NHL 14 To Utilize FIFA’s Player Impact Physics Engine

EA Canada introduced the first of three developer diaries to showcase the new enhancements for NHL 14. The new NHL Collision Physics Engine is derived from FIFA’s award winning Player Impact Engine. The engine will take a player’s size, speed, momentum, and body position into account. This will also include new rag doll physics for excellent looking checks. There have been improvements to the physics the past three years, however using what FIFA has established in their series should improve the feel of the game on the ice for NHL 14.

With improved hit-targeting on opposing players, checks should actually complete in NHL 14. In previous years, you would hit an opponent and it would simply end up in a shove, and wouldn’t necessarily stop their momentum. That would be really frustrating at times. EA Canada notes that a new left-stick control scheme will be present in the game that will allow hits to be delivered with just that. The right stick will also remain as a checking component, but using the left stick will allow it simply based on the speed and the momentum. Only time will tell how that will affect the actual game on the ice.

NHL 14 will see five gameplay changes as a result of community feedback. The ideas revolve around collision types as well as penalty occurances. In the past, if penalties were called at all, the majority were just tripping. In NHL 14, the game will see stricter interference calls, better logic towards boarding and checking from behind (thanks to the new Collision Physics Engine), and charging calls as well. Noting that speed and momentum matter, the types of hits thrown and more incidental contact are also a direct product from the new engine. Goalie collisions will improve as direct reactions to hits and improved logic involving interference calls will make the crease more important in ’14.

There will be two more developer diaries to showcase further enhancements for NHL 14. One of which, will show off the new fighting system known as the Enforcer Engine. Check out the trailer to see the new Collision Physics Engine in action and a little bit of how it’s designed.

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