Re: Match making and puck intercept

@nickprevost 

The matchmaking in HUT Champions is trying to match you with someone that has a similar record. If a suitable match isn't found, the search will expand. So, it's possible you could get someone that has a better record. If you cancel the search after about 20 seconds and start over, eventually you should find someone that's close to your record.

Real talk though the game is trash every team you play against play a trap and has big guys that you can’t knock off the puck with hits all people do is protect puck which apparently makes them invincible. I personally think you guys should have modes for causal players and modes for the try hard because a causal player can’t beat these guys who play the game everyday on top of the guys who spend hundreds or dollars on their teams. You need a mode where these really good players can play and battle each other for really good rewards and I know everyone says that’s what hut champs are for but everyone can get into hut champs and play so there need to be something else for the better players in the game cause they just destroy everybody until they play each other. 

@nickprevost 

I can definitely understand the desire to play people that are more at your skill level. Rivals should be good for that since the matchmaking should, in most cases, find you someone that is near your rank.

Protecting the puck does not make them invulnerable. You need to get a good hit on them. The point of protecting the puck is to make this harder. You need to come at them from a better angle where you can get a solid hit, use incidental contact, stick lift or poke the puck away.

@EA_Aljo Honestly, having the exact same problems and you have no solutions. "You need to get a good hit on them" I've linked guys up with 94 checking Weber and HH Chelios and they don't budge. The ice tilt is so real it's insane. These guys you play against everyday are on steroids, protecting the puck in the zone and it's impossible to take the puck away or hit them, and if you do go for a "good hit on them" you're out of position, perfect pass, 1T behind the goal line you're done. I win the face off and before the puck even gets to me he's all over me, strip, gone, 2-0. I've spent alot of time playing this game and consistently get better. I consider myself pretty good actually, I just want to know how to get that steroid cpu. My cpu players wander around the ice like they don't know what to do. How do I fix that?? How do I get my guys to play like all these guys get there cpu on steroids?? I'd really like an answer on this, even playing field would be so nice. He passes it right to me and my guy can't pick it off, I pole the puck away he picks it right back, seamlessly. It's unreal. I've tried different strategies, I have a great team, I have a bunch of synergys activated. Honestly at my wits end with this. I love hockey and want to keep playing but the I've tilt is soooo unreal. How do you give your cpu players steroids and a better brain cause like 3 guys swarming 1 should come way with the puck but he walks through my guys like Swiss cheese. Then I have 3-1 and play it perfectly but his guy picks off the pass or the goalie makes an insane save, passes it out to my guy waiting beside the net, he can't put it in which makes no sense, buddy's skates down the ice untouched, pass across right to my defence who obviously can't intercept the pass cause I'm not one of my opponents players, he scored a cheesy 1T from behind the goal line and it's 3-0. Such a brutal game. Can I please help you guys fix it?? It's honestly sad to see the state of NHL and how the game hasn't progressed in years, almost a decade really. EA should have it's own eSports League but you guys can't even figure out offsides or this damn ice tilt. I really just want this game to be better and to have a fair playing field and realistic chance to win.

Edited for profanity - EA_Aljo

@mikemalis25 

There is no ice tilt. If there were, it would mean all your wins were from this. I assure you, the computer doesn't read your mind and script your wins for you because it thinks you're going to quit playing.

The AI players don't get boosted for either team. They play according to the strategies you set, the overalls of the player son the ice and the inputs from the human controlling the game. If you want to show me some video of the things you're concerned with, I'll gladly review them.

Are you skill zoning by chance? Your AI players will be pretty easy to walk through then since they don't take any defensive actions against the carrier.

How is offside not working?

Look, man. I get the frustration, but if you start realizing the mistakes you're making instead of blaming the fictional ice tilt, you'll see your play improve. If you always think the computer has it out for you and forces you to win and lose when it wants you to, you'll never evaluate your own play and figure out what can be done to give you more Ws.

