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

# 61 Al_Tito13 @ 08/23/11 12:26 PM

Comments based on playing the demo on All-Star / Hardcore.

Things I like about the NHL 12 Demo:
- Pretty good game pace on Hardcore. A bit slower than last year which is good to have a more realistic gameplay. Please don't fast it up because of some whiners, in fact it could still be slowed a bit.
- More pressure on the puck carrier.
- Better positioning of the AI skaters.
- More shooting from the CPU.
- Improved skating engine.
- Slower deking, finally.
- Better puck physics.
- More realistic shooting and shot power.
- Loose-puck slap shot.
- Better passing.
- Better hitting in general, even if big hits sometimes look weird.
- Small collisions are better than last year and have more effect on the puck carrier, even if it could still be improved.
- Less skilled players seem to loose the puck sometimes when deking which is good, but wish it would happen much more.
- Goalie interaction.
- Battles in front of the net.
- Better graphics.

Things I think can be improved:
- I was hoping for even more loose pucks, less tape to tape passes and a sloppier gameplay, especially on hardcore, with more difficult puck control and looser puck on stick when moving around with it or deking.
- Have a more defensive-minded game, especially on Hardcore. More realism, more strategy and less up and down, back and forth hockey. It's better, but there's still work to do.
- Interference is not called enough when hitting other players and goalies.
- Hip checks are too effective.
- I saw some weird goals going in where goalies were pretty bad, it also happens in real life, just hope it doesn't happen too often in the game. Hope goalies are improved on covering short-side post and wraps.
- When playing 4 on 4 in overtime, we need to have the center on the ice to take the faceoff, but like in NHL 11 we most often have two wingers on the ice, which is pretty frustrating in those crucial moments.
- I really don't like to have sound on slow motion replays, not a good idea and not true to real broadcast presentation.
- Sticks still pass through things (legs, skates, other sticks, puck).
- Bigger difference between players ratings, fourth line players have 80+ overalls, which should really not be the case.
- Higher effect of the attributes.

General notes about the game / short additional comments:
The game feels a lot better than NHL 11. Like every year, it's a good step in the right direction to a more realistic hockey game. Please EA, don't listen to whiners. There are going to be people crying about the speed as being too slow or anything else to get a more arcade-ish game, but please keep your good work alive and don't change it all with tuners. For every person who whines, there are like 10 people who couldn't be happier and they don't come here to whine because they are actually having fun playing the game. Good job EA, keep it up!

# 62 Money99 @ 08/23/11 12:28 PM

This is the scoring celebration camera angle I want back; from the crowds perspective.
It was in NHL2004 and hasn't been seen since.

This is what they need to show after the player initially celebrates with teammates.
Go to multiple angles of the crowd, then show the players doing the train-high-five routine, then the replay.

# 63 gopher_guy @ 08/23/11 12:50 PM

one timers look so much nicer!! At least the one I just scored did. I made a quick pass through the crease after circling around the net, and the guy receiving the pass just kind of had his stick on the ice and "guided it" into the net, rather than actually shooting it. Bounced off Luongo's pad and in. Agreed with what others have said. Puck physics are fantastic in this game.

Not crazy about having sound in the replays though, I like to think it's a television broadcast, so a little unrealistic to have the sound in the replay, but that's minor.

I like the net battles in front, kind of cool to not even be able to see the goalie at some points because there's like 3 guys fighting for position in front of him.

I assume checking the goalie will be a penalty in the retail version. After a whistle I took a run at Luongo, knocked him over and his helmet flew off. That's obviously a penalty, and hopefully players protect their goalies in the retail version. If that happens in real life that guy is getting beat the f*** up in less than 3 seconds.

Another thing that's cool to see is the goalie steering shots aside. I don't think it really ever happened in 11, but in the 2 periods I've played I would say I saw it 5 or 6 times. Where the puck clearly makes contact with the goalie, and he sends it to the corner with his pad or blocker.

Very happy with the demo though. Only played a couple games but I enjoy it!!

# 64 Qb @ 08/23/11 12:54 PM

Thanks to those getting their impressions up. I only had time to play two quick games -- not even the equivalent of one period on my usual settings -- so I can't offer too much insight. I played on All-Star/Hardcore, although it didn't seem to change the settings when I changed game styles.

My first impression was, "wow, the game seems a lot more active." Players simply moved around a lot more, which I assume is what they meant by the anticipation AI reading the play as it develops rather than reacting as or after it happens. I particularly like seeing players take away passing lanes through the neutral zone, providing more support on the puck carrier, and more or less being aggressive in general.

