How important are BeaGM mode issue fixes for you come NHL 2012?

[xx19kilosoldier]

I am curious how important these issues are to the rest of the OS community.

I am very much up in the air about what will get me to not buy NHL 2012 but I believe that the longstanding issues with the BeaGM mode might be the deal breaker for me this upcoming year if not addressed by EA.

-Sim engine, stats etc. Have been a long standing issue for quite a few years now.

-Handling of FA and RFA by CPU teams. Another long standing issue for the series. Well at least FA but with the addition of RFA this year, has lead to the same problems.

-Post first season scheduling.

-Immersion and more robust BeaGM interface and features.

These are just a few of the issues I have had over the last few years with this title. I love the passion and the drive that EA has had in trying to bring new and exciting features and improvements to the title and gameplay has been right on the last two years in my opinion, but having a game mode, in this state over multiple iterations of the title is becoming harder and harder to over look. I am hoping that some one at EA is taking a hard look at these CORE issues with their BeaGM mode for 2012.


At this point I am leaning towards not picking up this title at release and waiting to see the feedback over the franchise mode.

Will the condition of the franchise mode make you take pause at making NHL 2012 a release day purchase or even a purchase at all next year?

[GlennN]

Re: How important are BeaGM mode issue fixes for you come NHL 2012?

Yeah, for me, the long-standing issue with the almost complete lack of stat and award tracking diminishes franchise mode. I want to be able to pull up a player's card and see who he played for, the awards he's won, and his complete career numbers. This isn't that difficult - not only does Madden have this working just fine, Madden even on the PSP handles this just fine. Stop taking things out and making meaningless changes, and just tune up what's here!

[DJ]

Re: How important are BeaGM mode issue fixes for you come NHL 2012?

If there's no improvement, then I will likely be passing on the game this year.

[dubbs88]

Re: How important are BeaGM mode issue fixes for you come NHL 2012?

Be a GM is huge for me as I am in a location without high speed internet for about 7-10 days every month, so all of the online features for me become useless at that time. The Show and NBA 2k11 seem to have a franchise mode that pulls you in and makes it a real enjoyable mode to play as you feel all the teams are connected in some way. Hopefully EA can make great strides in this area.

That being said NHL is always a release day buy for me, as I am a huge hockey fan and have owned all the games since the beginning. Although I make not make it a release day buy, I am sure some new feature will draw me in to at least purchase it in the first month of release, so I will be unable to resist the urge for long. This year it was the CHL addition that couldn't keep me away, as I am huge junior hockey fan. Now if only they were better able to integrate the CHL and all the other leagues in the game to my Be a GM, I think I would be in heaven!

[Vikes1]

Re: How important are BeaGM mode issue fixes for you come NHL 2012?

The GM mode is nearly all I play. So it being as correct as possible is important to me. Like xx19 said, and I agree, that the issues are getting harder to overlook.

If having some of the issues like highly rated FA's sitting unsigned, is fixable [and I'd think it would be] then it's a matter of caring about the quality of your product. And I know I don't like handing over my money for a substandard product.

Again...like xx19, I'm also a big hockey fan, and it would be tough to not have the latest release. But ya, there are some issues within the game play and GM mode, I'll be watching closely to see if we're [the off-liners] are being listened to. If not...my $60 may not get handed over so quickly.

[canucksss]

Re: How important are BeaGM mode issue fixes for you come NHL 2012?

most of my games played are on the BeaGM mode so this is very critical for me. i will monitor this thread closely at the release of the game to see if the issues (so many for me to mention) are fixed. i mean if there are issues and rosters are not done properly until december or january, why should i buy the game right away. and if there are not much significant changes compared to this year, i'll pass 2012.

[Vikes1]

Re: How important are BeaGM mode issue fixes for you come NHL 2012?

I'd sure feel a bit more confident about things getting fixed, if we got the word that 2K was releasing a game this fall.

Nothing like a little competition to stir things up. I wonder though...if 2K does plan on releasing a hockey game this year...you'd kinda think we would have heard something by now?

[onlybygrace]

Re: How important are BeaGM mode issue fixes for you come NHL 2012?

