NHL 09 360 Patch #2 Online -- Impressions

[catcatch22]

Quote: Originally Posted by LanteriX

Nope, there's a difference between the two penalties. It's a small difference, but basically if it's above the boards then it's checking from behind. If it's into the boards then it's boarding.

I watch alot of hockey since there are three teams in my area and I have never seen a penalty called for checking from behind. They always call it boarding.

EDIT** They almost never call a guy for checking someone into the boards when they are straight up and don't have their head down.

[LanteriX]

Quote: Originally Posted by catcatch22

I watch alot of hockey since there are three teams in my area and I have never seen a penalty called for checking from behind. They always call it boarding. EDIT** They almost never call a guy for checking someone into the boards when they are straight up and don't have their head down.

Yeah, it's rarely called. But then, most players don't violently hit other players from straight on behind either.

[bukktown]

--------------------------------Online Only Player--------------------------- The patch is great! Online is much more fun now. I am sure some new glitches will come out but I dont care, I feel like a got 3 different NHL 09 games this year (because the 2 patches changed gameplay so significantly) all for only $60.

[jyoung]

My club was getting our butts handed to us before the patch because we didn't have juicers/glitchers like all the other teams we played against, but tonight we got together for the first time since the patch and won all four games we played.

Awesome patch.

I still feel like the AI goalies are a bit too super-human when it comes to reading plays and making saves, but maybe it's just because so many of my teammates don't have a whole lot of attribute points on their players, and thus, have weaker shots.

[MizzouRah]

Let me say this.. I've been an up and down hockey player this year, had some fun with 2k9 and then went back to NHL 09.. this latest patch has me hooked.

Thank you.

Just had one of those gaming "moments" where I played Detroit at home and I was on my game tonight. I really pressured them and capitalized on their mistakes. It was the best game I've had with NHL 09, bravo on the patch EA!

[ClarkKent]

Quote:

-Made face-off outcomes slightly more random and slightly less dependent on attributes.

I really hate this addition. Faceoffs should be about skill and never random. I now feel like I can time it right, have the vastly superior faceoff guy and still lose far too often.

Couple more gripes, increased penalties are a good thing, but I wish that I was committing the penalties instead of my random AI teammate away from the play that take far too many.

Also while the sample size isn't very big(5 games or so, Offline only), my goalies give up alot more weak goals now. And the CPU still cheeses which I was hoping would be gone - mainly the incredibly soft wrist shots from the blueline or far boards that the goalie can't contain and the streaking winger gets it. I know that may sound like a good goal, but there's no traffic and the wrist shots are so weak that no goalie wouldn't be able to hold on to it. They also try the dump in crap where the goalie stops it at his feet and just leaves it there.

Don't get me wrong the game plays more sim and much better, but still some problems. Maybe slider fixes will help.

[kerosene31]

Only played one game online, but I don't see much improvement.

We played against a team with 2 humans, one playing forward and the other the goalie.

-The control all players glitch was still there
-The side of the net cheese goals are still there (maybe toned down somewhat but still there)

The CPU defenders still push shooters out wide, which leads them to the perfect spot for side net cheese goals still.

Very disappointing.

I did score on a shot from the slot, but it still looks like the best play is the cheese

The interference penalties are nice.

[Qb]

Quote: Originally Posted by kerosene31

We played against a team with 2 humans, one playing forward and the other the goalie.

We played four EASHL games the other night -- I sat out last night, but I'm sure they played more -- and loved how the gameplay felt with a lot of human players on the ice. The puck seems to be a little looser, but there is more freedom to move around the ice now that interference is called, so you can get into good scoring positions without the puck if you're smart.

BUT, we also played one game against only 2 people (1F, 1D) and I think that was our toughest game of the night (we won all four -- hip-hip-hooray for no juice!). Their AI players scored 3 of their 4 goals and the CPU center was a pain in the arse on faceoffs (I play center). I think I won over 50% of the FOs in that game, but only because I went against the human forward on the PK, winning almost every one.

I guess my point is that the AI-controlled players seem to be a little more effective after the patch. It may only be due to the fact that they're not running around taking stupid penalties, but considering the AI seems somewhat tighter offline, perhaps they are actually 'smarter'. If you can get a few games in against 4 or more people, you should start to see more of an improvement from the patch. I know my teammates and I are extremely pleased...

Oh and we didn't see any short-side slapper or wraparound goals in those four games. But it's probably worth mentioning that we became quite good at shutting them down prior to the patch (lots of practice, ha), so our opponents don't get too many chances to do them.