Forum Discussion

Re: Why have they have removed the basic ability to edit players in Franchise mode?

Is the ability to edit players once you start a franchise mode just gone? Not being able to edit my team/ prospects positions, player types, shot style etc. mid franchise mode just ruins the game for me especially since you can't even do something as simple as changing player's hairstyle's 

10 Replies

  • IrishOwl's avatar
    IrishOwl
    4 years ago

    I understand why they made the changes, its to prevent people from "cheating" to create all players as Playmakers, Snipers, and Power Forwards to make their chemistry. While it makes the game more fun, it really limits your prospects. I can't tell you how many times I got an Elite Center Playmaker that had crap passing and horrible faceoffs, but unbelievable shot power and accuracy. In the old days, I'd change him to a Sniper Left Wing, so he might be worth while, but I can't now. Also, someone like Morgan Geekie (Go Seattle) who is turning out to be a playmaker not a TWF, can't be changed without resetting my save - which seems silly.

    I think another really bad design is the Coaching Staff. I mean I know I am suppose to be the GM, but most of us (I assume) like playing as a coach - setting up lines and watching them flourish. Why don't players start to take on their coach's line preferences? I got a front line of Robertson (86 PLY), Tarasenko (87 SNP) and DuBois (89 PWF) yet they only get a +1 Chem because they don't fit the scheme. Don't players change how they play based on Coaches? Why can't we either see changes in players or be allowed to create our coaches?

    Also, what's up with every defensive prospect (generated by the computer) being Pinch/Cycle - It makes Hold the Line a completely worthless, and why aren't my OFD's getting "Shoot" or at least "Balanced?"

    In the same line of questioning, where is Carry? I've got a coach with Carry, Shoot, Balanced, Balanced - and I've NEVER gotten a prospect with Carry. Its always Balanced or Dump (and I've never seen a coach with Dump on the first or second line)

    I love the game, I'm not going to lie, but there ae some weaknesses - and I know there is so many complaints. Can we just get an answer for some of them? Is hold the line just really super powerful? I'm not asking for ground breaking changes to the game, just an answer as to why things are/aren't done.

  • @IrishOwlThey seriously removed the option to edit players once you start a franchise mode? So all my prospects are stuck as big bearded/ silver hair clones who I can't tell to start passing more/ play more physically etc.? Who the hell are you cheating, yourself? They're better be an option to let us edit our franchise mode players or else I'm probably getting a refund now if so since all I use is the out of date create a modes/ franchise mode.

  • Beauts90's avatar
    Beauts90
    Seasoned Ace
    4 years ago

    @all-Beef-chicken 

    Yeah, they removed the ability to edit players within Franchise in NHL 21, I guess it was to make coaching harder...

    It was a big request last year to allow us to be able to edit players and obviously a big request again, so hopefully we can see it in a patch this year. They at least allowed us to edit X factors, which seems to be the biggest impact on chemistry this year anyways.

  • @Beauts90So either I refund the game right now or wait for a patch that can count as a new feature in NHL 23 and lose my money. It feels like they just didn't bother and passed it off as "making it harder" instead of giving us the option to turn it on or off, hell you can't even use the nice big option of hairs on your prospects/ generic players. Glad to know opening virtual packs of cards look nice tho....

  • IrishOwl's avatar
    IrishOwl
    4 years ago

    @all-Beef-chicken Question, would you rather have complete freedom or the security that EA is "taking care of us."

    I mean clearly, they know better then we do.

  • @IrishOwlBoth would be nice actually. I understand why the creative modes haven't been overhauled (moving to a new engine takes allot of work) but even just the addition of letting me edit even just the hair and beard of my players mid franchise mode would feel like a massive, welcome change. If they can balance it and say a winger playing center more will develop as a center, not changing player position shouldn't be an issue but being able to decide if I want to or not mid franchise mode shouldn't be gone completely.

