Markus Naslund
08 June 2008, 07:58 PM
Well it's getting closer to June.
That means the cover of NHL 09 will be announced soon. And are first look at the game will be release soon enough too.
Release Date: TBA
Helpful links: http://search.ign.com/products?query=nhl+09
1. What is your wish list for NHL 09?
- Fantasy Dynasty
- Update every month throughs the NHL Season.
- Better Crowed Graphics
- Better starts to the game. i.e anthems and players coming out on the ice...
- PSP version
-Goalie injuries.
-A more complete AHL farm roster
-Real draft prospects
-Ice d-lines separately from forward lines.
-Ability to fire coaches in Dynasty Mode......and with different coaches you get a different set of plays for yr team.
-Broken sticks: player attempts a slapper from the blue line, stick shatters.
-If, for whatever reason, you want to create a player, it should be able to be used in yr current Dynasty Mode campaign.
-Did they have more years offered in contracts in the PS3/360 version?!..If not...they should.
-Deeper hi-lite reels
-More and different checking graphics.
-Get rid of the tape-to-tape passing.....not all passes connect.
-better 'keys to the game'
- 12 player online mode
- lots of outdoor rink types
- street hockey mode: 3 on 3 game with crappy goalie pads, some plastic blades, orange ball, cars coming every now & again, etc ..
- scrums/punches thrown after whistles
- better graphics
- longer / more graphics oriented player intros and exits to the game
- more diverse skill stick moves
- realistic face offs
- broken sticks
- less accurate passes sometimes (pucks jumping over sticks, slightly away from recipient so he has to chase it down, etc.)
- better fighting engine
- variable camera angles (user selects height and zoom level of camera using sliders, instead of having a bunch of preset angles)
- intermission interviews with players
- better online league mode
- The keys to the game are formulated by how the player plays the game (eg. cuts to the middle off the rush if they do that move; works down low passes; shoots from the point, etc.)
- So it'll be like an actual scouting report.
- A superstar mode would be great, having you create yourself, get drafted, contract signings, interviews. It would be sweet!
- custom soundtracks like the 2k series.
- i cant stand the recycled, re-used crap they call goal horns each year.
- Ball hockey where you can play as nhl players.. but on a road or something.. and like a super skillz competition(if it hasnet happened yet)
- Playoff Traditions like towel power
- Croweds louder in playoffs
- Real prospects should seriously be considered...it would improve the dynasty mode ten-fold!
- A descent PC version
- Since EA doesn't have the rights to the arenas, I'd like to see an option so you can customize the Arena, change seats, colors, etc... also and option so you can design a mask, just like the paint option on Forza 2, that you can put any shape, logo, colors, etc.... Sticks breaking, more diverse off season, Louder crowds, better/more/different intros to a game, not always just an anthem but possibly the view of the locker room or players skating out, scrums after whistles, goalie injuries, more injuries ( I don't know about you guys but I usually only get 1 injury per season), better drafting, basically what everybody else said...
- Goalies get injured
- Goalies can fight
- You can drive the Zamboni during intermission
- NEW center ice
- You can be the coach
- You can hit the REF
- You can play in old seasons (example 1992-93)
- Fans can throw things on the ice (like octopus)
- Anthems played before game starts
- There can be huge brawls
- There can be cheat codes (like GTA:San Andreas)
- players can hit goalies
- penaltys for clearing the puck over thee glass
- less pucks randomly shot over the glass
- better fighting
- computer not hip check everything
- able to play with older teams like 1994 canucks roster
- Better crowd
- Sticks breaking
- Blood
- Better penalties
- Scrums after whistles
- Crashing the goalie
- injuring the goalie
- better injuries, i would like to flat some guy out and give him a concussion not HIP check him and damage his head somehow.
- Superstar, Interview, start from WHL and work your way up.
- Better faces, 07 graphics in the face were better.
- Different faces for rookies, it would be hard to gain rights to all the teams like whl etc..but if your going to have fake rookies at least make them look all - - different, even if you have to just customize them.
- More realistic goals, i dont want to cut in the middle and score glove side EVERY single time, i think if one of my friends can domiante the hardest mode - - like 10-1 then something is wrong.
