NHL 14: True Performance Skating

In NHL 13, fans got to see the first hockey game to include a physics-based skating engine.

While it was a nice new feature, there were some minor hiccups due to it being the first time EA Sports had included something like that in the NHL franchise.

[RELATED: NHL 14 AI Improvements]

Now in its second year of use in the game, the “true performance skating” engine has seen a few key improvements that should make the flow of the game play much more realistic than the previous iteration. Specifically, the improvements to the system should help make the game more responsive as well as find the perfect balance between speed and momentum in order to create the perfect skating motion.

What exactly did the ‘NHL 14’ development team do for this year’s game to make sure skating was much more true to the real life game it represents? Well, they released all that information in their latest blog post on their website which you can find below.

"Defensive StrafingNHL 14 is all about gameplay balance, so we’ve improved True Performance Skating by adding lateral strafing, giving players the tools they need to play stronger defense.Defensive strafing gives you the ability to move your player laterally across the ice while still facing the puck. By improving body positioning, defenders in NHL 14 will have more opportunities to make plays. You’ll be able to force attacking players wide and then use a poke check, a stick lift or a well-timed hit to separate them from the puck.Quicker PivotsA big part of hockey is using quick changes in speed and direction to outmaneuver an opponent. Being able to defend those movements is important.The speed of pivots has been improved in NHL 14 to ensure that players feel more responsive as they skate. Players will no longer appear flat-footed when they attempt to stay aligned with a streaking forward.Improved High Speed TurningTrue Performance Skating introduced physics-based skating and this year, it has been further tuned to produce improved balance between speed and momentum. The result is that players will be able to make quicker cuts and sharper turns at high speeds, creating greater player responsiveness and control.Linking 45-Degree CutsTo protect against hits from the opposition, True Performance Skating allowed attacking skaters to perform 45-degree cuts to quickly change direction. This year, skaters will be able to perform multiple evasions without there being a delay in the action."

NHL 14 releases on Tuesday, September 10 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

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