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NHL 18 News Post


Mike Lowe checks in again today with the top 5 changes needed for NHL 18 Franchise mode. Check it out and let us know what changes you would like to see.

Game: NHL 18Hype Score: Vote Now
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Member Comments
# 1 ilovetara @ 03/28/17 10:45 PM
The majority of us are offline/pre online players
Annual buyers...we even buy Consoles just to play NHL
Obviously we'd love a pc version again
But most of our wishlist revolves around former NHL modes/options/settings .
Nobody complains about the graphics and game play. It's amazing how far it's evolved .
Basic things were looking for are ;
1) contract extensions anytime
2) coaching/scouting/management (hiring/firing for improving or shakeups)
3) roster sharing (As relocation was in madden before NHL)
this feature is a blockbuster waiting to happen
4) Decades Era/Legend Rosters
Like you had for Montreal anniversary and also the 2 legend teams previously
WE'RE dying to play franchise mode with Retro Rosters ..or just exhibition with our childhood heros
Imagine all 30 Teams with their franchise icons.
 
# 2 snc237 @ 03/29/17 02:45 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ilovetara
The majority of us are offline/pre online players
Annual buyers...we even buy Consoles just to play NHL
Obviously we'd love a pc version again
But most of our wishlist revolves around former NHL modes/options/settings .
Nobody complains about the graphics and game play. It's amazing how far it's evolved .
Basic things were looking for are ;
1) contract extensions anytime
2) coaching/scouting/management (hiring/firing for improving or shakeups)
3) roster sharing (As relocation was in madden before NHL)
this feature is a blockbuster waiting to happen
4) Decades Era/Legend Rosters
Like you had for Montreal anniversary and also the 2 legend teams previously
WE'RE dying to play franchise mode with Retro Rosters ..or just exhibition with our childhood heros
Imagine all 30 Teams with their franchise icons.
Retro roster is impossible todo. You would have to pay every past player
 
# 3 Splitter77 @ 03/29/17 10:19 AM
1. boxscores to view when you click the scores on the calendar
2. some type of NHL tonite highlite show or highlites during games ( like nhl 93)
3. league leaders section
4. ability to edit NHL player names- like the 2k series
5. fantasy draft with all fictional players
6.more injuries during simmed games. Seems like if you look at other teams stats almost every guy is playing at least 75+ games. need more cpu callups due to injuries etc
 
# 4 Syce @ 03/29/17 10:26 AM
1 thing OP, the Trade Deadline is actually March 1st(or incase this year it was the 28th because of leap year). that is why you didnt see any deadline deals, because you essentially still have a week until the date comes.
 
# 5 GlennN @ 03/29/17 01:32 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Splitter77
1. boxscores to view when you click the scores on the calendar
2. some type of NHL tonite highlite show or highlites during games ( like nhl 93)
3. league leaders section
4. ability to edit NHL player names- like the 2k series
5. fantasy draft with all fictional players
6.more injuries during simmed games. Seems like if you look at other teams stats almost every guy is playing at least 75+ games. need more cpu callups due to injuries etc
Definitely agree with ability to edit players, and with having league leaders, but just league leaders is not enough. I would like more detailed season and career stats, history of awards and cups won, teams played for, etc. It makes a game so much more immersive if I can look around and check out the careers of players I have seen throughout the seasons I have played.
 
# 6 cougar3676 @ 03/29/17 02:29 PM
I'd like to add having the ability to at least edit jersey numbers of all other teams in franchise mode. Nothing annoys me more then playing against a goalie wearing jersey number 2 or a forward with number 31. Also hopefully integration of the echl in franchise mode.
 
# 7 ChubbyBanana @ 03/29/17 05:14 PM
Why is Mike Lowe so tiny?
 
# 8 Mike Lowe @ 03/29/17 06:09 PM
Thanks for the feedback, everyone!
 
# 9 piffbernd @ 03/29/17 07:56 PM
Fully editable Franchise Mode. Like the Show, NBA 2k, Madden 17. Until Its In, I stay away. Roster Sharing, give the Community the Tools and they do the work. Team builder where u can edit Goalie masks and Jerseys. U could do that as a DLC.
 
