NHL 15 News Post

Will NHL Recover From a Down Year? (Roundtable)

11:06 AM - September 20, 2014 by RaychelSnr

NHL 15 hasn't had the smoothest year up to this point.

Many reviews, including our own, gave the game very pedestrian scores. Of course, critic scoring of game titles is only one aspects of the post-release launch. Many fans have been quite unhappy with the game and its direction on our forums as well.

But yet in all of the pessimism there is a glimmer of hope. The gameplay within the new-gen version is actually rather good, and the presentation took giant leaps forward this year. So while this year's game was missing a lot of modes, there is still reason for hope with the future of the franchise.

So with all of that said, can NHL recover from this year's debacle and regain its status as one of the premiere titles in our genre?

Read More - Will NHL Recover From a Down Year? (Roundtable)

Game: NHL 15Reader Score: 6.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 16 - View All

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# 21 GROGtheNailer @ 09/20/14 10:16 PM

People keep mentioning the game-play is solid, I keep hearing that. Can I get specific examples of what you think is so great with the AI? Besides improved puck physics?

I see large holes in the AI but what surprises me most is there seems to be legacy AI issues and this was supposedly built from the ground up? I suppose they could tweak it better but they never seem to get it right.

I suspect the main reason is the game is smoke and mirrors. If you think about it, what is going on underneath the hood? I really do suspect the game is built from fluff. I cannot prove it and hell I might be wrong too, but something just doesn't sit well here. Something isnt right and it is hard to put my finger on it (game-play-wise). That is the frustrating part. I think they used many spare parts from the previous engine.

Like how does a simple thing like a pass through an opposing player work to a player on your team? What ratings are in play here? I think it is a very simple base equation based on a global setting. Who knows really? Except EA and they wouldn't disclose that I am sure.

As a fan of sports and hockey being my biggest sports bro-love, things just ever add up correctly. My suspension of belief is always grinded away in EAs hockey game.

In a sports game, stats should rule the day. Here is the way a simple pass should work in my mind:

Me playing against the AI:

1. Player 1 wants to pass to Player 2.

2. Player A (AI) is between us.

3. I attempt pass to player 2, my individual pass statistic is 75%

4. Player A pass interception is 25% which comes right off the top of my 75%

5. The neutral chance the pass goes through is now 50% with out any modifiers

6. A modifier might be, if player A presses the appropriate pass intercept button on controller, he gets a 10% bonus to intercept

7. The chance my attempted pass goes through is now 40%.

8. If it is intercepted, the following rules apply. 1) it is knocked down and player A gains control (25%) 2) it is deflected away (75%)

9) Passing to an open player with no one in between is run off player 1's base stat of 75%

When you go look at your stats of your players, you can see these rating, you can edit these ratings if you want. This one rating now has it in the open so there is transparency. The stats will matter and you can see clearly why.

Another aspect or modifer of the above is "reach" or "coverage. Some players will have another foot or so of a larger area the puck may pass through (his intercept range). You can probably see where that might end up.

Also, I really wish speed was measured in feet/sec.

Alright, what was I talking about at the start? I got totally derailed.

# 22 Knight165 @ 09/20/14 10:23 PM

Grog.....I hear you.
The absolute horrific AI players(MY players) is front and center for year XX in a row.
I honestly don't see how it can be so easily dismissed.

It's really holding the gameplay back.
As for modes....well what can you say?....except ATROCIOUS.

M.K.
Knight165

# 23 bigwill33 @ 09/20/14 10:39 PM

"People" don't keep saying that the gameplay is great. One or two people keep saying that in here. They just happen to be the ones that are posting that in every single thread possible. Clearly trying to feed their own personal agendas.

If you look closely you can read in-depth details about all the flaws still plaguing the series in terms of gameplay. It is far from spectacular. And even if NHL 15 is the best it has been, that isn't saying much because to a lot of us the series has been awful for the past 5 years.

And to the question of whether or not EA can recover from this; that is relative to what is defined as "recover".

