Is "Skill-Based" scoring possible in a hockey game?

[06woz]

Just wondering what the consensus is on this question, to spark somewhat of a discussion. I hope this doesn't come off as a "bashing" post, it's not what I intend it to be.

I recently played some NBA 2K with a friend, my first time playing the 2K series since 2k10 and one thing amazed me. The scoring felt rewarding. I felt that if I scored it was because I put the right player in a favorable situation and executed my shot correctly.

Flash over to the NHL series. Now I'm not sure if this is a lack of player differentiation, goaltending, AI, physics or some combination of the bunch. Whatever the case, this is how I see scoring in EA's NHL series:

1. Make saving the puck impossible via a highlight reel deke or one timer. Probably a little too commonplace in this game.
2. A dirty goal! This is undoubtedly a part of hockey, and we might not see enough of this actually. Pucks on net leading to scrambles and rebounds.
3. Getting a player in a decent position, shoot and hope it beats the goalie. Repeat until successful.

Sure there is a little bit of skill to be had aiming the puck, but honestly just firing short side is probably more effective and goalie AI kind of skews this.

But then I thought, is this possible in a hockey game? Sure, maybe some improvements like top tier players not missing wide open nets would help. But "dirty" goals aside, is there a way to make a hockey video game in which shooting to score is a skill, and not just luck based?

For what it's worth I think any attempt to do so has to start with a revamp of the goalie AI and animation.

[tofubrain2]

I understand what you are getting at here. I feel the same way.

It's like the results are all scripted and don't flow organically... the CPU acts the same way regardless of team, the puck bounces seem forced. I would like to see more of an organic gameplay experience at this stage of the PS3, but we will probably have to wait til the PS4.

[Majingir]

^lol ya, it has to be scripted. Anytime I see the CPU get into certain positions, I no longer even try to stop them cause I know something will happen for sure.

The game needs a HUGE upgrade. Puck bounces go directly to the CPU players, CPU passes are perfect, pucks will get knocked away if you're near the CPU, but CPU has puck glued to their stick if they're near your player.

And if CPU hits your guy, you lose the puck,and if you hit the CPU, he isn't impacted at all(if anything,hitting the CPU player causes more negatives for you than positives).

NBA 2K made by 2K sports and NHL is made by EA Sports. So that's why NBA has good stuff while NHL doesn't. Some things in NHL games I've seen happening ever since the previous console generation days. And with EAs "physics system" it just makes everything worse. EA added new physics stuff last year(or year before?) and it's made the game worse. System is half broken, and EA never fixes it.

Unfortunately, nobody will ever be able to do anything about it, cause too many people buy the game every year so it won't be a bother to EA Sports if people complain about stuff.

[1387sportscraver]

Yeah sorry dude but until ea gets competition don't expect anything groundbreaking to our standards but honestly that stuff wouldn't bother me so much if everything else wasn't so poorly executed in the game considering fact that with madden the gameplay is solid and game modes are bad with NHL 13 the gameplayis bad but the game modes are solid where's the happy medium

[06woz]

So the solution is: Hope 2K dropped out to work on their next gen(PS4, Xbox: Whatever) hockey game?

[Mikey88]

My question to you guys is - Why bother playing the CPU?
Its all about online versus, GM connected and EASHL!

I can honestly tell you i have never played the CPU once in NHL 13. Online is where its at. The games are much more random and varied when playing games versus human opponents than the boring scripted CPU.

[06woz]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mikey88

My question to you guys is - Why bother playing the CPU? Its all about online versus, GM connected and EASHL! I can honestly tell you i have never played the CPU once in NHL 13. Online is where its at. The games are much more random and varied when playing games versus human opponents than the boring scripted CPU.

My original post was in reference to Online play. It still all applies, save for EASHL, then you can take out anything about the AI.

[Steven547]

Quote: Originally Posted by 06woz

My original post was in reference to Online play. It still all applies, save for EASHL, then you can take out anything about the AI.

Online wise, I can't really speak to that. I don't play online anymore....not a lot of "realistic" play type people anymore (this applies to all types of online sports games). But, that's just me.

Offline? Yes, you can get skill based results. You said so yourself with the NBA 2K series. I experienced similar to this when NHL 2K was around. To me, I feel the sliders play too much of a role in this game and it takes away from the players skills. Honestly, I think FIFA / PES has it right. They have very few sliders, and the game plays more to the skills.