NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

[TopSide83]

Re: NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

I agree. Easily the best offline hockey game I've played when I'm not suffering from the "speed glitch" or whatever that is. When my sliders are working, it's such a fun game. Setting up in the zone, using screens, chip dumps and cycling to beat the CPU. Pretty impressed by the little improvements that go a long way.

The speed glitch is there in all of their sports games for sure. It usually happens to me at night and the game just becomes a back and forth speed fest like the cpu is on crack. Used to happen to me all the time on fifa too and I just couldn’t take it anymore

[MizzouRah]

Re: NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

I agree. Easily the best offline hockey game I've played when I'm not suffering from the "speed glitch" or whatever that is. When my sliders are working, it's such a fun game. Setting up in the zone, using screens, chip dumps and cycling to beat the CPU. Pretty impressed by the little improvements that go a long way.

I'm definitely playing franchise much more than in past years. Default AS with game speed down to 2 and CPU penalties up to 50, 7 minute periods and 4/4 penalties, 2/2 fighting and the game is playing incredibly well for me.

Trade block has been expanded and I actually just accepted a nice trade from the CPU. I also love I can shop a player around the league quickly.

The updated rosters are actually decent, not perfect by any means but my Blues have some of their draft picks and I completely forgot Vince Dunn was without a contract but he's an RFA so hopefully he takes my offer.

The commentary has been expanded a bit and like we have both said, the AI improvements are worth the price alone, at least for me.

I can't wait to move this over to the Xbox Series X so the interface is faster to navigate as well as getting into a game. (that is if I can get my grubby paws on one)

[tcnumba10]

Re: NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

I was switching back and forth from AS to PRO all night last night in my Franchise and decided that I’ll be sticking to AS moving forward.

There really should’ve been a difficulty between PRO and AS since on PRO the CPU plays fairly, the puck doesn’t feel like a magnet for the CPU but my only gripe is that on PRO the CPU opponent doesn’t seem assertive enough to score and plays passive D which leads to a lopsided shot attempts for the user. Often I find that I am doubling up on shot attempts in the 40s vs 20s after 8min periods on PRO.

On AS, the CPU utilize more of their deking skills, applies more pressure on the user and looks to score more. This is perfect except that it is extremely hard for the user to score on the other end, the CPU looks like they can catch up on you on breakaways, they can easily bump you off the puck and the goalie is an absolute wall in net. The only way I was able to score on AS if at all was by rare rebounds and deflections. I’ve never scored point blank via slap shot or wrist shot up close which I was able to on PRO. The CPU on the other hand was able to score in a variety of ways and I believe if the user was given the same opportunities and shots, we should be able to score too but that’s not the case on AS. At the end of 8min periods games, game stats on AS looked pretty even with shot attempts and hits, giving the slight edge to the CPU, whereas on PRO, the numbers heavily favoured me, the user and often than not I would usually win big.

To conclude, if you want a fun and relatively easy way to play NHL 21, PRO would be the choice for you. But if you want realistic stats and for the CPU opponent to play more assertive, retain the CPU opponent’s creativity on offence, AS is the way to go with modified sliders that will neutralize their brick wall goaltending ability, and defense/checking ability and also the ability for the CPU to catch-up/skating when you are on the break or when you have the puck.

I will be creating a All-Star slider set that aims to minimize the unfair balance on AS difficulty but will retain the creativity and assertiveness of the CPU on offence so the user will have realistic stats at the end of their games while not feeling cheated.

[The EVHL]

Re: NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

I was switching back and forth from AS to PRO all night last night in my Franchise and decided that I’ll be sticking to AS moving forward.

There really should’ve been a difficulty between PRO and AS since on PRO the CPU plays fairly, the puck doesn’t feel like a magnet for the CPU but my only gripe is that on PRO the CPU opponent doesn’t seem assertive enough to score and plays passive D which leads to a lopsided shot attempts for the user. Often I find that I am doubling up on shot attempts in the 40s vs 20s after 8min periods on PRO.

