NHL 18 Wishlist (Important Changes)
Well, I've been playing NHL 17 for a long time now and I feel like I'm ready to give my view on what should be improved or kept, etc.
I'd like to start off by saying that I am playing mostly on Franchise Mode and rarely online. I feel that the game must be a lot better and fun for players who play online against human players compare to those who play mostly against the CPU. I was pretty disappointed by the Overall Gameplay of the game this year after following most of the comments people made here for what they wanted to be improved vs last year's game...
Franchise Mode
Personally, I really like everything that was added to the mode for this year, especially the new Create Expansion Team. Honestly, that is really awesome and I loved it. I would like it to remain the same for the next few years. The only thing I would add about that, is the option to include your expansion team in a franchise mode without having to replace an existing team by it. In the same direction, there should be an expansion draft for your expansion at the beginning of the Franchise. From what I remember, when Columbus and Nashville actually joined the NHL, I think that all the other teams had to protect 23 players and that the 2 expansion actually drafted their teams through the players that were not protected by their teams or something like that. Can't really remember exactly, but that could be the way to do it, and it would also be pretty realistic about what starting a new Expansion is all about because let's be honest, it is impossible to have a dominant team for an expansion right off the bat... Also put an option to add created players to your expansion team in the franchise without going through free agents. Perhaps also create an option to keep all of your expansion settings (uniforms, arena features, etc) and import it into next years game so that you don't have to restart all that from the beginning. That would be nice.
Overall Game Play
Reaction Time: I feel that one problem is the reaction time AI. This especially affects the skating ability of your players or the way they play a loose puck. I mean, in real life, players reacts so quickly and plays are closing so fast and it is just not something that is transferred into the game. So many times, I know exactly how the play is drawing itself but just because of a slow animation or something unrealistic, or because the lag between controls and game animations the play end up being unrealistic. This is something that doesn't relate to the CPU players. They seem to always know where the pass is going, they are able to follow you easily and thats how it should be, but it should also be the case with the player's team AI. The player's AI should anticipate plays a lot more and react a lot more quickly overall. I just feel that this is something the game is lacking.
Slow Acceleration and Agility, Precision Skating : Acceleration is the ability to get to full speed. I feel that this part of the game is pretty realistic. One problem is how quickly skaters are able to skate in a close radius. This is something that happens a lot with defensemen. I feel that defensemen should be amazing at skating in a small circle compare to being able to be fast in a straight line. I feel like it is the opposite in the game right now. They get easily beat agility wise and are tough to beat on small dumps and chase when it should be the opposite. Take any top 5 defensemen in any team and you realize that these guys are extremely agile, and hardly ever beaten especially around the net and along the boards, or on 1 on 1. What some of the players are lacking is Puck Control, Vision for passing or playmaking, etc. but they are all very strong in their zone. This is something that should be improve in next year's game.
Precision Skating for me is the ability to skate to a small point on the ice and this is something that is missing again this years. Too many times, there is a loose puck beside my player or along the board and you just can't seem to be able to skate to it or you just end up skating straight into the board. This is even worse around the net, you players can't do tight circles around the net, they either go wide or hit the net which is very frustrating. Precision skating should definitely be improve in 2018...
Puck Battle / Board Play
So many things are included in this topic. First of all, board play is terrible. The only thing we are able to do right now is pin a player along the boards or be pinned along the boards and pass with a skate. Board play should be a lot more physical and way less complicated. Board play should not only happen by holding a button to hold someone on the board, they should happen when you hit someone with speed or lift a stick, etc. Right now, if we don't hold the pin board button everyone skates freely and there is no play along the board... this is ridiculous. You should be able to hit someone on the board to stop is momentum and keep the play there without holding a button and just trying to fight for the puck, etc. Watch some NHL games Live and improve this.
