NHL 18 vs. 16-17

[schlitz73]

I decided to skip NHL17 after most of what I read seemed to indicate it wasn't all that different from 16, at least in the modes and ways that interest me. I don't play much online and instead focus on BaGM and BaP modes. Now with NHL18 hitting the shelves, most of what I've discovered online seems to indicate the same. I really can't afford to spend $60 for something that is basically the same as two years ago so I am hoping some of you could answer a few of my questions.

The main problems I have with NHL 16 are listed here and I was just wondering how 17-18 compare.

Are the seemless puck pick ups still so hit and miss?
Does player speed still mean next to nothing?
Do the CPU defenders skate backwards at such high speeds keeping you from being able to get around them?
Do you still whiff on so many one-timers? This happened a LOT in 16.
Do your CPU teammates still cluster up in your def.zone and make it difficult to start a breakout?
Do they still leave huge gaps in the slot?
Do they ignore the puck carrier when you catch the other team on a line change? You'd never see 5v1 in the NHL and have those 5 players ignore the puck carrier like in NHL16.
Has the chemistry/morale system improved at all in BaGM? I found it very disappointing.
Has the trade logic/team needs improved at all? Nothing was worse than trying to offer a team the type of players they claim to want and need only to have them tell you that isn't what they are looking for.

Anyway, those were my biggest gripes with the modes I played in NHL16. I'd appreciate any feedback you guys could give in comparison with NHL 17 and 18 before I decide to purchase one or the other or just stick with 16 for another (long) year. Thanks!

[kinsmen7]

Quote: Originally Posted by schlitz73

I decided to skip NHL17 after most of what I read seemed to indicate it wasn't all that different from 16, at least in the modes and ways that interest me. I don't play much online and instead focus on BaGM and BaP modes. Now with NHL18 hitting the shelves, most of what I've discovered online seems to indicate the same. I really can't afford to spend $60 for something that is basically the same as two years ago so I am hoping some of you could answer a few of my questions. The main problems I have with NHL 16 are listed here and I was just wondering how 17-18 compare. Are the seemless puck pick ups still so hit and miss? Does player speed still mean next to nothing? Do the CPU defenders skate backwards at such high speeds keeping you from being able to get around them? Do you still whiff on so many one-timers? This happened a LOT in 16. Do your CPU teammates still cluster up in your def.zone and make it difficult to start a breakout? Do they still leave huge gaps in the slot? Do they ignore the puck carrier when you catch the other team on a line change? You'd never see 5v1 in the NHL and have those 5 players ignore the puck carrier like in NHL16. Has the chemistry/morale system improved at all in BaGM? I found it very disappointing. Has the trade logic/team needs improved at all? Nothing was worse than trying to offer a team the type of players they claim to want and need only to have them tell you that isn't what they are looking for. Anyway, those were my biggest gripes with the modes I played in NHL16. I'd appreciate any feedback you guys could give in comparison with NHL 17 and 18 before I decide to purchase one or the other or just stick with 16 for another (long) year. Thanks!

Haven't had much time to play so far, but here's what I can answer:

-Player speed seems to matter a bit. Since the tuner update, everything seems a bit slower, but if you create a bit of space on a dman, you can blow by.
-The dmen aren't ridiculously fast. The AI is improved a bit this year (From what I've seen), and they seem to space themselves out better.
-The whiff is definitely still there. I haven't tried many one timers but it definitely happens when my dman gets the puck off of a draw and tries to fire it around the boards.
-Breakout seems great if you know how to break out.
-Slot coverage is much better than 16. That human glitch goal isn't really there anymore, though if you leave the CPU open in front of your own net, they'll crush you every time (In 2 games against the Stars, I left Jamie Benn wide open 3 times-he was 3/3)
-Chemistry/morale is still very meh. Not much has improved there.
-Trade logic looks like it may have improved, but again, I haven't spent much time playing.

I'm a franchise mode guy, so the addition of expansion mode is going to keep me entertained for enough time to justify buying the game, but if you're just looking for game play improvements, there's nothing really groundbreaking in 18 vs. 17, other than the fact that you can control your stick on D now, which doesn't really change the game much.

Probably not worth the $80 right now, but it's usually on sale at Christmas time for 50% off anyway.

[schlitz73]

Quote: Originally Posted by kinsmen7

Haven't had much time to play so far, but here's what I can answer: -Player speed seems to matter a bit. Since the tuner update, everything seems a bit slower, but if you create a bit of space on a dman, you can blow by. -The dmen aren't ridiculously fast. The AI is improved a bit this year (From what I've seen), and they seem to space themselves out better. -The whiff is definitely still there. I haven't tried many one timers but it definitely happens when my dman gets the puck off of a draw and tries to fire it around the boards. -Breakout seems great if you know how to break out. -Slot coverage is much better than 16. That human glitch goal isn't really there anymore, though if you leave the CPU open in front of your own net, they'll crush you every time (In 2 games against the Stars, I left Jamie Benn wide open 3 times-he was 3/3) -Chemistry/morale is still very meh. Not much has improved there. -Trade logic looks like it may have improved, but again, I haven't spent much time playing. I'm a franchise mode guy, so the addition of expansion mode is going to keep me entertained for enough time to justify buying the game, but if you're just looking for game play improvements, there's nothing really groundbreaking in 18 vs. 17, other than the fact that you can control your stick on D now, which doesn't really change the game much. Probably not worth the $80 right now, but it's usually on sale at Christmas time for 50% off anyway.

