Re: Junior season nonexistent

@EA_BlueberryIt’s an awful design decision. Removing it was one of the many awful decisions made this year. It was one of the best parts of BAP. I see why it was removed, you’re essentially guaranteed to be picked 1st overall every time even if you only post 2 goals.

But that in itself is just a nonsensical design for this years BAP. It’s a joke, just like this entire game. Worst game in the series compared to the past few years

Hope they rollback pretty much all the changes they did to BAP for next year. This years BAP was an awful attempt at a “revamp”, since pumping out an empty shell of a game mode isn’t something worthwhile.

@SkylerJames13 

As someone who steers clear of offline modes when they can, I found removing juniors to be akin to trimmimg the fat and a rather nice breath of fresh air. I understand the logic behind working your way up through the ranks but at the end of the day i'm sure the vast majority would prefer a more streamlined process.

I figure the team felt the same way and just wanted everyone to dive right in to the new story mode they made. No harm no foul I say; with a few tweaks here and there I think everyone will be happy next year. Others have expressed concerns with trimming leagues/modes so it's definitely something worth still considering.

I think you'd get more support on reddit or the main fprums since they have a higher population

@TTZ_Dipsy Since you don’t even play offline modes not sure you know what you’re talking about.

The “story mode” is awful. It forces you to be the same thing every time. You’re either a forward superstar or a defensive superstar. You can’t play the role of a grinder or checker. You can’t be an enforcer. You’re stuck playing as a 120pts+ a season superstar.

There’s no challenge to the game, there’s no reward for your efforts. You’re simply rewarded for doing the bare minimum.

[Removed - CM]

The juniors wasn’t just “fat”, it was a core process of becoming a pro. Do you know any players that were drafted in the NHL that didn’t play any form of hockey before getting drafted?

I've played plenty of offline, been doin since NHL 96 - That said, yes if it weren't for trophies I wouldn't play those modes at all (I stopped after 500 points because breaking Gretzkys record would be boring).

You're playing against bots - there was never a tangible reward outside of regular completion satisfaction, which you still get. Most players are impatient and would like to jump through as few hoops as possible.

Difficulty can always be adjusted via sliders so juniors is just fluff until you reach the true goal - NHL; the way I see it, they're just speeding up the process. I completely understand your argument as a simulation player, but the game as a whole has obviously started to shift towards a more arcadey feel for mass appeal.

I hope for the hardcore simmer's sake they can get to a point to add absolutely everything to create a 100% authentic experience, but there are other modes that need attention too.

Is story mode bare bones? Sure, but its more than we had previously; a good first step on the road to something truly great.

All the dialogue options, all the animations, art, screens etc. was energy taken from other areas like the EASHL that I care about so we just gotta roll with the punches.

In real life, yes, juniors is obviously important, but from a game standpoint I personally just think it's just filler, fluff to pad game time with - Franchise, BaP, GM mode... people even want referee modes, its basically all the same.

I'd like everything to eventually blend together so there can actually be a reason to participate in it all - finishing juniors, winning awards etc can all give added boosts and accolades to your players in online modes.