NHL 21 (Part 2)

JJ68

Registered User
Oct 5, 2017
1,310
1,102
i take back my previous post....the cross crease goal is impossible to stop. I had two guys covering the winger knowing he was gonna try it again...because that's all this one guy was doing...it's like the puck goes through my stick on the ice, my body laying down on the ice...everything..and the goalie(rated 92) cant ever make the save. Literally why do goalies suck in vs mode? They can be rated 95 and this guy scores on 6 of his 7 shots!!
 

ArchAngel55

Registered User
Nov 16, 2008
1,084
543
Philadelphia, Pa
Just run a drop-in. It's literally five me-first puck chasers almost every game. The game quality has taken a giant shit over the years because EA refuses to hold players accountable for the way they play.

Puck raggers, glitchers, trolls, racists and complete amateurs are ruining the community. Of course that's when you're not being DDosed.
EA is more worried about the casual fan instead of the loyal fans of the game/sport. They keep trying to get and keep new people.
 

SealsFan4Life

Registered User
May 22, 2019
165
166
Ontario, CA
Just one major gripe i have with Franchise Mode that i hope changes in NHL 22 but im not holding my breath.

1. No matter where you have your AHL team located for your created 32nd NHL team, they will always be in the North Division. I made an AHL team in San Francisco and they were put in the North Division. Shouldn't they be in the Pacific with Stockton, San Diego, San Jose, etc?
So i hope in NHL 22 this can be edited. Unless i am missing something?

And i got excited for Be a pro cause the trailer looked like it was gonna be decent but that ended and faded quickly after playing it myself.
No matter how bad i intentionally played i was always drafted 1st or 2nd. :|
 

Blueshirt Believer

Registered User
Feb 28, 2012
7,517
356
EA is more worried about the casual fan instead of the loyal fans of the game/sport. They keep trying to get and keep new people.

Yeah, but the game is so poor mechanically, I don't know how this keeps casuals.

If they want to cater to casuals: than dump any hockey simulation pretense. Just go full on arcade. They probably would make a better game.

As it stands now: you have an incoherent mess with awful skating, passing, and shooting.

Don't even get me started on trying to play proper defense.
 

ArchAngel55

Registered User
Nov 16, 2008
1,084
543
Philadelphia, Pa
Yeah, but the game is so poor mechanically, I don't know how this keeps casuals.

If they want to cater to casuals: than dump any hockey simulation pretense. Just go full on arcade. They probably would make a better game.

As it stands now: you have an incoherent mess with awful skating, passing, and shooting.

Don't even get me started on trying to play proper defense.
All I play is defense. Probably over 3000 games over the years. A large part of the problem I get is the other defenseman is always pinching or out of position. Almost always odd man rushes. They never pass to the other defenseman and try to force passes out of the zone. Perfect example was the other night. He's playing RD while I'm LD. He goes all the way to the left side to grab a puck by me when he doesn't have to. I rotate to the right to give him an outlet. He's forechecked by 2 players and instead of passing to me by the right face off dot or passing it around the boards behind the net, he throws it into the high slot where it's intercepted by a 3rd guy who one times it and scores. Everyone blames me for not covering the guy. People have this basketball mentality with the game that defense doesn't matter and just want to put up points. I get the stick lift is a complete joke and poke checks most of the time just send it to another one of their players. Pinning a guy along the boards and having 2 teammates go for the puck just to have him skate away from 3 people with the puck makes no sense. Laying down to block a cross crease pass just to have them skate into you and draw a penalty. The

Dumbing down concepts and parts of the game is what I meant about catering to casual players. I guess I just prefer the way they used to do customizing your player. By having slots on your equipment that you earn attribute points like +3 Speed or +1 Passing instead of earning a skin.
 

