If I Had My Druthers ...

Bones26 · 10-27-2021, 12:10 PM

Crazy eh… the game has been out one day and I’m already thinking of FHM9 …LOL

First let me stipulate that there is a lot to like about FHM8 and for someone who has supported the franchise since FHM1 but has more often than not been a harsh critic of past iterations, I am slowly being won over with this current effort. That’s not to say I believe it is perfect, but for the first time I can clearly see that the evolution of this franchise is now showing the promise we all desire. (A positive review on Steam to follow).

While admittedly I’m still not a fan of the current 2D gameplay or of it being particularly helpful in setting tactics and strategies, there is no denying it is slowly evolving in a positive fashion. Maybe it is just not my cup of tea in its current form.

However, with respect to the games on-going evolution, here are some thoughts & suggestions that if I had my druthers I would like to see implemented down the road.

One new addition that I have long desired and am extremely pleased to see implemented is the introduction of a side by side ‘stats’ presentation during game play in classic mode. Now if only this could be modified and fleshed out a bit more, that would be the icing on the cake, the cherry on the sundae as it were at least for me.

More specifically, if rather than having the players on both teams simply shown side by side sequentially in the order of their jersey number as is the case now and which can be difficult to parse in real time. That instead they be grouped together and shown segregated from the rest of the roster & highlighted in their respective line combination formation (i.e., LW-C-RW-LD-RD). This would then allow the human player to more easily determine the actual player & line match ups between both clubs that are taking place on the ice at that time. (This is already being done in one of the classic modes but with a play-by-play event text instead being shown on the other half of the screen, however this only shows your own club on the screen at any one time and provides no side-by-side comparison).

Additionally, if this feature could then be combined with a very simple graphically representation showing the approximate puck location, which team in possession of it and its general direction of movement (this could be done by simply having the offensive zone, neutral zone and defensive zone defined into broad blocks of ice), together with showing each teams existing tactical settings (as is appropriate to their offensive or defensive posture depending on who has possession of the puck at the time for the respective zone the puck is in). This then would at least in my opinion visually summarize all the key aspects regarding the state of play on the ice and allow the human player to more easily evaluate the opponents strategies, the flow of the game, any momentum changes that could be occurring (for example caused player fatigue, inappropriate line match ups and/ or tactics etc.), and adjust for any roster or tactical opportunities that may be present based on their opponent’s game plan.

Fit in a play-by play crawler along the bottom of the screen, expand the stats screen to also show giveaways and take-aways, and add the ability to select via the keyboard what line to ice either during the actual play (following a dump in for example which the player could possibly prompt) or at a stoppage in play, and voila, you end up with one happy camper over here and I will write the developers into my will…

Well in a perfect world where my every desire was granted…

Seriously, a genuine thanks & appreciation to the developers for their efforts to date.

Cheers!

10-27-2021, 12:10 PM	#1
Bones26 Minors (Single A) Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Sherbrooke, QC Canada Posts: 64	If I Had My Druthers ... Crazy eh… the game has been out one day and I’m already thinking of FHM9 …LOL First let me stipulate that there is a lot to like about FHM8 and for someone who has supported the franchise since FHM1 but has more often than not been a harsh critic of past iterations, I am slowly being won over with this current effort. That’s not to say I believe it is perfect, but for the first time I can clearly see that the evolution of this franchise is now showing the promise we all desire. (A positive review on Steam to follow). While admittedly I’m still not a fan of the current 2D gameplay or of it being particularly helpful in setting tactics and strategies, there is no denying it is slowly evolving in a positive fashion. Maybe it is just not my cup of tea in its current form. However, with respect to the games on-going evolution, here are some thoughts & suggestions that if I had my druthers I would like to see implemented down the road. One new addition that I have long desired and am extremely pleased to see implemented is the introduction of a side by side ‘stats’ presentation during game play in classic mode. Now if only this could be modified and fleshed out a bit more, that would be the icing on the cake, the cherry on the sundae as it were at least for me. More specifically, if rather than having the players on both teams simply shown side by side sequentially in the order of their jersey number as is the case now and which can be difficult to parse in real time. That instead they be grouped together and shown segregated from the rest of the roster & highlighted in their respective line combination formation (i.e., LW-C-RW-LD-RD). This would then allow the human player to more easily determine the actual player & line match ups between both clubs that are taking place on the ice at that time. (This is already being done in one of the classic modes but with a play-by-play event text instead being shown on the other half of the screen, however this only shows your own club on the screen at any one time and provides no side-by-side comparison). Additionally, if this feature could then be combined with a very simple graphically representation showing the approximate puck location, which team in possession of it and its general direction of movement (this could be done by simply having the offensive zone, neutral zone and defensive zone defined into broad blocks of ice), together with showing each teams existing tactical settings (as is appropriate to their offensive or defensive posture depending on who has possession of the puck at the time for the respective zone the puck is in). This then would at least in my opinion visually summarize all the key aspects regarding the state of play on the ice and allow the human player to more easily evaluate the opponents strategies, the flow of the game, any momentum changes that could be occurring (for example caused player fatigue, inappropriate line match ups and/ or tactics etc.), and adjust for any roster or tactical opportunities that may be present based on their opponent’s game plan. Fit in a play-by play crawler along the bottom of the screen, expand the stats screen to also show giveaways and take-aways, and add the ability to select via the keyboard what line to ice either during the actual play (following a dump in for example which the player could possibly prompt) or at a stoppage in play, and voila, you end up with one happy camper over here and I will write the developers into my will… Well in a perfect world where my every desire was granted… Seriously, a genuine thanks & appreciation to the developers for their efforts to date. Cheers!