Re: Protecting puck when trying to manually dangle with the puck

@SummerOfDekesOh okay, yeah I get what you mean, you did like Aljo...but that doesnt resolve the problem, I want to be able to hustle and stick handles at the same time, not forced in protect puck. Just like it was in any previous NHL editions. Whether or not I'm using the hustle, I should still be able to chose to protect puck or just stick handles. It's not the case anymore. It take off from our liberty to control the puck/hands the way we want.

---

@Tigidooh wrote: I want to be able to hustle and stick handles at the same time

---

No, you want to hustle and deke at the same time. Your player is automatically stick handling for the most part (alternating between forehand/backhand during sustained periods of possession), until you decide to go forehand/backhand. At this point, your feet stop moving and it doesn't make sense to use hustle here - which is why it was doubled up as protect puck. 

EA doesn't want you to be hustle skating while holding forehand/backhand, and rightfully so. 

@KidShowtime1867Yeah well, dekes if you want. But I should rightfully not be forced in protect puck if I use both at the same time. There was no problem using it that way before and I should be in my right to use it like this again. I'm not the one that all of a sudden decided to change and force the new controls on us, remember? I never asked for it and never wanted it.

I'm pretty rough on my left stick, I'm clicking it more than I even realise it, it's innevitable for me and probably tons of others too.

And look if you guys are such in love with a bad buttons combo and feel comfortable with it, good! But I'm not and all I ask is the option to move it or disable it. I want the hustle on that button and nothing else. I'm not asking for a complete rebuild or anything, just to give the players options.

---

@Tigidooh wrote:

@KidShowtime1867Yeah well, dekes if you want. But I should rightfully not be forced in protect puck if I use both at the same time

---

You're not forced into protect puck. You can't hustle while holding the puck forehand or backhand. Despite what you claim, it's NEVER been possible to hustle and hold the puck out at the same time. It's just that in NHL '24, EA decided to double up LS as a protect puck because the HUSTLE mechanic is disabled at that time anyway plus with other control changes, protect puck needed a new home. 

---

@Tigidooh wrote:I'm not the one that all of a sudden decided to change and force the new controls on us, remember? I never asked for it and never wanted 

---

It's not about you. EA gets asked to freshen the game up every year. I actually enjoy the new control system because I understand it's the way the developers intended players to get the most out of NHL 24. Why just stick with the old hybrid controls when there is another control scheme meant to get the most out of the game?

---

@Tigidooh wrote:
And look if you guys are such in love with a bad buttons combo and feel comfortable with it, good! But I'm not and all I ask is the option to move it or disable it. I want the hustle on that button and nothing else. I'm not asking for a complete rebuild or anything, just to give the players options.

---

You're asking to be able to hustle while holding the puck forehand/backhand. This is unrealistic. 

@KidShowtime1867Yes and no. I know I cant take speed while going backhand /forehand and vice versa but even then I will have my thumb pressed on the stick for a few more secondes after using it most of the time. Hell, even when I'm just moving left and right, do sketchy moves or just casually moving around I'll press it mostly involuntary or instinctively preparing to hustle again or not. In other words it's not that much about doing dekes while I hustle (I know I cant) but more about not being forced in puck protect when I do so...or even when I just normally skate around if I accidentally press L3. Not sure if I'm clear on what I'm saying there but anyway.
As someone else mentioned there also seems to have a little delay as your guy stay in puck protect a little longer.
It's simple, I dont want the puck protect to trigger when I press L3.

@hiperay
To decrease the game difficulty? You're saying this as if clicking L3 to protect the puck was a thing since they introduced skill stick while it's literally new this year. Not everyone play the same, some can be really smooth with their controller, other are just.. ''rougher'' with it or have heavy thumbs. It's the best I can explain it I guess, I'm tense on my hold.

EA added one touch dekes on advanced dekes to make the game easier...but I can't ask for a change on a awkward buttons combo that doesnt work for me? Saying it would decrease the game difficulties?....It's not even about making the game easier or harder in this case, it's about changing something that I do that isnt intended.