Taking 2 years of development to turn out a product that was not even a shell of what was expected and then keeping it under wraps and being as shady as possible in doing so really set things back. If the game even is able to be fully featured in the next year or two that won't take away from all the lost time.

And it could easily be said that all of the features missing were not that spectacular to begin with. There were severe issues with EASHL, Be a GM, GM Connected, and HUT to begin with. Simply putting them back into the game as they were already will not be enough in many people's minds to justify purchasing this game again. And I couldn't blame them.

Look around just these forums. These are the least used game forums on all of OS, pretty much. Yet we have people on just this site that can list pages of things that EA has removed from the game over the years that should be staples of any hockey video game. I, personally, have listed a comprehensive list of issues plaguing EASHL and overall AI with the gameplay in the series. So this game was far from being great to begin with.

So much would need to be done to even catch the series up to speed with other sports titles that it makes my head spin. And quite frankly, I don't think the current team at EA has the ability to do it with what they have shown me in the past half of a decade.

Say that last part out loud a few times, by the way. "Half of a decade. Half of a decade. Half of a decade." It has been at least that long since so much of this game was even touched. The goalies are nearly 8 years old in this game. If you knew how to score 8 years ago you can do the exact same things and be successful. Sliders don't work as they should. Tuners often break more things than they fix. The AI is downright putrid at times. Online is wonky and has disconnect issues. The producers are nowhere to be found 97% of the year until it is time to do damage control or attempt to sell games. And they are tighter than Fort Knox with allowing media or impressions of the game to be released to the public prior to launch.

Add all of this up and why would anyone have faith in EA to do right by their fans with the NHL series?

# 24 statnut @ 09/20/14 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THESHAMISASHAME


	Almost posted when you started this thread last night as I dont understand the entitlement issue some have but I always talk with my wallet ? but what the heck I guess Ill say it again EA NHL did what it had to do because of lack of resources and Gameplay with a little work is amazing right out of the box and thats really all that matters to me . I mean could you imaging if EA NHL didnt released the game like this ? It could have been 3 years to fix a have baked mess with all the modes bugs and glitches so Im glad they bit the bullet for NHL 15 but thank heavens they are releasing a playoff mode as its all I play anyways and 3 stars is a plus so Im set once that drops . But now we at least have a wonderful deep base that hopefully will be built upon in future releases and many years to come .

Well, as long as you get what you want, forget the rest of us, right?

# 25 GROGtheNailer @ 09/20/14 11:23 PM

I have no confidence in them at all to do a hockey game correctly and I totally agree with all the components that make this game (many of them do not work like they should) have been here for years, many long years. I guess they make a hockey-lite but man that is sooo old now.

Here we are, bitching about EA's version once again and that gets old too. I would bet the people who work on the game probably look around the web and see our comments and think to themselves, think you can do better? I will say, I do not have the tools to program but I do manage a few IT related fields (programming would be one aspect) and what programmers and artists need is a clear direction, they can do some amazing things if they have the time and a clear direction of what is required.

The direction from the EA management team is very poor in my opinion, I think the vision they have is take no risks, real hockey will not work here, lets turtle up, innovation takes some risk. They (the hockey division) need a leader who is fearless and more importantly really passionate about the game. Currently it is not happening imo. This is glide in status quo.

The culture at the top has really let down everyone involved, the fans, the people who grind it out daily at EA, the whole works. They have failed. Hell, I am not perfect either but then again, I am not selling a product.

# 26 GROGtheNailer @ 09/20/14 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by statnut


	Well, as long as you get what you want, forget the rest of us, right?

hehe, that is exactly what I had thought too.

# 27 bwiggy33 @ 09/20/14 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THESHAMISASHAME


	and 3 stars is a plus so Im set once that drops .

You do realize that the three stars is most likely nothing more than a menu screen that comes up after the game is over? Obviously I could be wrong but if you look back at that article about additions they are making to the game, there is nothing that says presentation. They even show a screen shot of the menu screen of it. If you get excited over seeing a menu screen of who the three stars were then I envy you.

