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

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Member Comments

# 321 Fiddy @ 08/25/11 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerosene31


	They need to fix terrible glitches with a patch, and tune gameplay with tuners. The problem is they tried to fix a glitch goal with tuners and just gave goalies superhuman abilities. It only helped reduce the glitch and made the game less fun.

the same wrist shots from NHL 11 and prior games, still go in on NHL 12.. i dont know how they stop it, but something needs done after all these years.

maybe somehow have the goalie know when that move is being made on the stick prior to shot and have them stop it a % of the time? i dunno, but its getting old.

maybe have Qb, start a NHL 12 Demo Glitch type thread? so maybe EA can see some of the issues that still exist and maybe get working on fixing it quicker..

# 322 FBeaule04 @ 08/25/11 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerosene31


	They need to fix terrible glitches with a patch, and tune gameplay with tuners. The problem is they tried to fix a glitch goal with tuners and just gave goalies superhuman abilities. It only helped reduce the glitch and made the game less fun.

Patches are the new answers for a lack of work while tuners are the new answers for a lack of testing.

And those two things can't make it for both lazyness and lack of testing when it's the AI programming that's in cause.

If it's inexcusable for a development team working on an adventure game that the characters following you run backward when they try to go into a small gap, it's the same with a defenseman pinning himself while backing up behind the net for no reason.

My main grief with the thrend EA as take over the last few years is that there's people praising them for coming out with tuners and patches while when there wasn't internet and network, they had the same amount of time to get the game out, and they better not have those glaring holes in the game that could kill the title.

That's was the time when testing wasn't a concept, but part of the process!

# 323 FBeaule04 @ 08/25/11 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiddy


	the same wrist shots from NHL 11 and prior games, still go in on NHL 12.. i dont know how they stop it, but something needs done after all these years. maybe somehow have the goalie know when that move is being made on the stick prior to shot and have them stop it a % of the time? i dunno, but its getting old. maybe have Qb, start a NHL 12 Demo Glitch type thread? so maybe EA can see some of the issues that still exist and maybe get working on fixing it quicker..

There's something in the game call "AI Learning". It's suppose to make the AI recognize what you're doing on the ice and if you always do the same, the AI react to it.

Well, it's a nice concept, but I guess it's all it is in the game. Offline and Online, a guy can make the same move 50 times, and if there's a gap in the programming, it's going to get in most of times. NHL 09 to NHL 11 is a premium exemple of that.

Problem for EA, while it's not an excuse, is again the reaction. When Madden came too hard for most casual gamers, EA didn't want to lose money, so they made the game easier and easier so that kids could make 80 yards bomb easy.

In NHL 10, they had it almost perfect while it was tough to score online because goalies we're stopping pucks. Kids start whinning (I can't score 7 goalis in a 15 minutes games (3 x 5), I hate you EA, you s*ck!. EA answer : Don't worry kid, we've got a brand new tuner that decrease the ability of goalies to stop pucks.

Since then, the online part of the game (and offline if your a kid that want wins over realism) as been anything but glitch, money goals and cheating fest.

Maybe, I just say maybe, the casual gamers complain is more relevant than those who ask for a real-game of hockey, even online.

# 324 kt-od @ 08/25/11 12:11 PM

Well, I have bought the EA NHL game every year since 2001. I'm going to pass this year. Although the game play is still good, I still lose interest in the game after about 1 month of playing. I think it's the lack of presentation.

# 325 kerosene31 @ 08/25/11 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FBeaule04


	Patches are the new answers for a lack of work while tuners are the new answers for a lack of testing. And those two things can't make it for both lazyness and lack of testing when it's the AI programming that's in cause. If it's inexcusable for a development team working on an adventure game that the characters following you run backward when they try to go into a small gap, it's the same with a defenseman pinning himself while backing up behind the net for no reason. My main grief with the thrend EA as take over the last few years is that there's people praising them for coming out with tuners and patches while when there wasn't internet and network, they had the same amount of time to get the game out, and they better not have those glaring holes in the game that could kill the title. That's was the time when testing wasn't a concept, but part of the process!

So, their old games worked great and were glitch free?

At least the NHL team tries to do something against this. It seems the community is just bound and determined to find cheese no matter what and exploit it regularly.

