Is NHL16 worth buying for BAP

[sluice]

This is the first year since 2007 where I haven't bought EA's NHL on release, after being disappointed with last year.

A question for those who have the game: How is Be A Pro this year?

Essentially, I always loved the mode in sport game where you create yourself and make it to the big league... As much as I was stoked when EA included BAP in their NHL series, a few years ago... that mode always felt much thinner than in the competition, and I never really spent much time in it. (Compared to MyCareer NBA 2K, MLB's Road To The Show, or that old Madden Superstar mode from a few years back with the combine...)

Essentially, is NHL 16 worth picking up at the current price primarily for the current Be A Pro Mode?

[fullmetal2405]

Unfortunately that's kinda all you. What works for us might not work for you and vice-versa. Personally I don't think the game is worth a buy JUST for BAP. I like BAP better this year than I have in previous years but I can't quite figure out why. I'm more into GM and EASHL but this year I am finding myself playing a bunch of BAP games as well so far.

Would I have enjoyed it fully if I bought it just for BAP? No. But it's still a fun mode and for me a good way to break up the games in GM when my EASHL team isn't around.

[sluice]

Quote: Originally Posted by fullmetal2405

Unfortunately that's kinda all you. What works for us might not work for you and vice-versa. Personally I don't think the game is worth a buy JUST for BAP. I like BAP better this year than I have in previous years but I can't quite figure out why. I'm more into GM and EASHL but this year I am finding myself playing a bunch of BAP games as well so far. Would I have enjoyed it fully if I bought it just for BAP? No. But it's still a fun mode and for me a good way to break up the games in GM when my EASHL team isn't around.

Thanks for the reply.

I used to play most modes in the past, but with lack of time or frustration, I want to stick to offline play from now on.

I had a lot of fun with EASHL in the past, but in the end more frustration comes out of playing it. Unless you are playing with somewhat serious people... (hard to find and my schedule is changing too fast to consistently play with the same group)

Online Be A GM was fun in the past, but scheduling every game is a pain and I as stated above my schedule is too complicated to go through this.

HUT I made a promise to myself, my fiancee and my wallet to stay away from this mode. LOL. It's such a money grabber. Plus once you get to D1 is just frustrating with everyone playing the game in the same unnatural way.

To sum up, no online mode for me this year. I want to stick to Be A Pro and Be A GM (offline), but mostly BAP..Therefore if BAP is lacking, NHL16 might be the first EA Hockey game I don't buy in a looooooong time. I have owned every NHL dating from NHLPA 93, except for the two years I went with 2K (2k5 and 2k6).

[Viktor]

BAP is the main mode that I will be playing. I may try Be a GM at some point as I've never tried it, and probably a bit of the EASHL, but to me it will be worth it if I just spend time with BAP.

[[Icy]]

I'm mainly a BAP player (or equivalent in other games) as being 40 years old with job, kids etc doesn't allow me to play EASHL as much as I did when it was released a few years ago (I was in a few D1 teams for a while).

Same with BaGM, like the mode a lot, but don't have time for it.

I did't buy nhl15 because BAP was unplayable, specially with no sim to next shift feature.

Luckily it's back in nhl16, also the coach feedback is better than in the past, the progression system is nice and more RPG like (the better passes you send, the faster your passing attribute raises, etc) and the team mates AI is good enough specially in attack. currently I'm playing C (All star and hardcore) and i'm both scoring and giving plenty of assists, so it's not like that you need to do it all by yourself like in previous games.

Overall I'm happy with it and the only mode I have played so far.

[sluice]

Quote: Originally Posted by [Icy]

I'm mainly a BAP player (or equivalent in other games) as being 40 years old with job, kids etc doesn't allow me to play EASHL as much as I did when it was released a few years ago (I was in a few D1 teams for a while). Same with BaGM, like the mode a lot, but don't have time for it. I did't buy nhl15 because BAP was unplayable, specially with no sim to next shift feature. Luckily it's back in nhl16, also the coach feedback is better than in the past, the progression system is nice and more RPG like (the better passes you send, the faster your passing attribute raises, etc) and the team mates AI is good enough specially in attack. currently I'm playing C (All star and hardcore) and i'm both scoring and giving plenty of assists, so it's not like that you need to do it all by yourself like in previous games. Overall I'm happy with it and the only mode I have played so far.

Nice, that is exactly the kind of answer I was looking for.
We are somewhat in the same boat. Not enough time to dedicate to online play and fans of BAP mode. I love playing Offline Be A Gm, but I will mostly sim and work on drafting/development of young players.

Regarding BAP:

1- how did you find the coach grading? I mean what I mostly read and saw on youtube, it seem really hard to have a decent teamwork grade and overall grade.

2- How did you find your your teammate AI?

3- Did you start in the juniors? How many games have you roughly played? Did you make it to the NHL?

4- Does the game punishes you when you sim a few games in a row like previous year. (It probably does... but still wondering, as with my limited time, I rather sim a few games here and there to be able to go through a full season in less than 5-6 hours)

5- Other than the training and player evolution, any other changes from previous BAP ?

6- If you know, can we ask for trades?


I really wish the would of added simply stuff like: Asking to change position, asking for more ice time, etc.

Cheers!

[[Icy]]

Quote: Originally Posted by sluice

Nice, that is exactly the kind of answer I was looking for. We are somewhat in the same boat. Not enough time to dedicate to online play and fans of BAP mode. I love playing Offline Be A Gm, but I will mostly sim and work on drafting/development of young players. Regarding BAP: 1- how did you find the coach grading? I mean what I mostly read and saw on youtube, it seem really hard to have a decent teamwork grade and overall grade. 2- How did you find your your teammate AI? 3- Did you start in the juniors? How many games have you roughly played? Did you make it to the NHL? 4- Does the game punishes you when you sim a few games in a row like previous year. (It probably does... but still wondering, as with my limited time, I rather sim a few games here and there to be able to go through a full season in less than 5-6 hours) 5- Other than the training and player evolution, any other changes from previous BAP ? 6- If you know, can we ask for trades? I really wish the would of added simply stuff like: Asking to change position, asking for more ice time, etc. Cheers!

