Goalie Suggestions For NHL 16

[Ado173]

I've been hoping for some diveristy in goalies pretty much since NHL2000 now.

I remember having a discussion with a couple of buddies about it a few years back, and we seemed to share the general sentiment that if EA *were* to implement difference in goalie styles etc., we would certainly approve, but we'd also probably not buy the game that year, seeing as EA would most likely screw up the initial attempt

The point being, it would certainly be nice to see, but there's potential for some real disaster there too.

While we're on the subject, how about changing up skaters too, so that Matt Ellis can't stickhandle like Sidney Crosby? I realise there's a difference in speed and effectiveness of a Matt Ellis deke in game, but I've seen the man play, and there is no freakin' way he can pull off half the moves in this game without the puck squirting away, even against a cone.

My point being - Have skaters lose the puck unforced, once in a while.

[jboe235]

I was hoping with the next gen game they would do something to improve them, but that didn't happen. They really need a complete overhaul, but with where this game is right now I don't see that happening in the next couple of years. Could be wrong though.

I do like the idea of having ratings produce different goalie types. Maybe even sliders where, for example, a goalie is either more reflex based or position based, something like that where 3 or 4 sliders combined with ratings could make a spectrum of different ways goalies play, like in real life. Then they could have ratings/sliders dictate what "save" animations a goalie can do, so they all don't have the flexibility of Quick.

Also, stances. One thing that has bugged me for the longest time is the terrible stance they all have. It can't be that hard to make like 3 or 4 of them (maybe base it on what "style" they are). The fact that they all have the same one and its not even proper irks me.

[csamuelsvt]

NHL07 i remember they revamped the goalies and I loved the goalies, but since then, they have only added a few tweaks here and there.

Mo Cap at least 3 different goalies with different styles.

Do what 2k does if possible with player differentiation. Quick should be different than a traditional ButterFly Goalie for instance and it be great if there was some strategy involved.

[AdamJones113]

I would also like to request to deaf ears the ability of the goalie to actually skate with the puck.

[actionhank]

I think actual physics for the goalies would be a huge change.
A lot of goals in the NHL get scored when you get the goalie out of position. The way goalies move and react now they get back and forth like they're on pavement. There's no sliding when they move. A goalie can easily rocket to one side of the crease, and then back without fear of sliding out of position. A goalie making an aggressive save to one side is never open to a wrap around attempt (Not just because they're nearly impossible to pull of as a skater) but because they can just slide back around before anyone gets to the open net. There's no realism in their movements, because it's all animations without real physics. Watch the diving save animations. The goalie doesn't really "push off" he just kind of jumps in place and sprawls through the air.

Now, imagine instead the goalie has to actually push off, and he actually slides laterally across the ice. He has inertia, so you're on the powerplay. He follows the puck from the left circle to the right, and the defense breaks down in the middle, leaving an open gap to quickly pass it back. You launch the puck back, and the goalie is still sliding with the first pass. He plants and starts to push back, but he's still sliding a bit and doesn't get over in time and you narrowly put the puck between the post and his blocker.

Another thing would be positioning. So many goals i've scored have come from the fact that the goalie deflected an easy wrist shot on the ice off of his pads and into the net because instead of coming out and covering the bottom of the net and the sides, the often just sit inside the blue paint and pivot in place, which leads to a puck that would have been bounced into the corner going into the side of the net.

Quote: Originally Posted by AdamJones113

I would also like to request to deaf ears the ability of the goalie to actually skate with the puck.

That would be huge. Goalies like Smith, Allen, Brodeur, who all like to come out and move the puck themselves lose a huge part of their value because goalies are basically nothing more than a danger outside of the crease.
Same for the powerplay. Goalies usually help on the clear, stopping the puck behind the net, and skating out into open ice on line changes to launch it back up the ice and take advantage of the change, but in game they just sit in net forcing you to wear your guys out going end-to-end each time the puck gets cleared.

[AdamJones113]

Quote: Originally Posted by actionhank

I think actual physics for the goalies would be a huge change. A lot of goals in the NHL get scored when you get the goalie out of position. The way goalies move and react now they get back and forth like they're on pavement. There's no sliding when they move. A goalie can easily rocket to one side of the crease, and then back without fear of sliding out of position. A goalie making an aggressive save to one side is never open to a wrap around attempt (Not just because they're nearly impossible to pull of as a skater) but because they can just slide back around before anyone gets to the open net. There's no realism in their movements, because it's all animations without real physics. Watch the diving save animations. The goalie doesn't really "push off" he just kind of jumps in place and sprawls through the air. Now, imagine instead the goalie has to actually push off, and he actually slides laterally across the ice. He has inertia, so you're on the powerplay. He follows the puck from the left circle to the right, and the defense breaks down in the middle, leaving an open gap to quickly pass it back. You launch the puck back, and the goalie is still sliding with the first pass. He plants and starts to push back, but he's still sliding a bit and doesn't get over in time and you narrowly put the puck between the post and his blocker. Another thing would be positioning. So many goals i've scored have come from the fact that the goalie deflected an easy wrist shot on the ice off of his pads and into the net because instead of coming out and covering the bottom of the net and the sides, the often just sit inside the blue paint and pivot in place, which leads to a puck that would have been bounced into the corner going into the side of the net. That would be huge. Goalies like Smith, Allen, Brodeur, who all like to come out and move the puck themselves lose a huge part of their value because goalies are basically nothing more than a danger outside of the crease. Same for the powerplay. Goalies usually help on the clear, stopping the puck behind the net, and skating out into open ice on line changes to launch it back up the ice and take advantage of the change, but in game they just sit in net forcing you to wear your guys out going end-to-end each time the puck gets cleared.

While I agree with all of your points, I'd like to discuss the bolded section further (the crappy skating needs no further critiquing ).

There are two stages to this, pre-shot and shot. In "pre-shot" mode a goalie would ideally come out of the crease to cut off the angle (implementing this alone would be a godsend), squaring themselves to the skater and getting on a line with the skater and the net (not doing this is the reason for those terrible bounce-in-off-pad goals). "Shot" mode is reacting to the shot, twisting the blocker to propel the shot towards the corner/away from skaters in front (EA doesn't do a terrible job of this) and getting the pad in correct position to—even if a rebound bounces off—make the second save because the bounce has come out in front of the goalie, not off to the side.

[jyoung]

They need to disable the goalie's ability to pass the puck out of a covered position. Instead, limit passing only to plays where the goalie catches the puck on his stick while standing upright.

Otherwise, people online will continue to pass the puck out to the corner or out through a crowd of bodies to avoid having to take a defensive zone face-off. And 95% of the time they do that, the game rewards them with a cheap, completely undeserved breakout.

[AdamJones113]

Quote: Originally Posted by jyoung

They need to disable the goalie's ability to pass the puck out of a covered position. Instead, limit passing only to plays where the goalie catches the puck on his stick while standing upright. Otherwise, people online will continue to pass the puck out to the corner or out through a crowd of bodies to avoid having to take a defensive zone face-off. And 95% of the time they do that, the game rewards them with a cheap, completely undeserved breakout.

Good call.

Not to mention that, if you watch closely, the goalie actually defies physics by barely raising his glove and not getting his stick out of the way (puck goes through the paddle).