NHL 18 Information/Discussion Thread | Part II

[raymond23]

Yeah I'm amazed by how dominant the cpu is in online versus. Their back checking is insane.

 

[JJ68]

EDIT: I normally play as Buffalo in Online Versus. Now I had just lost a few games as Buffalo, so I wasn't particularly in a fresh state of mind. Frustrated, flustered, unfocused. However you want to call it.

As an experiment, I then opted to play a few games as Pittsburgh. I tore through 3 different people in 3 different games. All the bounces went my way. I won almost every little scrum/puck battle. Just about every player on the team blew past the other teams defense on rushes. I made passes I had no business making. The AI was there, in position, to capitalize on everything.

****. This. Game.

It's just a mess of "puck physics" kicking in every 30 seconds and dice rolls and rating calculations behind the scenes to decide who "wins". A game of two similarly skilled people is decided by player ratings and a sprinkle of luck. That's it. And it's only gotten worse, as every year seems to bring new reasons to make their ****ty physics kick in more often and leave more of the game up to chance.

No wonder I keep running into high rated, high possession teams. No wonder it always seemed like I have to work 10x as hard just to get the puck into good scoring spots. I'm at a severe disadvantage playing as the Sabres (my favorite team). As hilariously realistic as that is... seriously... **** this game. That's not fun. **** the people who intentionally pick the best teams and think they're actually good when they win. Especially **** the people who somehow managed to lose to me, as the Sabres, with the best teams. How bad to do have to be to lose when the game has the goddamn silver spoon in your mouth?

I play as the Habs often and beat guys who choose all star teams.

 

[Dreakon13]

I play as the Habs often and beat guys who choose all star teams.

Not saying it's impossible to win with worse teams, hell I've won a fair amount as one of the worst teams in the game, against some of the best... I'm saying you have to be outstandingly bad at the game to lose with the best teams. It's not even funny, how different the game plays between a team like Buffalo and a team like Pittsburgh. In terms of sheer puck luck, and the RNG putting your AI in right/wrong positions and loose pucks ending up on your stick.

Also, the Habs aren't even rated as poorly as Buffalo, and certainly not in the stats that matter. Sabres have suspect goaltending. Slow and no rating points in any possession abilities... a light breeze knocks the puck off 90% of the team. Hilariously realistic, but pure masochism in a game like this.

I've continued my experiment today, probably 10-15 games in playing as Pittsburgh exclusively and I'm undefeated. Most of the games are blowouts... and the closer ones are when I get cocky and spend too much time trying to score goals using the "between the legs" move. Still win though. Handily. The game is a joke.

 

[plaaplaa72]

Coming from NHL 14 to this gen and NHL 18, i have to say, this game looks different and better.

But it still feels like the same game, i thougth it would take me longer to adjust to this game, since from the videos i'd seen before getting a currentgen console and a new NHL, it looked a lot different and i hoped it would feel different, but no.

 

[Super Cake]

I got to say, the charging penalty is complete and utter crap.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

I skipped last years game for the most part, sorta having fun with EASHL this year again. I had a question for anyone who plays D in EASHL, what camera do you use? I keep switching around but can't find one I like. Right now I use classic, but I think I may switch to overhead so I can actually see the entire ice. I lose position on my guy sometimes because he is nowhere in the field of view.

 

[raymond23]

I skipped last years game for the most part, sorta having fun with EASHL this year again. I had a question for anyone who plays D in EASHL, what camera do you use? I keep switching around but can't find one I like. Right now I use classic, but I think I may switch to overhead so I can actually see the entire ice. I lose position on my guy sometimes because he is nowhere in the field of view.

Overhead. It's important to see the entire ice as a defenseman... what's in front of you and behind you. Also allows for better vision on stretch passes and such.

Might take a bit to get used to since it seems a bit far away but trust me its the best.

 

[Cor]

Talking about camera angles, I used to use the action camera all the time.

I can’t remember when I made the change to ice/overhead

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Overhead. It's important to see the entire ice as a defenseman... what's in front of you and behind you. Also allows for better vision on stretch passes and such.

