EA has the perfect opportunity to separate skill based and arcade style.
After even more time of playing the Technical Test so far here's what I think should change and the game will head in the right direction IMO: (My input is for competitive EASHL play)
All offensive styled X-factors/Superstar abilities are TOOOOOO OVERPOWERED (There will always be ways to score no matter how bad of a player you might be. The skill part should come from good positioning and good team play so let's promote that EA! Like seriously)
Every year there's "more ways to score" for the offense. It can be deking, the x-factors/superstar abilities etc. Defense and Goaltending need a DRAMATIC BOOST to keep up with all the different ways to score. What about defense? Yeah, there's factors and abilities but it's not enough to keep up with the offense. Played NHL since NHL 10 and can play any position (effectively) besides goalie (was pretty decent in the 360 era) but defense could use some more like being able to walk to blue line quicker, effective fake slap shots, better passing as the QB on the powerplay etc.
Of all the games I played in the test (mainly 3v3 and 6v6 OTP because friends didn't get codes or were uninterested to sign up) AI GOALIES WERE ABSURDLY HORRIBLE. Now what I meant in my topic title is that there's a way to split that effectively! We have the arcadey style ones eliminator and threes eliminator. LET ALL THE GOOFY, FLUKEY STUFF HAPPEN THERE! but majority of people who play Club or OTP are a bit more competitive so why can't we make that a better "simulation styled" experience and should be SKILL BASED WITH A SKILL GAP. Goalies should be insanely good (It's hockey so come up with a good play to score), defense needs to be able to stop the bajillion ways to score. Odd man rushes you're expected to score so that's whatever (play better defense, stop pinching, switch if you do pinch etc.) and if you and your friends make a club so you can just hit people all game then cool that's fine but you should pay the price and most of the time lose the game. Finally, I'll finish with this. if you pick all small builds LET US HIT THEM they should pay the price for being a team of Nathan Gerbe's. I've been seeing for YEARS that a slight turn and a turn of the shoulder (deke) it slows me down dramatically and I completely miss the hit even when I take the proper angle for the hit. I love that you took the poke check glitch out, but the slow down is just a bit too much and I don't even poke spam. I shouldn't get a boost in speed though which I can take the hit on that. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE EA make these necessary changes and when your team is working on 24 (which a lot of cosmetic things like the menu and stuff will need to change) your fan base will increase cause it will be a good hockey game.
Also stop recycling old modes and stuff from previous games. There should be an abundance of things we can do in the game from game planning, making strategies, etc. and if something is overpowered please patch when these things arise! no letting them go until the next game. Plus, patch notes are pretty cool too especially when there's tuner updates and stuff
This was all I can think of currently. I like discussion with others and meshing ideas. Lets try and get EA to see this!