It's also an habit to play like this for so long, it's my playstyle, I can't help it.
You guys all act as if it was something part of the game since ever and that I was just complaining about it out of the blue while in fact, it was introduced and forced on us this year after like 16 years of skill stick habits whether or not it suit us. So please, stop acting as if I was the problem here.

Transitioning to backhand/forehand after hustle isnt particularly unrealistic in the first place...it's still better than going in protect puck during a breakaway or when you're about to dekes the goalie.

Anyway, like I said before, I'm not asking to throw away the control, it obviously suit many peoples and if you guys are fine with it, then good. But I want alternative/options to remap the puck protect trigger to a paddles or the option to disable it altogether, nothing more nothing less. It' a rather small request and everyone can have it their way.

You guys wonder why there's so much critisims about the game but yet keep blaming the players about certain concerns as if it was our fault everytime...even on the smallest request as this one.

Cheers.

---

@Tigidooh wrote:

You guys wonder why there's so much critisims about the game but yet keep blaming the players about certain concerns as if it was our fault everytime...even on the smallest request as this one.

---

I don't think this is a situation where players are being blamed. There's not much that can be done other than using a lighter touch or getting a controller with extra buttons that functions can be remapped to. I definitely understand that some of us haven't been able to adapt to not clicking down on the sticks accidentally.

@EA_Aljo

With all due respect Aljo, I'm literally being blamed for it being told it's solely my fault, so yeah.

Remember the changes done to reverse hit due to misclick? How is the same can't be applied to protect puck? It's exactly the same issue.
You can't just ask peoples to have a lighter touch, we're all different, it's not that simple, if it was, I wouldnt be here asking for fo it.

---

@Tigidooh wrote:

I'm literally being blamed for it being told it's solely my fault, so yeah.

---

It is and it isn't. 

It's clear that those who struggle with accidentally clicking the sticks are putting unnecessary downward pressure while making simple adjustments to the directions the sticks are pointing. Or they're using controllers with defects that make the sensitivity of the click, too high. 

NHL is unique in it's the only game I can think of (that I've played) that has a mechanic which combines an RS hold (forehand/backhand) with a LS click (enable puck protect). I think the last time I encountered that was some kind of lock-picking minigame in Splinter Cell. Not to mention these inputs need to be made in quick succession, usually during in-game scenarios that are frantic and fast. 

So although the user can be blamed for being a little too hard on the sticks, the unique scenarios in which the NHL games require the user to execute these inputs may lend itself to being triggered accidentally more often than in other games. 

@Tigidooh 

Apologies. I read that as us here at EA are blaming the player. Which is something that I've seen numerous times over the years. I fully understand how you feel about the controls as they echo my own sentiments. Personally, I think it's partly a skill issue. There's some skill associated with having a lighter touch. That's just how some people play though. Just like there are those of us with a tighter grip and a heavier touch. The NHL games are intense. Especially with how competitive we all can be. We rely on a lot of muscle memory. Something we've done for the last couple of decades with the old controls. I'm definitely an advocate for adapting. I gave it a good shot. I spent a couple months trying to and just couldn't retrain myself to not click down on the sticks. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get it. So, I think it's more about our nature with how we handle controllers than actual skill. 

I don't see the controls changing any time soon. They are most likely staying this way for the foreseeable future. We're either going to have to adapt or remap the controls. The latter isn't ideal, but it's been a very good solution for myself. With as much as I play this game, investing in a controller with this functionality has been worth it.

@KidShowtime1867You're not wrong the way you words it. I'm indeed putting unnecessary pressure on the stick, but I cant help it, it's not something connected to NHL only, I do it in every games but it's much worse in NHL, I'm quite competitive and NHL is full of micro action/reactions? Not sure if it make sense? Thats why I'm particularly intense on my hold in this game, every half seconde decisions matter. Again, I can't just help it...See it as an handicap, I dont think it's something I will ever be able to change. See it as real players, some has smooth as hell hands a la McDavid, and others have hands forged in stone a la Weber lol.

And to all of a sudden tell me to adapt to something I'm used to for so long...is quite a stretch when it come to something that mess up your controls. You can also see it as many players ignoring lots of advanced dekes...you can ask them to practice it as many times as you can but will never get the hang of it during the intensity of the game.

