Support NeoGAF

[chadskin]

Multiple sources tell us that the FIFA, Madden, NHL, and NBA Live sports game will be transitioned to DICE’s Frostbite engine over the course of the next few years. Frostbite is currently being used to power the vast majority of EA’s larger game catalog, including the Battlefield, Star Wars: Battlefront, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Need For Speed, and Mirror’s Edge franchises. The next major sports game to make the leap to the new technology is FIFA 17. While Madden NFL 17. NHL 17, and NBA Live 17 are still using the Ignite engine, each is expected to convert in the near future.

FIFA 17 isn't the first EA Sports game to use Frostbite tech; 2015’s Rory McIlroy PGA Tour was built on the platform as well by EA Tiburon. During its press blitz for PGA Tour, EA touted the engine’s prowess in creating outdoor environments and cutting load times between holes. The transition should also be aided by the fact that DICE already integrated the ANT animation system component of the Ignite engine into Frostbite during the development of Battlefield 3.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/...orts-full-transition-to-frostbite-engine.aspx

 

[Mihael Mello Keehl]

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/...orts-full-transition-to-frostbite-engine.aspx

We might finally reach the Madden reveal trailer from E3 2005 (?)

Man Madden has been using the same damn modified engine since Madden 06 360

 

[StrikerD]

Cool that there will be a new engine, not cool that more than likely no meaningful gameplay changes will be made

 

[Enter the Dragon Punch]

oh my god nhl on frostbite

oh my GOD NHL ON FROSTBITE

 

[OneUh8]

This is good news. Frostbyte seems to be a fantastic engine. Hopefully that translates well to the sports games.

 

[Rellik]

They'll still find a way to make it play and look the same. I just know it.

 

[Savantcore]

Cool that there will be a new engine, not cool that more than likely no meaningful gameplay changes will be made

This is my concern as well. I love FIFA, but I'll just skip the next one if they continue to boast about grass blade lucidity when actual modes are still severely lacking.

 

[etta]

Bring dynamic weather and time of day pls.
And good lighting pls.

 

[Nirolak]

Patrick Soderlund was implying this a few years back when he took over EA Sports in addition to EA Studios, but I wasn't sure if they'd ever actually do it.

 

[Luschient]

Expected to convert in the near future...

So, Madden 18? Or even further out than that?

 

[ps3ud0]

I believe it when I see it - I remember when they were trying to pass off Ignition as a new engine when all it was was a strategy.

If its true least we will after 6 years get rid of some of the bugs they couldnt be bothered to fix.

ps3ud0 8)

 

[Nirolak]

Expected to convert in the near future...

So, Madden 18? Or even further out than that?

They presumably want to convert without losing a ton of functionality, which takes a lot of resources.

EA Sports games actually use their old engines. "Ignite" is just a set of new shared tools and functionality that are shared between teams otherwise using engines from last generation because they didn't want to repeat the feature barren launches from the last transition.

 

[Senteevs]

Well, Rory McIlroy PGA Tour doesn't look that great. Let's hope other games look better.

 

[Bsigg12]

oh my god nhl on frostbite

oh my GOD NHL ON FROSTBITE

I pray they use photogrammetry for the stadiums. That would be amazing.

 

[Nirolak]

I believe it when I see it - I remember when they were trying to pass off Ignition as a new engine when all it was was a strategy.

If its true least we will after 6 years get rid of some of the bugs they couldnt be bothered to fix.

ps3ud0 8)

They hinted at this one back in 2013: http://www.polygon.com/2013/11/1/5055484/patrick-soderlund-transform-ea-game-engine

 

[DoublePayje]

oh my god nhl on frostbite

oh my GOD NHL ON FROSTBITE

So it means shit. Also it means shit about the bugs and gamplay issues we had the past games.

You average three goals and five points per game in career mode, win every major trophy there is, then AI coach decides you get benched through playoffs and your team loses in the first round.

FUCKING YEAH FROSTBITE FINALLY.


EDIT: Just so you know, i am a goalie in real life and am a goalie in pro mode. You know what is funny? When you create your character and it will be shown as a player, not as a goalie. You change the colors of your blocker and the catching glove and the FUCKING game shows a forward player. Thanks EA, thanks frostbite.

 

[Hasney]

Cool that there will be a new engine, not cool that more than likely no meaningful gameplay changes will be made

The likelihood is that the engine will change the way the game plays. The "Ignite" engine was a little bit of anime, it was just their old sports engines with some new shaders bolted on for the new generation of consoles. This would be the first major engine change since about FIFA 08 or 09 I believe.

 

[Kolx]

I want to be excited, but I now this will probably lead to nothing more than a few graphical upgrades.

