Fully functioning online play right out of the box! (not this 30 FPS BS) Better presentation (stop hiring interns to do your GUI designs) Better online stats look up between the web and console (I'm 99% certain this will be fixed next year...) 6v6 team play!!! Fix the network issues between players Better coach models Stop using the same scoreboard template for all 2K games (each sport is different, cater to the uniqueness of each sport with the correct options on the console and web) I'm sure there are a ton more things I could add, but I haven't played the game since it came out due to bad online play.
I can't say I'm a fan of the 6v6 team play and I can't speak about 2K but EA has enough server problems that it's tough to get a full game in with only 3v3 (6 players), imagine how bad it would be with 6v6 (12 players)?
true, I played 2k7 last, but its off my bar. Still, you have to admit all of the recent installments have been crap. The one thing I like about the 2k series, is the fighting... but other than that, its not great.
My biggest problem with the game is the presentation and graphics.. it just doesnt look like hockey.. when players come on to the ice it looks like players who have never played a hockey game in their life.. doesnt look professional in my mind. Ea did a better job but still could improve with a little bit better presentation too. Have it more like a tv broadcast.. worst thing i think 2k did was use that cinematic version or whatever
I think 2k8 is a great game and have been a fan for many years but this series has been surpassed by EA in the minds of video game hockey players around the world. EA has focused on the skill stick while making the game really simple. I believe that 2k needs to make things simpler in order to grab the attention of the casual fan. I believe if they don’t make drastic changes, the 2k hockey series will cease to exist in three to five years. If one reviewer thinks the controls are cumbersome and tough to master, many readers are going to pass on the game based on this. I like the controls, but I still find myself hitting the wrong button, or swearing at the responsiveness of the bumpers. I understand what 2k was trying to do, but I think they lost their path and true goal along the way: to make a fun game for anyone who picks up the game. The controls are too confusing for a new player looking for quick game and need to be resolved. BTW, I like the deep options 2k provides, but maybe simplfying them is needed for casual gamers. 2k needs something big to get back on top of the hockey video game world. If 2k were to state something like EA did by stating they have a three year plan to fix this game, it would at least keep fans interested and waiting to see what else is in store. Here is my wish list for 2k9 and beyond in a semi point form list. Skating - Circle under the player makes it hard to see the actual skating. - Skating looks weird on slower speeds. On higher speeds the skating looks ok, but once the speed is lowered, the player looks like they are moving in the same spot. - Remove speed burst and spring and map skating to the left stick. Similar to NBA 2k8, if the stick is pressed lightly, it moves the player slower, press it full tilt and the player sprints. Don’t make the player run out of sprint, just make them sprint slower. Most NHL players sprint more than any other speed on the ice. - Whoever did the motion capture for skating prior to taking a penalty shot did an amazing job. The way the player turns the corner and skates up to the puck looks amazing. Use more of this style within the game. Shooting - I do not have any major issues with the shooting implementation currently being used, but it could be simpler. Most fans want simple controls that are responsive and fun to use. - The way things are currently done needs to be tinkered with. The casual fan, and the longtime fan, finds these controls too complex or too cumbersome. There are too many buttons and the wrong buttons are utilized. The bumpers are not the most responsive buttons and should be used sparingly. - Shooting should be on the right stick only; get rid of the buttons for shooting. 2k could keep the deke moves by mapping them to the modifier. For example, you press LT and move the right stick to shoot, or use LT and the right stick to deke. It allows 2k to keep their existing style while moving to the stick for shooting. - I believe that if 2k does not change their shooting method, sales will diminish and game of hockey from 2k will cease within five years. This is crucial to bring back the casual fan and keeping the hardcore fan happy. - I would like to see one-timers that are bullets from players like Ovechkin and Kovalchuk. These players have rocket shots and it should show in the game. Goalies - Goalies look great this year and I would like to see more added in this area. I am not expert on goalies so I will leave this to others to point out improvements. I would rather see more styles and more moves added. - Controlling the goalie in the other hockey game is actually kind of neat. Something like this should be considered as the crease control is not widely used as far as I can tell. I