NHL 12 Info & Media Thread

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by valo403

Actually adding something like these entrances does take away from other aspects of the game, unless the NHL series is produced on an unlimited budget. They may be completely different aspects, and completely different teams working on them, but dedicating a portion of the effort to bells and whistles when there are fundamental areas that need work bothers me.

I disagree that this work on the entrances is truly taking away from work on fundamental parts of the game. Sure NHL has to be more 'priority-based' when select what stuff to work on for the year since their budget is much lowers than Madden and FIFA development, but the amount of upgrades to the pre-game introductions (which basically was just adding props for NHL teams) honestly isn't all that much work in the grand scheme of things, thus it can't really be hindering development on other parts of the game all that much. Something like the Winter Classic however, could be.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Joborule

I disagree that this work on the entrances is truly taking away from work on fundamental parts of the game. Sure NHL has to be more 'priority-based' when select what stuff to work on for the year since their budget is much lowers than Madden and FIFA development, but the amount of upgrades to the pre-game introductions (which basically was just adding props for NHL teams) honestly isn't all that much work in the grand scheme of things, thus it can't really be hindering development on other parts of the game all that much. Something like the Winter Classic however, could be.

It doesn't matter if it's pulling 0.1% of resources away, the point is that instead of fixing major issues they're giving us some pretty intro scenes. It's akin to slapping a fresh coat of paint on a rusty old ship. Sure it looks better, but underneath it's still crap. I don't think the NHL series is terrible, but I've grown a bit tired of the apparent half assed approach to improving the actual game the last few years. Bells and whistles have come before fundamentals.

[Yamer]

I can guarantee there were aspects of the game that people wanted improved or introduced far more than team intros. I'll watch them, at the most, once.

I can also guarantee that the time and effort placed on something so trivial did indeed end up excluding some worthwhile modifications to both gameplay and the content of current 4-5 year old presentation.

I don't have to stretch this into a negative at all. The production team will actually have to stretch this into being an overall positive, which it (IMO) will only be when there is some significant progress made with the features already in the game while adding insignificant team intros. With the two paragraph blog released earlier this month, I am to understand that Be A GM will suffer from neglect for yet another year. Thank God for that oil derrick, however.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Joborule

I disagree that this work on the entrances is truly taking away from work on fundamental parts of the game. Sure NHL has to be more 'priority-based' when select what stuff to work on for the year since their budget is much lowers than Madden and FIFA development, but the amount of upgrades to the pre-game introductions (which basically was just adding props for NHL teams) honestly isn't all that much work in the grand scheme of things, thus it can't really be hindering development on other parts of the game all that much. Something like the Winter Classic however, could be.

I dunno man. Gameplay is the key. You look at a franchise like Pro Evolution Soccer several years ago that made itself a household name due to the great gameplay. No one really cared that the presentation was slightly behind FIFA..the gameplay killed. FIFA had to completely reinvent itself to get back on top in terms of gameplay. And when you look at all of FIFA's new features -- its all gameplay stuff. Stuff that matters. There is no new animation of Liverpool fans holding up their scarves. Its new physics, new AI features, etc. No one really cares about the fluff.

NHL has done some great things this generation but they are starting to tail off again. I got bored to tears of NHL11 and so far there is nothing that makes me want NHL 12. I wish there was some competition, but 2k is no longer around because they started focusing too much on intros and cutscenes.

[Joborule]

Of course gameplay is always gonna be number one to the consumer eyes. I'm just saying that thinking this intro video is taking away something of substance to the gameplay this year is highly unlikely. Whether the game intros alone we're added or not wouldn't make a difference (or much at least) to what has been done to the gameplay this year.

[Yasa]

I don't think people are saying the intros themselves are taking away from the gameplay; it's just that the time spent making the intros could have been better used to work on actual gameplay.

[metallicat]

So did the news on Be A GM ever come out?

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

So did the news on Be A GM ever come out?

Sort of.

Par for the course, the announcement wasn't as big as was hyped.

They've re-written the simming code, apparently from scratch. It's supposed to be much better. If it turns out that that is the case, then I may pick up the game just for an interesting hockey sim.

However, I have my doubts that it will be much better, let alone worth another 70 dollars.

edit: i just found this and am more optimistic about Be A GM mode:

http://www.ea.com/nhl/blog/be-a-gm-improvments

[CaramonLS]

I just wish they would fix the AI and the gameplay.

Also would be nice if your goalies could have more than an .800 or .850 save percentage if you play at a higher difficultly.