- beter realistic saves, after awhile it gets repetative even if i do the same thing over again
- I want a Dynasty with Euro leauges not 1 season.
- being able to customize team canada in tourneys.
- indepth dynasty, better scouting, firing head coach hiring new ones, have an assistant manager or something.
- Make sure other teams gms..are actually real not like bob brown(STL) has offered to trade you 1st round pick for malkin (*insert your name here* (PIT)
- I want the crowd to get into it when a fight breaks out and it would be nice if it could change the game too..having towel power.
- being able to edit team jerseys after a few years in Dynasty Mode
- scrums after whistles (penalties afterwards) - I'd like to see this especially if people, online or otherwise, slash after the whistle. Throw them in the box for two.
- Hire/Fire Coaches and GM's - I haven't played any of the Madden games past 05, but Madden 05 did this well.
- Like Madden 05 (I'm sure the rest have them as well), propose to build a new Arena.
- Show empty seats in markets that aren't making the playoffs or have been consistently missing the playoffs for a few years in Dynasty Mode
- Fantasy Draft - Natch
- Broken Sticks
- Getting injured on hits other than hip-checks. IE: Blocked shots, elbows, etc.
- That said, get rid of hip-checks. If it hardly ever happens in the hockey today, then get rid of it.
- Drafted players in Dynasty Mode need to have faces that don't have scars on them. This is such an easy fix that doesn't cost EA money.
- And the most important of all, player attitudes and contract negotiations. Players should have ratings on how they are in the dressing room, how they are with media, whether they are less likely to play harder in the playoffs, would like a no-trade clause to re-sign in your city otherwise they are gone. Etc. This is vitally important to make the Dynasty Mode last a lot longer and up the enjoyment factor. In essence, just a complete overhaul of the franchise mode. Stadium rebuilding, relocate in poor franchises, etc. All this needs to be addressed.
- being able to save a replay to hd
- should have a mode like dynasty except you are the general manager of an expansion team, customize your arena and jerseys, etc. That would be sweet!
-
-
Add to the list!
2. Who do you think will be on the cover?
- Crosby
- Malkin
- Luongo
- Nabokov
- Lidstrom
- datsyuk
Add to the list!
I will keep the first two posts updated as much as possible throughout the next year.
-----------------
June 6th
NHL 09 First Look
Where do you go when you have one of the highest-rated sports games in recent memory, a game that just happened to receive honors as sports game of 2008 (including from this very Internet establishment)? If you're the developers at EA Canada, the guys responsible for last year's critically lauded NHL 08, you keep your eyes forward, like Sidney Crosby heading toward the net, in the hopes of keeping that momentum up for the next game in the series, NHL 09. During EA Sports' spring press event, we got our first look at NHL 09, and had a chance to hear about some of the exciting features that will be in the game when it's released later this year.
First off, the biggest feature in NHL 09 seems to be the brand-new Be a Pro mode. Inspired by the feature of the same name from last year's FIFA 08, this mode will let you strap on the stakes as an up-and-coming hockey player. After creating your player from scratch, you'll sign up with an AHL team (EA naturally has the full AHL license) and begin to find your way through your career as a hot minor-league prospect.
Last year's NHL game from EA Sports was our sports game of the year. The recipe for NHL 09: Bigger and better. As with the Be a Pro mode in FIFA, when you're on the ice in NHL 09's Be a Pro mode, you'll be focused on your player alone, thanks to a third-person camera that will be focused tight (but not too tight) on your created player. According to producers, this close-up camera angle will give you more opportunities for shooting in a variety of different angles on the goalie, from up high to five hole, because the targets will be that much bigger on the screen. One of the most intriguing aspects of Be a Pro mode in NHL 09 is the different types of roles you'll be able to serve when creating your player. Not only will you be able to play as a goalie, but you'll also be able to choose different types of roles as a regular skater, from a grinding, checking defenseman to a speedy, shot-taking sniper. As a result, when you're on the ice with your team, your coach will have different expectations of you depending on your role. It's these individual expectations that will form the basis for how your performance is judged in the game and how your player progresses as a result. You'll be judged in three main categories: position, team play, and statistics. Given that your position on the ice is so crucial to the success of you as a player and your team as a whole, you'll always be judged by how closely you fit into your proper position based on your role. If you're not sure where you need to be during a certain point, a handy arrow will appear overheard to point in the direction you need to go if you're out of place. How often that arrow appears will be a measure of how often you're in the right (or wrong) spot on the ice, and you'll be judged accordingly.
