I miss the crash net, screen goalie, call for a deflection buttons to this day! 2K Was so ahead of it's time. I givin up,if I choose to buy PS4 NHL20 bundle,I will stretch that game for 3 years. Nothing changes,why keep paying?. Use that money for suscription online.
Hey 5th year of NHL 14 and the game at 1 am is good opponets who enjoy playing me.I know all of them off by heart to know witch ones cheat and witch do not. Thats the beauty of playing old gen,you develop a base of players you trust to not cheat and turn your back on the ones who do.
As long as I can play hockey..thats all I care about. You, who spent $70 a year for PSN or Gold and hate the game every year but some choose to laugh at me about not owning a current gen,the joke is on you. I saved a crap load of money! Now that PS4 and Xbox are alot cheaper..I might go ahead cause I saved by not buying before.Oh by the way..NHL 19 is $40 bucks at Walmart...the price it should have been on realease for a re labled NHL 18.
You might wanna hold off a few more weeks if you want to get an XB1: Microsoft is going to release a disc-less Xbox One for under 200$ (rumoured price). It's basically going to be an Xbox One S, without a disc reader.
As for NHL 19, well like @WainGretSki said, if you haven't played it (you don't even have a next gen console) then you can't really comment on the gameplay (or anything else for that matter). It has its flaws but it has its good points. The BETA was really when it shone the brightest, which is probably the most frustrating part of it all as it proves that the game CAN be awesome.
If I can make a suggestion about purchasing NHL 19 though... If you get an Xbox, don't bother purchasing the game at this point. Just get EA access for the same amount (it's about 30-40$ for a yearly subscription) and get the game for free in the Vault. As a bonus you get a dozen other games you can play for free as well (full versions).
Watched a million live streams my friend..I got my eye to know it's not as bad in some ereas as You make it out to be..but is really bad in others. I know alot of gammers can't even play realistic hockey witch ruins the game's reputation..you want realistic hockey?,your typing to h
Watching streams can give a general idea, but it does not replace a hands-on opinion. You say buying the game puts the joke on me, but I rather play the game that watch streams of people playing it. To each their own I guess.
Yeah... Streams can't really give you anything concrete to base an opinion on. I mean, most people who stream this game don't even play it like HOCKEY to begin with. Especially if you watch the "elite" streamers... Not that they CAN'T, but their audiences are often not the best pure "hockey" fans.
Rather than lose followers and subscribers by "boring" them to death, they'll resort to the cheesy antics their audience knows and loves.
Thanks for the heads up Venom...I think the new one is next next year or two?..but yeah I have experience with current gen...NHL 15, not much has changed,as long as you play realistic you don't notice much of issues..the problem is no one does! It's all about exploits. Name 100 players who can play without playing like a 12 year old with no skill? How many players can puck cycle and be patient for screens? not many! The go to move is post side right correct?..that all people do because they know goalies pull off the post.
You say how can I comment if I have not played NHL19? NHL games have not changed much since 14. It's just eye candy graphics..thats it. NHL 15 and 19 is not different. If you know hockey,you can make this game great again. The online world brings many different styles...people choose arcade and EA can't stop it until they make goalies play one animation..true butterfly only without the flipping around.
You know what the problem with goalies are? they cheat to one side,the bodies contort like a S,they wont stay sqaure and straight,they wont hugg post. The only way goals should go in are from good shots from sniper with the high accuracy ratings,the odd deke,tips,traffic infront.And yes..TILT is when Goalies start fipping around and swinging their arms like a Richard Simmonds warm up video and swat the puck in your own goal.
There are some subtle differences between the old gen (NHL 14) to the new gen (NHL 19). Most notably the slightly more realistic physics; players don't glide anymore like they're on a magic carpet on the ice. Speed is a little slower, but still too fast (which is why I think the physics engine has trouble keeping up with the game sometimes). Goalies are better, but they're worse. Like the skaters, they no longer float around on a magic carpet when they move. But their animations have been purposely gimped so that they can't snag too many pucks with their limbs anymore. Puck covers are still horrendously bad. And saves are determined by shot type, not positional awareness (like a real goalie would make saves). Save animations often don't make sense; hard shots are smothered close to the body, while slow weak shots are often mishandled and leave nice juicy rebounds that the forwards can easily tap in for a goal.
The new NEW Xbox console (code name: SCARLET) will be released sometime in 2020-2021. Microsoft is apparently going to reveal it at this year's E3 conference. Though you can expect the new console to come with a heavy price... At least the premium version will. I expect the new console will be upwards of 400$ on launch.
You can get an Xbox One S for 240$ right now. Or an Xbox One X for 300$. The disc-less console will likely be around 200$ (or less) and the rumors say it will be available around April or May this year.
I'm in canada so the cheapest is 300.00 with Forza S version, and 379.00 with a Gold card attached with COD I think or another..and ps4 is 379.97 witch would be 430 ish.
EA won't have a hockey game until 2022! on the next consoles. There's no way EA can have the funds to improve apon this gen so it may be wise to get 4 more years out of current. Sadly I only play NHL so im on that thinking that anything over 500.00 is too steep. That's without PSN.
I don't have the true HUT numbers...But EA will go by those.NHL 2020,2021,2022 and then the series closes...just a feeling. EA rather do what 2k did,take the best games and scrap the smallest, NHL Abeing the smallest of the series of games,Fiffa is world wide and will go on and be their top in sales! Only cross play will save NHL! Either they go big or they stay smalll...going big is cross play..going small is going IOS and P.C..
I sit here and read some of these comments and am dumbfounded by most of them like are we playing the same game?
This game in 6s is a crap-shoot. The tempo of the game is terrible (still too slow) and I cant stand how slow the auto animations are. Incidental contact currently is still too overpowered and defenders still only need to be on top of you without any real action from their controller to dispossess you, without a proper deking system theres no unique way to enter the zone or beat defenders its either clap it down the ice/force a stretch pass or switch low into your wingers lanes to break the trap(which every single team plays now).
There is nothing more infuriating as a forward to constantly lose the puck from it being dislodged from your stick and not have a pass register then have him reach through your body to pick up said puck. Yes yes pass the puck but theres not always an option to do that and its a video game I would like to pull off something cool looking once in a while not the same stale passing play over and over.
The one on one battles between forward and defender are non existent unless the guy is coming at you with LT because the best way to play defense in this game is just to be passive and backup and slow them down until your forwards can help. No one ever attempts a deke around a defender or something unique that could come from a more successful deking rate like we had in 16, what is the point of having the dekes in the game then?
Puck pickups are probably the worst they have been all year theres just no consistency in them(could be servers?). Same with puck interceptions, just so incredibly inconsistent. How does it make sense that I cant pick off a cross crease pass that im perfectly in a lane for yet a defender can pick off a rocket pass with his back turned to it.
The LT update was honestly pointless, I feel like more people abuse it now more then ever. The overpowered aspect of it was the trigger twitch no one really effectively used it to back skate into the zone and those who did would get annihilated by a hit. The problem with this is you remove the trigger twitch and you remove one of the only responsive controls in the game for us to square to the puck(still prefer old vision control).
This is probably attributed to the way people are playing the game but the puck physics in this version are also wonky the puck just constantly bounces and the physics of the deflections in the neutral zone are crazy the puck deflects unrealistically fast into different directions.
The only good thing I can say about this game is how the skating feels in this version when the servers are not making my skater feel like hes running through quick sand.
I sit here and read some of these comments and am dumbfounded by most of them like are we playing the same game?
