How will you play your NHL 11 franchise?

[stlchamp10]

I was wondering how you guys will play your NHL 11 franchises. I have always been the one that would play every game right out of the box then when I got done playing through the 82 game schedule I would be done with the game and not touch it until the next installment. Which is why I have thought about simming games this year so I can play more than one season and get more out of it. I was thinking about play 1, sim 1, kind of like a play everyother game. Even thought about a play 1 one, sim 2, to get more seasons played.

So with that, how do you guys play your franchises and what has worked for you? Did you play just 1 season or multiple through simming?

[adayinthelife]

Re: How will you play your NHL 11 franchise?

I don't sim anything and I typically get 2-3 seasons in. Sure it's not making the most of the mode but I have a lot of fun with it and it's usually long enough that at least one or two of my draft picks crack the line up. I think I'd start to lose interest once the league was filled with created players anyways.

[Therion7]

Re: How will you play your NHL 11 franchise?

Play every game, 10 min periods, will get through two full seasons comfortably - usually it's closer to three but I want to persevere with not sucking at MLB: The Show and the soccer/football games will take a little of my time in October / November.

I often think that if I start simming games, then it will be the start of a slippery slope and I'd end up with a "intra-division rivals again? Sim!" scenario.

Besides, I don't trust the engine.

[waspman3]

Re: How will you play your NHL 11 franchise?

Generally I play the game right out of the box as well and go for like 2-3 seasons. Have really latched onto the BAP mode now. In the midst of my 2nd year now. The new game will be out in 2 days. Not sure what Mode I'll try then but the drafting from the very beginning seems fascinating. Can't really seem to grasp what to do as anyone can just play the game but playing it for all it has to offer is why this game has won 23 game of the year awards the last 3 years. Can't wait to see how well it turns out. I see they have a Trophy presentation and a banner hanging which is cool.

[quantumtarantino]

Re: How will you play your NHL 11 franchise?

Sim all the way, intervening in 3rd period.

[Tikker]

Re: How will you play your NHL 11 franchise?

I'm semi torn

I barely got into the 2nd season of NHL last year (I did start late tho, after 2 BAP seasons) so I'm not sure what I'll do

I kinda like the idea of simming some of the games, but we'll see

[Pielet]

Re: How will you play your NHL 11 franchise?

Play a game a week (including playoffs) and sim the rest. One game a night. In about a month a season is done. Do the same on MLB the Show. In three years (NHL 08-10) of doing this I have won the cup exactly once, 1st season last year with the Blackhawks. Am in season 5 of my Be a GM in NHL 10. Will start anew come Tuesday, haven't decided who to play with yet: probably the new Blackhawks.

[onlybygrace]

Re: How will you play your NHL 11 franchise?

I never

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sim a game.

[onlybygrace]

Re: How will you play your NHL 11 franchise?

Actually this year, if GM mode actually has issues that aren't fixed, I think I'll be playing season mode...

I'll take control of 3 or 4 teams...the Blues, Caps, Pens, and another squad (Edmonton sounds fun) and play the season. It's over 300 games worth of playing but it gives a lot of variety.

In the event that these teams play each other, I play as the home team unless its the Blues, who I always control.

[jmon]

Re: How will you play your NHL 11 franchise?

I run a couple franchise at once usually (might not with HUT i love Madden UT so will prolly play that more) but I will at least have a bruins franchise which I don't make trades/change the team until the first offseason and play every game. At some point I'll start with another team, someone not very good and build them up how I want and sim most games.
And i always have a franchise that I play with my little sister (she plays hockey IRL)when i have to watch her, she always creates a player and chooses a team where she can get at least 2 people besides the created play who can check. Thinking Thrashhawks this year, she loves big buff.

[Vikes1]

Re: How will you play your NHL 11 franchise?

I play every game.

Although I have been giving some thought to possible simming maybe the odd dated games, and playing the even.

But like OBG said, yep, if BEAGM has unresolved issues like we're facing currently, I may just play season mode too. And change teams each season.

[fudgie]

Re: How will you play your NHL 11 franchise?

As a seasoned Eastside Hockey player i have no problem simming, but i play probably 3/4 of the games. Last year in 10 i got to year 8 of my Toronto beagm won the cup 3 times. Yep, only in a video game.

But idk if i'll play that much with HUT this year.

[Lisa_Bonami]

Re: How will you play your NHL 11 franchise?

