2K Admin Ron
August 12th, 2008, 02:17 PM
This was sent to crashthenet.ca earlier today, but I am posting it here for you guys as well. Enjoy!
After rebuilding the engine for the hockey games for the console which one of the feature will have to be a must for the future of Hockey gaming to have? And why?
Rebuilding so much of the game from scratch was definitely a big challenge for the development team this year. We had a unique opportunity that we wanted to take full advantage of with the chance to step back and reset things and get a fresh perspective on the game and series as a whole. There are really a lot of features that combined to make this work, from the new and simplified control scheme, to improved checking and shooting animations, to the all-new presentation elements, to the AI enhancements across all areas of the game. We want the full experience to be a must have for gamers – not just bits and pieces.
Are the superstar move still into the 2K9 game with the button combination? And also which features from passed games has been added and removed?
Yes, we still have Superstar Moves in the game, and in fact, we have expanded on them quite a bit by adding several new ones. Additionally, we now also have moves that you can do in open ice to fake out or get around a defender. The main difference is that now when you are using our Pro Stick Evolution or Hybrid control schemes, the moves are done with different combinations on the analog sticks rather than with the face buttons.
As part of our rebuilding process, there were several features that we had to decide to keep or remove. Some of the old favorites like Pond Hockey and Mini-Rink have remained, while things like the Skybox and Battle Mode have been replaced by the Trophy Room and situational practices. It was important to us to be able to start fresh in many ways, and we did not want to keep building on old systems.
After revising the controls for the game has the game play lost some depth?
No, not all. In fact, when you are using one of the advanced control schemes, I’d say that with all the changes we have made it has gotten deeper.
Are the controls all the same for the Xbox 360, PS2 and PS3?
The controls are the same on the Xbox 360 and PS3, but they are different on the PS2, as that system does not have all of the animations and capabilities that the next-gen consoles do.
They are 16 new third jerseys to be release during the season, will any of them be added into the game once they are released?
Yes they will be. Keep an eye out for more details on 2ksports.com.
We always like the depth of the NHL 2K series, what more can we see new into the game for 2k9, are the good old features still there and have you added some?
The depth is still there. While one of our goals this year was to find a way to make the game less complicated and more accessible to the average gamer, we did not want to do that by sacrificing the depth that the series has always had. So once you’ve played the game for a bit and gotten used to the controls, there is plenty of room for advancement with the other controls schemes and by increasing the difficulty. And we still have a full-featured Franchise Mode and a ton of cool online modes (online leagues, 6 on 6 play, among other things) that will keep replayability high.
If someone uses stick handling in pro control and some else uses the classic control is one of them penalize for not doing the same movements then their opponent?
No, they are not penalized, but with Classic controls you’ll find that you just have less control over what your player is doing. For example, there is a Superstar Moves button, but the CPU chooses which deke to attempt based on the situation. By default, the game is very easy to pick up and play and have a good time with. However, you will quickly start to see the subtle nuances and precision that the other control schemes can give you.
After rebuilding the engine for the hockey games for the console which one of the feature will have to be a must for the future of Hockey gaming to have? And why?
Rebuilding so much of the game from scratch was definitely a big challenge for the development team this year. We had a unique opportunity that we wanted to take full advantage of with the chance to step back and reset things and get a fresh perspective on the game and series as a whole. There are really a lot of features that combined to make this work, from the new and simplified control scheme, to improved checking and shooting animations, to the all-new presentation elements, to the AI enhancements across all areas of the game. We want the full experience to be a must have for gamers – not just bits and pieces.
Are the superstar move still into the 2K9 game with the button combination? And also which features from passed games has been added and removed?
Yes, we still have Superstar Moves in the game, and in fact, we have expanded on them quite a bit by adding several new ones. Additionally, we now also have moves that you can do in open ice to fake out or get around a defender. The main difference is that now when you are using our Pro Stick Evolution or Hybrid control schemes, the moves are done with different combinations on the analog sticks rather than with the face buttons.
As part of our rebuilding process, there were several features that we had to decide to keep or remove. Some of the old favorites like Pond Hockey and Mini-Rink have remained, while things like the Skybox and Battle Mode have been replaced by the Trophy Room and situational practices. It was important to us to be able to start fresh in many ways, and we did not want to keep building on old systems.
After revising the controls for the game has the game play lost some depth?
No, not all. In fact, when you are using one of the advanced control schemes, I’d say that with all the changes we have made it has gotten deeper.
Are the controls all the same for the Xbox 360, PS2 and PS3?
The controls are the same on the Xbox 360 and PS3, but they are different on the PS2, as that system does not have all of the animations and capabilities that the next-gen consoles do.
They are 16 new third jerseys to be release during the season, will any of them be added into the game once they are released?
Yes they will be. Keep an eye out for more details on 2ksports.com.
We always like the depth of the NHL 2K series, what more can we see new into the game for 2k9, are the good old features still there and have you added some?
The depth is still there. While one of our goals this year was to find a way to make the game less complicated and more accessible to the average gamer, we did not want to do that by sacrificing the depth that the series has always had. So once you’ve played the game for a bit and gotten used to the controls, there is plenty of room for advancement with the other controls schemes and by increasing the difficulty. And we still have a full-featured Franchise Mode and a ton of cool online modes (online leagues, 6 on 6 play, among other things) that will keep replayability high.
If someone uses stick handling in pro control and some else uses the classic control is one of them penalize for not doing the same movements then their opponent?
No, they are not penalized, but with Classic controls you’ll find that you just have less control over what your player is doing. For example, there is a Superstar Moves button, but the CPU chooses which deke to attempt based on the situation. By default, the game is very easy to pick up and play and have a good time with. However, you will quickly start to see the subtle nuances and precision that the other control schemes can give you.