This game in 6s is a crap-shoot. The tempo of the game is terrible (still too slow) and I cant stand how slow the auto animations are. Incidental contact currently is still too overpowered and defenders still only need to be on top of you without any real action from their controller to dispossess you, without a proper deking system theres no unique way to enter the zone or beat defenders its either clap it down the ice/force a stretch pass or switch low into your wingers lanes to break the trap(which every single team plays now).
There is nothing more infuriating as a forward to constantly lose the puck from it being dislodged from your stick and not have a pass register then have him reach through your body to pick up said puck. Yes yes pass the puck but theres not always an option to do that and its a video game I would like to pull off something cool looking once in a while not the same stale passing play over and over.
The one on one battles between forward and defender are non existent unless the guy is coming at you with LT because the best way to play defense in this game is just to be passive and backup and slow them down until your forwards can help. No one ever attempts a deke around a defender or something unique that could come from a more successful deking rate like we had in 16, what is the point of having the dekes in the game then?
Puck pickups are probably the worst they have been all year theres just no consistency in them(could be servers?). Same with puck interceptions, just so incredibly inconsistent. How does it make sense that I cant pick off a cross crease pass that im perfectly in a lane for yet a defender can pick off a rocket pass with his back turned to it.
The LT update was honestly pointless, I feel like more people abuse it now more then ever. The overpowered aspect of it was the trigger twitch no one really effectively used it to back skate into the zone and those who did would get annihilated by a hit. The problem with this is you remove the trigger twitch and you remove one of the only responsive controls in the game for us to square to the puck(still prefer old vision control).
This is probably attributed to the way people are playing the game but the puck physics in this version are also wonky the puck just constantly bounces and the physics of the deflections in the neutral zone are crazy the puck deflects unrealistically fast into different directions.
The only good thing I can say about this game is how the skating feels in this version when the servers are not making my skater feel like hes running through quick sand.
First you say that "the game speed is slow", but then towards the end of your post you complain that the "physics are wonky". Well you just answered your own question: the game is actually too fast. The game's physics, as I've been told by Ben ( @NHLDev ) are based on real Newtonian principles. Speed, Mass, Elasticity all factor into what reaction we get for any given action. Change one of them and the others are affected. Why do you think the pucks go off at such weird angles and ridiculous speeds if it wasn't that the speed of the game is actually jacked way, way up?
You also touched on another aspect that's one of the main problems with this game: how most people are playing it. To tell you the truth no one plays this game correctly. Everyone just goes for what gives the easiest to achieve results. Find the glitches, find the exploits and abuse them over and over. Also many people's understanding of "hockey", at its purest form, is woefully pitiful. Let's take your claim about the puck being knocked off by incidental contact: that happens in real life. If you have a puck on your stick and you run into another player, you'll loose the puck. Plain and simple. Why should it be different in the videogame? Don't want to loose the puck to incidental contact? Pass the puck. Oh but you tried passing it and you can't always find an open lane? Welcome to Hockey (first of all). Second; instead of waiting to pass the puck at the last second (like everyone else does), plan out your strategy before you receive the puck.
If you wait until you're controlling the puck to make a decision, it's already too late. Hockey is a game of seconds, so it's to your advantage to already have a plan of what to do with the puck ahead of time. If you're opponent is rushing you when you have the puck, pass it quicker. Your lanes are closing because you're taking too much time to think about what you're gonna do with the puck. Typically I like to have one option forward and one option back when I'm dealing with an over aggressive opponent and I tend to pass out when I have the space, not when he's already on top of me. If all else fails, reset or dump-n-chase.
People tend to think in such two dimensional fashion... Just go fast and go forward. The game does allow (sometimes) for much more "evolved" thinking. It's often not the easiest route to take, but it's much more satisfying when it works.
I sit here and read some of these comments and am dumbfounded by most of them like are we playing the same game?
This game in 6s is a crap-shoot. The tempo of the game is terrible (still too slow) and I cant stand how slow the auto animations are. Incidental contact currently is still too overpowered and defenders still only need to be on top of you without any real action from their controller to dispossess you, without a proper deking system theres no unique way to enter the zone or beat defenders its either clap it down the ice/force a stretch pass or switch low into your wingers lanes to break the trap(which every single team plays now).
There is nothing more infuriating as a forward to constantly lose the puck from it being dislodged from your stick and not have a pass register then have him reach through your body to pick up said puck. Yes yes pass the puck but theres not always an option to do that and its a video game I would like to pull off something cool looking once in a while not the same stale passing play over and over.
The one on one battles between forward and defender are non existent unless the guy is coming at you with LT because the best way to play defense in this game is just to be passive and backup and slow them down until your forwards can help. No one ever attempts a deke around a defender or something unique that could come from a more successful deking rate like we had in 16, what is the point of having the dekes in the game then?
Puck pickups are probably the worst they have been all year theres just no consistency in them(could be servers?). Same with puck interceptions, just so incredibly inconsistent. How does it make sense that I cant pick off a cross crease pass that im perfectly in a lane for yet a defender can pick off a rocket pass with his back turned to it.
The LT update was honestly pointless, I feel like more people abuse it now more then ever. The overpowered aspect of it was the trigger twitch no one really effectively used it to back skate into the zone and those who did would get annihilated by a hit. The problem with this is you remove the trigger twitch and you remove one of the only responsive controls in the game for us to square to the puck(still prefer old vision control).
This is probably attributed to the way people are playing the game but the puck physics in this version are also wonky the puck just constantly bounces and the physics of the deflections in the neutral zone are crazy the puck deflects unrealistically fast into different directions.
The only good thing I can say about this game is how the skating feels in this version when the servers are not making my skater feel like hes running through quick sand.
First you say that "the game speed is slow", but then towards the end of your post you complain that the "physics are wonky". Well you just answered your own question: the game is actually too fast. The game's physics, as I've been told by Ben ( @NHLDev ) are based on real Newtonian principles. Speed, Mass, Elasticity all factor into what reaction we get for any given action. Change one of them and the others are affected. Why do you think the pucks go off at such weird angles and ridiculous speeds if it wasn't that the speed of the game is actually jacked way, way up?
You also touched on another aspect that's one of the main problems with this game: how most people are playing it. To tell you the truth no one plays this game correctly. Everyone just goes for what gives the easiest to achieve results. Find the glitches, find the exploits and abuse them over and over. Also many people's understanding of "hockey", at its purest form, is woefully pitiful. Let's take your claim about the puck being knocked off by incidental contact: that happens in real life. If you have a puck on your stick and you run into another player, you'll loose the puck. Plain and simple. Why should it be different in the videogame? Don't want to loose the puck to incidental contact? Pass the puck. Oh but you tried passing it and you can't always find an open lane? Welcome to Hockey (first of all). Second; instead of waiting to pass the puck at the last second (like everyone else does), plan out your strategy before you receive the puck.
If you wait until you're controlling the puck to make a decision, it's already too late. Hockey is a game of seconds, so it's to your advantage to already have a plan of what to do with the puck ahead of time. If you're opponent is rushing you when you have the puck, pass it quicker. Your lanes are closing because you're taking too much time to think about what you're gonna do with the puck. Typically I like to have one option forward and one option back when I'm dealing with an over aggressive opponent and I tend to pass out when I have the space, not when he's already on top of me. If all else fails, reset or dump-n-chase.
People tend to think in such two dimensional fashion... Just go fast and go forward. The game does allow (sometimes) for much more "evolved" thinking. It's often not the easiest route to take, but it's much more satisfying when it works.
I sit here and read some of these comments and am dumbfounded by most of them like are we playing the same game?
This game in 6s is a crap-shoot. The tempo of the game is terrible (still too slow) and I cant stand how slow the auto animations are. Incidental contact currently is still too overpowered and defenders still only need to be on top of you without any real action from their controller to dispossess you, without a proper deking system theres no unique way to enter the zone or beat defenders its either clap it down the ice/force a stretch pass or switch low into your wingers lanes to break the trap(which every single team plays now).
