NHL 08 Impressions

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:38 pm

Just hope they popularize the concept of OTP for all other sports games.

NBA Live might actually have sold more copies in the US and FIFA might hae sold more globally.

They all have OTP so maybe other EA Sports games and other sports games (if they release any), will copy the idea.

ddtrane · Post by **ddtrane** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:47 pm

wco81 wrote:Just hope they popularize the concept of OTP for all other sports games.

NBA Live might actually have sold more copies in the US and FIFA might hae sold more globally.

They all have OTP so maybe other EA Sports games and other sports games (if they release any), will copy the idea.

How would OTP be incorporated into Madden/Ncaa?

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:57 pm

May not work that well with Madden/NCAA as with hoops, hockey and soccer games.

I've played older versions of Madden with multitap and it was harder to pass to a human-controlled WR for instance because it tried to lead the WR but the human player didn't keep him on a steady trajectory.

Often it was better to just sit down in a zone.

You could do interesting things with a human partner doing blocking on run plays. Madden did try to implement those lead blocking animations one year but they didn't really work that well.

It would be cool if they added not just OTP but developed moves/animations which would be activated by human-controlled players, like one defender trying to stand up a ball carrier while a second one came into try to strip.

Or two humans could bracket a WR better than the standard double-coverage in the EA football games, which is kind of stupid with both defenders often ending up trailing the WR.

The point is, when you make good plays with human teammates, it would be fun because it's either harder to do than with just one human controlling a team or you are able to do things better than the AI-controlled players.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:15 am

I was luke warm to this game when it came out, due to the difficulty, but I would put this game up against The Show ANYDAY. I'm amazed at how good this game is, especially on a 46" Bravia. It looks spectacular and plays even better.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:47 am

Pretty smooth online play with 4 consoles online.

Nuff said.

Now more than 4 players, the drops seem more frequent on the PS3 version at least.

Clean that up, get stat tracking for OTP games (even if they're not ranked) for 2009.

Actually the stats they email you are all team stats and they're clearly wrong. If the game is 2-1, they report it as 4-2 for some reason.

But get user-stats across all OTP games and you will get even more enthusiasm for OTP, which is the best feature they've implemented.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 2:25 am

The latest roster really fixes some things gameplay related. Just played against my neighbor, he was Pittsburgh, I was Buffalo and it was the greatest game I think I've ever played in a console sports game against someone else... WOW!

I don't know what EA does when they tweak the rosters, but the game is MUCH tighter defensively. I beat him 1-0 and I know that's out of the norm for those two teams, but that's what made it so great. The game was just a rare defensive game and nothing felt cheap. I love this game!

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:17 pm

i sat down last night to set up the 07-08 playoffs....

I CAN'T....it isn't in the game!

WHAT THE f***?

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:41 pm

Sudz wrote:i sat down last night to set up the 07-08 playoffs....

I CAN'T....it isn't in the game!

WHAT THE f***?

Yep can't set up playoffs. Actually a lot of games are taking this feature out.

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:21 pm

Games don't do this anymore, esp. next gen systems.

Got back to playing this online and it's still a great game. I don't think nhl09 will be able to top this, since history shows us games like these only come around every 5 years.

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:12 pm

are you guys doing NHL Playoffs online this year for this game? I've been online all week playing random guys but pairing up first round matches and it's been great.

I hope EA doesn't make a NHL09. Just keep NHL08, and release roster updates for it the next 2 years. This game is THAT perfect.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:59 pm

I love NHL 08.. but there is still room for improvement and I have FULL confidence in EA Canada. NHL 07 was stellar and 08 followed suit.

If you follow Brinkman's logic.. year 3 should be the best.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 6:32 pm

MizzouRah wrote:I love NHL 08.. but there is still room for improvement and I have FULL confidence in EA Canada. NHL 07 was stellar and 08 followed suit.

If you follow Brinkman's logic.. year 3 should be the best.

Well to me this year's NHL was a lot like MVP 04, getting there but not quite there.

Defense was/is too laid back. I would like to see in a hockey game where getting in the way either with a body or positioning does something.

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 7:13 pm

JRod wrote:
MizzouRah wrote:I love NHL 08.. but there is still room for improvement and I have FULL confidence in EA Canada. NHL 07 was stellar and 08 followed suit.

If you follow Brinkman's logic.. year 3 should be the best.
Well to me this year's NHL was a lot like MVP 04, getting there but not quite there.

Defense was/is too laid back. I would like to see in a hockey game where getting in the way either with a body or positioning does something.

Ya but what's the fun in that? NHL2k does that better and who plays that boring game. NHL 08 is special because it's a next gen game that plays like an old school game.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:56 pm

I would agree with JROD, the defense needs something. It's VERY rare for me to have a 1-0 game.

BUT.. since the game is so good, maybe they can tweak some things here and there and then focus on presentation, announcing, etc.. I still would like to see highlights from other games in between periods and stuff like that.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 8:21 am

I think NHL08 is a great game (in an age of ADD quite a few of us are still playing it!!), but here's my wish list in no particular order. If they made these changes, I don't think I'd play anything else from September until May!:

1. Period lengths in minute increments so I could choose 8 min. periods.
2. More penalties and more penalty variety. How about an occassional 5 minute major, matching minors, double minor, etc?
3. Blatantly rip-off the NHL 2K8 faceoff system
4. More intuitive and tighter defensive controls
5. Season mode outside of dynasty
6. Ability to edit player ratings
7. I doubt we'll get it and it's not as critical in hockey games, but how about in game saves?
8. It took me 30 or 40 games of losing on All-Star to finally be able to win half the time. The game could use a difficulty level between Pro and All-Star.
9. Less pucks going out of play.

