NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here - Extended to August 3

[kerosene31]

Re: NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now on Both Xbox One & PS4, Post Your Impressions Here

Zero pay to win in NHL 19. No bags cost money etc. You earn bags as you play and level up. Nothing you earn effects anything player build wise except the traits. Even said those traits have nothing to do with big time separation player wise. None. You have to find a balance of height and weight with a player build that works for you. Then adjust traits etc you get to your liking.

There's a glitch or something because I've seen players dominate. One guy was on my team. I just passed him the puck and he was gone. The other team couldn't stop him. They knew he was fast and still couldn't get back.

He was on my team and I felt sorry for the other team. Nobody could knock him off the puck or catch him. If the guy had weaknesses, I didn't see them.

[Fiddy]

Re: NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now on Both Xbox One & PS4, Post Your Impressions Here

I haven't seen any of that in 20 plus games. Wondering if they were a sniper or dangler build, small height, and lowest weight with the speed trait? Odd though by I've used those and haven't been able to burn past anyone the way you are describing.

[seasprite]

Re: NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now on Both Xbox One & PS4, Post Your Impressions Here

I'm sure in the demo it is just people playing.

The problem is I don't want to play online against the dudebros who play for 10-12 straight hours and who then can skate circles around me. It is like I weigh 100 pounds going against a pro athlete.

The casual fan need not apply. I've messaged people and asked them how they got so high level literally half a day after the game comes out. "I've been playing non-stop since launch".

Ultimately, people with way more free time than me make my experience less fun.

I'd love to know the secret of people who can play constantly like this.

It isn't for me. I hope people enjoy it. I miss the days of playing offline.

That's not pay to win. Its actually the very opposite.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Operation Sports mobile app

[bigwill33]

Re: NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now on Both Xbox One & PS4, Post Your Impressions Here

Here is the main issue I have with this beta, the game, and the franchise as a whole:

The new skating system is welcomed and long overdue, but everyone seems to skate the same way, just with different speed or acceleration. Not everyone pumps their legs like McDavid, in real life. And in the game it just isn't as responsive or realistic as it seems to handle in the Ones mode. Legs are just flying at 100mph and there is not real lean, glide, or weight transfer. Just pumping legs and running on ice, it seems.

As for the game play. This is a mess. Playing 3's mostly with friends and we are dominating, as usual, but it is once again so unfulfilling. Right out of the gate all of the same cheese and glitch shots work, almost better than ever!

The goalies are pitiful and the only difference is that they seem to have negated any real hockey plays resulting in goals in favor of more cheese and money, glitch goals. There is absolutely no reason to come down and try a new move, or pick your eyes up and read the goalie's movement to see which way he is leaning. Those don't work hardly at all. What the game rewards is "Chel", the bs that hardly anyone actually wants. The same move where you can come down and flick one way and then flick up and it goes top shelf on the short side 95% of the time.

If you know these moves you fall back into doing them because setting up nice plays doesn't result in production. The goalies still warp from one side of the crease to the other with no push or weight. If you don't know these glitch moves then you fall into the other class of players, that want to throw the game away because it is no fun to play against it all of the time online.

The refining of the poke check is alright, but making it result in a tripping penalty nearly every time that you do not get the puck away (and even sometimes when you do) is just kind of a cop-out. It's a resolution to a problem that isn't really effective and just creates more unrealistic play. But I won't get too much into this, as the track record here is that they will usually tune this back to previous editions once all the online cronies start to complain about it.

Poke checking in real life isn't that much of a risk/reward. It is sort of like hand checking in basketball, it controls the gap and slows the rush. But take a misstep with a hard poke and you should get burnt by, or start reaching when someone is past you and then you should run the risk of can-opening the puck carrier or clipping their skates for a tripping penalty.

There are plenty of other legacy issues that jump right up and smack you in the face upon playing this beta, but I won't get into those. They are clear to any long term players of the series, however.

The Ones mode is actually pretty neat of an idea. But it is such a shallow mode that it likely won't get much use from anyone. Why, why, why can we not play this mode with our friends??? Total missed opportunity there. Could've made it so you could jump into Ones with a few buddies while you wait for the rest of your club to get online and mess around in an unranked setting. Wouldn't have hurt anything and would've got way more use than how it is setup now.

