NHL 18: AI wishlist/feedback

[DJ NEO]

Hi guys,
I thought we could start the ongoing thread, where we list and discuss which ai tendencies or habits frustrates us most. Or what should be added.
Real life videos are welcomed too.

Please let's keep this thread for ai only, so its more easy to look at.

I start with passing.
I liked Nhl 11 a for manual speed passing.

Thankfully its back in 17. Even better we have now dedicated slider so we can tune the range between slow and fast passes.

What still sucks tho is that this slider is not really working for ai. So ai still passes in constant speed (no matter how far or close their teammates are) which makes them look really stupid and robotic.

[Iceman87GT]

Re: NHL 18: AI wishlist/feedback

Would this AI wishlist thread include front office logic wishes?

I.e. Brad Marchand didn't get a multi-year deal and now I'm a month into the season he's now asking for 1 year but no one is biting (I'd sign him but I have to send someone down first, unfortunately I can't send anyone down without falling below the cap floor but that's a complaint for another thread), it defies logic that he would go unsigned (either he's too demanding or the offers are too little and there's no negotiating occurring).

Also better reasons for not signing: "your team isn't good enough" after you win a Stanley Cup may be true if you won playing on a low difficulty BUT its not a good way of phrasing that, if your team is categorized as rebuilding then they should mention their desire to win now and they're skepticism of the team's ability to do that (it'll still be weird if the user is winning games on a lower difficulty but it'll be a more realistic explanation). Also when roster or Skater contract list is full we should be told whether a player would sign if we had the space. Currently the game will usually give 2 explanations, the first of which is that the offer isn't good enough but then the 2nd will mention lack of room on the team. So I'll be told that my offer isn't good enough but they would love to sign but I have no space...

I apologize if these wishes being somewhere else, technically they are related to AI but I think this thread was meant for on-ice AI.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[DJ NEO]

Re: NHL 18: AI wishlist/feedback

sure why not, you are welcomed

[rickster1]

Re: NHL 18: AI wishlist/feedback

I would like more interaction in franchise mode when a game is on so that the coach can tell the team to for example more aggressive or take less pens , without having to change sliders during a game, this is over and above the stratergies changes. I want to feel more like I am coaching the team\players during the game. Also its about time the we have the refs speaking ie. pens calls ect. 2k had this years ago. I would like also players banned for games and too many men on the ice also to be there.

[drog1602]

Re: NHL 18: AI wishlist/feedback

- That the AI d-men would setup breakouts from behind their net
- bring back team/line tendacies
- have the AI pull the goalie with 2mins left
- if down by a goal in the last two minutes and on a penalty kill, have the AI dump the puck less and try to attack if they can.
- better d-men all around
- roster sharing
- have AI block shots
- smarter GM logic, the trades are still unrealistic
- better faceoff adjustments / logic and not always trying to just tie me up to win faceoffs.
- bring back faceoff adjustments/alignment
- add toss out of faceoff option for offline games
- smarter AI line changes

[GeneralMike]

Re: NHL 18: AI wishlist/feedback

More realistic power play and overtime (3 on 3) lines

[s_mkheidze]

Re: NHL 18: AI wishlist/feedback

my wish is that they actually put in some AI.....D-men are still as dumb as rocks in their own end when the have the puck. Forwards still don't recognize a 2 on 1 and always peel off instead of staying in a scoring position. This game is good-ish, but it still has lousy AI.

[Al_Tito13]

Re: NHL 18: AI wishlist/feedback

I know it's not really AI related, so sorry about that, but here is my wishlist options wise for NHL 18:

- Roster sharing
- Sliders sharing
- Possibility to play online with custom sliders and custom rosters (even if it's only in private exhibition games)
- Ability to save many team strategies and load them easily pre-game in any mode

AI obviously still needs work and there are already good ideas in this thread.

[Ebpmd]

Re: NHL 18: AI wishlist/feedback

The ability to edit player names so we can create classic seasons. Plus 70's era goalie masks and ability to have players NOT wear a helmet.

[NinthFall]

Re: NHL 18: AI wishlist/feedback

Overhaul on the player development.

