Action PC vs Strat O Matic Hockey

[LouV]

Has anyone played both Action PC and Strat O Matic Hockey.
If so what game did you like better?

[xJerseyDevil]

Never played Action PC, but have played Strat. Strat really makes the game feel true to life. Plus they have a huge community on various websites. There you can find rule adapations and such to change the game to your liking. The best part of strat is you can buy the PC version as well as the old fashioned cards and dice version so you can play with your buds. Me and my buds are mostly video game guys, but we played a few games of strat o matic hockey with the board game and we were hooked. Really cool when you can play the same game with rosters from your childhood days up to the current NHL. Or you can have two teams from different eras play each other, no matter what the game still works.

So I can't tell you what's better then one another, but I will tell you I am for sure PRO Strat-o-Matic Hockey (And their cream of the crop baseball game is fantastic too!)

[Steven547]

The Action PC Hockey looks pretty good, actually. For those that have played the Strat Hockey, is there a league mode? General Manger mode? Coaching? Or is it more of a 1 vs 1 and that's it? I'm also looking at Franchise Hockey Manager, but these other two are swaying me...

Basically, looking for how much depth these games have.

[xJerseyDevil]

Strat-o-Matic you can replay entire seasons using real life rosters (this includes trades as they happen) and real schedules from the selected season. You mostly play as the coach, you decide the lines and strategies. Certain parts of the game will ask if you'd rather your player to take a shot from the outside, or try to beat the defender for a higher possibility of goal with an inside shot. You also have the option on defense to challenge players with your defense via intimidation but you risk taking a penalty. It's all stat driven, so if you have a guy who had a lot of PIMs in that season, he will be more likely to take a penalty over a guy who had no PIMs. So looking at the cards and statistics will help you make decisions.

You also have the option to do a fantasy draft if you wish. You can play online with others on the PC game so long as both players own the same seasons of the game.

The game itself, I will be honest, looks rather bland. Graphically there is really nothing there. But in terms of reproducing hockey and true to life to the players, Strat has met my demands each time.

[xJerseyDevil]

Oh, I also own Franchise Hockey Manager, that game is more of a General Manager game and it will be a great game. However as it currently stands, there are few too many issues for it to be a true sim right now. They make the outstanding OOTP Baseball GM game, so give Franchise Hockey Manager a year or two and it will be a great option. But if you are looking for something now, I'd recommend Strat.

P.s. Don't know if you guys know, but if you want a GM Hockey game Eastside Hockey Manger 2007 is still alive. There is another website ehmtheblueline I believe it's called, that still makes mods and roster updates for that game. That's if you want a really in depth GM Hockey sim. Otherwise, wait for Franchise Hockey Manager to develop if you aren't good with computers and installing mods.

[schneevs67]

I recently purchased Action! PC Hockey and highly recommend it. I first watched videos on both it and Strat-o-matic Hockey and decided on Action! PC Hockey for a few reasons: 1) there seemed to be more 'action' in it over Strat; for example it wasn't just one screen but a few that moved the players around in position to get a good perspective on what was going on, 2) there was a ton of decision making and settings you could choose from to get a better feel for the game (Strat does too it seems but it looked like Action! PC seemed to better implement them), 3) Action PC! seems to make a lot more improvements to their game from year to year and appears to really listen to their customers and implement a lot of their ideas when it helps to improve the game play, and 4) Action PC! seems to offer a lot of specials on seasons both individual and multiple season packages from time to time. I have Action PC! Baseball (a few months) and Strat Baseball (about 20 years) and like both for different reasons. I recommend Strat baseball but from what I've seen I have no urge to get the hockey.

[LucianoJJ]

I'm a huge fan of all the PC sports games Strat offers, but I did run across Action PC hockey game. I bought Action for the college hockey rosters from ten years ago. It's good, too.

[game player guy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Steven547

The Action PC Hockey looks pretty good, actually. For those that have played the Strat Hockey, is there a league mode? General Manger mode? Coaching? Or is it more of a 1 vs 1 and that's it? I'm also looking at Franchise Hockey Manager, but these other two are swaying me... Basically, looking for how much depth these games have.

Can you tell me if one has to forward ports for internet play with this game?