Oh, and the menus are abysmal! So many submenus to do the simplest of tasks. Just opening those stupid hockey bags is a chore in it of itself. Hit a button to get to that menu, scroll down to the rewards, click to see what bags you have, scroll to the bag you want, select "open", select "yes" when it asks "are you sure you want to open now?" (why is this a question??), then get into the bag opening screen and... hold a directional stick to actually open the bag, hit the button to accept that you've opened the bag and seen the items and then you get to scroll through said items and hit another button when you are done with that.

Perhaps they will expand on this mode in future iterations of the game, but with their track record with these mini-modes it is not likely. They usually introduce them and then do little, if anything, to improve on them in future editions and eventually remove them when their numbers show that nobody is touching the mode any longer and it is not work the disc space.

I know many of you had high hopes for this year's version with the new skating, and most of OS plays offline alone, so perhaps some of you will find that to be better when the final game drops next month. But for me and my friends that cannot stand the AI in this series so much that we exclusively play the EASHL modes, this is not a very good update to the series and I don't think any of the 7 of us will be purchasing this at launce. Perhaps when it is on sale for about $30 digitally we might consider picking it up, usually over the holidays it hits a sale. But there is no reason to rush in and get this game for us. There will be no learning curve, no having to grasp new nuances, or making use of new or improved play making abilities.

It is a gigantic pass from our perspective and just more of gap between what real hockey players are asking for versus what EA is catering to with this arcade nonsense.

[kerosene31]

Re: NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now on Both Xbox One & PS4, Post Your Impressions Here

I haven't seen any of that in 20 plus games. Wondering if they were a sniper or dangler build, small height, and lowest weight with the speed trait? Odd though by I've used those and haven't been able to burn past anyone the way you are describing.

It was a dangler. Maybe it was my crisp lead pass starting the play!

The guy was just gone. It wasn't like I was just sour after getting beat. The guy was on my team. I couldn't even follow him up the ice. I just made the pass and watched.

I'll have to give it another spin and try not to be so negative. The game just feels like nothing has changed in 5+ years.

I will say after going back to 18 for a bit, the skating is improved. Even being rusty after not playing, I was able to actually skate and hold my position. Felt way more natural, as if the person on skates actually knew how to skate!

[TheDutchDad]

Re: NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now on Both Xbox One & PS4, Post Your Impressions Here

I'm having a blast with this beta. I have tried 3's, and the traditional team play modes (6v6), and love it so far.

Granted I did not buy the game last year (so I don't know what is even new or not new within these beta modes), and the year before I did buy it, but barely played it as NHL has just been crap the last few years, but I may jump back into the game this year based on what I've seen so far.

[ODogg]

Re: NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now on Both Xbox One & PS4, Post Your Impressions Here

I'm having a blast with this beta. I have tried 3's, and the traditional team play modes (6v6), and love it so far.

Me too, it is amazing...i think this beta is going to open a lot of people eyes

[jyoung]

Re: NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now on Both Xbox One & PS4, Post Your Impressions Here

Oh, and the menus are abysmal! So many submenus to do the simplest of tasks. Just opening those stupid hockey bags is a chore in it of itself. Hit a button to get to that menu, scroll down to the rewards, click to see what bags you have, scroll to the bag you want, select "open", select "yes" when it asks "are you sure you want to open now?" (why is this a question??), then get into the bag opening screen and... hold a directional stick to actually open the bag, hit the button to accept that you've opened the bag and seen the items and then you get to scroll through said items and hit another button when you are done with that.

NHL's menu layout and load times have always been way, way worse than all the other sports games, for some reason.

I don't understand why they are layered so deeply and are so inefficient. There's nothing but 4 or 5 words of text on most screens, yet they still stutter and lag while loading up, and most of the important actions that you need to access in World of Chel are buried like 5 or 6 button presses deep.

[csamuelsvt]

Re: NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now on Both Xbox One & PS4, Post Your Impressions Here

As an offline player, I detest having to play online in this Beta against people who literally only try to score with one timers into the slot or 2-1 cross crease passes. They have no skill except trying to go up and down the ice looking for the one time goal.


Game is a step in the right direction, especially with the improved skating, but nothing is more frustrating when you're trying to play realistic NHL hockey and cant score, but then the opponent goes down the ice constantly looking for the one timer goal and can only score that way. Look at all of the youtube footage or twitch footage...it is nothing but people trying to score over and over again this way.



They have GOT do something about the goalies. The same exact goals that I've scored for god knows how long, STILL work and go in.

[shogunofharlem3]

Re: NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now on Both Xbox One & PS4, Post Your Impressions Here

Nothing like a cup of coffee, some NHL 19 and getting cursed out for an hour on the headset............. nice little start to the morning.

