EA - FACEOFFS - (please respond)

[mkharsh33]

I don't know if anyone at EA is coming here to get our impressions. You still put out a product this year, and though next-gen is where it's at, I would hope you would still want feedback and provide support for this game. Since a number of us plunked down good $$$ to get it, I'm hopeful you'll listen to the community.

With that said, please do something about the FACEOFFS in this game. I am playing on SuperStar level - hardcore (though after changing some sliders the game reverts to "custom" settings).

I have played around 40 games since purchasing. I am losing 98% of all faceoffs. It's a waste. It's not even fun at times because games that are late, when I end up taking a draw in my defensive zone, are just about useless.

Could you please patch this or user a tuner to modify this a bit? I, and others no doubt, would greatly appreciate this. Thanks!

[Nextel Husker]

Re: EA - FACEOFFS - (please respond)

I play on the same levels you do. It's going in streaks for me. Lately I've had way better luck with the stick lift/tie up than trying to win the faceoff back to my D. I won 60% last game that way and also found I won more clean faceoffs occasionally too. For me, it's been a different experience each game, which I like.

[steeg]

Re: EA - FACEOFFS - (please respond)

I also having trouble with faceoffs nhl 14 had the same problem,i have tried everything and i was almost done with this game but this morning i begin to win some faceoffs.
The last game i win 44% its a begin i play ps3 and wat i do now is
when the players get ready i do left stick down and right stick up and when the puck drops left stick up right stick down,i don`t know if the left stick also do something but it worked.And it is also timing the right moment to do the switch up to down.
And i play with your superstar sliders.

[Yundtder]

Re: EA - FACEOFFS - (please respond)

I win 70%, I play Superstar and have the difficulty slider around half. Its not EA, the game or the sliders, its you. Focus on the timing of the drop, watch the ref, learn the strong sides of your center and how the opp sets up. The Face off engine is pretty deep, its not just about pulling the stick back each time and hoping you win, you actually have to strategize and practice it.

[mkharsh33]

Re: EA - FACEOFFS - (please respond)

I win 70%, I play Superstar and have the difficulty slider around half. Its not EA, the game or the sliders, its you. Focus on the timing of the drop, watch the ref, learn the strong sides of your center and how the opp sets up. The Face off engine is pretty deep, its not just about pulling the stick back each time and hoping you win, you actually have to strategize and practice it.

Thanks for the encouragement, Faceoff god...

I will admit: I must suck.

[GlennN]

Re: EA - FACEOFFS - (please respond)

Yes, I had the same issue with 14, which is part of the reason I (once again) gave up on the current year's version. I only play on Pro level (I am not a skilled gamer, just very casual) and I lose 98% of draws. To me, this is a game killer, especially when there is a slider which should fix this. Ratings clearly mean little. Honestly, I don't want to sit there and practice face-offs. I have limited gaming time. Let me change the skill level for that, so I can at least win half of them (or let ratings actually matter, and I will make sure I have skilled faceoff guys). Once again, for me, the series peaked with NHL 10.

[jyoung]

Re: EA - FACEOFFS - (please respond)

Faceoff ratings definitely matter. Paul Gaustad has one of the highest ratings in the game (90) and he rarely loses a draw for me. An 80 rating is good enough to get the job done in most situations, but if you have someone rated 75 or worse you're going to lose the majority of draws.

Winning faceoffs is also based on timing, which move you chose (there is a rock-paper-scissors system in place, where each move has a counter-move), and the strength of your grip. Grip strength is determined by how long you sit in your stance (either forehand or backhand) before the puck is dropped.

Check out the faceoff guide for more info about how to consistently win draws:

http://www.operationsports.com/strat...faceoff-guide/

The only things that have changed since that guide was published are that you can no longer win by spamming draws from the upright stance (you have to choose and hold your stance now), and you will probably never win a draw against the CPU now by using the deke forward move.

[Yundtder]

Re: EA - FACEOFFS - (please respond)

Thanks for the encouragement, Faceoff god...

I will admit: I must suck.

Youre welcome! It takes some practice to get used to, but once you start noticing how it works and winning draws, its fun and challenging!

[mkharsh33]

Re: EA - FACEOFFS - (please respond)

Faceoff ratings definitely matter. Paul Gaustad has one of the highest ratings in the game (90) and he rarely loses a draw for me. An 80 rating is good enough to get the job done in most situations, but if you have someone rated 75 or worse you're going to lose the majority of draws.

Winning faceoffs is also based on timing, which move you chose (there is a rock-paper-scissors system in place, where each move has a counter-move), and the strength of your grip. Grip strength is determined by how long you sit in your stance (either forehand or backhand) before the puck is dropped.

Check out the faceoff guide for more info about how to consistently win draws:

http://www.operationsports.com/strat...faceoff-guide/

The only things that have changed since that guide was published are that you can no longer win by spamming draws from the upright stance (you have to choose and hold your stance now), and you will probably never win a draw against the CPU now by using the deke forward move.

