NHL 16 Trial Available Now For EA Access Subscribers, Get 10 Hours of Gamplay

[Money99]

Re: NHL 16 Trial Available Now For EA Access Subscribers, Get 10 Hours of Gamplay

As someone who has been fairly critical of this year's game, I just jumped into Play Now as the game installed and had a very enjoyable first experience - MUCH better than my experience with '15!

A few things I noticed:

- Some AI issues are still there, as people have mentioned, but I found the computer AI played a fair but competitive game of hockey on All-Star/Hardcore. They actually outshot me 29-10, but Bishop held me in the game. I thought the CPU took what I gave them for the most part and made some creative plays in my zone as well.

- Goalies played very well and I didn't see too much flopping which was refreshing.

- Tyler Johnson felt quick and slippery, while Stamkos was dangerous everytime he touched the puck. Similarly, Kane was shifty with the puck for the CPU. The players felt and looked to have more range in ability (at least from the 1 game I've played).

All in all, I'm excited to spend more time with the game - which I wasn't expecting. Kudos, EA!

Very encouraging to hear. Thanks for the impressions!

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: NHL 16 Trial Available Now For EA Access Subscribers, Get 10 Hours of Gamplay

The game sounds about right where I expected it to be this year. I'll have fun with it, and I look forward to seeing what gets patched this cycle. I'll play the game a lot, and I do support what the NHL team does. They've made a lot of games I've enjoyed immensely over the years, and I can appreciate the difficulties of developing a fairly niche title with a small team in a big corporation. The transition to gen 4 was a disaster, and now it looks like there is at least a stable foundation.

Next year I desperately want to see gameplay and AI get a huge look. Madden did a tremendous job improving gameplay this year in terms of quality, player differentiation based on ratings, and adding new mechanics that work out of the box. CFM is a disaster in that game, but the meaningful improvements to gameplay is what the NHL series needs on gen 4.

I want to see Duncan Keith manage the puck like Duncan Keith not Mike Komisarek. I want to see neutral zone play, and I want to see the cpu use the same tools as human players, and not ignore the laws of physics. I want to see the AI have a basic awareness of obstacles and space and not buzz into the net.

I want the cpu to possess a level of awareness to the point that they are able to understand the limitations of movement with respect to skating. What that means is I want cpu players to loop or hard stop to turn and get back up the ice instead of going into a weird circle and backward skate and tearing back at unbelievable speed, or covering a crazy amount of ice laterally.

I guess what I'm saying is I want the cpu to be good, NHL quality skaters rather than just sort of being able to slide and navigate the ice in a physically impossible manner.

[MizzouRah]

Re: NHL 16 Trial Available Now For EA Access Subscribers, Get 10 Hours of Gamplay

My biggest complaints so far are once again the lack of penalties (all penalty sliders maxed) In fact, I think you get more with just the main penalty slider maxed and leave the other two alone... and the framerate issues on game speed of <3. Even on 3, the cut scenes will get choppy at times. I hope this can be cleaned up. I doubt penalties will ever be fixed.. Madden finally fixed theirs it's time NHL does the same.

[nddurst]

Re: NHL 16 Trial Available Now For EA Access Subscribers, Get 10 Hours of Gamplay

I was hoping that the crowd atmosphere would be better for playoff games than it is for regular season games, so I simmed ahead to a Stanley Cup Final clinching game between Anaheim and Tampa. Unfortunately, the crowd is still really quiet even in Cup games.

<iframe width="540" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4wAh1guptWo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

NBA Live still has the best crowds in sports gaming IMO. NHL's crowds are near the bottom of the genre as far as activeness and excitement go.

It also looks the like Stanley Cup celebration scene is pretty similar to what it was in NHL 15. The cup ceremony starts at timestamp 26:30 if anyone just wants to see that.

This is downright laughable. Absolutely ZERO desperation shown by the team losing by 2 goals late in the clinching game, and the cut scene is so damn stale. The Stanley Cup is the biggest part of NHL hockey and we are stuck the same boring sequence that we've had since the beginning of last-gen.

