Joborule's NHL 08 WISHLIST - Attributes

[Joborule]

NHL 08 WISHLIST

ATTRIBUTES



This is the main suggestion that is a MUST and will flow through out all the gameplay wishlist. MORE ATTRIBUTTES is a must for NHL 08. Madden NFL 07 has 17 new ratings; NHL 07 went DOWN in ratings. Lots of attributes are missing in the game and there needs to be a lot more. Defensive rating on its own would do a lot to the game. All players would not play the same style of defense based on there player style. There would be more diversity between good defensive players, and bad ones since one player would do one thing based on there playing style and attribute, and one would do another since their rating is different even if they are the same player style.

This is gonna be a list since I’m gonna describe each attribute that should be in the game if necessary or is new.

Overall: Straightforward, but needs tweaking on the current system. Right now the way it works is if the player is skillful on the puck, his rating will be higher; this needs to change and be fairer to other players. Ratings should be done on two factors, the player’s position, and player type. Based on his attributes, if his ratings fit his position well and player type, then he should have a pretty high rating. Defensemen get jipped out of good overalls because of this issue.

Speed: How fast a player is at his top speed. (This will affect speed burst, which I’ll get into later on another wishlist)

Acceleration: How quickly a player can reach his top speed. (This will affect speed burst, which I’ll get into later on another wishlist)

Agility: This effects how well a player can skate around and use his feet, such as stopping on the dime, moving laterally, switching directions at 180 degree angle, ect.

Backwards Skating: How well a player is at backwards skating. This is actually a skill that isn’t reflected very well in the game. The better the rating, the better the player is at equaling their rating for speed and acceleration. Agility will revolve around how easily he can get in and out of backwards skating and such.

Balance: How well a player is on staying on his feet. Determines the percentage of a player going down on some hits and bumps in open ice or along the boards or even when skating and has to work on his feet.

Strength: Determines how strong a player is. (This effects the strength of a player check, how strong he is in fighting, and other activities that revolve around being physical.)

Awareness: This will be an overall of all awareness ratings for the player. It will be based on his calculations between the offensive and defensive awareness, player type, and his position. The point of this rating is to make it easier for the user to dissect the player.

Shot Power: How much power and speed the player Slap/Snap shots are.

Shot Accuracy: How accurate a player Slap/Snap shots are.

Wrist Shot Power: Effects how much power and speed the player whist shots are.

Wrist Shot Accuracy: Effects how accurate a player is on wrist shots.

Backhand Power: Effects how much power and a speed a player backhand shot are.

Backhand Accuracy: Effects how accurate the player is on backhand shots.

Shot Bias: How often a player would take a shot. (This is a computer based rating solely. If a player has a high shot bias, make sure it doesn’t always shoot when they is no scoring chance at all making it an easy save or no shot will go through at all. You guys will have to work with the A.I. on this a lot, along with other computer based attributes. We don’t want outrageous shots on net because the CPU took useless shots instead of trying to create something better.)

Pass Power: How much power and speed the player passes are.

Pass Accuracy: How accurate a player passes are.

Saucer Pass Power: How much power and speed the player saucer passes are.

Saucer Pass Accuracy: How accurate the player saucer passes are (this also effects if he can even do them properly, such as getting enough height, too little, or too much height, causing the puck to be easily intercepted, miss it’s intended target, or make the puck hit the ice at an angle to make it bouncy and alive).

Backhand Power: This affects how much power and a speed the player backhand passes are.

Backhand Accuracy: This effects how accurate a player is on backhand passes.

Pass Bias: How often a player would pass. (Again, this is computer based and needs lots of A.I. work. If there isn’t anything there that could result in a quality shot chance, he would just pass it off, or may keep it if his pass bias isn’t all that high or his awareness attribute is high enough for him to think he can create something better to get a better pass off or even a shot. Also when breaking out towards the attack zone even when just coming into the offensive zone, the player may want to give the puck away to another player, or keep it and bring it in himself if he’s more selfless. One thing to remember is that strategy overrules all, so if a player passes when he’s not suppose to, that will factor with the awareness attribute. Lots of things revolve around this pass bias attribute so it would need a lot of A.I. work still. The theme of NHL 08 should revolve a lot around controlling the ice, and the player brain.)

Puck Control: How well a player is at controlling the puck. (JUST because he has a very high rating doesn’t mean the puck is gonna be pure glue on his stick, remember that. If he tries too much for his momentum, composer, and perhaps the ice wants to play with him, he will lose it. Not only that but it will determine how well a player can handle a pass (especially a hard one), and this could also determine how often he could fan on the puck.)