There is nothing more infuriating as a forward to constantly lose the puck from it being dislodged from your stick and not have a pass register then have him reach through your body to pick up said puck. Yes yes pass the puck but theres not always an option to do that and its a video game I would like to pull off something cool looking once in a while not the same stale passing play over and over.
The one on one battles between forward and defender are non existent unless the guy is coming at you with LT because the best way to play defense in this game is just to be passive and backup and slow them down until your forwards can help. No one ever attempts a deke around a defender or something unique that could come from a more successful deking rate like we had in 16, what is the point of having the dekes in the game then?
Puck pickups are probably the worst they have been all year theres just no consistency in them(could be servers?). Same with puck interceptions, just so incredibly inconsistent. How does it make sense that I cant pick off a cross crease pass that im perfectly in a lane for yet a defender can pick off a rocket pass with his back turned to it.
The LT update was honestly pointless, I feel like more people abuse it now more then ever. The overpowered aspect of it was the trigger twitch no one really effectively used it to back skate into the zone and those who did would get annihilated by a hit. The problem with this is you remove the trigger twitch and you remove one of the only responsive controls in the game for us to square to the puck(still prefer old vision control).
This is probably attributed to the way people are playing the game but the puck physics in this version are also wonky the puck just constantly bounces and the physics of the deflections in the neutral zone are crazy the puck deflects unrealistically fast into different directions.
The only good thing I can say about this game is how the skating feels in this version when the servers are not making my skater feel like hes running through quick sand.
First you say that "the game speed is slow", but then towards the end of your post you complain that the "physics are wonky". Well you just answered your own question: the game is actually too fast. The game's physics, as I've been told by Ben ( @NHLDev ) are based on real Newtonian principles. Speed, Mass, Elasticity all factor into what reaction we get for any given action. Change one of them and the others are affected. Why do you think the pucks go off at such weird angles and ridiculous speeds if it wasn't that the speed of the game is actually jacked way, way up?
You also touched on another aspect that's one of the main problems with this game: how most people are playing it. To tell you the truth no one plays this game correctly. Everyone just goes for what gives the easiest to achieve results. Find the glitches, find the exploits and abuse them over and over. Also many people's understanding of "hockey", at its purest form, is woefully pitiful. Let's take your claim about the puck being knocked off by incidental contact: that happens in real life. If you have a puck on your stick and you run into another player, you'll loose the puck. Plain and simple. Why should it be different in the videogame? Don't want to loose the puck to incidental contact? Pass the puck. Oh but you tried passing it and you can't always find an open lane? Welcome to Hockey (first of all). Second; instead of waiting to pass the puck at the last second (like everyone else does), plan out your strategy before you receive the puck.
If you wait until you're controlling the puck to make a decision, it's already too late. Hockey is a game of seconds, so it's to your advantage to already have a plan of what to do with the puck ahead of time. If you're opponent is rushing you when you have the puck, pass it quicker. Your lanes are closing because you're taking too much time to think about what you're gonna do with the puck. Typically I like to have one option forward and one option back when I'm dealing with an over aggressive opponent and I tend to pass out when I have the space, not when he's already on top of me. If all else fails, reset or dump-n-chase.
People tend to think in such two dimensional fashion... Just go fast and go forward. The game does allow (sometimes) for much more "evolved" thinking. It's often not the easiest route to take, but it's much more satisfying when it works.
This game is definitely not too fast there might be some aspect of the mechanics like passing that are too fast that make the puck redirect unrealistically but the game itself is certainly not "too fast". The point I was making is the puck physics are not realistic right now.
The main problem I have with the way incidental contact works in this game is the way it works with no real action from your controller other than just using the left stick to skate on top of you, which is very easy to do with next to no speed differentiation between skater classes and puck carrier speed/agility reductions. Incidental contact should be initiated when the defender attempts a poke or a hit but doesn't completely get all of the puck or player. A hockey player in real life doesn't dance on top of you and your stick to take the puck from you he attempts to hit or poke you or backs up to play it passive but he always attempts a contact motion with his hands/body to hit or stick to poke.
There are lots of things that happen in real life hockey that don't happen in the game that doesn't mean they should be put into the game but that also doesn't mean they should be left out. You add incidental contact you make it easier for defenders to play their position thats fine, but why take away skaters ability to deke where is the balance in that. There should be balance and a counter its a video game. The way it is now forwards have no tools to make quick adjustments other than the LT(super ugly and unrealistic) since dekes simply do not work.
It sounds like you don't play 6s at the higher level that this game offers because if you did you would know that your time and space are very limited as well as your options it's partially why you see the meta of throwing turds on net, it's better than a turn over. All 5 guys rush back to setup the trap every time and they are usually clogging all the passing lanes and options after you enter the zone because it the most effective strategy. They are trying to promote a passing/team game thats the style I play anyway, cycle. The problem is like you said people play the game to win and that means using the most effective strategy and a win at all costs doesn't need to be pretty attitude. This is where we are now the game is not fun this way there is next to no creativity, if forcing passes through people and just pinball passing the puck around to people is hockey then im done.
EA needs to change the meta and I think that could possibly be done by adding a high deking success rate without changing anything else. This is also video game it should be fun and a little unrealistic the more realism that's added to this game it seems the more frustrating, broken and unbalanced it becomes.
#1 - The game is incredibly fast. Too fast by "real life" standards. That YOU want it to be faster is one thing. If that's your opinion, you're entitled to it. But fact of the matter (and this was confirmed by the dev) the game's default speed is faster than real life. Another thing that could affect your "perception of speed" is that the game's camera angle is pulled so far away from the action. Take a Formula One race for example. The cars are incredibly fast (over 300 Kmh). That sensation of speed is conveyed very well from a cockpit or TV mount camera, but when they show the action from above, it looks slow as hell. Yet the cars are still traveling at the same speed.
#2 - If defense was so easy, I wouldn't allow any goals because I wouldn't be getting any shots. Good defensemen know how to close the gap and give the forwards a hard time trying to keep the puck. That's just good hockey. Bad forwards constantly try to go through defenders in their path, raking the puck through skates and then getting mad when they loose the puck. Just be smart and keep your distance and look for the open man.
#3 - "Just because it happens in real life doesn't mean it should be happening in the game"... I don't know about you, but when I purchase a game called "NHL", I expect it to play like NHL hockey. Just like when I purchase a game called Formula One, I expect it to play like as if I was a formula one driver. Again, if your idea of "hockey" is closer to Nintendo Ice Hockey or Blades of Steel, more power to you! They're great games in their own respect, but they're not N-H-L-H-O-C-K-E-Y...
#4 - I do play 6s. I play with all kinds of teams. And I can play every position: C, RW, LW, LD, RD and G (which is my natural position). Do I play EVERY position with 100% mastery? No... The only one I can sort of claim to do that with is G or Defense. Being a winger is probably the easiest position to play in the game, IMHO. While Center is a different beast with more responsibilities, though I can do well there most times. That said, there are no guaranteed defensive or offensive setups. Everything has a counter strategy. You just have to know how to beat it. No... you don't just have to know, you have to WANT to beat it by trying something different when what you're already trying doesn't work. If you keep trying to carry the puck and turn it over at the blue line over and over, dump and chase it. "But I'll be turning it over that way! Good teams will have someone waiting near the boards and pick up the puck!"
A) You're already turning it over, but by dumping and chasing, you won't be doing so at the blue line and giving up odd man rushes the other way.
