Can't deny it anymore.

[SatanwasaSlovak]

I just keep updating the rosters of NHL 16.

Who cares about EA, they suck and has been sucking since the early 2000's, it went downhill when their competition started to suck or withdraw completely aswell.

 

[JadedLeaf]

I miss PS3/XBOX 360 NHL 14.

What bugs me about 14 though was the be a pro. Can score 200 points in junior, get drafted first overall, score 14 points in 5 pre season games and get sent back to junior... That's when I stopped. I already gave up on all the recent NHL's so 14 was my go to but I stopped after that.

 

[MillanDynasty]

Still better than NHL 17 where you can score 300 pts in Junior and not even be drafted in the first round.

 

[kmart]

my biggest flaw with ea sports is that everything (not just nhl) is so generic. its set up to just entertain a few games before it bores the hell out of you. variations in gameplay are mostly tied to the ratings ur team/player has... at 80 attribute u perform a skill at 81 u get a little boost and so on... sometimes u get an "upgrade" animation, thats basically it for every ea game, its cheap to make i am sure but they can do that with no competition in sight... and if there comes some other developer they bully with license.

once 2k managed to do nba it opened my eyes whats even possible in todays time, i can only dream about an equal nhl series from 2k...
can u imagine goalies with their own warm up routines, individual skating animations, unique one timers for every star player ?

while we are at it... i dont like the name of this HF subforum "EA Sports NHL" dont give them free advertisement, lets change it NHL Video games or something like that.

 

[Maco]

Meh.
I don't know about the mysterious "ice tilt" online, but when playing against CPU on GM mode it just feels like you're destined to win or lose. Maybe the best players can find a way around when the CPU gets into God mode, and the worst can't get a win on superstar even if the CPU is giving it to you, but I feel like every other match the game just decides you wont be able to win. Perhaps it's the only way you can code AI/CPU to have "realistic" momentum inside a game, but the whole thing just feels so set up from the get go.
Just against Detroit I felt like nothing was going my way and wanted to make a test, so I made the CPU goalie save reaction + cross crease speed 0 among skating speed/agility 0 with 15 minutes left in the 3rd. Wasn't able to score a single goal. Crossbars, tap ins wide and even empty net cross crease saves. Also my players weren't able to get possession of the puck and started skating the other way just when a pass was coming to their stick.
I play with superstar, AI difficulty 6/6 and increased skating speed for the CPU (found a way to get breakaways too easily with even speed), so scoring goals with CPU sliders on level grandmother shouldn't be an issue.
I suppose I just suck, but the CPU seems to just randomly decide whether they win every bounce and make my AI players skate the wrong way and hide behind opponents when I have the puck. I started the season with a 9 game win streak and now I'm about to miss the playoffs and it seems impossible to win 2 in a row.
Also, the CPU just loves to score on the first or last shot of the period. Every other other game I concede in the last 5 seconds. I love tight games and don't mind missing the playoffs, but the radical changes in CPU skill and my AI level inside a game is so annoying.
I suppose the best players can win 82/82 on the most difficult settings, but I find it annoying how drastically your AI players can get better or worse inside a game and vice versa for the CPU. Also, if the CPU concedes they often concede on the next shot as well. Otherwise the doors are shut.
I feel like a bitter and bad loser posting this, but I couldn't help it. Is it just all in my head?

 

[jamielang]

Meh.
I don't know about the mysterious "ice tilt" online, but when playing against CPU on GM mode it just feels like you're destined to win or lose. Maybe the best players can find a way around when the CPU gets into God mode, and the worst can't get a win on superstar even if the CPU is giving it to you, but I feel like every other match the game just decides you wont be able to win. Perhaps it's the only way you can code AI/CPU to have "realistic" momentum inside a game, but the whole thing just feels so set up from the get go.
Just against Detroit I felt like nothing was going my way and wanted to make a test, so I made the CPU goalie save reaction + cross crease speed 0 among skating speed/agility 0 with 15 minutes left in the 3rd. Wasn't able to score a single goal. Crossbars, tap ins wide and even empty net cross crease saves. Also my players weren't able to get possession of the puck and started skating the other way just when a pass was coming to their stick.
I play with superstar, AI difficulty 6/6 and increased skating speed for the CPU (found a way to get breakaways too easily with even speed), so scoring goals with CPU sliders on level grandmother shouldn't be an issue.
I suppose I just suck, but the CPU seems to just randomly decide whether they win every bounce and make my AI players skate the wrong way and hide behind opponents when I have the puck. I started the season with a 9 game win streak and now I'm about to miss the playoffs and it seems impossible to win 2 in a row.
Also, the CPU just loves to score on the first or last shot of the period. Every other other game I concede in the last 5 seconds. I love tight games and don't mind missing the playoffs, but the radical changes in CPU skill and my AI level inside a game is so annoying.
I suppose the best players can win 82/82 on the most difficult settings, but I find it annoying how drastically your AI players can get better or worse inside a game and vice versa for the CPU. Also, if the CPU concedes they often concede on the next shot as well. Otherwise the doors are shut.
I feel like a bitter and bad loser posting this, but I couldn't help it. Is it just all in my head?