 

[Banjo-Kazooie]

Peace out Ignite

 

[Oneself]

oh my god nhl on frostbite

oh my GOD NHL ON FROSTBITE

So they have a new excuse to remove all game modes again.

 

[Falchion]

Sounds like there's some real potential here, can't wait to see what it looks like.

 

[DoublePayje]

So they have a new excuse to remove all game modes again.

Also bugs and glitches are okay, they are in transition.

 

[Zombie James]

Engine transition? I can see NHL's cut features already.

 

[SRTtoZ]

Madden and NHL need it in the worst way, so thank you.

 

[thefro]

Also good news since EA can support other platforms more easily with everything running on the same engine (as they've mentioned in their investor relations meetings lately).

 

[Netherscourge]

Madden needs the Natural Motion engine that GTA uses. (Backbreaker used a form of it too)

But ANY kind of REAL Physics engine would be good for Madden.

 

[kvn]

Here come dat FIFA I'll skip.

 

[Twentieth]

I intended to buy FIFA this year. I'll wait to see which bugs they've introduced and what features have been cut though.

Can't wait for the glitch videos and gifs webms.

 

[JBuccCP]

Cool. Now all the awkward animations and linemen running past blockers will have really really nice lighting on them.

Then again with how Mirror's Edge looks Frostbite clearly isn't some magic bullet, so maybe not.

 

[bumpkin]

oh my god nhl on frostbite

oh my GOD NHL ON FROSTBITE

This will only be awesome if they fix the damn player faces. Whatever pseudo realism they have been going for in 15 and 16 needs to go away.

 

[c0de]

Goodbye to 1080p60 Fifa on consoles until Neo and Scorpio.

 

[Dartastic]

WELP, THAT'S A REASON TO GET EXCITED ABOUT FIFA THIS YEAR. FUCK YEAH.

 

[Filthy Casual]

Maybe we'll see some significant changes then, FIFA could do with a shake up.

 

[WaterAstro]

Engine transition? I can see NHL's cut features already.

FIFA 17 is soooo good, it only contains FUT.

 

[TemplaerDude]

So we can expect at least one year of a glorified tech demo with the bare minimum game modes. Cool.

 

[Gurish]

Maybe now it will actually look good?

 

[metareferential]

Hopefully they'll get rid of all the scripting nonsense that plagues the series and is now so deep hidden in the base code that it's almost become sentient. xD

 

[Shpeshal Nick]

So 17 might be my first FIFA since 10? Fingers crossed.

 

[Confusatron]

FIFA 17 is soooo good, it only contains FUT.

What more do you need?

 

[Alexious]

Does that mean graphics will improve? I mean, even at 4K resolution FIFA16 is still underwhelming in that regard.

 

[CreeperBlocks]

oh my god nhl on frostbite

oh my GOD NHL ON FROSTBITE

OH That's gonna look amazing.

 

[E-Cat]

We might finally reach the Madden reveal trailer from E3 2005 (?)

Never forget.

 

[Maroon Gamer]

Amazing news. Ignite sucked big time. So thrilled to see some gameplay.

 

[reKon]

Cool so Madden will actually end up looking like a real football simulation?

 

[Bobnob]

From the leaked YT vids, is everybody happy about how it looks ?

 

[pswii60]

Never forget.

That feels like yesterday. 11 years?! My word.

 

[Twentieth]

From the leaked YT vids, is everybody happy about how it looks ?

It's too early to tell and the game is not finished yet. The nets don't even move.

 

[cripterion]

From the leaked YT vids, is everybody happy about how it looks ?

Looks about the same to me, with the usual updated faces of the year. Wonder how many people would realize it's on Frosbite engine if they hadn't announced it.

 

[Bobnob]

It's too early to tell and the game is not finished yet. The nets don't even move.

I see that! haha! I did see some nice movement from the AI, Anyway i've just pre~ordered .

 

[Tainted]

From the leaked YT vids, is everybody happy about how it looks ?

Looks very similar to '16...but they have changed the way corners, throw-ins, free kicks and penalties work, so there will be some adjustment which is good imo

For instance, the moving meter has been removed so the run up and execution are done in real time. Those who have been playing FIFA long enough will recall that's how penalties used to be...which is great imo. That meter made taking penalties almost impossible if you were playing an online game with latency.

For throw-ins, you can move the player up and down the line slightly before taking the throw

Free kicks have a slightly different camera angle and mechanically work similar to the new penatlies as far as I can see

For corners, you can now move a little target on the field to where you want the ball to land and the camera is more overhead.

It is implied that all these options can be toggled to preference as well, so you can make it exactly like the old FIFAs

I think it all looks rather promising.