# 28 GROGtheNailer @ 09/21/14 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knight165


	Grog.....I hear you. The absolute horrific AI players(MY players) is front and center for year XX in a row. I honestly don't see how it can be so easily dismissed. It's really holding the gameplay back. As for modes....well what can you say?....except ATROCIOUS. M.K. Knight165

Totally agree, the defensive AI is always an issue every year. it would be nice if they ever introduced tools that worked or didnt put defense at a disadvantage every year.

# 29 THESHAMISASHAME @ 09/21/14 04:54 AM

Wheres the love boys ? Its just a video game

I do feel your pain on the mode thing but it would be buggy anyways dont you think and this way we have a excellent base for EA NHL to work off of for years if they chose to ?

I really feel like I won the lottery on that free content Playoff mode and 3 stars though and I just pray they dont patch anything gameplay wise as I wont even DL the new tuner as it replaces the stock one .

Now seriously do you think I would waste my time with a game if I wasnt having a blast and you ask why I like this game so much as is and heres why and I was Caps and Habs and Pricer was my first shutout this year !

For me Stats speak louder than opinions and most stats never lie

# 30 THESHAMISASHAME @ 09/21/14 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwiggy33


	You do realize that the three stars is most likely nothing more than a menu screen that comes up after the game is over? Obviously I could be wrong but if you look back at that article about additions they are making to the game, there is nothing that says presentation. They even show a screen shot of the menu screen of it. If you get excited over seeing a menu screen of who the three stars were then I envy you.

No I was thinking that too

but I dont think EA NHL would be that dirty but it would be funny as heck

But Im thinking when they used to have it , it was a end after all three stars skated on the ice and I also recall reading why it was scraped as something was maxed out on the PS3 when they added other stuff but we will see soon only 9 more days to Xmas ! but Im guessing Tuesday for free content

# 31 jyoung @ 09/21/14 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GROGtheNailer


	it would be nice if they ever introduced defensive tools that worked or didnt put defense at a disadvantage every year.

The stick checking system hasn't been touched since I started playing EA's hockey games again in NHL 08. Yet we've been getting refinements to skating and deking almost every year since then.

I'm amazed that stick checking hasn't been assigned to the right joystick by now to finally give people better control over their stick on defense.

All you can do on defense is play "animation roulette" with the right bumper and the A button, and hope that you get a favorable animation instead of a tripping or slashing penalty. It doesn't matter if you attempt these moves from behind, from the side, or in perfect defensive position directly in front of the puck. You're always at the mercy of a "dice roll" whenever you try to stick check. And even if you do manage hit the puck free with one of the defensive moves, the offense usually automatically regains the puck a split second later without even breaking stride.

The stick checking system really should have been updated by now after almost a decade without being changed. Instead we have online games where teams routinely combine for double-digit goals because neither player is able to dispossess the puck carrier without running at him for a high-impact body check.

# 32 S�dy @ 09/21/14 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyoung


	The stick checking system hasn't been touched since I started playing EA's hockey games again in NHL 08. Yet we've been getting refinements to skating and deking almost every year since then. I'm amazed that stick checking hasn't been assigned to the right joystick by now to finally give people better control over their stick on defense. All you can do on defense is play "animation roulette" with the right bumper and the A button, and hope that you get a favorable animation instead of a tripping or slashing penalty. It doesn't matter if you attempt these moves from behind, from the side, or in perfect defensive position directly in front of the puck. You're always at the mercy of a "dice roll" whenever you try to stick check. And even if you do manage hit the puck free with one of the defensive moves, the offense usually automatically regains the puck a split second later without even breaking stride. The stick checking system really should have been updated by now after almost a decade without being changed. Instead we have online games where teams routinely combine for double-digit goals because neither player is able to dispossess the puck carrier without running at him for a high-impact body check.