- I don't want players to be stuck at low ratings due to their potentials/contracts
- I don't want to see rookies scyrocket to their 90s after 1 season either
- I want the weekly training system from fifa (train 5 players of your choise once a week)
- I want to see late bloomers added to the game.
- I want veterans to add something to the team.
- I want chemistry ratings/lines

All these things, I want to feel like as the new "head" of the organization I can add fire and light under these players and therefore have them develop under me, despite their age, potential or contract. I want the development to be more tied to player performance than player potential.

[Oldy87]

Re: NHL 18: AI wishlist/feedback

Be A Pro mode in general needs a massive overhaul. I feel that NHL 14's Live the Life mode was one of the best attempts they've made at that game mode, but it's been so bare-bones on this generation.

[Reff99]

Re: NHL 18: AI wishlist/feedback

Sadly, this is a copy and paste of the post I made in the NHL 17 Wishlist...

Franchise Mode
- hire/fire staff (including real life coaches) who have strengths and weaknesses
- contract extensions during seasons
- non trade/movement clauses
- total revamp of the Trade deadline, including trade values for players with 1 year left on their contract and playing for a selling team, maybe add a bidding system to see what other teams are offering
- total revamp of the Free agents day... top free agents don't wait 7 days to sign with a team, they sign mostly on day 1
- contracts based on production and age, not solely on overall (seeing a 84 OVR rookie I developed in AHL during 3 years demanding a 5M$ contract is ridiculous)
- salary arbitration
- contract bonuses
- get rid of the 85% contract glitch
- add player/goalie fatigue
- in game goalie injuries
- bring back line chemistry (could be mixed with morale)
- multi-position player (Ie Galchenyuk is a LW/C)
- suspensions
- Hall of fame
- some retired players could become coaches and you can develop them
- draft lottery animation
- edit player ratings during Franchise Mode
- player demands (ice time, line change, trade, etc.)
- all new Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup presentation
- ECHL affiliates (hey, they at least got one!
- keeping track of your CHL rookies
- bring back hot and cold streaks

BeaPro
- draft animations (interviews, team meetings, putting that long awaited NHL jersey for the first time)
- training sessions like MLB The Show to improve your skills
- being able to refuse to sign your entry level contract (Ie you were drafted by Buffalo but you want to be traded)
- coach/GM demands, like more playing time, getting some time off, switching position, number, asking for a trade with a team you selected
- getting more exp points when you win trophies
- interactions between players to build morale/likeability
- contract demands (if my agent tells me I'm worth about 4M$, I could ask for 4M$ and see other teams propositions)

EASHL/OTP
- post whistle penalties... getting really tired of these morons who only try to hit me during offplay. You hit me for no reason? 2 min. You face wash me hoping for a fight and I don't answer? Go to the box.
- player reputation. After every game, we should be able to rate players, so you will be able to track these little ****** who just wait at the red line to get the breakaway pass or that D who is always forechecking on PK
- being able to vote to kick out trolls

General gameplay/presentation (offline and online)
- precision movement on defense
- way better AI on defense and NZ
- better goalies
- player separation
- getting thrown off faceoffs
- 5 player goal celebration
- multi-type players (Toews is a TWF/PLY)
- AHL Arenas and goal songs
- real team intros
- full player customization (name, face, equipment, goalie masks, etc.)
- create arena/arena customization (they got 2!)
- real arena announcers
- french commentators
- fight instigation penalties
- home advantage in line changes
- skating/stance styles to differentiate players (Zubrus is very low when he skates, Stamkos leans forward)
- front of the net melees, mostly when playing a rival or during playoffs (with NZ faceoff when dmen come down in the fight like in real life)

[actionhank]

Re: NHL 18: AI wishlist/feedback

List of Good Ideas

I would love the ability to have coaches positively or negatively affect your special teams and overall play.

Maybe a coach like Hitch improves your players defensive and shot blocking attributes, but that leaves you needing to find the right special teams and goalie coaches to help with your PP and PK. Similarly, finding a good trainer could help keep your guys healthy, and recover from injury faster, and with less of a chance of re-injuring themselves. These coaches could have their own desires (Maybe your PP coach wants to be a head coach, and leaves when he's passed over for the position, leaving you scrambling to replace him).

Training would also be a huge one. Being able to take younger players and try them out in a new position, like center, or trying to convert your RD to an LD. Maybe some players just can't learn, so they struggle, and you end up having to move them back so they don't hurt their development. Also, being able to see results from practicing would be a huge plus. It would be great to get rookies and actually develop them and help shape their game.