But at least I can ignore doing dekes I'm bad at, lets say manually do the michigan....but I cant get away with controls literally on my controls way. And I cant remap it in the xbox controls due to both puck protect and hustle being on the same button.

I wish I had lighty tiny hands, thrust me but I'm a dinosaur with a controler.

@EA_AljoNo problem, I didnt say EA was blaming me, I'm just pointing out to whoever tell me it's a skill issue and to ''adapt''. Not one person in particular.

But in other hand, EA awknowledged the reverse hit issue by tweaking it later on so why can't they awknowledge the same issue with protect puck? It's the same thing, just a different button. I know this one is a lot harder to change since it's not going back to a face button..but there's alternative possibilities and they are just being ignored.

Like I said to Kidshowtime, I dont see it as a skill issue....More like an handicap in which case thats how I use my controler all the time, an habit I dont see going away anytime soon.

And again I'm not calling out to change the controler setting as it is, thats not what I saying at all. Just the option to move it or disable it.

Because I'm the only one actively calling it out on the forum to this day, it doesnt mean I'm alone with the issue. It was being called out by many others too earlier when the game came out. There's like what, 1-2% of the actual full community coming on this forum at this time of the year? Most peoples just ''deal'' with it or even though they dislike it, they wont ever come here to let us/you guys know. It doesnt make it less of an issue for many peoples.

---

@Tigidooh wrote:

@KidShowtime1867You're not wrong the way you words it. I'm indeed putting unnecessary pressure on the stick, but I cant help it, it's not something connected to NHL only, I do it in every games but it's much worse in NHL, I'm quite competitive and NHL is full of micro action/reactions? Not sure if it make sense? 

---

Yea that makes perfect sense. NHL is a very fast-paced game with, like you said, all kinds of micro action/reactions. It's why the game is popular with people who don't even necessarily like hockey - the gameplay aspect of shooting a puck into a net and all the stuff that comes along with that makes Hockey an incredibly fun sport to virtualize. But it comes with issues like this where sometimes the user needs to do things that can be counterintuitive to controller design. 

It's a tough balance for the developers I'm sure and I think topics like this ensure that it stays top of mind from a feedback perspective.

---

@Tigidooh wrote: And to all of a sudden tell me to adapt to something I'm used to for so long...is quite a stretch when it come to something that mess up your controls. You can also see it as many players ignoring lots of advanced dekes...you can ask them to practice it as many times as you can but will never get the hang of it during the intensity of the game.

---

Yea I'm starting to come around to why the controller changes seem to have impacted users so much whereas I felt, personally, the transition to total control was rather seamless. 

Players choosing to avoid advanced dekes is likely why EA introduced the one-touch-dekes. The ability to execute these maneuvers quickly and in 'tight' scenarios makes it so fun.

@KidShowtime1867Glad we're finally somewhat getting on the same page. As said, I'm not saying to blow up the new controls, if it suit you guys, great! I'm not complaining about that. But you can't expect everyone to like the changes or have the changes suit everyone else as it does for you.

I just ask for a way to have the previous NHL controls for the sticks back (minus the puck protect to a face button) I was already hardly ever using puck protect before so if to get the stick controls back to ''normal'' is to sacrifice protect puck, so be it, I'll live with it I guess. (even though I would rather just have the modifier on a different button like a paddle for thoses with Elite controller so I can actually use protect puck when it please me). If it was possible I would go as far as buying an Elite Controller especially for NHL. It's already the case anyway, I have a base controller specifically for NHL only as any stick drift or whatever is a killer in this game. As much as it is your right to be fine with the new control, it's also my right to have a grip with it.

@Tigidooh 

Where would you move puck protect to? Like you said, we're not considering a face button. That was very heavily used to exploit back skating. Changing the control for this would also mean moving another function so it can get pretty complicated. It's also not a matter of just moving it to a different button, but one that also feels more natural. For me, it automatically kicks in when I'm holding in hustle. Hustle disengages when turning so it works out well. However, I've also remapped left stick click to one of the left paddles on the underside of the Elite controller. I know not everyone has access to an aftermarket controller with additional buttons.

