NHL 16 News Post

How EA Can Bring Fans Back to NHL's Franchise Mode

04:22 PM - October 21, 2015 by RaychelSnr

Overhaul The AI

In a year where FIFA 16 and NBA 2K16 both made tremendous improvements to their on-field/on-court AI, it's sad to see NHL 16's CPU skaters still aimlessly wandering at times.

AI teams still struggle to gain possession inside the offensive zone, mostly due to poor decision making coming through the neutral zone. On many shifts, they will either hesitate and zig-zag around the red line before launching a futile dump attempt, or they'll skate the puck in a straight line down the side boards where you can easily crush their oncoming forward with a check.

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# 21 Therion7 @ 10/23/15 11:01 AM

All great ideas, Money.

It's eye opening just how little has changed when you look at clips of NHL 11.

The "real" True Performance skating that came in with NHL 13 was eroded to the point that what you see in PS4 NHL 16 looks damn similar to what you see in the 11 video linked below.

So little of what you see and do in the course of on-ice gameplay has changed. The anims look a little less refined but very, very similar, the goals scored are scored the same way, the AI isn't the best... The most jarring thing is the five-man goal celebration!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXGbne96uGY

# 22 Sheba2011 @ 10/23/15 12:16 PM

I can honestly say none of the above would really make me want to play franchise any more than I do now. Especially things like retired legends, if they did that I would hope you could turn it off. Nothing would ruin a franchise mode more than having too many 99 rated legends filling up free agency. Gretzky was a once in a lifetime player, meaning we should never see him again.

# 23 MizzouRah @ 10/23/15 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money99


	Some things I'd love to see in Franchise Mode: - wrap-up show - out of town highlights - Expansion/relocation - arena modifications - uniform alterations - even create a 3rd jersey - BaGM includes running European teams and CHL teams. - Getting FIRED as a coach and having to interview for a new job - which may also include having to work in Europe, AHL or CHL. - Full stats and stat overlays showing season and career stats for players. - 5-man celebrations - AMPED playoff atmosphere.

- wrap-up show
- out of town highlights
- uniform alterations - even create a 3rd jersey
- Getting FIRED as a coach and having to interview for a new job
- Full stats and stat overlays showing season and career stats for players.
- 5-man celebrations
- AMPED playoff atmosphere

LOVE all of those above! I still cannot believe 2k football had the weekly show and we have none of that in 2015 on these consoles we play on now.

It's our own BeaGM universe.. IMMERSE us into it EA! In between periods there should be a scoreboard from around the league with goal scorer stats listed.

Introduce the starting lineup for the home team, bring back the 3 stars coming back on to the ice.

# 24 actionhank @ 10/23/15 02:36 PM

Honestly, that picture in the OP is a perfect example of the problems with the game. No one seems to know what direction to face, or what to do.
There look to be 3 people looking at the puck, the guy passing it, the goalie, and the guy behind the passer, completely out of the play.

The defender closest to the net is doing nothing, not facing the puck or the play, and has his stick in the corner, where I'm sure the invisible forward is feeling the pressure. The guy it's being passed to is looking away, and doesn't even have his stick in a good place to play the puck.

The AI in general just seems to be clueless as to what they're trying to do. On powerplays, guys just randomly float around, bump into forwards, and don't pinch on the play. They don't move to get open passing lanes, they don't rush towards the net when the defense vacates to get a puck on the boards, and they provide no help at all when you're pinned with the puck. They just don't know where to be. I've still had guys stop while entering the zone on odd-man rushes, because they're going to a predetermined spot, and not to where the play is. Right-hand shooters will skate down the left side of the ice and then inexplicably turn towards the boards instead of moving sideways with their chest towards the puck and play to get a good shot off. Defenders still make completely awkward spins at the blue line with the puck, resulting in more offsides than I should see.

The players need to play differently, but more importantly, they need to know how to play hockey in the first place.