The devs could do more to stop the frequent ones, but ultimately this community is going to find a way to break the game no matter what. That's just the sad state of gaming online with sports games today.

# 326 FBeaule04 @ 08/25/11 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerosene31


	So, their old games worked great and were glitch free? At least the NHL team tries to do something against this. It seems the community is just bound and determined to find cheese no matter what and exploit it regularly. The devs could do more to stop the frequent ones, but ultimately this community is going to find a way to break the game no matter what. That's just the sad state of gaming online with sports games today.

Don't put words in my mouth. Didn't say it was perfect then, but at least patches and tuner weren't an excuse in the early days. You had no crutches for a badly developped game back then.

And by the way, I didn't say that patches and tuner weren't welcome, I say they are use as a bonus while testing and working on details still the best way to avoid problems.

# 327 gopher_guy @ 08/25/11 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkharsh33


	Screw the online stuff... Fix this game for OFFLINE players, and those who absorb their time into BAGM. This is what makes me mad... You can't tweak a game for morons, so fix it for those of us who play user vs. cpu and want to play multiple BAGM. They killed last year's game with those stupid tuning updates - it was like the game would play completely different. I've been reading comments on the hands-on NBA 2K12 game, and it appears this upcoming game will be phenomenal - they listened to the community and are willing to make major changes. I wish the NHL team cared as much for their fans - not the online cheesers. And then I come to this forum and read many here giving EA a free pass, and almost pat them on the back for all the mistakes. Look, the fact that we're STILL listening to the same old stale commentary after all these years is an embarrassment... But the "well, they've only got 10 months...blah, blah, blah stuff" gets under my skin. How hard it is to lock a couple guys in a room with a microphone and come up with NEW stuff??? The appeasement I'm reading in this thread is laughable... This is the SAME game we've been playing for a few years now, with a few tuning and patched tweaks, but according to a lot of what I read here that is totally acceptable... I don't agree with that...

I don't think it's necessarily giving EA a "free pass", but we have no idea what went on in the development. Maybe Gary Thorne or Bill Clement couldn't/didn't want to come to the studio for a week or two to record new audio. The point is we don't know.

Maybe they decided puck physics was a very important game play fix. I'm guessing not a lot of us know how long it takes to make a computer puck behave like a real life puck (and, in my opinion, it DOES behave like a real life puck, and it has enhanced game play a lot for me). Who knows, maybe it took 4 months to perfect that! I know I have no idea how long that would take. So maybe my ignorance in this area is why I don't have a knife to EA's neck like some do.

I am not giving them a free pass, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.

And just to avoid being labeled as a fanboy I will post a couple of my grievances:

Some things though, are testing my patience, like presentation. Presentation/commentary needs to be changed next year.

And also, how hard is it to have one of the devs appease us hardcore gamers and come on to these forums and make some posts describing why some things haven't been fixed yet? That would be refreshing to see.

# 328 jonapaloma @ 08/25/11 01:06 PM

Cant someone just upload it here? Sure it can have something to do with that it is illegal but isnt it the same thing as sharing the tuner sets or rosters in the forum?

I have xbox

# 329 DStars15 @ 08/25/11 01:09 PM

Alright so I've probably played a total of 10 periods of hockey on the demo since I downloaded it Tuesday morning. Overall, I am impressed with the realism in the game and can judge solely on the demo that this will be a very good installment in the NHL series. Here are some notes I made.

-I'm happy with the goalies. The goalies look much more "live" than in previous years. I'm not a huge fan of the whole contact with the goalies so I'm not talking about that. The goalies can now just deflect a shot or get a little piece of the puck which I think was nearly nonexistent in previous games.

-The wrist shot, slap shot, snap shot are much more realistic now. The release points and physics of the shot are visually more pleasing to the eye. The shooting appears to be a little less accurate than in NHL 11 which IMO is a good thing.

-Sounds make a huge difference. The sounds of the crowd, the hits, players releasing shots, saves all sound 100 percent better. When I let go of a shot from the slot and it hits the post, it truly sounds like a puck just rang off the iron in real life.

-The physics seem pretty good. It's not exactly perfect but this is a process in incorporating a complete physics system. You feel the physical advantage of a player like Chara or Bieksa and you also feel the disadvantage of trying to level a bigger, stronger player when using a smaller, non physical player. Some of the bumps are a little awkward but for the most part, I'm happy with what I see.

