‘Big hits, real fights’ star in NHL 14, producer says

EA game developers turn up aggression

At a time when some are shying away from fighting in hockey, EA Sports is embracing the rough stuff.

NHL 14, the latest version of the hit video game franchise developed by EA Canada in Vancouver, features an “enforcer engine” that the studio promises will produce “the most authentic and electrifying fighting experience” in the history of the title.

“We’re really excited about the way it turned out,” NHL 14 producer Sean Ramjagsingh said.

“For us, this year, it was all about capturing the big hits, real fights and unbelievable speed and skill of hockey.”

In recent years, EA developers had been looking to get the right balance of speed, skill and aggression.

“When I look back at NHL 13, I feel like we fell short a little bit on the aggression piece of it,” said Ramjagsingh.

That meant upping the ante on big hits and fights.

“There is a code in hockey and when it’s broken, you have to respond,” EA notes in a press release.

Critics may decry the improved fighting component.

Fans will celebrate that the game, already a marvel in recreating the on-ice product, is even more authentic. Take a run at Sidney Crosby and there will be Penguins payback.

“For us, it’s a part of the sport, it’s an authentic part of the sport,” said Ramjagsingh.

“The game is about the Datsyuks (Detroit star forward Pavel Datsyuk) and showing off their skill and their speed, as well as the aggression piece. And why the aggression piece is so important to allowing the skill piece to happen ... Fighting is a little bit controversial to some people but for hockey fans out there, and casual hockey fans, it’s an important part of the sport.”

The previous fighting engine, used from NHL 10 through 13, was seen as dated by gamers, according to Ramjagsingh. “It really felt like a one-off mini-game, It took you out of the experience. It didn’t really capture the essence of why fights happen in hockey and why it’s such an authentic part of the sport.”

In the old engine, you essentially triggered a fighting by mashing a button. The screen then turned into a first-person camera view and the other players on the ice, other than your assailant, disappeared.

In NHL 14, the goal was to show “why fighting is important to hockey.”

So the fighting is more organic. Lay out one of your opponent’s star players during the game and there are consequences.

It’s the first time the game’s CPU has ever initiated fights based on events during the game.

You can still try to provoke a staged fight, by hitting a button.

So if your tough guy lines up against their enforcer at a faceoff, you can tap him on the shin pads and he has the option to accept or decline the challenge.