I need help!

[ChampIsHere42]

Just got 18, I’ve been on and off with the series for a while. My settings are at all-star and full simulation. I cannot set up an offense in the opponents zone and the cpu seems to be able to do whatever they want to me. They will literally pass the puck around like they are on the power play when they are not. I cant play defense to save my life. I want to learn how to play correctly and not just turn the difficulty down.

[z.arthur23]

Defensively, are you going for every big hit that you see? Are you putting a premium on blocking shots?

Offensively, are you thinking ahead? Going into each possession with an idea of what you're trying to get?

NHL 18 gets the worst wrap. Out of the box it's awful. Put it on Simulation and mess with the sliders, though, and you have the best playing hockey game of all time. The problem is that the game becomes really hard when you do that.

There's no shame in dropping difficulty in order to build up some of the fundamentals. Dominate on that level, then move up when you know you're ready. There's also no shame in getting beat down a bit at a higher level if you are both learning and having fun. Just make sure you stick with it, and focus your efforts on playing conservative and looking to strike at specific times, instead of a non-stop attack on both offense and defense.

[servo75]

Quote: Originally Posted by ChampIsHere42

Just got 18, I’ve been on and off with the series for a while. My settings are at all-star and full simulation. I cannot set up an offense in the opponents zone and the cpu seems to be able to do whatever they want to me. They will literally pass the puck around like they are on the power play when they are not. I cant play defense to save my life. I want to learn how to play correctly and not just turn the difficulty down.

I have the same problem. It seems that there's an imbalance when I play against the CPU.
The CPU offensive players pass back and forth at will, about a 95% pass percentage, while when I have the puck, my guy coughs it up if he just gets breathed on. I can't hold it for more than a half a second without getting harassed off of it.


I also get one shot blocked after another, while the CPU opponent player roams around my zone at will, firing shot after shot, my players seem to be skating on sandpaper, they can't get to an open puck, and they keep evading my checks, doing that fancy stick-waving-back-and-forth thingie and I can't stop it, but my puck handlers never do the same thing.


It's very frustrating! Is there a particular slider setting that can make the CPU less able to block shots?

[servo75]

Quote: Originally Posted by ChampIsHere42

Just got 18, I’ve been on and off with the series for a while. My settings are at all-star and full simulation. I cannot set up an offense in the opponents zone and the cpu seems to be able to do whatever they want to me. They will literally pass the puck around like they are on the power play when they are not. I cant play defense to save my life. I want to learn how to play correctly and not just turn the difficulty down.

I have the same problem. It seems that there's an imbalance when I play against the CPU.
The CPU offensive players pass back and forth at will, about a 95% pass percentage, while when I have the puck, my guy coughs it up if he just gets breathed on. I can't hold it for more than a half a second without getting harassed off of it.


I also get one shot blocked after another, while the CPU opponent player roams around my zone at will, firing shot after shot, my players seem to be skating on sandpaper, they can't get to an open puck, and they keep evading my checks, doing that fancy stick-waving-back-and-forth thingie and I can't stop it, but my puck handlers never do the same thing.


It's very frustrating! Is there a particular slider setting that can make the CPU less able to block shots?


I'm playing on Semi-Pro level with CPU difficulty at 2. This may seem high for a semi-beginner like me, but when I set it at Rookie level, I'm winning every game 8-1 and it's way too easy.