Slow servers, low ping, compensation?
EA, maybe you should look deeper into a major UE (not Scandinavian - especially Finns) player's problem - low pings. How can we have an even game when Finns and Swedes have a ping <10ms and ours is ...
Forum Discussion
Ports unlocked, DMZ opened. Little better with the speed, but...I realised how stupid I was to believe it was the only problem.
After few weeks, I got few responses from people having the same problem: with 86-90 overall team, with even 4-5 synergies activated, 8-9mins time on attack (2 times more than opponent), 3-4times more shots, 90% FO won and losing with a team with 82-84 overall, with speeding Eklabd 82 or Myers 79 like a hurricane around D with 93-96 speed and finally scoring 2 on 1 or 2 on 0 with frozen goalie. Same scenario keeps repeating with next opponents, and finally some lucky wins like mine from yesterday 3:2 with horrible player, that can't even win a face off. I thought there's something to do with setting up your team, but it's not that. I tried to mix weak players like 86 Ovi, 83 Hughes, 85 Karlsson, 80 Erixon with the real deal 89, 88 players, but there was no significant change.
How can we win an even game (it should be even on the start) and develop our skills when it's impossible to do anything when 81 defender chases your 91 McDavid and gets the puck? seriously?! What is the point of collecting players over 90 when 81-82 move, shoot and pass faster with super accuracy?!
I noticed few symptoms of HANDICAP that game is creating scenario for the game instead of letting us decide who's better, skillful and have better team full of synergies. First of all, the team that gets handicap assist from the game:
- has got better movement of players without the puck, they easily go into 2on0 with goalie or covers the space in the slot when in D
- it is very easy for them to have forwards in front of the net, sometimes my D goes to neutral leaving them ALONE in the slot
- one timer goals work apr 80% for them, even with my D in front of them (!!!). I check the stats of slap shot power and accuracy (from78-81) and it shocked my they go through 88 Ekblad or Carlsson
- goalie of the opponent (usually they know how to pick them - tall, big goalies like Dubnyk or Bishop) gets superpowers blocking or catching easily one timers from the slot (shots by Kuznetzov 89 or Laine 87); they let some of the shots from behind go, especially when covered by forwards.
- heavy hitters like Myers or Phaneuf skate faaaast and it's not a problem to catch speedsters like Duchene 91 or McDavid 91 even when they're way behind to defend a breakaway
- hits from the team that is assisted by the game go easily unpunished, while slight contact of a better team is called 2mins in sin bin. I got a double minor from Carlsson yesterday - he wasn't even around oppenent's forward. Do I have to tell you how much it takes to playin shorthanded?
My team skates slow, passes are aweful (usually they're taken by oppenent to start fast breakaway and 2on0 goal).
I'm really frustrated, but still hoping SOMETHING changes. Can you do anything about it? Geez, the fact the we have to post this kind of stuff is embarassing (for you). We stay here, looking for tips how to build a team of 83-84 and get a handicap assist from the game instead of playing our hard * of on the console. I feel good I'm not the only one having these problems. As I wrote - few people contacted me if I have any solution for it. We are all angry and frustraded not to have an EVEN GAME online that we thought we were promised while getting NHL20!
Do you care what we feel about the game?
PS thanks for the technical tips, but as you can see it wasn't enough to make it RIGHT.
EA_Aljo
Community Manager
Community ManagerThere is no momentum, ice tilt, scripting, etc. The outcome of games is based on the inputs from the humans holding the controllers, the strategies you use and the ratings of the players on the ice. If you can get me some video of the issues you're seeing, I'll review them.
No problem. I'll try to catch some of these 80-81 wonders skating faster than 93 Josi and succeeding with bunch of 2on0 easy wins.
- @EA_Aljo Что бы понять вам все это мучения попросите, что бы вам сделали пинг 60 поменяли маршрут до сервера и поиграйте неделю с людьми с пингом 5-15.
