To become an NHL superstar, you need to work hard to get through the minors. You also have to handle situations off-the-ice properly. NHL 14 Live the Life offers a look at what it takes to truly become one of the best hockey players in the world.

Every decision you make shapes your legacy in Live the Life. Interact with teammates outside of the rink through off-ice events. Take part in media interviews, earn endorsements, and track your relationship with fans, teammates, family, and team management. These factors will influence your skills, progression and performance.

What’s New in Live the Life

Player Interviews

As you progress through your pro’s career, certain events trigger interviews with media or management. These interviews include either a single question or a series of  questions with four available answers. Your answer affects your Likeability rating with fans, teammates, family, and management.

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.

Off-Ice Events

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.

Remember each action you take may produce a positive or negative reaction that can affect ratings and likeability, so make sure to choose carefully.                                            

Endorsements

Playing well on the ice and interacting with your teammates and the media off the ice leads to a positive Likeability rating.

The higher your Likeability rating, the greater the chance endorsement offers will come your way. Endorsements allow you to get extra cash as well as cool looking images for the trophy case.

Likeability Meters

Likeability meters increase or decrease based on actions on and off the ice. They track how you are perceived by fans, teammates, management and your family.

These meters go from -100 to +100 and will produce consequences (positive and negative) based on how much the meter is filled.                                            

Fan Likeability

The 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 Likeability

The 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 Likeability

The 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 Likeability

The Family Likeability meter defines your relationship with your family and has a positive or negative effect on your on-ice attributes.

On-Ice Performance

Your on-ice performance modifier gives you more leeway to act unprofessionally. The better you perform on the ice, the more your fans, teammates, management and  family will be willing to put up with your off-ice antics.

NHL 14 hits store shelves on September 10th, only on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Be sure to check out our NHL 14 Pre-Order Offers before it's too late.

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