[Moose24x]

Quote: Originally Posted by SpectralThundr

I hope so. I hope that besides the obvious changes with presentation, that the AI at least got some polishing. The whole "AI Vision" dealy sounds an awful lot like Hockey IQ. I get that AI in a hockey game is difficult to not be predictable, it's a video game after all. I would however at least like the option to have the AI be able to clog up the neutral zone on higher difficulty levels and not do it in a way where they just skate faster or hit harder but by solid positioning and having the attribute effect slider actually work how it's supposed to. I get that EA likely is forced to keep attributes 50-100 to keep the NHLPA from pulling the license, but I still believe there are ways to make the CPU offline play a tighter game without it being cheap. All sports games seem to struggle with this however, even the much loved NBA2k where the AI will hit shots from where ever it wants even with a hand in it's face on higher difficulty levels to try and keep it "competitive". At the very least in NHL the AI will just change it's strategy to high pressure and have the Dmen pinch more rather than out right cheating like some claim. It doesn't, if it did every game would be close, and that's certainly not the case.

They could keep the ratings between 80-99 for all I care. Just make the difference between an 80 speed and an 88 speed actually meaningful. The difference between an 80 wrist shot power and a 92 should be noteworthy. The problem isn't keeping all the attributes between 65-99; it's the fact that guys with a 77 speed rating win races against guys with a 93 speed rating. It's the fact that guys with an 81 strength who weigh 180lbs knock down guys with a 90 balance who weigh 225. Just make the attributes meaningful. Forget being able to see the difference between an 80 and 88. You should be able to feel the difference between an 85 and an 88. The fact that if you make Skater A 6'0 190 and give him 85 speed, acceleration, balance, agility, strength, etc. (anything that could even conceivably effect speed) and you make Skater B also 6'0 190 and give him a 90 in all of the same categories, you won't be able to feel any difference between the two when using them and it will actually be a crap shoot in a race between the two, especially if the CPU is controlling the slower one, is a BIG problem. 2-3 points in an attribute needs to make a difference. 5-6 needs to make a notable difference. 7+ needs to be a BIG difference.