It would be great to have players have assigned (And editable) natural positions, and then secondary positions if they play them. That way you're penalized for just stacking up on all RD players, and shoving 2 of them at LD. This would help people focus on getting the right players, and give more benefit to guys who can play center or wing.

[NEOPARADIGM]

Re: NHL 18: AI wishlist/feedback

Everyone's always ragging on defensive-AI but I find that I have no idea what the AI is doing most of the time, from breakout-logic to neutral-zone logic to how they seem to always go to the wrong side during board-play. Literally 8 times out of 10 the AI does something that I wouldn't do if I were it/them. As much I enjoy the game, chalk my vote up for total rehaul.

[actionhank]

Re: NHL 18: AI wishlist/feedback

Everyone's always ragging on defensive-AI but I find that I have no idea what the AI is doing most of the time, from breakout-logic to neutral-zone logic to how they seem to always go to the wrong side during board-play. Literally 8 times out of 10 the AI does something that I wouldn't do if I were it/them. As much I enjoy the game, chalk my vote up for total rehaul.

I guess defensive just seems to be the most noticeable, because it generally leads to scoring chances against by them being completely out of position.

That said, I would love a total overhaul. What I've seen seems to indicate that the AI seems to focus more on where their player should be in terms of position. I noticed it a lot on odd-man breaks out of the zone. If somehow you had a defender breaking out with you, often they would slow down at the blue line instead of skating towards the net on a 2-on-1 like they would in real life. So instead of skating into the slot with you, they seemed to wait in their "position" where a defender would normally be.

Similarly, on defense, they make a lot of boneheaded plays. I remember playing NHL 16, and as the Blues I was controlling the RD (Parayko) with Shattenkirk on LD. I went into the corner that Parayko would cover, and was pressuring Drouin, who had the puck. Since Tampa was in the middle of a line change, Drouin was the only one with the puck. But, for no reason, Shattenkirk leaves the LD position in front of the net, and skates in immediately behind the RD. Not a big deal, but what happens next points out where the AI messes up. I switch to Shattenkirk, trying to get him to the net. In the process of Shattenkirk leaving the slot, and my taking control of him, the AI controlling Parayko now has pinned Drouin, and I'm about 3 feet behind them, starting to get Shattenkirk back to the net. Jagr (traded to Tampa) is now literally just standing in front of the net. There's no one there to guard him. I'm backing towards him as Drouin kicks the puck through Parayko's skates, right past the stick of Shattenkirk (since I can't control where I aim my stick) and straight to Jagr, who immediately roofs it to tie the game up.

Where was the rest of my team? Also on a change. In watching the replay, Lehtera jumps on, and as the Center, should be in charge of helping to guard the slot. But instead he charges hard to the defensive zone and just stops between the top of the faceoff circles, a good 6 to 8 feet behind Jagr. Jagr isn't moving, he's just waiting for the pass. Lehtera never moves either. Once he gets to that point, he stops and waits, because the AI seemingly doesn't know what to do.

Had Lehtera skated in and covered Jagr by tying him up, or had I been able to aim my poke check, or even if the AI couldn't perform laser accurate skate passes when a smaller player is being pressed into the boards by a 6'5" beast, the play would have ended differently. But, this tied up my Game 7 Stanley Cup final appearance, and lead me to walk away from the game for a while.

I came back, and got to see more boneheaded AI. While killing a penalty in the OT, I managed to launch a puck down the ice to clear out zone. Victor Hedman skated down and picked up the puck just before it got to Bishop. But, after that, he literally didn't turn in time, and his stick and the puck magically clipped through Ben Bishop and into the net, where he proceeded to try passing, causing the "own goal" to finally register. That's how the Blues won their first Stanley Cup...I was so mad.

I think the AI needs work on just about everything. We used to have the Play Creator, so you could negate it to an extent in some parts of the game, but the AI just has never been good at reacting. I understand hockey is complex, and I'm sure that makes it tough. But, watch 3 on 3 hockey in the game. It's nothing like real life. Players still try to be in their positions. Same for the PP, and especially when you've got an empty net. Players have no sense of what is going on. They don't know when to charge to boards and try to keep a puck in. They don't know when to actually step up and try to knock the puck away from the puck carrier, because your net is wide open and he's just skating gingerly through neutral ice.