B )If they already have someone waiting at the goal line for the puck, then their "trap" setup is broken meaning you can carry the puck in. It's one or the other, they can't "trap" without all 5 of their players at the blue line. If they send someone back to anticipate the dump, you're effectively playing your 5 attackers against their 4 defenders, meaning someone on your side is going to be open to carry the puck in. Simple math, buddy.
#5 - The dekeing system works as is. Could it be better? Yeah, for sure. I'd like them to bring back the RS dekes you could do in old gen. This one button auto-animation crap has got to go. However, it's not completely ineffective if you know how and when to use them. I see a lot of kids doing loose puck dekes at the red line or when they enter the blue line... Waste of time. What are you dekeing: the AIR??? A divot in the ice?? Unless I'm going one on one against a d-man or the goalie, there's no point in trying to "deke". How many times do you see Crosby or McDavid "dekeing" through 5 players on the ice? Against one... Maybe. Two players? Possibly... But 5?? C'mon... There's this neat little feature called (and please, stop me if you've heard this before) "the PASS button". Here's how it works:
See? No "dekeing".
Again if you want UN-realism in your game, you go ahead and play the mode that gives you that. You can play offline and put all the sliders towards ARCADE. Or you can play THREES or ONES online. There's plenty of mode with "fun" and "relaxed" settings that will satisfy your urge to find "balance".
I for one (as do many others who DO play competitively) think that the game is NOT realistic enough and that's why it suffers. You can choose to disagree if you want, and that's fine.
#1 - The game is incredibly fast. Too fast by "real life" standards. That YOU want it to be faster is one thing. If that's your opinion, you're entitled to it. But fact of the matter (and this was confirmed by the dev) the game's default speed is faster than real life. Another thing that could affect your "perception of speed" is that the game's camera angle is pulled so far away from the action. Take a Formula One race for example. The cars are incredibly fast (over 300 Kmh). That sensation of speed is conveyed very well from a cockpit or TV mount camera, but when they show the action from above, it looks slow as hell. Yet the cars are still traveling at the same speed.
#2 - If defense was so easy, I wouldn't allow any goals because I wouldn't be getting any shots. Good defensemen know how to close the gap and give the forwards a hard time trying to keep the puck. That's just good hockey. Bad forwards constantly try to go through defenders in their path, raking the puck through skates and then getting mad when they loose the puck. Just be smart and keep your distance and look for the open man.
#3 - "Just because it happens in real life doesn't mean it should be happening in the game"... I don't know about you, but when I purchase a game called "NHL", I expect it to play like NHL hockey. Just like when I purchase a game called Formula One, I expect it to play like as if I was a formula one driver. Again, if your idea of "hockey" is closer to Nintendo Ice Hockey or Blades of Steel, more power to you! They're great games in their own respect, but they're not N-H-L-H-O-C-K-E-Y...
#4 - I do play 6s. I play with all kinds of teams. And I can play every position: C, RW, LW, LD, RD and G (which is my natural position). Do I play EVERY position with 100% mastery? No... The only one I can sort of claim to do that with is G or Defense. Being a winger is probably the easiest position to play in the game, IMHO. While Center is a different beast with more responsibilities, though I can do well there most times. That said, there are no guaranteed defensive or offensive setups. Everything has a counter strategy. You just have to know how to beat it. No... you don't just have to know, you have to WANT to beat it by trying something different when what you're already trying doesn't work. If you keep trying to carry the puck and turn it over at the blue line over and over, dump and chase it. "But I'll be turning it over that way! Good teams will have someone waiting near the boards and pick up the puck!"
A) You're already turning it over, but by dumping and chasing, you won't be doing so at the blue line and giving up odd man rushes the other way.
B )If they already have someone waiting at the goal line for the puck, then their "trap" setup is broken meaning you can carry the puck in. It's one or the other, they can't "trap" without all 5 of their players at the blue line. If they send someone back to anticipate the dump, you're effectively playing your 5 attackers against their 4 defenders, meaning someone on your side is going to be open to carry the puck in. Simple math, buddy.
#5 - The dekeing system works as is. Could it be better? Yeah, for sure. I'd like them to bring back the RS dekes you could do in old gen. This one button auto-animation crap has got to go. However, it's not completely ineffective if you know how and when to use them. I see a lot of kids doing loose puck dekes at the red line or when they enter the blue line... Waste of time. What are you dekeing: the AIR??? A divot in the ice?? Unless I'm going one on one against a d-man or the goalie, there's no point in trying to "deke". How many times do you see Crosby or McDavid "dekeing" through 5 players on the ice? Against one... Maybe. Two players? Possibly... But 5?? C'mon... There's this neat little feature called (and please, stop me if you've heard this before) "the PASS button". Here's how it works:
See? No "dekeing".
Again if you want UN-realism in your game, you go ahead and play the mode that gives you that. You can play offline and put all the sliders towards ARCADE. Or you can play THREES or ONES online. There's plenty of mode with "fun" and "relaxed" settings that will satisfy your urge to find "balance".
I for one (as do many others who DO play competitively) think that the game is NOT realistic enough and that's why it suffers. You can choose to disagree if you want, and that's fine.
I didn't post to start an argument with anyone, that usually seems like the case when someone posts something here nowadays someone quickly rushes in to prove how wrong they are because it doesn't line up with how they want it to be or think, all im posting is my opinion on how the game feels right now since I play it nearly everyday but I will indulge you for this last response here.
Posting a VS clip or whatever that is, is not proving a point. EASHL is played completely differently compared to those since next gen. I dont understand why you think I want to deke or hold on to the puck all the damn time like I am one of these joystick ballerinas. I just want some control and a little bit of creativity added to the game you cant think that just passing the puck around like a pinball machine is a good time and resembles hockey? I mean yea my team loves the low cycle and its rewarding dominating the other team in their own zone by moving the puck around them with passes but NOT ALL THE TIME.
Im not advocating for it not to be realistic I want it to be but the way the game is now there is not much balance in gameplay in EASHL and doesn't resemble real hockey. Real world standards dont mean anything because this game is no where near what a real life simulation of real hockey is, maybe if we had that control and responsiveness an actual skater has in real life I wouldn't be complaining.
The game is jacked up in speed by real world standards still doesn't mean its fast enough for me to play on my xbox, its a video game. I have already tried all camera views like you suggested before and that doesn't change anything. Whether its the game speed, differentiation throughout player builds/classes, tuner tweaks whatever the game feels too slow compared to past years still. The agility is where it needs to be because its actually responsive in this version but there is no separation in the slightest sense even when people make mistakes.
Incidental contact is not tuned to what most forwards would like it to be at and ive said my thoughts on that and I will leave that there because this issue always seems to stir some negative comments. I still feel though if we had a good deking system like we did in old gen or a little bit of speed separation when you beat a guy making a mistake this wouldn't be an issue.
Meh. All these posts and in reality, this is what hockey is: Capitalizing on your opponent's mistakes.
Yea sure EASHL is tougher in division 1 and goals are not all that easy. But it is the same in the NHL. When a team plays proper defense, open ice and goals are hard to come by. Don't see why it should be any different in EASHL even though this is a video game.
I didn't mean to make it into an argument. I just don't know how to convey to you what I want to tell you in 2 phrases or less since the post I was answering contained MANY aspect I wanted to touch on.
But I'll try to be brief this time.
- Posting a VS clip or whatever that is, is not proving a point. EASHL is played completely differently compared to those since next gen. I would agree with you, except for the fact that VS and EASHL both play on the same online settings (preset 3 or COMPETITIVE). And most people play EASHL the way they play HUT or VS by trying to be the hero that blocks the shot or goes on a breakaway and scores.
