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[Qb]

Quote: Originally Posted by AdamJones113

Is it just me or does the CPU back check suck in this game? An example being #42 David Backes, whose goal seems to be to meander to the net without much purpose. Equally bad is the Blues #15, who stands perfectly still, facing the puck... only metres from his man at the point. Boy, does he stand still. And then he starts moving, completely misses the puck carrier, and pivots poorly. Bad shift mate. Alex Pietrangelo (I believe, hard to make out the number) plays well, but forgets to cover the back post.

Whenever I read one of the many gripes about lack of NZ pressure or ease of gaining the zone, the lack of backchecking pressure or urgency is all I think of. It's not so much passive defensemen surrendering the zone, it's forwards not actively back checking that cause so many of us to not enjoy offline play. Rarely will a pro D-man step up on a forward coming at him with speed unimpeded, and this situation is all too common in this series when playing the cpu. Heck, it's even hard to do this as a user because of the lack of true directional player switching.

[bad_philanthropy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Qb

Whenever I read one of the many gripes about lack of NZ pressure or ease of gaining the zone, the lack of backchecking pressure or urgency is all I think of. It's not so much passive defensemen surrendering the zone, it's forwards not actively back checking that cause so many of us to not enjoy offline play. Rarely will a pro D-man step up on a forward coming at him with speed unimpeded, and this situation is all too common in this series when playing the cpu. Heck, it's even hard to do this as a user because of the lack of true directional player switching.

Great point. Hard stops and urgent backchecking are huge components of the NHL game and hockey generally. How often do you see the cpu hard stop and book it in the other direction to track down the play?

[AdamJones113]

Quote: Originally Posted by Qb

Whenever I read one of the many gripes about lack of NZ pressure or ease of gaining the zone, the lack of backchecking pressure or urgency is all I think of. It's not so much passive defensemen surrendering the zone, it's forwards not actively back checking that cause so many of us to not enjoy offline play. Rarely will a pro D-man step up on a forward coming at him with speed unimpeded, and this situation is all too common in this series when playing the cpu. Heck, it's even hard to do this as a user because of the lack of true directional player switching.

Quote: Originally Posted by bad_philanthropy

Great point. Hard stops and urgent backchecking are huge components of the NHL game and hockey generally. How often do you see the cpu hard stop and book it in the other direction to track down the play?

Absolutely agree on all points. The AI has no urgency and that's especially obvious on the back check. When the puck is turned over, it's the same program: stop, skate back unhurriedly, meander your way to your station on defense. I think part of the problem could be that the CPU expects you to do what they do on offense: set up in the NZ before dumping it in/skating in. If the human were to play like that, the slow back check wouldn't matter, as the back checkers would be back in position before the human entered the offensive zone.

[mkharsh33]

Is this a product of the skating engine still not functioning like it should?...

[bad_philanthropy]

Quote: Originally Posted by mkharsh33

Is this a product of the skating engine still not functioning like it should?...

Possibly. Beyond backchecking you don't see a lot of good stops and changes of directions away from the puck where that is a fundamental property of the NHL game—where on the bigger European ice you can get away with more circling and drifting into soft spots of the ice. I want to see the AI sneak into open space on the ice, and I also want to see the AI notice a play developing, stop, and bust their *** on an efficient route into space.

Just never get the sense the AI has any recognition of what is developing on the ice.

[canucksss]

Quote: Originally Posted by Fiddy

I'll say this, you know me on here of being very critical of the series in general. They say one thing, yet do another, even ignore issues that have been in the series for far too long. But, this is the only game in town and i need an NHL fix. Great that EASHL is back because i missed playing this mode with 12 other buds of mine. I also need an offline fix. I just player lock on a different position every game in my GM mode. I even created myself that i use in the EASHL over the years with legend 3 attributes and boosts. Sit back and roll through games. Yes, not perfect, yes still annoying things, but the games play so much better than controlling everyone. Worth 60? Nope. If you can get it for 30 at some point hop on it.

Yea, I've known you since 2k's online competition back in Original Xbox (like more than 10 years!). Your opinion is one of the opinions I respect here at OS, even at times I dont agree with you. I know during this time of the year, i have a strong urge to play NHL video game. But I cannot justify anymore that I need to pay $60 for a product that has same glaring issues. I stopped playing NHL game after buying "12. I barely touched '13, I rented and was return in a matter of 1 week.

Do I miss playing NHL video game, of yea for sure, but there are other alternatives like EHM and the upcoming FHM. Or I just have to switch to another sport like NBA 2k which I am doing for the past 3 years now. I am not even a big fan of NBA.

[Josam27o7]

Quote: Originally Posted by canucksss

Yea, I've known you since 2k's online competition back in Original Xbox (like more than 10 years!). Your opinion is one of the opinions I respect here at OS, even at times I dont agree with you. I know during this time of the year, i have a strong urge to play NHL video game. But I cannot justify anymore that I need to pay $60 for a product that has same glaring issues. I stopped playing NHL game after buying "12. I barely touched '13, I rented and was return in a matter of 1 week. Do I miss playing NHL video game, of yea for sure, but there are other alternatives like EHM and the upcoming FHM. Or I just have to switch to another sport like NBA 2k which I am doing for the past 3 years now. I am not even a big fan of NBA.

Good to see some of the old NHL community guys. Where did the other guys go? I guess they abandoned this place, like me, as the NHL series degraded. I was an active slider poster here from NHL 08-10 (when the series really had a nice upward trajectory -- partly stemming from the innovative and fun right-joystick total stick control replacing the face-buttons). The last NHL I bought was 12', too. I barely played 12', it was clear that the series was dying. I jumped ship to FIFA, NHL just couldn't compete with the yearly innovation FIFA was making in all areas. The small NHL dev team can't compete with the army of developers working for FIFA.


The funny thing is that between the two worst sports games (madden/NHL) NHL actually has a more fun feel to its gameplay. Madden gameplay just doesn't FEEL fun. But Madden is more respected b/c it's more realistic than NHL.


Oh, and the podcast on this site (press row podcast) is unbelievably amateur. Did you hear this Kat Baily talking about how NHL gameplay this year is amazing? LOL. Amateur.

[bad_philanthropy]

Anyone still have access time played with the new tuner that supposedly increased penalties? If so, any impressions on how often penalties are occurring now?

http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/10356002.page

We have overwritten the default tuner with the latest so you won't see multiple versions at this point. These are the most recent changes:

- Reduce shot accuracy a bit on pro difficulty
- Increase AI reaction times and interception chances on rookie to make them a bit better
- Coaching feedback tuning to make it easier to clear some tasks that were too difficult before.
- Reduce the max speed that players can pickup shots/slap passes. This was feedback from the Beta that wasn't fully tuned before.
- Increase chance of AI penalties in Offline modes.
- Tuning around offside awareness for AI players
- Enable line change HUD in pregame situations (intro NIS and faceoff) so that you can change strategies before puck drop