NHL 14: Live The Life

When team at EA Vancouver divulged into the changes that were coming to the NHL franchise, one of the major talking points was the dry “Be-A-Pro” mode that had been in the game, but rarely updated, for years.

In NHL 14 all of that changes as EA Sports has given the details on its new, overhauled version of be-a-pro entitled “Live The Life”. And living the life of a player is exactly what players will do when they load up the game mode in NHL 14.

Instead of just creating a player that you will play hundreds of games with to get him (or her) from the minors to the NHL, EA has added a plethora of new features that make you, in fact, live the life of an NHLer, figuratively speaking that is.

No longer will you just load up game after game after game. Now players will have interviews, public events, endorsements, and their own likability to deal with as they work to become a Hall of Famer.

In it’s latest developer blog, EA Sports touched on just how these new features affect your player and when they happen. You can read it all below:

"When do Interviews occur and what are they focused on?Pre-Draft Interviews – Pre-Draft Interviews occur a few days prior to the NHL entry draft. These interviews give the user a chance to move up or down in the draft based on whether or not a team likes the answers provided. Three teams, all within your projected draft range, will interview you.Pre-game – These interviews focus on the team you’re about to play, your recent performance, or any upcoming career milestones.Post-game – These interviews focus on the outcome of the game you just played, your performance, or the milestones you’ve recently reached..News – Interviews can be triggered by events and news from around the league, such as a player signing with your team or being traded to another team."

As far as events go, they can affect your performance on the ice in both positive and negative ways.

"Off-ice events can occur at any time throughout the season. These events put you in a scenario that forces you to make a key decision that can affect the future of your career.One scenario might be that after a big game your teammates ask you to join them for a night on the town. You’ll probably get back late and if your coaches find out, they might not be too pleased. What do you do? These are the tough choices you’ll have to make to become an NHL Superstar."

When it comes to endorsements, it all ties hand-in-hand with the likability ratings which will be touched on shortly. It’s simple, the more likable you are, the better chances you have of getting an endorsement deal your way.

Back to the likability. There are four different likability meters in NHL 14: fans, teammates, management and family. Each meter, which goes from +100 to -100,  effects what happens to your player both on and off the ice.

"Fan LikeabilityThe Fan Likeability meter defines your relationship with the fans of your team and the league.A high Fan Likeability meter will increase your chances of receiving high-quality endorsements. On the ice, fans will cheer you on and you may even notice the flash from cameras when you touch the puck.A low Fan Likeability meter will lead to boos by fans both locally and around the league. If your Fan Likeability meter is low enough, it may result in you being traded to another team.Teammate LikeabilityThe Teammate Likeability meter defines your relationship with members of your team.A high Teammate Likeability meter increases your chances of attending off-ice events. If your teammates like you enough, you might become the team’s captain. Factors such as age, player rating and Management plays into these kinds of decisions, as well. Management will have a say in who becomes captain (see below).Players with a low Teammate Likeability meter will be presented with fewer off-ice event opportunities. If your Teammate Likeability meter is drastically low, teammates may stop passing you the puck when you call for it.Management LikeabilityThe Management Likeability meter defines your relationship with the GM and Coaching staff.A high Management Likeability meter makes it harder to be demoted to the minors and makes it easier to get to the NHL. As you develop on as a pro, a high enough Management Likeability rating can reward you with other incentives, such as earning the “C” on your jersey.A low Management Likeability meter makes it harder to progress to the NHL and makes it easier to be demoted to the minors. If your Management Likeability meter is low enough you can be put on the trade block and potentially moved to a new team.Family LikeabilityThe Family Likeability meter defines your relationship with your family and has a positive or negative effect on your on-ice attributes."

How does your on-ice performance play into all of this in the new mode? Well, the better player you are, the more questionable decisions you can get away with. Under-perform, and you will find yourself on a very short leash.

NHL 14 hits shelves on September 10 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.