If I spent hours and hours playing Be A GM and won the Cup, only to be rewarded with that joke of a celebration, I'd feel cheated.

[therizing02]

Re: NHL 16 Trial Available Now For EA Access Subscribers, Get 10 Hours of Gamplay

Some good, but it still seems like every goal I give up, no matter how hard I try to stop it, is the CPU one timers from the slot. It's absolutely ridiculous that Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are too stupid to cover the backside winger.

This game just really feels scripted to me. We've all been there when the CPU goes berserk with the unrealistic passing speeds and one timers. Just like FIFA, I never feel like the goals I give up are because of bad matchups or tactics. It's always because it's time for a goal.

I haven't played a lot of NHL, but I have played a ton of FIFA over the years, and I get the same feeling as I play NHL. The "oh boy here it comes" feeling.

These devs just can't program a smart CPU with adaptive AI. The CPU "adapts" when the ratings get juiced. I will also add that this does happen for the USER.

The FIFA and NHL teams try way too hard to create the "holy ****" moments of late goals and it is painfully obvious.

Next gen graphics, great player movement, good presentation, and old school cheesy AI. Pathetic.

[18 eighty 5]

Re: NHL 16 Trial Available Now For EA Access Subscribers, Get 10 Hours of Gamplay

Have only played 2 periods of the very first Tampa v Chicago match as the trial version is installing in the background. Whilst I can feel some changes through the controller the game is essentially the same as every other year.

Also the animations don't look as good this year. The skaters move a bit funny and the game doesn't look much better over last year.

Just saved myself some money. I am almost ready to uninstall and move on. NHL 16 is not worth my time this year as it is just a tweaked NHL 15 with the same ai buffs and boosts that will drive me insane.

No thanks. Disappointing.

[brandon27]

Re: NHL 16 Trial Available Now For EA Access Subscribers, Get 10 Hours of Gamplay

Some good, but it still seems like every goal I give up, no matter how hard I try to stop it, is the CPU one timers from the slot. It's absolutely ridiculous that Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are too stupid to cover the backside winger.

This game just really feels scripted to me. We've all been there when the CPU goes berserk with the unrealistic passing speeds and one timers. Just like FIFA, I never feel like the goals I give up are because of bad matchups or tactics. It's always because it's time for a goal.

I haven't played a lot of NHL, but I have played a ton of FIFA over the years, and I get the same feeling as I play NHL. The "oh boy here it comes" feeling.

These devs just can't program a smart CPU with adaptive AI. The CPU "adapts" when the ratings get juiced. I will also add that this does happen for the USER.

The FIFA and NHL teams try way too hard to create the "holy ****" moments of late goals and it is painfully obvious.

Next gen graphics, great player movement, good presentation, and old school cheesy AI. Pathetic.

That's my biggest complaint right now. It happens still, and it happens often IMO. There's too many times still that the AI just does ungodly things that in no way shape or form you can do as the player. Might as well just put down the controller, wait for that pass into the slot that will result in a goal no matter what you do.


I don't mind the AI ratcheting up the pressure on me in a close game when they're trying to tie it up, or when they've pulled the goalie. I want to see that, that's realistic. However, the way the AI pulls it off in this game, is unrealistic, and you just end up feeling cheated, and that's the problem.


I played another game this morning. I love it. Absolutely love it, there's many awesome improvements. It looks fantastic, and it plays a good game of hockey, until you hit the insane AI momments, and the lack of penalties.


If they could patch that up, We're working with something really good here. Big step from last year.

[GDumaresq]

Does anyone know where "sim to next shift" is ?!?!?

[Drakar]

Re: NHL 16 Trial Available Now For EA Access Subscribers, Get 10 Hours of Gamplay

That's my biggest complaint right now. It happens still, and it happens often IMO. There's too many times still that the AI just does ungodly things that in no way shape or form you can do as the player. Might as well just put down the controller, wait for that pass into the slot that will result in a goal no matter what you do.