Deking: How well a player can control the puck deking. (Just pretty much like the Puck Control rating, how well he can control the puck while pulling off some dekes.)

Faceoff: Determines how well a player is at faceoffs. (As it is already, the higher your rating, the better chance you got at winning it when drawing at the same time.)

Reflex: Determines how well a player is at reflexes with the stick, and can effect how quick a goalie moves. (This would effect players on tips for deflections, knocking down passes or intercepting quick one wither there radius, ect. As well effects how quick a goalie can react.)

Carrier bias: How often the player would hold onto the puck instead of shipping it off to another teammate and how often a player will try to out maneuver the defender and dangle around him or dump it in/get rid of the puck somehow. (This works along with the Pass Bias attribute but more to the degree to break it down more. A player may be more selfish, but that would be to get a better pass opportunity for a scoring chance if the pass bias and carrier bias is high. If the carrier bias is high, and the pass bias is lower by a degree, he would keep the puck to create a chance for himself instead of shipping it off. Not only that but this could be a rating for how often a player will try to undress the defender, be patient even with pressure around, or will dump the puck into the zone down the boards.)

One thing however, if a player has a high puck control rating, and a decent carrier bias rating, the player should recognize his puck control rating and use it at times other then get rid of the puck.

Composer: Determines how composed a player is when pressure is put on him, and also determines a goalie composer. (Players may be more posed to get rid of the puck or hold onto it too long if they’re to rattled by the pressure of the defender(s) or may be very calm and remain control if not enough pressure is put. This effects BOTH CPU and Human controlled players. If a player has low composer, his attributes would drop by a fair percent. If a player has high composer, the attributes percentage drop would drop by very little.

This also affects goalies composer. The higher the rating, the less likely they are to bite on a deke, fake, or anything that can throw them off position.

The attributes affected would only impact skill and awareness attributes. Not physical attributes such as speed or checking. It doesn't make sense for a player to be slower just because he got pressure on him.)

Offensive Awareness: Determines how intelligent a player is on the offensive aspects of the game and determines what the player does in situations during the play/game. The higher it is, the smarter and less likely they are to make an mistake and even can improvise the play for the better. This also impacts how smart a player is on PPs. (A LOT of work is put into this part. This determines the position a player is in at the attack zone for their play, is he moving around when he should, is he at the right places at the right time, does he make the right adjustments for a play if he sees on, ect. Lots go into this and the shot bias, pass bias, carrier bias, and composer also calculate into this rating as well. This is the main awareness rating for offensive things though, and will control the player basics on his playing style and the attributes he got. If the player is a playmaker player type, he would have different A.I. reactions then a Grinder or defensive defensemen, even if they have the same awareness rating.)

Checking: How physical and strong a player check is. (Size and rating is very important here. Even if a player has a high rating but is slow, his check won’t be ass effective as a big player, with the same rating or bit lower. That doesn’t mean small guys can’t get big hits however, size with both players, momentum, angle, and attributes matters here)

Check Bias: How often a player would dish out a hit. If it’s lower, the player would more likely use there stick to make the player lose the puck (This can be a good or bad thing for the player, it would depend on the Penalty rating; which is coming soon. Dion Phuneuf should have pretty high rating since that guy is always looking to knock someone down, and hard. Unlike a small guy, who may shy away from hitting a player when the puck has gone away somewhere or would rather use his body lightly and use his stick instead.)

Shot Block Bias: How often a player is willing to block a shot (Lets admit it, it’s a real risky and brave thing to do, not every single player will sacrifice themselves to do that, and would rather put there stick in the lane; which is worst, or just let the goalie see the puck and hope he saves it. If a player has a decent shot block rating, he would be in the shooting lane to try and block it, but more likely standing up instead of getting down on the ice. If someone has a high rating, they wouldn’t hesitate too much if at all to get on the ice, which could backfire on fake slap shots.)

Man Defense: Determines how well a player can play man defending (One way to make a difference between players in the game more and make the D much more different next year is to add another defensive awareness. The higher the player rating is for man defense, the better he is covering only one man around the zone. The lower the rating, the worst he is at covering his man successfully.)

Zone Defense: Determines how well a player can play zone defense. (Same thing as man defense, but done in zone type of defense. This will affect more for PK A.I.)

Defensive Awareness: Determines the knowledge of a player on defensive play. (The summary of Man Defense, Zone Defense, Shot Block Bias, Check Bias, Player type and Position will determine the overall for this rating. Different A.I. Reactions happen with different players play type and attributes)

Stickside Low: Determines how well a goalie is at saving at that area. (Now some goalie ratings here. The higher the rating, the better chance the goalie has at saving the puck at that area.)

