REAL Total Control (Not Arcade)
[Update (1/23/24)] Towards the bottom of this post, you will see my original post that I posted a few months ago (it may be worthwhile to first start your reading down at my original post). Since...
Forum Discussion
What do you think about the user having full control of the stick at all times, meaning that they would be responsible for getting their stick in position for puck pickups and pass receptions?
Maybe one of the shoulder buttons is a pickup/receive pass button and you hold that down and move it to where the puck is. Based on your player's attributes, you get more/less forgiveness with how close you are to the puck.
To me, that seems like a true next-gen evolution of the skill stick. Fighting for possession of the puck would actually be fun, rather than now, where it is hoping your player's attributes to make them go into the puck pickup animation better than your opponent's.
Is this too ambitious? Is it too involved for more casual players? I think it might be fun for them too, especially with settings to allow the mechanics to be more forgiving based on difficulty level or whatever.
@Jagavekov
Don't take this as an offense please.
But it's one of those idea that sound great on paper but would probably translate terribly in game. Just look for example at how hard it is to time perfectly manual one timer and yet all we have to do is swing back and forth on the right stick. Almost nobody use it, it's not worth it, you just swing the air most of the times. At the pace the gameplay is, it would be extremely hard positioning your stick with pinpoint precision to catch a pass unless there's still a pretty good pass reception assistance. If simply catching up a pass become too much of a challenge, poeples are going to lose interest. Gotta remember this is not a full blown simulation Microsoft style, it's just a videogame to have fun on a sport we love.
Don't get me wrong, Adding a few things that require skills, okay...but the game need to stay accessible for as many as they can too. I don't think pass reception is the right target to add skill based elements.
Puck pick up on loose puck though, now there's maybe something to do with it and your idea sound more fit to this.
That's just my opinion btw, nothing more nothing less.
@Tigidooh wrote:@Jagavekov
Don't take this as an offense please.
But it's one of those idea that sound great on paper but would probably translate terribly in game. Just look for example at how hard it is to time perfectly manual one timer and yet all we have to do is swing back and forth on the right stick. Almost nobody use it, it's not worth it, you just swing the air most of the times. At the pace the gameplay is, it would be extremely hard positioning your stick with pinpoint precision to catch a pass unless there's still a pretty good pass reception assistance. If simply catching up a pass become too much of a challenge, poeples are going to lose interest. Gotta remember this is not a full blown simulation Microsoft style, it's just a videogame to have fun on a sport we love.
Don't get me wrong, Adding a few things that require skills, okay...but the game need to stay accessible for as many as they can too. I don't think pass reception is the right target to add skill based elements.
Puck pick up on loose puck though, now there's maybe something to do with it and your idea sound more fit to this.
That's just my opinion btw, nothing more nothing less.There would certainly still need to be assistance in picking up a puck. But also, if such technical skills were available, the gameplay could be slowed down to more realistic speeds which would make it more manageable to position the stick appropriately.
I really appreciate the time, thought, and effort that you put into this, OP. You did a really good job of working this out.
That said, I don't think such deep controls belong in a game like EA's NHL. I think this is too complicated for a few reasons and would absolutely alienate players of which there are already very few of. For one thing, any control scheme that requires either a pro/elite controller or the use of the "claw grip" is likely a non-starter for EA. You can't expect your playerbase to adopt an entirely new way of holding the controller and you certainly can't expect them to be using any controller type other than the one that comes with the console.
That said, I feel like this would be right at home in a true hockey simulation-style game if one were to ever be made. Think of it like this (for all you skateboarders out there): your control scheme is like the skate game "Session" vs. the classic "Tony Hawk" games. Or even if you look at EA NHL as more equivalent to EA's Skate games, your "Session-style" control scheme is still way more complex than that.
Again, I really appreciate the document you made and the thought you put into this. I'm sure it would be a revolutionary way to play virtual hockey.
I appreciate your appreciation. Haha
I don’t see why these controls couldn’t co-exist with the current controls in the same game. I would have no problem using my control layout while others use “Total Control” or any other layout in the same game. It’s just a matter of how much control you wish to have:
-if you want more, then take on a layout like the one I propose, but do so knowing it’ll be more difficult to master.
-if you want less, then use Total Control and just have fun.
This way, everyone can get into the game as a beginner and have a lot of fun playing against newbies and experts alike. But as you get better and better, you can begin to add more and more control to your layout.
