NHL 2010 demo is available

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:24 pm

Absolutely cannot wait to get home tonight!

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:26 pm

Uh...oh...bad news for the PS3'ers here. No demo for you until a week from today.

http://nhl.easports.com/news.action?id= ... egory=News

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:31 pm

tjung0831 wrote:Uh...oh...bad news for the PS3'ers here. No demo for you until a week from today.

http://nhl.easports.com/news.action?id= ... egory=News

And last year if my memory serves me well it was the other way around. Why's that?

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:35 pm

10spro wrote:
tjung0831 wrote:Uh...oh...bad news for the PS3'ers here. No demo for you until a week from today.

http://nhl.easports.com/news.action?id= ... egory=News
And last year if my memory serves me well it was the other way around. Why's that?

Last year's demo was supposed to be released on both platforms the same day but something happened in regards to the official approval microsoft so it was no go for the Xbox. Looks like this year, Xbox live gets exclusive rights for a week.

GameSeven · Post by **GameSeven** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 3:46 pm

Played a couple more sessions over lunch. Random thoughts:

No BAP Goalie in the Demo. I took a randomly generated Offensive Defenseman and played a pretty miserable game but still ended up drafted 16 overall by the Sens. By miserable, I mean I took the only two penalties of the contest (which starts scoreless in the 3rd), including an offensive zone penalty with under a minute it OT. The World stars would win the game with .7 seconds on the clock.

Two sessions as Detroit again did allow me to once win the Cup for Motown, although it helped that I started that one up 4-2. I did extend the lead however on a Cleary tally.

The overall feel of the game continues to impress. The CPU presents quite a challenge and, fortunately, I feel like I am coming around on the controls and fighting slightly less with the controller.

One mild negative that came out of it though was a tendency for the audio to skip in and out, throughout gameplay part of the session. Hopefully that is just a consequence of the demo and not of the actual game or a sign of impending problem with my machine.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 3:54 pm

GameSeven wrote:Played a couple more sessions over lunch. Random thoughts:

No BAP Goalie in the Demo. I took a randomly generated Offensive Defenseman and played a pretty miserable game but still ended up drafted 16 overall by the Sens. By miserable, I mean I took the only two penalties of the contest (which starts scoreless in the 3rd), including an offensive zone penalty with under a minute it OT. The World stars would win the game with .7 seconds on the clock.

Two sessions as Detroit again did allow me to once win the Cup for Motown, although it helped that I started that one up 4-2. I did extend the lead however on a Cleary tally.

The overall feel of the game continues to impress. The CPU presents quite a challenge and, fortunately, I feel like I am coming around on the controls and fighting slightly less with the controller.

One mild negative that came out of it though was a tendency for the audio to skip in and out, throughout gameplay part of the session. Hopefully that is just a consequence of the demo and not of the actual game or a sign of impending problem with my machine.

That audio issue is just with the demo....i've had that issue before with quite a few sports games.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 6:56 pm

Had a couple of quick games on 'Hardcore' and other than the slow speed (which I am sure you can adjust) I really digged it. Have to be more careful playing in the neutral zone, love those loose pucks along the board, the check sound along those boards is very realistic.

As I couldn't do much in terms of penetrating the Pens D-zone, I proceeded to dump the puck more often, and had better luck with the puck.

The crowd is livelier, loved those MVP MVP chants. Look forward to try the other modes tonight.

I need a bit more practice fighting, although I've done well turtle-ing a couple of times.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 8:22 pm

The passing is a thing of beauty, banking passes off the boards to get passed the cpu just opens up a whole world of creativity on the fly, just like in real life. Hardcore passing is more challenging but it goes with how you perform under pressure. Do you cough up the puck when you see someone coming at you or try to protect it by not making a blind pass.

The hardcore mode is not up and down Hockey at all and that's why I am digging it.

Those of you with the PS3, the demo comes out on the 27th.

Diablo25 · Post by **Diablo25** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 8:32 pm

10spro wrote:The passing is a thing of beauty, banking passes off the boards to get passed the cpu just opens up a whole world of creativity on the fly, just like in real life. Hardcore passing is more challenging but it goes with how you perform under pressure. Do you cough up the puck when you see someone coming at you or try to protect it by not making a blind pass.

The hardcore mode is not up and down Hockey at all and that's why I am digging it.

Absolutely.

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 8:48 pm

I will say there's been a few easy passes I've missed on Hardcore mode though.... easy 5 footers. Perhaps I am just not used to aiming so precisely, or maybe my guys were rattled.......

