BaGM MUST be improved...

[xx19kilosoldier]

...if you want my $ next year EA.

I did my best to ignore the HORRIBLE scheduling after the first year. I did my best to ignore the glaring wholes in the off season mechanics . I did my best to ignore the arcade like player progression.

I made it to the third off season and just cant believe that the BaGM mode made it through your quality control team last year. Its sad.

I think you (EA) have created the best, to date as far as gameplay, hockey game yet. You have, however, seriously neglected your offline components.

Fix BaGM FA and scheduling issues. Get creative with presentation and immersion i regards to BaGM.

FIX THE SIM ENGINE!!!!

Do all these things, or at least put forth a good effort to do so, or you will lose a longtime customer of this series.

I dont mean to sound harsh, but at some point you are going to have to move things forward and improve them a bit in order to warrant the loyalty and patronage I and others have given over the years.

[savoie2006]

Re: BaGM MUST be improved...

Totally agree! I'm in the same boat and it's a HUGE reason why I no longer own NHL 11. It's just no fun playing BAGM with the issues the game has. There is little that is realistic about it. We are suppose to be getting a simulation of the sport and NHL just isn't. I honestly don't see NHL 12 being either, though I hope I'm wrong. If their new physics plan works as planned, then maybe NHL 13 will be the hockey game we've been waiting for. The sad thing is, I thought NHL 11 played pretty good at first.

[Viktor von Vikingkil]

Re: BaGM MUST be improved...

I still don't know what these apparently glaring issues are supposed to be. I've taken 2 franchises multiple seasons and the only problems I have with it are that there's things missing like goalie fatigue and the AI likes to offer me career AHLers for my star forwards. The progression's weird, yeah, but not game breaking.

Is it perfect? No. But I can't fathom why someone would seriously sell the game because of perceived errors.

[Franchizz]

Re: BaGM MUST be improved...

I still don't know what these apparently glaring issues are supposed to be. I've taken 2 franchises multiple seasons and the only problems I have with it are that there's things missing like goalie fatigue and the AI likes to offer me career AHLers for my star forwards. The progression's weird, yeah, but not game breaking.

Is it perfect? No. But I can't fathom why someone would seriously sell the game because of perceived errors.

To name some of these specific issues...

- The sim engine is ridiculous unrealistic. Detroit will frequent miss the playoffs in spite of a phenomenal team and twenty year consistency, whereas a distinctly mediocre team will finish first overall. You then have to factor in player point statistics. I cannot count the number of times in the past years Crosby has finished with an underwhelming 75-90 point season, players are rarely injured, especially your own and the special team numbers make little to know sense.

- Player progression is complete generic. Pacioretty will always have a sizable boost even if he had a below average season and gave the impression of a first round bust. It has been a while but I recall stats that certain players rarely use are usually the ones to increase (faceoffs for example.)

- Schedule has you playing ten home games a twelve away games, which is insanity barring an Olympic year.

- The trade AI is embarrassing incompetent and willing to move franchise players for prospects. No offense to Leaf fans but they could offer their entire roster and Crosby is still worth more. I do not recall if how often trades happen but in the real NHL they are virtually nonexistent until a month prior to the trade deadline or during the off season and big names never move. Ryan Kesler should be almost untouchable unless a team practically destroys their roster for years.

- There is a complete lack of uniqueness to players. A upper 70s overall rookie should have no business scoring much higher than 60 points and even that is a stretch.

- The mode lacks any degree of piazzas or whatever flashy adjective you wish to attribute. There is no award ceremony or even mention of any of the various awards players win, no interviews or anything save a generic cheer and skate with the cup.

This is only a few noticeably problems that lead to a gneric and unappealing BaGM. It has essentially be identical to NHL 08, which was not a significant upgrade from its predecessor. It has been five years and thus EA is long overdue to cease being lazy and expecting people to shell out money for a rehashed product with minor online improvements.

[canucksss]

Re: BaGM MUST be improved...

if NO SERIOUS change in the BaGM mode and im not impressed with 2k's version (if they will release one next year) i dont have a choice but to ignore the schedules and still paly 2011.

i will not throw another dime for NHL game, specifically towards EA, if these glaring issues in BaGM are not address.

[lebowski4]

Re: BaGM MUST be improved...

I just played through BAGM and it was very enjoyable. Don't expect a video game to be like the real thing and your problem is solved. You seem to think these are easy fixes, they are not. The computer AI isn't up to terminator intelligence level yet.

