The 2008-2009 NHL Video Games Thread

[AntiLeaf33 0]

Dumb question: How long did it take most of you to get used to the right analog stick shooting mechanic? I'm kind of getting the hang of it, but I really suck when it comes to trying to pull off a deke. Thank God for practice mode.

 

Like Fazzle, it probably took me about a dozen games as well. I remember coming home with '07 and thinking how awful it was the first few games. Then once you're used to it, how did we play with the d-pad for so many years? The skill stick is much better.

 

Oh yeah, I agree the skill stick is far better, I'm rust at hockey games in general. I haven't played a NHL game since 05 I think. I'm firing a lot of bad shots on goal just so I can get used to the shooting mechanic. Dekeing is still something I can't quite master yet (I tend to shoot too early) but it should come with time.

[Red Baron 0]

So after five games so far, my defenceman has one goal, two assists, but his +/- is a -4 because Marc Denis is horrible. It pissed me off the last game because I was on the ice for the game winning goal as Fata from San Antonio scored from centre ice. Blame me because Marc Denis is horrible. Fuck you coach.

[A Happy Medium 0]

I'm nearing the end of my first regular season with the Dallas Stars. I am a defensive defenseman and I'm chasing the Calder. I have a few more games to play and then it's time for the playoffs.

 

One thing that bothers me is that I'm not playing with Zubov. I can play the left side, coach!

 

My stats are as follows...

 

71 GP 10 G 37 A 47 P 113 PIM 20 +/-

 

and about 400 hits...

 

I recommend playing defense...it's fun and you hit people.

[AntiLeaf33 0]

So after five games so far, my defenceman has one goal, two assists, but his +/- is a -4 because Marc Denis is horrible. It pissed me off the last game because I was on the ice for the game winning goal as Fata from San Antonio scored from centre ice. Blame me because Marc Denis is horrible. Fuck you coach.

 

I'll echo that. Seems Denis stops everything, but the second I got on the ice he lets in everything. Killing my +/-

[Red Baron 0]

The next game the coach put in Dejardens. Recorded one assist +2 rating and 12 Penalty Minutes. Boogard is my bitch. So far I'm leading the AHL in PIM with 33 and my coach has only criticized me once for taking a bad penalty. Twice he has complemented me on getting a spark for the team.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

I made a center/sniper. I ended up getting into three fights in my first game because I thought triangle was pokecheck.

 

I tried an online game against a buddy too...Luongo let in 3 goals on 5 shots. Thanks Roberto.

[Red Baron 0]

I'm up to the Christmas break and Montreal is in first in the East. I can easily whip Boston, but against Carolina and New Jersey its the other way around.

 

Has anyone seen any trades by the CPU or even from your team. I've seen Tomas Holmstrom on Ottawa and Wade Redden in Tampa, and my GM traded Georges Laraque for Jim Vandermeer

[Vigo 0]

Dumb question: How long did it take most of you to get used to the right analog stick shooting mechanic? I'm kind of getting the hang of it, but I really suck when it comes to trying to pull off a deke. Thank God for practice mode.

 

Like Fazzle, it probably took me about a dozen games as well. I remember coming home with '07 and thinking how awful it was the first few games. Then once you're used to it, how did we play with the d-pad for so many years? The skill stick is much better.

 

Oh yeah, I agree the skill stick is far better, I'm rust at hockey games in general. I haven't played a NHL game since 05 I think. I'm firing a lot of bad shots on goal just so I can get used to the shooting mechanic. Dekeing is still something I can't quite master yet (I tend to shoot too early) but it should come with time.

 

I don't like the shooting method when it comes to the right stick, the dekeing I can do but shooting forget it. I wish EA weren't doing such half-assed jobs when it comes to releasing their games and actually let you customize your controls. The screen is there for it but you can't do it. If I could make it so I could shoot using the buttons and get the other features i.e. using the stick for defense then I'd be happy. Right now, you can't have both.

