I’m writing this out of genuine frustration as a longtime offline hockey fan and slider creator from Operation Sports. Every year, I spend hours tweaking sliders to get the gameplay as close as possible to the greatest sport on earth, and every year, offline players feel like an afterthought.Here is the cycle we keep getting stuck in:The Launch Build: We play the trial or early build, and the gameplay actually feels grounded, realistic, and promising. Based on that product, we spend our $80 to a $100 for.The Mandatory Patch: Once a patch drops, the core gameplay shifts completely. Suddenly, AI players are constantly abandoning their defensive positions just to chase big hits—even when sliders are pushed as far toward full simulation as possible.Zero Choice for Offline Players: This year, I specifically bought a physical disc so I could stay offline and preserve the Day 1 gameplay I actually enjoyed. Yet, even when installing from the disc, the game forces an online connection to download mandatory updates before you can play…. Is this a JOKE or WHAT ???Imagine buying a car you love, taking it in for routine service, and getting it back repainted a different color with the backseats ripped out. That isn't the product I paid for ???Yes, I could do a long video disecting the gameplay in all it's angles, but I’m pretty sure it will be a waste of time. You guys know what you are doing and screw us each and every year so why bother…I genuinely don't understand it. You had a solid, realistic foundation at launch. Why completely overhaul the gameplay and break AI positioning with every update? Why do you keep doing this to the game we actually bought?

Just want to voice that there are a number of us "online only" players that want the slower paced, more simulation type hockey as well. My personal preference would be to get the online version as accurate as is reasonable for the base game and then let offline have a plethora of options for tweaking.Part of the problem is there is so much negative sentiment built up in the community that any change, no matter the overall effect, gets a tide of complaining. I really liked the slower speed and small hit window. Interference was actually being called somewhat regularly again and you had to use your brain when making hits. The adjustment period was always going to bring complaints as people found their hitting habits were no longer effective. Unfortunately I think EA catered to the reactionaries too quickly. Considering they are doing an update every few weeks, would have been better to let it play out a bit longer.

I won't say the game was perfect before the updates, but I had some enjoyment from my 10 hour trial before them. It played completely differently, the CPU moved the puck somewhat realistically, defensive AI seemed to know what it was doing. I could see the NHL Edge data in the gameplay, it looked somewhat realistic.Now? The AI looks seriously confused on defense, stick checking is easily ignored by CPU skaters despite explicitly advertised as being fixed before release. The CPU is driving the net up the middle of the ice as soon as they take the blue line and no slider adjustments will make them stop, they just power through and throw the puck on net no matter the sliders. It is mind numbingly simple and I don't understand anyone who enjoys this. I will say though, the update to reduce slap shots has been nice, I just don't know what they're doing in the other areas.If it's really down to the online community they need to give us just the slightest bit of concessions. Older versions of the game literally had a simulation preset. Give us something, anything, or at least the tools to tweak it how we want. The current sliders can probably be retired, for the most part they only make the game play worse, I really cant think of a tweak that made the game play better the past couple years. I'm not asking for some huge dev time project, just release real true AI related sliders so we can have the game play like a simulation and the community can have truculence, wheels, and endless breakaways all they want.This is the 3rd year, maybe 4th, where the game supposedly played great in the beta and early release, only to be reverted to the same exact gameplay as the last 3 years. That's over $200 just to be baited again and again and again. Why not spend the smallest amount of time letting sim players have the game play like they want instead of forcing everyone to experience Breakaway Simulator by the first month of the season, with no way to opt out. It's not like it's impossible for the current game to play well. I've seen the AI cycle the puck properly along the boards in NHL 27, they just simply don't do it anymore.

Yes, we love hockey and we buy it year in and year out because it's our hockey fix and EA knows that. Wouldn’t they owe the true paying customers the choice of the gameplay we want ? If the Online competitive crowd likes the run and gun type of hockey, let them have it and just have a separate build for offline ? The sad truth is that younger competitive players probably think that's how hockey is played ? I've seen a couple of vids by streamers and trust me, that's NOT HOCKEY !!!The lack of acknowledgement from EA clearly goes to show that they don’t care about us… Come on EA, can we work something out together ?For the people interested, I've came up with a pretty good slider set that I've not published yet. The overall feel is really good. Now if only the AI would slack off on the open ice hits, better positioned themselves and cycle the puck a bit more….

