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The net is a rock? (And other oversights)
Topic Started: Jul 13 2017, 08:18 AM (377 Views)
acbarra
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Good morning from Spain! My name is Hugo and first of all to thank the tireless work that is done here to have this great game as it deserves.

But nothing is perfect, and having played all versions of NHL for PC I have realized that the saga is a kind of roller coaster in which whenever you add something positive to the saga, you lose something else along the way , Especially in the visual theme.

I am going to present several examples (always the PC version), but perhaps the one that surprised me the most is that the nets in NHL 2004 never move no matter what the shot we make. Or I am blind, but the net of the goals do not flinch, which in previous NHL if they had animation.

Other examples of the saga is that for example regarding the 2004 version, in 2005 we lost the public 2d of the upper stages of the stadium and realism in the deterioration of the ice rink as the minutes pass.

In NHL 06 the ice rink looks spectacular with a more gray and reflective tone, but then you see a real match and does not correspond much with the lighting that should have. We return to recover the 2d public in the upper tiers but of worse quality than the one of 2004.

In NHL 07, 08 and 09 we lost the flashes of the cameras during the presentation of the game and the goals. NHL 06 if he included them.

In NHL 2005 to 09 we lost the reflection of the players passing near the crystals that did include the 2004 version. In 2005 and 06 the type of reflection varies in the crystals and for 07, 08 and 09 we no longer appreciate any type of reflection.

In NHL 2000 with regard to 98 and 99, we lose the animation of the players while waiting for a faceoff to be made or any kind of serve.

NHL 97 loses a lot of realistic reflections on the ice compared to the version of 96.

NHL 2005 to 09 lose the dynamical animation of the 3D public version 2004 (applause, make the wave, etc ...)

NHL 2005 to 09 lose the dynamic animation of the 3D public version 2004 (applause, make the wave, etc ...)

In NHL 2004 the lighting I consider worse than previous and later versions, too much light of the lights and in all matches are the same types of foci. From 06 to 09 according to the equipment that we choose your stadium will have different arrangements of lights.

In NHL 2005 we recovered the lasers that reflect the moving shield of the equipment (present since version 99 and lost in 2004), but they stop moving in later versions.

Said this sure that someone has found more of these contradictions in the saga so I encourage you to share them;) Curious that in each version of the game should always be added, and that is not so.

It could be said that the most spectacular version of the saga may be the 2002 in terms of the presentation and setting of the parties. Another thing would be the theme of the gameplay that usually has been improving version to version. Here above all I want to focus on visual oversights.

In my personal opinion, the best versions in terms of gameplay have been 98, 2002, 2004, 06 and 08 (curiously all are pairs, considering the odd versions as versions 1.5 somewhat improved from the previous but without providing great news. These last three are the ones I still play today under Windows 8.1). The 09 seems a very poor copy of the 08 without bringing anything new, with a very quiet menus and an annoying bug that causes that whenever I start the game I have to redefine the keyboard keys when I use it, so that's why I stayed in The 08 that I think is much more cared for and polished than the 09.

Regards
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trent
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Good observations. EA has a long tradition of losing features that fans loved. Zamboni for example... or the national anthems, etc.

In my opinion, there's no other PC hockey game that comes even close to NHL 04, gameplay wise. And that's all what matters, really.... in the long run anyway. NHL04 gameplay, season mode versatility, super balanced CPU comeback logic, season team slumps, etc... they're unmatched in any sports games. On top of that the manager-game level statistics and features we've managed to add... it's like comparing Mercedes or Bentley top models to cheap Korean cars. The gap is huge. They should not be even discussed in the same sentence. :D

Console version of NHL 08 was quite as good though.
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bigrowdy
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Didn't EA hire a 3rd party to make 2004? I think they must have. 2004 is too complete...well with the great modders of rebuilt. This breaks EA's marketing plan. EA removes features if they add features. The goal is to NEVER make a perfect game. Add a new feature every year to entice more sales...but they remove something or break something to keep it from being complete. I know I am preaching to the choir here but I can never say it enough. I am a computer sports junkie. I have watched thousands of cpu vs cpu seasons of various sports games. NO other cspg even comes close to rebuilt as far realism, AI, and just sheer excitement.