# 10 TDKing @ 03/30/17 11:57 AM
Ability to play shorter seasons!

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk
 
# 11 spoofrice11 @ 03/30/17 01:44 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Splitter77
1. boxscores to view when you click the scores on the calendar
2. some type of NHL tonite highlite show or highlites during games ( like nhl 93)
3. league leaders section
4. ability to edit NHL player names- like the 2k series
5. fantasy draft with all fictional players
6.more injuries during simmed games. Seems like if you look at other teams stats almost every guy is playing at least 75+ games. need more cpu callups due to injuries etc
Definitely some needed things.

I thought I was going to get NHL 17 since I hadn't gotten a Hockey game in a few years, but it felt so limited after playing NBA 2K. Hopefully these guys played that game a little to see all of the options/customization that is possible.

I can create teams with my logos, re-align divisions, click on box scores, player stats, league leaders, history stats, and more that NHL needs.
 
# 12 Mike Lowe @ 04/01/17 12:06 AM
You all are coming up with some terrific suggestions!
 
# 13 RBUDD88 @ 04/01/17 05:20 AM
I think they need to completely redo HUT , I do not know how many times I start in Div 10 with my 1-2 NHL players and the other crap players (I refuse to spend a crazy amount of money on player/players) and I am playing against what seems to be the Helen Kellers of online NHL and I lose. I hate seeing Div 10 guys with Crosby , Ovechkin , Burns , Kessels , etc..... they went and bought their team on day 1 and its unfair for people who are not nerdy and want to actually build their team (which is what the mode is intended for). Once you get into the highers divisions if you have not went out and spent a bunch of money you have no chance. They should incorporate a salary Cap for your team and you build you team with players being a certain amount depending on skill.
 
# 14 Ebpmd @ 04/01/17 08:28 AM
Total rebranding as in NBA 2k
Editable player names as to create classic seasons
Roster sharing!!!
70's era goalie masks, equipment and ability for players to skate without helmets
Ability to create your own goalie mask art work
 
# 15 Popadin @ 04/02/17 05:45 AM
Make online option for it, aka GMC.

It was a great idea but not very well executed. Problem was they havent made any improvements to it in future iterations.

I already messaged them with some ideas for GMC or whatever they want to call it. The mode was great to play in a competitive organized league. I wouldn`t mind if they keep it simple for 18 and improve it each year. Real improvements though. The game mode should be strictly 1vs1 at the beginning, we already have EASHL for more.

1) Faster menu and advances, nothing was more painful then trying to look for player details and it took you 5 minutes to do it. Advances to next rotation were very slow, it would take 2 hours to sim whole season.

2) Sliders. Adjustable both before and after creation of the league.

3) Co commissioners. Sometimes running a league with 30 people in it can become overwhelming, let commissioner appoint couple of people who will help with running the league. They would have all the power of commissioner except they couldn`t kick him or promote other people so we avoid someone taking over the league over night.

4) Player progression needs to change completely. No more guessing which player will jump and which one will stay the same overall even though they have the same potential. Give us player training, doesnt need to be a real training in the beginning just a sim kind of training like in Be a Pro now, so we can select players we want to develop and put that XP where we want. Physical attributes should cost a lot more so we avoid players with 99 speed and 99 strength. Also attributes should cost more as player gets older. Amount of XP you can get from training and games should depend on players potential and potential could change based on players performance. End of season awards should give XP too and they would be the main factor for changing players potential.

5) Team relocation. This one is optional, if its in the game great if its not wouldnt be a problem. One of those things that should be in improvements for future games.

These are just a couple of things that would make this mode a really good mode in my opinion.
 
# 16 badazzleroybrown @ 04/02/17 11:32 AM
the ability to import goalie masks or a tool to create our own and share
the net coming off the moorings
nba 2k has free throw routines how about nhl have shooting styles or celebrations for each player
this game is so robotic
legends should be able to use off line franchise mode, if i need to purchase them in any way i will if i can use
them offline but i will never pay for anything used for online only.

a new faceoff system and the ability to get sticks broken in face offs
 
# 17 actionhank @ 04/02/17 03:32 PM
I would love for the AI to have better trade needs and desires, dynamically based on what they have, how players are performing, and where they're going.

A team with a lot of older players, not a lot of rookies, but still in a playoff spot might try to flip some lower performing UFA's-to-be to improve areas of weakness, or might just stand pat and hold onto their picks and prospects. It might also be nice to have a team's wins in the past affect it. A team like Chicago might be less likely to make any serious moves whereas a franchise like the Blues might make that gamble just to get their first cup.

