Despite Its Issues, NHL 15 Is Still a Thrill On-Ice

[ThreeKing]

Despite Its Issues, NHL 15 Is Still a Thrill On-Ice

I could list pages upon pages of issues with this games actual gameplay, and I have in the past. I have dozens of videos already to point out specific instances that keep occurring. But instead of doing any of that, I will simply point out that right now, on these very OS forums, there are exactly 27 threads on the first page of the NHL 15 Next Gen forums that are either straight up complaints about the game (and not about the missing modes) or questions that we have no real answers for from EA.



So, that alone tells me how far this game is from being "A thrill on the ice".



And at any given time there are roughly 3 to 15 members browsing this forum on average and maybe some of that is because hockey is a supposed niche sport to some, but less than one month out from release it is by far the most dead a forum could be on this site that close to having released a new game, let a lone a new next-gen game.



But maybe this version does have the "best" gameplay of the series, but that isn't saying much with how putrid the gameplay has historically been with this game, especially in the last 5 years.



I still want to see a poll around Thanksgiving and Xmas for how many people here still play this game every day... every week even. That is the heart of the real NHL season and I am guessing that by then this puppy is in bargain bins everywhere and people here will have moved on to something else.

There's numerous reasons it could be "dead" in here. Maybe because people are actually enjoying the game. Or maybe they're busy doing other things. You have all your threads and posts doing nothing but whining and complaining, yet here you are in a positive thread, trying to tear it down......AGAIN. You've even made ANOTHER negative thread.



I agree with you on a lot of stuff, but YOU'VE MADE YOUR POINT........10 TIMES OVER. It's like you're having a hard time with people who are actually enjoying the game. Does it really bother you that much??



Do yourself and your health a favor, trade in the game and move on already.

[nanman2012]

Re: Despite Its Issues, NHL 15 Is Still a Thrill On-Ice

Did they drop the AHL teams? Im a huge GM player. No GM draft had me looking elsewhere.

[Bleak5170]

Love this series but I don't really understand how a game with such horrid A.I. is lauded so much for it's on-ice game play.

[actionhank]

Re: Despite Its Issues, NHL 15 Is Still a Thrill On-Ice

There's numerous reasons it could be "dead" in here. Maybe because people are actually enjoying the game. Or maybe they're busying doing other things. You have all your threads and posts doing nothing but whining and complaining, yet here you are in a positive thread, trying to tear it down......AGAIN. You've even made ANOTHER negative thread.

I agree with you on a lot of stuff, but YOU'VE MADE YOUR POINT........10 TIMES OVER. It's like you're having a hard time with people who are actually enjoying the game. Does it really bother you that much??

Do yourself and your health a favor, trade in the game and move on already.

So you're saying that people aren't posting that they love the game because they're too busy playing it? What...?

Come on now. If EA only gets their back rubbed for the good things they do, this game will continue to stagnate as it has for the past few years. No one's saying people can't or shouldn't enjoy it, and if you and others to, awesome. But stop complaining that people are upset with the product they received and paid full price for that practically requires a handful of patches to even get it close to the product it was last season.
Everyone is going to have their own opinion of the game and how it plays based on what they enjoy. I want EA to see the complaints because i want them to continue to push the envelope and not let NHL16 be another 60 dollar roster update.

[ThreeKing]

Re: Despite Its Issues, NHL 15 Is Still a Thrill On-Ice

So you're saying that people aren't posting that they love the game because they're too busy playing it? What...?

Come on now. If EA only gets their back rubbed for the good things they do, this game will continue to stagnate as it has for the past few years. No one's saying people can't or shouldn't enjoy it, and if you and others to, awesome. But stop complaining that people are upset with the product they received and paid full price for that practically requires a handful of patches to even get it close to the product it was last season.
Everyone is going to have their own opinion of the game and how it plays based on what they enjoy. I want EA to see the complaints because i want them to continue to push the envelope and not let NHL16 be another 60 dollar roster update.

You're not paying attention. There are numerous threads and posts where there are so many people complaining. Bigwill33 has made it abundantly clear how much he's disgusted with it. It's beating a dead horse at this point. It doesn't even seem constructive anymore.

This thread is a positive thread. People are enjoying it. That doesn't mean EA shouldn't get their criticism, but it's starting to be overkill.

State your stance once, maybe even twice. If you're doing nothing but regurgitating the same crap over and over, then it's just trolling.