Loose puck battle should also be improve, right now all you can do is lift the stick or poke check like a little girl. I mean improve the physical play for puck battle. Had a slash button. Slash that end up on the stick or blade are permitted in the NHL and they happen a lot! This is a great way to make a player lose the puck. Sometimes if you're too far away you could end up hitting the glove which results in a slashing penalty or you could actually break the other players stick which is also a penalty. Most of the time, you should be able to know the puck loose or actually trouble a player's puck control in some way though. It would add realism to physical play for puck. Also had physical contact. I mean hitting is not always trying to crush the guys head. Sometimes it is just pushing a player to control where the play is heading or playing the man. Push a player on the board, keep him there. Sometimes it could end up in realistic holding calls where the player puts his hand on the shoulder from behind or something, these calls happen often in today's hockey and they are always close calls. Push players to protect the crease area. Small Cross checks are permitted in the front of the net. There is a reason why the term paying the price exist in hockey. It's for players who get in front of the net for rebounds or deflections, it is pretty violent down there...Get rid of the lift stick broken stick animation, it's not realist. Never saw a stick broke from a stick lift, they break because of slashes from the top. Same thing with the lift stick hooking animation. Rarely you see a player hook another player who ends up turning 180 and not being able to continue. Most of the time, it happens on an amost breakaway or a good scoring opportunity where the other player tries everything he can to stop the play and ends up hooking the other player in the waist, arm, elbow area or glove stick area. It actually prevents him from shooting or deking or something like that, but doesn't end up stopping the guy totally. To summarize this, Improve the way player battle for puck possession or for ice position. Make it more realistic because it is something that is incredibly important in today's hockey...
Passing System
I feel that the whole passing system should be reviewed... First of all, the pass button and change player button should not be the same. Too often I want to change players, mostly in my defensive zone and I end up passing the puck nowhere or to the other teams player after a rebound or something like that. Or I end up one timming a pass to nobody. So frustrating. Another thing is the hold the button longer for stronger passes. I do not see where this is coming from... when you play hockey you look, and everything happens in a heartbeat, you judge the strenght of the pass, the direction, everything. It should only be a tap and players should automatically judge what pass is needed according to their passing attributes. Better passers will reach saucer passes to their players more easily and passes will be more accurate, etc. Also, I get the manual aiming passing thing but I mean come on. When it's a straight forward pass, I clearly don't see how the pass can miss by 10 feet. I'd also like to see tip passes. I mean sometimes when you try a long hard pass, it will be very difficult to receive it correctly. It happens quite often that the puck just tip your blade and keeps going. It never happens in the game... Samething with players stretching to reach a pass and end up just tipping it. Right now, passes are missing by 10 feet ending up in Icing calls way to often. Don't get me wrong... it does happen but icing calls are mostly happening because of clearing the zone rather than missing passes... they do happen, but just not as often as in the game right now. There should also be an option to just tip a pass intentionally. We see this a lot in the NHL. When wanting a line change or just getting the puck deep, the defense will pass the puck along the board and the forward will just chip the puck to make sure there is no icing call and then change. We see it also in zone exist. When the defenseman cycle the puck along the board to his winger and the other defenseman pinches him. The winger's job is to chip the puck and make sure it clears the zone. It is extremely important. Especially in important defensive moments.
Related to this topic is the pass block animations. It is not all bad, but it should be refine a little to make it more realistic...
Penalties
I would like to see more type of penalties. I mentioned earlier the holding calls. What about holding the stick? Roughing? etc. Why not bringing suspensions in the game for head hits and boarding and stuff like that. There is a discipline attribute in the game. To me, someone with lower discipline is a player that plays on the edge of legal and not a lot more. For example, slashing a lot more, holding the stick behind the eyes of the referees, etc. It's also someone who is bound to lose is head a little bit more and get called post whistle a lot more, or getting unsportsmanlike conduct. etc. Get rid of the blocking shot tripping call... I mean come on! The guy slides to block a shot, ends up tripping the shooter and gets called.... What is that??? Also, the diving poke check should never be called if the player touches the puck first. It's called only when the tripping happens before the puck is touched.
Offense
Improve the protect puck engine... I mean it's like it's impossible to touch someone who protects the puck. I like the thinking of it. But you can't protect the puck while making 3 turns in the offensive zone. Most of the time you will end up being push in the boards and play will stop there...
Puck Control is also too easy in the game... it is related to the puck battle I was explaining earlier. If you adjust this, I guess puck control will become harder which is what should happen. I would also like the option to move the puck left or right while skating. Right now, if I deke right, the player stops skating and just glides... again watch a little bit of hockey and improve that. The strike deke and manual handling should also be done while skating or gliding, or at rest... obviously you are not able to move from side to side as effectively if you're full speed as if you're gliding but it's still possible.
