not as bad as some people say

[sweetjones]

Re: not as bad as some people say

I agree completely. In my opinion, "realism" makes most video games a lot less fun, and I don't understand people who want ultra-realism in all their games. Whenever game devs try to make something realistic, they usually end up taking a lot of the creativity and imagination that you mentioned out of the game, leaving only one or two ways to play the game. In the case of sports games, they take away a lot of that "anything can happen" feel of the sport, restricting playstyles and leaving every game you play feeling almost the same. I still play NHL 2004 from time to time and while it often does feel very video-gamey, it is still a blast to play. If I wanted to experience real hockey, I'd go to a game, watch some on TV or better yet lace up myself and go play. I'm not saying I want to play a full-on arcade hockey game, but you can have a good looking, good playing game without attempting (and failing) to make everything 100% true to life, it just hasn't been done yet. There is a fine line between arcade and realism that sports devs just can't ever seem to come close to hitting. Someday, though...someday...

Really insightful post. Me as a hardcore simmer, I never thought about it that way. We want so bad as real as it gets game, but there is a subjective fine line between arcadey & realism. I bet there is a lot of psychology involved in the development process.

[handheldpictures]

Re: not as bad as some people say

The problem with EA hockey is simple. Ever since Ramjagsingh took reigns in mid 2010, he's turned a fun video game into a wannabee "realistic" one which has gotten worse and worse every single year. So then he decides we'd better implement an arcade 3 vs 3 mode to try and satisfy those that are complaining our "realistic" game sucks. Well what good does that do if your 3 vs 3 arcade mode totally sucks as well?

NHL 19 is going to be a complete disaster unless they've completely overhauled their game engine from square one, but I have this unfortunate feeling that all they're going to do with their 10-year old engine is add a few new features, like they've been doing and milking, and charge full price like it's a brand new game. Sorry EA, but your bull is all out of milk, and I'm crossing my fingers that you get rid of Ramjagsingh and put a person in charge that knows what the word "fun" means. The NHL game has become the most frustrating and infuriating game to play since 2011, and it's honestly time for people to stop supporting and buying this crap.

[tinpanalley]

Re: not as bad as some people say

The problem with EA hockey is simple. Ever since Ramjagsingh took reigns in mid 2010, he's turned a fun video game into a wannabee "realistic" one which has gotten worse and worse every single year.

This is true, but there is something far more misguided about their search for realism and that is that they've confused realistic physics and strategy with realistic visuals and presentation. That's not the same thing. Looking good isn't playing good and even the looking good bit, some well known players haven't had their faces changed in years and how do guys like William Nylander not have a real face? At least let us make one. As the game has come to look more and more like a broadcast, it has actually started to play less and less like real hockey.

[handheldpictures]

Re: not as bad as some people say

This is true, but there is something far more misguided about their search for realism and that is that they've confused realistic physics and strategy with realistic visuals and presentation. That's not the same thing. Looking good isn't playing good and even the looking good bit, some well known players haven't had their faces changed in years and how do guys like William Nylander not have a real face? At least let us make one. As the game has come to look more and more like a broadcast, it has actually started to play less and less like real hockey.

Totally agree, but the worst part is that it's also become the most scripted game in history. Get a 3 goal lead, forget it. It will be tied before you know it. It's become so predictable that it's a LOL joke. The EA dictated outcome, especially online, is what's totally destroyed this game. Rammer has no clue what to do anymore to fix this pathetic excuse of a hockey game, and has to be replaced, pure and simple. He has no clue what the word fun means, and until he's replaced and a brand new engine is implemented, this game will continue to be the biggest turd in sports gaming history since when he took reigns halfway through 2010.

[egj1976]

Re: not as bad as some people say

Ok, so I need some help. I play i Franchise mode and I sim most games and play a few. I desperately want to play this game and not have to go back to NHL 17. I need to know what slider set to use for it to be better. What I have issue with is as follows.

1. AI not seeming to know what they're doing. (Don't want to POS LOCK)
2. Passing. Jesus Christ! When I pass back to the defense the completely miss the puck. What I have noticed is, in play now the defensive AI seem to reach out for the puck. When in franchise they stand there and do nothing. Also, when passing period it seems to never go where I want it. I have tested my controller that's not it.
3. Is it me or does the deke stick seem to be unresponsive at times? It seems far less responsive from where it was in NHL 17.
4. Ice Tilt. Definitely don't think anything I can do about this other than to just try to play as well as I can but maybe the sliders will help.