An example, I just finished a season match (1996-1997 mod ) Here's what happened. Date: Jan. 2, 1997.

Background Philadelphia: The Broad Street bullies are second in the East pounding, intimidating, and checking their opponents into submission. The triple threat of LeClair, Lindross, and Renberg with Brindy contributing also seats them number 5 in the league in Goals scored. Only the pristine Canadians are better overall in the East. Philly comes roaring into Calgary 100% Healthy and riding a 4 game winning streak.

Background Calgary: The flames have been on and off the entire season. However December saw two significant winning streaks, and found them rising through the middle ranks in the West to 5th place. Unfortunately, Tommy Albelein suffered a shoulder injury on a collision with Scott Stevens of the Devils a week ago. s 6'2" Corey O' Sullivan took his spot to try and match-up size wise with the Brutes of Phili. McInnis is also out with ankle problems.

The Game: 1st Period....As predicted The Raw Power of the Flyers proves dominate and the flames are struggling to just get the puck out of their own end. Kidd is peppered with shots to the tune of 18! 4 of which found their mark... Calgary manages only 8 shots all of which are blanked by Fuhr. The Home fans of Calgary are booing, The Flames are shaken, The Flyers confident, and The announcers are saying "put a fork in Kidd he is done." ....Kidd remains....

2nd period... With a four goal lead Phili is not relentless in their attack as they were in the first period. The d, and weak side forward are hanging further toward the blue line preventing break away passes and falling back easily to defend their goal if necessary and most importantly, setting up board checks. They are actually laughing with each hit. Tempers rise.... Kordic puts Hulse on his back! Gloom and doom for Calgary. They do manage to double their shot count, but most are ranged shots from Iginla or Stiillman with no passing. Fleury is playing hard but cant connect on his passes to Ganger or Iginla or the d. score end of second.. Flyers 4 Flames 0

3rd period... Phili swags onto the ice in complete control. Again they control Calgary's end of the ice
peppering shots from every angle. But this time things are different, Kidd Stops them all in some of the best display of goal-tending yet seen. A hold your breath moment at 15:45 as Fleury cuts across the center of the ice in the Flyers zone with his head down. Lindross is right in his path but Fluery never sees him. Fluery is sent flying in one direction, his helmet in another. The tiny Fleury colliding with the giant Lindross has all fearing the worst. And this is when it happened......
Amissed pass to Therien results in the puck dribbling to the red line. Therien is almost on it...Like a streak of white lightning Fleury, helmetless, scoops up the loose puck at full speed...break away..there is no one within twenty feet...shot at hextall..blocked rebound right to Fleury...HE SCORES! 4-1. 15:02 remaining. A surge comes over the Flames...passing around or dekeing around the Flyers results in 4, 5 shots...Goal!..Fleury to Ganger. 4-2. *:04 LIP.

Flyers penalty.... Flames PP goal 4-3 2:06 LIP.
Everyone is standing, screaming, could they do it?
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trent
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You nailed it man. There's no other feeling as good as playing a v2 season.

What I especially love in the season is to go and check the other game results and stats. It's so amazing to follow how the season is going for the other teams. Those detailed game summaries are amazing. When there's Hawks-Leafs you can go and see if Domi and Probert had a fight, etc. You can't do that in NHL17 for Christ's sakes!!!!!
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bigrowdy
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trent,13 July 2017
2:59 PM
You nailed it man. There's no other feeling as good as playing a v2 season.

What I especially love in the season is to go and check the other game results and stats. It's so amazing to follow how the season is going for the other teams. Those detailed game summaries are amazing. When there's Hawks-Leafs you can go and see if Domi and Probert had a fight, etc. You can't do that in NHL17 for Christ's sakes!!!!!

