How to Improve the NHL Series

[THESHAMISASHAME]

Re: How to Improve the NHL Series

I don't think you know what “tone deaf” or “virtue signal” means because I was doing none of that. All I’m saying is that the things they’ll need to do to really fix the game will take awhile and adding in women into the game isn’t taking away from that. It was literally adding 6 teams with a few new face scans and some jersey art. They didn’t change any rules, gameplay, or physics to add the mode into the game and that’s worked on by a completely different team anyway.

Also if that was the case, wouldn’t also adding 3v3 Arcade or the Four Nations tournament be an issue as well? Did they waste resources adding those 2 modes as well or could’ve held out until next year? I personally don’t care about any of the 3 and will probably ignore those modes completely, but I’m happy they are in for those that will enjoy it this year considering the game has had the same stale modes for at least 10 years now.

As for the game being unplayable, I personally disagree. It has its flaws but I’m having fun playing offline and franchise for the first time since 2021. They definitely have a lot more things to work on, but it finally feels like they are heading in the right direction with some of the tweaks, changes, and additions they’ve made this year.

Definitely agree on the gameplay but wasn't aware t they changed up the development team so before they do anything else hopefully the address the glitches in their game like the fiberglass masks and possibly getting all the real players faces finally in the game .

I don't even care about that as I only play Old Time but it is an NHL license product and should have all its players.

I don't know how bringing in diversity referees and coaches while wasting resources is going to attract people to play a hockey video game but maybe you know something on the inside?

[MiracleMet718]

Re: How to Improve the NHL Series

Definitely agree on the gameplay but wasn't aware t they changed up the development team so before they do anything else hopefully the address the glitches in their game like the fiberglass masks and possibly getting all the real players faces finally in the game .

I don't even care about that as I only play Old Time but it is an NHL license product and should have all its players.

I don't know how bringing in diversity referees and coaches while wasting resources is going to attract people to play a hockey video game but maybe you know something on the inside?

Instead of calling them “diversity referees”, why don’t you just say women or other race refs.

I personally don’t even pay attention to them in the game and don’t care what they look like, but again I fail to see how putting in a random face with random hair takes up resources. I doubt they even put that much thought into it outside of having a randomized set a refs each game. I doubt the refs attract more players, but adding in the PWHL definitely will, especially looking at what other games have done (like 2k with the WNBA). Might not be a ton, but more sales = more sales.

Definitely agree with you about getting more scanned faces in. It’s by far the lowest amount out of any of the sports games, with some pretty key players not having real scans for a couple of years now. Hopefully they can add a bunch more over this development cycle for next year because the number is way too low. I also hope they implement coaches properly next year. Was def a nice to have as it was a big requested feature, but there are a lot of things they can do with it.

[gsize19]

Re: How to Improve the NHL Series

You are kidding right... You even say it, A SMALL TEAM.... Yet they wasted a lot of time to add this mid year... Could have waited until 26. THAT time that you think the small team has an infinite supply of definitely was a misallocation of time. Especially when considering the game is currently UNPLAYABLE. I mean I am at a loss for words for just how tone deaf your comment is, in an attempt to virtue signal... THE GAME IS BROKEN, but hey we got a 6 team PWHL

I respect your opinion Blaze, and agree with a lot of your posts, but I am a little confused about the game being unplayable. I am actually having the exact opposite reaction. This years game may be the best gameplay I have ever had in the NHL series. I am getting realistic results and the game rewards great strategy. It can also be unforgiving if you are out of position. I only play offline Franchise and this is by far the best they have had the game and the slider set that I use works perfectly for realistic results... Would it work offline? absolutely not, but really no slider set does. Online is just an all out arcade cheese against cheese style of play and may the best cheeser win... To me, the worst thing that has happened with sports gaming is you can play people online. If this wasn't the case, they could fine tune this game as well as all sports in a way that mimics a true simulation. But because you now can do human versus human, they have to ramp up the arcade style game to keep people interested. Just watch a twitch stream of any online game of any sport. To me, that is unplayable!!! And yet people bet on these games. It makes no sense... So you are rated in the Top 100, do they want a cookie??? That is about all they will get. I have a job, and have enough frustrations with that, I don't need to faceoff against some guy that goes to the well the entire game for the sake of his world ranking...

[gsize19]

Re: How to Improve the NHL Series

Another thing I wish they would do is allow the user to use the music that is in the game and set up our own goal songs, BIP, PP, etc... They obviously have licenses for the songs in the game, we should be able to assign what we want with what is given... I mean, the goal song they have for CBJ is horrible, and they have TwentyOnePilots in the game, why not use a snippet of that since they are from Columbus are allow us to make snippets from the track lists for that year because God Knows they will never try to get AC/DC's For Those About To Rock...

