TheVisualizer
Banned
- PLATFORM --- Playstation 4 | Xbox One
- DEVELOPER --- EA Canada
- PUBLISHER --- Electronic Arts
- GENRE --- Sports
- PLAYERS --- 1-4
- RELEASE DATES:
- EA ACCESS --- AVAILABLE NOW (10 hours)
- NA --- September 13, 2016
- PAL --- September 15, 2016
- PRICE --- See EA's website
- GAME SIZE --- 19.4 GB
- VERSION PREORDER BONUSES:
- ALL VERSIONS --- EASHL Equipment bundle and the NHL®94 Goal Celebration
- STANDARD --- 1 Gold Pack per week for 10 weeks
- DELUXE --- 1 Gold Plus Pack per week for 25 weeks
- SUPER DELUXE (PS4) --- NHL 17 PS4 theme and 2 Gold Plus Packs per week for 25 weeks.
- SUPER DELUXE (XBOX ONE) --- 1 month of EA Access and 2 Gold Plus Packs per week for 25 weeks.
DRAFT CHAMPIONS
- 12 Round Fantasy Draft --- Fast rounds of superstar picks that can be played offline or online via matchmaking. No option to play a friend online.
- Draft Themes --- Before each draft you will need to pick a draft theme, this will determine the pool of players you have to pick from and those who will fill out your team.
- Themes Shown So Far --- Western/Eastern Conference, Former All-Stars, Big & Strong Players, Canadian-born, International Players, and Stanley Cup Champions
- New Themes Will Be Added --- New themes will be introduced over the course of the year
- Player Pools Updated Weekly --- The player pools will be updated with new content each week as TOTW and other special items are released
- Earn HUT Rewards --- Play solo offline or head to head online and if you win all four games with your drafted team you earn HUT rewards
WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY
- Official Teams & Uniforms --- Featuring all of the official World Cup of Hockey teams, players, uniforms and schedule for the 8 participating teams (Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Sweden, USA, Team Europe and Team North America)
- Offline Tournament Mode Only --- Select and control up to 8 teams in an offline tournament structure. This mode is not playable online.
NEW LEAGUE ADDED - ECHL
- ECHL League Added --- Featuring all 27 authentic teams, jerseys, and rosters.
- ECHL Modes --- Playable in Play Now, Season Mode, HUT and Online Versus
EA SPORTS HOCKEY LEAGUE (EASHL)
- Still Player Class Based --- Player class structure with locked attributes returns from NHL16
- New Progression System --- You now earn XP for your club and player.
- Club XP --- Club XP can be put towards Arena Creator which allows you to unlock and customize every detail from the ice surface, to the goal light, to the scoreboard and even the goal songs and FX that light up your teams biggest moments.
- Team Customization --- Gives you the ability to edit to your teams entire uniform, including patterns, colors, patches and logos
- Player XP --- Player XP unlocks equipment options such as new skates, sticks, ability to change color on various pieces of equipment
- New Player Celebrations --- 40 new player celebrations are available to unlock including the Jagr Salute and Dab. The game still does not have 5 man team celebrations.
- 4 New EASHL Player Classes --- Hitting Sniper AKA Alexander Ovechkin, Two-Way Dangler AKA Pavel Datsyuk, Jumbo Playmaker AKA Joe Thornton, & Puck-Moving Defenseman
- Fully Customizable Positions --- You can now save and customize all cosmetic and player info details for each different position (C, LW, RW, LD, RD, G). This allows you to choose handedness of each position and set unique names/cosmetic options for each.
- Anti-Griefing Improvements --- Several changes have been made addressing Human-Controlled Goalies Quitting, Reduced Number of Pauses to 1 Per Team, & Reduced Grace Period Before the Game Counts to Opening Faceoff
- Play Drop-In Games w Friends --- Drop-In Dressing Room now allows you to invite up to five (5) other friends to join your team for a cooperative yet competitive experience against other drop-in players.
- Choose Your Position Before Drop-In Game Lobby --- For Drop-In Games you will now select the general position (FWD, DEF, GOA) you would like to play before starting your matchmaking search. This will help bring players together and allow them to play their desired position.
- Drop-In Game Teams Stay Together --- Players from the same team will stay in a Dressing Room after the end of each Drop-In game, to help improve consistency and chemistry between players.
- Drop-In Game Matchmaking Improved --- Drop-In Game Matchmaking will also factor in your Competitive Gaming Rating to help find the best balance of skill and experience for both teams.
- Connection Quality Monitoring Added --- A connection quality bar will now be highlighted in the pre-game matchup screen and a real-time connection graph will now be highlighted in the pause menu and will show your connection quality from the last two minutes of game time.
HOCKEY ULTIMATE TEAM (HUT)
- Chemistry Replaced By Synergy --- Chemistry is gone replaced by a new team building concept called synergy. Synergy works on two levels, as players, and as a team.
