NHL 14 - Be a GM and GM Connected Improvements

[canucksss]

Quote: Originally Posted by CaptainSuperman

Although here, you are pretty much solely talking about GM mode and how it's been ignored. Does that make the game bad? Like I said, you feel bored after a few games, that means you played the crap outta it. You're lack of interest comes from that, rather than a lack of features and bug fixes. Even if they added accurate things and fixed bugs, it's still the same game that will play the same great hockey from 09 once you hit the ice. With the same players year after year, come new draftees and gone are retirees. Same 30 NHL teams. Same game.

I beg to disagree about your conclusion that you feel bored after playing the "crap outta it". I love hockey and this is the only sport video game I play since 2k3. I played multiple seasons in 1 version.

Yes the game is bad if some features are ignored year after year. Look at the case of 12, lack of penalties...did EA do something about it? NO! In 13, at the release date same issue...good thing they addressed it in their tuner update 1.4. Leaves me 2 questions:

1. Why did not release a tuner in 12 to address the issue?
2. If EA was listening to people who love to play BAGM, why the lack of penalties existed the next version? Lack of QA?

Talk about lack of defense in NZ, this was present at the release date of 13, IMO. But somehow was remove either by the Tuner or Patch, silently. WHY? I dont know the answer.

BAP, creating a feature that's only in TEXT? WHY? If you're going to copy NBA, why not make it BETTER? As I mentioned in the other thread, the only good thing about this TEXT is that it teaches the young kids how to spell properly.

Fighting ....sure...now at least its realistic, you have your teammates on the ice and on the bench.... but how many fights do you see in one game? Finally the put attention to this feature.

IMO, the reason why EA failed in NHL is because of the lack of attention the developers are putting into this game.

[bwiggy33]

Quote: Originally Posted by CaptainSuperman

How can so many people complain and say they won't buy a game that is not broke? If the game seems stale to you, then congratulations, you're a true hockey fan and/or gamer. You've played the crap outta it and that's what happens when you do, things become stale. Just look at COD for a non-sports reference.

That's what happened to me. NHL is no doubt stale for me because I've bought 07-13 on release day every year. This has made me see patterns with the AI. I knew exactly what the CPU would do with and without the puck. The AI has gotten less predictable the past two years but it just isn't at the level that it should be. I used to be hardcore into online but it's just been a cheese fest unless you play someone legit.

I partially disagree with you about games getting stale. Yes, many games do at some point, but if it's well developed it will not get stale. I say this because of MLB The Show. The AI in that game is more dynamic than any other sports game there is. It forces the user to think, fear great players, and adapt their game based on the opponent. That's why the game doesn't get stale. I understand baseball is easier to develop than hockey, but to me I don't see why NHL can't have a more dynamic (non cheating) AI. Hopefully with the memory improvements for next gen the AI will be much stronger and more dynamic. If it is this game will be really solid. Sure I have a crap ton of other problems with the game, but for me the lack of smart CPU AI, and poor player differential is what kills the game for me. Those two things alone make a game stale.

[NHLandPESFan]

NHL 2k8's GM mode had draft picks in trades, player progression, variable season length, and local multiplayer where each team could be GM'd by a different player. The fact that NHL 14 won't have this six years later is inexcusable by any measure. I skipped NHL 12, caved and bought NHL 13 only because it was $25 on Black Friday but won't even bother with NHL 14 even if I get the same price.
I would encourage everyone to quit buying this game if you are not happy with the lack of improvements. I know some of you are worried that EA might cancel the series altogether if there are low sales but I would say good riddance! If EA left, maybe 2k or somebody else would come back in.

[actionhank]

Quote: Originally Posted by CaptainSuperman

1st off, comparing a Model T to todays car is insane. Top speed is much different (which is a main necessity of a car), and so are safety features. You'd be right about luxury features such as power doors, windows, seats, etc. But their formula needed change as the times got faster, and with faster times comes a need for better safety. But at the same time, that was kinda my point. You think each and every car that came out after the T didn't have it's flaws? We still hear about recalls today for cars of all models. Going forward is a risk, and nothing will ever come out perfect your first attempt. 360's had red rings, PS3's had...something, right? I've made this point plenty before outside of this thread. But they have built an amazing game that has received plenty of praise, and they almost spoiled us. We've expected the best each and every year, and maybe that's a huge task to tackle on their part. Change for the sake of change does not equal improvement. Although here, you are pretty much solely talking about GM mode and how it's been ignored. Does that make the game bad? Like I said, you feel bored after a few games, that means you played the crap outta it. You're lack of interest comes from that, rather than a lack of features and bug fixes. Even if they added accurate things and fixed bugs, it's still the same game that will play the same great hockey from 09 once you hit the ice. With the same players year after year, come new draftees and gone are retirees. Same 30 NHL teams. Same game.