Blueshirt Believer

Registered User
Feb 28, 2012
7,517
356
All I play is defense. Probably over 3000 games over the years. A large part of the problem I get is the other defenseman is always pinching or out of position. Almost always odd man rushes. They never pass to the other defenseman and try to force passes out of the zone. Perfect example was the other night. He's playing RD while I'm LD. He goes all the way to the left side to grab a puck by me when he doesn't have to. I rotate to the right to give him an outlet. He's forechecked by 2 players and instead of passing to me by the right face off dot or passing it around the boards behind the net, he throws it into the high slot where it's intercepted by a 3rd guy who one times it and scores. Everyone blames me for not covering the guy. People have this basketball mentality with the game that defense doesn't matter and just want to put up points. I get the stick lift is a complete joke and poke checks most of the time just send it to another one of their players. Pinning a guy along the boards and having 2 teammates go for the puck just to have him skate away from 3 people with the puck makes no sense. Laying down to block a cross crease pass just to have them skate into you and draw a penalty. The

Dumbing down concepts and parts of the game is what I meant about catering to casual players. I guess I just prefer the way they used to do customizing your player. By having slots on your equipment that you earn attribute points like +3 Speed or +1 Passing instead of earning a skin.

I feel ya, but the mechanics are so poor: you can't even play proper defense.

I mean zone defense is almost impossible: cutting off lanes is broken. Pucks go right through players and sticks. Yet, ironically, puck control is poor. So the game takes this silly ping ponging effect...

So, the game forces to play shitty man to man which ends up with teams chasing the puck.

Speaking of defensemen: how insanely easy is it to cause break aways because, mechanically, its extremely hard for dmen to straddle the blue line?

I can't tell you how many times I've seen face off wins in the O-zone. Goes to the D-man who(with no fault of their own)can't corrale and lateral skate fast enough to a stick poking winger?

So, to protect, they either have to exit the zone or make a weak wrister to the net.

Thats, simultaneously, passing, skating, and puck control issues mechanically.

Game is broken..
 

Juniorhockeyguru

Registered User
Nov 18, 2012
1,095
509
I feel ya, but the mechanics are so poor: you can't even play proper defense.

I mean zone defense is almost impossible: cutting off lanes is broken. Pucks go right through players and sticks. Yet, ironically, puck control is poor. So the game takes this silly ping ponging effect...

So, the game forces to play shitty man to man which ends up with teams chasing the puck.

Speaking of defensemen: how insanely easy is it to cause break aways because, mechanically, its extremely hard for dmen to straddle the blue line?

I can't tell you how many times I've seen face off wins in the O-zone. Goes to the D-man who(with no fault of their own)can't corrale and lateral skate fast enough to a stick poking winger?

So, to protect, they either have to exit the zone or make a weak wrister to the net.

Thats, simultaneously, passing, skating, and puck control issues mechanically.

Game is broken..


Yet knew exactly what you were getting.
 

Blueshirt Believer

Registered User
Feb 28, 2012
7,517
356
Yet knew exactly what you were getting.

Nothing like NHL 21..

I mean previous entries have been poor, but this game is downright insulting.

I mean(previously) you could play a functional game of hockey, even if there was some mechanical shortcomings and exploits.

This is some NBA live level of jank..
 

MartyOwns

thank you shero
Apr 1, 2007
24,126
17,822
I can't win a faceoff. Even after reading a guide I'm like 1 for 40 every game. Thought I had it figured out, won one, and then the same strategy failed every other time that game, even adjusting for handedness.

don't press anything until you see the ref move his skate right before he drops the puck. usually works for me
 
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ArchAngel55

Registered User
Nov 16, 2008
1,084
543
Philadelphia, Pa
I feel ya, but the mechanics are so poor: you can't even play proper defense.

I mean zone defense is almost impossible: cutting off lanes is broken. Pucks go right through players and sticks. Yet, ironically, puck control is poor. So the game takes this silly ping ponging effect...

So, the game forces to play shitty man to man which ends up with teams chasing the puck.