@EA_Aljo See but that's the thing, I've evaluated my play and have gotten much much better myself... I can only control 1 guy out there. So give me so useful advice, what strategies work. How do I get my cpu to attack? I've tried all sorts of things here. I don't skill zone, unless he exposes the 1T all the time, which you guys should nerf btw. Some aware goalies would be nice too. I just don't understand how his guys play so well and I can't? I just finished yet another frustrating game. I can't get into the zone because he makes a wall and takes away the puck so easily. Then his guys come down, skate right into my player, yet my guys don't take the puck away? In the third period I stood back and watched what my cpu players would do, still playing the game so theres no quit. This guy just skated circles around the zone ragging the puck and holding on to it. Why can't my guys get it? I stick lift, poke check and know how to hit but when I hit him he doesn't do anything, when I poke I hear the sound, it's a good poke but he reaches right back and keeps on going on, at that point my guys don't realise the play has gone the other way and are caught.

So when he turns the puck over, all his guys are back in position and has 2 guys on me. I either get hit, get the puck stripped or get pressured into forcing a pass which always gets intercepted. Even when I have guys who of they were to have any hockey knowledge would "seamlessly pick up the puck" you know, like your game has tried to improve on?? No other way to describe it then I've tilt my man. I'm in an uphill battle. His guys are faster, stronger, more accurate, take the puck away better, keep the puck better. How else would you describe this?? Right?! There's no other way! So what strategies do you suggest I try?? Full for check so my guys still can't take the puck away and get caught up ice?? Tried that! Sit back and take away the puck from him at the blue line?? Nope! Tried that already! I can't get the puck away from him and he goes through my skates and stick. I'm not making this up. Swear to you, this guy passes the puck to 95 Wayne Gretzky! The great one! With his base card Phaneuf, that's god awful... Like who puts Phaneuf on their team... But no hands Phaneuf passes to where 95 Wayne is in perfect position and he can't pick off that pass... Why do I spend time and money picking up good cards if they have 0 hockey IQ like the rest of my team?? That's the biggest fix IMO. Better stats?? Your guys play better..more advance stats like hockey IQ and realistic physical strength. Weber can't hit p Kane but vice versa happens and weber gets knocked down? Just that shouldn't happen. I've said it once and I'll say it again. You can't call this a hockey video game, doesn't resemble hockey 1 bit

Edited for profanity - EA_Aljo

@mikemalis25 

If he's using the trap, try dropping a pass back in the neutral zone to a trailing defender, then pass it to the far side winger. In almost every instance there will be a gap to skate through because their players are chasing the carrier. I use this method in every game I play, multiple times and it's very useful for gaining your offensive zone. There's also the dump and chase. I like to ring the puck around the boards and gather it with a forward on the far side.

You say you're not skill zoning, but then you say you sit back and watch your CPU players. That sounds like skill zoning to me. Play more active defense and you won't see your players getting walked so easy. Of course, this means you have to be good with pokes, lifts, hits and incidental contact. Knowing when to use which defensive tool is part of the skill with this game.

There is no tilt so you're hitting that. It's 10000000% not in the game. As far as what strategies to use, that depends how your opponent is playing. If they like to go end to end instead of passing more, try puck side attack. If they like to cycle and use their whole team more, try contain puck. I use an aggressive forecheck, but I also control my forwards on it so I'm not bad at causing turnovers before they enter my zone.

What's wrong with Phaneuf making passes to Gretzky? To be in the NHL to begin with, you need to be able to pass. Just because he's using a base card, it doesn't mean his passes are never going to connect. Also, the ratings of the receiver play a role in whether or not the pass will be picked up.

Again, if you could get some video of your issues, that would greatly help. Then I can see what's going on and better advise.

How do you say it’s a players fault when it’s happening to more then one player? How last year when top players got mad cause they couldn’t score 8 goals a game you guys made changes right away and made goalies like it’s BS. And on top of that I used to be a good defensive player I give up maybe 10 shots a game and then this year still only give up 10 shots or less but get scored on 4 or 5 times. Like it’s way to easy to score in this game make goalies actually hard to score on again 

Edited for profanity - EA Aljo

@nickprevost 

I can say it's not happening because I know for a fact ice tilt doesn't exist. If you want to test out whether or not it exists, start a game, put down your controller and see how the game plays out.