Think you can fill Tomas Holstrom's skates? Find out in the brand new Be a Pro mode. The second aspect of your performance is team play. This takes into consideration a huge number of factors: everything from the number of shots you take to the number of times you call for the puck through a pass. Sometimes calling for the pass is a good thing; sometimes taking a shot is a good thing, even if it doesn't go in the net. That said, if you start calling for a shot every time you touch the puck, or call to go back on the ice during a line change (yes, you will sit on the bench when your line is between shifts), your team and coaches are going to notice and might even dock your performance in the process. After all, there are shots and then there are good shots, just like there are passes and good passes. The CPU will know the difference and, after a while, so will you.
These team-play expectations will change depending on your player's role. For example, if you're playing a checking defender, then you won't be expected to take a lot of shots; you'll be expected to lay guys out on the ice each and every game. Naturally, the final aspect of your performance will be statistics, and you'll be expected to put up numbers both in the minors and once you make it to the NHL. If you fail to perform, you can expect a long road to the Big Show; if you're already an NHL regular, you might be traded if your output isn't up to your potential.
One-handed dekes will give you another weapon in your offensive arsenal. As you progress in the game, you'll be able to purchase attribute points, which you can assign to your player to improve his performance. In addition, at a point further down the line in this mode, you'll earn the chance to get your own hockey card, which will detail your accomplishments through the minors, into the NHL, and on to the ultimate goal of becoming an NHL legend. One cool feature included here is the ability to take screenshots of your own in the game and then use those images for your hockey card. As for the game's controls, the development team is still further enhancing the skill-stick system that began in NHL 07. Last year saw touches such as the off-puck dekes--for NHL 09, you'll be able to perform one-handed dekes that will find your player pushing the puck out far to one side with either hand, then pulling it back on the fly to get around a defender or even a goalie. Of course, only the best players will be able to pull off a move like this, so you'll want to make sure you use it at the right time, and with the right player. One-handed dekes mean one more move in the offensive skill-stick arsenal, but NHL 09 will also finally give you the ability to take advantage of the skill stick on defense. You'll be able to swing the analog stick back and forth to make your player mimic that movement with his hockey stick, taking away passing lanes in the process. Of equal, if not greater, use will be the ability to lift an opposing player's stick off of the ice with a press of a button. It's a simple defense against the prevalent one-timers that can become a cornerstone of the game, especially online; by lifting your opponent's stick off the ice, you take away his ability to smack that one-time pass toward the goalie. Nevertheless, you have to be careful because there's an associated risk with this defensive reward: If you miss the timing on the lift, then you might end up inadvertently smacking your opponent's player in the head, resulting in a penalty in the process. Last year's game offered the ability to create plays from scratch on the ice by positioning two or more players exactly where you wanted them. That feature returns in NHL 09, though you'll now be able to create plays using the entire length of the ice, not just the offensive zone as in NHL 08. A typical example of this might be starting a play with your center positioned behind his own net, giving the other forwards and the defensemen a chance to set up before beginning a charge up the ice and into your opponent's zone.
The Wings got it done against the Penguins. Time for some redemption, Pittsburgh fans. Another big feature in last year's game was the three-on-three online play. In NHL 09, that's been moved up to full six-on-six play online. It certainly sounds like a hockey fan's online dream come true, though we suspect it's going to take a certain type of person who wants to sit in net for an entire game. Then again, goalies are a different breed in real life, too... In addition to that, NHL 09 will boast online leagues, tournaments, and at least one other mystery feature that the producers behind the game are promising will be absolutely massive. Unfortunately, they weren't ready to spill the beans yet, but we'll certainly be on the lookout for exactly what this game-changing revelation will be later in the year. With heavy expectations on the game, our hopes are high for NHL 09, which appears, at least in terms of ambition, to be keeping pace with last year's stellar entry. Stay tuned for much more on the game in the coming months.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=RsDijA_yk8A
That means the cover of NHL 09 will be announced soon. And are first look at the game will be release soon enough too.
