NHL 13 Video - Hockey IQ Focusing on Team Systems, Player and Goalie Behavior

[BlackXEyes]

i do know not to judge it by the first roster is always the case with EA Sports
NHL series games its always the first roster that is the CPU is got all the amazing advantages and super man like speed and this year for goalie mode
you'd likey use attributes effects: 0 for all-star hardcore mode

thats my amazing find it at NHL 12 forums and among other goalie sliders in other forums and sites just thought i'd throw that out there
looking forward to NHL 13 (i'll usally wait after 3-4 rosters afterwards btw)

[RealmK]

Quote: Originally Posted by BlackXEyes

i do know not to judge it by the first roster is always the case with EA Sports NHL series games its always the first roster that is the CPU is got all the amazing advantages and super man like speed and this year for goalie mode you'd likey use attributes effects: 0 for all-star hardcore mode thats my amazing find it at NHL 12 forums and among other goalie sliders in other forums and sites just thought i'd throw that out there looking forward to NHL 13 (i'll usally wait after 3-4 rosters afterwards btw)

That's funny because I use maxed attribute effects on SS and don't notice the CPU "cheating" or whatever people like to say, but I digress. Oh and the slider thread is ^^^

[RealmK]

Quote: Originally Posted by FBeaule04

Remember last year, when Sean Ram was explaining how the players would be aware of where the puck was suppose to go instead of just reacting to the play like we saw in NHL 11? Well, seeing that video now got me a little upset since I have a strong feeling I was taken for an idiot. The Bouwmeester video was exactly what wasn't working in NHL 12. I guess that knowing were the puck was going for the AI meant that since it was going in the net, Bouwmeester was programmed to go in the net as well! Glad to see they finally make something about the D-man going to cover the blue paint instead of the man, but again, like in the NHL 12 video of last summer, can help myself and say that the Wild defenceman I saw wasn't playing the play like an NHL D-man would do. You don't cut a passing lane facing your goalie for christ sake, you cut the lane by getting close to the guy who's open behind you to cut the pass, and face the other guy who's going to shoot (since you cut the lane) and facing him instead of your goalie, you can react effectively if there's a rebound so you can clear the puck. This goalie IQ system looks great, until someone out figure out how to glitch the programming and found a weakness in the IQ. I'm encouraged by the fact that the goalie can play a 2 on 1 like it should (cheating a bit) but I hope that beeing creative a bit will be rewarded for forwards so that you can have a quick return pass going in the net a few times while glitching the goalie isn't that effective. At last, if the team system are that effective like they are in the video, we will get a ton of kids screaming : "It's too hard, I cannot make a Paul Coffey of myself going from end to end...EA S*ck". Personnaly, kids can complain has they want, if you saw what the Kings did to every team they face in the playoffs, you saw that executing a system, putting pressure, covering your base and playing discipline hockey makes wonder (as important a goalie giving only one bad goal all playoffs) and it was missing in NHL 12. There's a chance 2 games doesn't have the same feeling and that's for the better. I don't want the Oilers and the Rangers to play the same style. I don't want to see the Flyers play a trapt while the Kings are not forchecking. I still have my doubt, still have a sense that last year was suppose to be a game that would change the way I play, while it's again the case in NHL 13. Still have the sense EA fooled me with NHL 12 beeing a mid-complete hockey game. Even thought, I'll buy the game on September 11, hoping that was I see now will translate in a strong and fun hockey game experience.

I don't think the AI will be perfect or do everything an NHL defenseman should or will in real life. But, and this is the kicker here, if the AI is competent enough to follow a backcheck strategy and actually stand guys up at the blueline/put pressure on at center ice etc. I'm fine with it not being 100% true to life, because it never will be in any sports game period.

I do notice instances in 12 where a player like Patrice Bergeron when CPU controlled will attempt to cut off a breakout for example, or make a good defensive play, but you see it so rarely it makes me wonder if the trait system they added under the hood in 12 was really even working properly. They prolly wanted to start to do some of this AI work last year but didn't have the time/man hours to get it in.

Really the biggest AI issue in 12 is exactly what they've stated they fixed/focused on. In 12 the AI only cares about where the puck is at a given time, never where players are on the ice or the potential of a play happening. If this is truly addressed for 13, the offline game should be a heck of a lot better I would think.

[gopher_guy]

Quote: Originally Posted by FBeaule04

can help myself and say that the Wild defenceman I saw wasn't playing the play like an NHL D-man would do.

They're just being true to life. Wild players didn't do a lot of things like real NHL players this season

[xS xIx Nx]

What? This might finally be the end of the infamous glitch goal... Computer goalie still moving after the shot? U heard of!

[FBeaule04]

Quote: Originally Posted by xS xIx Nx

What? This might finally be the end of the infamous glitch goal... Computer goalie still moving after the shot? U heard of!

I had a long conversation about glitching this week-end with my EASHL partner and while we're a bit pumped up about the new IQ, we aren't so sure that it will means "money goals" will disappear.

In fact, if the goalie starts to play the odd-man rush with more IQ, what's going to be left to score except making a deke move or finding a tweak of the stick that allows you glitch the goalie out (like the curve shot who's working great in NHL 12 for players who are good doing it)

I know they can't get the glitching totally out of the game and I'm more for a goalie tough to beat on things he shouldn't be beat than praising the fact that in NHL 13, the goalie will now react quicker to certain plays like a cross-crease pass on a 2 on 1.

My fear is that again, we'll see players who try to be creative losing to players who are finding cheap way to score. All my fears are for online modes, since offline, those additions are a bless since the AI was again horrible this year, especially if you start your career in the CHL.