AI/CPU Tactics Thread

[AdamJones113]

Hey guys, looking for this thread to be a solid, video-based analysis of AI and CPU tactics. Even better if you could provide counterbalancing real-life footage, but if you can't find it, no worries. Here's the first example.



Here's a highlight from one of my recent games against the Lightning (seems like I'm always playing 'em) that demonstrates the stagnant breakout AI that actionhank and I are always rattling on about. The Lightning are on the power play, and JVR dumps the puck behind their net and goes in with a minimal forecheck.


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The Lightning fall back into the defensive zone and take control behind the net. Their uncovered skaters—4 of them, 3 bunched together, but that's not relevant—stand motionless in anticipation of the breakout pass. What they should be doing—what NHL teams do in this situation—is cycling around, trying to get a head of steam before receiving the puck and heading up-ice.



(Not the exact scenario, but best clip I could find, sorry.)

[mikeyflex]

I have tons of videos illustrating the dumb AI's in this game. Flat out, embarrassing. I totally agree, this is why the Power Plays are almost not existent in this game. Gamers who know how to exploit the passive AI garbage prosper in this game. Some of the more glaring issues with AI's that I noticed:
1) When defending player gains control of the puck (deep in their zone, below the goal line). Their forwards are leaving the zone looking for the breakout pass, my D-men too are leaving the zone. This happens with my 3 forwards deep in the zone near the puck carrier. I have a video of a game where my opponent's defensemen gained control of the puck in their zone around the faceoff dot, facing towards his own net and skating towards his goalie. While skating deeper in his own zone, one forward was rushing up the ice near the center line when the homerun pass came out of no where, surely he scored on a breakaway. This never happens in real hockey. You wonder why people say there is ice tilt in this game?

2) Random line changes happen and I didn't call for a line change. I'm working down low trying to generate a scoring chance, look around, I'm missing 2 of my players. Realized they left the ice to change up, but I never activated the change myself. Totally negates the pressure I'm applying. So frustrating.

[jack72]

Other things I noticed.
1) When you attack if you are carrying the puck over the opponents blue line, the wingman will peel off back to the bench or hold at the blue line forcing you to go in alone 9 out of 10 times. Rarely will you have a team mate going in with you to set up passing chance on goal.


This is particularly annoying when you have a 2 on 1 and the winger will disengage leaving you with a 1 on 1.


2) When the other team wins a faceoff in our zone, at least one defenseman (usually the one closest to the boards) turns into a statue and stays put until after there is a chance on goal or a shot on goal.


With the latest tuner, does your stats on win/loss/tie (home, away, last 10 game) record in the stats page, are they truncated?


I have also noticed that with the win/lose displaying just before the game starts is truncated as well.

[mikeyflex]

That would be the faceoff glitch. When you tie the faceoff player and win the battle, their d-men a frozen, giving you enough time for separation and the no-skill top shelf goal. Play aggressive faceoff, although this will not 100% work its better then normal or defense.

[AdamJones113]

Quote: Originally Posted by mikeyflex

I have tons of videos illustrating the dumb AI's in this game. Flat out, embarrassing. I totally agree, this is why the Power Plays are almost not existent in this game. Gamers who know how to exploit the passive AI garbage prosper in this game. Some of the more glaring issues with AI's that I noticed: 1) When defending player gains control of the puck (deep in their zone, below the goal line). Their forwards are leaving the zone looking for the breakout pass, my D-men too are leaving the zone. This happens with my 3 forwards deep in the zone near the puck carrier. I have a video of a game where my opponent's defensemen gained control of the puck in their zone around the faceoff dot, facing towards his own net and skating towards his goalie. While skating deeper in his own zone, one forward was rushing up the ice near the center line when the homerun pass came out of no where, surely he scored on a breakaway. This never happens in real hockey. You wonder why people say there is ice tilt in this game? 2) Random line changes happen and I didn't call for a line change. I'm working down low trying to generate a scoring chance, look around, I'm missing 2 of my players. Realized they left the ice to change up, but I never activated the change myself. Totally negates the pressure I'm applying. So frustrating.

To the last part: try setting "Line Change" to Manual in the pre-game settings and see how that works (I play on Auto but make most changes myself anyways).

Would love to see a video of that first thing you talk about. That play sounds like a real pain.

[mikeyflex]

Quote: Originally Posted by AdamJones113

To the last part: try setting "Line Change" to Manual in the pre-game settings and see how that works (I play on Auto but make most changes myself anyways). Would love to see a video of that first thing you talk about. That play sounds like a real pain.

My settings are always manual for line changes. I suspect the game sends off players to the bench when they become fatigued. It's not a complete line change, sometimes its one player, two, but I'm not calling for it. I'll get the video for you, I was planning on a montage of dumb AI plays for youtube.

[mikeyflex]

People laugh at me when I say that this game has fixed predetermined plays. This is surely one of them. There is no reason in the world why a forward should be rushing up the ice near the center line when the puck and the player controlling the puck (teammate) is retreating in their own zone with their back to the player.

[AdamJones113]

Quote: Originally Posted by mikeyflex

My settings are always manual for line changes. I suspect the game sends off players to the bench when they become fatigued. It's not a complete line change, sometimes its one player, two, but I'm not calling for it. I'll get the video for you, I was planning on a montage of dumb AI plays for youtube.

Huh. Weird. Guess that makes sense. Looking forward to the vid.

Quote: Originally Posted by mikeyflex

People laugh at me when I say that this game has fixed predetermined plays. This is surely one of them. There is no reason in the world why a forward should be rushing up the ice near the center line when the puck and the player controlling the puck (teammate) is retreating in their own zone with their back to the player.

I don't think it's a "predetermined play", more so a system like this:

The CPU has certain tendencies which are programmed into the game: that's the AI. That AI does the job the brain does, in a limited fashion in some ways (adapting and being creative on the rush, say), but programmed heartily enough to get the game playing as does. Now, of course, the AI has to read everything and make the CPU react to those things. My theory is that the AI reads the play as a collective mass as opposed to different players reading and seeing different things. This makes sense, because CPU players can pass to players whose location they shouldn't know—we've all seen that, it's part of the game. So, the collective mass in your case sense the breakout, and while one player skates backwards, the mass AI knows where/how to pass to the breaking forward.

I've generalized here, but that's my theory. Obviously individual CPU players have their own AI, but I think part of the AI is the collective mass.