NHL 16 Developer Q & A

Listed below is the developer Q & A for NHL 16 via their new Ask EA NHL page. There are already some great questions and answers as well as some additional feature information, screenshots and videos. Here are the current questions, answers, videos and screenshot included.

Will couch co-op return?

Yes, couch co-op is back for NHL 16

Does “Ice-Tilt” exist in HUT?

No. There are no game code decisions in any mode that give one team an advantage over another based on external factors. Everything is based on what the two competitors are doing with their controllers and the ratings of the players on the ice.

Will we see GM Connected again? If not, will we see a smaller scale of online dynasty type mode?

GM Connected was a highly requested feature that unfortunately failed in many ways. When we look a the data, only a very small number of leagues had more than 2 players per league and though the mode supported up to 25 years, very few leagues made it past the 20 game mark of season 1. We understand that that there were some issues with the overall speed of the mode. Moving forward we want to work with our fans to better understand their needs and expectations on what a great online dynasty for the new generation of consoles should deliver and where we fell short on GM Connected similar to the approach we took in bringing EASHL to NHL 16.

Will EASHL finally make the jump to the current generation of consoles for NHL 16?

Absolutely. As a franchise, we are 100% committed to the EASHL.

Most wanted are the comebacks of “Play a friend” in HUT and “EASHL”. Will those two modes be back?

EASHL is one of our biggest feature addition this year and rightfully so. In addition to bringing back the fundamentals of clubs, the team set out to re-establish balanced and competitive playing field where skill is the determining factor in who wins games. Working with members of our NHL community, we were able to focus on the most important aspects of the mode. For HUT, we are adding Single Player Seasons and HUT Play a Friend. Both of which are high on the community wish list for NHL 16.

What were the biggest challenges facing the NHL team transitioning from NHL 15 to NHL 16?

The biggest challenge was driving an aggressive pre-production with the team while working on content updates for 15 in parallel. Pre-production is the phase of the project where we do all of our feature planning. We are very happy with our NHL 16 feature set and are currently in the process of finalling which will take us until the end of June.

Are mascots in the game this year?

Yes. All of the NHL teams that have official mascots will have them in NHL 16. Screenshot Below:

What can we expect to see feature wise in the offline single player modes?

We have focused a lot of attention to our offline game modes in NHL 16 by adding features from previous iterations, while creating new experiences that we hope all are fans will enjoy. We added Season Mode allowing you to play with any of our 10 leagues in the game thru a season and playoffs. Be A GM has AHL/NHL integration, Fantasy Draft, Sim Intervention and a brand new feature in Player Morale. Be a Pro has the return of Sim to Next Shift, CHL/AHL integration, and a brand new player progression system. HUT will also include Single Player Seasons which allows players to have a fantasy manager experience without having to play against online competition.Video Below:

How much time do you guys get to really get into the meat and potatoes of upgrading the game for the new release?

The short answer is that is ‘as much as possible’. Putting a new game out every year is an aggressive development timeline so it’s important that the dev team is as efficient as possible. Literally, every day that goes by is a day that can be used to create new features for the next version of the game. Production on the next iteration usually begins in November with finalling ending in June.

Will it be possible to access specific highlights at the end of the game like it was in NHL14 & 13?

Yes. NHL 16 will allow a user to access specific highlights through the Action Tracker which tracks all hits, shots, penalties and goals in a game and allows the user to then select them and view them. Video Below:

As a team, were you guys happy with how NHL 15 turned out?

We understand that we did not meet expectations when it came to our Game Modes whether it be the lack of depth in our single player experiences or omission of key modes like the EASHL. However, we do believe that we built a good base for gameplay and presentation that we can continue to build on. NHL 16 will continue to push forward with compelling gameplay and presentation but also deliver new experiences and depth in our single player and multiplayer modes.

Will it finally be possible to change your goalie during the game in HUT? This feature has been missing forever.

Yes, you will be able to swap your backup goalie in Hockey Ultimate Team when you play NHL 16.

What is the actual probability of pulling a (x) rated player in a HUT pack?

The probability varies widely. What you pull in Hockey Ultimate Team packs are based on multiple factors, a couple examples are: How valuable a player is on the open market or if the player is a special edition (TOTW, TOTY, Movember).

Why did you change the EASHL attribute system?

In NHL 16 we have changed the EASHL attribute system based on research and fan feedback. What we learned through that research and fan feedback is that there were three things that were critical for the new EASHL: 1. Created characters so you could play as yourself 2. Even playing field so skill (individual and team) is the determining factor in the outcome of games 3. Customization of characters so each player can look unique

Where is the focus in NHL 16? Presentation/Gameplay/Modes

The focus is on all three. We need to continue to push forward with compelling gameplay and presentation but also need to deliver new experiences for our single player and multiplayer modes.

Can we expect to see more micro transactions in future NHL titles?

Our goal is to always provide a gameplay experience that does not require the use of micro transactions, but that option will be there in modes like HUT in order for some fans to enhance or expedite their experiences.

Any plans for bringing the NHL series to PC?

No immediate plans however, we’re always looking for new ways to get NHL into the hands of new consumers.

Will I be able to manage my AHL team in GM Mode?

You will be able to manage your AHL team in GM Mode in NHL 16. Screenshot Below:

How often do you guys come up with ideas or features you would like to develop into the game, but end up having to push back to another year due to time complexity, time constraints, etc?

We literally do that every year. As part of the Pre-production process, we challenge each other to think big. Often, thinking big results in features that we can not fully complete in a normal cycle so we either build a staged multi-year plan so we can build it out over multiple years or we design it fully and start working on it as early as possible to for the next iteration.

Will there be more player customization & editing? ie: Jerseys, face sculpting, hair, beards, arenas, etc.

Yes. Customization is something that we are going to continuously build upon year on year. The video here will give you more information about customization in NHL 16. Video Below:

NHL 16 Developer Q & A