Demo - Gaining the Blueline

[crankybaker]

Hi everyone,

So after watching video after video it seemed this year it would be a lot harder to gain the offence blueline with dumping the punk into the offencive zone, but after playing the demo I still find it easy to skate on into the offencive zone. Has anyone else still found it easy?

I do like however that a lot of the "easy" opitions while in the offencive third have been taken away IE: one timers.

[sweetjones]

Re: Demo - Gaining the Blueline

Hi everyone,

So after watching video after video it seemed this year it would be a lot harder to gain the offence blueline with dumping the punk into the offencive zone, but after playing the demo I still find it easy to skate on into the offencive zone. Has anyone else still found it easy?

I do like however that a lot of the "easy" opitions while in the offencive third have been taken away IE: one timers.

IMO! I think this is situational. Unfortunately, the demo starts in the 3rd period with a different score everytime. I have noticed varying defensive pressures in all 3 zones by the opposing team on different scores. Whether they have a lead or I do.

[Gagnon39]

Re: Demo - Gaining the Blueline

I said this in one of the videos that Rammer put up. He was trying to show how you have to dump the puck in the zone because of the new systems and I said that it looked like you could have just skated right by the defender who was standing still just inside his own blue line. I gave EA the benefit of the doubt and kind of accepted what Rammer was saying.

But after playing the video it seems as though my speculation was correct. I just skate right into the zone 99% of the time. When I do dump the puck in it is simply for fun and to add to the feel of the game, not because I have to.

[Mikey88]

Re: Demo - Gaining the Blueline

I said this in one of the videos that Rammer put up. He was trying to show how you have to dump the puck in the zone because of the new systems and I said that it looked like you could have just skated right by the defender who was standing still just inside his own blue line. I gave EA the benefit of the doubt and kind of accepted what Rammer was saying.

But after playing the video it seems as though my speculation was correct. I just skate right into the zone 99% of the time. When I do dump the puck in it is simply for fun and to add to the feel of the game, not because I have to.

Have you tried adjusting the different strategies available to us now? I have yet to try but i suspect that you can make it more difficult depend on neutral zone pressure and formation

[Gagnon39]

Re: Demo - Gaining the Blueline

You can't adjust the other team's strategy. When I skate into the neutral zone its very rare that I find myself in a position in which I need to dump the puck to gain the zone. I just skate by the defenders. I mostly play on the Superstar level and never any lower than All-Star.

[nbman]

IMO, I find the ice sheet too large in the NHL series giving you too much room to skate around the other team. I have been playing 2k10 lately and noticed that you have less room to skate by players and seems more proportionate.

[crankybaker]

Re: Demo - Gaining the Blueline

I said this in one of the videos that Rammer put up. He was trying to show how you have to dump the puck in the zone because of the new systems and I said that it looked like you could have just skated right by the defender who was standing still just inside his own blue line. I gave EA the benefit of the doubt and kind of accepted what Rammer was saying.

But after playing the video it seems as though my speculation was correct. I just skate right into the zone 99% of the time. When I do dump the puck in it is simply for fun and to add to the feel of the game, not because I have to.

Exactly my point. 99% of the time you can just stroll in no problems at all. I was so excited for a game where you HAD to dump and chase. Like I under stand the 1st line for the penguins can gain the line with great passing plays and what not but the 3rd and 4th lines dump and chase a lot and I think this needs to be in the game

[captaincan]

Re: Demo - Gaining the Blueline

I would think this is a hard thing to balance. Considering most people play 5-10 minute periods, it makes some sense to shy away from forcing the dump and chase game. If it was ultra realistic, and we had to dump, chip, and cycle our way to scoring chances, each team would probably have like 10 shots by the end of the game. Not to mention it wouldn't be very exciting, and the average hockey fan wouldn't enjoy it much.

I've with you guys on forcing more dump and chase, but I see some issues with it and maybe why it makes sense to keep it as it. Considering a chippier game requires a lot of board play, I'd rather not be forced to use the current pinning mechanics constantly.

[Gagnon39]

Re: Demo - Gaining the Blueline

I would think this is a hard thing to balance. Considering most people play 5-10 minute periods, it makes some sense to shy away from forcing the dump and chase game. If it was ultra realistic, and we had to dump, chip, and cycle our way to scoring chances, each team would probably have like 10 shots by the end of the game. Not to mention it wouldn't be very exciting, and the average hockey fan wouldn't enjoy it much.