 

[the max 0]

I gave up on the Be A Pro. Too buggy. There's no reason why the coaches shouldn't juggle lines around. There's no reason why I take over someone's spot and he never makes it back up. The grades aren't done well, either. You can go from an A+ on the game, playing excellently, take a normal shift and all of a sudden everything's down to a B- for no reason. The stats grade is bullshit. I jump off the bench and am sprinting towards the defensive zone. I'm not even ten steps from the bench. They score, I'm benched for the rest of the game and have an F in stats because "You were out there for a goal against, that's a minus". Uh, coach? What about the jerkass player who left the ice and left us at a 5-on-4 to get a line change?

 

No, I'm back to the dynasty mode. 9-1 so far, Bergeron again as my superstar. He's so good in this game. And the little tweaks that they put in on the skill stick, allowing you to lean and fake, juke and even improving the screenability of the goalies is much improved. I love being able to change just the forwards or just the defense, the fighting engine is a bit hard so far but at least they did something different.

[AntiLeaf33 0]

I gave up on the Be A Pro. Too buggy. There's no reason why the coaches shouldn't juggle lines around. There's no reason why I take over someone's spot and he never makes it back up. The grades aren't done well, either. You can go from an A+ on the game, playing excellently, take a normal shift and all of a sudden everything's down to a B- for no reason. The stats grade is bullshit. I jump off the bench and am sprinting towards the defensive zone. I'm not even ten steps from the bench. They score, I'm benched for the rest of the game and have an F in stats because "You were out there for a goal against, that's a minus". Uh, coach? What about the jerkass player who left the ice and left us at a 5-on-4 to get a line change?

 

No, I'm back to the dynasty mode. 9-1 so far, Bergeron again as my superstar. He's so good in this game. And the little tweaks that they put in on the skill stick, allowing you to lean and fake, juke and even improving the screenability of the goalies is much improved. I love being able to change just the forwards or just the defense, the fighting engine is a bit hard so far but at least they did something different.

 

Yeah, there are a few bugs in Be a Pro mode. The lack of line juggling, etc is kind of lame. I really hate how your stats tank if your on the ice for a goal against. Also, it's starting to piss me off that my centers never go off for a change. My 2 wingers can be out for a full shift and the 4 line centre is still out on the ice until the next shift starts. I may play it through for a while until the season starts, or until there is an up to date roster patch released so I can start my dynasty with rosters that somewhat resemble the current ones.

[the max 0]

Dynasty mode isn't much improved, but it's still more fun than BAP.

 

Lucic-Bergeron-Ryder

Sturm-Savard-Kessel

Kobasew-Sobotka-Krejci

Axelsson-Nokelainen-Thornton

 

Chara-Ward

Wideman-Stuart

Alberts-Ference

 

Thomas

Rask

 

I'm 16-1 so far, the skill stick is fantastic, again. The AI defense is so fucking smart. If you try the same move twice, you get knocked on your ass. If you try the "throw the puck out front for a goal" more than three times, they put both defensemen in front of the net and collapse the forwards so there's no room. Really smart stuff. They get in front of passes better, they pokecheck, lift the stick, block shots, it's a much improved game defensively.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

So has anyone run into the invincible goalie, Sabrina Ladha? She's 6'6 and has a 99 for every stat. It's very odd seeing a player based on a sick child in a "realistic" sim like NHL 09, especially when she wins the Vezina.

[AntiLeaf33 0]

So has anyone run into the invincible goalie, Sabrina Ladha? She's 6'6 and has a 99 for every stat. It's very odd seeing a player based on a sick child in a "realistic" sim like NHL 09, especially when she wins the Vezina.

 

Yes, she was playing with Washington. What the hell is what that character in the game?

[fazzle 0]

Yeah, she's on the Lightning in my BAP game. I went into player editor and reduced all her stats to 50, but it's too late. She's already fucking up my BAP.

[Mike wanna be 0]

She wanted to be in NHL 09 through the Make A Wish foundation, so they made her super-good and put her in. They've done it before in past games, too, IIRC.