Keep fighting, bro. I`m always affraid about 5-10 seconds at the end of the game. Especially at the empty net CPU moments.

 

[Maco]

Keep fighting, bro. I`m always affraid about 5-10 seconds at the end of the game. Especially at the empty net CPU moments.

Haha yeah they are horrible. Last two losses have been 6vs5 concedes and OT losses after that.

My last 12 games are all L-W-L-W-L-W-L-W-L-W-L-W. Just had my second shutout against the Blackhawks after allowing at least 2-4 goals on each of the losses before. Of course the game freezes immediately after taking me to edit lines after two of my players got injured in the game. I think this is the 5th freeze and they are all after wins or win streaks (depending when the last save was). That's probably just bad luck, but with the Ice Tilt illuminati it doesn't feel like it
Back in December this season I had 11(!) games in a row end in a one goal differential. No empty net goals or anything. I can't help but think the game is coded to just give you these consecutive results. Especially with the constant last second goals.

I'm two points (if it wasn't for the crash) from the last playoff spot with 4 games left. Owner goals were 1st round in the playoffs and 22 home wins. Next game would be my last home game and currently I have 21 home wins.

Looking at the 12 games without consecutive wins or losses, the 11 consecutive games with one goal differential, game crashing after an important win for the playoffs.. Just makes me feel the game is coded to make me fail the goals this season. At the end of the day the game has the power to choose whether the puck goes into the net, post, over the goal or whatever. We are just pressing buttons so it wouldn't be too hard to manipulate the game so that it gives a massive advantage/disadvantage to which ever team it chooses.

I feel like the game wants to make it seem as tight as possible, but this time it is coded to make me get fired. First season I lost 2-1 in the last game against the Preds, a win would have secured the last playoff spot. Back then I was kind of happy, since I have never missed a playoffs in any GM mode and felt like this time I could have a good challenge. Owner happiness was still "amazing".
Next season I made it to the conference finals, but one owner goal was 85% fan happiness. Ended with a 84% fan happiness and the owner happiness was now neutral, after making the other 2 goals. Darn EA coding.

Maybe EA feels making the GM mode/playing against CPU so annoying is a good way to move you into playing HUT with other people and putting your money on it.

Ahh I used to hate people making these assumptions after losing but now I've become one of those people my self

 

[GOilers88]

I'm always still amazed at how frequently I completely and utterly dominate the computer, and still give up 4-5 goals on 10 or so shots to lose. Schneider, Pric, Scrivens or Bachman, it makes no difference.

 

[jamielang]

Haha yeah they are horrible. Last two losses have been 6vs5 concedes and OT losses after that.

My last 12 games are all L-W-L-W-L-W-L-W-L-W-L-W. Just had my second shutout against the Blackhawks after allowing at least 2-4 goals on each of the losses before. Of course the game freezes immediately after taking me to edit lines after two of my players got injured in the game. I think this is the 5th freeze and they are all after wins or win streaks (depending when the last save was). That's probably just bad luck, but with the Ice Tilt illuminati it doesn't feel like it
Back in December this season I had 11(!) games in a row end in a one goal differential. No empty net goals or anything. I can't help but think the game is coded to just give you these consecutive results. Especially with the constant last second goals.

I'm two points (if it wasn't for the crash) from the last playoff spot with 4 games left. Owner goals were 1st round in the playoffs and 22 home wins. Next game would be my last home game and currently I have 21 home wins.

Looking at the 12 games without consecutive wins or losses, the 11 consecutive games with one goal differential, game crashing after an important win for the playoffs.. Just makes me feel the game is coded to make me fail the goals this season. At the end of the day the game has the power to choose whether the puck goes into the net, post, over the goal or whatever. We are just pressing buttons so it wouldn't be too hard to manipulate the game so that it gives a massive advantage/disadvantage to which ever team it chooses.

I feel like the game wants to make it seem as tight as possible, but this time it is coded to make me get fired. First season I lost 2-1 in the last game against the Preds, a win would have secured the last playoff spot. Back then I was kind of happy, since I have never missed a playoffs in any GM mode and felt like this time I could have a good challenge. Owner happiness was still "amazing".
Next season I made it to the conference finals, but one owner goal was 85% fan happiness. Ended with a 84% fan happiness and the owner happiness was now neutral, after making the other 2 goals. Darn EA coding.

Maybe EA feels making the GM mode/playing against CPU so annoying is a good way to move you into playing HUT with other people and putting your money on it.