Amazingly Ridiculous Puck Deflections... should I add something else to that... start watching some NHL hockey and restart this from the ground up.... Defenseman shoots 7 feet left of the net for a deflection waist high?? I've seen it once in the last 10 years in real life... Same thing with a deflection from a wrist shot from players who are 8 feet apart... if the player shoots from the circle, i doubt that shot will be deflected intentionally... Wrist shot from the points are easier to deflect than slap shots. A lot of times, deflection are also unwanted meaning the puck just hits a player in front of the net and ends up in the net, or hitting the goalie without him seeing the puck, etc. Work on that some more.
Shooting Accuracy. It's better than the last few years but too many shot are missing wide in situations where the players are usually hitting the net. For example, when in the slot, missed shot should rarely happen. On the other hand, if the player is rushed, shots will rarely be in the corners. I'd like to see more shots in the chest without rebounds, especially point shots, or shots from the circle when rushed. Slot shots with time or circle shots without anybody troubling the player should always be really close to the corners and not miss by much.
One-Timers. You did a great job by reducing one timers, but I feel like they should be reduce by better player coverage and not by missing shots. I mean, I watch a lot of NHL games during a year and these guys are machines when it comes to one timers. They rarely miss or fan. It happens too often in the game on plays that there should at least be a shot on net. The pass accuracy tells what happens to the shot accuracy and strenght but there should almost always have a shot. I would also like to have players call for pass by winding up when they want the pass for a one timer. We see that a lot between defensemen on powerplays. The player that shoots is already wind up before the pass is made, which makes easier to shoot with power but also accuracy... I'd also like to mention that you have greatly improved shots from the point. Everything is a lot more realistic when it comes to that regarding accuracy power, block shots, etc.
Breakaways and Puck Carrying. There are way too many breakaways in the game. Almost half of the goals I score are on player alone with the goalie. This should not happen. Sometimes, I will carry the puck from my blue line and beat the defenseman by speed and have a breakaway... Come on. I can assure you that defenseman in the NHL are as fast skating backward as they are frontward if not faster. Close the game, make it harder to reach the net and make it more important to cycle the puck and to take shots from the crease, points and circles.
Offensive Rebounds. I have seen an improvement from last year and I enjoyed it more. But there is still some room for improvement. The major problem to me is the fact that the shooting and hitting button are the same, so sometimes, you want to shoot and your players checks instead of shooting. I'd also like if you could make it easier for us to find the puck on rebounds because sometimes it is really hard to find out where the puck is, especially in front of the net. where there are a few players, it is really hard to see what happens and it really becomes random playing...
Defense
After NHL 16, NHL 17's Defense features and gameplay was a total fail. It was, to me, the most frustrating aspect of the game this year. Defense should be the most important thing in the game. Defense is so important in the NHL today, I don't understand why it's not as important in the game. This is why people dump the puck so much now compare to a few years back. Every team wants to make as few mistakes as possible and give as few scoring chances as they can. This should be reflected in the game and it isn't.
Defensive Coverage: I just can't understand the way the AI was programmed when it comes to defensive coverage. First off, all pro teams are now using a mix of zone and man to man coverage. Some of the things I hate for example is let's say the CPU is attacking on a 3 on 2, the 3rd man (my forward) is back checking correctly without a problem so far. With my defenseman I push the CPU along the boards in the corner and I stay with him because it's a routine play for a defenseman but then, my 3rd man has a brain fart or something, leaves his man open and comes in the corner to cover the same player that I was already covering... this is just dumb and we would NEVER see this watching an NHL game. Another example: CPU controls the puck the puck along the boards between its winger and pointman. Because of bad boardplay (first irritating thing) my player gets beat like a peewee so the other defenseman is stuck with a 2on1 between the winger along the board and the CPU player in the corner below the goal line. My center is covering another player in the slot which is exactly what he is suppose to do. For a reason that I still cannot understand... because I get beat along the board, my center decides that the player below the goal line is actually more dangerous than the player right in the slot so he leaves him alone and gets himself out of the play completely. Easy pass, One timed top shelf, and goal.... Please Work on Defensive Coverage AI, in all types of situation because this is ridiculous. I understand that if your player gets beat, it creates and offensive opportunity for the other team, it has to be that way, but make it realistic and like your players actually were pros and knew how to play hockey...