Speaking of defensemen: how insanely easy is it to cause break aways because, mechanically, its extremely hard for dmen to straddle the blue line?

I can't tell you how many times I've seen face off wins in the O-zone. Goes to the D-man who(with no fault of their own)can't corrale and lateral skate fast enough to a stick poking winger?

So, to protect, they either have to exit the zone or make a weak wrister to the net.

Thats, simultaneously, passing, skating, and puck control issues mechanically.

Game is broken..

The faceoff wins to a defenseman are a joke. By the time you get the puck, most of the time a forward is already on you if they try. Everything is always blamed on the defense. They made the game so focused on offense that it's hard to play constant good defense.
 

Sergei Shirokov

Registered User
Jul 27, 2012
15,311
5,708
British Columbia
The gameplay is the best its ever been (skating, shot animation, stick control) well also simultaneously being absolutely god awful (change player, goal reviews, situational defense)

At the very least they need to correct this change player issue. The game moves fast playing on the highest difficult & it has you changing players to the guy moving away from the puck.

I have to process the next play happening, but its switching me to the guy that's behind the play. Then your clicking change player to go to someone else as the CPU is passing instantly to the third guy & then your out of control giving up a prime scoring chance.

I know there's a manual change player function but its split second stuff - a puck gets rimmed around in the O-zone, you change player to go the defenseman to pinch & instead its changes you to the winger who the puck has already passed (and isn't close enough to make a play) then there moving the puck & your caught scrambling. Nevermind something akin to the reverse in the D-zone

Also no goal calls that have nothing to do with the play; initiating slight contact with the goalie as the pucks already crossing the line, a puck going through traffic that doesn't change direction at all yet is called off because it nicked someone in the wrong area (skate/glove).

I've played this game since 2002, I love this series, and with the skating upgrade it has such potential - yet fundamental things are so broken.
 

Cor

I am a bot
Jun 24, 2012
69,648
35,246
AEF
I would love to sit the developers down, show them a slide of 1 night of playing the game, and ask why x-y-z happens.

That is essentially what the gamechangers are supposed to be. Providing feedback the community wants, and then showing them inconsistencies in gameplay over the long-term play of it.

However, too many of the gamechangers end up turning into HUT opening marks, because they get free packs and it pushes the agenda of the EA NHL team.

There are only a couple of them (Tougie for example) that actually speak to the issues of the games, and do what the purpose it, to be the voice of the community to the development team, not a voice of the EA marketing team to the community.

But yeah, let's act like the same goals are the sickest thing ever for 10 months (ex Nasher) or that
opening packs are super sick and rewarding (ex tic tac and thrasher)


Edit: I do agree with you that the skating and shooting mechanics are amazing right now. The gameplay has so much potential, but the goal scoring is insanely limited. We had a couple decent games where you could score multiple ways, but this year, unless it's a cut to the middle short side, or a cross crease, you don't tend to score many goals. I can count on one hand how many deflection goals I've scored, or how many times I've flown down the wing and sniped one far side.

The gameplay is awesome, yet insanely shallow at the same time. Perhaps a game built for next gen will solve some issues?
 

Cor

I am a bot
Jun 24, 2012
69,648
35,246
AEF
Reading through the recent thread a bit.

Yeah, the defensive play is impossible. It's just filled with people stretching the puck away to try and draw a tripping penalty.

If you poke check? penalty.
Try and hit them? your hit does nothing and they maintain the puck and usually get around you.
The window to do a board battle is insanely small.
Let them go to the outside and position yourself to intercept a pass? Still a 50% at least the pass goes right by your player and to the other player for a cross crease goal.


This is legitimately the least I've played the game, despite enjoying the potential of the gameplay. Franchise was broken for a while, which is the mode I tend to play. and it took so long to get fixed, so then I went to do all my roster editing, and then somehow that save file got deleted and lost my interest of putting any more effort in there.