 

I was about to start my BAP over anyway because Florida is shit and I'm tired of losing every game.

 

Also, fuck Vokoun and his Swiss cheese glove:

http://www.easportsworld.com/en_US/video/1681710

[Red Baron 0]

Yeah, she's on the Lightning in my BAP game. I went into player editor and reduced all her stats to 50, but it's too late. She's already fucking up my BAP.

 

She's in Buffalo. The first game was against Miller, but the other two was against Ladha. We won the first game 7-1, but the second game we lost 2-0 despite outshooting Buffalo 41-9.

[the max 0]

She's on the Islanders in my dynasty. She's tough but beatable.

[Red Baron 0]

They do line juggaling on the Offence, and there have been some crazy lines too. (Tanguay, Chipchura and Latendresse). It seems that if you are playing defence that they will juggle the offence.

 

 

Anyone tried being a goalie in BAP mode?

[Mike wanna be 0]

I just started a goalie in BAP. It's hard. Making saves isn't too horribly bad (just keep the blue arrow between your goalie's legs and you'll be centered on any shot; easier said than done, that thing's whizzing all over the damn place especially on one-timers), but you're totally at the mercy of your (usually inept) offense as to whether or not you get a win.

 

Also, unlike regular position BAP, you never go to the bench beyond being pulled because you're down or there's a delayed penalty, so you have to be paying attention like, all the time. I let in a goal because I swatted at a big-ass bug that landed on my leg, for christ's sake, I was furious.

[Naked Snake 0]

Do any of these games have downloadable rosters?

[Matt Young 0]

All professional sports games have downloadable rosters. If you're asking if they have an update out yet, NHL 09 does not.

[AntiLeaf33 0]

Kind of surprised it took this long, but I had my first asshole leave 10 seconds before the end of a game where I was winning 3-0. The way the guy was playing towards the end of the game gave me the impression that he was not going to take a loss. Once he took off before the end of the game, I sent him a message asking if he was afraid to lose. To no shock, I haven't received a response.

 

Still, have many of you guys run into players like that? Also, do you know if your stats for a "partial game" get recorded? I know will effect his "games left" (or whatever its called) percentage.

[Matt Young 0]

I was forced to update my roster last night. I hope that means rookies who have played NHL games like Drew Doughty are included and I can start my dynasty.

[Matt Young 0]

I started my dynasty a few days ago after downloading the roster update. I chose the Kings, of course. I'm playing on All-Star this year. I set the difficulty to Pro last year since it was the first hockey game I'd played since Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey '98, and I ended up with the best record in the league and swept through the entire playoffs.

 

This season's really frustrating me, though. After starting off 4-1, I've lost 5 in a row, all by 1 goal, all games in which I scored first. I almost always out shoot the other team, but they make 1 or 2 bullshit goals while I have great shots clang off the crossbar. I'm now 4-5-1.

[Matt Young 0]

3rd jersey code:

 

xe6377uyrwm48frf

[AntiLeaf33 0]

3rd jersey code:

 

xe6377uyrwm48frf

 

About damn time.

[Matt Young 0]

Well, they had to wait until all teams wore their thirds in games, which didn't happen until about 2 weeks ago.

[BifEverchad 0]

Is it just me or does the CPU score on a breakaway 99.9% of the time?

If I leave any kind of gap out there, the player comes in, snaps the stick down and picks his poison.

It's almost a given now when I see someone coming down the middle, especially when it's Malkin with .12 seconds left.

[BifEverchad 0]

Did I kill this shit?

[Matt Young 0]

I changed the Kings' lines in my dynasty to close to what the real ones are. The differences are that I have Brown and Purcell switched in line 1 and 2 because Brown is my leading scorer, Johnson and Doughty are first line D since Johnson isn't injured in my game, and Harrold is scratched because Quincey, not so good in the game but better than Harrold, is the 3rd defenseman.

 

Current record is 18-10-6.