[gsize19]

Re: How to Improve the NHL Series

And StlGamer, since you mentioned Eras in NBA2k, man you had me itching to get in it again (I have 2k23) and forgot how much I loved that aspect of the game... Started over my season with the 91/92 Bulls, the era I watched basketball (mid 80's until around 96 or 97)... I know if I want to really take hours upon hors to created a 97/98/99 season in the NHL, I could do it, but just woudn't be the same. I mean the Play By Play mentions things that are going on during that time, The areas are from that era. 2K did that right...
I wish I could also go back to the strike shortened season in MLB from 94 from when my Reds would have cruised to the World Series championship, playing in the stadiums from that year... Just so many great eras to be played that would make all sports games fun for us old folks that lived it once and would like to do it agai with the guys we know... I have no idea who plays basketball now, know very few baseball players others than the Reds in current day, it's just would be fun to go back and play those classic season, with classic announcers, and ads, etc...

[stlgamer09]

Re: How to Improve the NHL Series

And StlGamer, since you mentioned Eras in NBA2k, man you had me itching to get in it again (I have 2k23) and forgot how much I loved that aspect of the game... Started over my season with the 91/92 Bulls, the era I watched basketball (mid 80's until around 96 or 97)... I know if I want to really take hours upon hors to created a 97/98/99 season in the NHL, I could do it, but just woudn't be the same. I mean the Play By Play mentions things that are going on during that time, The areas are from that era. 2K did that right...
I wish I could also go back to the strike shortened season in MLB from 94 from when my Reds would have cruised to the World Series championship, playing in the stadiums from that year... Just so many great eras to be played that would make all sports games fun for us old folks that lived it once and would like to do it agai with the guys we know... I have no idea who plays basketball now, know very few baseball players others than the Reds in current day, it's just would be fun to go back and play those classic season, with classic announcers, and ads, etc...

ERAs is what made me get 2K23

[THESHAMISASHAME]

Re: How to Improve the NHL Series

And StlGamer, since you mentioned Eras in NBA2k, man you had me itching to get in it again (I have 2k23) and forgot how much I loved that aspect of the game... Started over my season with the 91/92 Bulls, the era I watched basketball (mid 80's until around 96 or 97)... I know if I want to really take hours upon hors to created a 97/98/99 season in the NHL, I could do it, but just woudn't be the same. I mean the Play By Play mentions things that are going on during that time, The areas are from that era. 2K did that right...
I wish I could also go back to the strike shortened season in MLB from 94 from when my Reds would have cruised to the World Series championship, playing in the stadiums from that year... Just so many great eras to be played that would make all sports games fun for us old folks that lived it once and would like to do it agai with the guys we know... I have no idea who plays basketball now, know very few baseball players others than the Reds in current day, it's just would be fun to go back and play those classic season, with classic announcers, and ads, etc...

You can go back to MLB 94 I play MLB 2K 21 the Cleveland Indians are still in there and they have create a stadiums there's a pretty good Riverfront. NBA 2K 23 did a lot of things right I created an 86 87 and I'm finishing up an 88 season but I just can't get my gameplay smooth on that game but NBA 2K 23 is the only reason I bought a PS5.

[THESHAMISASHAME]

Re: How to Improve the NHL Series

Instead of calling them “diversity referees”, why don’t you just say women or other race refs.

I personally don’t even pay attention to them in the game and don’t care what they look like, but again I fail to see how putting in a random face with random hair takes up resources. I doubt they even put that much thought into it outside of having a randomized set a refs each game. I doubt the refs attract more players, but adding in the PWHL definitely will, especially looking at what other games have done (like 2k with the WNBA). Might not be a ton, but more sales = more sales.

Definitely agree with you about getting more scanned faces in. It’s by far the lowest amount out of any of the sports games, with some pretty key players not having real scans for a couple of years now. Hopefully they can add a bunch more over this development cycle for next year because the number is way too low. I also hope they implement coaches properly next year. Was def a nice to have as it was a big requested feature, but there are a lot of things they can do with it.

I believe the title is how to improve the game and wasting time on multiple diversity referees and now coaches isn't a priority especially if you go by if it's in the game.

Sadly I have always had an eye for detail you might call it the little things and things like that you might as well have a Martian coaching the team and monkey dropping the puck.

Maybe you don't remember Scotty Bowman but when I'm playing the 79 Canadians and they cut to the bench with a ponytail Asian woman yelling at Will Smith and Jackie Chan it just kind of wrecks the immersion.
Kind of like how NBA 2K does it you can pick your own coaches and they don't have a woman referee in NBA eras not that there's anything wrong with that you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[MiracleMet718]

Re: How to Improve the NHL Series

I believe the title is how to improve the game and wasting time on multiple diversity referees and now coaches isn't a priority especially if you go by if it's in the game.

Sadly I have always had an eye for detail you might call it the little things and things like that you might as well have a Martian coaching the team and monkey dropping the puck.