Hitting (Checking) System: I really feel like this should be thought all over again. In hockey, there is a term called playing the man, and it's probably the first thing a defenseman learns when playing minor hockey. It has to be brought up in the game correcty. I mean I should be able on a 1 on 1 to actually neutralize the other player by playing the man. Right now, all I can do is try to check him, which if I miss let's the CPU on a breakaway or try to stick lift or poke check which results in the same things. We should be able to do all of those things while still playing the man, meaning being able to skate in a precise way. Right now if I use the poke check which need to be improved, my player loses all its agility and it should not happen. Refine your Hitting System, make it more precise and like I mentionned earlier, hitting and playing the man are two different things. Sometimes I'd like to push someone into the boards and neutralize him there, not rip his head off. What often happens is I just miss my check because of this and run into the board, and the other player skates free... come on, again that's a routine play... I feel what could really improve this would be to use one of the bumper buttons and the left analog stick as a play the man concept, you could also use the other buttons at the same time to stick lift, poke check slash ect. without stopping to neutralize your player, it would be a lot more realistic compare to the pin against the board feature right now because when you stop pressing the pin against the board button to let's say stick lift or poke check, the player just skates free...
Lob/Cycle Puck: I like that there is a lob button but I'd like if we wouldn't have to hold it for 3 sec to actually have some power behind it. Same thing when trying to clear the zone on a PK... I've seen players clear the whole ice with a wrist shot... Why is it my guy can't even wrist it 30 feet away on a straight line?
Bring a Cycle Puck button. I want my players to be able to shoot the puck along the boards easily. It would be especially useful in the offensive zone since you can't shoot anywhere but at the net...
Swith Player/Pass Button: Make them two different button because often if the defensive zone I end up passing the puck randomly after wanting to change player on rebounds, deflect shot, etc. There should also be a clear slot button where all you do is shoot the puck in the corner or on the board to clear the slot area.
Goalies
I like the changes that have been brought to the goaltenders in the last few years. Everything about them is a lot more realistic and so is puck physics around the net. You have also improved realness when it comes to point shots, saves, screening, rebounds, etc. One of the thing I think should be improve is that the goalies are making to many flashy saves on dangerous wrist and snap shots and are letting go in garbage goals. If my guy receives a pass alone in the slot area, has time to actually shoot in one of the 4 corners of the net, than the goalie should not make a save 5 times out of 5. Right now, when I am playing, it just feels that the computer is actually controlling the score to make sure that the game remains close. I would prefer if it could be a lot more random and I'd rather have the computer make it really hard to get scoring chances compare to just have the goalies make a series of almost impossible saves, then let in two of the biggest garbage goals of all time.... if I am good enough to reach a player alone in the slot, and take a great shot, most of the time it shoud end in a goal. Same thing about one timers, etc. Garbage or lucky goals happen often, but not 2 or 3 times in a game on the same goalie and when it happens most time than not the goalie will be pull out of the game... if I was to do that in this year's game, my starter would have finished 20% of all the games he started... Correct this please
I'll finish by saying that I feel you guys are very close to making the best hockey game ever. But you definitely have to work on the realness of the AI, especially in the defensive aspects of the game. I have owned every EA NHL series games since 2002 and I must mention that it is the first time that I am questioning myself about buying next year's game... Some changes are deeply needed because you are losing a lot of popularity right now...
P.S. BRING MVP BASEBALL BACK!
Thanks for reading and feel free to post your opinions!
I'd like to start off by saying that I am playing mostly on Franchise Mode and rarely online. I feel that the game must be a lot better and fun for players who play online against human players compare to those who play mostly against the CPU. I was pretty disappointed by the Overall Gameplay of the game this year after following most of the comments people made here for what they wanted to be improved vs last year's game...
