NHL 15: First Gameplay Video Emerges

[SpectralThundr]

Quote: Originally Posted by jaateloauto

You've fundamentally misunderstood 2K's approach to hockey which is why people are praising the goalies and think it's still better than what EA has. EA's approach has always been "catch every puck, whatever goes in is a glitch that our animations didn't account for". 2K's approach was "if you create a great chance, you can score even if you don't do the glitch wrister/deke at the right angle at the right second". It made for a realistic and fun experience. In online versus and online leagues 2K still has EA NHL beat in terms of the gameplay experience. The only reason I bother with EA NHL is 6v6 EASHL. Otherwise it's a cold, heartless experience of glitch shots and artificial momentum.

I'm sorry but that's a line of junk. NHL goalies, if they can see the puck, 9 out of 10 times they're going to stop it. Not in 2k's game however, either the goalie will flop for the sake of a pretty oooh ahh animation or they'll glitch and warp out of position and let what should be routine saves turn into goals.

It very well may be it's a completely different experience online with EA's game, as I've said before I play 100% offline in GM mode and I have zero issue scoring when I have a good chance, be it from working the puck around and letting screens and deflections occur, or on a break or odd man. All on superstar which according to some is AI cheat heaven.

[jaateloauto]

Quote: Originally Posted by SpectralThundr

I'm sorry but that's a line of junk. NHL goalies, if they can see the puck, 9 out of 10 times they're going to stop it. Not in 2k's game however, either the goalie will flop for the sake of a pretty oooh ahh animation or they'll glitch and warp out of position and let what should be routine saves turn into goals.

Yeah, that doesn't happen. Great chances often lead to goals, they're not saved 9 times out of 10. The main point in hockey is to keep the opponent from getting to good scoring opportunities. Maybe you like to play with casual sliders but that's not what happened in 2K hockey if you set the game up correctly.

Quote: Originally Posted by SpectralThundr

It very well may be it's a completely different experience online with EA's game, as I've said before I play 100% offline in GM mode and I have zero issue scoring when I have a good chance, be it from working the puck around and letting screens and deflections occur, or on a break or odd man. All on superstar which according to some is AI cheat heaven.

Online is all I care about, I have no interest in facing the completely awful EA AI that has no idea how to play hockey.

Quote: Originally Posted by Robo COP

Sort of random thought pertinent to the discussion on the topic about multiple sports titles and gaming and whatnot: I just read an article that said that companies in the console business are actually losing money. Microsoft has even flirted with the idea of selling their xbox division. Gaming is going more towards the smart phone route. I think that micro transactions that are going into every game now, as much as we may hate them as gamers, are helping to save the console gaming market.

Xbox division has always been a loss for Microsoft since it's inception. Core gaming isn't going to suddenly go "smart phone route", nobody who likes to play games on a console or a PC is going to suddenly stop doing it so they can stare at a small screen with their hands in the way you silly person.

The mobile market is made up of entirely different set of gamers. And 99% of the revenue in mobilie comes from free to play garbage that are specifically built around microtransactions that you wouldn't hope on your worst enemy.

Quote: Originally Posted by Robo COP

Anyway, on the topic of multiple sports titles competing. Competition can do nothing but help the overall quality of the product. The firm has to put out a superior product if they hope to make money. It's the reason why you don't see 2k making an NHL game. They haven't been able to put out a higher quality product than EA and therefore are not able to turn a profit, so why try unless you know you can make that push?

The yearly grind makes it difficult for two or more companies to compete on the same sport game. If you only have a year to improve it then you need a big team to get anything done which is going to cost a lot and you're still not going to make a lot of results in a year.

Being the worse of than your competitors can easily become a self-replicating cycle. Worse sales mean you have less money to spend next year and that means the game will probably again be worse than the competitors which in turn in many cases lead to the competitor dying out.

[SpectralThundr]

Quote: Originally Posted by jaateloauto

Yeah, that doesn't happen. Great chances often lead to goals, they're not saved 9 times out of 10. The main point in hockey is to keep the opponent from getting to good scoring opportunities. Maybe you like to play with casual sliders but that's not what happened in 2K hockey if you set the game up correctly.

