What could NHL 09’s mystery feature be?
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Ever since the barrage of information that has come for NHL 09, whether it be from the initial media previews or the more extensive community event reports, much of the talk has surrounded the “massive” feature (as labeled by Gamespot) that is being kept under wraps. With so many new features and improvements already known it’s almost hard to imagine what else they could’ve added that would be so significant.
Thanks to IGN we know that it is an online feature, and one that has “never been seen in a sports game before”. So a few possibilities that would seem excluded would be a basic spectator mode or online franchise. The game already has full online team play and online leagues. I wouldn’t expect it to be EA Sports World related considering how the support for Madden and NCAA have turned out to be such a disappointment. From asking various attendees of the community event who know what the mystery feature is, this is very much a big deal, and not the typical media hype that leads to a letdown.
The feature may be revealed in early-mid July as another embargo date seems to have landed then. Leave your thoughts in the comments on what you think it might be or what online feature you would like to see included in the game.
June 11, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I believe that the secret online feature is the Be a Pro Online vs someone else.
June 11, 2008 at 3:41 pm
It’s “Be A Ref” Mode, where you can see what it’s like to be Earl! It occurs during Online Team Play games in unranked only where you get to make all the games, “EA”rl he’s in the game!
June 11, 2008 at 4:22 pm
My guesses:
- Fully Fledged Online Dynasty with Flex Scheduling
- Be the coach in OTP
- Bring your Be a Pro players online, maybe have it MMO-like where theres like 1000 real life players competing for spots on teams
- 20 vs. 20 online mode (they’ve already done the hard part, making 6v6 viable, I think allowing to swap in and out other players via line changes would be trivial)
- Ability to Custom Paint all equipment for goalies and post it online like Forza
June 11, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Which sports games have had the “spectator mode”? I’m not familiar with any.
Line changes in OTP would be interesting, but I’m sure would deteriorate into all-out online brawls as some players refuse to get off the ice in time.
This is pretty intriguing as, of course, it’s meant to be.
June 11, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I like the idea of the MMO with your player, though I’ve figured that idea would become a separate game down the road. It would certainly make sense as a big new feature on the console.
June 11, 2008 at 5:10 pm
So… Which sports games have had the “spectator mode”? I’m not familiar with any.
June 11, 2008 at 5:23 pm
I guess it depends on the definition of sport. Many racing titles and Table Tennis all had spectator modes. If they just were to state the major sports (NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL) then I don’t believe any of them have had a spectator mode.
June 11, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Spectator mode would be amazing.
June 11, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Pastapadre, Todd Zuniga did an interview with Littman in the latest Sports Anomaly:
Downoad HERE: http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3?http://download.gamevideos.com/Podcasts/Sportsanomaly/061108.mp3
Starts around 43 Minutes
Some of the stuff thats talked about
- Improved the lack of 5-hole goals
- Feedback was that jump between Pro and All-Star was too big so they are tweaking that
- New checking system is natural, did not want it to be like NHL 2005’s check fest
- Online Leagues will have Trades, Playoffs
- Goal for online eventually (meaning not in this year’s game but in the future) will be full Online Dynasties with Coaches and GM’s (I assume he means player controlled coaches and player controlled GMs)
- There will be a classic team for all-time greats of a certain organization
Man I just love Littman, hes a real fan, and he really listens to everything we talk about. Hes up there among my favourite people in video game development along with Ryan Payton of Konami.
June 11, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Go go EA hype machine. Seriously I LOVED NHL 08, but I doubt they have a secret feature that will be just “MASSIVE”. Just some old tyme marketing techniques. Either way NHL 09 will be a damn good game.
June 11, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Obviously no one agrees with “Be A Ref” mode..
June 11, 2008 at 6:37 pm
I can see brining Be A Pro mode online or Spectaor Mode.
June 11, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Maybe its just that they fixed the unlimited face off glitch.
June 11, 2008 at 10:25 pm
some kind of interactive online interface? Dunno but i am scared that it will not be that good.
June 12, 2008 at 4:56 am
Maybe they managed to make the sport of hockey interesting to more than a tiny yet highly vocal cult of fans – ?
Just Kidding …
June 12, 2008 at 5:32 am
Forza 2 Had spectator mode. It was somewhat limited, but what Forza did with some of its online interaction was highly impressive.
June 12, 2008 at 5:45 am
I bet it will be an online be a pro mode/ MMO type.
June 12, 2008 at 6:26 am
I’m thinking it’s take your Be A Pro player online and play OTP games with him. This would be like an MMO. Which the first M in MMO stands for “Massive”, which is the word they’re using to call this feature: “Massive”
June 12, 2008 at 6:33 am
I totally agree with Anthony….why else would they say “MASSIVE”?????!!!????
June 12, 2008 at 6:44 am
hey pasta…did you intentionally make the new posts so that we could not quote another member? if i am missing something, please let me know…
June 12, 2008 at 6:54 am
its a co-op mode…place your bets now. dynasty co-op.
June 12, 2008 at 8:17 am
There’s nothing revolutionary about co-op dynasty mode though. It’s being done in NCAA football already. I’m honestly expecting an MMO with your create a player- which in my opinion would be pretty awesome if you think about it–if it works.
