Is the game in a playable state yet for longterm GM'ng?

[Blaizze]

I purchased the game long ago and it was clearly not ready but I know there have been substantial improvements since that time.

However from what I still read on the forums is that the contracts and signings are not working and after a few seasons you end up being unable to sign players etc..

I haven't played since 1.5 although I did install 1.68 but found the UI still too non user-friendly to navigate around and taking long for things to occur so I went back to my other Sim game.

I really want to play this game but I want to play in current times (not historical mode) and I want to be able to run a team for as many years as I wish. I definitely do not want to invest the required hours to go through 2 or 3 seasons only to find out it was a waste of time because I'm not able to sign any players or whatever the issue is when it comes to salary cap and contracts etc.

I see posts that seem like people are playing the game (dynasty threads etc..) but I haven't actually heard or seen a "The game is fully playable now" post so I would like to obtain some insight from users who have been, or have tried to, play through seasons since Patch 1.68 please!

Originally Posted by Blaizze

I purchased the game long ago and it was clearly not ready but I know there have been substantial improvements since that time.

However from what I still read on the forums is that the contracts and signings are not working and after a few seasons you end up being unable to sign players etc..

I haven't played since 1.5 although I did install 1.68 but found the UI still too non user-friendly to navigate around and taking long for things to occur so I went back to my other Sim game.

I really want to play this game but I want to play in current times (not historical mode) and I want to be able to run a team for as many years as I wish. I definitely do not want to invest the required hours to go through 2 or 3 seasons only to find out it was a waste of time because I'm not able to sign any players or whatever the issue is when it comes to salary cap and contracts etc.

I see posts that seem like people are playing the game (dynasty threads etc..) but I haven't actually heard or seen a "The game is fully playable now" post so I would like to obtain some insight from users who have been, or have tried to, play through seasons since Patch 1.68 please!

If you plan on using the NHL/AHL then yes, it is playable. Some annoyances but your game shouldn't 'break' if you don't try anything too out of the ordinary (like editing while playing).

Bare in mind the new Match Engine patch is en route though. So if you are like me and prefer to start a fresh after each update, probably best to wait it out.

[Merla]

Definitely playable. I'm in 2025 with my Edmonton Oilers and I'm having a blast

[Blaizze]

Thank you for the replies that is great to hear.

I would only be playing at the NHL GM level and I generally sim my games without reading or following any of the match details. I moreso like the GM aspect of things.

I'll give it a go!

[Orioles1966]

If you like editing and/or Custom League play with your own expansion/the game isn't playable.

[Mordrehl]

Originally Posted by Merla

Definitely playable. I'm in 2025 with my Edmonton Oilers and I'm having a blast

How have the contract demands been? I fired up the latest patch, simmed a bit and then started to offer contracts to some of the pending rfa/ufa's

Example : Lars Eller on Montreal who gets 3rd line mins and 3rd line production wanting 5mil/year :P

[Aliean]

incredibly boring.win the cup every year get all the best rookies and just repeat every season and you will be the best gm that has ever lived in 5 years in the game without a problem

[G-Nuke]

I find the regular game playable for 2-3 years before things start to breakdown a bit. If you aren't too picky about unrealistic statistical output and things like that you can probably play longer.


Historical play, with A TON of editing (like 40-50 players per year) and a lot of patience is also playable for 2-3 seasons if you start between 1947 and 1971. The WHA has some funky stuff happening with poor research piled on to. Starting after say 2000 or so is a complete waste of time since the is a hard stop in 2013. I find it tough to swallow that the British hockey leagues are there, but historical play is getting no love at all, but there you are.

[asilvermtzion]

for me? no. the financials make it next to impossible to sign ufas/rfas after 2 or 3 seasons. i tend to like to take the worst team and build from there, so i like long-term games.

Originally Posted by Merla

Definitely playable. I'm in 2025 with my Edmonton Oilers and I'm having a blast

Can we have some screens here? For non-believers.

[Merla]

Originally Posted by dmytron

Can we have some screens here? For non-believers.

Sure. Have a look at Eberle's career. I've kept Nugent-Hopkins, Eberle, Hall and Yakupov since the beginning (also drafted Nylander 2014). Very pleased with Ollas-Mattsson.. a 5th rounder who turned out to be a great defensive d-men (7.5a) and he's been my top defenseman when it comes to plus/minus-stats for several seasons. And yes, I'm aware of the problem that Aliean posted.. It is too easy to trade and get top draft picks and players, but I always try to make realistic trades (I did this with EHM as well) instead of "cheating".

[Mordrehl]

Originally Posted by Merla

Sure. Have a look at Eberle's career.

and what about financials? The bug where your ufa/rfa offered contracts can tie up your free agent budget for eternity making it impossible to sign ufa/rfas?

[pumppe]

Try that 550k for first season in offers. For example (3y/5m) 550k, 9,5m, 5m.

Im on season 2021 with pittsburgh and no financial problems so far.

[Nuk]

Originally Posted by Mordrehl

and what about financials? The bug where your ufa/rfa offered contracts can tie up your free agent budget for eternity making it impossible to sign ufa/rfas?

I'm in 2019/20 with the Canucks (just lost Game 7 of the Finals in 18/19 - so, yeah, the game is realistic).

You have two options with the UFA/RFA contracts.
1. Backloading (550K in first year, loading up the other years to make the cap hit the player wants).
2. A cheat program. "ArtMoney" is one. You do a search for the "offered contracts" value and set it to 0.

I'm at work - but I'll post some screen shots later tonight - my favourite unsuspected guy was Jordan Subban - 4th rounder who's a solid 40 point d-man.

[Mordrehl]

Originally Posted by Nuk

I'm in 2019/20 with the Canucks (just lost Game 7 of the Finals in 18/19 - so, yeah, the game is realistic).

You have two options with the UFA/RFA contracts.
1. Backloading (550K in first year, loading up the other years to make the cap hit the player wants).
2. A cheat program. "ArtMoney" is one. You do a search for the "offered contracts" value and set it to 0.

I'm at work - but I'll post some screen shots later tonight - my favourite unsuspected guy was Jordan Subban - 4th rounder who's a solid 40 point d-man.

Does that still tie up 550K/year per player?

[Sebastian Palkowski]

We are about to release another maintanance patch in the near future, so maybe you should wait for it before you start. The match engine patch might be not that interesting for you and you can continue your game anyways.

[G-Nuke]

Originally Posted by Sebastian Palkowski

We are about to release another maintanance patch in the near future, so maybe you should wait for it before you start. The match engine patch might be not that interesting for you and you can continue your game anyways.

Woah... talk about a scoop!

EDIT: No sarcasm at all... that's great news!

[Orioles1966]

I''ve got two leagues that I just started and will wait and see before starting. I care more about editing than the game engine(unless it's 2-D).

I play FHM while I'm playing OOTP and mostly watch OOTP anyways unless the FHM game has playoff implications(or something).

[Nuk]

I imagine it still ties up 550K per year per player - but that is the league minimum.

[24Rocks]

This is good to hear Me and my dad bought this game to support and because we were interested I have no idea when I last tried to play but I will give it another go and see how it goes every game has problems version 1 so im not expecting perfect.