Anyone still playing ESPN NHL 2k5 franchise/season ?

James_E · Post by **James_E** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 10:33 pm

LOL! "Ads by Google", gives me the following ads below(due to Grog being from Saskatoon and having that fact part of his profile in every post.)

Good job Grog. Way to promote the local business. Not sure why anyone wants to go to Saskatoon though.. what exactly is there? (I used to live in Yorkton, when I was a wee lad, btw.)

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Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:19 am

Diablo25 wrote:I've been playing ESPN 2K series since it came out and these settings/rosters gave me the best game ever.

Yeah. I have tried other "simulation"-type sliders and they have always felt too slow or that it was almost impossible to get shots on goal. I like these. The speed seems perfect and the shots on goal are spot on without being forced too low. The other major problem with other slider sets is game variety. It seemed like almost every game was a one goal game (usually 2-1 or 3-2). I've had incredible variety with these so far. Not only have I had final score variety, but I also have variety in the way the games play out.

GROGtheNailer · Post by **GROGtheNailer** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 3:06 am

Yeah Leebo33, I find there is a big variety in goals and the way they play too.

And Jame_E...you can also find this in Saskatoon:

http://saskatchewan.worldweb.com/Photos ... -1449.html

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 1:56 pm

After 1 period of these settings, I was very disappointed. I started a franchise with the Ducks and went to St. Louis for game 1. In the first 10 minutes of play, I put in 3 goals. One bounced off the goalie's chest and trickled in, then two one timers where the CPU seemed unable to cover the slot to save its life. I figured I was going to win 10-0 and completely dominate them.

I never scored again though.

By the end of the game, I was VERY pleased...I was missing passes left and right, losing control of the puck. I couldn't just knock everybody over. I had to cycle it and get some offense going. The speed was nice, and forcing my 4th line onto the ice a lot was really changing my strategy. The Ducks are basically a 1-line team, so it makes it even tighter when you can't score for long runs at a time. Funny part is, all 3 of my goals came off of other lines though.

In the end, I outshot St. Louis 29-26 and won the game 3-0. Power plays felt like power plays, and penalty kills were nailbiters. I love the sliders, thanks Grog. Only thing I'm going to do is turn off fighting, because to me it's a waste to have it in the game.

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 6:54 pm

I sure had a weird first go at these sliders... Rangers (me) 11, Canadiens 1, and I outshot them 37 to 19. I kept going back into the menus and checking to see if I had the sliders right, but I did.

Very strange.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 10:42 pm

Grog, PK
Are you guys finding the wrap around money. When you get a chance to do a wrap around, I score all the time. I had to completely shut that down as it was too effective.

Also I moved the offense sliders up to I think 12, it was getting too easy to win. Although I wonder if I had it on Pro not all-pro. I'm almost positive I had it on all-pro but you never know.

GROGtheNailer · Post by **GROGtheNailer** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 11:52 pm

I find the cpu very competitive. I currently use the offense slider for both cpu and human on " 8 clicks". Make sure the settings were on all-star because pro doesnt do it. The wrap around on all-star is much harder to do.

Slumberland, don't know what to say, i've never had a game even remotely close to that score and i've played 30-40 games with these settings. Move the goalie slider back to default then? Make sure you are on all-star?

Yeah, TCrouch, the fighting I like to do but the wrong players are doing it. The roster attribute of fighting ( never, rare, sometimes and often...like EA has) is more realistic in this regard.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:09 am

The most goals I've scored with these sliders is 6 and one of those was an empty net when the CPU really shouldn't have even bothered pulling the goalie. I am averaging 3.25 goals a game with the Penguins overall, which is probably a tad too high. I'm thinking about moving the goalie slider up to 4, but I'll have to move mine up too as I am giving up a lot of goals.

My biggest problem with the game is the same problem that I've always had with hockey games. I can't get realistic stats. I only get about 1 or 2 power plays a game for each team with these sliders and Rico Fata is flat out unstoppable while Lemieux and Recchi have one each. Luckily, I can throw out statistical realism in hockey games and just have fun with it.

GROGtheNailer · Post by **GROGtheNailer** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:37 am

With the pens it should be about 2.2 - 2.5 goals per game perhaps? Off about half a point or so. If going to raise goalie slider try one click at a time.

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:56 am

Yeah, I'm not blaming the sliders... I'm wondering if I've changed settings so many times that my settings file is all verruckt or something. I'll start from scratch.