While I agree with the part that the defensive stick needs a complete overhaul, I disagree on the luck side of poke checks. It is about timing. Everytime I get a tripping call when poke checking, I shake my head because it was stupid to do it. I don't feel cheated here.

# 33 Viktor @ 09/21/14 09:58 AM

So I'm not imagining things with the poke check? I could have swore you were able to freely move the stick by holding R1/RB and moving the right stick. I've been playing Be a Pro on defense and couldn't do it but figured it was due to my low level, but if you just can't do it in general then yikes.

# 34 Mrmagoo @ 09/21/14 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THESHAMISASHAME


	Wheres the love boys ? Its just a video game I do feel your pain on the mode thing but it would be buggy anyways dont you think and this way we have a excellent base for EA NHL to work off of for years if they chose to ? I really feel like I won the lottery on that free content Playoff mode and 3 stars though and I just pray they dont patch anything gameplay wise as I wont even DL the new tuner as it replaces the stock one . Now seriously do you think I would waste my time with a game if I wasnt having a blast and you ask why I like this game so much as is and heres why and I was Caps and Habs and Pricer was my first shutout this year ! For me Stats speak louder than opinions and most stats never lie

It's not just stats it's about HOW you (we) get to those stats. (game play wise).

And what's this free content you speak of?
Oh you mean the parts of the game they took out, and now tote as "free content"?... ea marketing.... Gotta love it.
But glad your enjoying the game, not trying to rain on your parade.

# 35 THESHAMISASHAME @ 09/21/14 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrmagoo


	It's not just stats it's about HOW you (we) get to those stats. (game play wise). And what's this free content you speak of? Oh you mean the parts of the game they took out, and now tote as "free content"?... ea marketing.... Gotta love it. But glad your enjoying the game, not trying to rain on your parade.

Mrmaggo or can I call you Quincy ? First thanks for the civil reply and Ill try to do the same on my reply but its gonna be a long one as theres no Bear game today.

Hi , Exactly its about the HOW for me too and I always use MLBTS as my example as the box score looks great but the HOW feels forced to me regardless of who it favors me or the cpu which I also dislike greatly and literally after a while wrecks the game for me.

Now when EA NHL went all tilted Ice a while back it was horrible as it just went into turbo mode when it needed to score or that magical bouncing super ball puck but all that is gone now at least from how I play the game on my settings I see nothing of the turbo mode or the HOW we both speak of is fine for me in NHL 15 .

This game is truly a Godsend for me as BAK wont be out until June 2015 so I can play it and Playoff mode right through to that day and the real NHL playoffs and other than here most everyone loves and praises the much improved realistic game play and the only gripe is the lack of modes.

Actually my box scores dont tell the whole truth as the games are even more amazing then any box score could translate so I use in game photos and such to paint a better picture for those who cant understand it on stats alone.

Glad someone caught my Free content jest yeah thats pretty bad and how EA handled the PR last minute was horrible but in fairness most did know what this game would be when released so I guess its buyer beware but I would still buy the game and play the heck out of the game on play now alone as the gameplay and boxscore stats are the realistic on near default allstar sliders that I use .

I think everyone has the right to play how they want and say what they think but I still cant understand why some people get so upset others can enjoy something they dont even when someone like me who post numerous amount of proof of why/how they enjoy the game ?
Just so much hate and entitlement over a video game is crazy as i get my true hockey fix on the real ice .

In a penalties thread here I was demanded to post proof of penalties so I posted my boxscores and then their wasnt enough types of penalties so I then posted that screen of types and most have 5 or more different types and I noted all games play differently so you dont wanna see 5 minute majors every game ect but now no respond to the earlier claim theres no penalties in this game ? .

I then posted if they want the visual photo of how I draw penalties but no takers so far ? As I just wanna help and I cant understand how people are having such a different result other than they are unknowingly messing up the game through unneeded slider tweaks ?

Im honest enough to say I was like many others early on with this game trying to paint a perfect picture and Im here to tell you its a huge mistake like trying to make a jeep into a sports car and alot of these issues some people are having is self inflicted .

