aqualizard

I'd just like to get a group of guys that like playing in person. RIght now, and for the last 15 years come to think of it, it is just me and one friend. All of my buddies played in university (back in the late 90s for me), but everyone dropped off except the one guy. We can play at my place, or your place, or wherever. Just need to plan it ahead of time. I live downtown, but we usually play near Bloor West Village at a friend's.

Great! I sent you a PM! Any other Toronto peeps want to get some live games happening?

Guys that live in Toronto and play Genesis, let's meet up and play in person! I see by the NHL 94 Attendee list there are already 5 guys (counting me) that live here and play on the GENS! (no name given) Tony Twist (SNES) (Toronto) kgman (Genesis) (Toronto) LEGENDOFNHL94 (Genesis) (Toronto) aqualizard (Genesis) (Toronto) sebe82 (Genesis) (Toronto) I think #1 is my buddy (not registerd on this site) and in fact we are playing in person this Friday. I had no idea there were so many other people in Toronto we could be playing with? (Or possibly some say Toronto but live on the outskirts?) Ayone interested?

Hey Legend, I am in Toronto. I play now and again with a friend here on a real Genesis. You interested in hooking up in person? Like you, I tried the online league several years ago and also had a bad experience. In addition to being a PITA to get configured, I found the emulated play to be much different than the real deal.

This is the part of the NHL94 story I am most interested in. I do hope the real creators get recognized. (And I want to find out the story myself!) I am sure Mark Lesser is a solid programmer, but the real credit goes to the person or people that: 1. came up with the game UI (birdseye vertical scrolling player profile view thingy) 2. came up with the game play UX (passing and taking control of whoever has the puck) 3. programmed the game engine, with the smooth skating feel and puck physics In short, the person or people -- way before Lesser -- that came up with the "magic" that separated this hockey game from it's predecessors. (I am sure there are more things than the 3 I mentiond, and maybe I have them wrong, but my point is the look and feel of this game was already magic before Mark Lesser joined, and I hope the the doc explains this and gives credit to the person or people behind it. And I would love to know the real, full story. Was it really Know and Troy London that did all of this, and who did what between them?)

If you need help with the site let me know. I do HTML/CSS/Javascript for a living. Either way, thanks for all of your effort!

It seems obvious to me that there should be a Genesis champion, and an SNES champion, not some weird hybrid. I for one never play SNES and would be horribe on it. On another note, I live in downtown Toronto, so if people have questions about things like hotels or places to eat, I can provide info. If I were coming from afar to this thing, I would be looking at hostels (http://theplanettraveler.com looks awesome) and airbnb.

I am interested in whatever the latest SEGA version is... love playing on my real system over emulation. PM sent, but looks like we may have missed the boat, folks.

Specs mean nothing. The game was just smoother on the GENS.

Congrats! I think I was on the original board without the backup. I didn't realize it was all so new back then. I am #93 here, just like Dougie Gilmour.

NHL94 was the best game of the franchise, no one here will argue that. NHL95 sucked. Everyone agrees. But it was whoever programmed the original engine -- the physics of the skating and shooting and passing that made the game *feel* right on a Sega Genesis -- that should be heralded as the greatest videogame programmer of all time. Who was that guy? I get the impression Mark Lesser came late to the game, and just made extra touches on what was already magic? So was it Jim Simmons that programmed the foundation in '92? (I don't remember if there was a '91?) Or someone else, before him?

Don't know what you mean by "orly"? Anyway, Yup, we got the four way. Lots of fun over beers. (Although as I am sure you know the 4 way is glitchy as hell. It is way easier to win with only yourself on your team -- but way more gratifying when you pass to a buddy on your team and he scores, instead of doing it all on your own.)

We are still playing every other Friday or so. For me, it's gotta be on the really Ginny -- emulators don't do the trick IMO. My email is 666aqualizard666 at hotmail .com (remove the 666s). My buddy lives in the west end, I live downtown, we both have Segas.