1- Team grade is the hardest, I'm playing C and faceoffs are in that category and I'm under 50% on those. The key is to try to play realistic, like not being an one man show, pass the puck & avoid turnovers (this is specially important).

On the other hand Attack and defense i find them easy to reach.

I'm currently A- on offense, B on defense and B- on team play.

I find it has the right difficulty, enough to challenge you but not enough to frustrate you (I'm playing All Star difficulty and hardcore settings with default sliders).

2- On attack better than ever, I'm playing C and they are the F are attacking the net, occuping the slot if I i'm not there and I find them overall good at finding you as soon as you are free in a good spot, like with enough space in the slot.

On defense, well... I find them a little bit passive, it's the same for the CPU and the same in any game mode, the defensive AI is not aggressive enough and it's easy to cross the neutral zone, but once you cross it, they are more aggressive.

3- I started as 18 years old in the CHL and I'm still there. You can chose if you want to get drafted, chose a team directly or to start in the CHL. In the last case, you also chose your age, from 16 to 18, and depending on your age you will spend more years in the CHL before entering the draft (when you are 18).

4- There is a new setting that related to that. It's named "Be a Pro simming Penalty ON/OFF" and the explanation says: Adjust if simming penalizes the BAP line's progression. You can turn it ON/OFF anytime during your career.

5- Not really, it's not as developed as NBA2k for example with cutscenes and storytelling. It's just about playing games, raising your attributes, accomplishing your coach goals etc. But so far I have not seen any other interaction. It might become a big monotonous after time I guess, but besides NBA2k, it's similar in all the other games, like MLB the show or FIFA too where you can't do much more besides playing games and maybe asking for a trade.

6- No idea sorry, I'm still in the CHL as I said before.

[sluice]

Well I finally got the game yesterday and managed to roughly play 10 games in BAP (Simming the first two period and playing the third).

Here are my thoughts, on the Be a Pro mode alone.



What I like about BAP this year

*Player progression/training: This is the main reason to get the game and play Be A Pro this year. For those who didn't know, your player progress regarding how you play. i.e.: The more you take good shot, your shooting accuracy/power will increase. The more you take bad pass, your offensive awareness or passing skill will decrease.
Add on top of that, a training system where you can manually select certain areas for your player to train during the week. Each week, your player gets a number of hours allowed where you can select to train X hours in Y skill. For instance, one week, you might have 7 hours to spend and could split it like so: 2 hours of power skating and 5 hours of slapshot. At the end of the week you get a progress report.

Essentially, it makes for a really realistic player progression and as much as I complained about BAP in the past and always compared it to equivalent of other games (MLB Road To The Show or NBA 2K MyCareer most importantly), I really wish SCE and 2K would imitate EA's NHL progression system. It's simply that great!

*Finally more customization for your player's equipment (stick tape, sock tape, etc.)... You want to tape your stick like Kessel? You want to only tape the toe of your stick? You can do all of that.

*No penalty for simming (Mentioned earlier in the thread, it is an option that can be toggled) Finally you can sim a few periods or game without getting demoted.

*More Agressive AI on the offense. (I haven't got enough play time to really judge the AI in depth, but they definitely seem more intelligent in the offensive zone. They seem to get in the slot more and tend to cycle the puck a bit more too. No more need to spam the "PASS TO ME" button as much. Another thing I hated in previous iteration, was that if you passed to one of your defensemen, he always took a shoot. This year, he doesn't shoot as much and will cycle if he sees any teammate open(you included!).

*Coach Feedbacks/Grade: They are better than ever. Coach will ask precise things in different area of the game Offense/Defense/Teamplay. I have to say that I find it hard to have B or better in Defense/Teamplay. Also, if you are having a good game, the coach is more likely to give you more shifts.

*Faceoffs! This year, most of your shift will start from the faceoff and not mid play.



What I don't like with BAP this year

* It seem like you can't change your number once your career is started. If that number is already taken or retired on the team you are playing for, the game will choose the closest available number. I created a TWD with the #77, that number is taken and now I'm stuck with #75.

*Really ridiculous short shift. Too often, my player will jump on the ice, and a few seconds later a play stoppage would happen (offside, icing, puck out of play, goalie freezing the puck).
The problem is not the play stoppage, but that I would get bench even though I had been on the ice for 10 seconds or less and had nothing to do with the play stoppage.

*Weird faceoff glitch. Often in the middle of the game, my shift would start from the middle of the ice faceoff circle. (It would make sens at the start of the period, but in the middle?)


What is missing to this mode to really make it shine

*Asking for position change (You often see C, moving to the W, or a W changing side!) in some rare case you might see a Defensemen change to the wing, and vice versa.

*Some kind of off-game training (maybe 1 per week). For example you might have a session where you are practicing the power play with your team, or some 2 on 1. MLB RTTS has something similar.

*Contract negotiation (Like in MLB RTTS). I haven't got there yet, but I highly doubt it's in.




I'm looking forward to the offseason to see how the training system works.
Also looking forward to being draft and see if there are any different options such as: asking for trade.


So all in all, i'm confident to say that this year BAP is the best version of the mode we have even seen in a hockey game, by far! I am confident that I will log many hours in this mode and will be able to stay clear of the HUT madness.