Re: CHEL lobby wait times

no

Lobby time and gameplay are not affected by the ATT issue. If you are able to...

1. Load into WoC main menu, and...

2. Load into a lobby, then...

... it is fine from there. Finding teammates and opponents isn't part of this problem nor is finding opponents. Those ARE issues, but they're not connected to the ATT issue.

@cb1c2748ade08ed1 

There was an update on Friday that is allowing us to better diagnose this issue. When we have some news, an update will be provided. Thanks for the report.

@EA_Aljo : When can we expect a feedback regarding the issue and when can we expect a working solution?

Asking because I purchased this game recently and I am thinking about returning it. My experience after a few hours WOC Drop In: I did the laundry, i did the dishes, i did other stuff around the house. What i did not was having fun. Because it took up to 60 minutes to find a single game. Never had issues like that. Makes the game literally unplayable for me.

@HypoLuxa93 

I don't have an ETA on this. We're working to get this resolved as soon as possible.

@EA_Aljo Thx for the quick response! Looking forward to read an update on the analysis.

I can't help but think it has a lot to do with the relaxed/best location search part. I'm set to relaxed wait for teammates, who might be set to best location and we sit and wait and wait and wait This is really frustrating to say the least. I'm really not sure what else to do, I think of how many mornings I've wasted countless hours waiting and waiting, just to quit and play COD. The " team" needs to get on this and investigate

@EA_Aljo : So, it's been two weeks now. Any result on the analysis? Any solution? Any timeline?

Issue is still there and even worse. Which makes CHEL Drop Ins basically unplayable.

Forget it if you're trying to play goalie.  Physically impossible.  Can't even sniff a lobby.

Two full weeks should allow ample time to resolve this, I'm assuming the investigators will be off soon for the Holidays which means we will be waiting until the new year? My gut tells me we're stuck with this problem.

Hello, everyone. We don't have an update yet. We'll post one when we have some news.

That is a big disappointment and the opposite of customer centricity.

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@HypoLuxa93 wrote:

That is a big disappointment and the opposite of customer centricity.

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If you're looking for consistent developer updates, ETAs, information or fixes for your game-breaking issues then you should probably know, God has died a long time ago. It's just us terrible souls clinging desperately to the husk of a hockey game, crying from the fourth circle of the great inferno for more great memories that will probably never again come. 

Also, judging by the way there's never any timelines for any of the problems here and all we can ever officially get is a "hope it will be addressed some time in the future" means he probably doesn't know anything either. 

Now, I understand this may feel a little...unfair at the same price point when you compare it to something like "Madden" where they get weekly commentary updates for scores from professionals and notable in game stats and results that happen every week, great music and gameplay, etc. but if I say anymore about that I'll be disciplined again. 

FWIW. CHEL Matchmaking, up until last week, was not this horrendous.  They definitely did (aka broke) something in the last patch that made it very bad.  It takes upwards of 2-5m per drop-in regardless of location setting.

However, setting to 'Relaxed' does seem to make an impact.  Albeit a small one.

Up until last year I never had a problem finding games, last year, (for the first time). I had to set the game to relaxed and I would find games. This year it doesn't make a difference, can't find a game in a timely manner regardless of what I do.

@Fadetoblack021 :

Oh yes, the big money goes to where big money comes from, and for EA that's not the NHL title. Been like this for years, and over the time i accepted that and still enjoyed the game.

What drives me mad this year, obviously a change (new matchmaking) broke the drop in mode, a quick fix is not in sight and a rollback is not considered. Two month after release.

But i guess it's time to quit whining and move on...

Yep, something definitely went south after this last patch.  I simply cannot get into a drop-in lobby and have tried for many hours over the past 3 days.  The only time I've had a WoC game connect is when I filled an open spot for a club game - in that case we got into the matchup lobby within seconds.

I've been 2 hours searching for a 6's drop in game today to no avail.  2 hours or more.  I get a full set of teammates, waiting for an opponent that never arrives.  Start search again.

2 hours!

This is simply unexcusable!

Another website has a few subjects on this issue, not very happy people, not everyone comes here.

Wait times am have been atrocious for 5+ years... How is this not something to look into and put at the top of the list... They act like this is first year we've said something about ridiculous wait times to get into a drop in game.. only kinda bright side is, that the search times are better when searching with a club.