Release Date: TBA
Helpful links: http://search.ign.com/products?query=nhl+09
1. What is your wish list for NHL 09?
- Fantasy Dynasty
- Update every month throughs the NHL Season.
- Better Crowed Graphics
- Better starts to the game. i.e anthems and players coming out on the ice...
- PSP version
-Goalie injuries.
-A more complete AHL farm roster
-Real draft prospects
-Ice d-lines separately from forward lines.
-Ability to fire coaches in Dynasty Mode......and with different coaches you get a different set of plays for yr team.
-Broken sticks: player attempts a slapper from the blue line, stick shatters.
-If, for whatever reason, you want to create a player, it should be able to be used in yr current Dynasty Mode campaign.
-Did they have more years offered in contracts in the PS3/360 version?!..If not...they should.
-Deeper hi-lite reels
-More and different checking graphics.
-Get rid of the tape-to-tape passing.....not all passes connect.
-better 'keys to the game'
- 12 player online mode
- lots of outdoor rink types
- street hockey mode: 3 on 3 game with crappy goalie pads, some plastic blades, orange ball, cars coming every now & again, etc ..
- scrums/punches thrown after whistles
- better graphics
- longer / more graphics oriented player intros and exits to the game
- more diverse skill stick moves
- realistic face offs
- broken sticks
- less accurate passes sometimes (pucks jumping over sticks, slightly away from recipient so he has to chase it down, etc.)
- better fighting engine
- variable camera angles (user selects height and zoom level of camera using sliders, instead of having a bunch of preset angles)
- intermission interviews with players
- better online league mode
- The keys to the game are formulated by how the player plays the game (eg. cuts to the middle off the rush if they do that move; works down low passes; shoots from the point, etc.)
- So it'll be like an actual scouting report.
- A superstar mode would be great, having you create yourself, get drafted, contract signings, interviews. It would be sweet!
- custom soundtracks like the 2k series.
- i cant stand the recycled, re-used crap they call goal horns each year.
- Ball hockey where you can play as nhl players.. but on a road or something.. and like a super skillz competition(if it hasnet happened yet)
- Playoff Traditions like towel power
- Croweds louder in playoffs
- Real prospects should seriously be considered...it would improve the dynasty mode ten-fold!
- A descent PC version
- Since EA doesn't have the rights to the arenas, I'd like to see an option so you can customize the Arena, change seats, colors, etc... also and option so you can design a mask, just like the paint option on Forza 2, that you can put any shape, logo, colors, etc.... Sticks breaking, more diverse off season, Louder crowds, better/more/different intros to a game, not always just an anthem but possibly the view of the locker room or players skating out, scrums after whistles, goalie injuries, more injuries ( I don't know about you guys but I usually only get 1 injury per season), better drafting, basically what everybody else said...
- Goalies get injured
- Goalies can fight
- You can drive the Zamboni during intermission
- NEW center ice
- You can be the coach
- You can hit the REF
- You can play in old seasons (example 1992-93)
- Fans can throw things on the ice (like octopus)
- Anthems played before game starts
- There can be huge brawls
- There can be cheat codes (like GTA:San Andreas)
- players can hit goalies
- penaltys for clearing the puck over thee glass
- less pucks randomly shot over the glass
- better fighting
- computer not hip check everything
- able to play with older teams like 1994 canucks roster
- Better crowd
- Sticks breaking
- Blood
- Better penalties
- Scrums after whistles
- Crashing the goalie
- injuring the goalie
- better injuries, i would like to flat some guy out and give him a concussion not HIP check him and damage his head somehow.
- Superstar, Interview, start from WHL and work your way up.
- Better faces, 07 graphics in the face were better.
- Different faces for rookies, it would be hard to gain rights to all the teams like whl etc..but if your going to have fake rookies at least make them look all - - different, even if you have to just customize them.
- More realistic goals, i dont want to cut in the middle and score glove side EVERY single time, i think if one of my friends can domiante the hardest mode - - like 10-1 then something is wrong.