On AS, the CPU utilize more of their deking skills, applies more pressure on the user and looks to score more. This is perfect except that it is extremely hard for the user to score on the other end, the CPU looks like they can catch up on you on breakaways, they can easily bump you off the puck and the goalie is an absolute wall in net. The only way I was able to score on AS if at all was by rare rebounds and deflections. I’ve never scored point blank via slap shot or wrist shot up close which I was able to on PRO. The CPU on the other hand was able to score in a variety of ways and I believe if the user was given the same opportunities and shots, we should be able to score too but that’s not the case on AS. At the end of 8min periods games, game stats on AS looked pretty even with shot attempts and hits, giving the slight edge to the CPU, whereas on PRO, the numbers heavily favoured me, the user and often than not I would usually win big.

To conclude, if you want a fun and relatively easy way to play NHL 21, PRO would be the choice for you. But if you want realistic stats and for the CPU opponent to play more assertive, retain the CPU opponent’s creativity on offence, AS is the way to go with modified sliders that will neutralize their brick wall goaltending ability, and defense/checking ability and also the ability for the CPU to catch-up/skating when you are on the break or when you have the puck.

I will be creating a All-Star slider set that aims to minimize the unfair balance on AS difficulty but will retain the creativity and assertiveness of the CPU on offence so the user will have realistic stats at the end of their games while not feeling cheated.

Yeah, I have done my sliders on AS the past two years. I don't understand why they can't make Pro AI use all of the dekes and play assertive without the extra speed boots? Seems like an easy fix that would make the level much more enjoyable.

[tcnumba10]

Re: NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

Yeah, I have done my sliders on AS the past two years. I don't understand why they can't make Pro AI use all of the dekes and play assertive without the extra speed boots? Seems like an easy fix that would make the level much more enjoyable.

I might check your slider sets out first, I have some ideas what to tweak already. It’s nice having a dialogue with you btw and knowing that we all want the same fun/realistic experience with this game that I believe we can achieve with NHL 21

[The EVHL]

Re: NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

I might check your slider sets out first, I have some ideas what to tweak already. It’s nice having a dialogue with you btw and knowing that we all want the same fun/realistic experience with this game that I believe we can achieve with NHL 21

Yeah take a peak and maybe test them out on AS. I'm interested to see your results! My main reasoning for staying at Pro was the goaltending alone. AS/SS made goalies almost impossible to score on in realistic or "surprising" ways. Like, I wasn't able to just overpower/place a shot on them even with a good shooter. On Pro, I see way more goal variety and I have tried to make the game a lot sloppier in general to keep scoring down without completely removing the fun/video game aspect.

Basically cranked up fatigue effects, lowered 1T accuracy, cranked goalie speed up, and made passing completely manually aimed, 100/100 interceptions, and made reception ease 0 to prevent me from slinging/forcing hard passes to close targets. Been super fun and dynamic so far, so hopefully they can inspire you or help tweak the set you kind of already had in mind. I know I based a lot of my early values off of Al_tito and went from there which is why I put mine out. Not that they'll work for a lot (or anyone else) of people, but hopefully they can give some ideas for modification to their own sets.

[tcnumba10]

Re: NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

Yeah take a peak and maybe test them out on AS. I'm interested to see your results! My main reasoning for staying at Pro was the goaltending alone. AS/SS made goalies almost impossible to score on in realistic or "surprising" ways. Like, I wasn't able to just overpower/place a shot on them even with a good shooter. On Pro, I see way more goal variety and I have tried to make the game a lot sloppier in general to keep scoring down without completely removing the fun/video game aspect.

Basically cranked up fatigue effects, lowered 1T accuracy, cranked goalie speed up, and made passing completely manually aimed, 100/100 interceptions, and made reception ease 0 to prevent me from slinging/forcing hard passes to close targets. Been super fun and dynamic so far, so hopefully they can inspire you or help tweak the set you kind of already had in mind. I know I based a lot of my early values off of Al_tito and went from there which is why I put mine out. Not that they'll work for a lot (or anyone else) of people, but hopefully they can give some ideas for modification to their own sets.

What did you do to “help” the CPU be more assertive and creative on the attack? That’s one of my biggest gripe on Pro.

[The EVHL]

Re: NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

What did you do to “help” the CPU be more assertive and creative on the attack? That’s one of my biggest gripe on Pro.

