NHL 17 Impressions

[MizzouRah]

I finally changed my 3v3 lineup.. the CPU AI is horrible at lineups.. and beat Minnesota in OT, 3-2. Great game!

See what I mean?

[MizzouRah]

Simple things like turning off manual passing, going back to assisted aim and using 3/4 sim has helped for the most part. I also started using dynamic high camera.

Manual passing OFF allows you to pass much quicker, similar to what the AI teams are able to do.

[actionhank]

Quote: Originally Posted by MizzouRah

I finally changed my 3v3 lineup.. the CPU AI is horrible at lineups.. and beat Minnesota in OT, 3-2. Great game! See what I mean?

3 on 3 is one area that honestly seems like it was just kind of tossed into the game, without much planning for it to work.

They don't play like they're doing a 3 on 3 OT, where you need to play defense and offense equally hard, but they just kind of play like 2 guys suddenly disappeared.

The lines are pretty bad too. No, I don't want Lehtera centering Gunny and Bortuzzo, and no, I don't want Reaves filling in on my PP for my injured Tarasenko...

[GlennN]

Quote: Originally Posted by actionhank

I think it's mostly due to their positioning, and how they play the puck. The players don't really seem to react to what's happening on the ice, so much as they seem to play their specific position. I say this based on the number of times you will see a potential 2 on 1 or 2 on 3 turn into a 1 on 1, because the players on your team stop skating and take "their position". So in the NHL, a defender may well skate in through the middle, and crash the net with a forward to generate a scoring chance...but it seems that more often than not, they slow down in the game to take their place by the blue line once they're in the offensive zone. On the defensive side of things, I honestly don't know what the AI is doing sometimes. I have had so many goals scored because my AI defender (we'll say the LD) either skates in behind the opposition forward, but never actually tries to catch them...they just skate at the same speed a few feet behind. So the AI defender is never trying to hit their stick, knock the puck loose, or anything like that, they're just coasting along until that forward stops, at which point if they stop by the net, the LD might bump into them and start the tie-up animation. Similarly, I've had a lot of times where as the RD I will pursue a forward into the right corner to try and get the puck. Normally this means the LD will then slightly shift towards the middle of the net, but not leave the net unless the puck goes into their left corner. But a lot of times the LD will also follow my RD into the corner, as a winger comes down the boards, all 3 of them trying to get the puck, and no one covering the front of the net. Generally the center seems to get tied up in the high slot, but this almost always leads to a goal against, as there's an unguarded forward just waiting for a pass. Generally when I notice this, I'm frantically switching, but since you tend to switch to the player closest to the puck, it's not a guarantee you get to the LD, or a guarantee that you make it back to the net before the pass.

And this is one of my main problems with the NHL series. This should be a function of the ratings, in particular the offensive/defensive awareness. I play offline, so if the players play similarly, there is little reason to carefully build a roster. If my D have high defensive awareness, I should not have to switch to control them for them to know what to do.

[MizzouRah]

Quote: Originally Posted by actionhank

3 on 3 is one area that honestly seems like it was just kind of tossed into the game, without much planning for it to work. They don't play like they're doing a 3 on 3 OT, where you need to play defense and offense equally hard, but they just kind of play like 2 guys suddenly disappeared. The lines are pretty bad too. No, I don't want Lehtera centering Gunny and Bortuzzo, and no, I don't want Reaves filling in on my PP for my injured Tarasenko...

Definitely... and how come my 4th line starts a period? I don't want to manually do line changes, but I had no idea the lineups were that messed up... which means the AI teams are messed up as well.

[jake19ny]

Quote: Originally Posted by actionhank

3 on 3 is one area that honestly seems like it was just kind of tossed into the game, without much planning for it to work. They don't play like they're doing a 3 on 3 OT, where you need to play defense and offense equally hard, but they just kind of play like 2 guys suddenly disappeared. The lines are pretty bad too. No, I don't want Lehtera centering Gunny and Bortuzzo, and no, I don't want Reaves filling in on my PP for my injured Tarasenko...

This definitely needs to be addressed for next year. It should be 2 forwards and a defenseman. I control all teams in my season mode and put a forward in one d man spot on all teams but the CPU plays as if they are killing a 5-3 powerplay and you get zero pressure from them. I tend to just dominate the CPU. I think if they switch to 2 forward positions and 1 d man the CPU might generate more offense with open ice. Needs to be addressed

[actionhank]

Another thing I've noticed a lot recently is the presentation like the "Upcoming Games" windows get placed right over my line selection...so I'm stuck trying to peer through it, or randomly guess which line I'm tossing out.

Quote: Originally Posted by jake19ny

This definitely needs to be addressed for next year. It should be 2 forwards and a defenseman. I control all teams in my season mode and put a forward in one d man spot on all teams but the CPU plays as if they are killing a 5-3 powerplay and you get zero pressure from them. I tend to just dominate the CPU. I think if they switch to 2 forward positions and 1 d man the CPU might generate more offense with open ice. Needs to be addressed

I've always been frustrated during the powerplay that my guys don't try to get open, and don't really move with any plans to take a good shot. Guys just seem to kind of stand around, which makes it incredibly easy for the 3 guys to just stand near them, making passing impossible until you start skating all over the ice yourself.

[jake19ny]

Quote: Originally Posted by actionhank

Another thing I've noticed a lot recently is the presentation like the "Upcoming Games" windows get placed right over my line selection...so I'm stuck trying to peer through it, or randomly guess which line I'm tossing out. I've always been frustrated during the powerplay that my guys don't try to get open, and don't really move with any plans to take a good shot. Guys just seem to kind of stand around, which makes it incredibly easy for the 3 guys to just stand near them, making passing impossible until you start skating all over the ice yourself.

I find on the powerplay I have to use Umbrella. If I use that and pass to the points then skate in towards a corner with a point man the winger drops back to point. If I move the puck around enough like this I get an opening from the point or the slot for a shot. It's not perfect but I find the special teams better this year. I think the CPU does a much better job on the Power play if they can get set up and I welcome tougher penalty killing.