I'm disappointed the skating still features some awkward transitions when changing directions. But, I was happy to see some of the new animations for hustling and tired players. That was something we really tried to drive home during the community event last year, but it was too late for NHL11.

Looking forward to more games tonight to get a better feel for some of the additions I didn't notice in such a brief session... net battles, puck physics (loose slappers is quite the change, eh?), live goalies (I had a hard time making contact?), and whatever else I find.

Quote:

Originally Posted by theglory


	A very small thing, but I dislike the sound the game makes when you manually change a line.

Yeah, at first I didn't know what the noise was and it was bugging me. I hope that has an on/off option... don't see the point to be honest.

# 65 Fiddy @ 08/23/11 01:01 PM

from the looks of it, you cant run into your own goalie and knock him down. which i guess is a good thing!!

also, on delayed penalties, the goalie cant be touched at all.. i took a slash, then just wanted to run Thomas to see a goalie reaction, it made me zip by him like he had a wall around him again. maybe they did this so he can get to the bench and the team can get the extra attacker on the ice? so people dont take advantage of that situation.. if so, good job ea!!

# 66 bwiggy33 @ 08/23/11 01:07 PM

I will say that the game definitely feels better than 11. The puck physics are way better. Shooting finally feels better and the fact that pucks go off of the goalie and hit the glass is a breath of fresh air. I was sick and tired of seeing goalies either smother everything, have the puck rebound in front of them, or seeing the puck fly high in the sky only to drop behind them and into the net. Another great thing is on breakaways. Once a player starts dekeing their speed drops a ton. This will prevent the same deke going in every time. I think it's a great addition to the game.

One thing that still needs improvement is hitting. I have played 10 games so far and have seen numerous unrealistic hits. No player should go flying on a hit where neither player has any momentum. I had a play in the neutral zone where I tapped a Vancouver player from behind and he went flying. I barely even nudged him.

Although this game feels better than 11 I still think the gameplay will become stale after a while. The only way it won't is if each team plays differently, and you actually have to adjust your gameplay in order to beat the opposing team. That will not be known until the final version of the game comes out. I still truly believe that until the EA developers realize that the skill stick and non real life movements by the goaltenders are bad in their game, this game will never reach it's full potential. I pray these two things can be changed next year.

Also another thing that needs to be done is cyberfaces. I understand it takes a lot of work but there really is no excuse. MLB The Show has way more guys that they have to develop and even the crappiest of players have ridiculously great looking faces. I just don't understand how the developers can't at least provide 100 or so new faces per year. Otherwise at least allow us to edit the players faces so we can make them look moderately like their real life counterpart. I don't want to see Pierre Marc Bouchard with black hair. The man is bald.

Overall this game is still solid. I don't think it will ever not be a solid game, but for a hardcore hockey fan like myself I want to see more done to this game.

# 67 goosedennis @ 08/23/11 01:10 PM

Two more things:

I like how the benches are active this year. Not only with checks having the possibility of going into the bench, but players react to pucks going into the bench area and hits as well.

However, I want realistic breakouts. I don't want three guys chasing me behind the net and then nobody on my team is in a set position, but floating all throughout the ice.

# 68 goosedennis @ 08/23/11 01:20 PM

Two pretty imporant hings just happened IMO.

First, I took a run at Hamuis with Lucic, and Hamuis ended up on his *** but Lucic lost his stick

Second, I loved the sloppy work on the gwg with 3 seconds left:

I had a 3-on-2 pretty deep into the zone, at the top of the slot. I figured I had no shot trying to score with Seguin, so I tried passing it over to Savard, but he couldn't corral the puck and it went over to Krejci who deked LOLuongo out of his jock strap and scored on the backhand

# 69 savoie2006 @ 08/23/11 01:21 PM

Quote:


	from the looks of it, you cant run into your own goalie and knock him down. which i guess is a good thing!!

I would you be able to. That way it would be more realsitic if you got knocked into your own goalie during a front of the net battle. It happens in the NHL where a defender will accidently bump his own goalie, it should happen in the game.

# 70 goosedennis @ 08/23/11 01:22 PM

Though I am still trying to figure out why I had three centres on the ice at the same time

# 71 gopher_guy @ 08/23/11 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoie2006


	I would you be able to. That way it would be more realsitic if you got knocked into your own goalie during a front of the net battle. It happens in the NHL where a defender will accidently bump his own goalie, it should happen in the game.

I think it's best that they didn't include that though. Can you imagine how many people would be super pissed about accidentally knocking their goalie over allowing an easy goal to be scored?

I keep finding cool stuff in this demo as I play it

Another thing I noticed, somebody else brought it up too, is how much better the puck looks during a slap shot (when the player is winding up to take the shot). I will have to look and see if it still magically moves into position when the player does the move where he spins 180 degrees and takes a slapshot, all in the same motion.