    Honestly my main problem n why I'm upgrading from 20 to 22 (heard 21 has this issue) is cause I'm sick of my players being stuck offsides (multiple times in one game someone coming back onside would just either stop/ skate right into an opposing player or even start skating forward again cause I was gonna enter the zone) I'll definitely want to keep 22 allot more if this is gone

  • neums33's avatar
    neums33
    4 years ago
    @Beauts90 They removed ability to edit attributes in nhl 19 I think and the ability to edit anything last year. No idea why any of it got removed in the first place
  • neums33's avatar
    neums33
    4 years ago

    @IrishOwl wrote:

    I understand why they made the changes, its to prevent people from "cheating" to create all players as Playmakers, Snipers, and Power Forwards to make their chemistry. While it makes the game more fun, it really limits your prospects. I can't tell you how many times I got an Elite Center Playmaker that had crap passing and horrible faceoffs, but unbelievable shot power and accuracy. In the old days, I'd change him to a Sniper Left Wing, so he might be worth while, but I can't now. Also, someone like Morgan Geekie (Go Seattle) who is turning out to be a playmaker not a TWF, can't be changed without resetting my save - which seems silly.

    I think another really bad design is the Coaching Staff. I mean I know I am suppose to be the GM, but most of us (I assume) like playing as a coach - setting up lines and watching them flourish. Why don't players start to take on their coach's line preferences? I got a front line of Robertson (86 PLY), Tarasenko (87 SNP) and DuBois (89 PWF) yet they only get a +1 Chem because they don't fit the scheme. Don't players change how they play based on Coaches? Why can't we either see changes in players or be allowed to create our coaches?

    Also, what's up with every defensive prospect (generated by the computer) being Pinch/Cycle - It makes Hold the Line a completely worthless, and why aren't my OFD's getting "Shoot" or at least "Balanced?"

    In the same line of questioning, where is Carry? I've got a coach with Carry, Shoot, Balanced, Balanced - and I've NEVER gotten a prospect with Carry. Its always Balanced or Dump (and I've never seen a coach with Dump on the first or second line)

    I love the game, I'm not going to lie, but there ae some weaknesses - and I know there is so many complaints. Can we just get an answer for some of them? Is hold the line just really super powerful? I'm not asking for ground breaking changes to the game, just an answer as to why things are/aren't done.


    Preventing players from “cheating” in an offline mode against AI? I think its actually true though but bc they wanted everyone to experience the game exactly how they envisioned it, even if it removed a great feature that gave the mode so much life. And I agree with the coaching. It randomly generates coaches when teams are built to play their coaches style. So it really doesn’t make much sense why the starting coach isn’t adjusted to the roster they have when you start the franchise. And with prospects, the whole system needs an overhaul. NBA 2k and MLB the show, have an exact overall ceiling number with a probability of hitting it as their development system. It is much better than what NHL has bc there’s major variation among prospects and how they develop. It’s also much clearer how they are developing. There are no prospects in football, but maddens system of adding attribute points to pros actually is really good and makes a lot of sense. NHL is just all about getting medium elites, when in The Show (the other sport with prospects) so many players you draft actually have an impact bc they all develop close to MLB level at the least. With NHL it seems only 10 players from the draft are NHL players. Which is so off. There’s no ability to develop prospects properly either.
    But I think the gameplay feels better this year so I hope they add a a patch for the edit players ability in franchise and I’ll be very happy with the game. Fingers crossed

  • @neums33You can turn someone like Crosby into a enforcer defensemen and he'd be stuck that way in franchise mode but I can't turn my rookie from a PWF to a TWF, now that seems like cheating to me lol

    This game needs as much player freedom as it can get since they couldn't re-do the create a modes, an option to change player type on or off inside of certain games modes would help people play the way they want,

    Good luck seeing any of these changes with how bugged the game is so far lol

  • Figo722's avatar
    Figo722
    Seasoned Traveler
    4 years ago

    I don’t understand why EA prevents us from fully customizing players in offline mode. I should be able to change my favorite player or even legends ages in the game.  Every gamer has their own personality and preference.  I don’t understand why EA ruins the enjoyment of customization.  Back in the day it was easy and fun to do.  Instead of advancing they strip it and here we are 2022 after a season the game becomes boring.