NHL 12 News Post

NHL 12 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

06:52 AM - August 23, 2011 by Steve_OS

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NHL 12 demo is available now, please play a few games and post your impressions here. The demo weighs in at 1.34 GB. Available now for 360, later this afternoon for PS3.

UPDATE: PS3 demo is available now.

What's included in the demo? Check out the NHL 12 demo announcement blog.

Game: NHL 12Reader Score: 7.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 26 - View All

NHL 12 Videos

Member Comments

# 201 SinisterAlex @ 08/24/11 02:45 AM

Finally broke the glass... or should I say my A.I team mates did, I watched the replay, my guy literally tapped him and the glass shattered lol.

Also, as someone else mentioned a few pages ago, I like the way the puck hits the mesh on the net and the way it falls down after hitting the mesh.

I have yet to touch Be a Pro but I managed to capture all 4 games of the HUT Tournament on my computer so I'll be uploading the full four games to my Youtube channel in the next few days.

# 202 SubZero1539 @ 08/24/11 03:12 AM

First game I played, I experienced a glitch. I got scored on to make it 1-0 and was watching the replay. As soon as I saw the puck go in the net I hit X to skip to the faceoff. Except the scoreboard now read 2-0! NOT happy about that. Anyone else have that happen to them?

I'm looking at the end game screen right now. I can't find any info on the second goal, yet the scoreboard at the top still says 2-0.

EDIT #2: OK, WTF? I started a new game and it had ME up 2-0 to begin the game!

# 203 LuGer33 @ 08/24/11 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SubZero1539


	First game I played, I experienced a glitch. I got scored on to make it 1-0 and was watching the replay. As soon as I saw the puck go in the net I hit X to skip to the faceoff. Except the scoreboard now read 2-0! NOT happy about that. Anyone else have that happen to them? I'm looking at the end game screen right now. I can't find any info on the second goal, yet the scoreboard at the top still says 2-0. EDIT #2: OK, WTF? I started a new game and it had ME up 2-0 to begin the game!

You're starting in the third period, sir. The score can be anything. I started a game up 7-0 as Vancouver, lol.

# 204 SubZero1539 @ 08/24/11 03:31 AM

Well I feel stupid now. I think you should get some sort of a warning that the score will be anything. Regardless, I'd prefer if each game started 0-0.

Random thought: The players look cartoony.

# 205 Vikes1 @ 08/24/11 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopher_guy


	Is anybody else experiencing this? Every game I've played (5, all playing as Boston), Chara has been a dominating force. He clobbers anyone in sight, I don't think I've seen him get checked to the ground yet.

That I noticed Gopher....playing with the Bruins, I did see someone [not sure who] absolutely wasted Chara. Only happen once that I saw, after playing lots of periods. I can certainly deal with that.

# 206 mkharsh33 @ 08/24/11 03:48 AM

played about 10 periods - all-star and hard core. scored one goal total...but that's beside the point.

it has some good to it, no doubt. but i hate to say this, it just feels like the same game repackaged with a few tweaks.

sorry, but the commentary needs a complete overhaul. also, has anyone noticed the LACK of enthusiasm when a goal is scored?? No "jump out of your seat" type of excitement.

i love hockey, so i'll probably end up buying this game because i'm a sucker for sports games. but i expected to be more overwhelmed, and with the disconnectedness of the commentary (and same old stuff) it just doesn't feel all that fun...

kinda like what NHL 11 would have felt like with another patch and tuner...

# 207 tabulaRasa @ 08/24/11 04:12 AM

Pros
Like the subtle animations, seems to be alot more transition animations.
Like the checks, half hits and stumble hits and boardhits were both players fall etc

14 slots in player development in HUT, good but is it for more DLC money?
More detailed arenas.
Shots feel more powerful.
Finding goalie holes are easier up close.
Bigger difference between player sizes
Like the audio updates

Cons

WHy is skating on the ice stilll like walking on concrete in NHL12?
Still easy to collapse net cheese, meatwalling
Cheesegoals are still here
HUT cards are WAY more cluttered and ugly. Okay I guess, but the old ones were much easier to read on.