I don't mean to say it's a completely terrible game. It's been the best representation of hockey made. I've never played NHL2k, or anything before NHL 09, but around 11 they made a move to something that started to resemble the fluidity of real hockey. And it was great.
But a lot of the same legacy issues are still around from that same time.
Do i think i could buy NHL14 and have fun? Definitely. Some of the new features look pretty cool. The fighting and improved hitting it nice, the improved skating looks like it could also be really nice (with the right sliders, the default sliders still make the skating/passing look pretty arcadey).
I don't mean to imply that the game is garbage, but when it comes down to it Be a GM is the mode i play, and in my opinion, it's been ignored for the past few seasons for the sake of making a quick buck through things like the Ultimate Hockey League, and online play.
The other improvements don't do as much for me. Is fighting in? Yeah, and it's been improved a great deal. But that's such a small fraction of the game, that while i'm happy to see it fixed up, it's something that pales in comparison to other features that i think need to be looked at first.
They addressed the goalies, and i hope it's better. Because i remember hearing about improved goalies last year, and i was thrilled. But then once i started playing it was the same frustrations. Wrist shots almost never went in cleanly. No matter what slider settings i searched for, wristers and one-timers were just easy saves, more often than not. Slap shots from the point had a hard time getting through, and that's assuming your brain-dead AI teammates didn't skate into them every time.
And the AI itself was even more frustrating. You're setting up on plays, and no one is moving. Your players were all just standing around, not even at the very least, facing you with their body to get a shot on net if you did pass it to them.
Now, both of these things seem to be at least looked at, but as with past things, it's possible that it will be looked at, and still not fixed.
I remember after the goalies got a revamp in 13 i was super pumped, only to be let down when i saw that weak wristers from the point could still get through, and that sometimes your goalie would let the most easy saves through (Frequently too. I'm fine with it happening in general, because sometimes goalies are just off, but when it's about the only type of goal you see, it gets old), while the goalie at the other end is making warp speed saves, with no sense of inertia, or being on ice.
None of these are game breakers, in and of themselves. But when they're coupled with teams that to me, feel the same, 1st line through 4th, the game just gets old in a matter of weeks, not months.
Small stuff like character creation and roster sharing, that would be nice, but definitely not needed. But all of it just piles up to feel like EA is more focused on a few small fixes, but mainly looking at the latest craze in sports games.
While i can live with having to pick from the same 12 or so faces i've had for characters since 09 (i think 09 was the debut of Be a Pro) I find it hard to continually justify what feels more and more like a roster update every year, especially now that games have creeped up to $60 for the standard edition.
I'm not writing off the NHL series completely, but this will be the first year in 5, that i don't get it the night of release.
And, pending reviews, i may not pick it up at all.

[gopher_guy]

My love of the sport will probably be enough for me to get this game. But man, the fact that I even have to think about whether or not I want to buy the new version is a bad sign for EA...

[actionhank]

Quote: Originally Posted by gopher_guy

My love of the sport will probably be enough for me to get this game. But man, the fact that I even have to think about whether or not I want to buy the new version is a bad sign for EA...

That's pretty much how i'm feeling.
I'm sure, come October, that i will probably end up getting it, even if it's searching for a slightly cheaper used copy.
And i genuinely hope i love it. The new additions seem nice, and if they've worked a lot on the goalie AI and team mates not just standing in place like they're frozen to the ice, it'll be a big step.
I just hope someday the game will motivate you to pay attention to who is on the ice, and roll lines to react. Right now, all lines pretty much play the same, and seem to have equal chances of scoring.

[canucksss]

Quote: Originally Posted by actionhank

That's pretty much how i'm feeling. I'm sure, come October, that i will probably end up getting it, even if it's searching for a slightly cheaper used copy. And i genuinely hope i love it. The new additions seem nice, and if they've worked a lot on the goalie AI and team mates not just standing in place like they're frozen to the ice, it'll be a big step. I just hope someday the game will motivate you to pay attention to who is on the ice, and roll lines to react. Right now, all lines pretty much play the same, and seem to have equal chances of scoring.

i love it in 12 wherein you can match lines and having the home advantage, seeing the visiting team's line up before sending yours. For the love of Hockey, I dont know why EA removed this feature....

like you, if i will have a craving to play NHL, i might wait for a 2nd hand copy.

[i am the messenger]

Best way to help with the staleness and feeling you aren't immersed in the mode is to create a dynasty thread on here. Post your own storylines. Create the fantasy in your head that you want to experience when you play the game.

You'd hope they'd improve the mode, but everyone may just be waiting 'til next gen gets a year or two in to get the quality gameplay they want along with a revamped mode.

I still don't know why all sports games don't unlock everything though like in NBA 2K as far as franchises go. Allowing you to change anything you want that's happening in the dynasty one way or another is the best way to go about it.