Personally, the gameplay is so good with NHL 11, that if they DO NOT upgrade the presentation in NHL 12 in a large way, it will not get my money.

The prospect of NHL 2k12 being released is important as the presentation will probably be outstanding.

[bones79]

Re: How important are BeaGM mode issue fixes for you come NHL 2012?

I won't pre-order (as I usually would) NHL12 due to all the bugs they release with each version. I'll wait to see what it's like from people here.
I almost didn't buy NHL11 because the freezing in the BEaGM of '10, and how it was just ignored by EA. When '11 came out, there were more issues and no roster shares (on PS3), which meant GM couldn't really be started for months.
Online is great fun, but GM is my favourite mode and unless it's vastly improved (along with the boosted CPU) I'll just skip '12. Seems like they just release a half-finished product with the hope to correct some of the issues as users find them. This means we only really have a 'complete' game for about 8 months before the next is released.

[Vikes1]

Re: How important are BeaGM mode issue fixes for you come NHL 2012?

The prospect of NHL 2k12 being released is important as the presentation will probably be outstanding.

Of course OBG...who knows what the NHL2K devs have been up to with this year off. Maybe it's too hopeful to imagine that they've been working quietly on a game all this time. It'd sure be great to hear they've been developing a hockey game for nearly two years come this fall. That could be very interesting.

[mkharsh33]

Re: How important are BeaGM mode issue fixes for you come NHL 2012?

As a strictly offline player, BAGM is HUGE for me...it's all I play. Sadly, I played about 60+ games in year one and gave up on it. Can't get sliders that play right to me (without all the cpu cheat stuff), no goalie stamina / tiredness issues (AGAIN!!!!), poor cap management by cpu teams (free agency issues), etc.

Also, the devs really need to work hard to get sliders to play like REAL NHL games. If you were to actually sit in a LIVE hockey game and watch what was happening in front of you, all the while having your game controller and screen simultaneously you'd find the two experiences to be markedly DIFFERENT. I find this sad... It is VERY hard to create space in a live NHL game, yet the video game practically gives you spots on the ice at will. Goalie animations are terribly done, as you don't see the flopping and out-of-control stick swinging in a real NHL game like you do in the video game...it's just not realistic.

I can win any puck I want while pinning guys on boards, and the morphed body animations while pinning guys on the boards get old after awhile. Penalties don't look realistic (tripping is OVER done)... And after all this time, the roster downloads still aren't close to where they should be.

Sorry to rant, but this is all part of the BAGM experience... I have found the funnest game I now have is NBA 2K11, especially the classic roster files I have. Even after all the game tuners NHL 11 provided, they still never got it right... As for next year's game, unless something drastic happens I won't be grabbing it on release day...this game is a continual let-down, and even though improvements have been made, it still doesn't feel like a hockey simulation to me...

[Nickflyers]

Re: How important are BeaGM mode issue fixes for you come NHL 2012?

VERY Important. wish it was more immersive. Kinda similar to EHM in a way. Allow us to Confirm trades, improve the Free Agency, contract negotiations, ROSTER SHARING pleeeaassee!!

[The Visualizer]

Re: How important are BeaGM mode issue fixes for you come NHL 2012?

BeAGM mode is lower on my list of fixes than most of you, but it def needs some significant improvements. Its not a dealbreaker for me though. If the cheap offline A.I. isn't addressed and EASHL balance and exploits arent corrected they won't be getting any of my money next year.

[BlueNGold]

Re: How important are BeaGM mode issue fixes for you come NHL 2012?

This and the on-ice AI will decide whether I buy the game or not next year. I said it in another thread, but I don't want new features/modes until we get a smarter game.

[SinisterAlex]

Re: How important are BeaGM mode issue fixes for you come NHL 2012?

For me they need to fix the UI... honestly is so bland and boring to look at. Look at FIFA 11's Manager Modes. The colour scheme changes with your teams colours. I'd love to have a Be a GM Mode with Canuck colours.

They also need to make you feel immersed in the experience. Have emails, phones, interviews, you name it.