Custom AI - Game has become fun?

[Clipse79]

I forgot who it was but someone mentioned the custom AI tweaks in a thread I was in and I did so the last two games. And....Wow, actually games!

In the first I got out shot bad and lost because I had full out attack, second I won and out did everything. I also changed some camera angles which makes passing way easier dependent on cam.

And guess what?! I turned Penalties down to about half and noticed the CPU gets a lot more now all of a sudden and more than me! This is 1.02 tuner btw.

I changed my D to Pinch a heck of a lot and made some lines full out dump and chase or full out carry. It seems like they have brains all of a sudden.

Maybe it was just me and two games but who knows. I suggest if you have not played with the Custom AI go do it and see what happens. Oh course you do need to do some slider tweaks and I can tell you mine are a bit crazy but it seems that is the way.

[Steven547]

But doesn't the CPU change their strategies anyway once the game starts?

[Clipse79]

I have found that the shots are better, passing % is getting close to even, the cheeser goals are still there but very few. You really get punished for a dumb mistake. Something I noticed and maybe I just do not know enough but I have gone into practice mode slammed it to rookie and jacked up accuracy and goalie speed down. Still cannot score? What is it that makes this game really change or stick when going from level to level? I mean play on rookie everything goes in. Practice on rookie, not so much?

[bwiggy33]

That was probably me. I just wasn't seeing the CPU go into the zone and actually forecheck, same with your teammates AI. That's why I put the the bar more towards the forecheck side rather than leaving it in the middle. I think it makes a huge difference. You finally get to see some attacking from both your teammates and the CPU when they dump the puck in. Glad it's making the game better for you.

Its till appalls me how bad EA did with attacking the zone. There isn't one team in the NHL who dumps the puck in and just lets their team set up in the neutral zone so their opponent can easily break out of their zone. I don't care what situation in the game it is, that doesn't happen in real hockey and that's how it plays in NHL without the adjustments IMO.

What I really want to do is change all of the strategies for teams so they are correct to how the team plays in real life. I don't care how long it takes but I will change any of those AI settings as long as it provides me a better offline gameplay experience that helps separate teams/players.

[bwiggy33]

Quote: Originally Posted by Steven547

But doesn't the CPU change their strategies anyway once the game starts?

It doesn't seem like they do with the forecheck unless they are down late in the game. By raising that slider so every team starts with a more aggressive forecheck it makes it more consistent IMO. Often times the team will just dump the puck in and keep their players at the neutral zone to wait for the other team to break out with no pressure being applied. It's truly pathetic.

[jonapaloma]

I wonder why there isnt a custom AI thread yet.

[Cletus]

I wonder if you turned ai learning and cpu strategy adjustment to zero then loaded up AI for them if they would never change?

[savoie2006]

Quote: Originally Posted by jonapaloma

I wonder why there isnt a custom AI thread yet.

I don't know, but at this point it's easily the second best new feature in the game, with GM Connected having so many issues.