@EA_Aljo That would understand you all of this agony ask, that would you have made ping 60 changed route until server and play week with people with ping 5-15.
You will be surprised when hadman 84 at the start will overtake 92 McDavid. These miracles either as the artificial intelligence you have balance game makes either ping.
This is a problem for every player. A lot of forums and groups
Link to social networks in Europe and a group of hockey, where 560x players! You can sdelat you survey 95% of people write may not play because of the ping. Teams with a lower over win with a higher one very easily, because the team with a high rating starts to play badly at once, to roll slowly
Вы удивитесь когда хэдман 84 на старте будет обгонять 92 макдэвида. Эти чудеса либо как то искуственный интелект у вас баланс игры делает либо пинг.
Это проблема у каждого игрока. Куча форумов и групп
Ссылка на социальные сети в европе и группу по хоккею, где 560х игроков! Вы можете сднлать опрос вам 95% людей напишут играть не возможно из за пинга. Команды с меньшим овером выигрывают с более высоким очень легко, потому что команда с высоким рейтингом начинает сразу плохо играть, медленно кататься.
https://vk.com/nhlut As someone with an average 15 ping there's no way in hell I'd willingly kneecap my connection so someone else can have an easier time; the best solution is to add more servers and work on better matchmaking. A server browser/lobby would work well enough
- would you like to play on equal terms? there are people with ping 5-10. in fact, no one would mind that the developers have made a setting in which a person could choose the best ping or play with people with the same ping. because it is a great torment to play with a very different ping. I paid for the game, not to be a player for an easy win.
- EA_Aljo
Sounds good. Just post that video when you get it. Thanks!
It would be near impossible to make sure everyone has the same connection. Adding more servers can help, but we may never have worldwide coverage that gives everyone the same connection. It's unfortunate those in more rural areas may face this issue, but that's also kind of out of our control. It's not as easy as you think to just set up servers everywhere. Not currently at least. Besides servers, we don't have control over the router your signal takes through your provider. That can always be an issue as well.
I'm working on it! I just realize it'd be easier using PS4 software and posting it on YT. Never done that before, because I've never needed that. I recently play much less than before, but when I do I get mostly equal opponents to my team and my skill. Recently, most of my games are wins, but I get sometimes 84 Hedman and 82 Ellis wonder teams, with hattrick hero 85 Abel passing through 91 Sergachev and 90 Reilly like a wind 🙂
Mod balancing the ping in game would solve this problem. Good idea @HameLeon66 , but is it doable? Though I had games where these 82-83 wonders devastated me and the ping was 60ms as my opponent admitted. I don't know if it was the ping's thing. Maybe it isn't.
@TTZ_Dipsyyou're not willing to equal the game? why?! are you scared of dropping the advantage of speed? Come on...
- EA_Aljo
Yes. Using the built-in DVR of your console is always preferred. You can get really high-quality videos that way.
Nobody should have to raise their ping to even things out. I don't see why someone with a low ping should be punished that way. Personally, I play on an average of about 40. I don't have any lag or input delay. I don't feel that I'm at a disadvantage when playing guys with better pings. Regardless, it's on me to improve my connection. When it comes to us adding more servers, hopefully, that happens, but it's not something as easy to do as you might think.
I'll send a private message to you today or tomorrow with 2-3 games where you can obviously experience some kind of "assistance" given to weaker players (either noticeable in skills or ratings). I noticed after another few days of everyday play few things:
1) somehow my ping dropped from 45ms to 25-27ms (any new server around?) and I didn't change my connection; this momentarily allowed me to win few games ~7of10
2) Fins still having lower ping ruin regularly my 92 overall team with amazing slappers coming from 83-84 players out of the slot, through my 89-91 defence with 89 Bishop (...); but with lower ping I noticed I could most of the time easily win with players that had a team similar to mine (with 89-90-91 players), even from Finland! Oh boy... whatta relief! 😛
3) there's definately something about how Fins (I talked about them because I play almost only with them! why's that?!) complete their teams - they put max 2 strong lines with one or two 90< players that can do serious shooting or passing through and most of their team is 82 Gotisbehere, Trouba 82, 84 Ristolainen, 83 Pasternak, 82 Ekblad. THE GAME IS EVEN somehow when it comes to defending, positioning, speed and shooting. Their 82 Bishop (big boy) or Dubnyk (we all read about 'how to choose a goalie for a team in NHL' online) have 90-95% save % even when they're heavily pressured (mine TOA is almost always 1,5-3mins longer than opponent). How on earth is that possible?! Do stats matter anymore?!