WillHunting · Post by **WillHunting** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 9:48 am

10. less puck hitting the crossbar

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:09 am

Good suggestions guys.

11. More plays along the board.
12. Bring back 6 on 6 OTP.
13. More frequent rosters update.

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 11:24 am

10spro wrote:Good suggestions guys.

11. More plays along the board.
12. Bring back 6 on 6 OTP.
13. More frequent rosters update.

They update quite a lot 3 in the last month even.
How many other games are doing that this late after release?
(actual question not facetious.)

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 11:45 am

Jimmydeicide wrote:
10spro wrote:Good suggestions guys.

11. More plays along the board.
12. Bring back 6 on 6 OTP.
13. More frequent rosters update.
They update quite a lot 3 in the last month even.
How many other games are doing that this late after release?
(actual question not facetious.)

Yeah, EA did their homework for the past month, but what I am saying is that there shouldn't be such a gap between opening rosters and say trade deadline when only one or two rosters happens in between. You always have rookies stepping in, injuries, players retiring, so I would be happy with an update per month. Ideally I would follow Sony's example with MLB 08 but that's just wishful thinking.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 11:46 am

For OTP games:

1. Give creator of session the ability to start game at any time, instead of waiting if someone enters the room but won't click in "Ready."

2. Give captains ability to boot certain players from team, not just at the Side Select screen but also at the position select screen. So that you're not forced to play with human goalie.

3. Either stat-tracking including user stats in OTP games or make OTP games ranked so you can get cumulative stats for all the OTP games you play.

4. Give users ability to switch positions during games. For instance, if someone picked goalie, they can switch off.

5. Support for text chat when Paused. Support for keyboard.

6. Show colors and ranking of opposing players.

7. Give captain or the whole team the ability to boot or vote off certain teammates.

8. Give offensive players the same boost as defenders who can warp to check the offensive player handling the puck.

9. Include OTP to Online Leagues, with User Stats.

10. Another thing would be when you pass the puck up to a forward, it shouldn't auto-switch you to a forward right away, often off-screen. You end up with a lot of offsides because players don't expect to be switched to a player near the blue line.[/b]

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:17 pm

Leebo33 wrote:I think NHL08 is a great game (in an age of ADD quite a few of us are still playing it!!), but here's my wish list in no particular order. If they made these changes, I don't think I'd play anything else from September until May!:

1. Period lengths in minute increments so I could choose 8 min. periods.
2. More penalties and more penalty variety. How about an occassional 5 minute major, matching minors, double minor, etc?
3. Blatantly rip-off the NHL 2K8 faceoff system
4. More intuitive and tighter defensive controls
5. Season mode outside of dynasty
6. Ability to edit player ratings
7. I doubt we'll get it and it's not as critical in hockey games, but how about in game saves?
8. It took me 30 or 40 games of losing on All-Star to finally be able to win half the time. The game could use a difficulty level between Pro and All-Star.
9. Less pucks going out of play.

Excellent list!

Diablo25 · Post by **Diablo25** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:28 pm

4. More intuitive and tighter defensive controls

My #1.

Also, I loved the pinning options in 2K7...rip that off too!

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 1:25 pm

Inuyasha wrote:
JRod wrote:
MizzouRah wrote:I love NHL 08.. but there is still room for improvement and I have FULL confidence in EA Canada. NHL 07 was stellar and 08 followed suit.

If you follow Brinkman's logic.. year 3 should be the best.
Well to me this year's NHL was a lot like MVP 04, getting there but not quite there.

Defense was/is too laid back. I would like to see in a hockey game where getting in the way either with a body or positioning does something.
Ya but what's the fun in that? NHL2k does that better and who plays that boring game. NHL 08 is special because it's a next gen game that plays like an old school game.

Did I say like 2K.

First off, this game's AI is pretty questionable if you ask me. I can play on the higher levels and march into the zone and fire good shots and bad shots and have the same level of success. The game in a way is exactly like the old FIFAs, the AI decides when you can score or not.

As for the defensive controls, what hockey games need is like mo-capped and more organic animations in defense. I would love to see the ability for the human to "get in the way" and have the CPU forced to cycle the puck. This happens but they still take too many shots that you would see in the NHL.

The reason why this game is fun is a lot like WE, they just concentrate the game into the offensive side of things. Does it need to become bogged down with all the real hockey stuff? No but right now the game feels very canned to me and not organic outside from the controls.

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 5:30 pm

Since the playoffs are on, Ive been jonseing to play some hockey. I have 2k8 sitting right here, but as time has gone on, I was more and more annoyed by the fact I had no point play, because the AI body checks them before they can do anything, the AI's offensive zone work sucks, their breakaway logic is like Georges Laraques, and the "hesitation slapshots" annoy the heck out of me. Oh, and the Franchise AI that trades superstars multiple times a season annoys me too.

I've been playing the NHL08 demo again, having re-gotten it. I've been tempted to trade in 2k8 and try to get NHL08 on the cheap.

I just need to figure out why I want to get a new hockey game when it's 24 C outside and the sun is shining....

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 5:37 pm

Gangrel wrote:Since the playoffs are on, Ive been jonseing to play some hockey. I have 2k8 sitting right here, but as time has gone on, I was more and more annoyed by the fact I had no point play, because the AI body checks them before they can do anything, the AI's offensive zone work sucks, their breakaway logic is like Georges Laraques, and the "hesitation slapshots" annoy the heck out of me. Oh, and the Franchise AI that trades superstars multiple times a season annoys me too.

I've been playing the NHL08 demo again, having re-gotten it. I've been tempted to trade in 2k8 and try to get NHL08 on the cheap.

I just need to figure out why I want to get a new hockey game when it's 24 C outside and the sun is shining....

Let us know when you get it. We can play some playoff hockey online.