Had enough!
From AI generated offside. Interference calls, and goals called back for taking an extra shot at the goalie. Game just is no longer enjoyable. Packs WAY OVER PRICED. Content of packs abysmal. The ha...
Forum Discussion
@EA_Aljo wrote:I'm definitely not going to deny that the game has its issues. However, it doesn't appear to be broken. You say you want the game to be enjoyable regardless of skill level. What would make that better for you? There are already multiple difficulty settings. In HUT, you are going to most often get matched up with others around your skill level as well. You also have multiple difficulty levels for offline play in this mode. This may not happen so much during off peak hours where there's a smaller player pool though. So, what are your ideas to make the game more enjoyable for all skill levels?
I think for many users, they'd like a game that flows a lot more like hockey than the current "meta" allows for. Regardless of "skill" (I assume he means "twitch skill") a user should be able to have success in making hockey plays. Unfortunately with the state of the online/default tuning, playing this game like hockey is extremely difficult and usually unrewarding. From the lack of AI puck support, the AI's inability to fill open lanes on the rush, their lack of net-front presence, and just goalies in general not really allowing any "high danger" first shot goals outside of the programmed "glitch" moves that are designed to score with near certainty, users are left with the choice of either playing real hockey and losing a majority of games or learning how to play "NHL" (not hockey) in order to win at the expense of having any sort of "real hockey" feel to their success.
I don't think difficulty level changes this for offline either. Especially in 23 and 24, goalies are extremely good at limb reaction saves. They're robotic to a fault. As an IRL goalie, I find them to be extremely unrewarding to play against despite countless hours of slider testing and attribute testing to try and "fix" them (I do this even if it's not my "main" game in an attempt to stay informed on the current state of meta/tuning). Goalies in 22 and before were much more dynamic and lifelike when it came to limb reaction speeds and saves. Just alone in my NHL 20 games today, I've had 3-2, 5-4 (2OT), 6-2, and 4-2 scorelines using the same sliders with all teams having the same exact roster composition/attributes/ratings. I don't get that same level of dynamic scoring in 23 nor 24 because 1st goals just simply don't go in if you refuse to take "glitch" shots.
On this note, the AI had their aggression off the puck severely nerfed in NHL 21. This is well known, I've talked about it a lot on here. So from an offline perspective, difficulty doesn't really change anything other than CPU success rate in scoring and saving shots. It's quite literally the same game loop/experience. There's no more or less passing required, goals still require the same pattern to score, AI aggression still the same, so the only real "dynamic" experience available is through online play due to the human element and now we're back to the same challenges described in paragraph one of my response.
And of course, the game isn't "broken" nor "unplayable" and there isn't tons of "glitch" goals so I wish people would stop using hyperbolic words because it muddies these discussions the same way video evidence tends to to around here, but at the same time "glitch goal" has been used since NHL 07's "curve shot" at the latest, so I think by now anyone who has been invested in this community long enough should try to look past the word "glitch" and replace it with "exploit" or " for sure" goal and continue the discussion so we don't chase away obviously frustrated players. Feedback is always tough to sift through though, I get it.
Appreciate the reply @EA_Aljo
It's nothing personal, I have no issue with yourself. You seem a decent guy thats doing a thankless job.
If you remember back to the first conversation we had, I couldn't speak highly enough of the game and how much I've enjoyed it for decades. I have nothing against EA either. Probably 90% of the games I've played over the years have been made by EA. FIFA, PGA, Battlefield and many more. I know you guys can make really good games.
I still stand by everything I've said about 24. I have played well over a 1000 games so far this year and I feel like I'm not just playing against someone online, I feel like I'm battling against my own AI. No matter what formation or tactics I use the game is just constant rushes/breakaways. I have tried to explain this before. The defenseman doesn't defend the zone. If a fwd is attacking at full speed the defenseman should recognise that and not take the shortest route to the fwd. Just about everytime in that scenario the fwd passes the defenseman will ease. Its totally impossible for the user to do anything to stop it because as soon as you switch to the closest defenceman he skates in the wrong direction for that split second before you get control.
I don't understand how you can have a game thats been so good for decades (minus a couple), which is impressive in itself, to get so bad. You'd think it would improve with technology?
As for the YouTube fella above, its sleeveless, right? The guy that gets interviews with EA devs. Not really that surprising you defend the game at every turn on here. I'd happily defend many of the previous versions of this game but I stand by opinion of 24.
- @Stubo_NHL24 well the game is bad because they listened to the twitch game changers (before sleeves) these guys wanted the AI to be extra stupid and basically do nothing ,and since they really only listen to what top players have to say ,the nhl series has gone down ever since
- @Treatmentworke66 Because skill-zoning as it was called allowed anyone to compete by letting the AI do their work for them. They want the human deciding more of the game than the AI. Yes it's hard when you only have 1 person controlling 1 of the 4 other skaters and a goalie. And the really good players would just take the puck out of the zone and re-enter hoping to break up the formation. The goal imo is to have more of a flow even if it's repetitive.
