Has Poke Check Spam Ever Been Worse?

[06woz]

Just a question to everyone about online play.

Has it ever been this bad? I had a friend keep a running count for a period and my opponent attempted to poke check me more than 70 times in a single(5 minute) period! And since you have no way of defending the puck and skating at the same time, you are completely vulnerable unless you want to turn your back and skate away.

This has to be of paramount importance for next year, puckhandling and puck physics in general could use an overhaul.

[Mt Oread]

Have you ever counted how many times a period players poke check in a real game?

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[dubbs88]

Re: Has Poke Check Spam Ever Been Worse?

Spam poke checking is ridiculous in NHL 13, and one of the most abused form of defense in the game. For the very readons stated, you have virtually no way to continue skating and protect the puck at the same time. This is why I have never really played online, until this year. I suggest finding a GMC league that supports sim style play, and frowns against the cheese that is mostly found in online play.

[Crapula]

Re: Has Poke Check Spam Ever Been Worse?

Doesn't spamming poke check slow down your defender? Seems like a simple pass or patient skating could easily win against someone spamming poke check.

[JohnMcClaneTW]

Re: Has Poke Check Spam Ever Been Worse?

Can't play defense well without the poke check.

If you try and just body check all the time, you'll be put out of position and guys will get around you.

I see no problems with the poke checking in this game. It's a legit form of defense and works great. It isn't "being abused." It's how you play defense.

[ComaFaction]

Re: Has Poke Check Spam Ever Been Worse?

Can't play defense well without the poke check.

If you try and just body check all the time, you'll be put out of position and guys will get around you.

I see no problems with the poke checking in this game. It's a legit form of defense and works great. It isn't "being abused." It's how you play defense.

I have softened on my stance re: poke spamming and don't mind it as much now. However, there are a couple of VERY unrealistic things that can make it infuriating as an offensive player:
- defenseman skating away from the puck and poking behind themselves, back toward the puck with razor-sharp accuracy
- poke checks applying super-human strength and velocity to the puck. You can poke check a slapshot and send it hurtling back down the ice at 60-80mph. That's crazy.
- Also pucks taking ridiculous angles off poke checks, due to the glory of "real time physics"

[kerosene31]

Re: Has Poke Check Spam Ever Been Worse?

Another perfect example of how offline play and online play need separate tuners.

When they nerfed poke checking, it made offline play terrible. You can't even poke the puck away from the CPU anymore.

I don't play online very much, but someone who does 1 thing over and over should be easy to beat. (dump the puck).

[Mt Oread]

Re: Has Poke Check Spam Ever Been Worse?

I started counting how many poke checks I saw during the Blues/Flames game last night, and I gave up because it was non-stop. It seemed like every time a guy had the puck, someone was coming to poke it away. Mostly, this led to them moving and passing the puck to avoid turning it over.

But then St. Louis and Calgary are bunch of cheezers.

[06woz]

Re: Has Poke Check Spam Ever Been Worse?

Easy to avoid in real life when you are blessed with the ability to move your feet and hands at the same time.

[Mt Oread]

You can move your feet and hands in the game. Either press A to protect the puck or move analog stick from side to side to avoid defenders, the same way you deke goalies.

[drog1602]

Re: Has Poke Check Spam Ever Been Worse?

I started counting how many poke checks I saw during the Blues/Flames game last night, and I gave up because it was non-stop. It seemed like every time a guy had the puck, someone was coming to poke it away. Mostly, this led to them moving and passing the puck to avoid turning it over.

But then St. Louis and Calgary are bunch of cheezers.

You don't see poke checks like we have in NHL series. They use stick checks in the real NHL or hockey for that matter. A proper stick check is about getting in the shooting/passing lanes in real life. Its not the over the top spamming that we see in this video game.

How often do you see a player poke checked from behind, while he is skating away from the player in the real NHL? Never

The NHL series needs to introduce proper stick checking and give us full control of the right stick. Then add in proper stick, puck collision detection.

The poke spam is just garbage, IMO

[Mt Oread]

Re: Has Poke Check Spam Ever Been Worse?

You are watching different hockey than I am.

The sad part is, we saw this debate last year. One week guys like you scream about the poke check being too effective. Then the next tuner would lead to guys complaining the the poke check is nerfed.

But the reality is, bringing the puck up the ice ought to be dangerous and hard. But many gamers want to run the ice like it is a basketball game.

[drog1602]

Re: Has Poke Check Spam Ever Been Worse?

Not watching different hockey, just understanding what I see! There is a huge difference between a classic poke check like we have in this game and a stick check/sweep and just getting your stick in the lane, such as we see used in every NHL game.

The missing pieces in this game, does not come down to the poke check. Playing proper defence is all about getting your self in the passing and shooting lanes, with an active stick to knock/deflect the pucks away. You certainly do not go around spamming a poke check, or you would look foolish and find yourself on the highlight reels. The classic style poke where you extend yourself (such as we have in game) is rarely used as it puts you in a bad position.

The other missing piece, is that there is no interaction with players. Everyone keeps backing up, backing up (especially the Ai). Its harder in real hockey to gain the blue line, simply because the defence is there to try and impede you. Separating the player from the puck is proper defence ( and not with big hits). Its all about slowing the player up. This is sadly missing from the EA NHL series.

Talk about a basketball game, that is what EA has programmed! Playing offline, I dump the puck in quite often, but not because I have to. I dump it in to try and replicate the real game. The sad truth is that I could easily waltz in on every rush, as the defence keeps backing up and gives me ample space on the side walls.

I think some of you guys need to understand how to really play defence, it might start with you lacing up skates and trying it for your self. Then you might see why its so different than how this game plays.

[06woz]

Re: Has Poke Check Spam Ever Been Worse?

You can move your feet and hands in the game. Either press A to protect the puck or move analog stick from side to side to avoid defenders, the same way you deke goalies.

You must have misread, I said "At the same time".

In game, using protect puck as well as deking makes you stop skating.

You are watching different hockey than I am.

The sad part is, we saw this debate last year. One week guys like you scream about the poke check being too effective. Then the next tuner would lead to guys complaining the the poke check is nerfed.

But the reality is, bringing the puck up the ice ought to be dangerous and hard. But many gamers want to run the ice like it is a basketball game.

Bringing the puck up ice ought to be dangerous and hard. But not because a player who just skated past you can no-look pokecheck you behind their back, or continuously jab at the puck.

In real life you can get around a player who is reaching by simply moving the puck around them and skating forward. In game, your player instantly stops moving his feet any time you try to deke. Deking shouldn't just be about "dangling, it should be about protecting the puck.

The poke check is EA's way of covering up their lack of intelligent team system play. THAT should be why zone entry and puck movement should be difficult: Tactical, intelligent play. Not constant stick jabbing.

[bukktown]

Re: Has Poke Check Spam Ever Been Worse?

I skate by the pokecheckers by using the Ovi jump deke. If they are good they body check me after the failed poke check but that is only about 25% of the people I play online.