- Player Synergy --- Grants perks across your lineup for pairing players with similar skills like dangling, playmaking, wrist shots, offensive pedigree, net presence, etc. Your lineup needs a certain amount of players who have the same specific skill to activate the perk.
- Team Synergy --- Apply to the entire team instead of just the individuals with those skills. To activate these team perks, you will need a greater number of players with the required skill than the player synergies.
- Coaches & Goalies Have Synergy --- Coaches and goalies have synergy as well.
- Chemistry-Related Cards Gone --- Any cards that had to do with player chemistry, like the change position or change team cards, are gone.
- Sets --- As you collect entire sets, you can turn them in for rewards. For instance, if you collect all the Pittsburgh Penguins players, you can cash the set in for a higher-tier player card, coins, etc.
- Changes To Consumables--- Consumable cards are no longer rare.
- Dynamic Sets --- Collect and complete Dynamic Sets to unlock rewards, including new and limited time thematic sets, to constantly build and improve your team.
- Mini Packs Gone --- Players will no longer receive mini packs for completing collections but will now earn collectibles, coins, packs and elite items depending on which set you complete.
- HUT Hero Cards --- Once you complete NHL team themed sets, you will be rewarded an elite HUT Hero player item featuring a retired fan favorite player from that specific market. These players are local legends and can only be obtained by completing these set
- Trading Post --- Set collection will let you trade in unwanted items (bronze, silver or gold) for upgrades and other collectables. For example, you can complete the Gold Coach Trade In set by turning in any 10 Gold Coach items for a Gold Collectible Pack, which contains one gold collectible item. Similar sets are available for jerseys, logos, arenas, players and more.
- Player Biography Screen --- All core stats and attributes (wrist shot power, faceoffs, stick checking, etc.) will now be displayed for each player item, giving you a complete breakdown of your players strengths and weaknesses.
- Unowned Filter --- A new unowned item filter will allow you to see items you are missing from your collection.
- Duplicates No Longer Restricted --- No more restrictions on owning duplicate player items, you can now collect more than 1 copy of any item.
FRANCHISE MODE (FORMERLY BE-A-GM)
- Big Moments Celebrated In-Game --- The big push for presentation this year is celebrating significant moments. Across franchise mode and Be A Pro, NHL 17 is now smarter about recognizing appropriate milestones to call out.
- Examples of Big Moments Celebrated:
- During a player's first game the team will haze him by making him take the first lap of the warmup skate alone.
- When a player scores his first goal, a teammate will grab the puck and hand it to the equipment manager for safe keeping.
- Veteran landmarks like games played or point accrued are awarded with silver sticks and commemorative pucks, respectively. The other players on the ice celebrate these moments appropriately.
- Landmark achievements happen for the opposing teams, too.
- You Now Act As Team President/GM --- Take complete control of an entire franchise with the addition of unique fictitious team owners. Manage the team and the business behind the scenes.
- Team Owners --- Each team has an owner, each with a unique personality and set of goals..
- Owner Personality --- An owners personality is made up of three specific characteristics: SPENDING, IMPORTANCE OF SUCCESS and PATIENCE
- Owner Goals --- Goals evolve over time as the league changes, and as your status within the league changes in relation to your opponents.
- You Can Get Fired --- You can now get fired as the GM part way through your existing contract if the owners Patience Attribute is low enough, and his Happiness with your performance is low.
- Manage Arena/Facilities --- Manage the Arena & Facilities in 4 areas: Set Prices, Upgrade and Maintain, Arena Customization, Team Rankings and Sales
- Team Relocation --- is possible if ownership approves with a list of 19 cities to choose from. You need to weigh options including stadium cost and city-aided-funding
- Arena Creator --- Relocating a team requires you to build a new arena. Customization options allow you to choose everything from the sound and scoreboard to the color of the seats and stanchions.
- FA, Draft, Scouting & Trades Unchanged --- Free agency, drafting, trades, player potential, and scouting are not being changed in significant ways this year, but EA has some minor tweaks planned
- Player Morale System Improved --- The system will now give players a better understanding of the tone they are delivering messages with, which should hopefully explain the unexpected reactions players had to your decisions last year.
GOALIES ARE MORE AUTHENTIC
- New Animations & Authentic Stances --- New motion capture animations now result in smoother transition animations. Over 40 distinct NHL goalie stances are in the game.
- New Body Positioning Saves --- Goalies now have the ability to use their body to stay big and block versus making a reactionary save.
- New Goalie Camera Added--- New goalie camera named Fixed is selectable that is a hybrid of the higher/lower options. See screenshot above.
- Screens Matter More --- Goalies are now more affected by screens and deflections. Having two players parked in front of a goalie instead of one severely limits their sightlines.