STIll buy it...

# 208 tabulaRasa @ 08/24/11 04:16 AM

Oh AI still feels a bit stupid covering non puck carrying players.

# 209 bwiggy33 @ 08/24/11 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkharsh33


	played about 10 periods - all-star and hard core. scored one goal total...but that's beside the point. it has some good to it, no doubt. but i hate to say this, it just feels like the same game repackaged with a few tweaks. sorry, but the commentary needs a complete overhaul. also, has anyone noticed the LACK of enthusiasm when a goal is scored?? No "jump out of your seat" type of excitement. i love hockey, so i'll probably end up buying this game because i'm a sucker for sports games. but i expected to be more overwhelmed, and with the disconnectedness of the commentary (and same old stuff) it just doesn't feel all that fun... kinda like what NHL 11 would have felt like with another patch and tuner...

See this is kind of how I feel as well. There are no question improvements that they made, but nothing huge. The top two things that needed to be fixed with the AI were entering the zone on offense too easily and rushing the puck up the ice with any player from end to end. After playing the demo neither one of those has been fixed. It just sucks that if I'm going in on a 1 on 4 I can enter the zone with ease. In that situation I should be forced to dump the puck in because the opposition should smother me at the blue line to create a turnover and transition to offense. In fact in that situation the CPU would probably have an odd man rush. Well I never need to dump it in. Instead I can just enter the zone and skate around until my teammates join me in the zone. It's just stupid. As for players going end to end, it can basically be done anytime and with anyone. You don't even have to pass the puck up the ice in order to get out of the zone. These two things just really bring this game down for me. If I didn't notice these two things I would love the game, but to me every game just feels the same because of it. No team plays any differently.

I'm really hoping that tuners or a patch could fix that department of the AI. If that happened this game could be really good this year. I will say that the AI in 12 looks much better despite these two issues. I love how they actually shoot the puck now. In fact they almost shoot too much, which is a good thing.

# 210 tabulaRasa @ 08/24/11 04:26 AM

BTW, has anyone tried out if the interference calls are better in NHL12? I felt they were not called as they should in NHL11, were obvious interference calls werent called by the refs.

# 211 Vikes1 @ 08/24/11 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ


	However, it is still way to easy to gain the blue line; you can go coast-to-coast with my most guys. The CPU intercepts anything close and the passing on both sides is still far too clean. With no changes to Be A GM, outside of the sim engine, I have a feeling this game could get stale quickly for the offline crowd, as it won't feel much different than NHL 08-11 in terms of immersion into a career mode. Teams still play similar styles, and the above-stated issues with commentary and presentation really are starting to hurt this game, IMO.

Solid post as always, Dan.

The things you mention here, Dan...are pretty hard to argue with. Yep, still too easy to go coast to coast. That's a fairly big disappointment to me too. Superstar [hardcore] may help with this, but that's simply beyond my skill level. For me at least...looks like another year of just having to deal with the coast to coast stuff....again. Not enough to spoil the game for me. But certainly imo...not very life-like.

Yep, I was also hoping for a bit more updates to BEAGM. Because as is...it just kinda feels like your playing in a vacuum with your team.

The commentary and in-game presentation is imo too, due for a overhaul. Personally now...I am a bit impressed with how the commentary seems to flow pretty well in the demo, without too much dead air. And the crowd reactions seemed to be quite good, imo. But I do agree, Dan...overall, the whole package is certainly showing it's age.

The more I've played the demo, the more I'm digging the subtle gameplay upgrades. So that's keeping my anticipation level pretty high for 9-13. But again, I sure do understand your concerns. And agree with ya.

# 212 Vikes1 @ 08/24/11 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwiggy33


	The top two things that needed to be fixed with the AI were entering the zone on offense too easily and rushing the puck up the ice with any player from end to end. After playing the demo neither one of those has been fixed.

This.

Yep Bwiggy...this is a disappointment. What I'm kinda thinking is...by choosing to play on "Hardcore", on the games two highest playing levels...the coast to coast stuff should be really toned down, imo. It'd be fantastic if EA Canada, patched/tuner this in. Because to me...the coast to coast thing, especially with anyone...really hurts the realism of the game.