I really appreciate you sharing this. This thread can be DELETED. I read that article over 3-4 times. Tonight the light finally kicked on and I totally get it. I had this set at 0 in my slider set, and I played a game where I won 96% of them - so I finally understand what I'm doing now, and that graphic with the explanations was key. Again, my deepest thanks and you can zilch this thread if you want (moderator). Thanks!

[shogunofharlem3]

Re: EA - FACEOFFS - (please respond)

I really appreciate you sharing this. This thread can be DELETED. I read that article over 3-4 times. Tonight the light finally kicked on and I totally get it. I had this set at 0 in my slider set, and I played a game where I won 96% of them - so I finally understand what I'm doing now, and that graphic with the explanations was key. Again, my deepest thanks and you can zilch this thread if you want (moderator). Thanks!

Before deleting, I've been playing for 2 years and never saw this faceoff link above. Maybe you could Sticky the faceoff moves or leave this thread open for the guys that didn't know all the moves. I can win them but never knew the stick lift moves.

I have played online and guys win faceoffs to wingers, how does one win a faceoff to a winger as opposed to all going back to the defense or exclusively handled by the center.

[jyoung]

Re: EA - FACEOFFS - (please respond)

I have played online and guys win faceoffs to wingers, how does one win a faceoff to a winger as opposed to all going back to the defense or exclusively handled by the center.

If you call for an aggressive face-off in the offensive zone, it will move one of your wingers over to the middle of the ice. This creates one of the best scoring chances in the game, as you can win the puck directly back to the winger for a quick slap shot.

Hold the left trigger and press the left joystick up to call for an aggressive face-off.

[Yundtder]

Re: EA - FACEOFFS - (please respond)

If you call for an aggressive face-off in the offensive zone, it will move one of your wingers over to the middle of the ice. This creates one of the best scoring chances in the game, as you can win the puck directly back to the winger for a quick slap shot.

Hold the left trigger and press the left joystick up to call for an aggressive face-off.

You get about 60% with this move, its one of my arsenal as well.

[grizzly2531]

Re: EA - FACEOFFS - (please respond)

Youre welcome! It takes some practice to get used to, but once you start noticing how it works and winning draws, its fun and challenging!

yea i had the same problem in NHL 14 and had to search google/youtube for some help. If you are able to learn the advanced draws(press up with the right stick) it is a good trick to have in your bag when you need an important faceoff win. Also dont forget about tieing the opposing player up by setting your players grip with the left stick and then pushing the left stick up.

Dont be too frustrated, i still see plenty of centers who are playing online that have absolutely no clue what to do and win 1/20 faceoffs.

Not that EA deserves a pat on the back EVER AGAIN but the faceoffs might be the one thing in the game which is well done. ughh that was a painful compliment to type.

[GlennN]

Re: EA - FACEOFFS - (please respond)

yea i had the same problem in NHL 14 and had to search google/youtube for some help. If you are able to learn the advanced draws(press up with the right stick) it is a good trick to have in your bag when you need an important faceoff win. Also dont forget about tieing the opposing player up by setting your players grip with the left stick and then pushing the left stick up.

Dont be too frustrated, i still see plenty of centers who are playing online that have absolutely no clue what to do and win 1/20 faceoffs.

Not that EA deserves a pat on the back EVER AGAIN but the faceoffs might be the one thing in the game which is well done. ughh that was a painful compliment to type.

I get that, and I think it is great they got that advanced . . . for some. But, at least make the slider work. I don't have that much time to play videogames anymore, so the last thing I want to do is practice faceoffs. All I ask is that there be an option to either make the faceoffs easier or simply let the ratings/chance determine the faceoff. This is really a game killer for me.

[jyoung]

Re: EA - FACEOFFS - (please respond)

As someone who's primarily played center in the EASHL since NHL 09, I've really gotten to dislike the "rock-paper-scissors" system and the limited amount of pre-scripted animations that they've used for years.

Ideally, I'd prefer a face-off system that was entirely based on timing:

1) Hold down the right bumper for a forehand grip or the left bumper for a backhand grip (reverse those controls for left-handed skaters).

2A) After establishing a grip, the four face-button icons appear on screen; each one represents a different teammate that you can target.

2B) Alternatively, if you just want to win the puck into a specific space on the ice instead of sending it straight to a certain teammate, you can flick the right joystick in any direction once the puck drops to aim the puck in that direction.

3) So when the puck drops, you keep holding down the bumper, and you either hit a face-button or flick the joystick in the direction you want it to go.

4) The outcome is entirely based on timing. If one center beats the other center to the draw within a designated timing window, he should win the puck cleanly to his intended target. If the timing is outside the designated "win" window, a dynamic scrum ensues, and the wingers jump in to retrieve the puck in real-time -- no pre-scripted animations like we have now.

5) The face-off rating could then only apply to CPU players, and would simply determine how good their timing is on a regular basis. The rating would have no effect on human players.

While we're on the subject of face-offs, the game really needs to start kicking players outside the circle for drawing early. This is a huge part of hockey's tactics that's completely absent from EA's NHL games.

And I'd also like to have the ability to create and save custom face-off formations.