Things that can not be explained....

[kickingguru]

It seems as if you get two different games going at times....

Some games seem fine.... both sides seem to be equally matched. There may be a glitch goal or 2 that decides the outcome, but you get shots, they get shots. Goalies play well and may have 1 to 2 bad plays. My eashl club plays with guys who are Legends and we have tweaked, maxed, ect.... to maximize our performance... This does give us a slight advantage over teams with lesser rated people, but we by no means run them right out of the rink...

Then, with out explanation comes the nightmare game. The other team moves at the speed of light, their CPU controlled guys are puck vacuuming gods. Their goalie is the reincarnation of Roy and Broduer if they could procreate. (cpu goalie at that). Their human players just dominate in every way... speed, agility, toughness, awareness, passing, shooting..... Our goalie is as useless as tits on a boar. Every exploit is used to further the humiliation.....

What I want to know is ..... what is going on... The point of the attributes and player choice is that you have to give something up to be good at something else. If my skills are optimized then how are they that much faster, agile, tougher, and skilled at every level. I can recognize when someone has better stick skills in a game, but this is not about skill with a controller. It is a dominate attribute advantage that has no explanation.

Questions: Does your choice of team effect the skill sets of your CPU controlled team mates? (Ours seem mildly handicapped in my 2nd scenario above)

What determines the skill sets of the CPU controlled goalie? Our opponent's cpu goalie moves on the cross crease pass at will and denies the shot. Our goalie waves at the puck as it goes past them for a quick goal on the other side.

Is there a way our opponent either has gained "extra" attributes or some how reduced ours?

The game when on a level playing field is one of the greatest experiences I have had in video gaming for 20 years. This makes it all the more frustrating when you walk into a buzz saw that has no explanation what so ever. Something smells and those who are using the exploit are not talking.....

Feedback???

Late,

The Guru

[Steven547]

It's an ongoing question and one that may never get a solid answer. If I'm playing a game where, in real life, one team dominates the other (anaheim dominated chicago last year), then they will dominate in this game. Nothing you do seems to work. I could play Anaheim (as chicago) for 5 games (using position lock) and might only win 1 game no matter how well I play or shots I've taken. I've posted this question already and several have mentioned the same thing. (that certain teams will struggle against others regardless of stats.)

Who knows...there could be a "condition of team" that is unknown to the user that affects how they play (similar to Pro Evo Soccer where the condition of the team being excellent, good, poor, etc). I usually play position lock, so one would think that it's basically CPU vs CPU. But because you are controlling that player on THAT team, I think it still has an affect on the entire team. Heck, I had game where Columbus (cpu) had 11 shots on goal against Detroit (me: position lock) but still scored 4 goals. My team had over 25 shots and only 1 goal. Who knows....

[baa7]

Quote: Originally Posted by kickingguru

Questions: Does your choice of team effect the skill sets of your CPU controlled team mates?

No. EA's FIFA series is programmed the exact same way. The teams will play evenly matched, or the CPU team will dominate, or the CPU will act useless and you'll dominate. It's nothing more than AI programming meant to emulate "momentum" or whatever.

[JMBOO]

I have noticed this phenomenon as well. As far as CPU players/goalies, I was told that they are random with base stats in the OTP.

Maybe it is just me, but usually after a big hit or two, the players on my team seem to get juiced up and start playing very well. Conversly, if I get smoted or turn it over a few times, my teams play becomes lack-luster at best, or so it seems to me.

[Steven547]

I just had a game as Pitt vs Philly. I was up 2 - 0 going into the 3rd. After the face off, the puck came to my defender and somehow, the puck went THROUGH his stick. A Phil player was able to get to the puck BEFORE my player could even turn around....goal....and a big "huh?"

Next face off, similar thing...goal. Suddenly, in 20 seconds, they tied it up. This had NOTHING to do with poor defense. This was a blatant "cpu attribute boost". CPU was losing, and then pow, tied up.

Another play (supporting my attribute boost theory) had a Phil player skating down the boards when suddenly, he accelerates as if he had turbo's in his skates. He was already going "full speed" with a defender on his tail, but was not about 5 feet ahead. I should of saved the replay but will next time this happens.

Another "unexplained" is when their defender is about 2 stride lengths behind your guy, but can somehow check him into the boards. I don't think there is a "comeback AI", but I do think there is a "cpu attribute boost" that occurs when the CPU is losing.

[SwayGod53]

Quote: Originally Posted by kickingguru

It seems as if you get two different games going at times.... Some games seem fine.... both sides seem to be equally matched. There may be a glitch goal or 2 that decides the outcome, but you get shots, they get shots. Goalies play well and may have 1 to 2 bad plays. My eashl club plays with guys who are Legends and we have tweaked, maxed, ect.... to maximize our performance... This does give us a slight advantage over teams with lesser rated people, but we by no means run them right out of the rink... Then, with out explanation comes the nightmare game. The other team moves at the speed of light, their CPU controlled guys are puck vacuuming gods. Their goalie is the reincarnation of Roy and Broduer if they could procreate. (cpu goalie at that). Their human players just dominate in every way... speed, agility, toughness, awareness, passing, shooting..... Our goalie is as useless as tits on a boar. Every exploit is used to further the humiliation..... What I want to know is ..... what is going on... The point of the attributes and player choice is that you have to give something up to be good at something else. If my skills are optimized then how are they that much faster, agile, tougher, and skilled at every level. I can recognize when someone has better stick skills in a game, but this is not about skill with a controller. It is a dominate attribute advantage that has no explanation. Questions: Does your choice of team effect the skill sets of your CPU controlled team mates? (Ours seem mildly handicapped in my 2nd scenario above) What determines the skill sets of the CPU controlled goalie? Our opponent's cpu goalie moves on the cross crease pass at will and denies the shot. Our goalie waves at the puck as it goes past them for a quick goal on the other side. Is there a way our opponent either has gained "extra" attributes or some how reduced ours? The game when on a level playing field is one of the greatest experiences I have had in video gaming for 20 years. This makes it all the more frustrating when you walk into a buzz saw that has no explanation what so ever. Something smells and those who are using the exploit are not talking..... Feedback??? Late, The Guru

I think you can take this post and apply to to real life NHL. I mean some games your team looks soft, some games they are aggressive. My team, the Sabres, some nights Miller plays lights out and other nights he is a revolving door.

You just do the best you can and hope in the end you can pull out the W.