Ahh I used to hate people making these assumptions after losing but now I've become one of those people my self

Yeeeeeeeah, that`s it. Same things. I decided to play couple of seasons as GM with season simulation and plays only play-off. I did team of ******* with 75-79 rating and I`ve got 25 wins & 64 points at the end of the season. Then, I did change my roster, picked up few 85-89 players as a Free Agency aaaaaand...65 points at the end. How? H-o-w? Team rating at my first season: 79/ 80/ 81. My second season: 86/ 90/ 86.

Need only 2 points to get the Play-Off 5 games before the end of the season? Lol, you`d loose all of them. And I`ve got an outstanding case: my team had the same points with NYI and for PO clinch we had to win or lose at the OT. Nothing special because we played against DET which came on the 30-th place in a league. In a warm-up I`ve noticed that they have a GK from AHL, his rating was around 71-72. Lol, do you know a final score? 7-3. I`ve lost it. And I suspect that it was The Game of His Live Ever. I`ve never seen so many saves, rebounds, posts. I had crashed them out by bodychecks and shots, but every DET shot was a goal.

 

[GrnEggsNHam]

That's why I pretty much just straight sim nowadays. Whenever I play I get the same results as described above. It's just infuriating and frustrating once you realize whats happening. At first you think it's just a harder/tougher game experience...

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

I was writing about this as early as 2013. The writing was on the wall but folks just kept forking over cash for HUT garbage and annual roster updates masquerading as new games. The gaming community is reaping what it's sown for the past 4-6 years. EA, Activision, ubisoft, konami, capcom, . all are taking turns bending the general consumer bade over and everyone just keeps paying for the right to be bent over. Always online, DLC, Pre-ordering for unfinished games, sacrificing franchises and stories at the altar of future DLC/sequel interests. etc. Slow trickle of bad business practices supported by the consumers.

Sucks. I've got hundreds of games from NES to now but this generation b/t PS4 and XB1 I've got a grand total of 10 games. The industry is cancerous as hell now and it's not because of curse words b/t COD players or Ggate. It's because of what the customers in general were willing to pay for. I'm shocked there was as much blowback as there was against M$ XB1 when it was initially announced. Not b/c the outrage was unwarranted, but b/c I didn't think the consumers had it in them.

 

[Oscar Acosta]

Would be valid point if MLB and NBA didn't have the same hut style modes and still deliver AAA sports games year in and out.

 

[gibber1600]

Oh yeah, I hate this so much. Happens atleast once per game for me. This is always the moment when I just want to go back to NHL 2004 or ESPN NHL 2k5.

Also, momentum or whatever you want to call it, driving me nuts. I had so many HUT games where I notice after one minute, who is going to win. Sometimes I get all 50-50 battles, sometimes the opponent gets them. And it is this way through the whole game.

It wasn't that much in the beginning. I always have the feeling (also with FIFA), that to the end of the lifecycle, the players get worse so you get annoyed by the game. You then play the demo for the new iteration and it plays so much better, you have to get the game.

2K2005, was the best games ever! I have owned them all since NHL94.

 

[gibber1600]

Still better than NHL 17 where you can score 300 pts in Junior and not even be drafted in the first round.

Agreed, their draft/scouting system needs work.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

It seems that the only proper way to play this game is 6 v 6 in EASHL.

The AI factor is taken out of the game, the ice-tilt is gone (for the most part), and the horribly inconsistent AI goaltending is no longer an issue (unless you have a streaky goalie).

 

[StevenEllisNHL]

A good alternative if you like GM mode is Eastside Hockey Manager for PC. Been playing it for years now. Extremely strong contract negotiations and the gameplay doesn't bore you because there isn't any actual gameplay.

 

[SaKuu11]

Yes i totally agree. I have played quite much now NHL 17 and i cant understand how ea cant get it done right. Gameplay problems have allready said here so no more from that. But here is my things that im so tired. I only play be a pro and franchice mode.

- Be a pro.

I have played two seasons on Tampa. I have played 1-3 lines and lines have been same all season long. Its so boring! If there its not injuries coach dosent chance lines at all!! And teammates sucks so bad. I need get puck allways from deep because defence cant get opening pass to our guys.

Franchice mode:

- Why we cant get full roster controll? Why?? If someone want cheat with that so what?? I just want all teams to be just like they are on real nhl. And yes my Ai trades are off because i hate when they do stupid moves and players are on wrong teams.

- Morale system is stupid! And its not working I have moved Sidney Crosby to ahl and he didint even whine about it. He should be angry and want to traded another team!!!

- Ur trades should be mentioned on games after trade. If i trade malking to Montreall they should talk about it and show malking on screen while intermissions. Make games feel like it would be real game on television.

- Better roster editor. Search a player would be nice.