# 213 mazinkaiser @ 08/24/11 05:53 AM

The only reason why it's easier to enter your own zone this year is because your own cpu teammates no longer get in your way.

It's also too easy to shoot from an angle up close then get a garbage goal off the rebound. Pucks are bouncing off the goalie's pads too far imho.

# 214 plaidchuck @ 08/24/11 08:07 AM

Thanks for the vids and impressions everyone. Though I haven't played the demo (ps3 just got the YLOD), from what I've seen this definitely won't be a purchase until after December. IMO they are completely 360ing and completely catering to the casual gamers or those who aren't very familiar with hockey.

The fact that they add mode after mode every year and can't be bothered with "meat and potatoes" fixes/addons like adjustable season length, more built in strategies, better AI/goalies is just getting old.

Specifically, these are the things that stick out to me from the videos:

- The D is still too passive, and the human player can go coast-to-coast with little trouble.

- While the players skating and speed seem to have been tweaked, the CPU still skips around like little gnats/waterbugs, very unrealistic.

- IMO the hitting engine is going no where. It seems to be nothing more than a "random hit generator". That was okay for NHL 11, but I was expecting much more this year. Whether sliders and attributes will affect this remains to be seen.

- Goalies still do not react properly to rebounds.

# 215 Splitter77 @ 08/24/11 08:08 AM

i really wish ea would put in a slider that would immediate blow the whistle when a goalie covers the puck or makes a glove save.

I mean like save. whistle. right away.

Not only would it stop myself and the CPU from playing the puck with a goalie and give up a goal. But it would also be more realistic as well.

# 216 Splitter77 @ 08/24/11 08:11 AM

like the sound during replays.
Reminds me of the nhl hitz pro replays.

# 217 Bosborne @ 08/24/11 08:11 AM

ive been looking for a good forum site to join, so hopefully this site is

cons:
cpu players can pin you forever, but your only able to pin them for a couple of seconds and then it seems like they push off the boards and can skate away from you

when you tie the centre up in a faceoff your team doesnt move to get the puck,

the hitting after the whistle looks awful, you nudge a guy and you fall over sometimes or you do some like 1 footed almost fall over animation,

i know its the demo but it be nice to have a coach task all the time, and not sure if this happens or not but my task was to "get shots on net to even the shots out" but i feel if my scoring chance was better the bar should fill up better, i would take backhands from the blue line and it would count towards the task, i know the task was shots and not scoring chances but if i was a coach and i saw backhands from the blueline i wouldnt consider that a job well done, and also it said go out there and "make something happen", i got a assist off a one timer goal and it filled the bar like half....? that seems to be making something happen should of been full,

and i know its the demo and stuff, but it would of been cool to play 3-7 games of bap (even if it was all 3rd periods) that way we had a chance to earn our icetime for the coach, 1 game i played i got off the ice at maybe around 10 minutes left, and never got back on....

pros:

i havent been able to score five hole yet, but ive noticed that goalies arent in the butterfly the moment you release your shot, it takes them a few split seconds to get down,

being a playmaker ( which is what i do) is actually do-able this year without doing the same play over and over, going to be alot of fun setting my friends up espically when they can do those shovel goals ive been seeing

im a bit iffy on losing speed when deking, i understand why they did it and ill probaly enjoy it watching kids try it online and slowing down all the time, but offline id like to not lose speed, espically as st.louis or stamkos.

didnt really play with sound, girlfriend was over and fell asleep while i played the demo lol, so ill try that tonight,

i also noticed that your bap was 76 overall, not sure if thats your bap starting overall or if the bap they made you play as was amped up abit,

# 218 JezFranco @ 08/24/11 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopher_guy


	Not necessarily a "turbo" button, but I think they call it the "hustle button" While you're skating with the left stick, you push it in (as if it were a button), to make your player "hustle". He skates slightly faster with the left stick held in.

No, no, nooo...

Don't hold it in. You only click it...
Click once for small effect, twice for second gear and three times for full effect racing engine.
And as soon as you let go of teh stick, your guy is back to "normal".

