NHL 25 Discussion

[Arthur Morgan]

I agree, Be A Pro might start at the outdoor rink – probably a nod to hockey roots. But yeah, you're right, EA won’t make huge changes in one year. Seems like another copy-paste job.

Also, I just can't see EA suddenly overhauling anything without a longer development cycle. As long as people keep buying, they'll stick to what works. We might get small improvements, but I wouldn’t expect any big revolution.

not buying this year I had enough lol

 

[jgimp]

Question regarding roster sharing. Can you edit and create players on a roster that has been downloaded from roster sharing? I don’t feel like creating the 300 or so players that did in NHL22, but would like to know before buy this game (and system since EA decided to f*** us).
Primarily franchise player, sometimes BAP, so is this game worth it.

 

[CharlestownChiefsESC]

Anyone know a shares roster that includes Victor Mancini and Gabe Perreault??

 

[ViD]

Power up icons also don't upgrade outside of the one level which is hilariously underhanded even by EA standards.

You want to keep Joe Thornton for theme team purposes? Oh golly guess you're gonna just have to get the new card we released for him.

I'd be shocked if this turn they took doesn't kill HUT, and by extension the game off entirely.

That’s the FIFA model and I like it more than having a card that keeps getting upgraded to 99.

The TOTY concept in HUT is the dumbest for a mode like that, “just get this type of card and you don’t need to do anything else - it will just get upgraded on its own.

What EA has done is a good way to slow down the progression of the cards when you previously had most of them as 99 by the end of February

 

[Jakk123]

Actually, I'm enjoying the game more than I did last year, but it's still a complete mess. It would be best to pause the yearly releases for a couple of years and do a major overhaul, but that's never going to happen.

There's so much wrong with the game that I don't even know where to begin. The people in charge absolutely don't understand how to make a balanced competetive game, they just keep adding new gimmicks every year.

Maybe it would be best to split the game into two like somene in this thread previously suggested, and have one game focused on competetive modes, with just basic skill stick controls, no unnecessary bullshit on top like the X-Factor abilities, and with focus on trying to simulate real hockey. But that's also never going to happen.

The franchise is in a sad state, and honestly even if EA stops making NHL games, I'm not sure someone else is going to try to fill the void. Hockey just isn't popular enough in a lot of countries.

 

[ManWithNoName]

That’s the FIFA model and I like it more than having a card that keeps getting upgraded to 99.

The TOTY concept in HUT is the dumbest for a mode like that, “just get this type of card and you don’t need to do anything else - it will just get upgraded on its own.

What EA has done is a good way to slow down the progression of the cards when you previously had most of them as 99 by the end of February

We’re not talking about TOTY cards but Icons and X-factors. These are not upgraded automatically and none of them other than DD was at 99 in February.

 

[ManWithNoName]

View attachment 920862

Yeah, I’m the Pejorative Slured one alright. You can’t even communicate by text. Using memes to prove your point just proves you’re either 12 years old or mentally challenged.

Condoms are such a great invention. It’s truly unfortunate that your dad did know how to use them.

 

[the valiant effort]

On superstar with all the CPU AI cranked up to 6 I’m enjoying the offensive zone experience in offline versus

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

The big problem with Franchise mode is that they don't look at how the majority of people play it, which is with heavy simming.

They need to re-evaluate how the mode plays when you sim. I think the way to do it would be to split the season in logical chunks, and have tasks be organized before and after each chunk. Then the result of the tasks sim during the next chunk.

So looking at the Senators current real life schedule, one chunk might be the first 5 games, which were almost all at home and took place over 10 days. The next chunk might be the one week road trip of 3 games.

You sim the first chunk, and then you're given a list of storylines or tasks that you have to deal with. So for example, Ullmark is hurt and Forsberg stinks so your A-GM says you should look for a backup goalie to replace Forsberg and gives you a list of teams with available backup goalies. You can set up all the pro scouting based on which goalies you want to scout during the next chunk. You can also place Forsberg on the block and request trade offers on him. You sim through the next chunk, and your A-GM comes back to you with what the market is on Forsberg, scouting reports for the backup goalies, and what the other GMs are asking.

Basically, all similar features and mechanics that are already in the game, but it changes the mode to where instead of random things interrupting the sim like "HEY DO YOU WANT ME TO GO SCOUT THE WHL OR SOMETHING?" or "THAT TEAM IS CALLING FOR THE 13TH TIME TO SEE IF YOU WANT LUKE SCHENN FOR SOME VARIATION OF A 5th and 6th ROUND PICK", everything would be set up so all that stuff happens at the end of each chunk and you go through it in a linear and strategic fashion.

For anybody who thinks this sounds too radical, the game ALREADY is set up this way, and people already play it this way for the most part. The problem is, there are only 3-4 chunks per season. The entry draft, re-sign, free agency, pre-season, and trade deadline. If you watch how most people who sim play this game, they usually blow through the entire season and only stop at those points, and then at the playoffs.

It could also really help the strategy and dynamic around trades. Trades in real life tend to be ongoing discussions that evolve and change over time. Values are also static based on leverage and how the situations play out. If they had a system where the season was designed into simmable chunks, it would open things up to have more of a fluid trade system where you could shop a player and solicit offers from multiple teams, and either lose or gain leverage depending on how it plays out, just like in real life.

 

[Saskatoon]

The big problem with Franchise mode is that they don't look at how the majority of people play it, which is with heavy simming.