- @KlariskraysNHL that's partly the the reason, but you can still skillzone it didn't really solve anything
EA_AljoCommunity Manager
@Treatmentworke66 wrote:
@Stubo_NHL24 well the game is bad because they listened to the twitch game changers (before sleeves) these guys wanted the AI to be extra stupid and basically do nothing ,and since they really only listen to what top players have to say ,the nhl series has gone down ever sinceAgain, this is absolutely false. You can just look at the patch notes and see where community feedback led to changes.
@Treatmentworke66 wrote:
@KlariskraysNHL that's partly the the reason, but you can still skillzone it didn't really solve anythingNot to the degree they used to. Skillzoning is much harder due to the slowing down the carrier. It is far easier to stop someone from playing this way now.
@EA_Aljo wrote:
@Treatmentworke66 wrote:
@Stubo_NHL24well the game is bad because they listened to the twitch game changers (before sleeves) these guys wanted the AI to be extra stupid and basically do nothing ,and since they really only listen to what top players have to say ,the nhl series has gone down ever sinceAgain, this is absolutely false. You can just look at the patch notes and see where community feedback led to changes.
Users who have difficulty with basic controls likely don't read patch notes. It would ruin their world-view that 'EA doesn't do anything".
@EA_Aljo wrote:
@Treatmentworke66 wrote:
@KlariskraysNHLthat's partly the the reason, but you can still skillzone it didn't really solve anythingNot to the degree they used to. Skillzoning is much harder due to the slowing down the carrier. It is far easier to stop someone from playing this way now.
Again, someone with cursory knowledge of the game and the mechanics likely equates any defensive posture that nulls their one-dimensional approach to scoring as 'skill-zoning'.
Many of these basic players spend their entire O-Zone time circling down low for cross creasers or shots from the slot, and when an opponent shuts that down by way of patience - they get accused of 'skill zoning'.
They're basically mad that you're not frantically switching control of players and subsequently pulling them out of position. Essentially: you're stopping them from scoring the goals they always score, they don't like it, and need to protect their ego by accusing you of not playing the game the way they want you to. Classic.
- @Stubo_NHL24 Which commenter here is the "YouTube fella above?" I didn't know Sleeveless was a commenter on these forums.
Anyway. Skill-zoning is the right way to play defense in this game. You can not rely on any AI to cover the backdoor nor can you rely on them to stop the far-side wrist shot. Therefore, you MUST control one guy and match the movements of your 1-dimensional opponent that is circling in your corner/at the half-boards in the most un-hockey way imaginable until they finally commit to a direction and then steal the puck from them.
Is it boring? Yes. Are they forcing you to play that way? Also yes.
As @EA_Aljo said, programming AI is difficult. It's a real conundrum because you can't make it so that your off-puck AI defenders are consistently shutting down pass options, right? Idk what the solution is but what we have now isn't great.
@NeonSkyline21 wrote:
@Stubo_NHL24Which commenter here is the "YouTube fella above?" I didn't know Sleeveless was a commenter on these forums.
Anyway. Skill-zoning is the right way to play defense in this game. You can not rely on any AI to cover the backdoor nor can you rely on them to stop the far-side wrist shot. Therefore, you MUST control one guy and match the movements of your 1-dimensional opponent that is circling in your corner/at the half-boards in the most un-hockey way imaginable until they finally commit to a direction and then steal the puck from them.
Is it boring? Yes. Are they forcing you to play that way? Also yes.
As @EA_Aljo said, programming AI is difficult. It's a real conundrum because you can't make it so that your off-puck AI defenders are consistently shutting down pass options, right? Idk what the solution is but what we have now isn't great.The one that told me not to reply because he wouldn't read it 😂
@Stubo_NHL24 wrote:The one that told me not to reply because he wouldn't read it 😂
😂😂😂😂
- EA_Aljo
@NeonSkyline21 wrote:
@Stubo_NHL24 Which commenter here is the "YouTube fella above?" I didn't know Sleeveless was a commenter on these forums.
Anyway. Skill-zoning is the right way to play defense in this game. You can not rely on any AI to cover the backdoor nor can you rely on them to stop the far-side wrist shot. Therefore, you MUST control one guy and match the movements of your 1-dimensional opponent that is circling in your corner/at the half-boards in the most un-hockey way imaginable until they finally commit to a direction and then steal the puck from them.
Is it boring? Yes. Are they forcing you to play that way? Also yes.
As @EA_Aljo said, programming AI is difficult. It's a real conundrum because you can't make it so that your off-puck AI defenders are consistently shutting down pass options, right? Idk what the solution is but what we have now isn't great.Skill zoning is in no way required. I can't stand to play that way. For me, it's boring to play so passively. Also, skilled players know how to exploit the AI mechanics. That best way to combat that is to play manual defense. You're not forced to skillzone by any means.
- @EA_Aljo people still do it but once you get a couple of tips in or a couple of wraps then they tend to play manual defense in my experience
O my god this game is so bad in every single way i just cant believe how they could do this to us . It is totally unplayable. Go in and play Nhl 23 or Nhl 22 or some of older and you will see how much better games they are
This isn't broken, it does work on some levels and there is fun to be had with it too (as long as you can look past the glitches and AI deficiencies).
But if I could put one specific thing out there to signify my overall experience with this game if would be this clip.