Every couple Friday's we play in person at a buddies house, then hit the bar. We play on a real Genesis with a cartridge. When parts break down, we buy more on ebay. Would love to play 2 on 2, but only 2 of us play regularly. Have tried the online version. Not the same, in my opinion. Anyone in or around Toronto and interested? -Aqualizard

I don't think Mark Lesser is "the man" when it comes to this great game. Maybe the main guy is Jim Simmons (was that his name), though? My point is, the real credit for this great game goes into the guy or guys that put together the "mechanics" of skating and the basic physics of on-the-ice movements. They got it right, in a way that has never been replicated. Mark Lesser took the existing "engine" and added some great things and fixed some bugs, but any competent programmer could have done that. That is my two cents... Aqualizard

Don, you live in Toronto, right? If so, there are four of us in Toronto that should hookup. (I think playing on a real Sega is 10x better that an emulator). Lemme know, plz.

Ok, this is an interesting point: good checking has little to do with the Checking Rating. Let's establish who the best checkers really are, and don't just throw in anyone "good" or "surprising". #1.Roenick (of course) #2.Gilmour (TOR) #3.Ronning (VAN) After that, I am not sure. I dunno about people putting Lafontaine and Mogilny on the "best Checkers" list... I play Buffalo a lot and it is actually Svaboda who gives you the feeling that "If I hit their puck carrier with a solid check HE WILL GO DOWN." That assuredness is the same feeling that Roenick and Gilmour give me.... Other thoughts on the Best of the Best? -aqualizard (a.k.a. blueapricot416)

I dunno about calling this the Lamest Thing Ever?This scenario has for sure happened to me over 10 times since I have been playing over the course of more than a decade. What about when your goalie makes the save and the forward just keeps charging into him until the puck slips into the net and the goalie is knocked way out of the way? That happens every couple games? Or, although rare, on occassion the opposition accidentally passes it from their side of the ice and the puck slowly skirts along the ice towards your goalie who inexplicable lets it slide right under him? A pass-goal from the other side of center? Or when your own players in a mad defensive scramble push your goalie out of the way, leaving a yawning cage wide open for an easy goal? Or when your goalie inexplicably bobbles a soft wrist shot, where the puck is in and out of his possession 10 times in 2 seconds and then gets by him and into the net? Or -- I am pretty sure I saw this a long time ago -- when a shot "plonks" off the goal post, and then is suspsended there for over a second, just floating in the air without moving, and THEN takes flight again into the net? Like the computer needs to think for over a second, should I move the puck this way or that way? These are all Lamest Things Ever, but somehow make the game cooler, in my opinion. aqualizard (a.k.a. blueapricot416)

Hey Don, thanks for prompting us to take a look. I have always heard that the Sega CD version of NHL 94 was the best, but I have never played it. When looking at the Sega CD systems on Ebay, I noticed some of them have the CD to the right of the Genesis, and some of them have it underneath. Are there other variations too? Does it make any difference WHAT Sega CD you buy, or are they all pretty well the same thing -- and play NHL 94 equally well? Thanks, aqualizard a.k.a. blueapricot416

Hey KG, it is blueapricot here (yes, I am aqualizard too).Since we are both Torontonians, we should try and hook up over Christmas for some games. My buddy and me are off work now until early January. Email me at blueapricot416 at hotmail.com! Take it easy!

Ok, no prob. Thanks, thoughI have played online a few times and it wasn't too great. Very glitchy for me anyway. Can't compete with the real system. I'll try next season... Aqualizard

I was buasy with work, but have been online every night now... Evan, can we arrange a specific time to play? Like Thursday Dec 15 at 9pm EST? When I login to MSN none of the NHL players I have inb my Contact List seem to be available?! - blueapricot416 (aqualizard)

Oh well, such is life! Glad it worked out for him.So when does the next season start, anyway? And how far through this season are you guys? 50%? See ya, aqualizard

I did so! Hope Iam the guy that gets chosen! My ping should be ok, I am in Toronto. aqualizard

In NHL94 or real life? In real life, I am from Toronto, and my favorite team is -- the Toronto Maple Leafs! In NHL94 I like playing Vancouver, Dallas, and Quebec. I would probably choose Chicago or Detroit, but among my friends we try no to play those two teams (and Montreal) because they are too good so it isn't fair. Specifically, Roenick is RIDICULOUSLY good. aqualizard