AI and Attribute Sliders Question.

For the attributes slider:

A few years ago, back when the devs actually participated in the forums, they said 5/10 is intended to the "normal" setting.  At 0/10 everybody is virtually the same, at 10/10 attributes are "blown out", such that any attribute over 80-something (I don't recall the exact number if it was given) effectively becomes a 99 and below that becomes a 1.  Most people seem to find 7/10 or 8/10 as the sweet spot where attributes matter, but aren't over-exaggerated (personally I prefer 7/10).

I remember reading those posts. I think it was mentioned that a 6 or 7 was the ideal sweet spot, but it’s hard to tell. At 5/10 my 4th liners score a lot more goals than what you would expect a 4th liners to score. I know at 1 or 0 everyone is virtually the same. But if you increase it by 1 tick. What does it do? Is it a %? If Im a 77 and McDavid is a 97, I expect that one 1tick up or down would affect them differently because there is a large gap. 

I have it on 8 right now, but dont know if that’s right. If a Dev can say the sweet spot is a 6 for instance, then I could calculate what each tick does. I just need that number

This AE slider never made sense to me or why EA even implemented it.  It just confuses and skews things on ice more.  How a player is on the ice should only be based on their player ratings, not some extra slider(s) that wash out those ratings.  If they're saying an 80 rated player will play as a 90 with AE over 8, etc, then that kills the authentic/organic feel of the game.  Now you're going to have average defense playing as superstars.  I've seen average goalies play like all star players.  I've also heard that AE at 3 is the best setting.  At this point, I don't think even EA knows what that slider should be at.

If the AE slider is at 0, it should mean the player ratings are the determination, but this slider does the opposite.  The whole slider system needs revamped because the way it is now, it's poorly implemented.  All sliders in this game should start at 0 and as they are moved up, that is when the "slider affect" should happen.   Want to the game to play to the player ratings?  Put all sliders at 0.  That's how it should be.  The current sliders ruin any chance of having the game play to the player ratings, and that has been a question I've asked each year and never get an answer.  Heck, even PRO difficulty now feels like All Star.

Well, I just thought of a new theory. I play BAP goalie only. And I currently have my attributes slider at 8/10 and I noticed something after playing about 60 games. 

I am getting scored on by a lot of 3rd and 4th liners. Midway thru the season and I get scored on by a lot of people with 1-5 goals. And they are scoring on me with laser shots. Now I was thinking about it tonight and thinking of a new theory. 

If at 0 everyone is the same: Everyone plays equal to the lowest rated player in my example it’s a 77. Then as you increase the gap widens.. so at 5/10 the 77 to 97 gap is where it should be. BUT then if you increase the slider to 6,7,8.. as you go up, then the bottom half of the ratings spectrum catches up and when you get to 10/10, then everyone plays equal to the highest rated player. In this case it’s McDavid. 

So at 0/10 McDavid would be equal to me. At 10/10, I would be equal to McDavid. 5/10, everyone is where they are supposed to be. 

I’ll have to test that out. But the hard part is.. How can I test this out? If the attributes are at 0, then a 4th liner is equal to a 1st liner and would score at the same rate. If the slider is set to 10, a 4th liner is still equal to a 1st liner and still a 4th liner will score at the same rate. 

I hope a Dev Helps me out. Which is right? Assuming the lowest rated player is 77 with McDavid at 97. 

Theory #1. 0/10, everyone is the same and 10/10 the gap is where it should be and all ratings are at the appropriate ratio?

Theory #2. At 0/10 by default, a 77 and 97rated player have the proper gap and with every bump in the slider, everyone benefits?

Theory #3. At 0/10 everyone is equal to the lowest rated player. At 10/10 then every player is equal to the highest rated player. At 5/10 the players ratings ratio is proper.

What’s the answer??? This could really help in adjusting the game. 

oh no Ea cant help you out as this would be labeled ice tilt.

I've heard 3 and 5 for AE.  I just stick with 5.  The sliders are messed up in this game so no matter what, you won't get the results you want.  

I think I figured it out.. I cant take credit for it, but doing some research, this is what I learned. The attributes slider is more like a handicap slider. This is how it works. For this example, Ill use the default worst team Sharks and the best team the Stars. 

At 0/10: All players are the same, and that means the Sharks have the same chance of winning the Cup as the Stars. Any player has a chance to win the scoring title and any goalie has a chance to win the Vezina. There is no gap between players and teams. With every tick you move up, then the gap starts to widen.. 

At 5/10: I cant tell you what the gap is. But the better teams (Stars, Canucks, Lightning, Rangers) have the best chance to win the cup. BUT the worst teams like Sharks, Ducks and Flames have a chance to make the playoffs. IN the testing, the worst team made it to the 8th seed even tho the ratings had them last and their top scorer had 82 points.  When it comes to individual scoring titles, the best players will be up there, but mid tier players were in the top 10. 

At 10/10: The worst team finished last and the best teams were on top. The worst team that made the playoffs finished last and their top scorer only had 58 points. So the gap was wider. The worst teams have ZERO chance of making the playoffs. 

So I am going to treat it as a handicap slider. At 0.. all teams are the same. You handicapped the best teams. As you move up, then the gap starts to widen, you decrease the handicap.. at 5/10, the bottom teams have a chance with the good players have a chance to be in the top 10 for scoring. At 10/10, all gloves are off and the best team will be on top and the worst rated teams will remain on the bottom. The mid tier players will remain in place.. 

I just have to find that golden middle way.. maybe 6 or 7/10

I thought it only affected players on ice while playing the game, not simming a season.  The mystery continues.

I believe that the attributes slider affects all players regardless if there on the ice or if they are playing against you or for you. It’s one of those sliders that affects everything. I think I figured out what it does

The attribute slider moves a players attributes by a mathematical equation. At 0/10 all players are even. All rating effects are the same. McDavid still shows a 97, but the attribute slider handicaps his abilities, meanwhile a 77 rated player’s attributes are amplified to the point that they are all the same. So every player skates the same speed, each have the same shot power and those who are in the middle will have the least affect of the slider because low end and high end meet in the middle. 

With every tick upward, the gap starts to widen by a mathematical equation.  So now a faster player will begin to skate slightly faster than the slowest player, the shot speed will slightly vary and by the time you get to 10/10. All attributes are at their fullest. How does this affect teams?  

By default the Sharks are the worst team and the Stars are the best team. At 0/10, the sharks and stars have the same odds to win the Cup because all players are the same rating. At 10/10, The Sharks have no chance in winning the Cup while the Stars have the best chance to winning the cup because they have a greater number of better players. At 5/10 the gap between high end and low end players are at about half of what the gap is supposed to be. So you might see the Sharks in the playoffs.