Just out of curiosity how much real NHL hockey do you actually watch? You can try all the sliders in the world with NHL2k10, the AI can't even manage to perform a proper break out. Get the puck in your own end, the rest of your team is already zipping past center ice, including the D pairing. That isn't real hockey. On defense the AI can't even play positionally, it's too busy buzzing around trying to play bumper car hockey, sliders do not fix this The AI in that game is flat out broken all around period.

Online may be all you care about, good for you. Offline EA's AI is LEAGUES better than 2k10, even with the lack of neutral zone pressure.

[CupCrazyManiac]

Quote: Originally Posted by jayenomics

I'll take a game with flawless online play (most EA Games) over a more polished offline mode, any day.

Disagree Big Time!!!
Iam an OFFLINE Player, just like in my real life Hockey Team, i looove to play with my friends at my house in one Team against the CPU (offline)....
Online is mostly a cheatfest and to have Fun with my Friends is awesome. Just my 2 Cents. ;-)

[PensDynasty87]

I totally agree, I'm more of a offline player myself and actually can't stand playing online. With everybody poke checking all the time, the cheating like you say, and it's a hit party. It's def. a unrealistic arcade like game when playing online to me. I'll take a authentic real life like offline BEAGM or play now game over that any day that ends in y.

[Vulcan7905]

Quote: Originally Posted by SpectralThundr

Just out of curiosity how much real NHL hockey do you actually watch? You can try all the sliders in the world with NHL2k10, the AI can't even manage to perform a proper break out. Get the puck in your own end, the rest of your team is already zipping past center ice, including the D pairing. That isn't real hockey. On defense the AI can't even play positionally, it's too busy buzzing around trying to play bumper car hockey, sliders do not fix this The AI in that game is flat out broken all around period. Online may be all you care about, good for you. Offline EA's AI is LEAGUES better than 2k10, even with the lack of neutral zone pressure.

I honestly don't know if you're trolling or being serious, either way, your insane. The NHL 14 AI is horrible. When they have the puck, they have no clue what to do with it half the time. Oh you have all that room to skate in and shoot? Nah, that's ok, dump it in! Hey AI, play D, Nah that's ok, they will just skate around looking at fans. Sadly, stuff that was in 2k14 is only now being added in 15. Realistic arenas and now 2 lines men and 2 refs. All these years and they add it now? Lazy Ness. The best part of 2k14 was how much you could customize players and it's what made online feel unique and not feel like everybody else with the same set of equipment. I wish 20 would at least give it another go, because then it would force EA to actually try a little bit harder.

[SpectralThundr]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vulcan7905

I honestly don't know if you're trolling or being serious, either way, your insane. The NHL 14 AI is horrible. When they have the puck, they have no clue what to do with it half the time. Oh you have all that room to skate in and shoot? Nah, that's ok, dump it in! Hey AI, play D, Nah that's ok, they will just skate around looking at fans. Sadly, stuff that was in 2k14 is only now being added in 15. Realistic arenas and now 2 lines men and 2 refs. All these years and they add it now? Lazy Ness. The best part of 2k14 was how much you could customize players and it's what made online feel unique and not feel like everybody else with the same set of equipment. I wish 20 would at least give it another go, because then it would force EA to actually try a little bit harder.

Nope being serious, the major issue with the AI in EA's game is the lack of neutral zone pressure. Again we're looking at it from 2 completely different angles, you're an online player, I'm not.

EA's AI you can breakout how you'd like, either from behind the net going D to D, or the side boards. In NHL2k10 the second you touch the puck in your own zone, you're entire team, including the D pair can't wait to get to center ice to go on the attack. It's the same with positioning on defense, EA's AI will stay in position and at least try and block shots. 2k's AI is too focused on buzzing around the zone trying to hit everything that moves. Really the one complaint that could be levied against EA's AI is it can be too passive at times, but EA gives you tools to make plays. Where as with 2k's game you're stuck with flat out terrible AI regardless of sliders.

The perfect description I've found in regards to 2k10 is bumper car hockey, that's exactly what it is.

If EA can fix neutral zone pressure on higher difficulties and expand how the attributes effect slider works, I'll be pretty content.

[Trevelyan]

What do you guys mean when you say online is a cheatfest? The better team wins the vast majority of the time, thats all you can really ask for in my opinion.