There has been a lot of talk about everyone's ideas that would change the NHL Series for the better. So I was wondering, what are these ideas? I figured it would be a good to get all of these impactful ideas into one thread.
I'm not talking about the little additions like "they should add in the newest CCM stick" or "they should add in glass breaking." I mean big ideas that would have a positive impact on the way we play the game/game mode.
My ideas (I will add more as I think of them):
1. Physicality- right now, there is none besides big hits and fights. There needs to be a more physical, in-your-face defense. In real life, players can't consistently dangle past defenders. If any player tried one of these moves against any NHL defender, that defender would simply take good positioning and muscle them off the puck. No big hit involved, just the fact that one man is trying to skate through another man just does not work. Also, battles along the boards and in the corners really need some love.
2. Looser pucks- let's face it, right now the puck is glued to your stick. Sidney Crosby in real life can't even stick handle the way George Parros can in the game. Hockey is about sloppy play, dumping the puck in deep to gain better positioning on your opponents. Looser pucks also means that pucks should be deflected off of anything that touches it. No more pucks going through sticks, skates, etc. If the puck hits anything, it should react in the proper physical manner.
3. Full collision detection- EA said they have tried it, but it wasn't fun enough so they did not put it in the game. Why not let us be the judge of that? Personally, I don't think it's fun watching a stick go through someone's skate. I don't like watching a player skate into a goalie with a magical force-field around him. I don't like watching a player skate 100 mph into the boards and nothing happens.
4. Player ratings separation- currently, players all feel the same. Shawn Thornton can do the same things with the puck as Sidney Crosby. Players are all rated in the 80's. This creates a problem in BaGM and other modes during free agency, as good players get stuck in free agency because every other player is almost just as good. I want big differences in ratings. Actually use the full 1-99 ratings scale. A player like Alex Ovechkin should have really high shooting ratings but really low defensive ratings. I want to feel the difference between my first line and my fourth line. And if I put my fourth line out against my opponent's first line, I want to pay for it.
5. Player traits- many other sports games have done this and it has worked out great for them. There should be a large amount of player traits, like shooter, passer, defensive minded forward, PK specialist, clutch, choker, playoff performer, great hitter, great forechecker, great in the corners, leader, dangler, good locker room guy, locker room cancer, fighter, versatile forward, heart, etc. This list could go on and on.
6. Better player positioning- players need to position themselves faster and in smarter, more realistic positions. This is especially true for power plays and penalty killing. It's frustrating watching my players skate around aimlessly when I have the puck on a powerplay. I want them to set up in the strategy/formation I am calling for. Defensively, players need to take better angles to the player with the puck and not get sucked into bad positioning. I don't like watching both my defenders go behind the net.
7. True team strategies- I want every team to play exactly like it's true-to-life counterpart. Physical teams like Boston and Philly should play that way. Skilled teams like Detroit and Chicago should play that way. Defensive-minded teams like New Jersey and Arizona should play that way. And bring back custom team AI with even more details so we can fine-tune how these teams play.
8. Edit player- come on, bring it back.
9. Defensive skill stick- the right analog stick should be primarily used to control your stick on defense. You should be able to use it to poke, block passing lanes, reach, chop, lay on the ice, etc. A modifier like L2 or something should have to be held in order to turn the right analog stick into a body check.
I'm not talking about the little additions like "they should add in the newest CCM stick" or "they should add in glass breaking." I mean big ideas that would have a positive impact on the way we play the game/game mode.
My ideas (I will add more as I think of them):
1. Physicality- right now, there is none besides big hits and fights. There needs to be a more physical, in-your-face defense. In real life, players can't consistently dangle past defenders. If any player tried one of these moves against any NHL defender, that defender would simply take good positioning and muscle them off the puck. No big hit involved, just the fact that one man is trying to skate through another man just does not work. Also, battles along the boards and in the corners really need some love.
2. Looser pucks- let's face it, right now the puck is glued to your stick. Sidney Crosby in real life can't even stick handle the way George Parros can in the game. Hockey is about sloppy play, dumping the puck in deep to gain better positioning on your opponents. Looser pucks also means that pucks should be deflected off of anything that touches it. No more pucks going through sticks, skates, etc. If the puck hits anything, it should react in the proper physical manner.
3. Full collision detection- EA said they have tried it, but it wasn't fun enough so they did not put it in the game. Why not let us be the judge of that? Personally, I don't think it's fun watching a stick go through someone's skate. I don't like watching a player skate into a goalie with a magical force-field around him. I don't like watching a player skate 100 mph into the boards and nothing happens.
4. Player ratings separation- currently, players all feel the same. Shawn Thornton can do the same things with the puck as Sidney Crosby. Players are all rated in the 80's. This creates a problem in BaGM and other modes during free agency, as good players get stuck in free agency because every other player is almost just as good. I want big differences in ratings. Actually use the full 1-99 ratings scale. A player like Alex Ovechkin should have really high shooting ratings but really low defensive ratings. I want to feel the difference between my first line and my fourth line. And if I put my fourth line out against my opponent's first line, I want to pay for it.
5. Player traits- many other sports games have done this and it has worked out great for them. There should be a large amount of player traits, like shooter, passer, defensive minded forward, PK specialist, clutch, choker, playoff performer, great hitter, great forechecker, great in the corners, leader, dangler, good locker room guy, locker room cancer, fighter, versatile forward, heart, etc. This list could go on and on.
6. Better player positioning- players need to position themselves faster and in smarter, more realistic positions. This is especially true for power plays and penalty killing. It's frustrating watching my players skate around aimlessly when I have the puck on a powerplay. I want them to set up in the strategy/formation I am calling for. Defensively, players need to take better angles to the player with the puck and not get sucked into bad positioning. I don't like watching both my defenders go behind the net.
7. True team strategies- I want every team to play exactly like it's true-to-life counterpart. Physical teams like Boston and Philly should play that way. Skilled teams like Detroit and Chicago should play that way. Defensive-minded teams like New Jersey and Arizona should play that way. And bring back custom team AI with even more details so we can fine-tune how these teams play.
8. Edit player- come on, bring it back.
9. Defensive skill stick- the right analog stick should be primarily used to control your stick on defense. You should be able to use it to poke, block passing lanes, reach, chop, lay on the ice, etc. A modifier like L2 or something should have to be held in order to turn the right analog stick into a body check.
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