When it comes to aftermarket controllers, there are others available at a lower price than the Elite models. Those can be pretty spendy.

@EA_Aljo

I could say a face button but I know it's not going to happen.
But, using your right stick to dekes will automaticly disengage the hustle, right? Why can't the same thing be done when using protect puck? It disengage back skating and vice versa when holding back skating disengage puck protect? So you cant exploit it by using both at the same time and tweak it so you cant turn 180 degree on a penny too.
I understand it's a lot easier said than done and I'm not expecting it to happen.

To answer your question though, like said, I know it wouldnt fit to normal controller, but the option to move it to a paddle to whoever use elite controllers and the such, is very reasonnable and doable. It would require to get one of these controller but at least the option would be available. Now it's up to each individual to decide whether or not they are ready to get a special controller...at least an option is proposed.
Look forward to it too, maybe the next gen console will FINALLY make these controllers the norm (hopefully) ...so the game will already be up to date.

And the other option is as simple as giving the option to disable it (it's even you that proposed this back in october in one of your answer to me :P ). Just like you can disable/enable auto back skating.

@Tigidooh 

Yeah, I still think having the option to disable left and right stick clicking would be great. Except for when it comes to hustle. Which is obviously one of the most used functions in the game. Still, just disabling right stick click would have been nice. 

Edit: I agree that disabling puck protect when backskating is a good resolution for this. I really don't see the need to protect the puck when backskating anyway. Stickhandling is enough and it's pretty unrealistic/impossible to do both at the same time anyway.

@EA_Aljo

No no, I'm not saying to disable L3, of course hustle is a necessity and thats why remaping from within the xbox controls option doesnt work, because you cant move one (puck protect) or the other (hustle) separatly, they are tied together.

I'm asking the option to disable puck protect only or the option to remap it to a paddle from in-game option (the protect puck alone). Not disabling the entirety of L3.
Just as much as I cant disable R3 entirely to avoid reverse hit miss click as it would mean getting rid of the puck chop too...which is a no no too, it's way too practical.

Thats why it need to be done in-game, it's the only way.


-''I think disabling puck protect when stick handling is good, but you may not necessarily need to stickhandle to abuse that mechanic. Though it would lose some of it's appeal. Not a bad idea altogether though.''-

I'm frankly not sure to get what you mean there or I completely missread it. What you mean by abusing that mechanic?

@Tigidooh 

I remapped right stick click to the right paddle so puck chops are very intuitive. I use them frequently. Again, I totally get that this isn't an option for everyone. Ideally, we'd have a way to remap all the controls in-game. I truly hope that happens someday, but with some limitations to avoid exploits.

Yeah, I misread that and edited my previous response.

@EA_Aljo
Yeah I get you, it must be great to have it on a paddle even though I love the puck chop on the R3. In other hand I would gladly have reverse hit on the right paddle while leaving the puck chop on the R3. That would be perfect for me.

Remaping from in-game would be perfect as long as it let us move skills/abilities individually.....and not just the entire button as in R3 <--> Paddle2 (the latest would not resolve the issue).
Also option to disable specifics ability that arent a necessity AKA puck protect/reverse hit/puck chop/vision passing.

I understand there would be some specific limitation but overall it's really just moving a skill/ability from point A to point B to suit each individual preferences.
As long as while giving these remaping options, they consider the paddles from ''special'' controllers. It will open up on a lot of possibilities.
I would openly call it a step in the right direction! lol
More maniabilities/quality of life improvement in a sort of way.

Have a good day.

@Tigidooh 

I use the skill stick controls so reverse hit is the A/X button. I like it here and have been using it more frequently as of late. I just need to get used to it more. I hear ya though. Puck chop on the stick always felt good. I do miss it.

I get what you're saying about remapping the individual functions rather than the whole button. I'd love to see that happen. It's been requested for many years. This would especially help with those that have mobility issues.

Have a good day yourself. Appreciate the chat 🙂

---

@EA_Aljo wrote:

@Tigidooh 

I get what you're saying about remapping the individual functions rather than the whole button. I'd love to see that happen. It's been requested for many years. This would especially help with those that have mobility issues.