Might take a bit to get used to since it seems a bit far away but trust me its the best.

Yeah I switched to overhead full time after a few games trying it out, you're totally right it's definitely the best camera view while playing D.

 

[Dreakon13]

The undefeated streak playing exclusively as the Pens continues. Yet I couldn't string together more than 1-2 wins as the Sabres.

I almost lost a game against the Maple Leafs... but they quit out when I came back to 3-4 with a minute or two left. Since I'm left to assume it was a Toronto fan, the simpleton probably just didn't know what was going on and accidentally quit in-between mashing buttons.

 

[JJ68]

The undefeated streak playing exclusively as the Pens continues. Yet I couldn't string together more than 1-2 wins as the Sabres.

I almost lost a game against the Maple Leafs... but they quit out when I came back to 3-4 with a minute or two left. Since I'm left to assume it was a Toronto fan, the simpleton probably just didn't know what was going on and accidentally quit in-between mashing buttons.

The servers suck sometimes or his connection suddenly went out. I've lost games that I was winning because my connection conked out. Infuriating.

 

[raymond23]

Why do the computers spam poke?

 

[King Weber]

NHL 18 Patch 1.05 - (Available December 7th, 2017)

4K Game Play:

1. Xbox One X enhanced 4K compatability

HUT

• Added a new Daily Free pack containing a mix of items which could include contracts, coins, collectibles, club items, or players. This content will be untradable.
• Added a fix for matchmaking in Competitive Seasons

Game Modes:

• Added Spengler Cup Tournament
• Added a fix where editing an unsigned prospect will cause that player to become a UFA once you start a franchise mode.
• Improved unsigned prospect growth.
• Added a fix where Created players that are put on NHL teams are also duplicated as Free Agents in Franchise Mode.

Gameplay:

• Fixed an issue where you couldn’t poke check the puck off the goaltender when they were skating with the puck.
• Updates to line change logic to fix situations where the closest AI skater to the puck would go for a line change rather than pressuring the puck.
• Fixed an issue in Threes where after your opponent misses a penalty shot, the AI teammate started with the puck instead of the user.
• Fixed a penalty shot logic issue where a player tripped on a breakaway after taking a clean shot was still awarded a penalty shot.
• Fixed an issue where the flip puck deke in 94 controls wasn’t always firing properly.
• Fixed an issue where sometimes after performing a body check using B/O on Hybrid controls the skater will lose puck pickup functionality.
• Corrected the faceoff formation player assignment in the defensive neutral zone formation when using aggressive face off strategy.
• Fixed a desync that would sometimes occur when starting a fight.
• Fixed the issue where skating backwards and doing the puck flip would send the puck high in the air
• Fixed some issues where players weren’t attempting one timers as expected.
• Fixed an issue where players were able to enter Defensive Skill Stick state during face offs, disrupting the expected outcomes of the face offs.
• Various gameplay and broadcast camera fixes causing issues in game play.

Art

The following content has been added and updated in EA SPORTS NHL 18:

• NHL:
  • Added Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Arenas Uniforms
• Canadian Hockey League (CHL):
  • Added Red Deer Rebels alternate Uniform
  • Added Regina Pats alternate Uniform
• Equipment:
  • Added Brian’s Optik Goalie Pads
• NHL Arenas:
  • Added new St. Louis Blues Scoreboard
• Fixes:
  • All Canadian Hockey League Teams now wear CCM Ultra Tacks gloves

 

[grentthealien]

Anyone know if the glitch where players who aren’t rookies are listed as rookies is fixed? Starting to get sick of Mcdavid winning the Calder in year 1 of each franchise mode. It makes the whole adward pointless.

 

[Dreakon13]

I'll admit, the one thing I really like about NHL 18 is the matchmaking setup in Online Versus.

Picking your team first, then getting matched up with someone... flows much nicer then sitting around waiting for some jerk to cycle through all of the teams three times, or look through 7-8 slowly loading jersey options for the prettiest one. Or worse yet, running into AFK people or assholes that don't ready up.