They need to re-evaluate how the mode plays when you sim. I think the way to do it would be to split the season in logical chunks, and have tasks be organized before and after each chunk. Then the result of the tasks sim during the next chunk.

So looking at the Senators current real life schedule, one chunk might be the first 5 games, which were almost all at home and took place over 10 days. The next chunk might be the one week road trip of 3 games.

You sim the first chunk, and then you're given a list of storylines or tasks that you have to deal with. So for example, Ullmark is hurt and Forsberg stinks so your A-GM says you should look for a backup goalie to replace Forsberg and gives you a list of teams with available backup goalies. You can set up all the pro scouting based on which goalies you want to scout during the next chunk. You can also place Forsberg on the block and request trade offers on him. You sim through the next chunk, and your A-GM comes back to you with what the market is on Forsberg, scouting reports for the backup goalies, and what the other GMs are asking.

Basically, all similar features and mechanics that are already in the game, but it changes the mode to where instead of random things interrupting the sim like "HEY DO YOU WANT ME TO GO SCOUT THE WHL OR SOMETHING?" or "THAT TEAM IS CALLING FOR THE 13TH TIME TO SEE IF YOU WANT LUKE SCHENN FOR SOME VARIATION OF A 5th and 6th ROUND PICK", everything would be set up so all that stuff happens at the end of each chunk and you go through it in a linear and strategic fashion.

For anybody who thinks this sounds too radical, the game ALREADY is set up this way, and people already play it this way for the most part. The problem is, there are only 3-4 chunks per season. The entry draft, re-sign, free agency, pre-season, and trade deadline. If you watch how most people who sim play this game, they usually blow through the entire season and only stop at those points, and then at the playoffs.

It could also really help the strategy and dynamic around trades. Trades in real life tend to be ongoing discussions that evolve and change over time. Values are also static based on leverage and how the situations play out. If they had a system where the season was designed into simmable chunks, it would open things up to have more of a fluid trade system where you could shop a player and solicit offers from multiple teams, and either lose or gain leverage depending on how it plays out, just like in real life.

I have been saying for awhile they almost need a trade mini-game. They could even use the framework of player conversations to have with other GMs. I am interested in Player A, what are you interested in from me? Have it take a few days for the other team to get back to you. And to get a good deal if takes a long time with lots of back and forth. Like if you offer Connor Bedard for a 7th round pick the AI takes it right away but for a good trade it is lots of negotiating. Heck you could make pro scouting more useful because you could scout the players the AI is offering.

Then keep the trade deadline and draft structure for quick trades at that time of the year.

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

I have been saying for awhile they almost need a trade mini-game. They could even use the framework of player conversations to have with other GMs. I am interested in Player A, what are you interested in from me? Have it take a few days for the other team to get back to you. And to get a good deal if takes a long time with lots of back and forth. Like if you offer Connor Bedard for a 7th round pick the AI takes it right away but for a good trade it is lots of negotiating. Heck you could make pro scouting more useful because you could scout the players the AI is offering.

Then keep the trade deadline and draft structure for quick trades at that time of the year.

Ultimately I think that the structure they have for GM mode doesn't lend itself to the actual real life mechanics of how things progress in the season. They have all these different features and they are completely disconnected from how most people play the game, which is they sim between 4 different key points in the season that EA has created almost like a stop sign telling you that you need to stop simming (draft, re-sign, fa, pre-season, TDL), etc.

So while trades could have mini-game mechanics, I don't think that's a pure solution. If I want to trade my superstar for a big package of picks and prospects, it should be something that evolves over weeks or months and the game mechanics should deliver options or choices that have actual consequences to how it plays out.

The actual game mechanics are mostly disconnected from simming and they expect you to come up with your own way to incorporate them. Which is both good and bad, but the game would be more immersive if they chunked out the sims and directly engaged you in the elements.

 

[kanucks25]

Anybody know what to do in Franchise mode this year? For those that sim only, don't actually play.

In previous years it didn't seem difficult to win the Cup every handful of seasons at least, while winning the President's Trophy pretty much every season.

In NHL 25 I can just barely make the playoffs, sometimes miss, and if I do make it I'm out in round 1.

And the better my team gets on paper, the worse it performs lol. My top-6 forward and top-4 D are all like 88+ overall with +3 or +5 chemistry yet the team always sucks lol. I had a better record while trying to rebuild with misfit 82-84 overalls all over my lineup.

I read that apparently the Poise stat is really important and you should have 80+ for all players. I took a look and my team average is like 85 so that can't be it either.

Any ideas?

Okay so for anyone curious, I did end up figuring it out a bit.

I read somewhere that trades can mess up team chemistry and that seemed to do the trick for me. Once I stopped tinkering and ran the virtually the same roster and coach for a couple seasons, the team took off. Note that this is separate from the actual Team Chemistry rating that is shown in game, which was always listed as "Poor" for me for all 25 seasons even when I was winning Cups lol.

Earlier on I was trading left and right whenever a player wasn't performing and it seemed like the more I traded the worse my record got regardless of how good the roster was on paper. Even having high +3 or +5 chemistry on lines doesn't seem to matter as much anymore.

Another thing is stacking the team doesn't matter at all. Better to have 82 or 83 overall guys on your third line so they are playing their listed role instead of having 90 overalls composing your entire top 9.

Lastly, most players won't grow unless you increase their role overtime. So if you have a top elite prospect, you can start him on the 4th line but he'll always be stuck in the low 80's until you move him up to the 3rd then the 2nd then the 1st (can be over multiple seasons).

(to be clear, this is for full sim only, I don't play any games)