generally ask people about this feature and most admit to not using this one. Graphics - The graphics were improved greatly in 2k8; however, they seem to have been bumped up mostly in the cut scenes. I would like to see more of an improvement in the quality of what we see while we are playing. Players looking more true to life and player styles resembling more of what we see in a real game. Presentation - This is an area that could use some work. Capturing the sounds of a real NHL game must be tough because it seems to be an area that could use a huge improvement. - Lots of members have posted how to improve this before, so I will be brief. - The announcers are not the right guys for this game. Take the NBA game, the announcers will get excited in unison while a big dunk or big play takes place. The crowd is always right on target in this series and more of this style needs to be taken into the NHL franchise. Online - 5 on 5 is a must. Shootouts - I can never remember what buttons do what and what players can do what. I would like to see a coach’s recommendation, or player’s choice that lists buttons for moves to try to make it easier. - The camera angle should be different for this as well. More of a third person perspective would be nice. Extras - Allow users to upload rosters. You can cut this feature off a month before the next iteration of the series is released or shortly after the last roster update. This will allow gamers to update things like historic rosters and share them with others. - Trading of historic players to NHL teams. It would be fun to play an old style league with some of the greats of yesterday. - Using edited rosters online. - An option to have 21 or whatever number of teams in a season or franchise. - Slap dumps need to leave the ice. I would like to use this feature to whip the puck around the boards off the glass in my zone and the CPU zone. This should be done with the wrist shot as well. - Mid-game saves, like the baseball series.
- Stick BREAKING !!! Happens way to often in the NHL not to be in the game. Players would have to play their feet, body player! u would have to hand off ur stick to ur goalie if he lost it or to a defender like they do in the NHL. And skate by the bench to get a new one. - VIDEO REVIEW! Again happens all the time in the NHL, and even in EA's NHL when the puck is behind the goalie and he's rolling around, or maybe the puck could hit the inside bar or maybe the goalie makes a glove save with his Glove passed the red line and upon further review goals are credited as well as overturned ! And maybe a quick animation of the ref pointing to center ice, aswell as the commentators opinions as we see the review. - Less posts and more wide shots. The shooting should be harder to aim! too many shots go on net in EA's game. Watch any NHL game and count how many times a point shot goes wide or is tipped wide or on net. Slap shots less accurate harder to save, wrist shots weaker in most cases and more accurate. - Passes going into players skates ? behind them ? not everything should be able to be turned into a one-timer. For eg: a pass to a player's back hand in close. The player shouldn't rotate in a split second to get a forhand shot off. that's all for now ....
Gurps, Is this a list for 2k or EA? Point shots in 2K go wide all the time and posts only happen maybe once or twice a game. Passes do go between players legs and behind them in this game as well. One-timers are also not easy to pull when set to difficult. One-timers are usually around 5-8 a game per team, but they usually go wide so they more than likely aren't a shot on goal. Stick breaking, while nice, would probably be a huge thing to code physics-wise.
I'd just like the league to come back... i never come around here anymore since this league died... its like a part of my 'fun time' is gone. not to mention the incredibly frustrating lack of a conclusion to the last season =(
My main thing is I Loved the NHL 2K Series for years back when its first started out with a different name and company with Sega Sports for the dreamcast but since NHL 2007 came out and EA came out with the brilliant skill stiick idea I cant see myself playing 2K unless they come out with a similar control scheme last year it was way too complex. I found I could not just pick it up and play with ease and I hope its more a focus in 2K9
I really only had two real problems with 2k8 that I remember: 1) The look. I like that the stats overlay got a upgrade but at the very beginning when the players are skating in the pregame, they look so unrealistic. I can't say exactly what the problem is but they just look goofy. 2) The Controls: I don't mind having a button to shoot, so you don't accidently shoot but the right thumbstick needs to be more like 08. Where you can move the puck/deke anyway you want but instead of pressing up to shoot, I like the idea of pressing R1. I didn't like the superstar moves, make all dekes done somehow using the right thumbstick. Overall I don't think 2k8 was that bad, unfortunatly I hated the new controls and used 2k7 advanced. With using those, it just wasn't no where near as fun as 08, so it wasn't worth the $60 for a 2k7.5