Maybe you don't remember Scotty Bowman but when I'm playing the 79 Canadians and they cut to the bench with a ponytail Asian woman yelling at Will Smith and Jackie Chan it just kind of wrecks the immersion.
Kind of like how NBA 2K does it you can pick your own coaches and they don't have a woman referee in NBA eras not that there's anything wrong with that you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I don’t have a problem with your take at all. I agree that eras immersion would be a great addition to the game too. I’m just saying you don’t have to say “diversity add” and just say not having women in the game in those situations since it’s not historically accurate. Usually when people throw that term around it’s gets taken the wrong way when all you are trying to do is look for representation accuracy based on old school hockey. Nothing wrong with that.

I do wish they would separate the online mode where you should be able to have everything and every type of person and then have a more “authentic” option for offline if you want. It’s the same way I feel about having created prospects being top 3 from non-traditional hockey countries. I should be able to have the option for both that and more traditional if I want so I can run my franchise however I’d like.

[THESHAMISASHAME]

Re: How to Improve the NHL Series

I'm all for diversity but in the true sense like if I was Irish and you were polish we have traits that make us who we are and different which is good.

But the way they're using diversity and companies like sweet baby ink to shoe horn in a message that has nothing to do with the game is a travesty.

Can't say it again I love having the women in the game if I had time I would play them especially in a tournament like the Olympics also a big fan of woman soccer.

Once again if you look at the main page for hockey you'll see a thread from I believe NHL 20 real face is in the game and they waste their resources on virtue signaling with all those referees and coaches is that travesty until you have every players face in the game just saying you have a Merry Christmas

[KvltBear]

Re: How to Improve the NHL Series

Yeah I'll agree the NHL referees need proper representation in the game. It's ridiculous how every single NHL matchup the ref models are women 99% of the time and I think I've seen one black guy model. I think in real life there is one black ref and a couple linesmen but besides that they are literally all white men and it's absurd they don't have representation. It's a bizarre and honestly kind of offense move by the dev team.

Aside from that, something resembling a presentation would be nice. Commentary is particularly lacking. Go watch an NBA 2k gameplay video and their commentary is like night and day compared to this game. It's time to use AI, voices are the only thing it's good at and we need it to get out of commentators making generic nonspecific statements about things. Cybulski and Pounder are terrible. Get guys who do actual NHL PBP and Color in the studio, good ones, record their voices, and use AI to generate all kinds of commentary with that. Will make the game much more dynamic. I want to choose from multiple guys to select my own crew for that game. Like Doc and Mike Johnson or Jack Michaels and Ferraro.

As for gameplay I'd really like to see stick animations be tackled next. Stick moves are often slow and clunky and not as fast and nimble as in real life. This is especially noticeable with deking and play around the net. So tired of d-men not being able to properly control their stick and doing an own goal instead of clearing the net. Go watch highlights of Matthews or McDavid deking at high speeds. They're not flipping around like a pinball machine flipper, the stick moves very little back and forth over the puck, only when they get close to the net do they do that dramatic left/right thing.

This would also help with getting more realistic puck movement. Instead of tape to tape, player to player passing we need guys hacking at the puck and chucking it around the ice. Less receive pass, skate for a bit, pass, skate for a bit, etc. More breakout pass to player in neutral zone who then one touches it into the offensive zone. More board play, more hard arounds to move in the zone instead of direct player to player movement. All this needs a much more flexible and nimble stick physics, as it is they can barely handle the puck around the boards without the awkward weight shifting animation constantly triggering.

Agility needs to be reworked as well. Make it scale based on speed instead of a flat amount. In real life guys flip around like it's nothing as lower speeds since, well, they're on skates, but at higher speeds they cannot. In game it's like...I don't know, it's like the player models don't really do edgework properly.

[Caveman24]

Re: How to Improve the NHL Series

We need GM connected like yesterday.

[kariasi]

Re: How to Improve the NHL Series

This game has no ”soul”.
Very boring and situations repeat themselves.
80% of the goal one timer from the blue line. Sometimes snapshot goes in.
If I win or not, I do not feel nothing.

When playing 2k-games (NBA or older NHL-series) you feel excitement, never know what will happen, physics are light year ahead etc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[stlgamer09]

Re: How to Improve the NHL Series

This game has no ”soul”.
Very boring and situations repeat themselves.
80% of the goal one timer from the blue line. Sometimes snapshot goes in.
If I win or not, I do not feel nothing.

When playing 2k-games (NBA or older NHL-series) you feel excitement, never know what will happen, physics are light year ahead etc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I watched the MLB Show trailer today and their version of be a pro starts in high school. The depth that could be added into the series.

[MiracleMet718]

Re: How to Improve the NHL Series

I watched the MLB Show trailer today and their version of be a pro starts in high school. The depth that could be added into the series.

HS baseball is pretty much junior hockey. If they let us play full Junior seasons again, that would be a nice re-addition.