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

[adayinthelife]

Quote: Originally Posted by RealmK

They weren't locked last year, which gave a good idea for how the game would play on SS with realistic sliders. It makes zero sense to me that they would lock them this year. Hiding something EA? /sigh

Who knows. There's a lot about this game that comes off as half-assed this year, so just add this to the list I suppose.

Quote: Originally Posted by bad_philanthropy

The changes I've noticed so far are subtle, but I like them. As others have mentioned, puck physics are improved and skating feels a bit better. Manual passing seems a touch quicker, but I didn't have a problem with how it was before. One thing though, of all the demos released for NHL this gen, I've had the least difficulty adjusting to this one. I was able to put it on SS HC mode and felt completely comfortable. In fact, my overall feel was that I couldn't really tell if I was playing NHL 11 or a new game. I like the game, and I like the under the hood improvements, and I'll definitely buy. Last point. It hurts to say this, but in an age when NCAA, Madden, FIFA, and even Side's Rugby Challenge are implementing all sorts of new lighting mechanisms and visual polish, I feel like the look of EA's NHL series is a bit dated. Presentation upgrades are nice, and I know hockey is different that an outdoor sport, but I just feel like it might be time for a bit of a visual overhaul for the series -- this is the fifth edition since going to 60fps, and the look has differed little over that span.

This is exactly what I was trying to explain. I play the hell out of this series every year, so when it's demo time I'm usually floored by just how different certain aspects of the game are. I just haven't had that feeling with it thus far.

The worst part is I'm still going to buy the game. It just feels like EA knows that already this year.

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by theglory

I am sure I will love this game like every year. but... If you graze people with the hip check they still go flying...how can they claim momentum and weight matter when these kinda things happen. You can toss people into the bench fairly easy to.

Not saying you're wrong, but the next time you play pay attention to who's doing the hitting and who's the hittee.
It might be that one has great balance while the other has a great checking attribute.
Again, I'm not accusing you of anything, I'm geinuinly curious to know if that plays a part in the 'over hitting'.
I remember seeing some nice hits (both big and small) but can't remember who was doing the hitting.
I do know that I wasn't that crazy about seeing H.Sedin go flying from a Savard hit.
But Savard hit him from behind, so who knows. It could also be that the hitting is a bit juiced for the demo too?

Quote:

I am not digging the cut to crowd after goal, feels odd.. it is nice when they cut to the goalie tho and he looks all sad.

I agree. While I like that EA is trying to spruce it up, it's still not exactly right.
The sequence should go:
1. Goal scored.
2. Players celebrate together.
3. Shot of crowd (or if it's a road team goal, show home team dejection, etc)>
4. Replays.
5. Maybe close up of goal scorer on bench or at face off circle.

[Fiddy]

Quote: Originally Posted by FBeaule04

Much needed, and quite honestly, I never understood whey they got rid of it in NHL 11. Looks like my BaP goalie can make a return with the classic cam on. Yes!

i loved playing as a goalie in 09 and 10, but in 11 the camera being locked into low or high made me go away from it. glad its back!!

[Fiddy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Money99

I agree. While I like that EA is trying to spruce it up, it's still not exactly right. The sequence should go: 1. Goal scored. 2. Players celebrate together. 3. Shot of crowd (or if it's a road team goal, show home team dejection, etc)> 4. Replays. 5. Maybe close up of goal scorer on bench or at face off circle.

this.

after the goal is scored, not much time to celebrate (which isnt bad) but takes away from scoring a bit..

[FBeaule04]

Quote: Originally Posted by Money99

Not saying you're wrong, but the next time you play pay attention to who's doing the hitting and who's the hittee. It might be that one has great balance while the other has a great checking attribute. Again, I'm not accusing you of anything, I'm geinuinly curious to know if that plays a part in the 'over hitting'. I remember seeing some nice hits (both big and small) but can't remember who was doing the hitting. I do know that I wasn't that crazy about seeing H.Sedin go flying from a Savard hit. But Savard hit him from behind, so who knows. It could also be that the hitting is a bit juiced for the demo too? I agree. While I like that EA is trying to spruce it up, it's still not exactly right. The sequence should go: 1. Goal scored. 2. Players celebrate together. 3. Shot of crowd (or if it's a road team goal, show home team dejection, etc)> 4. Replays. 5. Maybe close up of goal scorer on bench or at face off circle.

Exactly the sequence I expect after a goal is scored. I want to see the guys getting together. If EA can do some tweaking so that players don't jump in each others arms after a seventh goals, I guess they could also make people be more joyful after a 2-1 goals late in the game.

Also, I hope they manage to have the RW in the celebration this year. In NHL 11, I don't know how many times my RW was out of celebration, replace by a guy on the bench that wasn't even on the ice.

It's just simple think, doesn't change the game, but makes it just more fun and enjoyable for the eyes!

[Al_Tito13]

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!

[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?

[Money99]

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.