Franchise Mode
Personally, I really like everything that was added to the mode for this year, especially the new Create Expansion Team. Honestly, that is really awesome and I loved it. I would like it to remain the same for the next few years. The only thing I would add about that, is the option to include your expansion team in a franchise mode without having to replace an existing team by it. In the same direction, there should be an expansion draft for your expansion at the beginning of the Franchise. From what I remember, when Columbus and Nashville actually joined the NHL, I think that all the other teams had to protect 23 players and that the 2 expansion actually drafted their teams through the players that were not protected by their teams or something like that. Can't really remember exactly, but that could be the way to do it, and it would also be pretty realistic about what starting a new Expansion is all about because let's be honest, it is impossible to have a dominant team for an expansion right off the bat... Also put an option to add created players to your expansion team in the franchise without going through free agents. Perhaps also create an option to keep all of your expansion settings (uniforms, arena features, etc) and import it into next years game so that you don't have to restart all that from the beginning. That would be nice.
Overall Game Play
Reaction Time: I feel that one problem is the reaction time AI. This especially affects the skating ability of your players or the way they play a loose puck. I mean, in real life, players reacts so quickly and plays are closing so fast and it is just not something that is transferred into the game. So many times, I know exactly how the play is drawing itself but just because of a slow animation or something unrealistic, or because the lag between controls and game animations the play end up being unrealistic. This is something that doesn't relate to the CPU players. They seem to always know where the pass is going, they are able to follow you easily and thats how it should be, but it should also be the case with the player's team AI. The player's AI should anticipate plays a lot more and react a lot more quickly overall. I just feel that this is something the game is lacking.
Slow Acceleration and Agility, Precision Skating : Acceleration is the ability to get to full speed. I feel that this part of the game is pretty realistic. One problem is how quickly skaters are able to skate in a close radius. This is something that happens a lot with defensemen. I feel that defensemen should be amazing at skating in a small circle compare to being able to be fast in a straight line. I feel like it is the opposite in the game right now. They get easily beat agility wise and are tough to beat on small dumps and chase when it should be the opposite. Take any top 5 defensemen in any team and you realize that these guys are extremely agile, and hardly ever beaten especially around the net and along the boards, or on 1 on 1. What some of the players are lacking is Puck Control, Vision for passing or playmaking, etc. but they are all very strong in their zone. This is something that should be improve in next year's game.
Precision Skating for me is the ability to skate to a small point on the ice and this is something that is missing again this years. Too many times, there is a loose puck beside my player or along the board and you just can't seem to be able to skate to it or you just end up skating straight into the board. This is even worse around the net, you players can't do tight circles around the net, they either go wide or hit the net which is very frustrating. Precision skating should definitely be improve in 2018...
Puck Battle / Board Play
So many things are included in this topic. First of all, board play is terrible. The only thing we are able to do right now is pin a player along the boards or be pinned along the boards and pass with a skate. Board play should be a lot more physical and way less complicated. Board play should not only happen by holding a button to hold someone on the board, they should happen when you hit someone with speed or lift a stick, etc. Right now, if we don't hold the pin board button everyone skates freely and there is no play along the board... this is ridiculous. You should be able to hit someone on the board to stop is momentum and keep the play there without holding a button and just trying to fight for the puck, etc. Watch some NHL games Live and improve this.
Loose puck battle should also be improve, right now all you can do is lift the stick or poke check like a little girl. I mean improve the physical play for puck battle. Had a slash button. Slash that end up on the stick or blade are permitted in the NHL and they happen a lot! This is a great way to make a player lose the puck. Sometimes if you're too far away you could end up hitting the glove which results in a slashing penalty or you could actually break the other players stick which is also a penalty. Most of the time, you should be able to know the puck loose or actually trouble a player's puck control in some way though. It would add realism to physical play for puck. Also had physical contact. I mean hitting is not always trying to crush the guys head. Sometimes it is just pushing a player to control where the play is heading or playing the man. Push a player on the board, keep him there. Sometimes it could end up in realistic holding calls where the player puts his hand on the shoulder from behind or something, these calls happen often in today's hockey and they are always close calls. Push players to protect the crease area. Small Cross checks are permitted in the front of the net. There is a reason why the term paying the price exist in hockey. It's for players who get in front of the net for rebounds or deflections, it is pretty violent down there...Get rid of the lift stick broken stick animation, it's not realist. Never saw a stick broke from a stick lift, they break because of slashes from the top. Same thing with the lift stick hooking animation. Rarely you see a player hook another player who ends up turning 180 and not being able to continue. Most of the time, it happens on an amost breakaway or a good scoring opportunity where the other player tries everything he can to stop the play and ends up hooking the other player in the waist, arm, elbow area or glove stick area. It actually prevents him from shooting or deking or something like that, but doesn't end up stopping the guy totally. To summarize this, Improve the way player battle for puck possession or for ice position. Make it more realistic because it is something that is incredibly important in today's hockey...
