EA - Can we lower the goalie speed from post to post?

[AtlantaLarry]

I voted yes, and just started a thread on the EA forum about this very issue in EASHL. In other modes it's not nearly as big a concern, IMO, as I've seen a really nice variety of goals (though I don't think slowing the goalies a bit would hurt). But in EASHL it's extremely frustrating right now and it's very rare that great chances of any sort, except for rebounds, result in a goal. My entire club is pretty much uninterested in playing any more until it's addressed. Pre-tuner 1.03 it wasn't too bad; we actually enjoyed the greater playmaking challenge compared to NHL 12, and we could bury good chances now and then even if goalies were unrealistically good post-to-post. Not happening right now, and it goes for our opponents too. In our last 20 games, I'd say the average goal total is MAYBE 2, and 9 have ended in scores of 1-0.

@EA_Redshirt: I was surprised to read in the tuner notes that 1.03 actually made goalies better high glove and stick side, and decreased shot accuracy (both for EASHL). Do you know why this change was made? Were there some pretty bad always-goals discovered? I fully expected to see goalies slowed a bit, if anything.

[Redshirt_EA]

Quote: Originally Posted by AtlantaLarry

I voted yes, and just started a thread on the EA forum about this very issue in EASHL. In other modes it's not nearly as big a concern, IMO, as I've seen a really nice variety of goals (though I don't think slowing the goalies a bit would hurt). But in EASHL it's extremely frustrating right now and it's very rare that great chances of any sort, except for rebounds, result in a goal. My entire club is pretty much uninterested in playing any more until it's addressed. Pre-tuner 1.03 it wasn't too bad; we actually enjoyed the greater playmaking challenge compared to NHL 12, and we could bury good chances now and then even if goalies were unrealistically good post-to-post. Not happening right now, and it goes for our opponents too. In our last 20 games, I'd say the average goal total is MAYBE 2, and 9 have ended in scores of 1-0. @EA_Redshirt: I was surprised to read in the tuner notes that 1.03 actually made goalies better high glove and stick side, and decreased shot accuracy (both for EASHL). Do you know why this change was made? Were there some pretty bad always-goals discovered? I fully expected to see goalies slowed a bit, if anything.

Yeah, I have not been involved in all of the assessment and tuning of the goalies, but there were some goals that were a bit exploitative (i.e. too easy and not ones you'd expect a goalie to ever allow) getting scored. Those changes were made to help with that.

I don't think the feeling was that goalies were overall too weak, but those changes were the ones that could help with that particular problem and it was felt they wouldn't make them that much stronger overall. We are somewhat limited with what we can do with tuning updates -- more extensive changes have to happen in a patch where we can correct something like that (weak goal) without the side-effect (making the goalie a bit better in other cases), or put in more tuning parameters that allow us to adjust it with further tuning updates.

[Richie12]

Quote: Originally Posted by Redshirt_EA

Yeah, I have not been involved in all of the assessment and tuning of the goalies, but there were some goals that were a bit exploitative (i.e. too easy and not ones you'd expect a goalie to ever allow) getting scored. Those changes were made to help with that. I don't think the feeling was that goalies were overall too weak, but those changes were the ones that could help with that particular problem and it was felt they wouldn't make them that much stronger overall. We are somewhat limited with what we can do with tuning updates -- more extensive changes have to happen in a patch where we can correct something like that (weak goal) without the side-effect (making the goalie a bit better in other cases), or put in more tuning parameters that allow us to adjust it with further tuning updates.

I understand. But I think we should analyze why in real life this not an exploit. If you had to compensate probably those 3 skills below were too high :

1- In real life, passing is not tape to tape even with really skilled passers
2- Pass reception is more difficult in real life than in the game (even with slider at minimum)
3- Successfully shooting a top corner is not very common in NHL

Maybe lowering those 3 may compensate if slowing down goalies.

I know it's easier to say than to do :-) just putting my 2 cents here

[jyoung]

I would love to see all of the following tweaked for goalies:

-- decrease lateral quickness
-- decrease desperation save frequency

-- increase rebound control
-- increase screen effect

That would definitely get the goalies playing a lot more realistic than they are now.

[AtlantaLarry]

Quote: Originally Posted by Redshirt_EA

Yeah, I have not been involved in all of the assessment and tuning of the goalies, but there were some goals that were a bit exploitative (i.e. too easy and not ones you'd expect a goalie to ever allow) getting scored. Those changes were made to help with that. I don't think the feeling was that goalies were overall too weak, but those changes were the ones that could help with that particular problem and it was felt they wouldn't make them that much stronger overall. We are somewhat limited with what we can do with tuning updates -- more extensive changes have to happen in a patch where we can correct something like that (weak goal) without the side-effect (making the goalie a bit better in other cases), or put in more tuning parameters that allow us to adjust it with further tuning updates.

Understood, thanks for the response.

Well, in my and my teammates' opinions, those changes have made them quite a bit stronger overall, our shooting %'s have fallen off the cliff, and that's with our skaters getting increasingly better. Could a possible counter-measure be to only decrease the shot accuracy on high shots, and maybe increase the accuracy on low-to-mid shots to compensate? (if that's possible with a tuner)

Another question: would it be possible to re-implement Vision Control, at least in a situational sense, with a patch at some point? The difficulty of squaring up to the net I think contributes to scoring in a pretty big way. Maybe something like, holding L2 (PS3) while gliding will square you to the net, but any subsequent Left Stick movement will start your skater going backwards in that direction. Then to square up again you could release and hold again. Just brainstorming....

[Redshirt_EA]

Quote: Originally Posted by AtlantaLarry

Understood, thanks for the response. Well, in my and my teammates' opinions, those changes have made them quite a bit stronger overall, our shooting %'s have fallen off the cliff, and that's with our skaters getting increasingly better. Could a possible counter-measure be to only decrease the shot accuracy on high shots, and maybe increase the accuracy on low-to-mid shots to compensate? (if that's possible with a tuner) Another question: would it be possible to re-implement Vision Control, at least in a situational sense, with a patch at some point? The difficulty of squaring up to the net I think contributes to scoring in a pretty big way. Maybe something like, holding L2 (PS3) while gliding will square you to the net, but any subsequent Left Stick movement will start your skater going backwards in that direction. Then to square up again you could release and hold again. Just brainstorming....

I'm not sure what you mean by "re-implement". Vision control is still there. There is a bug (that will need a patch to address) makes it drive the direction to face from the left stick direction in situations where it shouldn't,

[ManiacMatt1782]

Cross crease is still easy. Just don't 1 time it. Let the puck sttle and shoot far side. Watch the goals rack up.

[AtlantaLarry]

Quote: Originally Posted by Redshirt_EA

I'm not sure what you mean by "re-implement". Vision control is still there. There is a bug (that will need a patch to address) makes it drive the direction to face from the left stick direction in situations where it shouldn't,

How does it work, then? Every time I hold L2 to square up to the net, with or without the puck, my skater does a 180 and turns his back to the net. Am I doing something wrong? What I try to do now instead is sort of tap L2 to get him to face in the general direction, but it's not very consistent and pretty touchy. Am I just experiencing the bug? (I don't fully understand the explanation I don't think)