- beter realistic saves, after awhile it gets repetative even if i do the same thing over again
- I want a Dynasty with Euro leauges not 1 season.
- being able to customize team canada in tourneys.
- indepth dynasty, better scouting, firing head coach hiring new ones, have an assistant manager or something.
- Make sure other teams gms..are actually real not like bob brown(STL) has offered to trade you 1st round pick for malkin (*insert your name here* (PIT)
- I want the crowd to get into it when a fight breaks out and it would be nice if it could change the game too..having towel power.
- being able to edit team jerseys after a few years in Dynasty Mode
- scrums after whistles (penalties afterwards) - I'd like to see this especially if people, online or otherwise, slash after the whistle. Throw them in the box for two.
- Hire/Fire Coaches and GM's - I haven't played any of the Madden games past 05, but Madden 05 did this well.
- Like Madden 05 (I'm sure the rest have them as well), propose to build a new Arena.
- Show empty seats in markets that aren't making the playoffs or have been consistently missing the playoffs for a few years in Dynasty Mode
- Fantasy Draft - Natch
- Broken Sticks
- Getting injured on hits other than hip-checks. IE: Blocked shots, elbows, etc.
- That said, get rid of hip-checks. If it hardly ever happens in the hockey today, then get rid of it.
- Drafted players in Dynasty Mode need to have faces that don't have scars on them. This is such an easy fix that doesn't cost EA money.
- And the most important of all, player attitudes and contract negotiations. Players should have ratings on how they are in the dressing room, how they are with media, whether they are less likely to play harder in the playoffs, would like a no-trade clause to re-sign in your city otherwise they are gone. Etc. This is vitally important to make the Dynasty Mode last a lot longer and up the enjoyment factor. In essence, just a complete overhaul of the franchise mode. Stadium rebuilding, relocate in poor franchises, etc. All this needs to be addressed.
- being able to save a replay to hd
- should have a mode like dynasty except you are the general manager of an expansion team, customize your arena and jerseys, etc. That would be sweet!
-
-
Add to the list!
2. Who do you think will be on the cover?
- Crosby
- Malkin
- Luongo
- Nabokov
- Lidstrom
- datsyuk
Add to the list!
I will keep the first two posts updated as much as possible throughout the next year.
-----------------
June 6th
NHL 09 First Look
Where do you go when you have one of the highest-rated sports games in recent memory, a game that just happened to receive honors as sports game of 2008 (including from this very Internet establishment)? If you're the developers at EA Canada, the guys responsible for last year's critically lauded NHL 08, you keep your eyes forward, like Sidney Crosby heading toward the net, in the hopes of keeping that momentum up for the next game in the series, NHL 09. During EA Sports' spring press event, we got our first look at NHL 09, and had a chance to hear about some of the exciting features that will be in the game when it's released later this year.
First off, the biggest feature in NHL 09 seems to be the brand-new Be a Pro mode. Inspired by the feature of the same name from last year's FIFA 08, this mode will let you strap on the stakes as an up-and-coming hockey player. After creating your player from scratch, you'll sign up with an AHL team (EA naturally has the full AHL license) and begin to find your way through your career as a hot minor-league prospect.
Last year's NHL game from EA Sports was our sports game of the year. The recipe for NHL 09: Bigger and better. As with the Be a Pro mode in FIFA, when you're on the ice in NHL 09's Be a Pro mode, you'll be focused on your player alone, thanks to a third-person camera that will be focused tight (but not too tight) on your created player. According to producers, this close-up camera angle will give you more opportunities for shooting in a variety of different angles on the goalie, from up high to five hole, because the targets will be that much bigger on the screen. One of the most intriguing aspects of Be a Pro mode in NHL 09 is the different types of roles you'll be able to serve when creating your player. Not only will you be able to play as a goalie, but you'll also be able to choose different types of roles as a regular skater, from a grinding, checking defenseman to a speedy, shot-taking sniper. As a result, when you're on the ice with your team, your coach will have different expectations of you depending on your role. It's these individual expectations that will form the basis for how your performance is judged in the game and how your player progresses as a result. You'll be judged in three main categories: position, team play, and statistics. Given that your position on the ice is so crucial to the success of you as a player and your team as a whole, you'll always be judged by how closely you fit into your proper position based on your role. If you're not sure where you need to be during a certain point, a handy arrow will appear overheard to point in the direction you need to go if you're out of place. How often that arrow appears will be a measure of how often you're in the right (or wrong) spot on the ice, and you'll be judged accordingly.