Passing System
I feel that the whole passing system should be reviewed... First of all, the pass button and change player button should not be the same. Too often I want to change players, mostly in my defensive zone and I end up passing the puck nowhere or to the other teams player after a rebound or something like that. Or I end up one timming a pass to nobody. So frustrating. Another thing is the hold the button longer for stronger passes. I do not see where this is coming from... when you play hockey you look, and everything happens in a heartbeat, you judge the strenght of the pass, the direction, everything. It should only be a tap and players should automatically judge what pass is needed according to their passing attributes. Better passers will reach saucer passes to their players more easily and passes will be more accurate, etc. Also, I get the manual aiming passing thing but I mean come on. When it's a straight forward pass, I clearly don't see how the pass can miss by 10 feet. I'd also like to see tip passes. I mean sometimes when you try a long hard pass, it will be very difficult to receive it correctly. It happens quite often that the puck just tip your blade and keeps going. It never happens in the game... Samething with players stretching to reach a pass and end up just tipping it. Right now, passes are missing by 10 feet ending up in Icing calls way to often. Don't get me wrong... it does happen but icing calls are mostly happening because of clearing the zone rather than missing passes... they do happen, but just not as often as in the game right now. There should also be an option to just tip a pass intentionally. We see this a lot in the NHL. When wanting a line change or just getting the puck deep, the defense will pass the puck along the board and the forward will just chip the puck to make sure there is no icing call and then change. We see it also in zone exist. When the defenseman cycle the puck along the board to his winger and the other defenseman pinches him. The winger's job is to chip the puck and make sure it clears the zone. It is extremely important. Especially in important defensive moments.
Related to this topic is the pass block animations. It is not all bad, but it should be refine a little to make it more realistic...
Penalties
I would like to see more type of penalties. I mentioned earlier the holding calls. What about holding the stick? Roughing? etc. Why not bringing suspensions in the game for head hits and boarding and stuff like that. There is a discipline attribute in the game. To me, someone with lower discipline is a player that plays on the edge of legal and not a lot more. For example, slashing a lot more, holding the stick behind the eyes of the referees, etc. It's also someone who is bound to lose is head a little bit more and get called post whistle a lot more, or getting unsportsmanlike conduct. etc. Get rid of the blocking shot tripping call... I mean come on! The guy slides to block a shot, ends up tripping the shooter and gets called.... What is that??? Also, the diving poke check should never be called if the player touches the puck first. It's called only when the tripping happens before the puck is touched.
Offense
Improve the protect puck engine... I mean it's like it's impossible to touch someone who protects the puck. I like the thinking of it. But you can't protect the puck while making 3 turns in the offensive zone. Most of the time you will end up being push in the boards and play will stop there...
Puck Control is also too easy in the game... it is related to the puck battle I was explaining earlier. If you adjust this, I guess puck control will become harder which is what should happen. I would also like the option to move the puck left or right while skating. Right now, if I deke right, the player stops skating and just glides... again watch a little bit of hockey and improve that. The strike deke and manual handling should also be done while skating or gliding, or at rest... obviously you are not able to move from side to side as effectively if you're full speed as if you're gliding but it's still possible.
Amazingly Ridiculous Puck Deflections... should I add something else to that... start watching some NHL hockey and restart this from the ground up.... Defenseman shoots 7 feet left of the net for a deflection waist high?? I've seen it once in the last 10 years in real life... Same thing with a deflection from a wrist shot from players who are 8 feet apart... if the player shoots from the circle, i doubt that shot will be deflected intentionally... Wrist shot from the points are easier to deflect than slap shots. A lot of times, deflection are also unwanted meaning the puck just hits a player in front of the net and ends up in the net, or hitting the goalie without him seeing the puck, etc. Work on that some more.
