NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

[RealmK]

Re: NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

Don't take this the wrong way, but, I don't see how you can say that there's no attribute boosts on superstar (even with CPU difficulty all the way down). I played over a season and a half on superstar last year, with CPU difficulty all the way down, and there was/is definitely a boost for the CPU in the speed category. I had Kane caught from behind multiple times by players that had no business doing so. I could push the puck up the ice 2 times and still not gain an inch on a backchecker.

Never noticed one with it on zero, above that there is as far as we were told anyway. *shrug*

[Redshirt_EA]

Re: NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

Don't take this the wrong way, but, I don't see how you can say that there's no attribute boosts on superstar (even with CPU difficulty all the way down). I played over a season and a half on superstar last year, with CPU difficulty all the way down, and there was/is definitely a boost for the CPU in the speed category. I had Kane caught from behind multiple times by players that had no business doing so. I could push the puck up the ice 2 times and still not gain an inch on a backchecker.

With CPU Difficulty Adjustment on zero they don't get speed boosts, and this is the default now for all game styles. So the most extreme challenge from the computer would be Superstar with CPU Difficulty Adjustment maxed out, but if you don't want them to have an physical edge you can just leave it on the defaults.

[RealmK]

Re: NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

With CPU Difficulty Adjustment on zero they don't get speed boosts, and this is the default now for all game styles. So the most extreme challenge from the computer would be Superstar with CPU Difficulty Adjustment maxed out, but if you don't want them to have an physical edge you can just leave it on the defaults.

Thanks for clearing that up Redshirt. Btw if you had a major hand in the AI tuning this year, if I'm ever in Vancouver I wanna buy you a beer. Good stuff!

[crobert0247]

Re: NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

Thanks for clearing that up Redshirt. Btw if you had a major hand in the AI tuning this year, if I'm ever in Vancouver I wanna buy you a beer. Good stuff!

I'd buy that whole team a beer for sure.

[Gagnon39]

Re: NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

With CPU Difficulty Adjustment on zero they don't get speed boosts, and this is the default now for all game styles. So the most extreme challenge from the computer would be Superstar with CPU Difficulty Adjustment maxed out, but if you don't want them to have an physical edge you can just leave it on the defaults.

Well, alright then. What is it? What causes the lack of space?

[eddiing]

Re: NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

The CPU just got a goal that was kicked in, the goal was reviewed and then called a non-goal.. it was awesome.

it's a lot easier to score off a well placed wrist shot as well!

[RealmK]

Re: NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

I'd buy that whole team a beer for sure.

lol always gotta one up me crobert In all seriousness glad you're enjoying the game so far, nice to see ya around, hadn't seen you post much lately.

[SinisterAlex]

Re: NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

Thanks for clearing that up Redshirt. Btw if you had a major hand in the AI tuning this year, if I'm ever in Vancouver I wanna buy you a beer. Good stuff!

Haha I could be in Vancouver in 50 minutes Although I'm a year under the legal drinking age in B.C (I'm 18) I could still buy you some sort of beverage or food! Love this game to death!


Thanks for all of your hard work! Tell the team I said thanks!

[Segagendude]

Re: NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

Second demo impression in the same day........good sign!

Basically, I can't put this thing down, and it's only one quarter! I love everything about the game-----crowd (deafening!), arena sounds (The horn, music, etc.!) and the commentary (Thorne is the best!)

I don't know how to comment on gameplay yet, as I don't know the intricacies of hockey. I can't complain about the skating; unlike Madden, it's part of the game, lmao........

Scored a cool-looking goal as Chicago, though......I skated up and behind the goal and did a wrap around type of goal. It was pretty awesome, and I love how the spotlight went on me as I celebrated!

I'm getting more into this game as I play the demo. This is gonna be a great year for sports----NCAA, NHL, and soon F12010!