- Franchice mode should get feeling that all ur actions and moves have meaning. Now i can change my ahl team to play nhl and nhl guys to ahl and nobydy give a **** about it..

 

[haveandare]

Semi related to this topic, an I insane or can you not match lines anymore? Previous years games would show the oppositions line choices if you were the home team. 17 doesn't seem to and I can't find a way to toggle it.

 

[Coastal Kev]

For whatever reason, since the 4th this month online vs is a joke. CPU is simply crazy and passing and puck control for users has been nuked.


Why does EA think more CPU involvement in any type of online game is better? It should be about giving more control to players, not less.

ANGRY

 

[boltsy]

The constant negativity over here surprises me a little bit. Even though all the comments in this topic make sense to me. But I really liked NHL 17. Don't you guys remember NHL 15. I almost cried on that game, felt like EA stole my money. NHL 16 was a little better, but now with Creation Zone I think the game is really back on track. I love Creation Zone.

On the ice-tilt thing: You gotta work with the sliders. It took me a while, but it helps. Now I play only realistic games.

At the end of the day, I don't think we can expect a FULL hockey simulation. I think it's too difficult. But when NHL 18 has just some keen improvements (especially in Franchise Mode) it could be another great one for me. Can't wait.

 

[Milan90]

After years of complaining that NHL sucks, I sat down to think about what would make the game better and minor tweaks were all I could come up with. And these would only marginally make it better.

I've come to the conclusion that playing a similar game for 8-9 years just gets old. It's not going to be as fun as NHL 09 because you've been playing it for so long. And the reason why you were able to buy every copy and still love it from NHL 94 to NHL 09 is because you were a child and repetitiveness wasn't as big a drag as it is now.


Back in the day, I'd get excited for custom team creation, relocation, Tweets/newspapers added into the career mode, or the TV style presentation of ESPN NFL 2K5 and I'd spend hours looking at all that stuff in between playing. Now, I don't read the Tweets that come up on the NHL franchise, I'll check stats every once in a while but barely care. I used to sit and make an entire team from scratch, including the players, to match me and my friends when I was young. You couldn't pay me to do that now. I also never watch the pre-game or halftime shows in NBA 2K despite them being done in the same manner as ESPN NFL 2K5.

It's not so much that NHL sucks. It's that you're old and you can't play an iteration of NHL every year without being bored by it.

 

[Silver91]

After years of complaining that NHL sucks, I sat down to think about what would make the game better and minor tweaks were all I could come up with. And these would only marginally make it better.

I've come to the conclusion that playing a similar game for 8-9 years just gets old. It's not going to be as fun as NHL 09 because you've been playing it for so long. And the reason why you were able to buy every copy and still love it from NHL 94 to NHL 09 is because you were a child and repetitiveness wasn't as big a drag as it is now.


Back in the day, I'd get excited for custom team creation, relocation, Tweets/newspapers added into the career mode, or the TV style presentation of ESPN NFL 2K5 and I'd spend hours looking at all that stuff in between playing. Now, I don't read the Tweets that come up on the NHL franchise, I'll check stats every once in a while but barely care. I used to sit and make an entire team from scratch, including the players, to match me and my friends when I was young. You couldn't pay me to do that now. I also never watch the pre-game or halftime shows in NBA 2K despite them being done in the same manner as ESPN NFL 2K5.

It's not so much that NHL sucks. It's that you're old and you can't play an iteration of NHL every year without being bored by it.

I definitely agree that part of it has to do with growing up, at least IMO. But some of the stuff that they need to add (and are rumoured to be adding) are things that could have been done years ago. I haven't played the last couple, but things like the wide turn radius should be an easy fix (if it isn't already...?). The rumoured mid-season extension is a long-time coming, and could probably have been introduced the same time as waiver eligibility was. And I think that's part of the frustration for most, is that it's little things that could make the experience better, but the dev team is either taking too long to implement them, or not doing them at all...

Still, I know that I'm going to probably get the game this year, because there's enough supposed difference between the last one I played and this year. As long as EA doesn't flake on the changes/additions, I'll be happy.

 

[Oscar Acosta]

No it's not getting old it's that the NHL series does suck.

If that theory held weight then all the other sports games would suck too but they don't. Far from it.

 

[Bubba88]

No it's not getting old it's that the NHL series does suck.

If that theory held weight then all the other sports games would suck too but they don't. Far from it.

others suck too...

Fifa gets worse and it's not even Close to the Level of NHL is. Madden is better, but still far from perfect and I played them all for years.

 

[Roboturner913]

This whole discussion is why I'm still playing NHL 09 on my PC.

I don't know if I can speak about the particulars on a board like this, but there are fairly large communities devoted to modding and updating both NHL 04 and 09 for PC. Not hard to find your way to them. It's an investment in time and energy to get it all set up but once you do it's worth it.