I am sure there is more I am missing but this is the stuff that bothers me the most and I can get use to other stuff. So again, please help me enjoy this game a little bit since I own it now and want to just enjoy playing a hockey game.

Thanks

[handheldpictures]

Re: not as bad as some people say

Ok, so I need some help. I play i Franchise mode and I sim most games and play a few. I desperately want to play this game and not have to go back to NHL 17. I need to know what slider set to use for it to be better. What I have issue with is as follows.

1. AI not seeming to know what they're doing. (Don't want to POS LOCK)
2. Passing. Jesus Christ! When I pass back to the defense the completely miss the puck. What I have noticed is, in play now the defensive AI seem to reach out for the puck. When in franchise they stand there and do nothing. Also, when passing period it seems to never go where I want it. I have tested my controller that's not it.
3. Is it me or does the deke stick seem to be unresponsive at times? It seems far less responsive from where it was in NHL 17.
4. Ice Tilt. Definitely don't think anything I can do about this other than to just try to play as well as I can but maybe the sliders will help.

I am sure there is more I am missing but this is the stuff that bothers me the most and I can get use to other stuff. So again, please help me enjoy this game a little bit since I own it now and want to just enjoy playing a hockey game.

Thanks

People have posted slider settings that say helps with gameplay, but unfortunately no matter what you do, the fun factor has been wiped away. I have a friend that refused to buy 18 and plays franchise mode in 17 instead, but sets the difficulty as low as possible so that he scores a lot of goals and wins every game he plays. He just wants to play the game but not get ticked at the horrible scripting, which he still sees at times even on the easiest setting.

I don't know why Rammer hasn't been fired for destroying this series but there's only 1 possibility I can think of and that's the money being made from HUT. I realize NHL is at the bottom of EA's list when it comes to development team size, but I also remember a game that used to be fun, especially from 2008-2010 when David Littman was in charge. I know they have the talent to make a fun game again, but they have to get rid of Ramjagsingh or else nothing is going to change.

[mrsaito]

Re: not as bad as some people say

Hey folks, I'm posting this here since the impressions thread hasn't been updated since January...

I've been playing '17 all this time and I get competitive game results but I usually get out-shot like 60 to 25 or so. Now that the price for '18 has dropped and I have a $36 Best Buy gift card burning a hole in my pocket I was thinking about an upgrade.

Can anybody weigh in on whether the graphics are better (than '17) with a PS4 Pro and a 4K TV?

Thanks.

[teeteegardner]

Re: not as bad as some people say

its a bad game. goalies are useless. the series indeed got worse. I'm glad I got it for only 16 bucks. not even worth 20.

[e_a_g_l_e_p_i]

Re: not as bad as some people say

I have played the series for many years and this year also up to Xmas when i got fifa 18. I only play franchise in nhl and manager in fifa, other than the training element in fifa and more transfers taking place in my view there isnt much difference in the 2 games. The game announcers in fifa are boring and repetitive and get it wrong often. The game play is ok but not that much better than nhl18. My view is they should add the training element to nhl 18 and polish it up . Fifa 18 is not that far ahead and not without its bugs. ( doesnt even have all the correct ground names in the english leagues).

I'm sure you're not anywhere near as bad as As they say you are, everything that happens to us in these video games and if we happen to be over the age of say 31 we don't seem to we don't seem to adapt to them very well, I've always wondered why they don't send very detailed instructions or at least somewhere week go online and read all about the different hockey games that EA sports puts out. You would think that they would have some kind of a pamphlet that would tell you instead of going into the game and switching the red dot over your head until it gets to use so that you can control the park or control the check there should be a way so that the play automatically is set up so that if the puck comes to you your already set up for the park know I'm sure there is that somewhere and somebody told me that there would be. So I was told when I joined this fabulous forum or it's a medical forum of all kinds of things but it has what I'm looking for and that's Xbox 360 and NHL games. I thought I would post and just give you my point of view on what your post was that would give me one post towards however many I need before I can start posting and asking questions I'm trying to do this the correct way so that I don't post just junk but yet I do contribute thoughts. By the way could someone tell me how many posts I have to post before I can start posting my own questions? I would really appreciate it, I hope all of you have a very good day today and if anybody give you a hard time tell him it's a holiday because it's my birthday. Thanks for putting up with me for my first post and I hope I'll get better. Trust me when I start asking questions about specific things I will be better. Y'all have a nice day now