October 2021 - last edited June 2022
I have been an avid Be A Pro player since NHL 09. While NHL 22 definitely has seen some improvements there's also multiple things that can improve moving forward. Here are my suggestions (for what it matters).
UPDATED March 2022 - Updates in RED
Be A Pro
I feel like I just rambled for an hour, but I feel these would GREATLY improve the game mode. I just hope that EA is at least considering some BAP overhauling since we have had almost the exact same BAP for years now with just cutscenes added. I also realize EA focuses way more on online play, but offline players still pay for the game so we shouldn't be on the back burner every year. Simple adjustments can make this mode a lot better. I realize that 90% of these will likely never happen because let's face, unless EA makes BAP a micro transactional game mode they aren't going to make it as good as it could be. Maybe if they eventually have paid add on's to BAP we'll see some big improvements but until then it's just a pipedream.
October 2021
Great post. EA should add all that stuff and the ability to choose a specific player on a current roster. If we want to use a current all-star or an all-star in junior we should be allowed to do that. Another benefit to that would be players who enjoy gaming can use their own player without having to create another version of themselves.
October 2021
One thing that ALWAYS bothers me about Be A Pro is the fact that you're always drafted in the draft that has just gone by, and keeps the results of that same draft bringing in the duplicate draft picks (if Owen Powers was in the game, Buffalo would have had him AND the created player that went first in my draft as I went to Seattle). I want to see EA get rid of the duplicate draft, and allow us to either be drafted in the 2022 draft, competing with those drafted in 2022 (redoing the draft order in the process) , or start our Be A Pro in our draft year for the 2023 Draft in NHL 23
October 2021 - last edited October 2021
@ccleme20Awesome and well thought out post. Some things I’d like to see are;
1. Free Skate/ Practice with your player. While I would like your idea better, all they would have to do is add your BAP player to the roster of that team. Go into Training mode and pick your scenario. Granted it’s not the same having to control all of the other players but at the very least you could free skate. I only play WoC and BAP and it’s jarring coming from from my WoC character to my BAP scrub. I’d like to be able to go into free skate to see what shots and dekes I can actually pull off compared to my WoC skater.
Back to your idea, I played UFC 4 this year. It was the first UFC game I’d ever played. What hooked me was the career mode and training camp. I liked that I actually had to practice the skills I wanted to level. That would be a nice addition to BAP. Maybe not as in depth becuase of how long seasons are but something more than what we have.
2. Team / Teammate AI. I wouldn’t care that we can’t select strategies IF every coach/team had variations or personality but no matter what team you play on it’s the same. Dump the puck in the offensive zone or turn to the boards and wait to be pinned in either zone. Opposing AI will cycle the puck while AI teammates let them but the second you enter the offensive zone, you get rushed by the entire team.
Either give each team unique game plans / strategies or let us choose these in the AI section of the slider menu. They already exist for franchise and HUT so implementing in BAP shouldn’t be hard?
3. The option to restart a game. Man this one sucks in all modes. WoC Pro-AM and BAP are the worst since it takes so long to get back into the game. I try to take my lumps as they come but sometimes the AI does some really dumb stuff that I’m not willing to either take a loss over or spend the next 30min playing. The AI has improved but adding a restart option to the game menu would be awesome.
4. I love the addition of abilities but the unlocks have to be reworked. I like having things to grind for but play 5 years on the same team? I don’t like simming games but it looks like I’m going to have to start unless they change some of these.
5. Give us more to do off ice if we want. Mainly with the salary perks, trading/contract options and social media stuff. And we need more lines / commentary that can span a career.
6. With the NHL series being an annual release, I would LOVE to be able continue my BAP career in the latest release. There’s no way you’re getting far into any career without simming a ton before the next NHL installment. Let us transfer our player to the new version .
As far as EA not working on something that lacks micro transactions, they improved a ton with WoC and EASHL this year and I’m kinda surprised they didn’t add micro transactions for hockey bags and cosmetics. It wouldn’t bother me if they did but they aren’t monetizing either of those any more than BAP.
October 2021
October 2021 - last edited October 2021
@johum2886Yes, this is maddening haha I haven't noticed if this year's game does that (I was drafted late first round) but last year I went to the Kings and they had Byfield (I think) drafted in the same spot as me. Who wouldn't love two #2 picks haha but c'mon.
October 2021
I forgot to add - I really want to see AI increase or decrease stats based on their play. If not league wide then at least on your team. Lines shouldn’t just shift based on my play or if one of our D-men keeps mishandling passes, finding a replacement becomes a priority before the trade deadline.
October 2021
November 2021 - last edited November 2021
I would like to add I just had my player injured for 29 games. And there was nothing, no doctors visit, no indication of how long I was going to be out, what the injury was, nothing. Just a throw away line when I returned from Ray Ferraro about how I just returned from injury. I remember this being in previous editions of BAP. Why take it out?
November 2021