I also like that it appears I can play coop with a friend vs the AI online. Which it doesn't seem NHL 16 at least had the option to do. Haven't used that yet, but it's nice to know it an option now.

 

[saskriders]

It looks like you can't play as Dynamo Riga, Spengler Cup Canada, and Spengler Cup Switzerland online. Hopefully with the next update you can.

 

[MillanDynasty]

Can someone please explain to me what's the secret to signing rookie free agents? They always tell me they're looking for a team that has a better mix of players from where they're from?

What's that bullshit?

 

[JJ68]

One thing I hate about online vs is it seems like if the computer wants to give you a win you;ll get it, and if not you wont. I had a guy playing as the Habs who with eevery single Pacioretty shot he took, the puck went in on Holtby. Didnt matter from where he even shot. 5 goals on his 5 shots with that player, and two from outside the blue line. One on a spin and backhand flip. What can you do when your 93 rated goalie just cant make a save or when the AI basically says this player is scoring no matter what. The thing with this game is that you sometimes dont know why you won or lost. With a fifa, I can understand why a goal is scored..I can see the work done to make it happen. The placemrnt of the ball is where it needs to be. With this game, you shoot and hope it just goes in. Sure sometimes you snipe it to a corner you see is open and you get some satisfaction with that, but then you can keep shooting for that corner and it always goes in, and the AI for the goalie just doesnt seem to get it...cover the top half of that side man.

 

[Brownbeard]

I played yesterday for the first time in a while, and so many of the after whistle camera angles were behind fans and looked bad because of it. Did this happen through an update? I don't remember this being an issue before.

 

[n00bxQb]

One thing I hate about online vs is it seems like if the computer wants to give you a win you;ll get it, and if not you wont. I had a guy playing as the Habs who with eevery single Pacioretty shot he took, the puck went in on Holtby. Didnt matter from where he even shot. 5 goals on his 5 shots with that player, and two from outside the blue line. One on a spin and backhand flip. What can you do when your 93 rated goalie just cant make a save or when the AI basically says this player is scoring no matter what. The thing with this game is that you sometimes dont know why you won or lost. With a fifa, I can understand why a goal is scored..I can see the work done to make it happen. The placemrnt of the ball is where it needs to be. With this game, you shoot and hope it just goes in. Sure sometimes you snipe it to a corner you see is open and you get some satisfaction with that, but then you can keep shooting for that corner and it always goes in, and the AI for the goalie just doesnt seem to get it...cover the top half of that side man.

Ugh, I know.

I played this guy last week in Online Vs. Won 4-0, outshot him 32-9, ToA was 9:xx to 3:xx, won all but 1 faceoff, etc. Played him the next game and I couldn't do anything. Lost 3-0, got outshot 23-8, don't recall ToA, still won the faceoff battle but it was closer. His AI was just all over me all game, couldn't move the puck and all my guys skated super slow and wouldn't get open.

Got matched up against him for the third time in a row and dominated him again like in the first game. Same teams all 3 games.

Another time I was playing someone who was clearly better than I am (I think), went down 4-0 ... and, all of a sudden, my AI starts going into super saiyan mode, winning every race, every puck battle. Score 4 goals in the third period to tie it up, ended up winning in overtime. Buddy must've been choked.

The "Momentum" engine in this game, or whatever you want to call that which EA does not wish to acknowledge, is ridiculous.

 

[Leafsdude7]

So, having played this for over 3 months now, I've found that three problems frustrate me more than anything, including everything I listed in my earlier post after about a week or 2 playing the game (passing is still a serious problem, as is tilting, but at least AI defensive positioning has been fixed).

The first problem is player control. Players pivot and spin and move and sometimes even stop completely regardless of where the controller is pointed to, even for just an instant, when you try to change skating directions. It happens mostly when you first select a player and attempt to move them, but if you turn quickly and suddenly, it happens as well. Way too often I switch to a player in the defensive zone to pressure the puck carrier, and that player spins off to one side, allowing the player to walk right around with no problems. The most frustrating thing in a game, at least to me, is not having complete basic control of what you're controlling. If my controller is set for a particular action, I don't think it's asking too much for the game designers to set it so that action and only that action is completed. Apparently that's not the case in this game...