GROGtheNailer · Post by **GROGtheNailer** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 2:15 am

Well, let me know, i'm curious to see if they were what i posted. One thing to consider, or I guess for me to consider is that I tested most of the sliders with the Oilers, not the best team in the league for sure

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 1:39 am

I checked my sliders, and I had them all entered correctly, but I still reset and entered them again, to make sure. World of difference, for some reason. Lost 3-2, 4-0, then tied 5-5. That first game must have been a fluke. I have a nasty habit of giving up own goals or just flubbing with the goalie with the advanced control setup, though. Still, these sliders are making me up my game. I've had more equitable shot totals with each passing contest.

HOWEVER... I was rolling along with my Rangers dynasty, totally unaware that there was anything like an injury bug, then I learn about it via the CH 2K5 problems, and for the first time tonight, my game freezes up as I try to advance the schedule. Rebooting didn't help.

(crane shot from above, pulling away from me as I scream to the heavens) DAMN YOU SEGAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

GROGtheNailer · Post by **GROGtheNailer** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 1:46 am

Hehe, I feel your pain brother, has happened to me as well

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 8:58 am

Slumberland, I think I've experienced that same problem, where changing settings does nothing. Maybe I need to start over with mine as well, because even maxed out, the puck and ice friction offline vs. online is completely different for me.

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 11:20 am

Yeah, these sliders are great. I'm actually playing something resembling real hockey now. Finally squeaked out a couple wins, 3-2 and 2-1... and I mean SQUEAKED.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 11:23 am

Slumber:

I'm glad you had the 11-1 win in your first game, as that game shows the beauty of these sliders as much as your squeaker 3-2 victories.

These sliders produce real hockey, as real as it's ever been in a video game, yet the outcomes are very unpredictable and very fun. You will get the occasional blowout, just as is reality in the NHL -- well, when the NHL is on the ice, that is.

Take care,
PK

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 11:41 am

One of the benefits of the hockey lockout is that they are showing "classic" games on FSP. Last night they showed a 1991 playoff game between Pittsburgh and Washington that ended in a 7-6 win in OT for the Penguins. What a difference 13 years makes! The Penguins had Lemieux, Recchi, Jagr, Kevin Stephens, Ron Francis, Joe Mullen, Bryan Trottier, Paul Coffey, and Larry Murphy. Not to mention a couple of other 20 goal scorers in Errey and Phil Bourque. It seemed like someone messed with the sliders and put the speed up to max.

Diablo25 · Post by **Diablo25** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 4:08 pm

Great game last night! TB had me by 2 goals with 2 min. left and I tied it it with 36 seconds left! Last goal was with the goalie pulled! Awesome. I lost Roenick to a season ending injury in week 1. I signed Lindros to replace him

One year deal and he's playing very well. Scored the game winner in OT last night. Bobby Clark would kill me

I can't believe how much better the game plays with edited rosters/goalies and Grog's sliders. If you lay back a little bit the CPU gashes you. Goal variety is better than ever. I'm 2-2-1 so far. Worked my ass off for both wins too.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Sun Dec 12, 2004 12:53 am

I'm 10 games in to my franchise now with the Pens. I'm 4-5-1 and I've scored 27 and given up 26. The only change I made was upping the CPU goalie 2 clicks. Rico Fata has cooled down and hasn't scored in a long time. I've scored about every way possible. I had a very very sweet shorthanded goal with Recchi tonight.

GROGtheNailer · Post by **GROGtheNailer** » Sun Dec 12, 2004 6:11 pm

Updated these settings as of today Dec.12 2004

The symbol * equals a setting change

I took leebo's suggestion (he upped cpu goalie by two clicks)

I also added one click to pass speed for human ( at 7 now) and left cpu's at 6

Offense and defense sliders are now even

NOTE I need a couple of you to try this before I make the change...if you have time. Do the above changes and then move both cpu and human retention sliders to 8 (default). Play a few games and let me know what you thought, if you could.

GROGtheNailer · Post by **GROGtheNailer** » Sun Dec 12, 2004 7:37 pm

Let me know if retention moved to default for both added some more dimension to the game or not. Do the other changes for sure but I havent decided on moving retention sliders to default until tested a little more.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sun Dec 12, 2004 8:28 pm

Improve the CPU goalie!?! Is it possible to score negative goals?

Strangely, since using these settings, I have hit the post at least 2, 3 times a game...only wish I could put a couple of those in the net.