[AdamJones113]

How much does X affect Y? How will the gameplay be affected if X turns into X+1? This thread will channel my series of (mostly gameplay) tests on NHL 16, in the hope that people use it to improve their own game play and perhaps even more than that.

Slider Effectiveness List
Injuries: Works (Tested CPU & Human)
Wrist/Slap Shot Power: Works (Tested CPU and Human)

Test 1: Passing Accuracy Slider

Spoiler

Let's use tonight's matchup, Senators (CPU) at Leafs. For this test, we'll play a series of three games on all default AS/Hardcore sliders (5 minute periods), with one change: in game 1, the passing accuracy sliders will be minimized; game 2 will have the passing accuracy slider maxed; game 3 will have the passing accuracy slider at default.

Game 1: Passing Slider Accuracy Minimized (CPU and Human)
Senators Passing %: 76
Leafs Passing %: 61
Notes: I played poorly. Tried to force some passes, as I fell down early and stayed down (lost 4-0). CPU missed some passes they probably should have made, but also made some of their trademark incredible passes.

Game 2: Passing Slider Accuracy Maximized (CPU and Human)
Senators Passing %: 81
Leafs Passing %: 54
Notes: I played about the same skill level in this one, losing 5-1. My main defensive troubles came with my piss-poor defensive AI, which left men open in the slot left and right... and a shaky, shaky netminder.

Game 3: Passing Sliders in the Middle (CPU and Human)
Senators Passing %: 71
Leafs Passing %: 62
Notes: I played well this game, winning 2-1. It was a solid game overall, but the Senators' lone goal came on a hella-lucky pass through 3 defensemen.

Test 2: Player Separation Over an 82-Game Season

Spoiler

Test 2: Player Separation Over the Course of a Season

I think most of us dislike the in-game player separation. It's hard to tell, on-ice, that X player is better than Y, when that same comparison is so clear in real life. Yet at the same time, it's been pointed out that the right players get the higher point totals through an 82-game simulated season. The counter to that has been that those players are getting the higher point totals because of their high ice time. Let's see what happens when the Philadelphia Flyers play one season with normal lines, and one season with the lines completely reversed.

I'm not focusing on NHL results (I will note the Stanley Cup winner each time), but on individual player statistics. No playoff comparison; that's hardly different enough in game to merit a comparison. Injuries are off to maintain the exact same lines through the course of the season. Assistant Coach Edit Lines is set to 'No' for the same reason.

2015/2016 Philadelphia Flyers: Normal Lines
Click 'Spoiler' to see all the Flyers' lines.

Spoiler

Offense (Overall):
Simmonds (88)—Giroux (90)—Voracek (90)
Raffl (82)—Schenn (86)—Read (83)
Lecavalier (83)—Couturier (86)—Umberger (82)
Bellemare (79)—Gagner (83)—White (82)

Defense:
Streit (87)—MacDonald (85)
Del Zotto (83)—Schenn (84)
Schultz (82)—Gudas (83)

PP Line 1:
Voracek—Giroux—Simmonds
Streit—Del Zotto

PP Line 2:
Couturier—Schenn—Gagner
MacDonald—Schenn

4 Man PP1 (and 4 on 4 #1):
Giroux—Voracek
Streit—Del Zotto

4 Man PP2 (and 4 on 4 #2):
Schenn—Simmonds
MacDonald—Schenn

3 on 3:
Giroux—Streit—MacDonald
Couturier—L. Schenn—Del Zotto
B. Schenn—Gudas—Schultz

XAttacker:
Giroux
Voracek

Let's take a look at the player stats, in descending order of points.