I'm ready to rock!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Presswithsafetyshade]

Re: NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

So far the game has drawn overwhelming praise, but I still don't think the actual gameplay is representative of the pace of an NHL game...at least on Hardcore. When I get the puck in the neutral zone my wingers should be on their horse, either getting open for a pass to hit the line with speed or to be on the forecheck for a dump. Instead, both my wingers either stop skating or glide towards the blue line. Transition hockey should be one or two passes to a guy with speed on the rush. In '11 you don't see any cohesion or flow offensively. Because your AI teammates never skate hard on offense (unless trailing the play) everything feels disjointed. I get the sense this game may lean toward dump and chase...which is fine....but you have to have at least one winger going, and that rarely happens.

[JT30]

Re: NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

Second demo impression in the same day........good sign!

Basically, I can't put this thing down, and it's only one quarter!

I like the demo so far, but are you sure you're playing hockey? One quarter?

[SinisterAlex]

Re: NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

Just had my first goal review. Took a slapshot from the point with 3 bodies in front. Hit Kane in front of the net. The ref comes flying in, waving his arms. Replay's get shown and the ref points to center ice. Only thing that sucked about that was the ref had no audio... could've recorded some random guy to say two lines, one for goal and one for no goal...

Also I laid a hip check on Pronger with Seabrook. I guess Pronger was trying to carry the puck in and made him go head over heels!

[BlueNGold]

Re: NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

one thing I don't like and i'm not sure if it's just me.. but the line change menu seems to pop up so slow for me..

anyone?

Yeah it does. Someone else pointed this out but it's because they gave it this flashy animation to match the rest of the graphic overlays. Hopefully they can fix this but it's not too big of a deal.

On another note, I just got done with another hour long session or so with this demo. Next to the UFC 09 demo, this is one of the few demos that is literally owning my soul.

I played about 6 more games. Lost 2 Battle for the Cup games that were pretty fun. Once I switched over to Ultimate Team though, things got very fun.

First off, I started off with a much more stacked team than my last playthrough. I had Malkin, Zetterberg, Backstrom, Seguin, Hall, Eberle, Doughty, Myers, and Ryan Miller among others. I lost the first game to the Spitfires but then ended up going through the entire tournament and winning it (anyone else win the whole tourney yet?).

I seen about 4 of the best goals I've ever seen in NHL and 3 of them were clean wrist shot snipes. 2 of them to others wouldn't probably be considered some of the best goals they've seen, but I was just so excited that I was able to score in the situations I scored them in.

The first was in my second game against Windsor. It went to a shootout and we were tied at 1 goal a piece. I had the game winning goal on my stick with the 3rd shot of the shootout and it was Nik Backstrom taking it. I came down towards the goalie and he was giving me the blocker side (left). So I decided to try and snipe a shot on him to that side and it worked. This made me really happy because as far as I remember, it was damn near impossible to score in the shootout off of wrist shots. You almost always had to deke.

The second goal was one with Jordan Eberle that was easily the best goal I've ever scored. I came into the Philly zone on the left side, got into the corner and put on the brakes which put some seperation between me and the d-man. Then I did the between the legs quick deke to dangle an oncoming forward, cut into the high slot and sniped a shot top right corner over Leighton. If only EA would've let us save demo highlights.

The third goal was on a breakaway with Tyler Seguin. I just flat out sniped on Broduer and scored. It's been a long time since I've been able to score off clean wrist shots on the break.

Finally the fourth one was a CPU goal. There was a scrum of players in my offensive zone in the faceoff circle on the right side. The puck was loose and then Patrick Kane came trailing in and took a massive slapshot that beat Ryan Miller far side top shelf and off the inside of the post. It was a thing of beauty and just felt so awesome because it was a goal you could picture Patrick Kane scoring.

So to wrap this long post up....well done, EA, well done.

[06woz]

Re: NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

So happy with this game as of now. Just scored my nicest goal yet( i guess it's a matter of opinion, I'm a Bure fan).

Shootout, first shot. Came right to left with Hall, dropped it to the skates, kicked it back. Did a very(very) short right to left deke and netted it.

[BlueNGold]

Re: NHL 11 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

Forgot to add this to my last post.

2 other improvements I've noticed are the spin move being much more realistic and now if an opposing player is using boardplay and you come in to hit him with the R stick, it lets you pin him instead of last year when you'd just bounce off him like nothing happened.

It really seems like they have everything covered with this game. Can't wait for a Be A GM preview from wherever that breaks down all of the new features and AI.