Second, the player selection itself is completely mystifying to me. I have no idea what the setup even is for player selection. Sometimes I'll try to switch players and I get the guy furthest from the puck. Other times, there's a player who might be further away from the puck but still in a better position to defend than anyone else, but it is impossible to select them, even after hitting the button 5 or 6 times (this mostly happens on 2-on-2 rushes with the back-checker, but sometimes it happens off a turnover with two players really close to the puck and a 3rd player in the slot). Even if the selection engine had it go through a 5 skaters in a row before going back to the first player it would be better, but sometimes if I hit the player selection twice, it'll go right back to the first player I was selected to.

The third problem is AI latency. The most common occurrence of this is in situations where the defensive player is extremely close to you as the puck carrier. The result of this is literally finding yourself in complete control of both players. The instant you shift one direction, the defender follows perfectly. If you instantly then pivot the other direction, the AI shifts right along with you perfectly synced. Spinning away from AI defenders who get too close is just not something you can do, which is absurd and completely ruins the sense of realism for me.

 

[JaeTM]

Yeah I switched to overhead full time after a few games trying it out, you're totally right it's definitely the best camera view while playing D.

I think that's one of the problems with this game. When you're on the ice you can see everything that's going on. It's why everyone is always moving around at a million mph and there's no room on the ice. Theres always a guy coming full charge at you.

And for everyone else speaking of online versus being garbage because of the AI, you're 100% right. This game is literally just letting the AI play defense and forecheck for you because they're so much better at it...when they want to be. You get a game where they're amazing and another where they're doing nothing. Versus blows.

 

[Its a Trap]

I’m excited to get this game tomorrow from someone and see how they’ve improved the drafting in Gm mode.

 

[Beville]

Yeah, a month or so in and this game is still ****.

Why does it not surprise me though.

 

[Dreakon13]

I really wish people played more for fun in Online Versus instead of just to win. I mean, I play ranked since that is where 99% of the games are played (otherwise I'd be waiting all day for unranked/casual players to pop up)... but this whole "pick one high % scoring method (picking corners, one timers, etc) and spend the entire game doing everything humanly possible to set that one thing up on every single rush" is for the birds. Even disregarding the frustrating part of it, since these people also are also "conveniently" huge fans of the best teams (Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, etc) just to make it even less likely my attempts at defense can withstand their amazing ability to press UP, walk past me/bump into me with impunity, and shoot... it's gotta be boring as f*** just trying for the same setups and the same opportunities for 20-30 minutes straight. And knowing in the back of their thick skulls it's only working because Crosby will almost never lose a puck battle.

It's just poor gamesmanship. Not the games fault at least, when I get someone just looking to play a fun game of hockey, the game is awesome... win or lose. It's why I keep playing. It's just shitty people being shitty though. I get winning is more fun than losing, but I'll take a loss where I attempted (and occasionally succeeded in doing) some damn cool stuff, finding new ways to create chances using unusual dekes and passing plays (or both), versus practically exploiting the game to win.

Second, the player selection itself is completely mystifying to me. I have no idea what the setup even is for player selection. Sometimes I'll try to switch players and I get the guy furthest from the puck. Other times, there's a player who might be further away from the puck but still in a better position to defend than anyone else, but it is impossible to select them, even after hitting the button 5 or 6 times (this mostly happens on 2-on-2 rushes with the back-checker, but sometimes it happens off a turnover with two players really close to the puck and a 3rd player in the slot). Even if the selection engine had it go through a 5 skaters in a row before going back to the first player it would be better, but sometimes if I hit the player selection twice, it'll go right back to the first player I was selected to.

It's mind boggling. I'd say completely broken at times. I shouldn't have to hit the player switch button 3-4 times to get a defender on a rush coming my way. Not to mention jumping around player to player like that gives me control of them for a split second, and f***s up whatever path/route they were on... giving the other team a better opportunity than they probably would've had through no fault of my own.

To the games credit, it's impossible to know exactly what you want to do in any given situation so it'll never be perfect... but still.