- I just want some control and a little bit of creativity added to the game you cant think that just passing the puck around like a pinball machine is a good time and resembles hockey? I mean yea my team loves the low cycle and its rewarding dominating the other team in their own zone by moving the puck around them with passes but NOT ALL THE TIME. In real hockey there are about 200 passes done by each team or more. Next time you play 6s, count how many passes your team makes. I bet you don't even get to 100. You say the clip I showed is irrelevant, but I showed you some fabulous creativity and I did exactly 5 passes and zero dekes. Which is better? You decide, but the end result is a goal nonetheless. And as a bonus I made my opponent look foolish. If that's not creativity, what is?
- maybe if we had that control and responsiveness an actual skater has in real life I wouldn't be complaining Players in this game have much more control than in real life. When was the last time you saw Ovechkin "settle" the puck for 1 second and shoot with 150% accuracy like he does in this game? When was the last time you saw McDavid half turn from forward to back-skate constantly and still retain possession of the puck?
-The game is jacked up in speed by real world standards still doesn't mean its fast enough for me to play on my xbox, its a video game. Sooooooooo... You want reality, but it's a video game so you don't want reality? I'm confused...
- its actually responsive in this version but there is no separation in the slightest sense even when people make mistakes. You can blame those that wanted more parity in the EASHL player builds to advocate for "fairness" and "skill" as a determining factor to who is better... Whatever that means.
- Incidental contact is not tuned to what most forwards would like it to be Because most forwards don't want to bother with such tedious pastimes as "thinking" and "creating"... They just wanna "Do". I play in LG, and been in every tier: CHL, AHL and NHL. I know what it's like to play with "elites" and I know what it's like to play with "scrubs". What doesn't change is the team that has a plan and plays together (no individual heroes) is the team that usually wins. Whatever mode you play, whether EASHL, HUT or VS.
Haven't played this game in over 3 weeks and I have to tell you my life has been much more enjoyable. The NHL community has become so toxic that being able to stomach more than 2 or 3 games at a time is near impossible. I'll pop in here every once in a while to see how things continue trending but this topic alone was enough to let me know I'm in a much better place now!!
I didn't mean to make it into an argument. I just don't know how to convey to you what I want to tell you in 2 phrases or less since the post I was answering contained MANY aspect I wanted to touch on.
But I'll try to be brief this time.
- Posting a VS clip or whatever that is, is not proving a point. EASHL is played completely differently compared to those since next gen. I would agree with you, except for the fact that VS and EASHL both play on the same online settings (preset 3 or COMPETITIVE). And most people play EASHL the way they play HUT or VS by trying to be the hero that blocks the shot or goes on a breakaway and scores.
- I just want some control and a little bit of creativity added to the game you cant think that just passing the puck around like a pinball machine is a good time and resembles hockey? I mean yea my team loves the low cycle and its rewarding dominating the other team in their own zone by moving the puck around them with passes but NOT ALL THE TIME. In real hockey there are about 200 passes done by each team or more. Next time you play 6s, count how many passes your team makes. I bet you don't even get to 100. You say the clip I showed is irrelevant, but I showed you some fabulous creativity and I did exactly 5 passes and zero dekes. Which is better? You decide, but the end result is a goal nonetheless. And as a bonus I made my opponent look foolish. If that's not creativity, what is?
- maybe if we had that control and responsiveness an actual skater has in real life I wouldn't be complaining Players in this game have much more control than in real life. When was the last time you saw Ovechkin "settle" the puck for 1 second and shoot with 150% accuracy like he does in this game? When was the last time you saw McDavid half turn from forward to back-skate constantly and still retain possession of the puck?
-The game is jacked up in speed by real world standards still doesn't mean its fast enough for me to play on my xbox, its a video game. Sooooooooo... You want reality, but it's a video game so you don't want reality? I'm confused...
- its actually responsive in this version but there is no separation in the slightest sense even when people make mistakes. You can blame those that wanted more parity in the EASHL player builds to advocate for "fairness" and "skill" as a determining factor to who is better... Whatever that means.
- Incidental contact is not tuned to what most forwards would like it to be Because most forwards don't want to bother with such tedious pastimes as "thinking" and "creating"... They just wanna "Do". I play in LG, and been in every tier: CHL, AHL and NHL. I know what it's like to play with "elites" and I know what it's like to play with "scrubs". What doesn't change is the team that has a plan and plays together (no individual heroes) is the team that usually wins. Whatever mode you play, whether EASHL, HUT or VS.
First off EASHL and Vs/HUT are not played the same and don't play the same for that matter. Our skaters in EASHL are not as good as the nhl players in the game or HUT cards and the games connection just acts differently(more latency) at least for me. The AI does most of the work positionally too, just not the same.
In real hockey there are about 200 passes a game...In real hockey the game lasts for almost 3 hours. We play a 20 minute simulation.
Players in some aspects in the game might have more control because they need to for the game to be entertaining and not frustrating it would not turn into a good situation if Ovechkin took 2-3 seconds to settle that puck and then an extra second or 2 to shoot it because in the game he would be surrounded or even worse just have the puck going the other way causing a turnover, which would be the likely result in 9/10 of these types of cases. These cases are rare anyway because in my experience the puck pickups in this game are terrible at least in EASHL.
Everyone wants it to be realistic but it is a video game in the end and it's just all a simulation of the real thing. Most video games are "realistic" because they mimic something we do in real life but they arent actually real life and shouldnt be treated as such, they are called games after all. It should be rewarding with a proper skill gap but also forgiving to an extent because it is not real life we are all just sitting on our chairs or couches. I would go the to local rink and play some real hockey if I desired that.
You mentioned formula one as an example take this example, do they have stick malfunctions and realistic under steer or even flat tires in racing games? I haven't played one in a while but my guess is no because they would make the game not fun(to most people). Do you see where im going with this? Incidental contact is similar in that regard and im not even advocating for it to be taken out of the game just toned down like it was in the fall updates.
You seem knowledgeable about how the sport should be played but posting a VS/Hut clip to prove your point seems like you are just talking out of your **** and dont know how this game is really being played by the diehard/hardcore fanbase who grind EASHL 6s every day, but I could be wrong. Everyone traps, bumps, turds and cherry picks now because the game really doesnt allow for anything else when you are playing at the more experienced level. There is zero creativity, I cant remember the last time I saw an NHL clip and said that was nice. It always ends in a tipped goal, some guy skating backwards or a forced pass that looked covered.
In real hockey there are about 200 passes a game...In real hockey the game lasts for almost 3 hours. We play a 20 minute simulation.
Yeah, look it's obvious we have different views on what the game is and how it should be played. There's just no point having this discussion. I mean, like I said, I play every mode, I know there are some difference with how each one "plays".
But whether you play HUT or VS or EASHL, it's still hockey and the same principles apply. If you disagree with that, that's fine.
I didn't mean to make it into an argument. I just don't know how to convey to you what I want to tell you in 2 phrases or less since the post I was answering contained MANY aspect I wanted to touch on.
But I'll try to be brief this time.
- Posting a VS clip or whatever that is, is not proving a point. EASHL is played completely differently compared to those since next gen. I would agree with you, except for the fact that VS and EASHL both play on the same online settings (preset 3 or COMPETITIVE). And most people play EASHL the way they play HUT or VS by trying to be the hero that blocks the shot or goes on a breakaway and scores.
- I just want some control and a little bit of creativity added to the game you cant think that just passing the puck around like a pinball machine is a good time and resembles hockey? I mean yea my team loves the low cycle and its rewarding dominating the other team in their own zone by moving the puck around them with passes but NOT ALL THE TIME. In real hockey there are about 200 passes done by each team or more. Next time you play 6s, count how many passes your team makes. I bet you don't even get to 100. You say the clip I showed is irrelevant, but I showed you some fabulous creativity and I did exactly 5 passes and zero dekes. Which is better? You decide, but the end result is a goal nonetheless. And as a bonus I made my opponent look foolish. If that's not creativity, what is?
