Fans of EA's Hockey games.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by StoneCole

In the words of a timeless song:

"Alice, who the **** is Alice?"

(or in this case Mark)

http://www.fan960.com/mp3s/mikericha...Nov21%2005.mp3

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Here are 2 (ugly baby) ideas for additions to EA hockey based on other games:

1-Passing indicator. I think this was an EA soccer game I tried once where an 'arrow' would indicate which player you are going to pass to, or which direction you are going to pass the puck. Would give a little more control and you could pass beyond an opponent.

2-"Shot cam" - Kinda like the "Bullet time" in Max Payne. Have an option where if you let a big shot go, the game slows and you get a different perspective, allowing nifty intentional deflections and perhaps even a chance to control the goalie

[Regulator75]

I consider myself a hardcore EA hockey guy.
I gave been playing the series since 1993. This is the only game that I need to buy every year.

I did like the 06 version, but there are a couple things (some already mentioned) that should be changed.

1. Goalies can get injured (not just fatigued) and fight/suspended.
2. Less breaking of glass, I swear in 2006 it happens 3 times a game.
3. Have Dynasty mode run longer than 10 seasons (2006), 20 will do.
4. In Dynasty /Season mode have the choice to retire a player, Mario and Yzerman were 46+ and still in the top 20 scorers.
5. Goalie saves that go in his glove not bounce off.
6. Showing real-time stats of players and/or hot/cold streaks during the game. "Iginla has 24 goals so far and has won 4 fights this season" things like that, not "Smyth is Captain Mullet for team Canada in the World Hockey Championships"

That's all for now.

1. Skill stick, I don't use it. Ever.

2. Defenseman pick bad times to head to the bench.

Couldn't agree more, I hate it when your D-man jumps on the bench and it suddenly becomes a 2 on 1. Do they not test these things? And that skill stick is lame, D-pad all the way!

[MarchHare]

I think the last version of EA hockey I played was 2003, but I swore off the franchise in favour of NHL 2Kx after that version.

These issues may or may not have been addressed in later editions of the game:

- Super-human goalies. If I make a play that would be a goal 90% of the time in the real NHL, it should be a goal in the game as well. For example, it was almost impossible to score by making a pass through the crease and one-timing it in, even though that's as close to a sure-thing goal as there is in real life. Goalies in EA's hockey game were just too good. In fact, the only way I could reliably score was either a deflection or a rebound. Wrist and slap shots from good scoring positions almost never went in.

- Stupid "comeback AI". If I'm dominating the computer 6-0 in the third period, don't turn my goalie into Tommy Salo. If I had a lead late, I just knew the other team would score on a floater from outside my blue line.

- Not "simmy" enough. Yes, there are like a million sliders to adjust everything from puck friction to the strength of body checks, but would it be so hard to make a few preset slider settings? For example, you could have "Sim" mode, "Arcade" mode, etc., where all the sliders would be adjusted automatically.

- Penalty clock should run in real time (or at least have this as an option the player can select). I usually play 5 minute periods, which means a 2:00 penalty lasts for only 30 seconds of real time. The penalty clock should run separately from the game clock, allowing time for me to setup a powerplay. Likewise, all it took to kill a penalty was to win the faceoff and ice the puck once.

[Rhettzky]

I really don't like the goalie fatigue thing. It's such a pain in the arse to go into your lines and switch out the goalie and then once he's unfatigued go and switch it up again. They should just have a goalie selector thing when you adjust your settings before the game. That way you could check and see if he was fatigued and then sit him out for a game instead of all that roster hassle.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

I really don't like the goalie fatigue thing. It's such a pain in the arse to go into your lines and switch out the goalie and then once he's unfatigued go and switch it up again. They should just have a goalie selector thing when you adjust your settings before the game. That way you could check and see if he was fatigued and then sit him out for a game instead of all that roster hassle.

In 2K6 they automatically sit your goalie for you if he's fatigued. Backups get an average of 20 games a year, just like the NHL.

[greasesuck]

Originally Posted by Calgary Flames

Not if it's like 2k6... I just couldn't enjoy that game. and I loved everyone up to it. 2k6 just didn't feel fun whatsoever.

But I know what you mean.

Yeah 2k6 just sucked.

[Engine09]

2-"Shot cam" - Kinda like the "Bullet time" in Max Payne. Have an option where if you let a big shot go, the game slows and you get a different perspective, allowing nifty intentional deflections and perhaps even a chance to control the goalie

That sounds incredible.


Again with the skill stick, it's a cool idea, but I don't think I have scored even one goal with it. And I have played a lot of games. It's not horrible, love the idea, just need to make the release a bit quicker so you don't lose the puck.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by rubecube

In 2K6 they automatically sit your goalie for you if he's fatigued. Backups get an average of 20 games a year, just like the NHL.

