Forum Discussion

Beauts90's avatar
Beauts90
Rising Rookie
2 months ago

Franchise Mode Initial Thoughts

In my opinion, the conversation system is one of the best additions to franchise mode, I think it will be great for everybody as I actually don’t think you have to use it if you don’t want to. Unfortunately most, if not all of the core problems with franchise mode still exist. AI GM’s are still pretty terrible and there are still no NHL coaches to hire, so you are stuck with what you are randomly given. Since this is still an offline mode after all, I still think we should be able to edit everything to our liking.

The new menu setup is cool, but I think team standings need to be present somewhere on there, maybe make the game day matchup info smaller. I also always find myself clicking R3 to view player info before initiating a conversation, but that takes me to the stats central page. Should be able to view player info from there in order to quickly view what they should work on.

The NMC/NTC are a great addition, combined with the conversation system is awesome in my opinion. Dare I say it even made a little bit of sense when asking players to waive or expand their clauses. One big problem I found is when a player is injured you cannot start a conversation with them and therefore are not able to ask them to waive. Became a problem at the trade deadline.

It would also be nice if there was some more back and forth when a player rejects an offer instead of just the pop up that we have also had. Most players still do not sign until around July 4 either which rarely happens anymore. I don’t think there were any negative impacts on a player when they didn’t reach their goals, in fact once you set them, there wasn’t really any mention of them at all after that. Being able to switch or add a secondary position is cool, but I didn’t have any luck successfully switching anybody’s player type, despite asking almost every player.

I like the fact that I can lock any player into any spot in the lineup I want, will certainly help for those that sim most of the season. I just wish we were able to get the coach to change more when it came to specific strategies, especially with the lack of replacement coaches still available.

From the short time that I’ve played so far, I would say this is probably the best addition to franchise mode yet, I still think they probably need at least a full year to improve on everything else that’s been a problem in the mode for years.

franchise
  • Badpualjo1's avatar
    Badpualjo1
    New Rookie
    2 months ago

    Not sure how far you are in the sim, but how are the prospects? Still no defensemen generating with preferences?

    Not surprised about the coaching issue. That’s been an issue since we brought it up years ago and they literally haven’t even said anything about it lol. 

    are you able to turn convo/morale off without it blowing up the game? The morale system was implemented so poorly i never played with it because they couldn’t figure out how to make it work realistically, unsure if its better now. 

    also, are you unable to set the lineups now? Like to set the lineups how you want, do you have to talk to the coach everytime? Or can you still swap spots with players 

    I always turned head coach edit lines off because the coach system was, and still is, trash. 

    • Beauts90's avatar
      Beauts90
      Rising Rookie
      2 months ago

      I was just playing around with the mode, using a few different teams for a couple of years only, so I haven’t had a chance to go too deep into the generated prospects. I would assume it’s the same as last year as it seems like all the problems are still there.

      You don’t actually have to use the conversation system at all, unless you are trying to upgrade certain stats for a player or try to get them an X Factor. You can offer contracts without talking to the players as well,  you would need to speak with them to attempt them to waive a NTC clause though.

      You still have full control over the lineup like before, I thought it was a nice touch (although time consuming to go through every player) that you can tell the coach to put any player you want in any position including PP and PK. Helps if you like to sim most of the season to keep the lineup you want even after injuries.

  • kyl_35's avatar
    kyl_35
    New Scout
    2 months ago

    Super helpful post—thank you!

    how is the lag with the conversations? In previous games it took unbearably long to ask three questions so hopefully the speed is like 10 times faster now. 

  • torpedomike88's avatar
    torpedomike88
    Rising Rookie
    2 months ago

    Beauts90How Has the Franchise Mode Been playing? I’ve Seen Lots say It Isn’t Worth it Because of All the Issues we’ve had in Previous Games that Are Still Present, Along With lots of Missing Pieces 

    • Beauts90's avatar
      Beauts90
      Rising Rookie
      2 months ago

      I haven’t played around with it a ton as I usually wait for half decent rosters, so I’ve only got up to year 3 or 4.  I don’t think anything was fixed from the last few games, everything I disliked about it seems to still be there.    I would say the new features are very similar to the other additions they have made the last few years. Conversation system would be cool if it was more back and forth and I didn’t have to use it for things that I should be able to set elsewhere. It seems like most players don't actually request clauses, you just offer them and they say 'sounds good'.

      The same thing has happened with everything they introduced lately. Scouting would be cool if there wasn’t so much useless information to see. Coaching would be cool if we actually had options for the coaches we want to hire. 
      Trade deadline would be cool if it didn’t cause twice as many bad trades during that time. 
      I still think having some sort of realism added to contracts is a great addition though.
      I personally don’t find the new menus any better as I sim most of the regular season, so I would rather see more league info than game day matchup info and actually found it easier to navigate through the older menus.

    • Bahamuta's avatar
      Bahamuta
      New Adventurer
      2 months ago

      From what it appears when over at my friends and checking out his game, it hasnt really changed or improved much from my post above. Still crap prospects with no really changes and lower ranked teams not really getting better. My friend is now 10 years in. I stopped playing during hour 9 of the EA Play trial as It was not worth it to me. It doesn't seem like it has changed much from not just my views on the gameplay but look around the board, not many people are happy, The only real change to Franchise mode that i like is the New hub (whic still runs slow) and the Contract changes, everything else is just a carryover of issues from previous games. The conversation system my friend says gets really annoying after about 5 seasons of having to use it to develop players, etc. Choose X factor goals, etc. These are all things that could be done in a menu, Realistically the only thing that should be in the conversation systems is the morale / Contract talks

  • Bahamuta's avatar
    Bahamuta
    New Adventurer
    2 months ago

    Honestly the menus are very laggy, it takes a full 3-4 seconds to pull up a coaches preferences the first time. I have a very love/hate relationship with the conversation system. Its cool, but the fact I have to use it FOR EVERYTHING is really annoying. (if you want to have your players work on a specific goal or x-factor. Even talking to the coach to lock a player in a line should be something i can do from a menu. Or quite possibly the Edit Lines screen?

    Gameplay is fine, AI still not great. I do really dislike the loud and constant flying duck sound when players are skating. That sound effect was definitely not needed. 

    After a few years sim, I have not seen the lower ranked teams really get much better.  I still think the CPU GM's are idiots. 

    I like the new one timers, but to be honest I feel like perfect one timers were already in the game, they just didnt have the big bullseye to tell you right or wrong. Puck speed and things that I see on the perfect one timers in NHL 25, that is the same if i time one timers the right way in NHL 24....

    I Still hate the fortnite celly, however you can hit one of the regular celebration buttons the moment the puck goes in and it will do that celebration in stead of the fortnite one. 

  • slickster195263's avatar
    slickster195263
    Seasoned Traveler
    2 months ago

    The coach conversation is a waste of time as the dialogue is too limited,  also i hate the fact that you have to change his strategy every game if you want to play your own  style

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