June 12, 2008 at 9:06 am
the mystery feature was going to be an online mode that you could only use players that weren’t russian or canadian…then they realized that leaves only about five players remaining in the game…so the scrapped it for a new franchise mode where the object of the game is to make the NHL a top ten sport where you are competing with the likes of the NFL, NBA, MLB, International Soccer, Rugby, Cricket, Lacrosse, Boxing, Table Tennis, Autoracing, and Volleyball…the object of the game is to increase your marketing, sign cable deals, establish a network exclusively for your sport, market your players, fill your stadiums, and compete with other global sports for world superiority and popularity…EA insiders are already stating that THIS could be THE MOST DIFFICULT game mode in the history of video games…good luck…
June 12, 2008 at 9:44 am
they need to add spectator mode to madden so you can scout your opponents
June 12, 2008 at 10:39 am
Jonathan-
Great post, but I know how to win that game mode- simply don’t let Gary Bettman play. I’m pretty sure anyone other than him could dominate that game mode.
June 12, 2008 at 11:39 am
The secret is:
The ability to use some of the best classic teams with REAL classic players in a dynasty-like mode. Okay, this may be asking too much.
How about the ability to substitute the Colorado Avs with the Quebec Nordiques or the Hurricanes with THE WHALERS>>>>
June 12, 2008 at 1:07 pm
I think their mystery feature should be to remove the game completly off the shelves and only release the stupid game in Canada because nobody cares!
June 12, 2008 at 2:27 pm
spectator mode is maybe one of the useless features in game history.
June 12, 2008 at 3:18 pm
First of all what is an MMO ? is it Massive Market Opportunity?
And i hope they let you talk trash in between OTP periods. I hate not being to talk to them at all during a game.
And i think it will be something to do w/ their new feature Be A Pro … not sure though
June 12, 2008 at 4:16 pm
An MMO is a Massively Multliplayer Online game. It’s more common with RPG games, but I think it fits real well with sports games when you create a player and the use that player to either team up with or compete against other created players.
You have a large pool of create-a-players waiting to play rather than one person playing as an NHL team. The more you play, you gain skills and your player gets better.
What would work really well with NHL, would be if you create-a-player for a certain position and then you’re put into a game where that position is open. Many times I’ve played NHL 08 OTP, and at the selection screen someone jumps into the goalie slot and I can’t play goalie. If your create-a-player is a goalie, and you join an OTP game, it’d be much better to be placed in a game where you’re automatically put in the goalie slot.
June 12, 2008 at 4:39 pm
A sweet mystery feature would be…
1 guy creates a new team from scratch, he then recruits guys to join his team with created players.
Then once he fields a full team of 5 or 6 or however how many the required number is he is able to take on other created teams in a full fleged league or dynasty.
June 12, 2008 at 5:47 pm
UFC 09 game info?????????????????????
June 12, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Ability to quote comments will be back soon, I just haven’t had a chance to get around to it yet.
June 12, 2008 at 10:21 pm
thanks pasta…
June 13, 2008 at 6:47 am
What is the obsession with spectator mode? I don’t get that at all. Do you seriously have nothing better to do with your life than sit around and watch two other people play a game online? With a game like Madden, that could take an hour! Why wouldn’t you just play a game yourself?
I just don’t see the appeal in going online to watch a game between two other people online. I can think of 1,000 other things I’d rather do with my life than watch someone else play a game of Madden online.
June 13, 2008 at 6:50 am
I think for many people that would really enhance online dynasty/leagues more than anything. Someone could potentially scout their opponents or watch big games in the season. Obviously it isn’t meant as much for just watching random people play.
June 13, 2008 at 8:04 am
So Any NCAA 09 updates??
June 13, 2008 at 2:23 pm
It’s probably Spectator Mode, there is a small hint that that is what the feature is on http://www.easports.com/nhl09/
July 17, 2008 at 1:30 pm
North Stars jersey in the video akes me think its some sort of past team mode, like you can play as th oilers during the 80’s or the 90’s pens etc… in some sort of past dynasty mode.
August 1, 2008 at 11:10 am
I dont know what the feature is, but I hope its face mapping with the visual camera, then I could put my chuckie mask into the game…
Oh wait… thats not a mask.
August 1, 2008 at 11:20 am
sorry for the double post…
but there was a video showing, that everyone will have there own individual camera view in league mode, It would also be interesting to see the view from the bench when my line isnt on.
they also released that addition to having the 6 on 6 online mode, you will also be able to have a whole online team, that means somone will have to be in charge of changing the lines, so my guess is that the mystery feature will be a coach mode.
September 18, 2008 at 4:58 pm
It would be nice to have “create a rink”so you can put spikes and fire to kill the players cause this game is to too gay to be on the market and all you who made coments suck like schitt. p.s. WTF are my saying hockey sucks period.
September 18, 2008 at 5:15 pm
hey you’all whats up hockies great by the way “JOE YOUNG” don’t be that way.Agreat feature “live as a pro” where you start out 12 or something like that and grow up to be a pro and on the calendar when you don’t have hockey you can to the bar or play golf like real pros. Oh and by the way this is the real Jessica Alba. I wouldn’t lie. and tune in to my new movies to come. Love you.