NHL 15 Preview - E3 2014

The EA Sports NHL franchise has gone through its share of ups and downs during the previous console generation. There were good entries that tried to refine the formula and bring more authenticity to the hockey simulation, while others were little more than tweaks and rehashes of the content that players have already seen in the past. While NFL and FIFA got their next-generation treatment last year, the NHL team has held off until this year to bring their sport to the new consoles. We got a chance to see and play NHL 15 at E3.

Being able to use the new console hardware will result in “more stuff”, according to the developers. There will be more animations, better physics, improved presentation, more control options, and so forth. The apparent limitations of the previous console lifecycle have finally been lifted, and the team aims to make significant strides with the NHL franchise, even having the smallest crew of the EA Sports roster.

First up are the new player models. In the past, the players were whole entities, with no intricate detail or separate features. Now, the team is using actual human models, with separate equipment applied overtop, and they a jersey with cloth physics applied overtop. As such, the jerseys are now dynamic, reacting not only to player movement but the interactions with the environment and the equipment underneath. Details such as scuff marks and imperfect stitching are all part of the updated presentation – of course, including new player faces and animations.

Thanks to being able to utilize the same engine that powers EA Sports UFC, the developers were able to add a new level of emotion and expression to player faces, as well as introduce body separation. Now the upper and lower body move as separate entities, allowing players to skate in one direction but twist and control the puck, offering new moves.

The AI has also been tweaked, and will no longer only react to the immediate decisions. They will think ahead using the first iteration of Vision Ai, understand passing and shooting lanes, and adjust to create new opportunities. Instead of simulating physics of just two players on the ice, all skaters will now be calculated, resulting in secondary and tertiary collisions after open ice hits. The puck has also been reengineered to be more like the real physical object instead of a ball with adjusted properties. The developers claim to have employed a real physicist to help create the calculations of how it will behave in NHL 15. It will react differently depending on the material hit as well, as per earlier adjustments to player models, equipment, and cloth.

One of the biggest complaints from the fans has been the repetitive and outdated presentation, and this year this has finally been addressed. Thanks to a new deal with NBC, all the TV presentations in the game have been updated to mimic that TV station’s hockey coverage, along with new visuals and commentating team. Before the match, real images of stadiums and even the commentary team will get players ready for the match.

Authenticity has always been a strong suit of EA Sports games, and NHL is no different. For the new generation, developers aim to bring accurate arenas to the game for the first time. Spectator variety will increase from 350 models to over 9 thousand. With a more varied crowd, including sign holders and decorated fans, ice wear effects, plus new camera angles will hopefully make the players feel more immersed in the experience.

We had a chance to play through a full match of NHL 15 running on an early version of the code. The new HD visuals did immediately draw our attention, much like last year’s upgrades for FIFA and Madden. The cloth effects on jerseys were impressive, but seemed to be overdone beyond realism, and the same with the ice, which showed far too much wear as if it’s been bombarded by hundreds of skaters for days. We also saw many very familiar animations from players and goalies, as well as odd collisions and physical interaction. However, at least the controls felt tighter and more refined, controlling the puck was easier but more unpredictable at the same time. Overall the game played better than before, but there are still seemingly significant leftovers from the last generation.

With so many ups and downs for the NHL franchise in recent years, we hope that the series can enter the new console generation on a high note. The development team likely has the smaller of EA Sports development budgets, so huge revamps cannot be expected, but rather “more stuff” as the team themselves have put it. Watch for NHL 15 to hit the ice in September on Xbox One and PS4.