Stickside Middle: Determines how well a goalie is at saving at that area.

Stickside High: Determines how well a goalie is at saving at that area.

Gloveside Low: Determines how well a goalie is at saving at that area.

Gloveside Middle: Determines how well a goalie is at saving at that area.

Gloveside High: Determines how well a goalie is at saving at that area.

Gloveside Low: Determines how well a goalie is at saving at that area.

5-Hole: Determines how well a goalie is at saving at that area.

Recovery: Determines how quickly a goalie can get back in position.

Flexibility: Determines how flexible a goalie is. (We have to have some variety in goalies when they attempt to pull the splits, as well when they are out of position flopping on the ice and stretching out.

Lateral: Determines how quickly a goalie can shift from one post to the other post. (Some goalies are quicker at getting to the other side then others.)

Vision: Determines how well a goalie vision is. (This will effect how quickly goalies can react when screened, or find the puck when they lost sight of it. Not only this, but it can effect how good a goalie can predicated a possible play that could happen such as on a 2-on-1. This can be our goalie awareness rating mostly.)

Play Puck Bias: Determines how often a goaltender will go behind the behind the net to stop a dumped in puck or come out to play the puck. (Pretty straightforward, the higher the rating, the more likely the goalie will go behind the net on a dump and try to stop the puck on a dump in, or come out ahead and stop the puck and play it on a situation when no pressure is coming. Or even when a there is a possible that could happen if the player can get to the loose puck fast enough, the goalie will try to out race the player and poke or play it away from danger. That part will need a lot of A.I. work and make sure the goalie doesn’t do it when it’s not necessary or is not the right situation to do it because the puck and player are positioned odd. One more thing this can rating can affect is how often the goalie may put the puck back into play to keep the play going and not freeze the puck.)

Toughness: Determines how tough the player is. (Willing to give up his body for the better of the team, such as shot blocking, take bumps or give, being in the slot screening the goalie,.)

Aggressiveness: How aggressive a player game is. (Can relate to check bias, as well willing to rile a player up; without taking a penalty, pressure on puck carrier, ect.)

Intensity: The intensity a player brings into his game. (Can relate to aggressiveness, but more aimed at heart and how much energy he gives participating in the play. If he has a high rating, he will show more ‘uphm’ in his hits. If he’s lower rating, he would be more likely to have a weaker check effort.)

Penalty: Determines how likely a player is to take a penalty. (Players take stupid penalties all the time, some players more then others. A player with a higher rating may be more clean with there play and not create a penalty. If someone tries the same thing as the previous player and has a lower rating, he would be more likely to make a mistake in the action and do an illegal action.

Endurance: Determines how much endurance the player has. (The more tired fatigued a is throughout the game, the more a player attributes will go down. And that’s ALL attributes except fight, and bias attributes unless there really tired and don’t want the puck anymore. Puck bias may go up then.

Injury: Determines how prone a player is to injuries. (As it is done already, the better the rating, the less chance of the player to be injured.)

Fight: Determines how often a player fights.


There you have it, 40 player ratings, 14 goalie based ratings to get to a grand total of 14 ratings which can control both players and goalies.

These attributes will bring the game more to the Next-Generation degree and will bring variety between the superstars and the minor leaguers. Which mean that it will be harder to make a call an immediate superstar for the user and that skills attribute don’t mean EVERYTHING. Right now the awareness attribute is quite useless and not effective at all since players play all the same even before Next Gen. If you bring it in, you must make it be much more important and mean something.

You may notice there is no potential rating, that rating has been removed since the rating makes players get to there top overall to quickly and isn’t that too great of a rating anyway and was quite useless.

One thing to keep in mind is that goalie stick skill and physical attributes such as speed will be reduced by quite a percentage unless there rating is extremely high for the attribute. This means that goalies will not be going at incredible flying speed if they have 82 speed like they have in NHL 06. They will have a speed rating more of a 65. Pass Accuracy rating at 75 would be more at 57. Goalies aren’t all that great at puck control.

DON’T FORGET, the overall for a player will be based of there position (and could be also done for player type, which could do more good) and how the attributes relate to it. Which mean Defensemen should be getting quite a bump in ratings next year.

THE GOLDEN RULE though is when it comes to implementing these to the A.I. of the game, make sure the player play to his attributes and awareness, not only a scripted style of play because of his awareness rating. If a player has speed, make him use it when he sees fits. If he has strength, make sure he uses it. Let’s make all players play to there exact real life form and be aware of their abilities. No player should be the exact same as another player in the league.