Then what is it cause I’m tired of passes going through my guys when I’m standing in good position, I’m tired my weak side defenceman stopping in the slot instead of going all the way to the net. The fact that you lose games more from bounces then actual good players blows my mind and when I say bounces I mean stick lifts that you don’t get the puck pokes the don’t push the puck the direction your poking it players literally being able to shake off hits like they’re invincible and much more. I’ve sent multiple videos to your guys twitter page that still happen today. It would also be nice if there was a way to actually contact you guys to talk to someone who can explain problems in the game instead of having to do this and getting a reply like a couple days later 

@nickprevost 

You can post here and on the official forums here: https://forums.ea.com/en/nhl. There's s dev that frequently responds with more technical details.

I'll need to see videos of your specific issues to explain them.

Haven’t posted in awhile but can there be a penalty or something for guys who puck rag the puck it seems more players are doing it. I think there needs to be a delay of game penalty or something cause every time you play one of these guy you attack them they just pass the puck by your players with such ease which shouldn’t happen if you play that way. Can we expect any changes so players aren’t abusing this or no? 

Also can we fix the damn goalies falling for the forehand back hand deke in close it’s so unrealistic because goalies don’t bite that hard unless it’s a full break away. Especially on 2 on 1’s where your playing the middle of the ice I’ve never seen a goalie in real life bite super hard when a player moves his stick left to a little 

@nickprevost 

It would be great to see a way to combat players ragging the puck. I'm not sure that a delay of game penalty is it though. Some guys like to take the puck back when they call a manual line change or they're just trying to reset everyone and breakout. I get there's a big difference between that and how raggers play, but it's just something to think about as we don't want the people playing fair to be affected by rules put in place to stop the raggers. Hopefully, something will be done about it though as this is and has been a big complaint for years. It's just not an easy one to resolve. I can assure you the dev team is aware of it though.

As far as goalies not biting so hard on that move, I get that it's frustrating, but you're also letting the carrier get in close. That's kind of on the defense. I understand the point you're trying to make and that they fall for this too easily. There are also times goalies make that save. However, if someone has high enough skill, chances are good they're going to score. We wouldn't want to just force it to not work even if you had them beat. So, the best I can suggest here is to have your defense not give them that option.

@EA_Aljo 

A shot clock and delay of games would be perfect for the 3v3 mode; in my opinion it's not necessary in 6's since you and a buddy can always pincer them without it being as much of a detriment to defense.

Ehhh you can make goalies bite from pretty far away - Whether a defenseman lets someone get close or not, it's pretty crazy to see how crazy goalies react most of the time

I don’t think it has anything to do with letting a player get in close because you can do from like the hash marks and the goalie bites super hard it’s a goal that doesn’t make sense because goalies do not come off the post and move to the other side of the net when he has a D man there. There’s just way to many cheap ways to score in this game. Not to mention that’s there’s an actually meta in the game this

year that anybody under 6 feet is pretty much useless which is disappointing because small players are known for there speed and big players aren’t but for whatever reason we make it so players like chara can skate with players like Patrick Kane or Connor McDavid which really doesn’t make sense. Like players that are good at something in real life should be good at it in the game and things there not good at in real life they shouldn’t be good at in the game. Just a thought to throw out there I know there’s going to be some BS explanation to why it is every player can skate the same every player can shoot the ovechkin or pass like Crosby but I can’t wait to hear it! 

@nickprevost 

I've never seen the forehand/backhand move work from the hash marks. Are they taking the shot from there?

Small players can still be successful. It depends on your skill and the skill of your opponent. It's harder to get around the big players of course, but there are guys that can do it. It helps to create space in the neutral zone so those smaller players can get some separation. I'd recommend dropping passes back to your defenders and then passing across to a streaking forward. Normally, when dropping a pass back, the carrier gets the attention of your opponent and the move to cover him. This leaves the other side of the ice open or creates a hole at the blue line to skate through. You're going to need to depend more on passing and puck movement than shrugging off hits. The larger players are also still susceptible to being poked and lifted so they aren't exactly invulnerable. They're harder to separate from the puck with hits though.