NHL 12 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

[RealmK]

Quote: Originally Posted by DJ

Yes, I have to admit that I am starting to enjoy the demo the more I play it, although I wish we had a 3-period game so we could get more into a flow. With just one period, things just start getting good and I run out of time. Anyway, it looks like I will riding the NHL 12 train this year, as I've decided to pass on Madden in favor of this game. NCAA provides me all I need with football and although I've harped on EA for the commentary and presentation, I do have more fun with NHL than Madden at this point. Like RelamK and others have said, this is the last year I get the game without seeing upgrades to Be A GM, commentary and presentation.

To add to what I was saying in my last post, I also like that stick lifts don't equal the puck. Last year I felt it was way to easy to spam lift or poke and win the puck. In the demo at least you need to take position into account now. Heck as a defending player at times you're better off just staying back to block a passing lane or run interference in front of the net. To me that's hockey.

I guess I just don't get the feeling in the demo that the cpu has some unfair advantage, and me as a player on defense I can't just switch guys to whoever is closest to the puck carrier and expect to strip it away. I'm better off locking with a player and trying to read the play.

[gopher_guy]

"He just earned his paycheck for the week with that ONE save!!!"

*cringes*

Another cool goal I saw: I had just gone on the PK, face off in my zone, right off the face off win one of the D men for Vancouver BLASTED a slap shot that somehow got through like 5 bodies and beat Tim Thomas over the shoulder.

Very cool and life-like goal

[Josam27o7]

Quote: Originally Posted by RealmK

How bout you wait to see if the new Sim engine actually improves franchise play before writing the game off completely? Because really, aside from having things like injured reserves and a proper cpu roster management/sim system being accurate, I'm not sure what else they could really add to GM (aside from major presentation improvements for that particular mode) that would make that much of a difference and I am a GM guy first and foremost. I know alot of guys want online franchises but eh. That's another new mode/feature I'd never touch to be honest. Blow out the presentation, make sure the CPU isn't ******** on signing guys in the offseason and have the sim stats realistically reflect real life and I'd be content.

Realm, Here is one example, look at what Fifa is doing with Manager mode this year. They are adding management of players through their attitudes (not playing enough, not on a contender, not happy with wages...). It adds life to the players you are managing, rather than just playing one game after the next.

NHL Be a GM, just feels lifeless, they need some sort of message system like Fifa has...

And Realm, why haven't we heard a peep from the Be a GM developers about what they are doing? Fifa has indepthly gone through their manager mode for the fans talking about the changes... I just can't respect how NHL is treating Be a GM this year

[RealmK]

Quote: Originally Posted by Josam27o7

Realm, Here is one example, look at what Fifa is doing with Manager mode this year. They are adding management of players through their attitudes (not playing enough, not on a contender, not happy with wages...). It adds life to the players you are managing, rather than just playing one game after the next. NHL Be a GM, just feels lifeless, they need some sort of message system like Fifa has... And Realm, why haven't we heard a peep from the Be a GM developers about what they are doing? Fifa has indepthly gone through their manager mode for the fans talking about the changes... I just can't respect how NHL is treating Be a GM this year

Honestly? That doesn't sound like much fun to me personally. Give me better presentation elements and a sim engine/CPU Line & Roster management that works properly and I'm good.

[Vikes1]

Quote: Originally Posted by DJ

Anyway, it looks like I will riding the NHL 12 train this year,

Glad your still on board, Dan!

I had at least a feeling you couldn't pass up another go around with NHL. I'm kinda thinking the less predictable gameplay alone, may at least to a point, make up for some of the disappointment of the GM mode not really getting a whole lot of new upgrades.

And if what is/has been there, is truly cleanup...sim engine, trade logic, roster management, etc...the BEAGM maybe more fun than we may expect.

[BlueNGold]

Just curious since I haven't been able to play this demo, is the R trigger/R2 player switching still the same as every other year?

I hate trying to switch to one of my enforcers on the ice post-whistle, but instead it just keeps cycling back and forth between the same 2 players.

[Josam27o7]

Quote: Originally Posted by RealmK

Honestly? That doesn't sound like much fun to me personally. Give me better presentation elements and a sim engine/CPU Line & Roster management that works properly and I'm good.

All they've added is a stupid sim engine! How the heck can you play Be a Gm again LOL. That stupid blackberry system blows and needs to be revamped.

And this is coming from someone who likes the gameplay advances, except the silly canned smash the glass animation, and the goalie fight stupidity.

[RealmK]

Quote: Originally Posted by Josam27o7

All they've added is a stupid sim engine! How the heck can you play Be a Gm again LOL. That stupid blackberry system blows and needs to be revamped. And this is coming from someone who likes the gameplay advances, except the silly canned smash the glass animation, and the goalie fight stupidity.

I'm fine with the blackberry, it's simple, and it works and it's not a pain to navigate menus to get where I want to go. While there's elements they could add to GM to make it a bit deeper, Goalie fatigue, and injured reserves etc. I don't really need them to reinvent the wheel for it to be fun for me. The gameplay itself is still the bread and butter.

Training mini games and rookie interaction is cool and all, but really I have limited time to game as it is. All that kind of extra fluff stuff just doesn't interests me.