[bigwill33]

Re: Despite Its Issues, NHL 15 Is Still a Thrill On-Ice

I'm simply stating a counterpoint to the article's main point. That not as many people are enjoying the on ice gameplay as maybe it is being thought. I never once called anyone out for their liking of this game in here.

And as it has been stated, it is more dangerous to applaud the effort in this game when it has obvious shortcomings to so many then it is to critique and analyze the problems in the hopes that they are noticed and fixed, sooner rather than later.

If you like the game that is great, I have said this dozens of times. My opinion shouldn't matter. But there are a lot of other people that are frustrated and unhappy with where the NHL series has been for a long time now, and those people deserve better. The people that are happy already likely won't be affected by any changes that are positive for the people that are unhappy.

If you are worried about my "bitching" then I look at this way, and I have also said this a few times; If you like a game less or feel the need to defend a game that others are pointing out the flaws and issues with then you need to step back and look at yourself. You might have the issue, unfortunately.

Everything that I point out comes from hours of playing with the NHL game. It is usually not a single occurrence but often a legacy issue that has been in the game for years. I back up my claims with evidence and examples. I also offer potential fixes for the issues or ideas that might make them better in moving forward. And I don't often go into threads where everyone is happy and having fun and make a point to ruin their day. This was an article that I saw evidence pointing in the other direction and spoke my case on the matter. I wouldn't go into someone's dynasty thread and pick apart their videos and say how awful things were or something. There is a difference.

That being said, 1 of those 27 threads on the first page were mine. So there are a lot of other people having issues with the game, too. And if more people were loving this game you would see more positive threads than negative. More looking for advice on trades, photos and media posts, "the little things" posted, or just specific examples of what the game is doing great that some people say they are seeing.

How often do you hear "great gameplay... great gameplay"? And isn't it weird how none of that is elaborated on or backed up with evidence? Where are the videos of a great 2 on 0 give-and-go with the CPU rushing up ice to help out the human as they shake the goalie out of his jock? Where are the shots of a defender lying on the ice and sliding a loose puck out of the danger area with his open palm of his glove? Where are the "OMG, the coolest thing just happened! take a look!!" or "I won the cup and it was so rewarding and the new presentation made it so much cooler" posts?

I see these types of things in the other forums for all the other games going on right now, at this very moment. None of that is happening in here.

Great gameplay, can't even pass off of the boards on a breakout. Can't get the CPU AI to cover anyone in front of the crease. Can't make simple passes to their intended targets without it misunderstanding who you want to pass to as it goes sailing to nowhere helpful. Can't hardly see any pucks deflecting out of play off of shots that are deflected. And the list goes on and on... read these forums. I haven't seen too many Great gameplay, the computer really skates in a realistic manner now. It is so awesome how I can poke check a puck off of the CPU stick and it is truly loose now. Or the here is an example of what is better with the goaltender interference in this game now type of posts.

If hearing this stuff bothers you then it is the game that bothers you, not I, sir. My pointing it out is a service to myself and others that won't stand for the crap that gets shoveled by this development team. And you can be damn certain that if, or when, it is ever fixed I will be the first one on here posting about how awesome it is. Because hockey is my favorite sport, game, and part of my job.

[ThreeKing]

Re: Despite Its Issues, NHL 15 Is Still a Thrill On-Ice

LOL, the game doesn't bother me. If it did, I'd say it did. And how do I have the issue here? If I enjoy the game, then I have the issue?? LOL, really???

You've stated NUMEROUS times in NUMEROUS THREADS, how much you're disgusted with the game. That's fine, but one positive thread is made, and you're in this one also bashing it. Isn't that called an agenda, or am I missing something??

[bigwill33]

Re: Despite Its Issues, NHL 15 Is Still a Thrill On-Ice

LOL, the game doesn't bother me. If it did, I'd say it did. And how do I have the issue here? If I enjoy the game, then I have the issue?? LOL, really???

You've stated NUMEROUS times in NUMEROUS THREADS, how much you're disgusted with the game. That's fine, but one positive thread is made, and you're in this one also bashing it. Isn't that called an agenda, or am I missing something??

I'm saying people that like the game take issue when others do not feel the same way. As if they need justification to enjoy something.