---

Very good point. ^^^^

I should be using Skill Stick too and I really liked the reverse hit on A...But I switched to Total control because of the ''What if''

What I mean by that is what if I want to pull a hip check or attempt a michigan (I never do), then total control is by far superior to use these abilities, thats really the only reasons I made the switch.
Thruthfully though, I never use either so I should really just be using Skill Stick at the end of the day. 😅

@TigidoohI would also truly like to see the ability to remap buttons in future games. The exceptions to that would be the skill and hit stick as well as deking. I think the core functionality of movement and stick handling should remain the way they are. As for an option to disable puck protect, if you did that how is that any different than what we had in previous games which were destroying goaltenders on breakaways? Are you going to make it so you can't hold the puck out to your FH or BH when the hustle button is pressed? If not, than we are right back to what happened in previous games where goalies wouldn't ever stop a breakaway because of how easily you can go from hustling to settling the puck on the backhand. If so, than it is the same situation we are currently in where you would have to release the hustle button before going to the FH or BH.

Now I know button presses for dekes are already in the game which I am not a fan of personally but I get that they have to have an "on the box feature". The idea of a kid being able to pull off the craziest move in hockey we have seen at the push of a button will entice the newer generation to buy the game.

When I said skill issue, its the honest truth. This is something that can be fixed but hasn't happened and it's not entirely your fault either sure. When 19 made it so if you poked and hit their skate you would trip them, what happened? Instead of people adapting to the change like they should have, they complained that the games were taking too long and that everything was a penalty and by the games release it was back to being a spam the poke check button and let the game reward you for it. Many have been playing with bad habits for the longest time and unfortunately because the controls don't get changed on a more regular basis to require players to relearn or adapt to those changes, breaking these bad habits don't happen over night but over long periods of time.

Its the same for people who I see are one touch passing when they didn't mean to. Its because they have been sheepishly cooking their passes for a decade without repercussions as the puck was on its way to them to make passes go through Dmen at max speed. An exploit that was not intended by the devs I would think and when it was changed by making pucks bounce off the players in 22 when overcooked, people were outraged about it. These people blamed the game for their own mistakes then and they are doing it for this now too. Breaking 15 year habits are not going to be fixed even over the course of one games lifespan potentially and that is just the sad truth of a game with a 30 year franchise.

@hiperay

As far as I know, the reason for protect puck being on L3 is because of how exploited it was on the face button, not because deking was too easy on the goalie.
You can still dekes the goalie just like before, nothing really changed much on that aspect, as long as you dont press L3 accidentally. You can find plenty of video of peoples doing the same thing as ever before on Youtube 😉
Correct me if I'm wrong.

It's not a skill issue because it's not an ability I'm going for in the first place...When I try to dangles around and fail to do them properly because I failed to do the right combination, then yes it's a skill issue...but missclicking a button without the intention of using it due to years and years of habits and other whatever reasons, this isnt really skill issue in itself (even though the word skills isnt completly off either)...like I said, look at it like an handicap, it's not something I cant just stop doing because I'm being said so. It just...happens.
Like I said, it's how my grip is on the controller, on any given game, even more in NHL, I can't help it. I shouldnt have to remind myself to go easy every time I use my left stick when I play. If I start doing this, it also mean that I wont be fully focused and wont play to my best.

Comparing a poke check that you willfully use and know the risk of using vs an ability that I am not willfully using isnt really a comparison, I'm sorry. One is used on purpose, the other is an accidental use.

The tap passes, I would say it's a closer comparison but it's still not the same at all though. It's an habit dedicated to NHL, you can adjust to the tap passes within an handful of games. You dont missclick the pass button by accident, you do click it because you want to use the pass button. It's more of a NHL reflex that we are used to do.....but the important part is, that you still use the pass button willfully.

I do understand what you're telling me. I'm just not sure you clearly understand what I'm trying to say though, My habits is not NHL only related, it's a general habits due to my hold/grip on the controller, heavy thumbs and how stressed/stiff up my hands get when I play that make me click the stick more than I would like to.(It's just much more prominent in NHL due to constantly micro managing every little move at a crazy rate) ☹️  respectfully ✌