# 25 actionhank @ 10/23/15 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money99


	I can attest to this. Like you, I'm not a huge basketball fan. But after purchasing NBA2K12 and 13, I started watching more games, paying attention to the league and even listening to the NBA channel on XM during my commutes. The game was so good, it made a fan out of me. Baseball and hockey are still my main loves, but I would say I'm at least a casual NBA fan now. Some things I'd love to see in Franchise Mode: - wrap-up show - out of town highlights - Expansion/relocation - arena modifications - uniform alterations - even create a 3rd jersey - BaGM includes running European teams and CHL teams. - Getting FIRED as a coach and having to interview for a new job - which may also include having to work in Europe, AHL or CHL. - Full stats and stat overlays showing season and career stats for players. - 5-man celebrations - AMPED playoff atmosphere.

NHL 07 did that for me and hockey. I only really followed football when I was younger, but EA's NHL series and some well timed roommates turned it into an addiction. Now I'm watching games every night, playing fantasy hockey, and learning to play hockey in a league. EA's done well before, they just got lazy and went for the easy route with HUT making them money.

# 26 ChubbyD @ 10/23/15 04:11 PM

Other than all the things that have been brought up so far, my biggest gripe is that when I'm playing offline, when I'm at home I want to see what line the visiting team is putting out there before I choose my line. This is one of the big advantages of being at home vs on the road. Why they havent done this in years is beyond me. Let the online players choose lines simultaneously, fine. Make it at least an option for the rest of us.

# 27 northmen24 @ 10/23/15 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChubbyD


	Other than all the things that have been brought up so far, my biggest gripe is that when I'm playing offline, when I'm at home I want to see what line the visiting team is putting out there before I choose my line. This is one of the big advantages of being at home vs on the road. Why they havent done this in years is beyond me. Let the online players choose lines simultaneously, fine. Make it at least an option for the rest of us.

Haven't you noticed that they stopped using the "if it's in the game, it's in the game" haha this development team is a joke.

# 28 Elite49 @ 10/24/15 11:11 AM

They must be working on something special for this game right? Months almost over and no patch news at all. I'd love all of that plus bring back real OTP with anyone vs anyone. I want to play some 3vAI.

# 29 Money99 @ 10/24/15 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheba2011


	I can honestly say none of the above would really make me want to play franchise any more than I do now. Especially things like retired legends, if they did that I would hope you could turn it off. Nothing would ruin a franchise mode more than having too many 99 rated legends filling up free agency. Gretzky was a once in a lifetime player, meaning we should never see him again.

I read that 2K hired a guy to do all their ratings based on his personal rosters he'd share with earlier NBA2K titles:
http://ca.complex.com/sports/2015/09...are-determined

He developed a "99-system" where the best player in history at that skill was considered a 99.
Then they'd compare current players skills against that player.

So using hockey as an example, if Gretzky was the best passer ever, in order for a player in NHL16 to get a 99, he would be considered just as good as Wayne.

I really wish the EA team would do something similar.

# 30 AdamJones113 @ 10/24/15 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money99


	I read that 2K hired a guy to do all their ratings based on his personal rosters he'd share with earlier NBA2K titles: http://ca.complex.com/sports/2015/09...are-determined He developed a "99-system" where the best player in history at that skill was considered a 99. Then they'd compare current players skills against that player. So using hockey as an example, if Gretzky was the best passer ever, in order for a player in NHL16 to get a 99, he would be considered just as good as Wayne. I really wish the EA team would do something similar.

Absolutely. You know where he was hired from? Oh, just up the forum list, the 2k roster section. Where the devs still post.

I'd love to see that system implemented.

# 31 Felixeur @ 10/26/15 01:14 PM

Funny how NHL 2k10 had 90% of the features mentioned. Please NHL 2k comeback on PC and consoles...

# 32 jyoung @ 10/26/15 03:43 PM

Quote:


	On many shifts, the AI will hesitate and zig-zag around the red line before launching a futile dump attempt

I didn't have a chance to grab some video footage of that AI tendency before this article went live, but here it is now:

You'll see this bizarre behavior from the AI several times a game if your defense is on one of the more conservative neutral zone settings. The AI just doesn't know what to do when you have a bunch of defenders backed up protecting the blue line.

# 33 shogunofharlem3 @ 10/26/15 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyoung


	I didn't have a chance to grab some video footage of that AI tendency before this article went live, but here it is now: You'll see this bizarre behavior from the AI several times a game if your defense is on one of the more conservative neutral zone settings. The AI just doesn't know what to do when you have a bunch of defenders backed up protecting the blue line.