I want to note the players' strides. Skating looks much smoother this year and once again, more realistic.

I am actually looking forward to Be A GM this year as the AI is ACTUALLY drastically better. FINALLY.

Overall, I might have overused the word realistic, however, this is the most authentic hockey I have ever played on a console. On another note, I don't fully understand how people can completely praise or bash a game based on demo. We have people on these boards completely ripping the NHL series after playing a period of hockey on a demo. Relax. This game will/can NEVER be perfect but as far as I'm concerned this is quite an improvement to NHL 11.

# 330 MizzouRah @ 08/25/11 01:16 PM

I've been playing on AS and I have to say, Rammer and EA have done one hell of a job. If you can't notice all the tweaks they have made to gameplay, I'm not sure what to tell you.

The game really feels like a complete hockey game now to me. There is just so much to love about this demo. I can't believe AS is finally a real experience for me, used to be Pro was too easy and AS too hard (as far as scoring goes) - but now I'm finding new ways to get that goal - and I've seen TONS of new goals this year.

The replays are jerky.. I'm hoping that's a demo thing and it's my only gripe.

I LOVE the new gametracker, love how the announcer now sounds like a real home announcer when he announces the who scored!

The crowd seems a bit more amped up.

To me, it seems like they really tweaked and reworked many things, especially the AI. When I play with the lead, I'm holding on for dear life, when the other team has a lead they are trying to protect, especially late in the game, they do whatever is necessary to get the puck out of their zone and regroup.

Damn I'm impressed!!!

Oh.. and goals are now believeable from myself and the CPU.

# 331 gopher_guy @ 08/25/11 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MizzouRah


	The replays are jerky.. I'm hoping that's a demo thing and it's my only gripe.

Yep. I noticed that too.

# 332 Stormyhog @ 08/25/11 01:55 PM

I would like to see fights breakout more realistically during play like when you hit someone during play. Right now the human player can only initiate a fight with the cpu by spamming the button so if you don't initiate the fight none will happen. I like in 2k's hockey where if you hit the cpu enforcer a fight could happen if you agreed to it or he could come and hit you and try to start it. I know fighting is a lesser part of the game now but the way it's done is just not realistic. Plus the post whistle hitting and shoving has become really old and looks silly and I usually just avoid it as it just wastes time in my opinion.

# 333 Qb @ 08/25/11 03:04 PM

After playing some more last night and then watching a good chunk of a replayed VAN/NASH playoff game on NHL Network, I really feel the rebounds are off in some scenarios. Sure, there are times when a puck will rebound a great distance, but often that's due to an awkward save or simply intentional by the goalie. Think kicking a low shot out away from traffic or directing a puck to corner with the blocker.

What really struck me as I watched the real game, granted it was Luongo & Rinne, was how few rebounds there are. Almost anything that hits the goalie above the leg pads simply gets swallowed up by the all the padding. Even very low shots -- they have to be quite low to even hit the pads with the proliferation of the butterly & hybrid techniques -- seem to die more often than not when hitting the pads, unless they're from a sharp angle.

When I play the demo, it seems the puck loses little if any force/speed when it hits the goalie. I just don't see this as right... goalies are pratically big soft padded pillows that swallow up pucks and due to better technique & equipment, are much more capable of handling ones they don't.

I like the new puck physics with partial deflections and all that comes with it, but for me, the puck has to lose more speed when the goalie gets a piece of it. Thoughts?

Quote:

Originally Posted by SGMRock


	I think they should almost have seperate online and offline tuners because of the differences between the two. That way they could totally seperation the tuning of them from eachother, one not messing up the others gameplay.

I don't think it's been confirmed, but one of the menu screenshots showed something that looked like separate online/offline tuners. I agree this could be a big help, as things that get exploited online sometimes work as intended offline... like when they nerfed puck protect last year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiddy


	maybe have Qb, start a NHL 12 Demo Glitch type thread? so maybe EA can see some of the issues that still exist and maybe get working on fixing it quicker..

We can have one. The only issue I see is the inability to capture/post replays -- aside from the few who have external devices -- which I think would almost be necessary for some of the stuff you're talking about.