I do edit their strategies and make them play on "aggressive" as well as full forecheck strategies. All offensive lines have 10/10 for energy and all defensive pairings have 9/10 pinch and 10/10 shooting biases too. I don't usually give up many goals but it's also not the goal of my set to have it play in a true HUMvCPU capacity. I'm more or less "all-time offense" in a way as I'm racing the clock to put as many goals up as I can for both teams when I'm in control. That being said, I have given up some goals where the CPU has come down and dekes and carried into the zone and weren't quick to give up on a play and retreat.

I started playing this way because I don't find the CPU's goals to be terribly realistic. They score a lot of wonky one-timers and shots that just have no business going in so it was rather immersion-breaking for me (I also do this in football games because I find the same to be true for me there...lot easier in football lol). I'd rather see my goals that I consider to be "realistic" go in and decide games more than CPU goals so again, it's not the main focus of my set. I'd say my set could potentially provide some nice ways to make scoring harder and defensive pressure higher, but idk how much it will help the areas you're looking for.

[fiddlerpaul]

Re: NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

You can certainly talk for yourself, but what makes you think that you can decide that it's a loss for someone else if that someone is not willing to play the game for whatever reason it is that makes the game unplayable? If I talk about myself, I like the gameplay improvements a lot. However, when a junior team and a Stanley Cup champion are competing evenly, that really kills all the fun for me. If the teams mentioned above are playing evenly, the little differences between NHL teams aren't certainly making ant difference and the game results are completely a roll of dice. So for anyone, like me, looking for a realistic game in all aspects, there is not nearly enough to justify the 60€.

Not judging what matters to you, just saying it's a shame you can't be having fun like I am these past two years. Never played more of NHL than these two years and that's a lot to do with the fun gameplay, but also the fact they gave me a better offline HUT experience.
I don't really see what you're seeing. When I play lesser teams I see a real difference this year in my ability to dominate them or not. One thing that still exists in the game, though, is that certain strategies are tougher to play against than others which I think contributes to why sometimes a poorer team can be hard to beat.
Of course I'm talking about playing as one team, not judging based on two cpu teams playing each other. The whole realistic stats thing isn't my area of interest.

[mkharsh33]

Re: NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

I absolutely LOVE this game. Already have played it more than the last year years combined. Kudos to EA - they did a great job. Neutral Zone play is real, and it's fabulous.

[TopSide83]

Re: NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

I absolutely LOVE this game. Already have played it more than the last year years combined. Kudos to EA - they did a great job. Neutral Zone play is real, and it's fabulous.

I agree, the game is really growing on me

[tjung0831]

Re: NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

I've got this game tuned perfectly for me and i'm having some amazing games with it. I actually cannot believe how good it plays.

[fiddlerpaul]

Re: NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

I absolutely LOVE this game. Already have played it more than the last year years combined. Kudos to EA - they did a great job. Neutral Zone play is real, and it's fabulous.

Yes it is harder to just blow up the ice compared to last year, all to the good.
I play offline and now find Pro mode almost as hard as all star last year.

[MizzouRah]

Re: NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

I absolutely LOVE this game. Already have played it more than the last year years combined. Kudos to EA - they did a great job. Neutral Zone play is real, and it's fabulous.

Agreed... I'm barely playing Madden right now because all I want to play is hockey.

[oosterbe]

Re: NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

This will go a bit offtopic, but wanting fully realistic gameplay or authentic hockey experience is not what I want. I mean wanting full simulation or authentic hockey experience is wanting one period duration in real time to be 20 minutes + all the breaks. I guess most of players will not have interest to use so much time for one game, because the main focus of the game's offline modes is to play for Stanley cup. It takes 82 + 16 games at least if you like to play every single game of one season. Using a couple of hours for every game of the season takes too much time to be reasonable for most (and I guess playing 20 min periods could be a little bit boring too), and it could be really frustrating for many of us. I guess most of offline gamers are like me, they use 5 to 10 minutes periods. Using 5-10 minutes periods means a game couldn't be fully realistic or authentic, it has to be exxagerated in some way to get realistic stats and good "realistic" gameplay. That's because when you play with 5-10 min periods, there's so much less time to get 30 shots etc if you compare EA's or 2K's game and real hockey. For me the "realistic" means something else than authentic, the most important thing for me really is how it feels to play, does it give challange enough, does AI feels fair enough, is there variation enough in hits, passes, deking, ways to score and so on. For me NHL 21 does this pretty nicely with my sliders and rosters.