FEATURES
This project is currently in pre-production. All gameplay, screens, assets, and visual effects are currently in development and are not representative of the final product. Features and presentation are subject to change as the project develops.
LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
AI and NPC Customization
Coaches, referees, fans, and your CPU counterparts will all be fully customizable to suit any style. The days of cookie cutter low-poly NPC vibes are gone forever. Powered by a next generation character editor, users will have total control over the individual personalities that surround teams and will have the option to share your creations with the community.
Balance
Gameplay needs to feel fair. To achieve this, every action will have an appropriate counter. From being able to stick lift a defender while being in possession of the puck to avoid a poke check, to hip checks to avoid a hit after the whistle, users will never be handcuffed by a broken mechanic or a victim to bad RNG.
Captaincy
Wearing a “C” will come with responsibility during competitive online team play as captains and alternates will have the ability to change formations on the fly including position changes.
Contextual Celebrations and Reactions
User controlled celebrations and situational reactions will be varied based on the context in which the goal was scored or when an event takes place. Users will be able to save four celebrations for each CS. Teams will be able to have one active reaction for each RS.
Celebration Scenarios (CS)
Leading : A goal scored while a team was already leading in a game by one or more goals.
Behind : A goal scored when a team is down by two or more goals.
Momentum Shift : A goal scored to bring the game within one goal after being down by two or more goals with 0:30 or more still remaining in regulation.
Comeback : A game tying goal after being down by two or more goals.
Game Shift : A go ahead goal scored with less than one minute left in regulation, or any goal scored to take the lead after having trailed by 3 or more goals.
OT Winner : A game winning goal scored in overtime.
Playoff OT Winner : A game winning goal scored in overtime of a playoff game.
Individual Goal Record : A record breaking goal scored by the user.
Individual Assist Record : A record breaking assist by the user.
During Online Team Play (OTP), in addition to celebrations being tied to the game situations, all players will be able to engage in group celebrations. These will also be dynamic in nature. Cut scenes will still play out after initial celebrations which will include, but will not be limited to, interactions with the team’s bench.
Reaction Scenarios (RS)
Reaction Scenario previews can be toggled off to allow for appropriate spectacle during gameplay. Some RS may be team specific, not user specific.
Penalty Against a Teammate
Own Penalty
Regular Season Loss
Playoff Game Loss
Series Loss
Championship Loss
Regular Season Win
Playoff Game Win
Series Win
Championship Win
Custom Plays and Playbooks
Computer controlled players will be directed by the user through customizable playbooks which can be easily adjusted in-game and on the fly. In addition to custom plays within a team’s playbook, the user will have access to a massive catalog of pre-set strategies, set face-off plays, and special team formations to make the time spent developing CPU controlled teammates a rewarding investment.
Playbooks will consist of but are not limited to:
Power Play Formations
Breakouts
Zone Tendencies
Cycle Logic
Defensive Schemes
Defensive Formations
Dynamic Prestige System
Team performance will be directly linked to various systems including crowd density, crowd commitment, arena condition, and equipment condition. These and other cosmetic changes will be able to be observed both on the ice and inside the locker rooms.
Poor performance may manifest in uniforms becoming worn and unkept, fans leaving early, and puck marks beginning to collect on the boards, goal posts, and the goaltender’s pads. Lights will flicker in the dressing room between games. The paint will begin to peel.
New Milestones will unlock crowd customizations including team chants and merchandise unique to a club’s identity.
Era Specific Elements
Vintage equipment and presentation packages designed to transport the user back in time by paying homage to the game as it used to be.
Wood sticks will not break and will increase shot power but will drastically increase the length of the wind-up animation. In terms of goaltender equipment, vintage gear will take up more space but at the cost of reducing speed and mobility creating a realistic balance between vintage and modern gear options.
Presentation packages will take inspiration from multiple eras enabling the user to customize the UI to their liking.
Gameplay Pre-Sets
There will be a selection of varied gameplay pre-sets available to use or start as a foundation for a custom pre-set. Custom pre-sets can be shared and voted on by the community to best adjust the core gameplay within the static game modes over time.
Goalie Mask Designer
A fully flushed out goal mask editor with endless options to choose from including shell type, finish, and backplates to suit any style. Hundreds of base designs will be available to choose from and will be customizable.
A companion mobile app will be created to allow users to design masks on their phone and upload them for use on created players which can be shared and voted on by the community.
Some restrictions may apply for custom equipment used during online gameplay.
Hockey Shop
A virtual store where old and new equipment can be purchased and customized using in-game currency accumulated through gameplay progression.