And this was not a thread, it was an article that I was responding to the topic of. It wasn't a thread by a user stating what he or she liked about the certain aspects of the game. It was an article stating that people, in general, were enjoying what NHL 15 has to offer. And from what I can tell that is not the case. Some people are liking certain aspects of the game, but as a whole the community seems rather outraged and disappointed in what they were given in the title.

It treads a slippery slope when media outlets report something like this because it paints a false picture of what the consensus may be on a game that certainly has issues to the vast majority from all that we can tell here. It is no different than ESPN interviewing the people who wore Ray Rice jerseys to the Monday Night game the week he was released from the Ravens. They painted a picture that there was a great number of fans sticking up for Rice and that simply wasn't the reality of the situation. But to the uniformed person watching that broadcast they came away with the sense that all of Baltimore was behind Rice.

Just the same, people come to OS that normally aren't searching for things on the web about the NHL series and see how this game may be worth picking up. They end up picking it up and are thoroughly disappointed in it. I have seen a handful of instances of that occurring just this week here at OS. Where people have come on the forums just to ask questions about how to do something that was not included in the game or where a missing feature was. They didn't hear all of the other stuff prior to launch and what was found out just after and they went and bought the game. Now they are stuck. This maybe wasn't because of OS, but if there are pieces out there reporting on how good the gameplay is then it should be all encompassing and paint the whole picture and discuss the pros and cons in detail. Not just that is "fun" because that is subjective to each person. Just the same as I would not go into every thread and just simply say "NHL sucks".

[ThreeKing]

Re: Despite Its Issues, NHL 15 Is Still a Thrill On-Ice

I'm not going to delete my posts because I stand by them, but I'm tapping out of this conversation.

You do what you gotta do, bro.

[bigwill33]

Re: Despite Its Issues, NHL 15 Is Still a Thrill On-Ice

I'm not going to delete my posts because I stand by them, but I'm tapping out of this conversation.

You do what you gotta do, bro.

I'm not following. I never had any issue with you or your stating your feelings. Was just giving my justifications for my actions to what you stated. I'm certainly not going to follow you around and post a rebuttal to everything you say about the game that is positive, if that was your concern though. See quite a bit of that on here, both positive and negative.

But if anyone is upset with me, personally, I guess you have the right to be. Just remember, you can always block users on here if it gets to you.

[ThreeKing]

Re: Despite Its Issues, NHL 15 Is Still a Thrill On-Ice

It seemed like you weren't being constructive anymore, and it was just plain repetitive bashing. However, I'm not a Mod, so I'm going to 'stay in my lane', and stay out of this from here on out.

Some people like the game, some don't. Fair enough.

[Smirkin Dirk]

Re: Despite Its Issues, NHL 15 Is Still a Thrill On-Ice

One area that desperately needs updating is the sound effects. They are very, very stale. The sound of skates, the sound of stick on puck, the battle on the boards. Some of the sound is just bizarre. Im looking at you backhander.

The video below has some really clear sound FX. Have a listen, and then compare to NHL 10-15.

https://<iframe width="560" height="...reen></iframe>

[canucksss]

Re: Despite Its Issues, NHL 15 Is Still a Thrill On-Ice

I am wondering for those who find this NHL a thrill on-ice despite of the glaring issues after this recent tuner, how do you find this game now?

Made an improvement? Made worst?

IMO, latest tuner made this more aggravating to play. Trade this game (i got it for free) for $33 and put it in to another sport title coming in few days. The only thing I am grateful about this tuner.....made it easy for me to trade the game. I was really hoping that EA would address the issues but they made it worst.

[MizzouRah]

Re: Despite Its Issues, NHL 15 Is Still a Thrill On-Ice

It was a thrill at release.. but after patches/tuners - I want to throw my controller at my TV most of the time. I will continue to tweak.. but they will just release another patch to screw everything up again.

[ThreeKing]

Despite Its Issues, NHL 15 Is Still a Thrill On-Ice

I knew going in that this game would be stripped down, but I'm still having a blast. I've been a member of this site for over 10 years, and the one glaring constant that I've gathered here in that time, and more than anything, is that gamers first and foremost, want excellent gameplay. Obviously most people want the whole deal, but if the gameplay isn't there, then what's the point?

Not saying the on-ice product is perfect, but for a first year effort, it's pretty damn good. Rock solid foundation moving forward. Even with the tuners and updates.

The one thing I'd like to see, is that they take a page out of 2K's book, and give the player options to either make it super-sim, or arcade. Give more different types of gameplay options.