Side Talking

The feedback was really good for us as it always helps us tune the game towards the right direction. The general reaction was pretty positive but as always, we cannot please everyone and some people found it a bit too different to the old freeware game. There were a few complaints about the database issues, but most of it was due to the fact that we had not received all the data from our research team in time for the beta. Some of the interface issues were streamlined based on the beta feedback and some gameplay issues as well. Overall, we got good amount of feedback and it proved helpful in finalising the game.

Thanks, it feels weird as it's our - the EHM team's - first commercial release but also it feels great at the same time. There are always things that I want to improve and tune but if it were up to us, the game would never be "finished". We want to keep on improving it and making it more realistic in all areas. But for a first release, we're very happy about the game.

Not really. I had the codebase back in Finland sometime before I moved over, so I had the chance of learning about how things worked and I was able to think ahead to figure out how things could work out. Naturally, there are always moments when nothing is going your way and you feel you've ended up in a dead-end but with the amount of knowledge we have in the building, there is always someone who can help out if you're stuck with a bug or something. And for us it was especially helpful since the guys who wrote our codebase were there to help us out if needed.

Yes. It is a completely new game with a new approach but the same idea. The original game was pretty limited in scale as it only revolved around one league and now we are talking about a game that rather simulates a whole world of hockey.

I don't know where to start on this one. There have been so many things we've been able to do with the new game that would have been impossible in the past. Certainly one of the biggest things was the ability to build our own research team around the world to help create the huge database for the game. And that's not even going into the things we can now do with the code...

Yes, I'd say it will certainly thrive in Scandinavia but I've been pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome the game has got in the UK so far. Not just the hockey fans, but also people who have played SI's previous games seem to be willing to try the game out even though they may not know anything about the sport of hockey. Hopefully they enjoy both our game and also the sport, so we can help hockey grow as a sport in the UK as well.

What we tried to do in some of the areas of the game was to include the kind of real life help a manager would have, such as suggestions for line-ups from the head coach and ranking lists for drafts, so people with less knowledge of the sport and the players can still get into the game and get help from their staff in the game. Also some of the areas of the interface were planned to work in layers, so you can start doing general team tactics for example and as you learn more you can move on to making more detailed tactics for each line and even each player.

We are a long way from getting into the level of the football database since they have so many years of research behind it all and we have just started our database for this version. We've had about 30 Head Researchers during the development of the game all over the world with their own countless team researchers and they have all worked hard on getting the database where it is today. I cannot estimate any specific hours that have been spent on the research but it has been an enormous effort.

It makes a huge difference. Without having the licenses, the NHL and NHLPA players wouldn't be in the game at all, and it's the most popular league in the world, so kind of important. It also means that the game will be released in North America and Canada.

We legally aren't allowed to disclose the relationship with the NHL/NHLPA, or any other license. What I can say is that they've been very helpful in ensuring that all of the player rosters and the like are accurate for the league.

Starting a completely new game, it would go something like this. First you'd take a glance of how your team looks and what kind of players you have available. Maybe ask your head coach to do the lines to see what they would look like to start with, so you can start looking at any weak spots and finding new players for those positions. Then a quick glance at the upcoming exhibition games and the league schedule before setting some training schedules and assigning some of your scouts to look for new players. Then moving on day by day through the pre-season exhibition games, trying out different line combinations and different tactics, preparing for the season. If you are lucky and find some suitable players to improve your roster, you can sign or trade for them (depending on where they currently play and you manage). Once the season starts you'll need to keep an eye out for possible good signings or trades to improve the roster even more while coaching through the games and keeping your players happy. Handling the media will probably also play a part during the season and if you do well enough, you'll find yourself battling in the playoffs at the end of the season in order to win the league title. After the season, there are drafts in some leagues to select promising youngsters and then the off-season to sign some free-agents before it all begins again and you'll prepare for a new season. (This was just a general glance on a season without going into too many details...)

Hopefully we'll be able to continue making the game on yearly basis and make it into a series similar to what SI has done in the past.

Definitely. SI's games were and inspiration for me even when I was back in Finland coding in my bedroom. And now that we have a few different teams working in the same offices, there are ideas flying around between teams and we are constantly exchanging ideas that can be applied to all the games in their own ways.