Think you can fill Tomas Holstrom's skates? Find out in the brand new Be a Pro mode. The second aspect of your performance is team play. This takes into consideration a huge number of factors: everything from the number of shots you take to the number of times you call for the puck through a pass. Sometimes calling for the pass is a good thing; sometimes taking a shot is a good thing, even if it doesn't go in the net. That said, if you start calling for a shot every time you touch the puck, or call to go back on the ice during a line change (yes, you will sit on the bench when your line is between shifts), your team and coaches are going to notice and might even dock your performance in the process. After all, there are shots and then there are good shots, just like there are passes and good passes. The CPU will know the difference and, after a while, so will you.
These team-play expectations will change depending on your player's role. For example, if you're playing a checking defender, then you won't be expected to take a lot of shots; you'll be expected to lay guys out on the ice each and every game. Naturally, the final aspect of your performance will be statistics, and you'll be expected to put up numbers both in the minors and once you make it to the NHL. If you fail to perform, you can expect a long road to the Big Show; if you're already an NHL regular, you might be traded if your output isn't up to your potential.
One-handed dekes will give you another weapon in your offensive arsenal. As you progress in the game, you'll be able to purchase attribute points, which you can assign to your player to improve his performance. In addition, at a point further down the line in this mode, you'll earn the chance to get your own hockey card, which will detail your accomplishments through the minors, into the NHL, and on to the ultimate goal of becoming an NHL legend. One cool feature included here is the ability to take screenshots of your own in the game and then use those images for your hockey card. As for the game's controls, the development team is still further enhancing the skill-stick system that began in NHL 07. Last year saw touches such as the off-puck dekes--for NHL 09, you'll be able to perform one-handed dekes that will find your player pushing the puck out far to one side with either hand, then pulling it back on the fly to get around a defender or even a goalie. Of course, only the best players will be able to pull off a move like this, so you'll want to make sure you use it at the right time, and with the right player. One-handed dekes mean one more move in the offensive skill-stick arsenal, but NHL 09 will also finally give you the ability to take advantage of the skill stick on defense. You'll be able to swing the analog stick back and forth to make your player mimic that movement with his hockey stick, taking away passing lanes in the process. Of equal, if not greater, use will be the ability to lift an opposing player's stick off of the ice with a press of a button. It's a simple defense against the prevalent one-timers that can become a cornerstone of the game, especially online; by lifting your opponent's stick off the ice, you take away his ability to smack that one-time pass toward the goalie. Nevertheless, you have to be careful because there's an associated risk with this defensive reward: If you miss the timing on the lift, then you might end up inadvertently smacking your opponent's player in the head, resulting in a penalty in the process. Last year's game offered the ability to create plays from scratch on the ice by positioning two or more players exactly where you wanted them. That feature returns in NHL 09, though you'll now be able to create plays using the entire length of the ice, not just the offensive zone as in NHL 08. A typical example of this might be starting a play with your center positioned behind his own net, giving the other forwards and the defensemen a chance to set up before beginning a charge up the ice and into your opponent's zone.
The Wings got it done against the Penguins. Time for some redemption, Pittsburgh fans. Another big feature in last year's game was the three-on-three online play. In NHL 09, that's been moved up to full six-on-six play online. It certainly sounds like a hockey fan's online dream come true, though we suspect it's going to take a certain type of person who wants to sit in net for an entire game. Then again, goalies are a different breed in real life, too... In addition to that, NHL 09 will boast online leagues, tournaments, and at least one other mystery feature that the producers behind the game are promising will be absolutely massive. Unfortunately, they weren't ready to spill the beans yet, but we'll certainly be on the lookout for exactly what this game-changing revelation will be later in the year. With heavy expectations on the game, our hopes are high for NHL 09, which appears, at least in terms of ambition, to be keeping pace with last year's stellar entry. Stay tuned for much more on the game in the coming months.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=RsDijA_yk8A