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For more Pictures from the Event check out the Gamerscore Blog photo stream. | EA Sports NHL 09 Community day Wrap upBy Jaken Bear
EA Canada was recently host to several community members from around North America to come and take an early look at NHL 09. Lucky invitees were not just there to passively watch and observe though, rather they were actively encouraged to comment and provide feedback. With the game still in development, this provided a unique opportunity for some of the most hardcore of fans to help shape what could become one of the greatest hockey video games ever created.
EA made sure they kept us well fed during the entire event. The adventure started on a Tuesday night, as attendees checked into their hotels, and met up for a meet and greet dinner. It was great seeing the enthusiasm not only for hockey that everyone brought to the table, but gaming, sports, and everything in between. The coolest thing about this part of the get together was that none of us in attendance knew what would take place in the next few days or what exactly was in store.
Hotel Breakfast with some pricey orange juice and really amazing eggs. We were up bright and early the next morning for breakfast and some seven dollar Orange juice (food was a common theme this trip -- and no, the orange juice didn't taste THAT good). After breakfast, we huddled into one of those Limo busses with the plush leather seats and headed to the EA Canada Studio to begin the day. Since no one knew where we were going yet speculation was rampant. Once we hit the Burnaby city limits some started to clue in. Once we drove into the parking lot of the EA compound though, most had it figured out.
A scale model of the entire EA Canada facility greets lucky visitors. I have to be honest here; walking into the front lobby of EA Canada is a little bit like what Charlie must have felt the first time he was granted access to the Chocolate Factory. As we ventured into the facility, with its multi-level terraces and open concept glass walls, the feeling of awe only grew amongst most attendees. We settled into a quaint conference room in a building aptly named "Phase 2" by EA employees. Once there we were told the schedule for the day, with the highlight for most being the chance to go hands on with NHL 09.
Normally conference rooms aren't that fun. On this day, it was fun city. The first session of the day was given by Dave McCarthy from the NHL. Dave has worked closely with EA over the years to ensure the authenticity of the NHL brand that you find in the titles today. The most interesting thing about this presentation was learning about how the NHL and NHL.com is working to grow and expand their brand. Some commercials that will be airing during this year's Stanley Cup playoffs were shown that included messaging like "Live every Shift" and the "Cup changes Everything". Being a long time hockey fan these spots were amazing to see, and really brought out the emotion and feeling these NHL players must have every time they step onto the ice.
NHL.com is also moving forward into the digital space. Be it through 1000's of hours of broadband video, blogs, and podcasts, NHL.com is really aiming to be where a hockey fan can go to experience and absorb everything about the game. With young players like Crosby, Ovechkin, Iginla, and Carey Price the NHL is experiencing a changing of the guard. Keeping with this theme, they are launching their NHL.com "Broadband 3.0" video portal this April 9th. If you are a hockey fan I definitely recommend checking it out. After thoroughly enjoying the NHL.com presentation, the day only got better from there. We were introduced to David Littman and Sean Ramjagsingh , two of the producers on NHL 09. Rather than just show us a bullet point presentation of the new features though, as Dave spoke, Sean ran through some of what Dave was talking about on an Xbox 360 and showed us how things looked in game. Having been a fan of the next gen NHL series since 07, I was awestruck at the new features and modes being added for 09. While I can't talk specifically about those details at this time, when I can you won't be disappointed. The session was very interactive too, with community members being able to ask questions and provide feedback during the presentation. One thing that can't be debated is that EA listens to its fans, and this session was just an example of the Dev team being in tune with their audience. The NHL 09 team really lives and breathes hockey and it shows in the product.
Taking in the incredible view of the mountains on the studio tour. After a nice lunch it was time for a Tour of the Chocolate factory, err, EA studios. All I can say is that working at EA has its benefits. From the full sized basketball court, outdoor soccer pitch, weight rooms, intramural sports leagues, arcade machines, table top hockey, to the extensive media rental library, EA treats their employees pretty darn well. While there are thousands of hard working individuals who spend long hours making great products, it's also nice to see that hard work has its rewards. I think it comes down to the whole "Work Hard. Play Hard" philosophy I've always had. After being turned green with envy by the tour, it was time for us to sit down and get some hands on time with NHL 09.
No, this is not an early screenshot from NHL 09 but it's still pretty sweet. Three game play areas were set up, and a producer or member of the development team was on hand to answer questions as we played and give hands on tutorials into some of the new modes and features. Working in the video game industry is definitely tough, but seeing fans of your game sit down and play something you have created and then seeing their jaws drop in awe must make all of that work rewarding. We ran through several games, and provided suggestions and feedback on gameplay and other areas we can't talk about yet (as soon as I can share I will). While I am sure we could have spent all day playing and exploring NHL 09, the time we did get in on the game was definitely memorable. When the final product ships later this year, it will be nice to know in some small way we helped shape the direction of the game. After a full day at the studio, we headed back to downtown Vancouver for some dinner and to talk about amazing day we all just had.
You don't even need quarters to play these arcade machines. Overall, I have to say that the entire event was fantastic. Not just based on the fact that we got to see NHL 09 before most people, or that the developers actively sought our feedback, or even that we found ourselves in the shadows of hockey history, but mainly because everyone I met was incredibly passionate about hockey and genuinely happy to be there. For those few days we were all like kids in a candy factory, and those memories won't fade any time soon. The last thing I wanted to do was give you a list of sites where you can read more about NHL games, hockey, and about the people who were at the event. Check out the top of this page for the Community Site roll call of everyone who was in attendance. I urge you to check out some of their sites, and even join their communities. After all, the more people that love hockey as much as I do can only result in the world being that much of a better place.
Jaken Bear works for Xbox Canada. This article represents his views and experiences and not necessarily those of his employer, Microsoft or their affiliates.
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