So you think they do this to please the community? I'm writing this as I’m playing, while being locked on RW, on the same shift Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson went for 3 open ice hits !!! Each. Taking them out of position every time… That’s what the community wants ? If that's want they want, I feel bad and ashamed that they want the greatest sport on earth to be butchered like that…EA claims that they use NHL EDGE data. In what EDGE data and what world do Caufield and Hutson play like this ???

MasterB89 wrote:however this is not fun for online modes so adjustments were made which seemingly changes the fundamentals of how it plays. and this is the point for offline players. EA caters to online players because of the money they spend. that's a load of bull IMO. I'm not sure how difficult it would be to separate the modes. make a strict offline mode then a strict online mode. if there are several "servers" for online, why not dedicate a "server" for just offline and fix the mode for us who want a realistic hockey game. yes somethings needed to be changed for both but when you said "the game was slower, had more strategy involved when setting up plays", this is what us offliners want. yes the penalties needed fixed for both but not at the expense of realistic hockey. I've seen several real hockey games where there should have been a penalty called but wasn't and then some that was called that should not have been. and if you can't separate the two modes then have us the ability to NOT update the game or have it "cater" to offline because to me, it's easier to use sliders to make the game fast with more lenient penalties. I can change the penalties to near 0 and most would not be called, I can up all the sliders for speed, agility, shots, ect ect, and score as many goals (or not) that I want probably on superstar difficulty. and yes I believe that everyone's sliders need to be the same but again it's not fair for us that pay the same amount as online people to get a crappy game.

PernellKarl027

Seasoned Ace

3 days ago

Offline players deserve better

I’m writing this out of genuine frustration as a longtime offline hockey fan and slider creator from Operation Sports. Every year, I spend hours tweaking sliders to get the gameplay as close as possible to the greatest sport on earth, and every year, offline players feel like an afterthought.

Here is the cycle we keep getting stuck in:

The Launch Build: We play the trial or early build, and the gameplay actually feels grounded, realistic, and promising. Based on that product, we spend our $80 to a $100 for.
The Mandatory Patch: Once a patch drops, the core gameplay shifts completely. Suddenly, AI players are constantly abandoning their defensive positions just to chase big hits—even when sliders are pushed as far toward full simulation as possible.
Zero Choice for Offline Players: This year, I specifically bought a physical disc so I could stay offline and preserve the Day 1 gameplay I actually enjoyed. Yet, even when installing from the disc, the game forces an online connection to download mandatory updates before you can play…. Is this a JOKE or WHAT ???

Imagine buying a car you love, taking it in for routine service, and getting it back repainted a different color with the backseats ripped out. That isn't the product I paid for ???

Yes, I could do a long video disecting the gameplay in all it's angles, but I’m pretty sure it will be a waste of time. You guys know what you are doing and screw us each and every year so why bother…

I genuinely don't understand it. You had a solid, realistic foundation at launch. Why completely overhaul the gameplay and break AI positioning with every update? Why do you keep doing this to the game we actually bought?

discussion

55 Replies

PernellKarl027
Seasoned Ace
53 minutes ago
monmarin
In that game no, but so far I wouldn’t say it's a problem, in the games I've played. Pretty even. I’d say I get around 2 PP per game and the CPU gets around 3 on average, but the Habs do the same in real life, lol !
All in all I like the penalties being on the lower side, sounds about right with NHL average 😀
I'm working on a 12 minutes slider set as we speak… Looking good so far. In the the years of me working on sliders, it's my dream to come with the ultimate gameplay so that it reflects real life ! Not sure I will hit the 20 tho, lol ! The AI is taking too many shots, not cycling enough and in the real game there’s way more blocked and deflected shots. The AI needs to be more lined up to angle themselves on the puck carrier…
monmarin
Rising Vanguard
1 hour ago
PernellKarl027 you didn’t catch a single power play ? The problem with the CPU penalty remains ?
jprovo1
Rising Ace
2 hours ago
unfortunately I can't do that since my PS5 is digital and I need internet to download the game 😩
PernellKarl027
Seasoned Ace
7 hours ago
StoogeMoe68
So you are playing with the latest update now ? What were your main gripes with the out of the box gameplay ?
Just played a hell of a game against Colorado, look at the hits total, way more realistic this game. The Avalanche scored in a empty netter with half a second left, lol ! All 5 goals before this were beauties…
I know that I’m deriving from this tread a bit, but it’s an ongoing of seeing where the game is at for the OFFLINE peeps. I will probably provide some footage on where the game still need improvements.
StoogeMoe68
Seasoned Hotshot
8 hours ago
it’s pretty realistic. cpu really sets up on the power play, also cou will dump the puck in if can’t get through the neutral zone, i can’t believe that ea tuned it to this garbage it is now.
PernellKarl027
Seasoned Ace
9 hours ago
StoogeMoe68
That's interesting 🤔 But believe me, it doesn’t work on XBSX ! It won't launch the game at all without the update…
Glad it works for you tho… How's he AI positioning and hitting OOTB ?

