Once again, the best hockey gaming writers from the best sports gaming communities assembled for the annual EA Sports Community Day, this time for NHL 09, EA's follow-up to last year's sports game of the year, NHL 08. Producer David Littman was once again at the helm along with an enthusiastic crew eager to not only build on the success of last year's game, but also shatter new barriers in the process. This has been David's inspiration for quite some time, and when David talks, we, as EA's top supporters, not only listen but get a dramatic rush as well.
Once the team landed, caught up, and dropped anchor in our respective rooms, we made our way to EA Studios and went to work. We all gathered in a large conference room and were greeted very quickly by an excited David Littman. Without wasting time, David began by saying there were four key objectives constantly on the minds of the development team: gameplay, online play, approachability, and globalization. David maintained that each objective could have been done better and the envelope for each could've been pushed further. (Did I mention NHL 08 won sports game of the year last year?)
It didn't take long for David and Sean Ramjagsingh, one of the head developers on NHL 09, to jump into the meat and potatoes of this year's game. Sean took the reins of a forward and started messing around with the new controls and skills. There are now more deke maneuvers, as well as new player-differential physics. Physics is one of the more important features coming into this year's release--after all, a defenseman shouldn't be able to pull off a 360-degree deke on a dime. After showing us tons of new flash as well as the key differential system, they gave us a taste of a defenseman's abilities for this year. Before arriving in Canada I talked about the abilities of a defenseman and what should change or be improved, but nothing could have prepared me for what I saw.
New Defenseman Controls
You will now be able to cross-check while standing straight up, as well as shove like my boy Dion Phaneuf. Let's say a forward is right in front of your goalie and is pushing around for position. You're now able to toss some cross-checks and/or get really violent and shove the guy straight to the ice. It's so beautiful, you have to see it for yourself. These maneuvers also apply to tussling along the boards, so prepare to get creative, boys and girls! You'll also be able to turn your poke check into 180 degrees or 360 degrees, adding even more realism to defensemen. For even more weapons on defense, you can now perform stick lifts! This marks the first time in sports gaming history where you will be able to pull off this amazingly useful move that is used repeatedly in real-life hockey.
"Endorphin" Engine
Piling up the innovation, David introduced the "Endorphin" engine, which controls the player's awareness of getting or taking a hit. Again, this comes as close to 100 percent realism as possible. For example, a player will now brace for impact along the boards by turning around to a hit instead of facing the boards, which will almost always result in a very serious hit. Of course, with this new engine installed, the number of punishing hits has risen. You'll see players barrel over, get hit from behind, get to back their feet slower than usual, you name it. Keyword for you in this case would be "bone-crunching."
Moving on from gameplay, David went into the Performance Tracker mode. This year, players will be rated on position stats, meaning tracker scores will be tallied depending on how a player plays during the game. For example, expect a low player score if he takes bad penalties or slacks off on a lot of plays. If you play an awesome quarterback role as a defenseman on the power play, expect that player to have excellent ratings. Sixty different areas will be tracked. So when you take control of that particular play, beware...the camera is watching you.
Be a Pro
Players like you and me have sought after those three little words for years. In NHL 09, David and team have made it a reality. Amid the clapping and cheers, David went into it full blast. In Superstar mode, players will start in the AHL on the third line and from there work their way up to the NHL. A third-person camera follows you the whole time, including your time on the bench waiting for the next line change. Before every shift, feedback is displayed from the previous shift, giving you perfect information on the fly. An energy bar will help you time your changes.
Of course, taking control of an individual has its own set of responsibilities. You have to be careful of how you act out on the ice. If you're a defenseman, don't shoot too much, and don't take a puck from your end and charge right up to the goalie to get a goal. To keep up with your performance tracker and thus get more playing time, obey the defenseman laws. To help you in this matter, the mode offers guides on the ice. If you're a defenseman, arrows will appear on the ice telling you where you should be on each play so that you're in the right position every time, thus improving your stats and getting you to a higher level. The same rules apply to a forward. You have to practice when to shoot, pass, or even forecheck. Continuously play bad and expect a bus ticket back to the minors. Adding to this amazing mode is the hockey card aspect. Each player is assigned a hockey card that will display stats, behaviors, and even feedback reviews on your player. It's definitely going to be a science, and this is easily one of the most exciting modes I've ever heard of in sports gaming.
*ONLINE EMBARGO*
The next day we were taken to the home of the Vancouver Canucks, where we got a full tour, watched a full practice session, and were then treated to a playoff-like atmosphere when the Canucks hosted the Edmonton Oilers! The game was hot, even though the Canucks lost.
I want to thank everyone at GM Place for all of their hospitality and for a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life. A very large thank you goes out to the entire EA Sports team, especially Marcus Stephenson. None of this would be possible without you guys, and I thank you.
That wraps up my article, boys and girls. I'll open up the forum for questions on anything I covered, so expect tons of answers, people. Take care!