Anyway, the skating does feel better. I honestly have a very hard time telling who is on my team. The other team's center and my LD have the same shirt, almost exact. Not a big fan of that.

I think I used my poke check button only a few times because I was able to move my player in body position which I think was great. I do like the feel of that.

People quitting brought up one good thing I noticed. We started 6v6. Then we went down 1-0, so of course it goes to 6v4 immediately. Then we went down 2-0, 6v3........ However, the computers were NOT overpowered.

In previous versions the team with the most computers tended to win, at least in my experience. These computers that we had were not difference makers. Should be a penalty if a team has quitters, not a reward to get those sniping cpu dudes.

Anyway, that was my quick thought. I like it. I read alot before trying, couldn't imagine the skating being that much more responsive, I was wrong. Looking forward to getting cussed out again......I mean, play another game in a bit.

[Novicain13]

Re: NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now on Both Xbox One & PS4, Post Your Impressions Here

Yeah the skating is nice but I just can’t believe the goalies and and face offs have been the same since NHL 2008.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jake19ny]

Re: NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now on Both Xbox One & PS4, Post Your Impressions Here

If you have read any of my posts in here you know overall I’m pretty dissapointed in the overall lack of offline attention. I have spent a little more time playing online 5 on 5 vs and here’s my final 2 cents.

The skating is light years different and does make the game more fun as well as more realistic.

In some areas the CPU AI seems better and I think it may be related to the new skating but some areas they are as braindead as ever. They still occasionally wander aimlessly and go offsides idiotically. Really need to play vs the CPU to get a better feel and sadly no slider tweaks fix stupidity.

Outside of goalies moving better post to post they are as awful as they have been for years. Same money goals work.

I like how just getting a piece of a guy on the boards throws them offa bit and sends the puck loose.

Face offs, same yawn but not sure what they can improve there. Would still like to see guys get thrown out of the circle.

Still looks like player separation doesn’t exist but again it’s harder to tell online.

5 man celly was long overdue but done lazily. I know some say it’s a start but the delay to the cut scene, like many of the other areas of this game, fails at capturing the moment right and if they just cared what we offline guys wanted it could be done better, even in a cut scene.

Commentary, yea stale even with some new lines but I honestly don’t expect them to fully revamp this every couple of years and i kind of tune most of it out IF I’m having fun. I would just prefer it go accurately along with my Season but no way of knowing yet and I’m not holding my breath.

As mainly an offline player who has not done a season since NHL 14 on PS3 (and really misses it) I can honestly say that if they add a roster share feature I may just be able to get past many of the other ignored and flawed aspects of the game.

As far as online. 1s is fun but I felt that way about 3s until after 20 games then I could care less. EASHL....can’t comment. Either the gane freezes at the load or some moron refuses to hit ready in the pre game load out....so I see where this is going again..

EDIT: After 20 minutes of trying I get into an EASHL game 6 on 6. 2 minutes in the opposing team scores and my goalie, LD and LW quit. My RD decides to goal hang so me at Center has to cover back on D. Second period starts it’s only 2-0 but the RD just decides not to play leaving his man motionless on the ice....after 2 minutes of this my RW quits so I bailed. EA just eliminate this mode the everybody gets a trophy generation can’t handle it and there is no way to avoid A-Holes

[Qb]

Re: NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now on Both Xbox One & PS4, Post Your Impressions Here

Had some trouble getting into drop-in OTP as well. In the one game I loaded into -- from which I was booted coming out of 1st intermission -- I had a helluva time telling players apart. I kinda liked the idea of drop-in with the casual attire to make it more like playing pickup, but I'm not sure it works in fast-paced 6v6 play. Didn't play any EASHL games, which probably sums up where our long-time club is at with this game.

Played a few online versus games. It's not my forte, but once I had the puck in the offensive zone I could really cycle it well thanks to the skating improvements. It's a tad fast for me and too assisted, but I suspect playing on Full Sim with a like-minded player would be fun.

[lions67]

Re: NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now on Both Xbox One & PS4, Post Your Impressions Here

Best way to play 6’s in the beta is in clubs.
You can always go to leaguegaming .com to find guys who will club.
Or put up a post here .
6 on 6 is so damn good this year!

[ODogg]

Re: NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now on Both Xbox One & PS4, Post Your Impressions Here

Best way to play 6’s in the beta is in clubs.
You can always go to leaguegaming .com to find guys who will club.
Or put up a post here .
6 on 6 is so damn good this year!

Oh I'm going to play a lot of drunken hockey for sure