- maybe if we had that control and responsiveness an actual skater has in real life I wouldn't be complaining Players in this game have much more control than in real life. When was the last time you saw Ovechkin "settle" the puck for 1 second and shoot with 150% accuracy like he does in this game? When was the last time you saw McDavid half turn from forward to back-skate constantly and still retain possession of the puck?
-The game is jacked up in speed by real world standards still doesn't mean its fast enough for me to play on my xbox, its a video game. Sooooooooo... You want reality, but it's a video game so you don't want reality? I'm confused...
- its actually responsive in this version but there is no separation in the slightest sense even when people make mistakes. You can blame those that wanted more parity in the EASHL player builds to advocate for "fairness" and "skill" as a determining factor to who is better... Whatever that means.
- Incidental contact is not tuned to what most forwards would like it to be Because most forwards don't want to bother with such tedious pastimes as "thinking" and "creating"... They just wanna "Do". I play in LG, and been in every tier: CHL, AHL and NHL. I know what it's like to play with "elites" and I know what it's like to play with "scrubs". What doesn't change is the team that has a plan and plays together (no individual heroes) is the team that usually wins. Whatever mode you play, whether EASHL, HUT or VS.
First off EASHL and Vs/HUT are not played the same and don't play the same for that matter. Our skaters in EASHL are not as good as the nhl players in the game or HUT cards and the games connection just acts differently(more latency) at least for me. The AI does most of the work positionally too, just not the same.
In real hockey there are about 200 passes a game...In real hockey the game lasts for almost 3 hours. We play a 20 minute simulation.
Players in some aspects in the game might have more control because they need to for the game to be entertaining and not frustrating it would not turn into a good situation if Ovechkin took 2-3 seconds to settle that puck and then an extra second or 2 to shoot it because in the game he would be surrounded or even worse just have the puck going the other way causing a turnover, which would be the likely result in 9/10 of these types of cases. These cases are rare anyway because in my experience the puck pickups in this game are terrible at least in EASHL.
Everyone wants it to be realistic but it is a video game in the end and it's just all a simulation of the real thing. Most video games are "realistic" because they mimic something we do in real life but they arent actually real life and shouldnt be treated as such, they are called games after all. It should be rewarding with a proper skill gap but also forgiving to an extent because it is not real life we are all just sitting on our chairs or couches. I would go the to local rink and play some real hockey if I desired that.
You mentioned formula one as an example take this example, do they have stick malfunctions and realistic under steer or even flat tires in racing games? I haven't played one in a while but my guess is no because they would make the game not fun(to most people). Do you see where im going with this? Incidental contact is similar in that regard and im not even advocating for it to be taken out of the game just toned down like it was in the fall updates.
You seem knowledgeable about how the sport should be played but posting a VS/Hut clip to prove your point seems like you are just talking out of your **** and dont know how this game is really being played by the diehard/hardcore fanbase who grind EASHL 6s every day, but I could be wrong. Everyone traps, bumps, turds and cherry picks now because the game really doesnt allow for anything else when you are playing at the more experienced level. There is zero creativity, I cant remember the last time I saw an NHL clip and said that was nice. It always ends in a tipped goal, some guy skating backwards or a forced pass that looked covered.
Just for the sake of maybe having a good constructive discussion going, care to elaborate on the bold sections?
Such as:
What is your definition of a proper skill gap? What changes do you think would make for a skill gap that currently isn't there?
You say there is zero creativity. How would yo define creativity? What would you suggest to bring back this creativity?
And just as an off-topic thing, racing games can be as real as you want them to be. They can be pure simulation with blow-outs, choosing the air pressure in your tires, manual transmissions, no driving assists, fully adjustable suspensions, etc etc.
Replies
You might wanna hold off a few more weeks if you want to get an XB1: Microsoft is going to release a disc-less Xbox One for under 200$ (rumoured price). It's basically going to be an Xbox One S, without a disc reader.
As for NHL 19, well like @WainGretSki said, if you haven't played it (you don't even have a next gen console) then you can't really comment on the gameplay (or anything else for that matter). It has its flaws but it has its good points. The BETA was really when it shone the brightest, which is probably the most frustrating part of it all as it proves that the game CAN be awesome.
If I can make a suggestion about purchasing NHL 19 though... If you get an Xbox, don't bother purchasing the game at this point. Just get EA access for the same amount (it's about 30-40$ for a yearly subscription) and get the game for free in the Vault. As a bonus you get a dozen other games you can play for free as well (full versions).
Watching streams can give a general idea, but it does not replace a hands-on opinion. You say buying the game puts the joke on me, but I rather play the game that watch streams of people playing it. To each their own I guess.
Rather than lose followers and subscribers by "boring" them to death, they'll resort to the cheesy antics their audience knows and loves.
You say how can I comment if I have not played NHL19? NHL games have not changed much since 14. It's just eye candy graphics..thats it. NHL 15 and 19 is not different. If you know hockey,you can make this game great again. The online world brings many different styles...people choose arcade and EA can't stop it until they make goalies play one animation..true butterfly only without the flipping around.
You know what the problem with goalies are? they cheat to one side,the bodies contort like a S,they wont stay sqaure and straight,they wont hugg post. The only way goals should go in are from good shots from sniper with the high accuracy ratings,the odd deke,tips,traffic infront.And yes..TILT is when Goalies start fipping around and swinging their arms like a Richard Simmonds warm up video and swat the puck in your own goal.
There are some subtle differences between the old gen (NHL 14) to the new gen (NHL 19). Most notably the slightly more realistic physics; players don't glide anymore like they're on a magic carpet on the ice. Speed is a little slower, but still too fast (which is why I think the physics engine has trouble keeping up with the game sometimes). Goalies are better, but they're worse. Like the skaters, they no longer float around on a magic carpet when they move. But their animations have been purposely gimped so that they can't snag too many pucks with their limbs anymore. Puck covers are still horrendously bad. And saves are determined by shot type, not positional awareness (like a real goalie would make saves). Save animations often don't make sense; hard shots are smothered close to the body, while slow weak shots are often mishandled and leave nice juicy rebounds that the forwards can easily tap in for a goal.
The new NEW Xbox console (code name: SCARLET) will be released sometime in 2020-2021. Microsoft is apparently going to reveal it at this year's E3 conference. Though you can expect the new console to come with a heavy price... At least the premium version will. I expect the new console will be upwards of 400$ on launch.
You can get an Xbox One S for 240$ right now. Or an Xbox One X for 300$. The disc-less console will likely be around 200$ (or less) and the rumors say it will be available around April or May this year.
EA won't have a hockey game until 2022! on the next consoles. There's no way EA can have the funds to improve apon this gen so it may be wise to get 4 more years out of current. Sadly I only play NHL so im on that thinking that anything over 500.00 is too steep. That's without PSN.
I don't have the true HUT numbers...But EA will go by those.NHL 2020,2021,2022 and then the series closes...just a feeling. EA rather do what 2k did,take the best games and scrap the smallest, NHL Abeing the smallest of the series of games,Fiffa is world wide and will go on and be their top in sales! Only cross play will save NHL! Either they go big or they stay smalll...going big is cross play..going small is going IOS and P.C..
This game in 6s is a crap-shoot. The tempo of the game is terrible (still too slow) and I cant stand how slow the auto animations are. Incidental contact currently is still too overpowered and defenders still only need to be on top of you without any real action from their controller to dispossess you, without a proper deking system theres no unique way to enter the zone or beat defenders its either clap it down the ice/force a stretch pass or switch low into your wingers lanes to break the trap(which every single team plays now).