It's quite subtle though, far from something like a turbo boost, but really does the difference in the proper situations.

# 219 Therion7 @ 08/24/11 09:28 AM

Pros:

-I liked being able to quickly pause the game and hit a trigger to see where my shots were getting placed on net*
-The slight shadows cast by the net in-game.
-Sound during replay.
-Goalies looked livelier, covering the crease a little quicker, hugging the post etc.
-Teammates seemed a bit more adept at finding space, making a nuisance in front of the crease and scored a couple of nice deflections.
-Less dekeing.
-I think I like the new skating anims. Occasionally, it takes on an otherworldly quality, but overall it seems a bit more fluid.
-Audio sounds a bit more like a real hockey game. It's less meatier but definitely more authentic.
-Occasionaly when you try to block a shot, the skater will go down to one knee rather than a full dive. Looked cool.

Cons.
*When I rattled a scoring snapshot off the post and in for a goal, the mark on the net tracker wasn't where it should have been. It appeared near the middle of the net graphic rather than the side.
-Absolutely hated the cut to the crowd when scoring a goal. It's just a reminder of how outdated these guys look. Yes, EA are limited by poly counts and framerate but spare us the closeups on them.
-Replays looked choppy on 360.
-I'm tired of Bill Clement. Nothing personal against the guy but enough is enough.
-Wrist shots seemed a bit nerfed in comparison to AI. Goalie looked unbeatable despite decent placement, but mine was scored on by one. Should be fixed by a slider change hopefully but the thing I liked about 11 over 10 was clean goals without tinkering.
- Occasionally, my dump puck looked much more like a saucer pass such was the lack of height.
-Presentation has not received an overhaul. It's slightly less scratchier, that's about it. As soon as I saw the no. 2 goalie leaning back on the bench with his arms outstretched, I sighed. I bet the three stars anims will be the same.
- Curve shot works.
- Goals I gave up were rebound, short-stuff crap mostly. Stick your glove over the puck, Luongo!
-Beady Eye? Custom soundtracks for the win here.

I'll be getting the game. Was there was enough in the demo alone to warrant a purchase? Being honest, as an offline guy...no.

I'm signing up for another year because of the promise of a better sim engine and authenticity-wise, there are a lot of new jerseys this year, some new European arenas have been added, EA have "sort of" fixed some glaring presentation issues around center ice and last but not least, I want the Winnipeg Jets in my virtual NHL. I'm pretty anal about that kind of stuff.

I'm a little bit down on the 360 demo as a whole but I'll give it a shot on the PS3 as that is my preferred NHL platform. The gameplay was promising enough and I'm confident it will be much better once that outrageous speed is scaled back and I can tweak my shot accuracy and power up one notch.

# 220 FBeaule04 @ 08/24/11 09:54 AM

Played more games last night and have to say that overall, I like the game more than at any time in NHL 11, especially playing locked as the goalie.

There's a bit of disappointment on the presentation side I have to say. What's the point of showing the the crowd after a goal if it's only to show 2-3 idiots going forward, backward, forward with their upper body? After that, you see the goalie skating up-close and then boom, back to replay.

Just giving a 5 guys together congratulating each other after a goal would be just perfect, you don't need to push it up to the moon to get a celebrations that's just fine. Even Blade of Steel on the Nintendo had figure it out with one guy pumping fist in the middle with the other 4 guys tapping the ice with their stick.

On a real positive note, I have to say that the AI D is finally playing almost the way it should when you play locked as the G. No more funny pinning and skating backward until getting pressure. I don't know if it's the case, but seems like Johnny Boychuk has the "pinching type" trait since he's pretty agressive on forwards leaving the zone. Chara is a monster while Kaberle was my most painful D to watch in front of the net.

Also seems like the CPU is shooting more. On 5 minutes period, I had an average of 7 shots. CPU is passing the puck well in the offensive zone. Playing the Sedin as a goalie wasn't easy at all, while Burrows net presence was a pain in the a..!

So far so good. I guess I will have the exact state of the game when we see online play with experts exploiting all weakness of the AI and showing us how bad the game can be when those experts are playing it.

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