My 2 main gripes… But overall I LOVE 27 so far !
StoogeMoe68
Seasoned Hotshot
9 hours ago
pernell, i’ve been playing out of box settings to, but i am using their roster updates. i just erased game, reinstalled it with internet hook up off, then after install i plug it back in, then when it prompts me to download title update i delete update then download roster then un plug internet again. be sure not to download tuner either. this is for ps5. only thing is i have to unplug my internet hookup to ps5 or it will download itself when game is off
PernellKarl027
Seasoned Ace
9 hours ago
SzuperSkillz
Have you ever thought of playing your own version of BAP ? Here’s a guide I made somewhere around NHL20….
My BAP take/alternative

I’ve made a similar thread around these part at the time for NHL20, but it still much applies today in 23…

I use to love that mode..... 5 years ago.... Since then, it's pretty much the same and EA hasn’t put much effort into this, I grew tired of it. We all know the shortcomings so I’m not gonna dive into this. I’ll focus on what I’ve done to make BAP the best alternative IMO.

- Make yourself a player and put him on your team of choice. You wanna play one, two, three season in the CHL, fine. You are the boss…

- You can edit your attributes however you feel like. Wanna start with a 72 OVR, go ahead. You feel like you should be at a 76 at the end of season, go ahead 😀

- I play Player Lock with Action Camera with very hardcore settings and sliders. Never ever asking for a pass… You'll get way better realistic stats and ice time, like it's suppose to be

- You want to be on that 1st. wave of the powerplay ? You wanna play with that guy on D ? You feel you should get a crack at that 2nd line with your buddy playing at center ? You wanna have full control on strategies and roster? Be my guest, you are the coach, the GM and the owner, lol ! You won't finish the game with 12 hits, 9 shots and 29 minutes of ice time !

- You feel you should get an A on your jersey or a C at some point, go ahead…

- For people who don't know, you also have coach feedback in the pause menu, even when you don’t play Be a pro. If you play position lock, it gives a pretty good idea what you're doing right and what you're doing not so great at, lol !

KEEPING IT FRESH

- Sometimes I feel like controlling the whole team... In another game, I feel like I should Player Lock on another position that my player is on. I get to watch him play and maybe pass the puck to him a little 😉

DRAFT

- Let’s say I’m 3rd in scoring at the end of my last OHL season before the draft and I feel like I should get drafted at around the 15 spot in 1st round…. What I do is I take the actual NHL Teams order and go on the team on the 15, 16 or 17 spot. I give myself a little wiggle room here, I dont want to end up on my nemesis team, lol ! So this season I would of had the choice between the Predators(15), the Flames(16) or the RedWings(17)…

Having way too much fun playing "my own version" of BAP compared to EA 😉 If only one person has fun playing this way, that would make this thread worth it 😀

Peace ✌️
SzuperSkillz
Seasoned Veteran
10 hours ago
It’s a shame we can’t do this in Be a Pro, since you only control your own character and the game settings.
Looks good for stats. Also, there are way too many tackles in those games—at least 30% too many compared to a realistic scenario.
PernellKarl027
Seasoned Ace
10 hours ago
Just played 2 wonderful games where I adjusted both team strategies to be a bit less on steroids 😉 And the game had more fluid pace, more strategic and playing your position properly paid dividends.
Here are the strategies for both teams starting with the Balanced playbook.
Defensive Pressure: Contain Puck
Defensive Strategy: Collapsing
Trap/Forecheck: 1 of 6
Forecheck: 2-3
Neutral Zone: 1-2-2 RED
Offensive Pressure: Defend the Lead

When there's around 10 minutes left, I change my sliders settings to 4 out of 6 in the CPU STRATEGY ADJUSTMENT, so that the opponent coach can adjust to the score/game.
I play ACTION camera, LW Lock for the Habs with 10 minutes period on my custom sliders. Here are the box scores:
My teammates got into penalty trouble in the 1st game, but we managed to squeak out the win with amazing goaltending by Jacob Fowler. The penalty trouble I am used to it, it happens in real life with the Habs, so… lol !
So all in all, I’m very happy with the game, still some bugs here and there, and if EA would tone down the hitting and the getting out of position from the AI, it would be the best edition of NHL to date in my book.

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Offline players deserve better

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