# 72 ChaseB @ 08/23/11 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopher_guy


	I think it's best that they didn't include that though. Can you imagine how many people would be super pissed about accidentally knocking their goalie over allowing an easy goal to be scored? I keep finding cool stuff in this demo as I play it Another thing I noticed, somebody else brought it up too, is how much better the puck looks during a slap shot (when the player is winding up to take the shot). I will have to look and see if it still magically moves into position when the player does the move where he spins 180 degrees and takes a slapshot, all in the same motion.

He doesn't, he whiffs it seems when trying that slapper.

I really like the new skating. You can really see some differences in style and so forth, not sure why people would be opposed to it. Not sure I'm seeing signature traits or anything in the demo, but you can definitely tell the difference between bigs and smalls more this year when it comes to movement, checking, strength on puck (shielding the puck has a use again).

Oh, and the hip checks were not this out of hand in the demos I played at preview events, so not sure why they got amped up here so much.

# 73 FBeaule04 @ 08/23/11 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealmK


	Well I hope things turn out for the best. Next year however, Please EA, can we get presentation to where it needs to be? NBA2k levels or at the very least the Show?

When a game is solid in presentation like NBA 2K11 but not great elsewhere, NHL can get with it (like a comparison between NHL and NHL 2K).

When the presentation is like NBA 2K11 in a game and the game is fun like crazy like NBA 2K11 is, then NHL can't get away with it.

Even Madden 12, in the demo, with many improvements, won't get away with it since the presentation bar was already set and that everything below that won't make it.

# 74 ChaseB @ 08/23/11 01:43 PM

-I also feel like the graphics here are not on the level that I saw at preview events. The ice especially stands out here.

-For sure more gritty goals being scored.

# 75 Fiddy @ 08/23/11 01:46 PM

whats up with the gray swoosh type lines on the ice inside the nets?

# 76 Fiddy @ 08/23/11 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoie2006


	I would you be able to. That way it would be more realsitic if you got knocked into your own goalie during a front of the net battle. It happens in the NHL where a defender will accidently bump his own goalie, it should happen in the game.

i agree, it should be in.. but, i guess ea seen the issue that it could cause and left it out? maybe work out the kinks with it and add for NHL 13?

# 77 boosterNHLseries @ 08/23/11 01:49 PM

I strongly dislike the fact that I can't curl and drag around players anymore. By that, I mean starting around the 3pm or 9pm position (depending on handedness) and moving the right stick around to the other side. Everytime I try, the player just does some weird forehand-backhand deke that ends up getting poke-checked. I hope this is just a minor bug and not something they actually removed.

# 78 goosedennis @ 08/23/11 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boosterNHLseries


	I strongly dislike the fact that I can't curl and drag around players anymore. By that, I mean starting around the 3pm or 9pm position (depending on handedness) and moving the right stick around to the other side. Everytime I try, the player just does some weird forehand-backhand deke that ends up getting poke-checked. I hope this is just a minor bug and not something they actually removed.

LOL. 12 year old glitcher much?

# 79 FBeaule04 @ 08/23/11 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiddy


	i agree, it should be in.. but, i guess ea seen the issue that it could cause and left it out? maybe work out the kinks with it and add for NHL 13?

I'm just throwing this in the air. Would it make sense to you that every new aspects of the game that EA implemented in late edition we're so twisted in their use by online user that they didn't push the pedal to the middle with the goalie bumping thing?

If any of the EA team played a few games of NHL 11 in OTP, they know by now that idiots can ruin a game, so I think that trying to see what's the income of bumping goalie on the other thing is a good plan before letting teammates bumping their own goalie.

# 80 FBeaule04 @ 08/23/11 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boosterNHLseries


	I strongly dislike the fact that I can't curl and drag around players anymore. By that, I mean starting around the 3pm or 9pm position (depending on handedness) and moving the right stick around to the other side. Everytime I try, the player just does some weird forehand-backhand deke that ends up getting poke-checked. I hope this is just a minor bug and not something they actually removed.

It's funny, because what I don't like in the NHL game is the fact that you can outspeed a D from the side, lower your shoulder and drive the net.

I guess it's normal that you could do a triple-axel followed by a double-piqu� in front of two defenseman before making a kick leg move and undressing the goalie since it happens every game in the NHL while what I want never happened in the game since hockey been invented.

Don't give me the head of the NHL dev. team because you're freaking deke will be thrown out of the game and I'll tell whinning glitching babies to go play NHL 3 vs. 3 arcade if they want to see Ice-Capades with a rubber puck!

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