This is just ridiculous, we waste so much time just waiting, Just be honest and tell us it's really being looked at , if not, we can just move on. The games been out far too long for this to continue,  How long did that investigation patch come out, 5 weeks ago and still nothing? The TOS needs to be changed to say wait times may exceed 20 minutes or more, likely more.

I feel the new game intentionally makes the game difficult for anyone who has played and NHL game in the past.  

They forced a new set of controls on everyone.  These new controls and “mechanics “ or “ animations “ greatly reduce a players overall control of their characters actions, primarily he goes from one “animation to another.  

the new controls have obvious glaring problems and poorly mapped locations for reverse hit etc.  they offer a player no option for cancelling a big hit.  When a character has a big hit button pressed  but can’t deliver he also can’t poke check or pick up a lose puck, furthermore when he finally does release the button he better be by himself on the ice otherwise he will inadvertently take a penalty.  

All this to say

it appears that EA has made the decision to ruin the game for the physical players.  To allow the no defence playing 160 pnd dangler to skate around unimpeded.  Since EVERY good teammate and CHEL player knows how to play both sides of the puck, they have decided to level the playing field.  You don’t need to be good or proactively defend.  Just stand around and wait.  If you start dominating too much physically they give you made up penalty’s like Elbowing, or Boarding.  Who asked for that?  More penalties?  Not the good players who play both sides of the puck I promise you that.  

in short the community is dwindling because they are catering to casual gamers.  This is not a casual gamers title.  Give the people back their game.  

Fix the controller scheme !!!! Offer the old layout!!! We.  Know you won’t do that though.  This was done deliberately.  Fix the controls!!! Fix the controls!!! Fix the controls. 
it worked fine last year now fans of this franchise are furious and leaving in droves 

@kayak_V 

Those aren't made up penalties. They only occur under specific conditions. Elbowing has a greater chance of happening when being called for a charge if you have lower discipline. Boarding is nothing new and has always had a chance of being called when smashing a player with their back turned to you on the boards. Lower discipline makes this more likely as well.

There was no decision made to specifically ruin the game. I don't like the new controls myself. That doesn't mean the game is ruined for me. I've had to adapt. Just like everyone did when the skill stick controls were released. 

You're able to cancel hits using the skill stick controls, but I know this isn't possible with Total Controls. 

I don't think WoC players are just standing around and waiting to defend. Being proactive is always the better approach. As someone that exclusively plays defense, I know I'm much better at this position when I don't just stand around and wait for opposing players to skate in to me. I'm playing physical without taking a elbowing and boarding calls. Mainly because I'm not just trying to to smash everyone and I'm boardplaying instead of hitting someone when I'm facing their back up against the boards.

How do these penalties mean we're catering to casual players? They should be the ones taking them more since they're not aware of these rules and actively avoiding taking them.

Yes. The controls were changed deliberately. Part of that was removing protect puck since we had a huge amount of complaints about this.

Yes board play is so fun and hardly ever leads to penalties.  You suggestion that I not hit opponents is laughable.  You suggestion that elbowing is somehow exceptable when it hasn’t been in the game in years.!!’  Laughable.  This is excuses, and addition that the new controls are flawed.  

the ability to protect the puck is a real thing in hockey, the fact that we can’t protect the puck is a demonstration of deliberately dumbing the game down to casual players.  

puck protect or not in the old controls a solid body check separated the player.  Again appears to me that a more experienced or physical player had no problems with the old ways.  Cateringg to the casual 160 pnd sniper build is catering to the casual gamer.  Simple

Who plays as 160 pound snipers???? Not team players, not defenders, 

I will tell you who, the casual scrub who thinks he needs high offensive stats in order to score.

Every experience player knows it takes a lot more to succeed than a hard wrist shot.  

a big guy protects the puck. .  Little guy cant get puck from big guy.  Little guy cry’s and cry’s.  Devs change game so little guy has advantage, which runs contrary to real life, hockey, humanity in general.

I’m sure it must be obvious to the people with the actual stats of sales, online population etc that this game is a dud.  Why not give people what they want instead of insisting that we are wrong. This game is flawless etc.  Don’t believe you lying eyes and shared experiences.  

sometimes you have good intentions and things don’t work out.  The new controller scheme which seems flawed and almost deliberately counter intuitive is a great example.  By trying to fix one problem you’ve created fozens more, and worse ones too.  

I have a friends list filled with CHEL buddies of years past, they won’t even install the game again let alone play.  I can’t be the only person seeing this.  

Give us back our game!!! We paid our money too.