That's cool too, but I just think it would be an added bonus to match-up your goalie with different teams. Like when you played a weaker team you could throw Boosh in and give Kipper the day off. I think it would add a bit.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

That's cool too, but I just think it would be an added bonus to match-up your goalie with different teams. Like when you played a weaker team you could throw Boosh in and give Kipper the day off. I think it would add a bit.

You still can. I just meant if you're simulating games, they'll throw in your backup every now and then.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

- Penalty clock should run in real time (or at least have this as an option the player can select). I usually play 5 minute periods, which means a 2:00 penalty lasts for only 30 seconds of real time. The penalty clock should run separately from the game clock, allowing time for me to setup a powerplay. Likewise, all it took to kill a penalty was to win the faceoff and ice the puck once.

The game clock and penalty clock now go real time during powerplays and for the final minute of the third period.

[StoneCole]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

- Super-human goalies. If I make a play that would be a goal 90% of the time in the real NHL, it should be a goal in the game as well. For example, it was almost impossible to score by making a pass through the crease and one-timing it in, even though that's as close to a sure-thing goal as there is in real life. Goalies in EA's hockey game were just too good. In fact, the only way I could reliably score was either a deflection or a rebound. Wrist and slap shots from good scoring positions almost never went in.

I don't have as big a problem with this for the simple fact that it is 90% easier to make those type of plays in the game to begin with, so IMO they shouldn't always work.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by StoneCole

I don't have as big a problem with this for the simple fact that it is 90% easier to make those type of plays in the game to begin with, so IMO they shouldn't always work.

The answer to that is to make the AI (the defense in particular) better, not to turn Ty Conklin into Martin Brodeur and Martin Brodeur into God.

[StoneCole]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

The answer to that is to make the AI (the defense in particular) better, not to turn Ty Conklin into Martin Brodeur and Martin Brodeur into God.

Yes and no. I agree that that's how it should be. I also believe that you and I are in the minority and that most guys prefer the crappy AI that allows many unrealistic scoring chances. Thus I don't think EA will improve this AI as it will alienate the majority gamer. Making the goalies better is an okay compromise IMO, and I'd prefer to have that than having a million goals go in an unrealistic chances.

PS: Your spoon is too big.

[evman150]

Fix the rosters. It seems like there are always fringe players on the rosters who have not played with those teams for years. And some of them have pretty decent ratings, which is stupid because actual roster players often have bad ratings. Robyn Regehr always seems to be a 73, which is bull****. He should be a 94 or something. So when the game does auto lineup, Regehr or Leopold or whomever, gets benched in favour of Brad Werenka, who for some reason has a 75 rating, even though skunk boy has scrambled egg brains and hasn't played in half a decade.

Also, the interface is a joke. It's actually worse than a joke. The reason I stopped playing was because of the interface of 2006. I don't know about the consoles, but on a PC I expect to be able to use the mouse to do things. This was non-existant in the past few years.

The games still suffer from "scoring spots". You can score from one place half the time but from another place 0% of the time. It's stupid.

The Euro and bad international teams aren't bad enough. They should not have middling ratings, they should have BAD ratings. Speaking of which, Jussi ****inen from the Lahti Pelicans should not be an 85.

[Calgary Flames]

If you have the PC version, you really have no right to bitch about rosters... there's countless roster makers out there that have updated rosters almost immedietly after the game is released.

I can click through the interface, So I don't know what you're talking about there..

Same with scoring spots. Outside of 5 hole goals which pretty much never happen, my goal variety is pretty good.

[StoneCole]

Originally Posted by evman150

The Euro and bad international teams aren't bad enough. They should not have middling ratings, they should have BAD ratings. Speaking of which, Jussi ****inen from the Lahti Pelicans should not be an 85.

Disagree. We have seen what teams like Belarus and Switzerland can do at the Olympics; even the Italians put up a decent fight. The players on those teams for the most part play professional hockey somewhere and the ratings are fair IMO.

I agree that the scoring should be less 'systematic' but it was improved in '06.

[StoneCole]

I say they bring back the "edit lines" screens from PC NHL 96. The one with the little jerseys that you drag onto each line. That was sweet.

[The White Out]

More goals from shots. In NHL 06 unless you score off a one timer you dont score

[evman150]

Originally Posted by StoneCole

Disagree. We have seen what teams like Belarus and Switzerland can do at the Olympics; even the Italians put up a decent fight. The players on those teams for the most part play professional hockey somewhere and the ratings are fair IMO.

I agree that the scoring should be less 'systematic' but it was improved in '06.

I'm talking about the BAD teams. France, Japan, Italy etc. Belarus and Suisse are not bad.

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As for updated rosters, let's just say I don't think that's possible.

And the interface is horrible. Let's call a spade a spade here Jordon. It was designed for the console version then crudely ripped onto the PC. Yes I know you can use the mouse but it is just as fruitless as using the keyboard or gamepad. There is very little functionality and it takes way too long to do something as little as scratching one player and dressing another.