- Short Side Logic Improved --- Short side save logic and positioning has improved to be more realistic
- Improved Post-To-Post Movement Options --- New post to post movement animations for Reverse VH and Butterfly Leans are available to help goalies seal up the post to better deal with wraparound goal attempts
SKATING MORE RESPONSIVE
- Skating Backwards Improved --- It is now a lot easier to control your movement skating backwards.
- Vision Control Facing Improved --- Updates to Vision Control (LT/L2) on offense and defense for improved facing and positioning.
- Slow Speed Pivoting Improved --- Better control over stopping and holding your ground without the puck vs pivoting and accelerating in a new direction should help human-controlled defensemen better cover passing lanes
- New Types of Puck Pickups --- Players now can press hustle to get accelerating pickups, press and hold vision control to get pivoting and strafing seamless puck pickups.
MORE CONTROL OVER PASSING & SHOOTING
- Touch Passes More Reliable --- Faster pass animations make touch passes feel more responsive
- Close Range Passing Improved --- Improved pickups for close range passing.
- More Bobbling Bad Passes --- Even if your skater cant control a pass (due to passing power, angle, etc.) players will try to bobble the puck in the direction they are skating so that they dont just leave it behind them if they dont receive it clean.
- New Shooting Animations Off Dekes --- New shooting context for in-close deke shots. This will help you get the shot you expect when deking to forehand or backhand.
- Five-Hole Aiming Improved --- Improved five-hole targeting while shooting.
OVERHAUL OF PHYSICAL PLAY FOR DEFENSE
- New Net Battles --- New Net Battle control options that include for battles for position, stick tie-ups from in front and behind give defenders more options for clearing the porch and preventing cross crease goals
- Offensive Players Can Initiate Net Battles Too --- Net battles can be countered by the offense as big, strong offensive players can initiate net battles as well, so it's not just a defensive mechanic. If a defender pushes you too far out, you can use a spin move to roll off of him and gain a better position.
- Big Hits Less Likely Without Forward Momentum --- Stationary players no longer drop opponents with crushing blows; instead they shove the puck carrier, which alters his position. The checker's size and strength will determine how far the puck carrier gets pushed.
- Puck Comes Free On Hits More Often --- When you hit a player away from the puck direction, the puck can come free now and keep going. This will prevent the knocked down player from getting the puck back as frequently as before
- New Animations For Missed Hits --- Players will now respond to missed hits more realistically. You can now attempt a push check if an opposing player has avoided a shoulder check and is skating past you.
- Pass Deflections No Longer Freeze Your Player --- Defensive deflections wont stop you from skating where you want and will only trigger if you are trying to glide or hold your ground.
VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS TO A.I.
- Improved on Breakout --- Improved the A.I.'s facing direction, breakout recognition, off-puck assignments, and ability to capitalize on rush opportunities. They will no longer try to go behind your own net every time.
- Defenders Make Better Decisions Defending The Net --- Weak-side defenders will do a better job covering the front of the net and when to commit to a puck carrier.
- AI Fatigue Matches Human Players --- Improved AI fatigue so it is consistent with human players.
- AI Needs to Charge Up Passes Now --- AI will now feel more human when passing because power up time is incorporated into all of their passes.
- Late Game Line Change Logic Improved ---- Additional AI logic for line changes based on time left on the clock.
- AI Faceoff Skill Updated Per Difficulty Level --- AI faceoff logic has been better tuned for each difficulty level.
The Vision for NHL 17
Official Gameplay Trailer: Shape Your Legacy
Gameplay Series: Control The Ice
World Cup of Hockey
Draft Champions
EA Sports Hockey League: Build Your Brand
Hockey Ultimate Team: HUT Synergy
Franchise Mode
(click each for to see larger image)
- 9.4 - Cheat Code Central
- 9.0 - GameRevolution
- 9.0 - Stevivor
- 9.0 - BarDown
- 9.0 - We Got This Covered
- 8.8 - DigitalChumps
- 8.5 - EGM
- 8.5 - CG Magazine
- 8.5 - God is a Geek
- 8.5 - Playstation Universe
- 8.4 - IGN
- 8.3 - COGconnected
- 8.25 - Forbes
- 8.0 - Operation Sports
- 8.0 - Destructoid
- 8.0 - Twinfinite
- 8.0 - Gaming Trend
- 8.0 - Game Rant
- 8.0 - Attack of the Fanboy
- 7.25 - Game Informer
- 7.0 - GameSpot
- 7.0 - Sports Gamers Online
- 7.0 - Hardcore Gamer
- 7.0 - PlaystationLifeStyle
- 7.0 - Sporting News
- 7.0 - USgamer
- No Score - CNET
(click for patch notes)
PM me if you would like GAF EASHL Club, HUT or any other GAF Community information posted here.
- EASHL PS4 CLUB - Check the DISALLOWED GOAL SCORERS thread
- EASHL XBOX ONE CLUB - Check the NeoGAF Dot Horses thread
Though I did get a McDavid Movember which I loved. 