I don't mind the AI ratcheting up the pressure on me in a close game when they're trying to tie it up, or when they've pulled the goalie. I want to see that, that's realistic. However, the way the AI pulls it off in this game, is unrealistic, and you just end up feeling cheated, and that's the problem.


I played another game this morning. I love it. Absolutely love it, there's many awesome improvements. It looks fantastic, and it plays a good game of hockey, until you hit the insane AI momments, and the lack of penalties.


If they could patch that up, We're working with something really good here. Big step from last year.

The truth is that momentum swing also happen in real life. Your team get pinned in their zone, they get tired and the opposite team just keep cycling the puck around. It's not unrealistic at all.

[Al_Tito13]

Re: NHL 16 Trial Available Now For EA Access Subscribers, Get 10 Hours of Gamplay

I played a few games so far and I liked what I saw. All missing options and modes are back, which was a must. Menus are faster and better looking. I have to say that this looks like a real game compared to last year. And in general, the gameplay is pretty similar, but with a lot of minor improvements that are really important to me:

- Hitting is better. Less big hits and more subtle bumps make the puck carrier more likely to loose the puck from contacts.
- Skating has been changed, I will have to play more to comment more precisely on it.
- Passing is improved, with less assist. Receiving passes is better too.
- Pass interceptions and deflections are better, which makes positioning on defense more important.
- Sticks collision detection also seems a bit better, even if I would still like more.
- Goalies don't pass the puck as easily with their glove, which is good.
- Pinning against the board seems more effective, which creates more board play.
- I found the AI better in the few games I played, but it's still a pretty small sample.

There are definitely more but this is what comes to my mind right now. To sum things up, the gameplay is improved and more fluid in general, no doubt about that.

My biggest complaint and huge concern so far (and I really hope it will get fixed as soon as possible) is that sometimes the frame rate becomes the worst I've ever seen (like others have said, it seems to happen more when we play with lower game speed from default 3, for example with game speed at 1). The screen just starts to flash and becomes so choppy, it's simply unplayable.

[brandon27]

Re: NHL 16 Trial Available Now For EA Access Subscribers, Get 10 Hours of Gamplay

The truth is that momentum swing also happen in real life. Your team get pinned in their zone, they get tired and the opposite team just keep cycling the puck around. It's not unrealistic at all.

Absolutely it isn't unrealistic. I said that. It's the way the game handles it though, is the unrealistic part. I have no problem with the momentum swings etc. Just have the AI do it legitimately. Instead, you'll see AI skaters have no effects of physics or momentum, they become able stop/start/turn on a dime where as you can't because player weight and momentum are in play for you, but not them. They skate faster, they aren't effected by contact, they make ridiculous impossible passes etc. etc. Things that aren't physically possible, happen.


That's the issue. The issue isn't that it happens, it's how the AI makes it happen.

[HokieB]

Re: NHL 16 Trial Available Now For EA Access Subscribers, Get 10 Hours of Gamplay

Sounds like there's little to no penalties called this year. That's not a true hockey experience. No buy from me unless they fix this.

[ComaFaction]

Re: NHL 16 Trial Available Now For EA Access Subscribers, Get 10 Hours of Gamplay

Sounds like there's little to no penalties called this year. That's not a true hockey experience. No buy from me unless they fix this.

From what I've seen, you can hack the opponent 20 times to Tuesday with your stick and get away with it.

[GROGtheNailer]

Re: NHL 16 Trial Available Now For EA Access Subscribers, Get 10 Hours of Gamplay

After reading through this thread, I will not be getting the game. Seems like the same historic issues with the gameplay AI once again.

[actionhank]

Re: NHL 16 Trial Available Now For EA Access Subscribers, Get 10 Hours of Gamplay

Sounds like there's little to no penalties called this year. That's not a true hockey experience. No buy from me unless they fix this.

The penalty thing might be my biggest frustration. I don't see how they haven't fixed that yet.