Shooting Accuracy. It's better than the last few years but too many shot are missing wide in situations where the players are usually hitting the net. For example, when in the slot, missed shot should rarely happen. On the other hand, if the player is rushed, shots will rarely be in the corners. I'd like to see more shots in the chest without rebounds, especially point shots, or shots from the circle when rushed. Slot shots with time or circle shots without anybody troubling the player should always be really close to the corners and not miss by much.
One-Timers. You did a great job by reducing one timers, but I feel like they should be reduce by better player coverage and not by missing shots. I mean, I watch a lot of NHL games during a year and these guys are machines when it comes to one timers. They rarely miss or fan. It happens too often in the game on plays that there should at least be a shot on net. The pass accuracy tells what happens to the shot accuracy and strenght but there should almost always have a shot. I would also like to have players call for pass by winding up when they want the pass for a one timer. We see that a lot between defensemen on powerplays. The player that shoots is already wind up before the pass is made, which makes easier to shoot with power but also accuracy... I'd also like to mention that you have greatly improved shots from the point. Everything is a lot more realistic when it comes to that regarding accuracy power, block shots, etc.
Breakaways and Puck Carrying. There are way too many breakaways in the game. Almost half of the goals I score are on player alone with the goalie. This should not happen. Sometimes, I will carry the puck from my blue line and beat the defenseman by speed and have a breakaway... Come on. I can assure you that defenseman in the NHL are as fast skating backward as they are frontward if not faster. Close the game, make it harder to reach the net and make it more important to cycle the puck and to take shots from the crease, points and circles.
Offensive Rebounds. I have seen an improvement from last year and I enjoyed it more. But there is still some room for improvement. The major problem to me is the fact that the shooting and hitting button are the same, so sometimes, you want to shoot and your players checks instead of shooting. I'd also like if you could make it easier for us to find the puck on rebounds because sometimes it is really hard to find out where the puck is, especially in front of the net. where there are a few players, it is really hard to see what happens and it really becomes random playing...
Defense
After NHL 16, NHL 17's Defense features and gameplay was a total fail. It was, to me, the most frustrating aspect of the game this year. Defense should be the most important thing in the game. Defense is so important in the NHL today, I don't understand why it's not as important in the game. This is why people dump the puck so much now compare to a few years back. Every team wants to make as few mistakes as possible and give as few scoring chances as they can. This should be reflected in the game and it isn't.
Defensive Coverage: I just can't understand the way the AI was programmed when it comes to defensive coverage. First off, all pro teams are now using a mix of zone and man to man coverage. Some of the things I hate for example is let's say the CPU is attacking on a 3 on 2, the 3rd man (my forward) is back checking correctly without a problem so far. With my defenseman I push the CPU along the boards in the corner and I stay with him because it's a routine play for a defenseman but then, my 3rd man has a brain fart or something, leaves his man open and comes in the corner to cover the same player that I was already covering... this is just dumb and we would NEVER see this watching an NHL game. Another example: CPU controls the puck the puck along the boards between its winger and pointman. Because of bad boardplay (first irritating thing) my player gets beat like a peewee so the other defenseman is stuck with a 2on1 between the winger along the board and the CPU player in the corner below the goal line. My center is covering another player in the slot which is exactly what he is suppose to do. For a reason that I still cannot understand... because I get beat along the board, my center decides that the player below the goal line is actually more dangerous than the player right in the slot so he leaves him alone and gets himself out of the play completely. Easy pass, One timed top shelf, and goal.... Please Work on Defensive Coverage AI, in all types of situation because this is ridiculous. I understand that if your player gets beat, it creates and offensive opportunity for the other team, it has to be that way, but make it realistic and like your players actually were pros and knew how to play hockey...
Hitting (Checking) System: I really feel like this should be thought all over again. In hockey, there is a term called playing the man, and it's probably the first thing a defenseman learns when playing minor hockey. It has to be brought up in the game correcty. I mean I should be able on a 1 on 1 to actually neutralize the other player by playing the man. Right now, all I can do is try to check him, which if I miss let's the CPU on a breakaway or try to stick lift or poke check which results in the same things. We should be able to do all of those things while still playing the man, meaning being able to skate in a precise way. Right now if I use the poke check which need to be improved, my player loses all its agility and it should not happen. Refine your Hitting System, make it more precise and like I mentionned earlier, hitting and playing the man are two different things. Sometimes I'd like to push someone into the boards and neutralize him there, not rip his head off. What often happens is I just miss my check because of this and run into the board, and the other player skates free... come on, again that's a routine play... I feel what could really improve this would be to use one of the bumper buttons and the left analog stick as a play the man concept, you could also use the other buttons at the same time to stick lift, poke check slash ect. without stopping to neutralize your player, it would be a lot more realistic compare to the pin against the board feature right now because when you stop pressing the pin against the board button to let's say stick lift or poke check, the player just skates free...