I do more than that my good man...I watch them ALL... lol. I don't have a life in the summer.
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bigrowdy
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I will say that I do go back and look at the box scores of past games from time to time, and it brings back the memories of those games. I also have created charts and stuff for randomization as I am a sim only type guy......

Randomizers

General Role: doubles = reset ALL both clubs then number application
1 - 2 nutin
3 reset all/autofill
4 strategy only
5 roster only
6 all

Strategy

1-2 nutin
3 reset 3+ injuries = my best lines
4 pressure only 5-6 change
5 line strat where 5-6 change
6 all where 5-6 is change

Roster
General role
1-2 nutin
3 reset/random fill
4 my best lines
5 best lines -- (if injuries, otherwise go to 4)
6 individual 6 roles each position
Flu
1-2 nutin 3-6 out -3 line 1 -2 line 2 -1 line 3
6 roles Flu2 speacial teams down 2 much drop=out
1 nutin 1 nutin st 1-2 nutin
2-3 line change in position 2-3 dwn 1 lines 3-5 dwn 1
4 position change in category 4 down 2 lines 6 out
5 position change any 5 down 3 lines
6 out 6 out
+1 cold streak/injury hot streak


LOL...like I said ..no life...and I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT.
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bigrowdy
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trent,13 July 2017
2:59 PM
You nailed it man. There's no other feeling as good as playing a v2 season.

What I especially love in the season is to go and check the other game results and stats. It's so amazing to follow how the season is going for the other teams. Those detailed game summaries are amazing. When there's Hawks-Leafs you can go and see if Domi and Probert had a fight, etc. You can't do that in NHL17 for Christ's sakes!!!!!

This is THE GAME for people like us. Stats, history...living the life of the NHL. I love everything...Calender, Game- preview..all of it....stats galore...I only miss the season vs. lifetime stats on the player pics from the past games...but it is easily available elsewhere

Ok Time for another game....cheers all.
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trent
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bigrowdy,13 July 2017
3:19 PM
.I only miss the season vs. lifetime stats on the player pics from the past games...but it is easily available elsewhere

Ok Time for another game....cheers all.

Those COULD be done in NHLView. But it's a HUGE job. It'd require to calculate each players' career totals before each season. I'm not feeling like I have the time and energy for such work. :D
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My Blues 1998-1999 Season Report
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Handyy
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trent,13 July 2017
5:59 PM
Those COULD be done in NHLView. But it's a HUGE job. It'd require to calculate each players' career totals before each season. I'm not feeling like I have the time and energy for such work. :D

It's not necessarily a huge job, get CSV data from example hockey-reference.com, create batch file for DBwrite and automate the whole job. The only thing that needs manual work is to match player ID's for stats data.

I have been updating stats for our league and after a season it takes few hours of work to update 900 players/goalies history stats. DBwrite isn't perfect as it only updates one cell at a time, so a batch file can be 200 000 lines long, but it works nevertheless.
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acbarra
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I add more oversights of the saga:

- The net of the goal in NHL 2005 is not animated either.

- NHL 2000 is the first version that includes the bottle on the net of the goal.

- From NHL 06 to 09, we lose the brightness of the referee's helmet (neither does NHL 2000 include it) and the effect of splashing the ice when skating.

- In NHL 2001 and 2003 we lost sight of the flash of the stadium foci.

And as a curiosity some of his conversions to PSX:

- NHL 99 is the only game in the series that shows the texture of the blades on the ice (the rest is white).

- The puck in all versions except NHL 98, is oversized having a size similar to the heads of the players.

- NHL 97 is the only game in the series that shows the reflection of the billboards on the ice (the rest is a gray shadow).

It looks like EA never gets the perfect game. Of the FIFA saga could also get a good handful of such oversights (intentional or not).
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