The problems I deal with against CPU...

[dxdude2004]

I've played on pro/default/sinulation/hardcore sinulation, and wow....terrible things I've seen.

I'm on a PP or opponent dumps the puck in, and we chase for it. While the sliders are even, the CPU seems to be moving at a high speed. I have a dude like Patrick Kane, and Hal Gill is going toe-to-toe with him for the puck? Huh?

I'm breaking out of my zone. I pass the puck, but nuh-uh, CPU grabs me with a fishing line and pulls me in against the boards. I go around my own net with a CPu unrealisticly on my tail, and again, they break out the fishing line pin.

I'm breaking out of my zone, standing 4 feet from the boards. I pass it up the ice with a guy literally charging at me. WHAMM! He destroys the dude, who got basically launched into the boards from 4 feet away, and no penalty.

Also, CPU's magnetic puck-stealing and ability to cheese on you all game by skating through you. I'm having fun with the game, BUT these are problems that need addressed as far as gameplay goes. I don't buy that there isn't "comeback logic" favoring the CPU. I think some of these things add in to it.

EDIT: Obviously this sounds really whiny. I'm looking for any possible ways to fix the problems I've seen. Has anyone else experienced these problems, and how have you gone about fixing them?

[jack72]

Re: The problems I deal with against CPU...

You have to accept a couple of things.

1) In NHL14, if you have the same value for Player acceleration, no matter what mode you are in, the CPU will be faster. You have to accept to be out shot by at least 2 to 1. If you have one value higher in Player Acceleration, then you will out shot the CPU 2 to 1.

2) In NHL14, you cannot play the boards. The CPU will win the board battles 99.99% of the time.

3) In NHL14 the defenseman will turn in the opposite direction of where the puck is making it impossible defense for you to play.

Once you accept this,,the game will become unsatisfactory to play and you will either continue to believe you can tweek it, or get frustrated and finally use the NHL14 disk as a frisbee for your dog.

[JezFranco]

Re: The problems I deal with against CPU...

When playing on Pro with tweeked sliders based off from High Impact, acceleration on 4 for both of us, I can outskate the CPU now and then.

It not only depends on who the player is, but how fresh he is.
Also make sure that fatigue effect and recovery is set somewhere around 3/3.
It's a great feeling to outskate the CPU and create chances by just moving your feet.

[mikey87]

Re: The problems I deal with against CPU...

When playing on Pro with tweeked sliders based off from High Impact, acceleration on 4 for both of us, I can outskate the CPU now and then.

It not only depends on who the player is, but how fresh he is.
Also make sure that fatigue effect and recovery is set somewhere around 3/3.
It's a great feeling to outskate the CPU and create chances by just moving your feet.

Or your thumb...

I did notice the same icing race "bug" in NHL 13. I have only played the demo of NHL 14 so far, and I'm having some issues with fighting. It seems that the player attributes doesn't have any effect on how the fight is going or how it ends up. It's totally random. I hope that with those editors that are in progress, we will be able to make only enforcers fight. I'm holding on to my €60 until then...

Since the NHL 3 on 3 Arcade game already exists, I don't understand why EA had to create another one of those, this time it's 5 on 5 though...

[GROGtheNailer]

Re: The problems I deal with against CPU...

Turning off acceleration completely in options may help, not sure, at work so cant test it now.

To those doing rosters, try shutting acceleration completely in options AND edit players so their acceleration stats is zero.

[Mt Oread]

Re: The problems I deal with against CPU...

Yeah, good idea. Nerf the game instead of learning to play better. Invariably, guys are not using the hustle function, or worse, they are overusing it. Combine that with trying to play whole games with aggressive forechecks, breakouts, and defensive pressure, while ignoring the 4th line, and it is no wonder many have trouble keeping up.

I'm just saying, I'm on All-Star and Hardcore Sim, and I don't have these problems. I also find hitting the Y as effective to pin guys to the boards and call for help. I think it is too easy to on the boards, if anything.

Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

[malachijohn666]

Re: The problems I deal with against CPU...

Yeah, good idea. Nerf the game instead of learning to play better. Invariably, guys are not using the hustle function, or worse, they are overusing it. Combine that with trying to play whole games with aggressive forechecks, breakouts, and defensive pressure, while ignoring the 4th line, and it is no wonder many have trouble keeping up.

