Ok then, I need help.

[BleedsBlack&Gold]

Well, I'm at wit's end at this point. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but maybe you guys can help. let's start here.

This is offline. If I score one, the AI scores three. All the time. Every game I play ends the same way. I score 4, AI scores 6-7. I'm using forum-recommended sliders.

As in right now. Playing a game against Nashville. In the second period. I've got 16 shots, all well set up. One goal. well earned. Nashville has 9 shots. 3 goals. On ridiculous shots. One was a total cross ice pass AT THE GOAL LINE. From one wall to the other, one timer from the other wall, goal. What is it I'm doing wrong? I turn down the skill level to Pro. Same results. I mean, really. You can't begin to tell me that this is accurate, or any form of realistic.

I don't pursue hits anymore. All I can do is skate around, poke city, pray for no tripping penalty. If i can SOMEHOW get possession, if i skate ANYWHERE near an opposing player, turnover. What the hell man? Its like, the AI is ALWAYS some magical all-star team. EVERY game. I hear other people on here having issues like this, and many say "practice mode". Ok. What am I practicing, exactly?

I'm not above saying that it must be the way I'm playing. I can understand that. But what is it I'm doing wrong? Because it must be huge. I CAN'T win games. Is there a guide online, something I can at least start with? It's just getting out of hand. I started seeing this in last years game, but found sliders to circumvent it. This year, I'm lost. I'm feeling my $60 is wasted. I'm not having fun anymore. There's only so many 7-3 games I can lose.

Look, sorry for the rant. I'm just feeling frustrated. Maybe someone could give me hints on how to get out of this funk.

[Steven547]

What is your CPU Difficulty slider at? That slider gives the CPU and advantage. Also, lower the CPU aggression slider a notch or two. Try those out for starts...

[BleedsBlack&Gold]

Well, I keep the diff. slider at 0...that's always been that way...seems like that just ups the cheese factor. I'll lower the aggression, may be a good start, although I may have tried that already. In fact, seems as if sliders may not be the issue. Like I said, I'm not above admitting it may be operator error. :-) I just have a hard time believing its all me when this only seems to get worse every year. Just seems like the AI is untouchable, and my players are made of glass. Between the AI scoring AT WILL and my players turning over the puck every time they try to pass, move into a zone, get NEAR a defender, etc., I'm just losing it at this point. ;-)

[jmon]

What difficulty are you playing on?

[BleedsBlack&Gold]

I started on all star...then moved to Pro..results were the same, other than my TOA and shots went WAY up, but the AI would still score at will...like 3 goals on 5-7 shots at will. lol I would say I just suck, but I know I'm better than this. And that many goals on that many shots is just ridiculous. Plus my issues with puck control. I mean, my pass game looks more like real NHL. Mistakes are made, but it works generally well. Then look at the AI...tape to tape. all day long. No mistakes, no slip ups. How do I play against that? I mean seriously. I'll deal with all of this, if someone could just give hints as to HOW I can play against it. Maybe I'm not using enough of these goofy controls. All the stick lifts, etc. I mean, what do you guys use? I find myself pokechecking almost exclusively, as the sticklift just seems to be a slashing call button.

[BleedsBlack&Gold]

Here's another example. I start out early with a two goal lead. The AI just scored 4 goals on the last 5 shots. Anyone have any excuses for this? I've had it. No comeback logic? Whatever. I've had it. Play perfect defense, so they start scoring from the blue line. I stop that, they score from the crease, on a kick. This is ridiculous. The aggression is turned to 0. My goalie reaction is 6. The opp. shot acc. is 0. the opp pass acc.? 0. And yet I still get destroyed. I've never had so much trouble with a game. I've bought this franchise every year for the last 10. Every year for the last 3 it gets harder, and not in a fun way. I like losing games. When it makes sense. When you go into the 3rd with your opponent beating you 4-2 and they only have 10 shots? What the hell man?? And they're on completely inhuman dekes, things like that...deke 6 times REAL fast, then shoot. What kind of crap is this? Most of it I've seen the last few years, but seriously now.

EDIT: NExt game. SAME THING. Went into the 2nd period with a 3 goal lead. And in two minutes. I'm down 4-3. I'm out of ideas. I'm done playing though. Nice to spend 60 on a game that isn't fun anymore. Thanks EA. But that's ok. There is no comeback coding. Remember? The topic we aren't allowed to talk about? Yeah how convenient.

[Steve Danger]

I'm having the same issues man. I can't figure it out. Somehow the CPU can score on a random flip shot from the blue line but I can't score when I have an empty net one-timer because, of course, my shot sails wide, even though the shooter is standing almost on the goal line in front of the net.

I'm also starting to get pretty pissed off and I'm contemplating getting rid of the game. This will be the earliest I've traded in an NHL game. It's not even next year yet!

I think the developers care about online 99% of the time and the other one percent they leave to giving a sh*t about the offline play. I don't play online, I buy games to play with myself (play with myself lol). In this day and age though online is the money maker so old school gamers like me (I'm 30) are left out in the cold.

[BleedsBlack&Gold]

Wow..thanks for backing me up on that. :-) I was really angry during my last msg and edit..was waiting for someone to come along and rip me a new one, and then you come along and back me up! :-)

Anyway. Agreed. I feel the same way. I suppose us old-timers are just gonna keep getting left behind for all this online goofiness. :-) No online for me. Not paying 60 a year for Xbox Live, just to get glitched and cheesed for hours on end. Been there, done that. Give me a good, stable, realistic Franchise mode, and I'm set. Looks like this isn't the game for me anymore.