I refuse to play HUT, because frankly, it's not fun. Everyone gets the same OP cards, so there's minimal variance, and then you deal with the same gameplay flaws in just how people play. I also think anyone who complains that NHL focuses too much on HUT, should never open the mode. I have, so I don't.

So I only really play EASHL with the mates maybe once every couple weeks. It's a shame. I love NHL games, and as mentioned, I think the gameplay had soooo much potential based on the shooting and skating improvements.

And even then, the gameplay is still the same stuff, and you need to play into it.

Get a penalty shot? Start wide, cut in to the shot and score short-side. Pretty much a 75% success rate, if not higher.
During gameplay? Go for a cross crease.
Have a breakaway? Do the one handed deke that works far too often.
 

Canuck Luck

Registered User
Jun 15, 2008
5,568
1,966
Vancouver
With the WHL starting Feb 26 and the AHL having already started, how long do y'all think until a roster update for these leagues? Would be nice to have Zegras, Rathbone, Bedard, Heidt, Yager, and Lind added into the game
 

NuxFan09

Registered User
Jun 8, 2008
21,649
2,631
Merritt, BC
With the WHL starting Feb 26 and the AHL having already started, how long do y'all think until a roster update for these leagues? Would be nice to have Zegras, Rathbone, Bedard, Heidt, Yager, and Lind added into the game
Wondering this too. I know we got an update not too long ago but I'm already impatient for another one. As a Canucks fan I'm especially impatient because the AHL (Comets) roster really needs work. I'm a Franchise Mode player and I'm not starting a Canucks franchise until prospects like Rathbone and Lockwood are added.
 

Zen Arcade

Bigger than Kiss
Sep 21, 2004
20,308
2,216
Pittsburgh
I like having an A rated scout that's an A+ in the region they're assigned to and having them give me the wrong system fit for the player I'm drafting.

The information is supposedly 100% accurate, the scouts are supposedly great but when I sign the player and put them into the lineup they don't fit at all.

It's gotten to the point where if my scout is telling me a defenseman is Cycle Pinch I'm assuming they're Pinch Shoot and vice versa.

Scouting needs overhauled, I know it's know it's not realistic for them to be totally accurate every time but some of the time would be nice. Especially when I've manually scouted a player 3 or 4 times.

The whole chemistry mechanic is kneecapped by AI generated players not fitting into any systems. Franchise snipers like strategies meant for grinders and even if they fit on the regular lines they probably won't fit in the power play.

It sucks because chemistry is a lot of fun when it works right.
 

ArchAngel55

Registered User
Nov 16, 2008
1,084
543
Philadelphia, Pa
I like having an A rated scout that's an A+ in the region they're assigned to and having them give me the wrong system fit for the player I'm drafting.

The information is supposedly 100% accurate, the scouts are supposedly great but when I sign the player and put them into the lineup they don't fit at all.

It's gotten to the point where if my scout is telling me a defenseman is Cycle Pinch I'm assuming they're Pinch Shoot and vice versa.

Scouting needs overhauled, I know it's know it's not realistic for them to be totally accurate every time but some of the time would be nice. Especially when I've manually scouted a player 3 or 4 times.

The whole chemistry mechanic is kneecapped by AI generated players not fitting into any systems. Franchise snipers like strategies meant for grinders and even if they fit on the regular lines they probably won't fit in the power play.

It sucks because chemistry is a lot of fun when it works right.

I wish there was a way to filter out players that fit your system in FA. Or atleast a way to look at what the coach's system breakdown is.
 
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ArchAngel55

Registered User
Nov 16, 2008
1,084
543
Philadelphia, Pa
You should also be able to sign free agents from the player search screen.
Does it filter players for the coach's system? If I'm looking for a 3rd line 3RW, I'd like to be able to put that in a filter to search instead of having to view each player and page over to what role they'll fit on my team. I know I'm asking alot.
 

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