Lob/Cycle Puck: I like that there is a lob button but I'd like if we wouldn't have to hold it for 3 sec to actually have some power behind it. Same thing when trying to clear the zone on a PK... I've seen players clear the whole ice with a wrist shot... Why is it my guy can't even wrist it 30 feet away on a straight line?
Bring a Cycle Puck button. I want my players to be able to shoot the puck along the boards easily. It would be especially useful in the offensive zone since you can't shoot anywhere but at the net...
Swith Player/Pass Button: Make them two different button because often if the defensive zone I end up passing the puck randomly after wanting to change player on rebounds, deflect shot, etc. There should also be a clear slot button where all you do is shoot the puck in the corner or on the board to clear the slot area.
Goalies
I like the changes that have been brought to the goaltenders in the last few years. Everything about them is a lot more realistic and so is puck physics around the net. You have also improved realness when it comes to point shots, saves, screening, rebounds, etc. One of the thing I think should be improve is that the goalies are making to many flashy saves on dangerous wrist and snap shots and are letting go in garbage goals. If my guy receives a pass alone in the slot area, has time to actually shoot in one of the 4 corners of the net, than the goalie should not make a save 5 times out of 5. Right now, when I am playing, it just feels that the computer is actually controlling the score to make sure that the game remains close. I would prefer if it could be a lot more random and I'd rather have the computer make it really hard to get scoring chances compare to just have the goalies make a series of almost impossible saves, then let in two of the biggest garbage goals of all time.... if I am good enough to reach a player alone in the slot, and take a great shot, most of the time it shoud end in a goal. Same thing about one timers, etc. Garbage or lucky goals happen often, but not 2 or 3 times in a game on the same goalie and when it happens most time than not the goalie will be pull out of the game... if I was to do that in this year's game, my starter would have finished 20% of all the games he started... Correct this please
I'll finish by saying that I feel you guys are very close to making the best hockey game ever. But you definitely have to work on the realness of the AI, especially in the defensive aspects of the game. I have owned every EA NHL series games since 2002 and I must mention that it is the first time that I am questioning myself about buying next year's game... Some changes are deeply needed because you are losing a lot of popularity right now...
P.S. BRING MVP BASEBALL BACK!
Thanks for reading and feel free to post your opinions!
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Yea it should search for prior game saves and ask if you want to port that old save into the new game. Good suggestion.
It would be absolutely unacceptable for other games, especially ones that cost this much, to run on such awful servers but somehow EA gets away with it. Even Steam games that have a one-time cost of under $10 have better servers lol.
Playing EASHL, there is a distinct advantage in being the home team in most games. Rarely do you get road games that feel as smooth as home, at least over here in the west.
There are always gameplay issues that can be resolved/improved but the servers have a significant impact on the overall experience and until they actually spend the resources to fix them, we'll be dealing with the same crap every year.
When I'm on my server my ping is around 12-15 ms and the game runs smooth for the most part...when I get into a east server I'm at 45-55 ms and everything is just just sluggish and delayed, (the fat man lag) needless to say... it puts me at a disadvantage.
Now if you have any more than 2 friends you have to coordinate when to click ranked match and pray you find the same lobby. Such a waste of time when they had it right before.
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1. Attribute effects
2. Better Commentary
3. More options added to Jerseys
4. More choices granted to Gamers
5. Roster Sharing
6. Better choices regarding selecting a Coach
7. Make Contract Negotiations realistic and interesting
8. Celebration can be modified
9. Assigning particular Goal Songs
A good wishlist for NHL 19 is also listed here nhl19game.com/nhl-19-wishlist-features.html
FTFY.
PS: Have fun sitting for 2