Ask Me Anything: Sean Ramjagsingh, NHL 15 Producer

[darkraider7]

Quote: Originally Posted by bigwill33

"Hester147 wrote: Is GM connected in future plans of ps4 and xbox one versions? And is there any way to release some sort of club patch? Otp is fun, except for having to join lobbies every game and hope all your friends get in" "The future of GM Connected is TBD. When we look at the data of how many people are actually playing the mode, it is VERY small relative to our other modes. One of the things that we need to be careful of moving forward is to not spread ourselves too thin. On G3, we have a lot of modes that get minimal use. Maintaining these modes year on year (even if we don't add any new features) is very costly and it takes away from us working on other features in the more played modes which is why I say that the future is TBD based on current usage. When we first put GMC in, it was a highly requested mode from our fans but that hasn't translated into the usage we expected." This part is absolutely laughable to me! Of course GMC is not widely used, have you tried to use it? It is barely usable. Give us a functioning online franchise mode and I would bet you would see a higher usage. But don't blame us for neglecting to use something that was very poorly implemented. It would take a day and a half to navigate through the cumbersome menus. Trading and roster moves were a farce. It is 2014, every sports game should have an online franchise mode by now. A fully featured online franchise mode, to boot.

This! The mode was terribly implemented, you literally had to sit for 20-30 minutes just to advance a period of 3-4 games. Not to mention another minute just to navigate to any screen. A couple of my friends who have not bought past NHL games were really looking forward to this mode on next-gen. But now they will not be purchasing the game, thus killing any hope I had of them getting into a series I know they would enjoy and love. Is it really too much to ask for to have an online franchise mode when every single other sports game on the market includes it. Needless to say, as someone who has bought every NHL game since 2006 I am severely dissapointed.

[canucksss]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sheba2011

You'll have the chance to judge the gameplay for yourself when the Demo drops.

Yes and EA needs to prove me wrong. But then again, DEMO is not much to know this game. We cant really sum up this game in 2 min/period x3 period game. I will rent this via Gamefly and see....if its still the same garbage...this is the shortest rent ever.

[m_maclean24]

Quote: Originally Posted by canucksss

built from the ground up - have they improved the gameplay since 2009? was the group celebration present and then removed and then try to include it again (thats not building up...thats just bringing in what was there before). Puck physics? What? Where is it? I will only believe if EA will show a demo, done by 2 people with great knowledge in hockey and show to us these so called improvements and not just a movie clips. I switched to EA in 2007 because of their ground breaking right analog stick as your hockey stick. But after 2009, the BaGM which I play the most is untouched and become stupid mode because of AI trade logic, no differentiation between players and teams. Built from the ground up - until 13, no player and team differentiation and I am inclined to believe its still the same in 15. Prove me wrong about this, then I will believe them. Built from the ground up - in previous version, the home team can put the lines after the away team sent their lines. In 13, there's no opportunity to play the lines. Thats going backward instead of going forward. Built from the ground up - gameplay, gameplay, gameplay..... is important in a sport game and not just presentation, unless is organic and not canned, will be a short lived enjoyment.

I think we are having a difference of opinion about what built from the ground up means...to me it means that they've built this year's version from the ground up...as I said, the evidence is in the new player models, arenas, etc...I don't necessarily disagree with anything you've said here...my issue is that I feel they are finally trying to give what people have asked for, and this is the starting point, building presentation and AI (remains to be seen) "from the ground up" for this generation.

My issue is that you flat-out called the developers liars, which I don't see...my understanding is that they are talking about this year's version of the game, not NHL 07-14.

[canucksss]

Quote: Originally Posted by m_maclean24

I think we are having a difference of opinion about what built from the ground up means...to me it means that they've built this year's version from the ground up...as I said, the evidence is in the new player models, arenas, etc...I don't necessarily disagree with anything you've said here...my issue is that I feel they are finally trying to give what people have asked for, and this is the starting point, building presentation and AI (remains to be seen) "from the ground up" for this generation. My issue is that you flat-out called the developers liars, which I don't see...my understanding is that they are talking about this year's version of the game, not NHL 07-14.

The statement "built from the ground up" is just a rehash, year after year EA is saying this. Instead of moving forward, they delete some features and bring it up after several years. If their statement is really true, by now we have the greatest NHL game ever which is close to the real thing. But in reality, its still the same..... not a replica from the real NHL. That is why I say it is hard for me to believe in their claims "built from the ground up".

[intmsn]

I Cant believe that you leave gmc behind at ps4. In Sweden there is lots of leagues. Its take some time to establish 30 solid members, but now more and more players signing in and more leagues is starting.

For us gmc is everything, now we left ps4 and nhl15 behind.

[Dazraz]

Personally the one Mode I play is Season Mode. Although I've seen no official confirmation of the Mode being excluded I think we can safely assume it's NOT in. With all the negative feedback being given to EA they would be sure to announce every single Mode in that is in the game.

[SweeT 9 LoU 84]

Sean,

I have seen in a number of Q&A's with you that certain game modes are not played as much, which is obvious because everyone does not like the same number of things and some people like online, some like offline, other like single player, while more like multiplayer. What my question for you is, what is the statistical breakdown of game modes played. I believe EASHL and OTP has to be in the top 3 along with either HUT or VS. I have been in the top 100 the last few yrs in VS and is not played as much anymore. I just want to know what the statistical breakdown is per game mode. Also, how did a game mode like NHL Moments make the cut, that has to be the lowest played along side GM Connecteds which people start and then never finish and Shoot-Outs which we mainly just do while waiting on friends for club and OTP leagues.

[Keso Paghuni]

Rammer,

How will this committee for the EASHL be decided? There are a lot of members from other communities that have been playing EASHL since the start of NHL 09 that should have first dibs and I'll explain why. Back when EASHL was announced certain guys ranked high on the leaderboards started forming teams in NHL 08 and playing OTP through that. To this day those same people still organize 6v6 leagues are more competitive than EASHL itself. I'm 100% sure these people that run these leagues are the right people for the job and need to be chosen.