Its a shame with NHL 11 this year, I usually enjoy playing a Sandbox style of Franchise mode in all my sports games like MLB the Show, NBA 2K10, Madden, NCAA, etc...where I will take full control and GM, Manage, Coach, Play with one team throughout the season but also like to randomly play different team's scheduled games from time to time when there are key matchups around the league and consider it like a game of the week thing....Its alot of fun that way.

Then when the Playoffs come around and my team is usually already eliminated, I will play out the playoff games with all the teams.....Its actually quite fun to do this.


I just am dissapointed that the NHL series still doesnt allow this flexibility.

In fact, its quite confusing as to understanding how deep this game is in certain aspects such as the signing, negotiating, free agency area but yet is sorely lacking in other areas such as simply having boxscores and detailed game to game stats from around the league to view throughout your season

[onlybygrace]

Re: How will you play your NHL 11 franchise?

Its a shame with NHL 11 this year, I usually enjoy playing a Sandbox style of Franchise mode in all my sports games like MLB the Show, NBA 2K10, Madden, NCAA, etc...where I will take full control and GM, Manage, Coach, Play with one team throughout the season but also like to randomly play different team's scheduled games from time to time when there are key matchups around the league and consider it like a game of the week thing....Its alot of fun that way.

Then when the Playoffs come around and my team is usually already eliminated, I will play out the playoff games with all the teams.....Its actually quite fun to do this.


I just am dissapointed that the NHL series still doesnt allow this flexibility.

In fact, its quite confusing as to understanding how deep this game is in certain aspects such as the signing, negotiating, free agency area but yet is sorely lacking in other areas such as simply having boxscores and detailed game to game stats from around the league to view throughout your season

Yeah...you said this several times last year and you're on pace to match that this year.

Out of curiousity, how many GM seasons do you usually get through in an NHL game anyway? I mean, you say you play other games (The Show, Madden, NBA 2k10, NCAA) so it would seem like you probably don't get through too many seasons of NHL...if not just one.

And if this is the case, which I've given you a scapegoat in that you can say it's not, whats the difference in just playing a Season mode in NHL 11 and doing it just the way you said.

I mean, I'm considering Season Mode for the very same reasons that you are and I'm content with that. Whats the difference between you and I?

Just wondering...trying to get to the root of your concern, I suppose.

[Lisa_Bonami]

Re: How will you play your NHL 11 franchise?

Well to be fair and perfectly honest with you....I guess I whine and get pissy about basic features in games that I feel should be included...that just arent. Especially when they are the standard in all other sports games. For this I am guilty as charged and wont deny it.

In regards to your suggestion, I guess I really have no reason not to play just one single season mode and select multiple teams to achieve the same effect. However, I dont want the burden of having to make all the GM and coaching decisions of all these teams if I now control them...I simply want to be able to randomly play any game on the schedule from time to time when I see a key matchup...thats all. Will the CPU still run, manage, and make trades, roster changes, edit lines for the teams if I dont touch them throughout the year?

And I am not a diehard stickler for playing out all the games in a franchise at all....My style of play is to randomly play games throughout the schedule, even for my own team and sim most of the rest. This actually allows me to get thru a few seasons and enjoy a living breathing Dynasty/Franchise mode for most sports games. By not focusing too much on all the minute day to day details, I can get a more enjoyable birds eye level of play from my franchise creations and enjoy the details of certain key situations as they present themselves, (ie Game 81 of the season, Pacers vs Pistons fighting for that last playoff spot) or a Game 7 of the World Series, Yankees vs Braves, etc

This is how I've actually learned to enjoy my franchises over the years as I've aged...Im no longer into that competitive, lets see if I can take my team from chumps to champs aspect anymore...that kind of got old for me, doing it year after year. Now I like to have more of a sandbox approach to my franchises and step in and out and around the league to enjoy different games and I find that more fun...plus it makes it come alive more and gives me a chance to experience different team's strategies and player skills.


Another reason I also dont spend too much time playing out each franchise game is because I dont feel the need to invest too much time into a game because there is no continuity from year to year with sports games. No console sports game company has built in the ability to IMPORT Franchises from previous games, so investing too much time for me, to have to reset everything and do it all over again, just feels like Groundhog's day for me....so at least playing the way I do above, I dont feel I've vested too much of my time overseeing the miniscule stuff...I just play and enjoy the birds eye aspect of the entire league.

Sorry for rambling....