# 334 Money99 @ 08/25/11 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kt-od


	Well, I have bought the EA NHL game every year since 2001. I'm going to pass this year. Although the game play is still good, I still lose interest in the game after about 1 month of playing. I think it's the lack of presentation.

A very valid complaint.

I don't want to pile on this series, but with an immersive presentation package, the gamer can be sucked into the world to the point they don't want to leave.
But seeing the same 5 canned cut-scenes over and over again, it can hurt the experience.

I'd love for EA to introduce a weekly show highlighting scores and goals from around the league.
Adding out of town highlights would go a long way as well.

I haven't played NHL12 yet, but based on the previous versions, the NHL series still suffers from a disconnect during Franchise modes.
You simply don't feel you're apart of a larger world.

Imagine if you had a really good rookie and late in the year, after scoring your 25th goal, the commentators noted what a great year you're having but "Edmonton's young star scored his 31st last night in Phoenix to make him a favorite for the Calder Trophy".

I could go on and on about this subject, but in the end, you can make all the gameplay advancements you want. If it's still in the same shallow cup, people will turn away thinking they got the same girl, but with a touch more lipstick.
Give her a new dress, funky hairstyle and high-heels!

# 335 Blzer @ 08/25/11 03:07 PM

I've always had problems with rebounds in this game. I believe it's where the NHL gets most of its goals, if I'm not mistaken. There don't seem to be enough deflections, and instead there is a whole lot of suction going on from the goalies.

I always forget if there is a slider for this... ?

# 336 Skerik @ 08/25/11 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qb


	After playing some more last night and then watching a good chunk of a replayed VAN/NASH playoff game on NHL Network, I really feel the rebounds are off in some scenarios. Sure, there are times when a puck will rebound a great distance, but often that's due to an awkward save or simply intentional by the goalie. Think kicking a low shot out away from traffic or directing a puck to corner with the blocker. What really struck me as I watched the real game, granted it was Luongo & Rinne, was how few rebounds there are. Almost anything that hits the goalie above the leg pads simply gets swallowed up by the all the padding. Even very low shots -- they have to be quite low to even hit the pads with the proliferation of the butterly & hybrid techniques -- seem to die more often than not when hitting the pads, unless they're from a sharp angle. When I play the demo, it seems the puck loses little if any force/speed when it hits the goalie. I just don't see this as right... goalies are pratically big soft padded pillows that swallow up pucks and due to better technique & equipment, are much more capable of handling ones they don't. I like the new puck physics with partial deflections and all that comes with it, but for me, the puck has to lose more speed when the goalie gets a piece of it. Thoughts?

I think this is in direct response to the technique that a lot of teams employ in EASHL, which is to throw a harmless little wrist shot on the net from the point, which is stopped by the goalie's pad and kicked directly out onto the crashing forward's stick on the other side of the net for an easy goal. I agree that there are very few rebounds in general, but the ones I've seen that have exhibited the behavior you're describing have all been directed into the corners and not out into the slot.

I'd like to see more rebounds come off the goalie and land loose at his feet, but in comparison to last year's game where there were way too many springy rebounds generated by very weak shots at a goalie's pads, I'm happy if this is the solution.

# 337 kerosene31 @ 08/25/11 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealmK


	I feel the same way, I was up til 3am this morning just saying over and over one more period, one more period. I love the puck physics and AI improvements, that my CPU team mates now actively get in passing lanes and the contact in the front of the net make point shots deadly. The game feels like hockey to me. Less scripted, any shot can go in and I don't feel as though it's just a rehash by any means. Obviously peoples MMV but if the sim engine works out like they say it will, I'll be very happy with this year's game offline. I actually really also like the hitting as well. if you catch a guy mid shot or pass, he's going to go down more than likely. Or really line him up on the boards and crush him, at times your skater dropping to a knee or stumbling from momentum. There's alot of subtle things that really improve the game for me, the bench reactions to what's going on. Lively puck bounces off the boards that come back out in front. That dump and chase is viable now that the puck has very little magnetism. Maybe I'm easier to please with this series due to that I've enjoyed it every year since 07, but for people to say this is 09.3 or what not, and doesn't play a much better game on the ice, well I'm sorry I just don't agree.