There is nothing more infuriating as a forward to constantly lose the puck from it being dislodged from your stick and not have a pass register then have him reach through your body to pick up said puck. Yes yes pass the puck but theres not always an option to do that and its a video game I would like to pull off something cool looking once in a while not the same stale passing play over and over.
The one on one battles between forward and defender are non existent unless the guy is coming at you with LT because the best way to play defense in this game is just to be passive and backup and slow them down until your forwards can help. No one ever attempts a deke around a defender or something unique that could come from a more successful deking rate like we had in 16, what is the point of having the dekes in the game then?
Puck pickups are probably the worst they have been all year theres just no consistency in them(could be servers?). Same with puck interceptions, just so incredibly inconsistent. How does it make sense that I cant pick off a cross crease pass that im perfectly in a lane for yet a defender can pick off a rocket pass with his back turned to it.
The LT update was honestly pointless, I feel like more people abuse it now more then ever. The overpowered aspect of it was the trigger twitch no one really effectively used it to back skate into the zone and those who did would get annihilated by a hit. The problem with this is you remove the trigger twitch and you remove one of the only responsive controls in the game for us to square to the puck(still prefer old vision control).
This is probably attributed to the way people are playing the game but the puck physics in this version are also wonky the puck just constantly bounces and the physics of the deflections in the neutral zone are crazy the puck deflects unrealistically fast into different directions.
The only good thing I can say about this game is how the skating feels in this version when the servers are not making my skater feel like hes running through quick sand.
First you say that "the game speed is slow", but then towards the end of your post you complain that the "physics are wonky". Well you just answered your own question: the game is actually too fast. The game's physics, as I've been told by Ben ( @NHLDev ) are based on real Newtonian principles. Speed, Mass, Elasticity all factor into what reaction we get for any given action. Change one of them and the others are affected. Why do you think the pucks go off at such weird angles and ridiculous speeds if it wasn't that the speed of the game is actually jacked way, way up?
You also touched on another aspect that's one of the main problems with this game: how most people are playing it. To tell you the truth no one plays this game correctly. Everyone just goes for what gives the easiest to achieve results. Find the glitches, find the exploits and abuse them over and over. Also many people's understanding of "hockey", at its purest form, is woefully pitiful. Let's take your claim about the puck being knocked off by incidental contact: that happens in real life. If you have a puck on your stick and you run into another player, you'll loose the puck. Plain and simple. Why should it be different in the videogame? Don't want to loose the puck to incidental contact? Pass the puck. Oh but you tried passing it and you can't always find an open lane? Welcome to Hockey (first of all). Second; instead of waiting to pass the puck at the last second (like everyone else does), plan out your strategy before you receive the puck.
If you wait until you're controlling the puck to make a decision, it's already too late. Hockey is a game of seconds, so it's to your advantage to already have a plan of what to do with the puck ahead of time. If you're opponent is rushing you when you have the puck, pass it quicker. Your lanes are closing because you're taking too much time to think about what you're gonna do with the puck. Typically I like to have one option forward and one option back when I'm dealing with an over aggressive opponent and I tend to pass out when I have the space, not when he's already on top of me. If all else fails, reset or dump-n-chase.
People tend to think in such two dimensional fashion... Just go fast and go forward. The game does allow (sometimes) for much more "evolved" thinking. It's often not the easiest route to take, but it's much more satisfying when it works.
Well said!!!!
This game is definitely not too fast there might be some aspect of the mechanics like passing that are too fast that make the puck redirect unrealistically but the game itself is certainly not "too fast". The point I was making is the puck physics are not realistic right now.
The main problem I have with the way incidental contact works in this game is the way it works with no real action from your controller other than just using the left stick to skate on top of you, which is very easy to do with next to no speed differentiation between skater classes and puck carrier speed/agility reductions. Incidental contact should be initiated when the defender attempts a poke or a hit but doesn't completely get all of the puck or player. A hockey player in real life doesn't dance on top of you and your stick to take the puck from you he attempts to hit or poke you or backs up to play it passive but he always attempts a contact motion with his hands/body to hit or stick to poke.
There are lots of things that happen in real life hockey that don't happen in the game that doesn't mean they should be put into the game but that also doesn't mean they should be left out. You add incidental contact you make it easier for defenders to play their position thats fine, but why take away skaters ability to deke where is the balance in that. There should be balance and a counter its a video game. The way it is now forwards have no tools to make quick adjustments other than the LT(super ugly and unrealistic) since dekes simply do not work.
It sounds like you don't play 6s at the higher level that this game offers because if you did you would know that your time and space are very limited as well as your options it's partially why you see the meta of throwing turds on net, it's better than a turn over. All 5 guys rush back to setup the trap every time and they are usually clogging all the passing lanes and options after you enter the zone because it the most effective strategy. They are trying to promote a passing/team game thats the style I play anyway, cycle. The problem is like you said people play the game to win and that means using the most effective strategy and a win at all costs doesn't need to be pretty attitude. This is where we are now the game is not fun this way there is next to no creativity, if forcing passes through people and just pinball passing the puck around to people is hockey then im done.
EA needs to change the meta and I think that could possibly be done by adding a high deking success rate without changing anything else. This is also video game it should be fun and a little unrealistic the more realism that's added to this game it seems the more frustrating, broken and unbalanced it becomes.
#2 - If defense was so easy, I wouldn't allow any goals because I wouldn't be getting any shots. Good defensemen know how to close the gap and give the forwards a hard time trying to keep the puck. That's just good hockey. Bad forwards constantly try to go through defenders in their path, raking the puck through skates and then getting mad when they loose the puck. Just be smart and keep your distance and look for the open man.
#3 - "Just because it happens in real life doesn't mean it should be happening in the game"... I don't know about you, but when I purchase a game called "NHL", I expect it to play like NHL hockey. Just like when I purchase a game called Formula One, I expect it to play like as if I was a formula one driver. Again, if your idea of "hockey" is closer to Nintendo Ice Hockey or Blades of Steel, more power to you! They're great games in their own respect, but they're not N-H-L-H-O-C-K-E-Y...
#4 - I do play 6s. I play with all kinds of teams. And I can play every position: C, RW, LW, LD, RD and G (which is my natural position). Do I play EVERY position with 100% mastery? No... The only one I can sort of claim to do that with is G or Defense. Being a winger is probably the easiest position to play in the game, IMHO. While Center is a different beast with more responsibilities, though I can do well there most times. That said, there are no guaranteed defensive or offensive setups. Everything has a counter strategy. You just have to know how to beat it. No... you don't just have to know, you have to WANT to beat it by trying something different when what you're already trying doesn't work. If you keep trying to carry the puck and turn it over at the blue line over and over, dump and chase it. "But I'll be turning it over that way! Good teams will have someone waiting near the boards and pick up the puck!"
A) You're already turning it over, but by dumping and chasing, you won't be doing so at the blue line and giving up odd man rushes the other way.
B )If they already have someone waiting at the goal line for the puck, then their "trap" setup is broken meaning you can carry the puck in. It's one or the other, they can't "trap" without all 5 of their players at the blue line. If they send someone back to anticipate the dump, you're effectively playing your 5 attackers against their 4 defenders, meaning someone on your side is going to be open to carry the puck in. Simple math, buddy.
#5 - The dekeing system works as is. Could it be better? Yeah, for sure. I'd like them to bring back the RS dekes you could do in old gen. This one button auto-animation crap has got to go. However, it's not completely ineffective if you know how and when to use them. I see a lot of kids doing loose puck dekes at the red line or when they enter the blue line... Waste of time. What are you dekeing: the AIR??? A divot in the ice?? Unless I'm going one on one against a d-man or the goalie, there's no point in trying to "deke". How many times do you see Crosby or McDavid "dekeing" through 5 players on the ice? Against one... Maybe. Two players? Possibly... But 5?? C'mon... There's this neat little feature called (and please, stop me if you've heard this before) "the PASS button". Here's how it works:
See? No "dekeing".