Hey thanks a lot for the reply, I really appreciate it. NHL 16 was not bad imo, but after a season of BaP and franchise it starts to feel ...I dunno...stale? The issues start to be more obvious and the fun factor drops when you constantly see things that shouldn't happen each and every game.

I'm also a franchise guy but find myself getting trapped in BaP too often. lol

My biggest thing is I HATE simming games so I never make it through more than one or two seasons which is why I tend to focus more on gameplay issues than other more franchise specific ones. HUT doesn't interest me at all and although I've tried EASHL and kinda like it, I just don't have the time to play it regularly.

From the sounds of it, NHL 18 might be a decent step up compared to 16 but I'll definitely wait for a price drop.

[kinsmen7]

It definitely is. The patch that they released the other day helps a lot too.

Still a lot of things that make you want to launch the controller across the room, but entertaining enough to save the day.

Cheers!

[synjin]

Are the seemless puck pick ups still so hit and miss?
Yes

Does player speed still mean next to nothing?
No, not really. The CPU seems to have an extra gear and better acceleration like always, but if your guy has 90+ speed and you're going against somebody in the high 70s or lower, you're going to blow by him.

Do the CPU defenders skate backwards at such high speeds keeping you from being able to get around them?
Do you still whiff on so many one-timers? This happened a LOT in 16.
Yes. Constantly. Annoying AF.

Do your CPU teammates still cluster up in your def.zone and make it difficult to start a breakout?
They don't cluster as much as they skate to a predetermined spot and then stop and stand there. Rarely do you see anyone try to get open, or swing back to you if you are behind the net.

Do they still leave huge gaps in the slot?
Yes, mostly because detection on who I am playing is horrendous, so my CPU teammates will try to double team with me and leave the crease open. Backside wingers are still bad about collapsing to cover open crease.

Do they ignore the puck carrier when you catch the other team on a line change? You'd never see 5v1 in the NHL and have those 5 players ignore the puck carrier like in NHL16.
If you call a line change while on D, they will all head back to the bench. Just have to be smarter about when you call for a change. Would be nice if you would see players leave the bench before the player exiting has reached. Rule is when an exiting player is within 6 feet, you can jump over and replace them. They've never had this, and probably never will though. "If it's in the game, it's in the game (but oftentimes it isn't)"


Has the chemistry/morale system improved at all in BaGM? I found it very disappointing.
No. It's horrible and stupid. 9 times out of 10 meeting with a player will worsen his morale or have no effect. Out of 20-ish player meetings I've had 1 result in better morale.

Has the trade logic/team needs improved at all? Nothing was worse than trying to offer a team the type of players they claim to want and need only to have them tell you that isn't what they are looking for.
The same. The main problem I've found is that most teams fill their roster to 50/50 contracts and are right at the cap. And they complain that even though the trade is exactly what they want, and they are getting the better end of the deal, that they won't make the trade because they'll have to put some journeyman 4th liner in the final year of his contract on waivers.

Anyway, those were my biggest gripes with the modes I played in NHL16. I'd appreciate any feedback you guys could give in comparison with NHL 17 and 18 before I decide to purchase one or the other or just stick with 16 for another (long) year. Thanks!

I'm a BaGM player pretty much 80% of the time with occasional forrays into BaP or EASHL. The expansion draft and the extra 32nd team will keep my interest for a while.

MY biggest complaint is that forechecking is still completely hosed. If players fall below 90% endurance, they pretty much stop forechecking and just skate to a predetermined formation for a forecheck and stand on that spot until the clearing team passes them by. When I pin someone to the boards with the puck, they only come help me half the time, and when they do, they come to the wrong side to get a skate pass. Literally no difference from this year to last. The only way to have even a partially effective forecheck is to crank it up to Full Attack with the highest forecheck setting.

Oh yeah, Odd-man rushes still see your CPU-controlled teammates on the rush skating towards the corners instead of having one guy head far post and the 3rd stay high and come late. Couple that with the really bad one-timer hit% and the overpowered defender interceptions, and doing anything other than taking it in yourself and shooting for a goal or at least a rebound is pointless.

[MizzouRah]

The D skill stick alone makes 16 and 17 obsolete IMHO of course.

[schlitz73]

Quote: Originally Posted by synjin

Do they ignore the puck carrier when you catch the other team on a line change? You'd never see 5v1 in the NHL and have those 5 players ignore the puck carrier like in NHL16. If you call a line change while on D, they will all head back to the bench. Just have to be smarter about when you call for a change. Would be nice if you would see players leave the bench before the player exiting has reached. Rule is when an exiting player is within 6 feet, you can jump over and replace them. They've never had this, and probably never will though. "If it's in the game, it's in the game (but oftentimes it isn't)" Oh yeah, Odd-man rushes still see your CPU-controlled teammates on the rush skating towards the corners instead of having one guy head far post and the 3rd stay high and come late. Couple that with the really bad one-timer hit% and the overpowered defender interceptions, and doing anything other than taking it in yourself and shooting for a goal or at least a rebound is pointless.

Thanks for the reply!

What I meant about the 5v1 on line changes is that when the CPU has the puck and they call for a full line change as the puck carrier enters the zone. Its literally just the puck carrier and my full team out there and my CPU teammates completely back up as if it were still 5v5. I have a really hard time knocking that one guy off the puck as he seems to be able to dance around avoiding checks/pokes.

If you had a 5v1 like that in real hockey there would be 2-3 players swarming that one guy and forcing him to dump it or get obliterated.