What will set this apart from previous iterations will be the level of customizability granted to the user. From swapping blade holders between manufacturers to stick blade curve profiles, the amount of options available to the user will only be limited to what current and former players have had at their disposal making you feel like a true hockey professional.
Certain customizations for equipment used during online team play may be locked behind specific progression tiers. Some restrictions may apply for custom equipment used during online gameplay.
Immersive Sound Design
Crowd volume and intensity will increase as attendance increases. Empty arenas will echo like churches.
An expensive music soundtrack will be replaced by realistic 3D audio captured from actual games and practices. Every moment starting from in the locker room all the way to jumping onto the ice at a packed arena will feel and sound like you are actually there.
Locker Room
The Online Team Play (OTP) lobby will be transformed into a virtual locker room where users will see created players as they load in, taping sticks and tying skates. A calm before the storm and a chance to preview new equipment and jerseys before putting them on display during the next game.
Improved Matchmaking
The matchmaking process will provide the user with an array of options to ensure that every search will be catered to their specific criteria to avoid the frustration of having to back out and start the process over again when mis-matches occur.
Instant Replay Cinematics
Instant replays during and after matches will be dynamic in both presentation and sequence.
Augmented board graphics will not display during replays.
Modern Player Creation
A next-gen character creator will provide limitless possibilities to allow the user to design players exactly as they imagine them. Apply character designs to your own custom builds and have the option to share them with the community. Shared character models can be voted on and be organized using team folders and in-game tagging system.
Online Reconnections
Gone are the days of being disconnected and being credited with a loss. A three (3) minute reconnection window will allow any player to re-connect to a game before being locked out in both 1v1 and multi-player matches. In multi-player games, the player who was disconnected will be replaced by a CPU controlled player until the very next stoppage in play.
PC Support
The game will be built for PC first and adapted to consoles prior to the global release with full cross-play functionality and modding support for all offline game modes as well as an expansive library of customizable assets for online gameplay.
Practice Mode and Team Drills
Practice sessions will be fully customizable by using a vast library of drills and game scenarios designed and used by the top coaches in professional hockey today. Users will be able to run real-time simulations to put their custom playbooks to the test before engaging in live competitive online matches.
Genuine Presentation
Everything from in-game stat overlays, score clocks, intros, and loading screens will be fully customizable using a library of presentation packages designed to replicate genuine TV broadcasts both modern and from the past. Both online and offline game modes will look and feel like the real thing.
Responsive Gameplay
None of these features will mean anything without smooth, fast, and responsive gameplay that feels great to play. Mechanics will be designed to be very easy to learn and extraordinarily difficult too master. Users will have the ability to map their controls to best suit their play style on both controller or keyboard and mouse.
Rewarding Progression
All online and offline game modes will have fully flushed out progression systems so the user always has something more to play for.
Clubs will fight to qualify for playoffs and regional tournaments each season and wins will dynamically change the fan support and increase revenue to allow you to build larger rinks and be seen by a growing audience.
Rink Builder
A rink designer tool will allow users to create massive arenas and practice facilities to be used in both online and offline game modes. Share the creations with the community and vote to crown the best virtual architects in the game.
Roller Hockey
4v4 will be available in the form of outdoor and indoor roller hockey game modes. Street hockey will finally get its day in the sun as it is lovingly recreated in a high octane simulation.
Roster Sharing
Rosters will be able to be shared across all platforms and voted on by the community. This includes fully customized players and coaches as well as jerseys, stadiums, and fan models.
Stick Curves
Players will have the option to choose the stick blade profile to best suit their individual play style but should choose wisely. A defensemen using a P28 might notice shots going over the cross bar and into the seats, where a forward using a P02 will likely find it difficult to lift the puck top shelf from in close. A wide variety of options will allow players to dial in their shots from the areas on the ice that they are getting the most looks.
CUSTOM CURVE VARIABLES
Curve Type (Heel, Mid, and Toe)
Curve Depth
Face Angle
Lie Angle
Tonal Consistency
Everything from presentation to customization and progression will be designed to reflect the game as it is while paying homage to how it was. You will not see mascots on the ice during competitive online team play.
This is hockey, plain and simple.
Tournaments and Leagues
Fully customizable Leagues and Tournaments of up to 64 teams will enable users to recreate high school and college formats, as well as host their own online events.
Tournaments and Leagues will track and archive stats independently.
MVHGA TOURNAMENTS
Weekly 8-T
Monthly 16-T
Matchmaking will be based on a 40/40/20, 3 division structure. (A, AA, AAA)