Again if you want UN-realism in your game, you go ahead and play the mode that gives you that. You can play offline and put all the sliders towards ARCADE. Or you can play THREES or ONES online. There's plenty of mode with "fun" and "relaxed" settings that will satisfy your urge to find "balance".
I for one (as do many others who DO play competitively) think that the game is NOT realistic enough and that's why it suffers. You can choose to disagree if you want, and that's fine.
I didn't post to start an argument with anyone, that usually seems like the case when someone posts something here nowadays someone quickly rushes in to prove how wrong they are because it doesn't line up with how they want it to be or think, all im posting is my opinion on how the game feels right now since I play it nearly everyday but I will indulge you for this last response here.
Posting a VS clip or whatever that is, is not proving a point. EASHL is played completely differently compared to those since next gen. I dont understand why you think I want to deke or hold on to the puck all the damn time like I am one of these joystick ballerinas. I just want some control and a little bit of creativity added to the game you cant think that just passing the puck around like a pinball machine is a good time and resembles hockey? I mean yea my team loves the low cycle and its rewarding dominating the other team in their own zone by moving the puck around them with passes but NOT ALL THE TIME.
Im not advocating for it not to be realistic I want it to be but the way the game is now there is not much balance in gameplay in EASHL and doesn't resemble real hockey. Real world standards dont mean anything because this game is no where near what a real life simulation of real hockey is, maybe if we had that control and responsiveness an actual skater has in real life I wouldn't be complaining.
The game is jacked up in speed by real world standards still doesn't mean its fast enough for me to play on my xbox, its a video game. I have already tried all camera views like you suggested before and that doesn't change anything. Whether its the game speed, differentiation throughout player builds/classes, tuner tweaks whatever the game feels too slow compared to past years still. The agility is where it needs to be because its actually responsive in this version but there is no separation in the slightest sense even when people make mistakes.
Incidental contact is not tuned to what most forwards would like it to be at and ive said my thoughts on that and I will leave that there because this issue always seems to stir some negative comments. I still feel though if we had a good deking system like we did in old gen or a little bit of speed separation when you beat a guy making a mistake this wouldn't be an issue.
Yea sure EASHL is tougher in division 1 and goals are not all that easy. But it is the same in the NHL. When a team plays proper defense, open ice and goals are hard to come by. Don't see why it should be any different in EASHL even though this is a video game.
I didn't mean to make it into an argument. I just don't know how to convey to you what I want to tell you in 2 phrases or less since the post I was answering contained MANY aspect I wanted to touch on.
But I'll try to be brief this time.
- Posting a VS clip or whatever that is, is not proving a point. EASHL is played completely differently compared to those since next gen.
I would agree with you, except for the fact that VS and EASHL both play on the same online settings (preset 3 or COMPETITIVE). And most people play EASHL the way they play HUT or VS by trying to be the hero that blocks the shot or goes on a breakaway and scores.
- I just want some control and a little bit of creativity added to the game you cant think that just passing the puck around like a pinball machine is a good time and resembles hockey? I mean yea my team loves the low cycle and its rewarding dominating the other team in their own zone by moving the puck around them with passes but NOT ALL THE TIME.
In real hockey there are about 200 passes done by each team or more. Next time you play 6s, count how many passes your team makes. I bet you don't even get to 100. You say the clip I showed is irrelevant, but I showed you some fabulous creativity and I did exactly 5 passes and zero dekes. Which is better? You decide, but the end result is a goal nonetheless. And as a bonus I made my opponent look foolish. If that's not creativity, what is?
- maybe if we had that control and responsiveness an actual skater has in real life I wouldn't be complaining
Players in this game have much more control than in real life. When was the last time you saw Ovechkin "settle" the puck for 1 second and shoot with 150% accuracy like he does in this game? When was the last time you saw McDavid half turn from forward to back-skate constantly and still retain possession of the puck?
-The game is jacked up in speed by real world standards still doesn't mean its fast enough for me to play on my xbox, its a video game.
Sooooooooo... You want reality, but it's a video game so you don't want reality? I'm confused...
- its actually responsive in this version but there is no separation in the slightest sense even when people make mistakes.
You can blame those that wanted more parity in the EASHL player builds to advocate for "fairness" and "skill" as a determining factor to who is better... Whatever that means.
- Incidental contact is not tuned to what most forwards would like it to be
Because most forwards don't want to bother with such tedious pastimes as "thinking" and "creating"... They just wanna "Do". I play in LG, and been in every tier: CHL, AHL and NHL. I know what it's like to play with "elites" and I know what it's like to play with "scrubs". What doesn't change is the team that has a plan and plays together (no individual heroes) is the team that usually wins. Whatever mode you play, whether EASHL, HUT or VS.
First off EASHL and Vs/HUT are not played the same and don't play the same for that matter. Our skaters in EASHL are not as good as the nhl players in the game or HUT cards and the games connection just acts differently(more latency) at least for me. The AI does most of the work positionally too, just not the same.
In real hockey there are about 200 passes a game...In real hockey the game lasts for almost 3 hours. We play a 20 minute simulation.
Players in some aspects in the game might have more control because they need to for the game to be entertaining and not frustrating it would not turn into a good situation if Ovechkin took 2-3 seconds to settle that puck and then an extra second or 2 to shoot it because in the game he would be surrounded or even worse just have the puck going the other way causing a turnover, which would be the likely result in 9/10 of these types of cases. These cases are rare anyway because in my experience the puck pickups in this game are terrible at least in EASHL.
Everyone wants it to be realistic but it is a video game in the end and it's just all a simulation of the real thing. Most video games are "realistic" because they mimic something we do in real life but they arent actually real life and shouldnt be treated as such, they are called games after all. It should be rewarding with a proper skill gap but also forgiving to an extent because it is not real life we are all just sitting on our chairs or couches. I would go the to local rink and play some real hockey if I desired that.
You mentioned formula one as an example take this example, do they have stick malfunctions and realistic under steer or even flat tires in racing games? I haven't played one in a while but my guess is no because they would make the game not fun(to most people). Do you see where im going with this? Incidental contact is similar in that regard and im not even advocating for it to be taken out of the game just toned down like it was in the fall updates.
You seem knowledgeable about how the sport should be played but posting a VS/Hut clip to prove your point seems like you are just talking out of your **** and dont know how this game is really being played by the diehard/hardcore fanbase who grind EASHL 6s every day, but I could be wrong. Everyone traps, bumps, turds and cherry picks now because the game really doesnt allow for anything else when you are playing at the more experienced level. There is zero creativity, I cant remember the last time I saw an NHL clip and said that was nice. It always ends in a tipped goal, some guy skating backwards or a forced pass that looked covered.
Yeah, look it's obvious we have different views on what the game is and how it should be played. There's just no point having this discussion. I mean, like I said, I play every mode, I know there are some difference with how each one "plays".
But whether you play HUT or VS or EASHL, it's still hockey and the same principles apply. If you disagree with that, that's fine.
Just for the sake of maybe having a good constructive discussion going, care to elaborate on the bold sections?
Such as:
What is your definition of a proper skill gap? What changes do you think would make for a skill gap that currently isn't there?
You say there is zero creativity. How would yo define creativity? What would you suggest to bring back this creativity?
And just as an off-topic thing, racing games can be as real as you want them to be. They can be pure simulation with blow-outs, choosing the air pressure in your tires, manual transmissions, no driving assists, fully adjustable suspensions, etc etc.