NHL25 Controls
Hi, I have played NHL since 2006. The skill stick was the best part of the game, and last year in NHL24 they completely ruined it by making puck protect holding left/right on the right stick. And on ...
Forum Discussion
I can understand moving puck protect away from holding the X (PS5) button… what I don’t understand is the logic behind holding my stick on the left or right side of my body then engaging in a puck protect. If you have ever played hockey, then you will understand that I can hold my stick on the left or right side of my body and continue to skate at full speed. There is no logical sense behind “if the stick is on my left/right side, then your puck protecting”.
I want you to understand clearly that changing the skill stick from what it was in the previous 10 games, is the reason me and every player I know did not buy NHL24. So, if you're fine with that, and won’t allow for players to change the controls on which they play the game, then I guess you’ve lost a 15+ year customer for good. I can’t think of any other sports game in history that changes the controls and doesn’t allow you to use the controls you want. It is really self-defeating from a business perspective.
Cheers mate
EA_Aljo
Community Manager
Community ManagerThat's not the way it works in the game though. You hold down hustle and move left or right. You're not going forehand/backhand to hold your stick out and protect it. Your player will shield their body better when protecting the puck while skating. Instead of being able to exploit this mechanic to backskate unrealistically.
Many people made the switch to Total Control. Many others stuck with skill stick. Personally, I kept using skill stick and remapped the fake shot to a paddle on the underside of an Elite controller because I was constantly accidentally hitting this when stick handling. So far, you're the first I've heard that specifically didn't get the game only because puck protect changed. We've had more positive feedback on this since it removed the exploit that a very large part of the community did not like.
So, just to be clear, if I’m skating forward, an I hold my R3 stick to the left or right, then I won’t automatically engage in a puck protect? Because this is what ruined the game for me, you can no longer go left and right on the R3 stick to mimic actual stick handling in hockey.
- EA_Aljo
Skating forward alone doesn't engage it. You have to be in hustle and then move left or right. This is very different from holding your stick out. That only happens when stickhandling to your forehand/backhand. You can still do that when hustle isn't activated. Which, is a lot more realistic as you shouldn't be able to stickhandle when hustling.
I dont know which people Ea is listen to but me and everone i know has stopped playing this game since the change of controls and the hitting
@FlowBacco I am sorry but just like many others who complain and complain, it gets tiresome and I am here to defend it. You said "it removed the fun of skill from the game and dangling in a sense" which has to be the most contradictory statement about the controls. You can skate at top speed and you can even protect the puck at near top speed (which only the superstars can do while at full speed) but it is physically impossible to puck handle while at top speed. Again you could be near top speed but to be at top speed while moving left to right with the puck is insanity, again unless you are a top class superstar. Any ways back to what you said, there is a skill added to puck protect (you HAVE to let go to then begin stickhandling) which is why people are complaining because it is harder to do. The typical thing for this community is something gets harder, so people complain about it.
NHL 19 - The poke check hitting the skate of the player would guarantee a tripping call. Caused 10 penalties a game because people weren't used to NOT SPAMMING the poke.
NHL 22 - Passing changes requiring more precise passing and punishing players who over cooked passes to bounce of their sticks.
NHL 24 - The Goalie Tether System (could have been fixed with a quick tweak of the location of the stick for post hug) but instead, the goalie community crucified EA with one person saying "they wanted to be able to play with one hand".
NHL 24 - The new hitting system requiring precise accuracy when going for a hit and again PUNISHING them for missing. Added a skill of knowing when to hit and when to shove. People still want it reverted though.
NHL 24 - The hitting boost mechanic was removed and it became HARDER to hit. Yet people complained and it was quickly reverted within a week.All of the above are examples of the game being made tougher and the community complaining about it. So yes the puck protect is on the RS. Learn the skill of how to let go to start stick handling and stop complaining.
I realize someone like you who probably had no success and low win % on the previous controls would have this perspective. It’s also hilarious your someone who probably never played real hockey at a high level would say you can’t stick handle left to right while at top speed. Please refrain from trying to come across as well informed and educated on hockey as your entire comment is contradictory to that. I understand your only experience with the hockey is on a videogame console. Please refrain from commenting on my posts, the game is terrible, and the least played of any in recent memory. Thanks for coming to my TEDTalk.
I have to agree with Flow here. I don't know who you guys got feedback from. But my friends and I are all elite 1s every season and our biggest complaint is the stick handling / puck protection. There was no reason to remove puck protect from the A button. Really disappointed to here that you will not be reverting back to the old controls. As someone who has been playing this game for 20 years now I can honestly say, to completely re map certain controls was one of the worst decisions EA has made. In my opinion this was the new Devs coming in last year and trying to make their impact felt my changing the controls. That is fine if it has a positive impact on the game, very few people that play at a competive level agree with that change. But just like every other video game has done in recent years, everything gets catered to the average player to reduce the skill gap.
A simple fix would have been to have puck protect override the LT or vice versa. Simply cancel one out when someone is trying to use both. No different then how trying to go backhand or forehand used to cancel your hustle.
If you and your friends are Elite 1s, then you all should be able to handle this skill change with ease. The highest level rank in our game should stand out among the rest. If you can’t have the mechanical skill to remove the thumb from the hustle button whenever you want to begin deking and instead want the game to do it automatically for us, than that Elite 1 rank has not been earned IMO. It is a skill that forces players to be more active on the thumbsticks which raises the skill gap in the game further. If it can’t be done, than some time needs to be spent getting the muscle memory down in practice mode, not requesting the devs to make the controls easier.
The puck protect overtakes the stick handling even when you're not on the hustle at times. It's a game at the same time. People want to be able to stick handle freely. It's more annoying foe the top skilled players. They are still going to heat 99% of teams if you know how to pass and play def. Just rather have it the old way. More fun.