4) I had some games with stats like: 2-3 goals, 40-50shots, 9-10mins TOA, 25 faceoffs, 25hits while my opponent 13 shots, 6goals, 4 faceoffs, 12 pen mins, 5-6min TOA, 5hits and asked these guys what kind of magic is happening they're winning easily (I was called a weak player and noob 🙂 ) and challenged them for direct play (with invitation). What I experienced when we got into the game was HORRIBLE connection speed from their side in both games! Way slower than through the Rivals play. It went super slow with almost no reaction in time from my controller. I coundn't do anything to win with them because of that. They scored 4-5 goals of 9-10 shots, seriously! And believe my they had very low skill level (div7-8 tops) with only one tactic on - skating somehow behind my D and scoring 2on0 with goalie up in the slot.
So... is NHL20 recognizing in any way the connection speed of the opponent and gets mine super fast down to even it or match it somehow? Not minding the ping value. Or is it the infamous ICETILT you said doesn't exist?
And by the way - what do you do in EA? Do you help to develop the game or just keep the forum going?
- EA_Aljo
There is no assistance whatsoever. Nothing besides the ratings for each player and the strategies you're using. Lower rated teams can beat higher-rated teams if they have the skill to do so.
Ice tilt does not exist. If you look at your own play and review the goals against you, you'll see where you made mistakes that let them happen. Focus on correcting those mistakes and your play will improve.
As far as your connection goes, we can step through some troubleshooting. Are you playing on a wired or wireless connection?
I went went through the tech stuff with @EA_Blueberry and he told me the connection was good. It's on previous pages. Yes, I play hardwired.
I agree that watching makes ones playing better, but it's not the issue here. I'm struggling to have an even game and would love to experience the difference between 82 Ekblad skating backwards and my 91 Savard.
- EA_Aljo
Ok. If you change your mind about troubleshooting, let me know.
Can you get me some video of slower skaters beating faster skaters? @EA_AljoI'm in for solving the tech stuff, your friend said it was ok so there wasn't any point of diggin deeper.
You're picking on my words and this disregards the intention I'm posting my issues here. I'll provide you with the best examples possible.
- EA_Aljo
Sounds good. Just let me know what examples you have and we'll discuss them. Also, apologies if I misunderstood what you were saying. It's not uncommon that people think slower skaters are beating faster skaters so I thought that is what you were getting at.
I've just sent you a private message. I had a delay in response because after another few ridiculous games with Fins I stopped playing NHL20. After some time I came back to play and had 50/50 games well matched opponents and of course bunch of 7:1 losses with poor skill guys but with magic happening 👿 🧙
Fellow Players!
After few weeks of getting different information this is what we're told: no tilt, no scenarios, no handicap. We're crazy to think it's unfair or scripted that weaker player team with low ping can easily win a game with a team +5-6 in overall ratings. ABEL 85 CAN SKATE FASTER THAN rested 91 SERGACHEV. Deal with it.
What is the reality: advantage of low ping if you're lucky to be near to the servers, EA support that sees no problem with us being frustrated with the game, there's not a big difference as I thought between skaters with 85 speed and 91. Boost especially Fins get with low pings is enormous, 83-84 sharpshooters will destroy your 90 D and 89 goalie, EASILY.
They're fooling us somehow and don't give a damn about what we feel about the game. So lucky to be monopolist on the market of hockey gaming. You have absolutely no competition, don't need to take care about the even game for everybody.