AI scores on most of its chances, where as you have to work that much harder for every single goal you score - very frustrating.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Yasa

I don't think people are saying the intros themselves are taking away from the gameplay; it's just that the time spent making the intros could have been better used to work on actual gameplay.

The time they spend on the intros shouldn't matter. You don't need animators and artists to work on AI.

[Yasa]

Originally Posted by Inferno

The time they spend on the intros shouldn't matter. You don't need animators and artists to work on AI.

Fair enough, but there's more than just AI that needs improving, albiet in a lower priority than AI but above intros. Visually the game (NHL 11) isn't that great in comparison to FIFA or Madden, in my opinion. The animations are sloppy and repetative, frequent clipping and zombie faces. Judging by the videos I'd say 12 doesn't look much different, except maybed dialed back on the animation repetition. Though the goalies look like they're all going to pull the same moves out.

I'm not saying these games are easy to make, or that the team isn't working hard. I imagine they're doing the best with what they have. I just think they need to go in another direction, but if their budget won't allow it then there's nothing they can do.

Overall, the NHL10 and 11 were timekillers for me. I wasn't nearly as dedicated to them as I had been previous years. They've fallen flat and not worth the full price tag.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Inferno

The time they spend on the intros shouldn't matter. You don't need animators and artists to work on AI.

Again, as I said above, unless the NHL team has an infinite budget it does matter. Hiring a team to do these intros takes away resources from other areas that actually matter.

[kirant]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

I just wish they would fix the AI and the gameplay.

Also would be nice if your goalies could have more than an .800 or .850 save percentage if you play at a higher difficultly.

AI scores on most of its chances, where as you have to work that much harder for every single goal you score - very frustrating.

What bugged me was that was the max save % I saw for my own goalies...lower difficulties handed them more cheesy goals (several being loopy wrist or backhand shots from the blue line) and, because I gave up so few shots in net, led to .700-.750 save %'s...

[Russic]

I'm more bothered that they had somebody redo the SIM engine for the entire year. I get that it's important to people and you can't please everybody, but I'm being selfish. It just seems like a ton of resources thrown at something that feels like a fringe complaint. I've seen a LOT of EA NHL complaints, and while I'm sure it's valid, I can't say the sim engine is something that comes up a whole lot.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Russic

I'm more bothered that they had somebody redo the SIM engine for the entire year. I get that it's important to people and you can't please everybody, but I'm being selfish. It just seems like a ton of resources thrown at something that feels like a fringe complaint. I've seen a LOT of EA NHL complaints, and while I'm sure it's valid, I can't say the sim engine is something that comes up a whole lot.

Anyone who plays Be A GM will have complained about it at least once.

[calgaryrocks]

how many years could you do gm mode in 2011? the last one I have played was 08 and it was 10 years if you met the objectives, but I always wanted longer (play with a rookie through his career)

[emti]

Originally Posted by calgaryrocks

how many years could you do gm mode in 2011? the last one I have played was 08 and it was 10 years if you met the objectives, but I always wanted longer (play with a rookie through his career)

25 years is the max i believe

[emti]

Originally Posted by Russic

I'm more bothered that they had somebody redo the SIM engine for the entire year. I get that it's important to people and you can't please everybody, but I'm being selfish. It just seems like a ton of resources thrown at something that feels like a fringe complaint. I've seen a LOT of EA NHL complaints, and while I'm sure it's valid, I can't say the sim engine is something that comes up a whole lot.

The simming engine they have now is screwed... You can have an allstar team with your top 6 forwards above 85 ovr and all your defense above 85 ovr and your goalie around 92 ovr and not even make the playoffs... It needed to be fixed

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by valo403

Again, as I said above, unless the NHL team has an infinite budget it does matter. Hiring a team to do these intros takes away resources from other areas that actually matter.

Like Joborule, I highly doubt revamping the intros has a significant effect on the budget to the point that they can't afford to improve gameplay. There will always be a certain amount of the budget devoted to visual improvements. People love eye candy and if they decided to improve nothing visual and devoted 100% on gameplay you would still have people complaining.

If anything should be used as a scapegoat as to why important gameplay aspects are being neglected it should be something like reintroducing goalie fights. They rarely happen so not putting them back in doesn't take away from gameplay.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Anyone who plays Be A GM will have complained about it at least once.

I must be in the minority. Be a GM is all I play and I can't say I've ever noticed it. Sure an all-star snub here and there, but nothing that stuck out at me. I guess I don't pay attention.