I'm just saying, I'm on All-Star and Hardcore Sim, and I don't have these problems. I also find hitting the Y as effective to pin guys to the boards and call for help. I think it is too easy to on the boards, if anything.

Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

Amen. I play on Pro though and have not had the issue of being out run, unless I have been hammering the acceleration button, or the guy has been on the ice a long time. Also board play for me goes about 50/50 to be honest, I noticed that in 14 it is harder to pin a guy to the boards, but this was too easy in 13. I found in the earlier edition, nothing shut down a offensive attack along the boards like just pinning the guy... it was too unrealistic. Now the guy has to be in a position to be pinned.

Anyways I noticed a lot of the complaints about this game are largely unfounded... there are some definite areas that need to be patched... but c'mon guys the game is not that bad.

[Les Paul]

Re: The problems I deal with against CPU...

I'm breaking out of my zone. I pass the puck, but nuh-uh, CPU grabs me with a fishing line and pulls me in against the boards. I go around my own net with a CPu unrealisticly on my tail, and again, they break out the fishing line pin.

Oh yeah. This was really bad in NHL 12. It got toned down quite a bit in NHL 13, but it's back with a vengeance in NHL 14. It's just blatantly ridiculous!

How about the pucks that bounce like ping pong balls? They always seem to have that uncanny knack for having enough hang time so that your momentum carries you by them before they drop.

Or some of my favorites this year:

Lay a guy out. His goon buddy instigates a fight with you, but you end up being the only one with a 5 minute major. That doesn't happen super frequently, but enough to be annoying. I won't even go into the omission of instigator penalties since that's been mentioned ad nauseum.

5 minute major penalties for interference. Seriously? When was the last time you saw a 5 minute interference penalty in an NHL game?

[JezFranco]

Re: The problems I deal with against CPU...

Lay a guy out. His goon buddy instigates a fight with you, but you end up being the only one with a 5 minute major. That doesn't happen super frequently, but enough to be annoying. I won't even go into the omission of instigator penalties since that's been mentioned ad nauseum.

I have never seen this happened.

[Bleak5170]

Re: The problems I deal with against CPU...

As someone who only plays offline, I feel your pain. Seldom have I fallen out of love with a game so quickly. I thought it was pretty cool the first week or so, but I haven't touched it in about 3 weeks. Just have zero desire to play it now.

[Fuzzface93]

Re: The problems I deal with against CPU...

My main problem is that The AI never uses stick to defend. I've even put as test poke eff. and stick lift sliders on full and seen 0 takeaways from the ai.

This also one major part on the lack of penalties as well.
And this make cycling and getting to good scoring chances too easy even on Superstar And CPU difficulty maxed

[Dougie_G_93]

Re: The problems I deal with against CPU...

What does acceleration have to do with shots on goal?

I very rarely get out shot btw

[RJay44]

Re: The problems I deal with against CPU...

My main problem is that The AI never uses stick to defend. I've even put as test poke eff. and stick lift sliders on full and seen 0 takeaways from the ai.

This also one major part on the lack of penalties as well.
And this make cycling and getting to good scoring chances too easy even on Superstar And CPU difficulty maxed

^^^^ THIS!

[Mt Oread]

Re: The problems I deal with against CPU...

My main problem is that The AI never uses stick to defend. I've even put as test poke eff. and stick lift sliders on full and seen 0 takeaways from the ai.

This also one major part on the lack of penalties as well.
And this make cycling and getting to good scoring chances too easy even on Superstar And CPU difficulty maxed

Oh man, if EA fixed that then the complaints would go through the roof. You already have the "respected elders of hockey simulation" nerfing the game because they think the CPU cheats too much. If the CPU starts poke checking them, they's have a full mental breakdown.

FWIW, I agree with you, as a poke checking CPU would go a long ways to make dump a chase preferred strategy to just entering the zone.

[sweetjones]

Re: The problems I deal with against CPU...

What does acceleration have to do with shots on goal?

I very rarely get out shot btw

A lot of players are learning/testing that some sliders effect other aspects of the game. The cpu acceleration slider does effect the cpu shot selection.