That is brutal! I really hope this is somehow addressed in a patch if they do another. Gotta assume that can't be fixed via a tuner. That is how most of my games go. I can keep them at neutral ice for a good 30 seconds then I get bored and let them in........................then they zip around everyone, rush my goalie and smash it in.

# 34 AdamJones113 @ 10/26/15 06:30 PM

Good video jyoung.

Yep, horizontal hockey is nothing new to the series, especially for good defensemen. I actually discussed this with a 'dev' on the EA Forums (here's the link to the page where we first started discussing). Here's the essence of the convo:

There was actually a point this year where we felt the AI had good flow through the neutral zone. Factors like thinking they can/can't make a head man pass, determining if it will be offside, if they will gain possession back on a dump and their confidence to keep the puck if they regroup instead -- all weighed by current pressure settings, current score, etc. change their mind when they could otherwise just go ahead and gain possession or dump it in.

It is something that remains on our list to make more believable in the way they play.

The better the human defender is playing against them , the worse this scenario can get.

He was a bit vague on why the CPU doesn't just dump it in.

# 35 bigwill33 @ 10/26/15 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyoung


	I didn't have a chance to grab some video footage of that AI tendency before this article went live, but here it is now: You'll see this bizarre behavior from the AI several times a game if your defense is on one of the more conservative neutral zone settings. The AI just doesn't know what to do when you have a bunch of defenders backed up protecting the blue line.

THIS! A billion likes for documenting this!

This is the most annoying and unrealistic part of this game's horrible, horrible AI system. And it is near impossible to ever get the puck off the CPU when they are doing this. And it is not even possible to skate in the manner in which the CPU gets to when doing some of this or when they are retreating in their own zone.

There needs to be fluidity and progression to hockey. The playing in this video is more akin to basketball. In hockey you would run out of room and force a dump in deep or attempt a chip on the boards. If you panic and make the wrong choice you throw a blind pass to a spot on the ice that your coach would be cursing you up and down for. Those are the only acceptable options to be programmed in these instances, but instead we get this type of action, year after year.

# 36 hawley088 @ 10/26/15 07:07 PM

ill come back when they completely trash this build and restart it from the ground up, i feel like ive been playing the same game since ps3 days

# 37 MizzouRah @ 10/26/15 07:21 PM

Yep.. I like to hold the blue line too.. and I see that from the AI all the time, especially with the game slowed down.

# 38 jake19ny @ 10/26/15 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyoung


	I didn't have a chance to grab some video footage of that AI tendency before this article went live, but here it is now: You'll see this bizarre behavior from the AI several times a game if your defense is on one of the more conservative neutral zone settings. The AI just doesn't know what to do when you have a bunch of defenders backed up protecting the blue line.

No doubt the AI needs to be rebuilt from the ground up but I will say even with the latest crappy tuner I have found some solid sliders that eliminate a lot of that as well as the over used cross ice pass to the wide open CPU guy. I will post them tomorrow if anyone really wants to give them a try. The obe annoying thing is I have to reset sliders to default and re-enter them before each game otherwise it goes magically straight back to the nonsense.

# 39 piffbernd @ 10/26/15 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nickflyers


	100% Agreed! Allow us to customize OUR BAGMs. Allow us to edit ANYONE's ratings during a BAGM Allow us to CREATE OUR OWN DRAFT CLASSES(and share them) ala 2k Series Dynamic Rivalries Coaches(NHL 2k5 had this, geez) Basically combine NHL's gameplay w/ 2ks Franchise mode = Happy hockey fans

Agreed 100 % to this list. Player are to small and to light after a 5 years. 5 11 and 160 lbs to 180. Would be nice if we could edit that. Look at mlb the show, u can edit almost everything.

# 40 Money99 @ 10/27/15 04:17 PM

Pipe dream time:
Along with rating each player at every position, it would be cool if players could get better, or learn a new position through time and experience.
Lets say you are stacked at LW but shallow at C.
You have a top LW prospect in the AHL so you move him to C over the course of a season (or more) hoping that he learns and can develop into a top-flight pivot and eventually be your #1 centre.

Claude Giroux, Mats Sundin, Stan Makita,... all three are examples of wingers turned centerman and excelled at their new position.

It would be awesome if we had that kind of managerial control over our franchise.

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