Every little change eventually effects the game play greatly as from what I can tell EA has programmed and tested thes off of default settings and the biggest joke/mistake guys are making is shooting accuracy 0 or 1 and then complain about shot totals by cpu

Oh its only a few clicks as I want realistic looking shooting ? well Im on 3 shooting accuracy for me and the cpu also get tons of missed net shots, Oh and just a few clicks on a 6 scale is 1/3 of that sliders power

. Just crazy logic .

Hey thanks again for your civil questions as I try and respect all persons opinions but I gotta run as Im gonna fire up some Bruins vs NYR while Im cooking a smoked turkey and ham yellow split pea soup with garlic butter and a dash of sugar croutons as fall is upon us .

# 36 GROGtheNailer @ 09/21/14 06:33 PM

Hey THESHAMISASHAME, what settings are you playing on? Default Pro/All-Star or? You are saying the games are amazing, would be nice to have more information on those settings of yours. I am guessing you play default sliders mostly on all-star?

You are going with the gameplay is amazing, yet others are saying entirely the opposite, that is a big disconnect. Is it also set to 5 min periods?

Thanks

# 37 kehlis @ 09/21/14 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GROGtheNailer


	Hey THESHAMISASHAME, what settings are you playing on? Default Pro/All-Star or? You are saying the games are amazing, would be nice to have more information on those settings of yours. I am guessing you play default sliders mostly on all-star? You are going with the gameplay is amazing, yet others are saying entirely the opposite, that is a big disconnect. Is it also set to 5 min periods? Thanks

He has his sliders and settings posted in the slider forum.

# 38 GROGtheNailer @ 09/21/14 06:42 PM

Ok thank you

# 39 THESHAMISASHAME @ 09/21/14 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GROGtheNailer


	Hey THESHAMISASHAME, what settings are you playing on? Default Pro/All-Star or? You are saying the games are amazing, would be nice to have more information on those settings of yours. I am guessing you play default sliders mostly on all-star? You are going with the gameplay is amazing, yet others are saying entirely the opposite, that is a big disconnect. Is it also set to 5 min periods? Thanks

Here the link GROG sorry I had a person trying to derail the thread but all the boxscores and tips are there and its Allstar 8 minute periods but you get alot of bang for your $$$ and few others here I know like Mizz are getting exactly the same results.
I would also like to know what results others are getting as I find it hard to believe people results wouldnt at least be similar regardless if they like the gameplay on near default or not .
But please try to play them exactly as I posted them at first , Classic view , game speed ect as even if I click one key slider the whole gameplay can change and get a good sample size as theres always a tilted Ice factor .

I use Hybrid controls so theres no protect puck button so I turn on a angle like real hockey to shield the puck and thats how I draw many penalties by timing it or by controlling the puck in the cpu defensive zone .

http://www.operationsports.com/forum...m-sliders.html

# 40 Knight165 @ 09/21/14 08:09 PM

Well I tried just about every level and slider set on this site and for the life of me STILL cannot get my CPU teammates to play any sort of even decent defense.
I'm sorry....I can't ignore it any longer.

It's infuriating and sucks the life out of wanting to play the game.
I don't just want to skate up the ice and score....hold the offensive advantage time by more than double....have twice as many shots ...and still lose games because my teammates simply won't even look at let alone check/clear..heck I'll take HACK the opposing team when they do gain the zone and camp right in front of my net.

Blech.

Can EA bounce back?....yeah sure...they have the $$$ and I know the devs WANT to make a great game. No doubt.
Putting back the missing modes is only half the way there.
They still have a LOT of ice work to do as well.
They can certainly do it....they didn't concentrate on that...it's clear they did improve other aspects of the on ice game....those parts (physics...the way shots feel...even some of the hitting/checking and animations) are much improved.
So they are moving in the right direction....
One thing I haven't seen much of is the tic-tac-toe....no doubt passing by the opposing team that was in the past...that's also better.

M.K.
Knight165

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