On the other hand, a younger team that's missing the playoffs, but needs picks and prospects might look to move UFA's, and maximize on players that are having abnormally good years in terms of statistics.

Having stats affect a player's ability to demand better contracts, and return more in a trade would be huge. In the game right now, term and contract cost don't really affect a player's worth. I could still return a great package for a player like Shattenkirk who's got 2 months left on a contract, and is going to get paid afterwards. In real life, he doesn't return the same thing he would in the game.
 
# 18 RicoLaguna @ 04/13/17 11:26 PM
Franchise Mode needs the ability to PLAY ANY GAME from around the league like all other sports games allow. this way when your bored or just want to play some key matchups or all the post season games, you can!

Also, Players and Teams still do not have their own play style and identities that seperate themselves enough...so I think badges, or key attributes are long overdue. PES has them, NBA 2k has them, now MLB the SHow has them!

We need key specialization attributes or badges that seperate the different players so we can see alot more variety on the ice...Every team and every player seem to do the same things. There is not enough variation!
 
# 19 clarkerots @ 04/14/17 01:49 PM
1) Trade deadline/Team Management definitely needs to be worked on. There should be buyers and sellers. They should also bring back the phones. The best features of the phones is that the trade deadline is broken into hours, not days. It was cool to make trades, or see trades, at 10 AM, sim forward, and then you’re at 11AM of the trade deadline. Teams should also manage their rosters better. If you have Carey Price as your goalie, you probably shouldn’t pick up Ben Bishop from free agency.

2) Assistant coaches would be great. I should be able to hire a coach that may affect my special teams, and a goalie coach as well.

3) Full customization of my league. If you play online you have to use online rosters, so why does it matter what I do to MY rosters in MY league. If I want to have a team full of 99 rated players, all named DeWayne Gretzky, let me. Let me change ratings, faces, names, etc. Its MY league.

4) Rarely if at all talked about, a search player feature. If I want to find a player to edit, or move, etc., I’d like to search that player and find them. This prevents me, especially in the minors, from searching team to team in order to edit a player after a roster update.
 
# 20 KomicJ @ 04/15/17 01:20 PM
1) Roster sharing is a must for me to buy the game next year. If I have to go through manually edit every single player in the game by myself again, I'll just do it on NHL 17.

2) The other thing I'll be looking for is...FASTER MENUS ! I have no clue how EA can possibly think that this aspect of the game is on-par with what consumers are right to expect from a current gen title, but personally, I can't take it anymore.

3) Better roster management AI. Right now, it's way to easy to trade an upcoming UFA for a very good return, especially since the trade value for red elite, top-6 forwards or top-4 defenseman are so low. AI needs to take upcoming UFA status into account way more than that, among other things. And I agree with everybody who pointed it out: trade deadline should be an event by itself. So does that All-Star Game.

4) In fact, the whole 'contract' thing needs to be reworked. From players expected salaries (there's no way I should be able to sign Jack Eichel, a 91 medium franchise player in his early 20's, to an 8-year contract extensions for $6.5m) to the whole negociation aspect of the game. Right now, it's way to easy to sign or re-sign players, if you're any good at math. We need to be able to negociate with players during their last year of contract, add clauses (so frequent for UFAs)...and have players actually decide to test free agency and force us to make the best of it, rather than just re-signing with us, every single time.

5) SCOUTING needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. This is not it. It never was, and never will be. Allow us to scout a bunch of specific players, or scout a specific area of his ratings. Let us see players stats, even if they are artificially based on players ratings, rather than actual simulation. And, just like the Trade Deadline, the NHL Entry Draft should feel like an event. Right now, it's rather dull in terms of presentation.

That's my top-5. But there are many other things that EA could (and needs) to do to improve this mode. The ability to check at previous game boxscores, farm club and goaltending management options, coaching and staffing, improvements on team and individual stats (by the way, playing at home SHOULD be an advantage guys, but for some reason, my away record always seems to be better).

And that's just on the franchise management front. But there are many things to improve in the actual game itself, from players positioning and game management in general (never seen that much forecheck on the PK in my entire life), to team and players identity (playing against Chara shouldn't feel like playing against Calvin De Haan). Improved faces, real goalie masks, real coaches, etc...

I've been playing this series for the better part of my 38-year life, and it kills me to see what it has become. Right now, it is YEARS behind what every NHL fans should be expecting at this point.
 

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