Why can't EA get this game right?

[ipushmycar]

I do not understand why EA can't seem to get this game to play right, both for online and offline play.

Offline, the CPU plays keep-away like no other. They pass and pass with laser speed and precision. Even after turning the CPU pass sliders all the way down, their passes are still too fast and still too tic-tac-toe. I cannot even finish a single game offline... it is not fun and quite frankly extremely unrealistic.

Online has even more problems. The goalies are too inconsistent- your team's goalie may let by everything that slides his way, meanwhile the opponent goalie is a wall. I have lost plenty of games where I double, triple, even quadruple my opponents shots... and my shots are great attempts. Well set-up cycling plays, quick 1-timers, shots from the point, deflections, rebounds, the works. Yet still, nothing gets by the goalie. And other times, I'll have games where I score over 7 goals. It seems that the biggest factor in determining a win or loss is the play of your goalie.

Additionally, I strongly feel that there is some sort of advantage given to one of the teams online. I have been playing NHL 10 regularly since its release... and even regularly since NHL 08's release. I know the game, and I KNOW when I see an advantage. Sometimes I get the advantage, sometimes the opponent, sometimes neither. But when it's nearly impossible to take the puck from the opponent, and the opponent takes your puck without even needing to press poke/check/lift, and this is prominent throughout the entire game, it's not difficult to see an advantage... and quite frankly when an advantage is given, the disadvantaged player is NOT going to have a fun time.

I do not claim to be a god at this game, however I know what works and what doesn't. I know when I lose due to being out-skilled, and I know when I lose due to some BS advantage. I am sick of the inconsistency of this game- it's an inconsistency I have never had a problem with in NHL 08/09. Every tuner update seems to mess up the game even more.

I truly do not know how EA doesn't see these problems. I have a few friends whom also play this game religiously, and they agree with me 100%. I apologize for this rant, however I just got done playing one of the most BS games I've ever seen. It was literally like watching pee-wee play team Canada.

[Roggie]

I cannot disagree with the online advantage sometimes. I notice it most in club games, where my team's forwards are losing the puck from every single poke check, while I'm poke checking on defense to no avail. I'm not saying every one of mine should work, just every once in a while in those games it should. And I've been on both sides of this. It's boring to play in a game like this.

Also, I've seen the games with the goalie being awful and another team being amazing in goal. I've had a goalie in a tryout game for a top club on my team let in 5 shots that would never be allowed, while the other goalie had 4 saves after flipping over after stacking the pads.

[SinisterAlex]

Quote: Originally Posted by ipushmycar

Additionally, I strongly feel that there is some sort of advantage given to one of the teams online. I have been playing NHL 10 regularly since its release... and even regularly since NHL 08's release. I know the game, and I KNOW when I see an advantage. Sometimes I get the advantage, sometimes the opponent, sometimes neither. But when it's nearly impossible to take the puck from the opponent, and the opponent takes your puck without even needing to press poke/check/lift, and this is prominent throughout the entire game, it's not difficult to see an advantage... and quite frankly when an advantage is given, the disadvantaged player is NOT going to have a fun time.

Quote: Originally Posted by Roggie

I cannot disagree with the online advantage sometimes. I notice it most in club games, where my team's forwards are losing the puck from every single poke check, while I'm poke checking on defense to no avail. I'm not saying every one of mine should work, just every once in a while in those games it should. And I've been on both sides of this. It's boring to play in a game like this. Also, I've seen the games with the goalie being awful and another team being amazing in goal. I've had a goalie in a tryout game for a top club on my team let in 5 shots that would never be allowed, while the other goalie had 4 saves after flipping over after stacking the pads.

I've seen this also, especially in club games. We would play a team and their CPU defence would start playing like they were Lidstrom or Orr and ours would play like some crappy D-Man like Shane O'Brien.... The goalies are the same.

What they need to do is re-write the AI code, not alter it, RE-WRITE it from the ground up. Don't give CPU's boosts to certain things while in the game to help them, if they're getting slattered during the 1st period, don't let them all of a sudden start playing like they're all Wayne Gretzky's of the world. For example, I've noticed on the PP, when the CPU is PKing, when they get the puck it's like they're 100% impossible to get the puck back. I would attempt a blatant stick lift that should've worked, and it didn't. You can't hit them cause they just skate around you...

Maybe they should take a year off to completely start from scratch, even though that would never happen...

[McLean 25]

I definatly agree with you guys. The online experience is incredibly un-realistic. Everything from the customisation to the gameplay. I was so excited when this game was coming out, but it has definatly turned into a huge disapointment.

First of all, the customisation of your character is just stupid. Whats with the "gold" crap and the cheesy sticks and helmets and all the other crap. I don't know why EA can't just stick with the real life stuff to make the game look like NHL not B.S.L

As for the gameplay, its even worse, (Online Team Play that is). The gameplay is so un-realistic. The amount of crap from the cherry-picking, traping, and all of the other crap that you never find in any NHL game is rediculous. I wish I could play a game on OTP where you can actually skate at a profesional speed, the checking is way out of whack, and the goaltending is incredibly uncusistent and stupid.

It definatly was not my money worth.

[savoie2006]

The thing with online play is it's generally NOT the game, but users that make it an unpleasant experience. The fact that over 90% of the online players are only concerned about stats and winning, even it means using AI exploits to do so, instead of playing the game like the sport is actually played. This is why online sucks. As for offline, I just wish they could make it feel more natural and less scripted. The Cpu tries the same thing on offense everytime down the ice and goalies pretty much force you to score only a few different ways. OS even wrote an article on this issue.

[tgalv]

play high pressure tight point strategy to eliminate some of the endless cpu passing. if you play a non-aggressive strategy they will just pass the puck around forever and bore you to death.

i'd like them to increase the shot power a bit for online play. i think it would make the game more interesting at the expense of some additional cheese shots which you already see anyways.

[tgalv]

and i agree that all games aren't played on an even playing field. offline it's meant to be that way, but i've always thought it carried over to online play as well. it seems better than 09, but sometimes you'll get awesome AI players or the worst guys on the planet. i don't know if it's actually part of the game or just lag or something else, but it's frustrating and i don't think it's just all in our minds seeing things we want to see.

[Gosens6]

When it comes to playing offline. Iv'e found that playing on hardcore mode, all-star level provides the most realistic results. I know some people say harcore mode is to "hard". But if you want real hockey, I suggest you guys try it out.