It's definately different though!

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:05 pm

Gangrel wrote:I will say there's been a few easy passes I've missed on Hardcore mode though.... easy 5 footers. Perhaps I am just not used to aiming so precisely, or maybe my guys were rattled.......

It's definately different though!

Maybe so with certain players. But if you're carrying the puck with a Datsyuk or Malkin they protect and pass the puck pretty well.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:32 pm

On 'Hardcore' mode however, I do wish that the CPU passing wasn't as accurate as it seems, something that can be corrected with the proper sliders I am sure. If I am having a difficult time cycling the puck, so should it be for the CPU.

I hope that this passing mode can be added for OTP, it would make games much more challenging and realistic

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:33 pm

10spro wrote:
I hope that this passing mode can be added for OTP, it would make games much more challenging and realistic

You dont think we are challenged enough ?

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:41 pm

The only time you really need an accurate pass tho is when your on the attack and you wanna hit a guy in front for a 1 timer that will come with time bur otherwise your teammates do a good job of gathering up a slightly errant pass.

Its actually more forgiving than i thought it would be. If i can bump up the speed of passes a feww notches it will be awesome like fifa's passing.

Getting a good cycle going and some muckin' and grindin' is great and if you sustain it for any length of time friggin awesome.
Passing on normal is much better now tho if you dont want hardcore yet.
Pro seems really tough at times more aggressive it seems than allstar.
Game feels a little more organic.
Atmosphere is good and if your down late to Detroit your in for a treat as the fans stand wave towels chant "we want the cup" in the last moments of a game , they did it to me on a prolonged cycle just running off the clock , was a great gaming moment.

A few negatives are hardcore doesnt really effect the cpu's passing and goalies still dont react well to rebounds or a dump close to them.
Puck physics are still wonky, better but far from realistic on some deflections.

Enjoying the demo so far.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:02 pm

I feel bad for my copies of Madden and NCAA.. this game is going to be a classic.. and get most of my free playing time.

Even on pro default the game has grown leaps and bounds imho.. I loved 2k's board play, but EA nailed it and it flows so nicely. Game is definitely "organic" and the atmosphere is really intense. Camera seems a bit closer to the ice and I love that.

Goalies have a bunch of new animations and I actually like the fighting.

This game can't come soon enough!!!

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:10 pm

XXXIV wrote:
10spro wrote: I hope that this passing mode can be added for OTP, it would make games much more challenging and realistic
You dont think we are challenged enough ?

It'll be a new season and a new team name. I hope...

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:19 pm

Yep called the "Goose eggs" i think if its hardcore.

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:48 am

Wow! Wow, wow, wow! Hardcore mode is awesome! The nailed board pinning and it's nice to see more sliders. The next biggest thing they addressed outside of board play is stuff after the whistle. There's now a setting for whether or not you want penalties called after the whistle. The days of checking after the whistle are gone.

One really cool thing I saw was a play where I was skating up the wing and ended up offside. I took the shot after whistle and the Detroit defenseman roughed me up in the corner for it. How cool is that?

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 11:05 am

What is the face wash button?

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 11:56 am

MizzouRah wrote:What is the face wash button?

I believe you hold Y after the whistle.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:07 pm

The thing with the Y button is that I sometimes tend to use it inadvertently. If I want to pin someone into the boards, I'll press Y right away but either the victim is not close enough to the boards or just bad timing but I end up getting into an unwanted fight.

Which by the way I am getting a bit better at it, but there's no way that I (Matt Cooke) could pound and outwrestle a J. Franzen who's at least 4" taller and 25 pounds heavier.

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:14 pm

You mean a big grunt like me, who loves to play the grinder type, forechecking board-pinner...might actually have a role this year other than "forward who can't score?"

Diablo25 · Post by **Diablo25** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:30 pm

TCrouch wrote:You mean a big grunt like me, who loves to play the grinder type, forechecking board-pinner...might actually have a role this year other than "forward who can't score?"

Bingo!

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 5:45 pm

What I liked in this demo is that player differentiation is more noticeable this year, not just in the passing department but also when a lesser skilled player turns, his puck handling, agility, and speed, as it should be. My only gripe as I mentioned earlier is that the CPU passes are still too accurate for my taste, and this is on AS hardcore mode.

Zlax45, sorry I couldn't answer more of your questions last night, as I was trying to hold on to my lead in Madden.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Sat Aug 22, 2009 12:40 am

tjung0831 wrote:
MizzouRah wrote:What is the face wash button?
I believe you hold Y after the whistle.

Thanks!