I'm totally with you.

Those physics changes and other things are what will keep the game interesting over the next many months.

I get why others don't like it though. People want different things out of the game.

That said, I think that since 07 this is the smallest jump in improvements.

# 338 MizzouRah @ 08/25/11 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealmK


	I feel the same way, I was up til 3am this morning just saying over and over one more period, one more period. I love the puck physics and AI improvements, that my CPU team mates now actively get in passing lanes and the contact in the front of the net make point shots deadly. The game feels like hockey to me. Less scripted, any shot can go in and I don't feel as though it's just a rehash by any means. Obviously peoples MMV but if the sim engine works out like they say it will, I'll be very happy with this year's game offline. I actually really also like the hitting as well. if you catch a guy mid shot or pass, he's going to go down more than likely. Or really line him up on the boards and crush him, at times your skater dropping to a knee or stumbling from momentum. There's alot of subtle things that really improve the game for me, the bench reactions to what's going on. Lively puck bounces off the boards that come back out in front. That dump and chase is viable now that the puck has very little magnetism. Maybe I'm easier to please with this series due to that I've enjoyed it every year since 07, but for people to say this is 09.3 or what not, and doesn't play a much better game on the ice, well I'm sorry I just don't agree.

Forgot to mention puck physics.. much more realistic. The game just has that, "anything can happen" feel to it and I love that. I'm even seeing some different goalie animations.

The AI IS much improved and the great thing for me is, this is only the demo. I don't get too excited about any game from the demo, but I can't wait to get my Blues on the ice for a full game.

# 339 DJ @ 08/25/11 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkharsh33


	Screw the online stuff... Fix this game for OFFLINE players, and those who absorb their time into BAGM. This is what makes me mad... You can't tweak a game for morons, so fix it for those of us who play user vs. cpu and want to play multiple BAGM. They killed last year's game with those stupid tuning updates - it was like the game would play completely different. I've been reading comments on the hands-on NBA 2K12 game, and it appears this upcoming game will be phenomenal - they listened to the community and are willing to make major changes. I wish the NHL team cared as much for their fans - not the online cheesers. And then I come to this forum and read many here giving EA a free pass, and almost pat them on the back for all the mistakes. Look, the fact that we're STILL listening to the same old stale commentary after all these years is an embarrassment... But the "well, they've only got 10 months...blah, blah, blah stuff" gets under my skin. How hard it is to lock a couple guys in a room with a microphone and come up with NEW stuff??? The appeasement I'm reading in this thread is laughable... This is the SAME game we've been playing for a few years now, with a few tuning and patched tweaks, but according to a lot of what I read here that is totally acceptable... I don't agree with that...

I'm glad you posted this, Mike, as it's been on my mind the past few days but I haven't had the time to get on the boards to post it.

The demo just isn't grabbing me, and with minimal to no changes to Be A GM, I don't see myself playing this game for very long, especially once NBA 2K12 drops. EA, if you want to include Legends into your game, take some notes from 2K on how to do it properly.

I may look to pick this up around the holidays when it goes on sale, but I can't justify spending $60 on a game that I've played over and over again. When EA decides to update the commentary and presentation, not to mention give us a lot more options in Be A GM (mid-game saves, customizable season length, etc.), I will gladly drop $60 for that game.

# 340 Money99 @ 08/25/11 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ


	I'm glad you posted this, Mike, as it's been on my mind the past few days but I haven't had the time to get on the boards to post it. The demo just isn't grabbing me, and with minimal to no changes to Be A GM, I don't see myself playing this game for very long, especially once NBA 2K12 drops. EA, if you want to include Legends into your game, take some notes from 2K on how to do it properly. I may look to pick this up around the holidays when it goes on sale, but I can't justify spending $60 on a game that I've played over and over again. When EA decides to update the commentary and presentation, not to mention give us a lot more options in Be A GM (mid-game saves, customizable season length, etc.), I will gladly drop $60 for that game.

This is what I'm worried about as well. I love the new stat tracker.
But the longevity of this game will center around Be A GM and Be A Pro.
If neither has made that many strides, I don't know if I'll make it past Christmas with this game.

The gameplay is certainly improved, but since I'm a big offline gamer, I hope those modes can keep me interested throughout the season.

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