I've with you guys on forcing more dump and chase, but I see some issues with it and maybe why it makes sense to keep it as it. Considering a chippier game requires a lot of board play, I'd rather not be forced to use the current pinning mechanics constantly.

This is exactly how I wish the game played. I want a hockey game that requires 20 minute periods to get realistic stats.

[captaincan]

Re: Demo - Gaining the Blueline

This is exactly how I wish the game played. I want a hockey game that requires 20 minute periods to get realistic stats.

Yah, but I'm sure you know that your in a very small group that would play 20 minute periods. Majority of people probably play 5-10 min. I'd get an average of maybe 2 or 3 games a week if I played 20 min periods.

[Gagnon39]

Re: Demo - Gaining the Blueline

Yah, but I'm sure you know that your in a very small group that would play 20 minute periods. Majority of people probably play 5-10 min. I'd get an average of maybe 2 or 3 games a week if I played 20 min periods.

And that's the predicament that EA is in. It can't satisfy hardcore fans and casual fans alike completely. Even though it does a good job.

I honestly think that EA should have two separate settings, and will have to do this if they ever want to create a true hockey simulation.

One setting will be for casual hockey/gaming fans and it should basically be played like the demo does now.

The other should be a simulation mode, where the puck is MUCH looser, passes often miss their mark, there is a ton of board play and shots are hard to come by. If a game was like this, I would be more than willing to pay a great deal of money for it.

[captaincan]

Re: Demo - Gaining the Blueline

And that's the predicament that EA is in. It can't satisfy hardcore fans and casual fans alike completely. Even though it does a good job.

I honestly think that EA should have two separate settings, and will have to do this if they ever want to create a true hockey simulation.

One setting will be for casual hockey/gaming fans and it should basically be played like the demo does now.

The other should be a simulation mode, where the puck is MUCH looser, passes often miss their mark, there is a ton of board play and shots are hard to come by. If a game was like this, I would be more than willing to pay a great deal of money for it.

I would also pay a lot more for having a true sim option, but I don't see that happening. It doesn't make a lot of sense for EA to cater to the hardcore crowd when the majority of sales comes from the casual crowd. Plus they only have a year or so of production, and they need to spend that on making enough improvements to keep people buying it each year. Not enough time to spend on making a proper sim engine.

I don't doubt that many people involved in making NHL each year are hardcore fans and would love to make a true hockey sim. Unfortunately its not up to them though. It comes down to what the head of the company wants, and to them, its all about money.

I'm not trying to make excuses for EA, because I want the same thing as you. I just don't think we'll ever get a true sim from EA unless someone puts out some competition that forces their hand.

[Gagnon39]

Re: Demo - Gaining the Blueline

I would also pay a lot more for having a true sim option, but I don't see that happening. It doesn't make a lot of sense for EA to cater to the hardcore crowd when the majority of sales comes from the casual crowd. Plus they only have a year or so of production, and they need to spend that on making enough improvements to keep people buying it each year. Not enough time to spend on making a proper sim engine.

I don't doubt that many people involved in making NHL each year are hardcore fans and would love to make a true hockey sim. Unfortunately its not up to them though. It comes down to what the head of the company wants, and to them, its all about money.

I'm not trying to make excuses for EA, because I want the same thing as you. I just don't think we'll ever get a true sim from EA unless someone puts out some competition that forces their hand.

I agree with all of that and I think that's why they allow for slider adjustments.

With slider adjustments we can make it much closer to a simulation.

[sweetjones]

Re: Demo - Gaining the Blueline

I honestly think that EA should have two separate settings, and will have to do this if they ever want to create a true hockey simulation.

I always wondered why the devs never post their slider settings. Im sure they would still be personal preference, but im sure they have specific slider settings they use.

[gopher_guy]

Re: Demo - Gaining the Blueline

The other should be a simulation mode, where the puck is MUCH looser, passes often miss their mark, there is a ton of board play and shots are hard to come by. If a game was like this, I would be more than willing to pay a great deal of money for it.

I know what you're going for, but we also have to recognize that we're talking about professional hockey here. "passes often miss their mark"?

I would definitely not say that passes "often" miss their mark in the NHL. They would have to be very careful to not create such a muddled mess that you couldn't even play the game.