around the league.
5-man hugs.

# 51 13whitebread @ 06/04/17 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MizzouRah


	Yeah I love the screen shake!

Yes the screen shake is reminiscent of NCAA college football game that did this. It is a great detail that has been added

# 52 actionhank @ 06/06/17 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adh5199


	I don't feel as though the between action scenes are organic. Score a goal? Here's a cut to your bench with the guy bumping everyone's gloves. Same animation every time but with different players. This is one example, but pretty much all the cutaways are like that to an extent. Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

It's definitely a part of the NHL series biggest flaw for me, which is drawing me into the game. I haven't been able to last more than 3 months with any of the last 4 NHL games because after a short amount of time, I just end up incredibly bored with it.

There's nothing really happening around the league, I know nothing about which teams are fighting for which spots unless I go and scroll through the Standings page, which is boring. There's just no real excitement in the game. Tarasenko looks the same scoring his 5th of the preseason as he does scoring the game winner in Game 7 OT for the cup. Everyone skates the same, every team plays the same...it just slowly becomes a grinding game of me enduring the unchanging scenery on the screen.

Even creating my own team last year ended in disappointment when I waited a whole season to finally move the team, designed the uniforms (Oh, and that small mistake you didn't notice...well, it's permanent now. No changes) and got the team ready, and then...that's it. We're in the new stadium. No fanfare for the first game, no real mention of it...just a new stadium. That ignores the frustration at being stuck with a sad list of team names and an ever sadder list of team logos to choose from, because I couldn't name my team The Fox, but Fear the Beard and Deke and Destroy were an option. I also couldn't do my own logo, so I had to settle on being yet another Wolves team, and going with some boring wolf head logo.

The NHL series has been sadly stagnant over the past few years, and I'm really hoping that NHL 18 can take a giant leap forward, before I lose faith in the series entirely and just give up. This is the year it has to work.

# 53 Madwolf @ 06/07/17 10:36 AM

I think the Presentation side of things is a really good base to build on, that needs small tweaks and improvements.

I would like to see the following:

More dynamic crowd noise, and atmosphere for games. Crowd noise should be louder than it is right now, and it should be cranked up another level for the playoffs.

More overlays during cut scenes, and just give us more stats in general of players on the ice.

A news ticker at the bottom with news from around the league (new injuries, career moments, and scores with starting goalie and his w-l)

Commentary about a coach our GM being on the hot-seat.

« Previous 1 23Next »

More Links

How Could Presentation Be Improved In NHL 18