NHL 12 News Post

Hip Checks Hurting NHL 12's Realism

11:50 AM - September 22, 2011 by RaychelSnr

I'm only a few days into NHL 12, and already the game's much-touted "Full Contact Physics Engine" is revealing itself to be glitchy, annoying and completely unrealistic.

The right-stick body checking isn't at blame. It's the retuned "instagib" hip check R3 button, which one-hit kills anyone who happens to graze the polyester on your player's jersey while he's -- or this year, she's -- treating opponents to a full moon.

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Game: NHL 12Reader Score: 7.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 26 - View All

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# 1 VladCanada @ 09/22/11 11:59 AM

Total garbage, glad I skipped this. When they had problems last year in online shootout mode figuring out if you Won or Lost, you knew there was problems. Not to mention cheese goals

Now this impact/physics engine NHL and FIFA have look completely terrible. How does this game get released like this? Does anybody play test it?

# 2 DocHolliday @ 09/22/11 12:01 PM

EA Sports....

# 3 BobSacamano @ 09/22/11 12:22 PM

If you play offline, this isn't a problem at all. I haven't had the CPU hip check me in an unnatural way and I just use regular checking.

# 4 13thjoker @ 09/22/11 12:29 PM

EA sports dumps their NBA game but then doesnt even get their other games right... waste of time.

# 5 dwillacy24 @ 09/22/11 12:38 PM

EA needs to get better man. They used to run the sports gaming a while back but it's as if they don't care anymore. People aren't gonna spend 60+ dollars on a game that lacks realism anymore.

# 6 addybojangles @ 09/22/11 12:44 PM

Here's the deal. Would you rather see EA Sports give an effort and introduce more physics into their game at the detriment of having wonky animations happen from time to time? Or the same old non-physics?

HOPEFULLY they can tune it down via a patch because it is an issue. Also: have yet to see a penalty for a hip check that happens completely outside of the play.

With that said, it can be argued the physics on REGULAR hits and normal game plays has improved by a significant margin. The trade-off for weird-*** hip checks for more realistic physics is fine by me.

# 7 DirtyJerz32 @ 09/22/11 12:49 PM

I already returned. I played a couple of games to know I didnt want to have anything to do with this game. NBA 2k12 is coming out.

# 8 ChaseB @ 09/22/11 01:07 PM

My view is that I don't mind seeing some glitchy checks or fouls in FIFA/NHL because they have been rare, and it's sort of the give and take of having real physics -- and I feel the positives still outweigh the negatives. I feel like folks are latching too much onto some of the random glitches because they really aren't the true problem here. They might break the immersion to some extent, but they don't "break" the game or really destroy the fun that can be had.

But as it relates to hip checks just barely touching you and still resulting in you completely falling down, plus the lack of called penalties are the big issues for me. Those actually do affect your moment-to-moment experiences in the game. And, yes, they sort of dismiss the point of having a high balance rating or a big player on the ice.

# 9 TerminallyOdd @ 09/22/11 01:37 PM

This is slightly depressing...I mean, how could this game have been released with this problem? I don't even mind the occasional weird/glitchy animations, it's just horrible that a simple graze of ANY part of hip checker's body will send your player flying. Sometimes you don't even have to actually touch the guy hip checking and your player reacts like he stepped on a land mine. Fortunately, I've only run into one hip check cheeser online so far, but I feel like it's going to be more and more who abuse it.

Hopefully EA can/will fix this via a patch...and soon.

# 10 ChaseB @ 09/22/11 01:45 PM

It has to be frustrating for the developers too because when I previewed the game, and also when it was demoed on stage, one of the big things was a talk about bumping your way through hip checks was possible. Crosby was generally used as the example of a guy who was strong enough on his skates to get by a potential hip check -- so at some point it was implemented it in the game without everyone falling over via a hip check.

# 11 DocHolliday @ 09/22/11 02:22 PM

To imply that this game has "physics" is pretty ballsy.

# 12 druez @ 09/22/11 02:28 PM

Look if anyone remember CM4 aka championship manager 4 it had issues. It was also the first generation of CM/FM that had full gameplay display aka not just text. It took a few iterations for it to get better, but in the end. I'm pretty sure we can all say we are happy they went that direction.

I feel the same way about NHL and FIFA. The first generation of engines like this are going to have bugs. But, untill they release them and get us all to play around with it they just don't know how everyone will feel about it.

We give feedback (constructive) I hope. They come out with a version next year that will be better. I applaud EA Canada for FIFA and NHL. They are taking chances and moving the game forward. I don't feel the same way with EA Tiberoun.

# 13 Darkimpact17 @ 09/22/11 02:30 PM

Yeah makes this game unplayable at times, hard for me to understand how a major flaw like this can be missed. I hope a patch is coming soon and this had better be fixed soon otherwise this will be returned, too many other great games coming out to deal with this unfinished crap.

# 14 malachijohn666 @ 09/22/11 02:39 PM

You know, in the last vid is king of looks like a bunch of ninja mooks diving for the hero. Only the hero ducked out of the way and they all bonked their heads. All they need to complete that vid is a coconut sound.

One other thing I have noted, playing NHL 12 is that when I skate up the ice I have three or four guys trying to get the puck from me. It seems noone is playing thier position....

# 15 Scheib43 @ 09/22/11 02:42 PM

Glitches can be dealt with and some even defended (such as the 09 curve shot or the 10 wraparound), but hit checks really can't be defended because of aura of power by just being in the vicinity of the hipcheck. The animations or the weird landings from time to time that look weird don't affect the gameplay, but since size really doesn't matter right now, we all can just wait for the patch. Had some great HUT games with friends who don't abuse it, but as we all know, any game is enjoyable with the right group of friends. A tuner set or a patch and doing randoms will be fine.

# 16 savoie2006 @ 09/22/11 02:45 PM

Maybe it also has something to do with the online settings. I mean, if the hitting power slider is up very far, you definately see alot more of this. I think it's funny that someone said EA use to be the king of sports games or something to that extent...really? When exactly was this?

# 17 hf199 @ 09/22/11 02:54 PM

Fix it! And put the 2 referees and 2 linesman!

# 18 jyoung @ 09/22/11 03:03 PM

The weird thing is that they really nailed the normal body checking in the game this year. Body checks are toned down a ton from previous EA games and pretty darn realistic.

I just don't understand how they let the hip checking get this out of control. I'm hoping it's something a patch or gameplay tuner set can fix soon.

# 19 thedudedominick @ 09/22/11 03:17 PM

THe funny thing is NHL 12 is an amazing game minus the hipchecks. The fact that no penalties get called turn some EASHL games into a joke.

If this gets fixed in a patch or tuner it is going to be tough for any other game to find it's way into my xbox.

# 20 Falcon999 @ 09/22/11 03:23 PM

E-A-Spoooorts....it's in the hip !!!

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