From: jkung@acs.ucalgary.ca (Jimmy Kung)
Newsgroups: rec.games.video
Subject: Re: NHLPA '94!!!
Date: 16 Dec 1992 05:29:48 -0600
Organization: The University of Calgary, Alberta
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

In article <1992Dec14.142015.165361@dstos3.dsto.gov.au> you write:
>In article <9212132138.AA18802@acs1.acs.ucalgary.ca>, jkung@acs.ucalgary.ca (Jimmy Kung) writes:

[...]

>> Keep dreaming.  That's the thing which has always bugged me about
>> console systems, is the lack of long-term playability.  NHLPA '93
>> is a fun game, but only for a few hours, then you might as well
>> trade it off.
>
>I find the exact opposite I have yet to find a PC game with the long term
>playability of NHLPA, the game play is superb.

I played NHLPA '93, beat the best teams with a mediocre team
(Calgary) in the League quite easily.  (actually, the third try)
The game itself is fairly unrealistic in regards to REAL hockey.
(I played organized hockey for 5 years, and still play in
intramural at University)  The skating is too much over the top,
you CAN'T suddenly get a speed burst with the C button.  The
shooting is far too accurate for reality, and I average about 70
shots a game, which about twice as much as real NHL games.  The
artificial intelligence is really bad, the computer teams all
play the same with the same moves.  Patterns are easy to spot
after only a few games.  Finally, the computer doesn't have any
concept of even pulling a goalie at the end of a game, I was up
by one goal three times, and only ONCE did it pull its goalie.
At MINIMUM that should be a fundamental concept.

IMO, the best thing this game is for is to play against a friend,
who hopefully has equal skill, because otherwise this game is
worthless after a few days.  I do enjoy a good fight and
punishing checks though.

>> Hopefully, the next step for sports games is a league function
>> and harder skill levels. Look at Wayne Gretzky Hockey 3 for the
>> IBM PC, the gameplay is far better than NHLPA, Mario, or
>> whatever. The WGH3 League Simulator II is due out anyday now
>> that sounds like a spectacular league function, with drafts,
>> trades, and tons of stats.
>
>I don't think Gretsky's comes anywhere near NHLPA for playability but you are
>right about the stats.  

I think Gretzky 3 (have you played it yet?) is quite an
improvement over Gretzky 1.1 (I call 2 1.1, because they barely
added ANYTHING)  There are still some problems with it, mainly
the lack of good graphics (but I will take truer play over it
anyday!) and computer patterns.  However, the skill levels are
extremely hard, the skating is close to perfect, the shooting
much more real, and the flexibility of the game is great.  (I
especially love play design for power plays and pulled goalie
plays.)

Until console games puts in such flexibility as different
referees, skill levels, play design, player editors, save game
(in mid-game!),timeouts, and a league, I don't play on buying
another NHLPA '9#

I will admit many flaws I would like remedied, like fighting,
better sound effects, goalie control, more intelligent passing by
my players, but IMHO that is a small loss for a great game that
is the truest to any real sport simulation I've ever played.
(Links 386 Pro is a CLOSE second)

>I think EA will put a league function into their games sooner or later I just
>hope it's sooner and we don't have to dish out for the CD ROM version if and
>when they decide to do one.

What advantage would CD Rom give?  Better sound?  Whoopie...
Hockey games themselves don't take up tons of room, unless you
want full-screen SF2 style fights or something.  :)

I still hold out hope for a better console hockey though, someone
with a real knowledge about hockey can still improve, all sports
simulations lack that extra edge of doing the real thing, my
adrenalin very rarely gets out to pump me up, generally I feel
kinda sleepy after a game.

jkung@acs.ucalgary.ca      |  "It's better than bad,it's good!"
                           |             - Log(tm) by Blammo!
Newsgroups: rec.games.video