[Roscosuper]

Re: BaGM MUST be improved...

I just played through BAGM and it was very enjoyable. Don't expect a video game to be like the real thing and your problem is solved. You seem to think these are easy fixes, they are not. The computer AI isn't up to terminator intelligence level yet.

How do you know what is and isn't easy? The main problem is there have been issues that have been in the series since 07, and they've never been addressed. That's what gets annoying to a lot of guys who have been with the series for a few years. Things NEVER get fixed, instead new broken features are installed. You guys who just jumped on in the last year or so are a little more forgiving because the problems haven't plagued you for as long.

And what's more is, there are older games on older consoles that do a better job in certain areas than has been going on here in the last 5 or 6 years in bagm. Games that have been made by EA too. So zip it when it comes to what's easy and what's not. You're talking out of the wrong end.

EA's has a nice paint job but, under the hood they're really weak. That's the problem. EA's like those white home boys in high school who spend a few grand on the rims, only to put it on an old crappy toyota.

[lebowski4]

Re: BaGM MUST be improved...

Hockey is not as popular as the other three sports so unfortunately you can not complain or do anything about it. I have been playing NHL since 93, but you seem to be more into simming. That is cool. Another thing is that NHL2k11 is not competing with NHL 11 so they are not going to go out of their way to improve something like "Be A GM" Mode. Do you think NHL 11 does "Be a GM" the best or do earlier versions do it better? How can they make it so Crosby scores a realistic number of goals. Sliders don't fix this for you in any way?

[ramenite]

Re: BaGM MUST be improved...

I never got why these franchise modes in games get so broken.

It's obvious some time was spent to get all the CBA rules correct, the juniors integration, etc. etc. But then you get bum stats and goofy standings and it just kills the reason to play the mode.

I'll be honest, if they just fixed what they have and stop adding more stuff I'd be happy.

[GlennN]

Re: BaGM MUST be improved...

I can look past almost all of that (though the sim engine is certainly in need of work); for me, the number one issue is the inability to follow my players throughout their careers. No listing of teams a player played for, no full listing of career stats, no listing of awards, cups won, no Hall of Fame, etc. Just becomes very uninvolving when I can't care about the guys I've seen populate my universe for several years.

[RealmK]

Re: BaGM MUST be improved...

I never got why these franchise modes in games get so broken.

It's obvious some time was spent to get all the CBA rules correct, the juniors integration, etc. etc. But then you get bum stats and goofy standings and it just kills the reason to play the mode.

I'll be honest, if they just fixed what they have and stop adding more stuff I'd be happy.

Until they take the time to recode CPU lines management it's going to be an issue. Honestly nothing against Andy Agonstini but I really wish they'd bring Dean Richards back on the project and put him in charge of the BAGM aspect. Since Dean was moved to other projects within EAsports after NHL08, BAGM/Dynasty mode has barely improved.

[RealmK]

Re: BaGM MUST be improved...

I can look past almost all of that (though the sim engine is certainly in need of work); for me, the number one issue is the inability to follow my players throughout their careers. No listing of teams a player played for, no full listing of career stats, no listing of awards, cups won, no Hall of Fame, etc. Just becomes very uninvolving when I can't care about the guys I've seen populate my universe for several years.

That's always bothered the hell out of me as well. It's been like that since 07, there's quite a few areas of the engine itself that really need some major overhauling.

[SENS_AK27]

Re: BaGM MUST be improved...

I agree, I love Dynasty Mode (or BaGM) but I wish the presentation was better. I wish they did things like have an awards show, showing the players get the trophy or did a better job with the presentation as a whole, like maybe tracking streaks and such like in MLB The Show, or when you break a record. I bet if someone topped the 92 goal record set by Gretzky they probably wouldn't even mention it.

On a side note, I'm quite happy that at least they track player milestones for Goals, Assists, and Points.

[misch13fRoyale]

Re: BaGM MUST be improved...

I dont know about the whole Crosby having bad seasons.... hes won more scoring titles in my experience with NHL 11, than anyone else. Although there have been a few odd winners, Simon Gagne being one of them. Ive had Crosby top 130 pts in a season once!! In the current season im playing now, havent simmed any games, tryin to complete the whole thing myself, and Crosby leads the league in goals, and points, with malkin leading the league in assists. and 11 pts behind Crosby, 2nd in scoring. Maybe coincidence, but its been a fantastic season on all ends so far for me, playing all 61 games thus far.