Philadelphia Flyers Stats - 2015/16
Skaters	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	GW	PIM	SOG	SPCT
J. Voracek	82	31	40	71	7		14	266	11.65
C. Giroux	82	27	40	67	4		10	257	10.51
M. Streit	82	7	41	48	0		14	165	4.24
S. Couturier	82	23	21	44	17		40	149	15.44
W. Simmonds	82	21	22	43	9		42	193	10.88
B. Schenn	82	19	23	42	0		67	199	9.55
S. Gagner	82	16	19	35	-13		4	138	11.59
M. Del Zotto	82	2	32	34	-3		8	142	1.41
V. Lecavalier	82	12	20	32	5		24	125	9.60
R. Umberger	82	9	20	29	8		34	127	7.09
A. MacDonald	82	2	24	26	5		38	161	1.24
M. Read	82	11	14	25	-4		8	118	9.32
M. Raffl	82	10	12	22	-6		2	118	8.47
P. Bellemare	82	11	10	21	-8		10	98	11.22
R. White	82	6	13	19	-2		36	109	5.50
R. Gudas	82	3	13	16	10		46	51	5.88
L. Schenn	82	4	11	15	6		54	117	3.42
N. Schultz	82	1	7	8	2		44	50	2.00

This team made the playoffs as a wild card, swept Detroit in the first round, beat Montréal in 5 games in the second round, and fell to Pittsburgh in 6 games in the ECF. Pittsburgh, in turn, fell to the Vancouver Canucks in 7 games in a very good SCF.

2015/2016 Philadelphia Flyers: Reversed Lines


Click 'Spoiler' to all the Flyers' lines.

Spoiler

Offense (Overall):
Bellemare (79)—Gagner (83)—White (82)
Lecavalier (83)—Couturier (86)—Umberger (82)
Raffl (82)—Schenn (86)—Read (83)
Simmonds (88)—Giroux (90)—Voracek (90)

Defense:
Schultz (82)—Gudas (83)
Del Zotto (83)—Schenn (84)
Streit (87)—MacDonald (85)

PP Line 1:
Bellemare—Gagner—White
Schultz—Gudas

PP Line 2:
Raffl—Couturier—Read
Del Zotto—Schenn

4 Man PP1 (and 4 on 4 #1):
Gagner—White
Streit—Del Zotto

4 Man PP2 (and 4 on 4 #2):
Couturier—Bellemare
Del Zotto—Schenn

3 on 3:
Bellemare—Schultz—Gudas
Couturier—L. Schenn—Del Zotto
B. Schenn—Gudas—Schultz

XAttacker:
Bellemare
White

Here are the team stats for the last-place Philadelphia Flyers:

Philadelphia Flyers Stats - 2015/16
Skaters	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	GW	PIM	SOG	SPCT
S. Couturier	82	19	36	55	-22		35	162	11.73
M. Read	82	23	23	46	4		2	152	15.13
S. Gagner	82	18	25	43	-19		17	192	9.38
R. White	82	18	20	38	-17		88	165	10.91
B. Schenn	82	23	14	37	7		57	142	16.20
M. Raffl	82	10	27	37	5		10	158	6.33
J. Voracek	82	16	15	31	9		6	122	13.11
M. Del Zotto	82	6	24	30	-24		7	150	4.00
P. Bellemare	82	11	19	30	-23		6	173	6.36
R. Gudas	82	2	27	29	3		105	89	2.25
C. Giroux	82	9	20	29	6		2	118	7.63
R. Umberger	82	14	15	29	-16		41	119	11.76
A. MacDonald	82	3	21	24	-5		22	101	2.97
V. Lecavalier	82	13	10	23	-17		16	122	10.66
W. Simmonds	82	7	16	23	3		32	91	7.69
N. Schultz	82	2	15	17	5		60	109	1.83
M. Streit	82	4	11	15	-14		2	88	4.55
L. Schenn	82	1	13	14	-21		67	122	0.82

In conclusion, the simulation engine works pretty well for player and stat differentiation. Increased ice time for worse players saw their stats jump and lowered ice time for better players led to a decrease in their stats, but the overall point totals were much lower, so that's good.

Let me know what you think I should test next.


Disclaimer: by all means, take these tests with a grain of salt. I encourage you to do your own tests and post them here. It's perfectly acceptable to disagree with what I've posted, and don't hesitate to post those disagreements. Remember, however, that I am not making these tests with an agenda. I, like you, want the best possible NHL game.