- EA_Aljo
Can you show me video of slower skaters outskating faster players? This is crucial to being able to review this as we've not been able to reproduce it.
If you swap out your team for base golds, are you winning more games?
- EA_Aljo
You're welcome to post a video here or PM me.
I can provide you tons of content with this weird tilt to Fins - maybe it's the matter of connection, maybe ping. If you swear it's not a tilt or game scripting 👿
I played directly with them as well and the connection was HORRIBLE, they usually have bad connections. Is there any assist from the game when that happens? We played in Rivals mode, decent connection, my ping 25ms. My team 86-91, opponent had 85-88 team and I lost 6:1! My opponent scored 4 goals after my goalie gave easy rebound. My D (88-91) and goalie 89 was acting like drugged. Direct connection was so bad that almost impossible to play, it's like watching 4k movie on a 2003 PC. My connection jest 250mb, their 30-50mb from what I've heard. All of them from FINLAND. To hell with them!
For the love of God, how is that even possibleto be losing most of the games with Fins?!
- EA_Aljo
There is absolutely no tilt, scripting or advantage given to one side over the other for the sake of compensating or giving one team a better chance. None whatsoever.
You're connecting to people from Finland because that is your region. There are some very skilled players there as well. Some of the best in the world. So, you probably have some very stiff competition. Since you don't want to troubleshoot your connection, we can't rule out any issues with it.
Where did you get that I don't want troubleshoot?
Oh, I played with few skilled players and really can appreciate their playing. I also can distinguish them from poor players with bunch of luck, winning 6:1 with 3mins TOA, 15shots, 3 faceoffs while I have 45 shots, 9,5min TOA, 30face offs and 15hits.
- EA_Aljo
Previously you said you went through tech issues with EA_Blueberry. I took that as not wanting to do them again. I don't know what steps you already did to troubleshoot. However, if your thought is that one side gets a boost over the other, that's not something we can troubleshoot anyway as it doesn't exist.
45 shots is a very high amount of shots. It sounds more like you're throwing them on net rather than setting up good chances. I've been watching the game you sent me and that's pretty apparent also. It's fine if that's how you want to play, but it doesn't generate as good scoring chances as when you move the puck more. I also see you like to throw the puck out with your goalie. That tires your players out more and sets up line changes you don't intend. Your players leave the ice on a rush because they're tired instead of staying in the play. For example, it looks like this happened with the second goal against you. They also scored because you switched players and stepped up instead of backing off and covering a potential 2 on 1. This gave them an easy scoring chance they capitalized on. You have an aggressive style of defense. This is fine, but it also means you have to be good with your hits or you're giving up odd-man rushes when missing them.
You also don't manually change your lines with each stoppage. You will frequently have lines in with more fatigue. Their stats drop as their fatigue gets yellow and then red. If your opponent is managing their lines better, they can have more speed.
My point is, if you slow down your play and manage your players fatigue better, you'll see them remain as fast as possible. From what I've seen so far, the biggest contributor to all the breakaways and odd-man rushes you face is due to stepping up for hits.
You may be right, but...
How do you explain these superfast rides of 82-84 players through my 88-91 team? How is that even possible 82 player goes around 3 way better players, shoots and scores easy goals with a barely moving goalie? Does stats matter?
I feel you didn't watch the game carefully - I try to change lines as often as I could, BUT my opponent doesn't do it and still has got the speed. Not to mention, opponents goalie look better and usually their stats are poorer than mine 89 Bishop.
It seems low pingers get advantage of finalising attacks way easier then rest of us. Goalie moves way to slow to be engaged in defending the net. D is frozen and skate crazy of the defending game.
If you watched the game, is it in any way clear that I can feel the difference while playing with low overall stats teams and have a certain disadvantage then? I don't have this kind of feel when I play with 90+ teams, that I usually defeat. How is that possible almost every time?
I'd do the troubleshoot again, let's go. Thanks for the tip of slowing the game, I'll try that 🙂
