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OT: The All-Purpose Video Game Thread: Part III

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noupf said:
y'all are whacked. All this Xbox X and PS5 shit..........even the PS4 and Xbox One gamers. I just busted out my xbox 360 to give me, my 7 year old and 4 year old something to do while we are cooped up in the house during the pandemic and the winter. Luckily I gabbed a bunch of games from a local Game Stop thats closing its doors for like $4-$5 a pop.

Seriously though, I havent played video games in over 10 years. I'll likely grab one of these new systems next year when the kids are a little older, but man o' man, the newest systems look great. I have to imagine jumping from the xbox 360 to the newest systems next year will be quite an upgrade experience, no?

Hope EA Sports gets their shit together and makes some serious leaps and bounds with the NHL series moving forward. It always irritated me that with their lack of video game competition, how stale the series gets.
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I last played a console game about four years ago. I got the Xbox Series X this winter and have zero regrets. The graphics are out of this world. Star Wars Squadrons and FIFA 21 are just phenomenal. Note that the former is tough to play on a console controller (I had X-Wing vs TIE Fighter in the ‘90s, which was a ton of fun with a joystick, but I couldn’t imagine playing it with an Xbox or PS controller.)
 
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So weird, low-key change in the NHL series:

You can engage in more than three fights (I’ve had up to five). Of course this comes as fighting is less common, but it’s still an interesting change.
 
I need like an NHL 21 tutorial. I last played NHL extensively in like ‘08.

I play ‘21, if I’m on semi pro difficulty, I win like 7-1 and can score on one-timers and from the point all day long.

If I switch to pro, I get called for penalty after penalty, I’m frequently losing 6-0 before the third period. Seems like the difficulty spike was too great.

Clearly there are some tactics I have to learn but the game doesn’t really point them out; other than the open ended training mode.

I feel like I can’t even get any room to skate, the CPU hounds my guys and takes the puck before I can get out of the zone, intercepts every pass. On D, I can’t stay in front of guys and they deme me and score all the time.

Is there some sort of training video on YouTube or something? Do I need to play to strategy better than just rushing down ice?

Also can someone explain the difference in between what the difficulty settings do (semi pro, pro, etc) versus what the game type settings do (arcade, full sim)?
 
mas0764 said:
I need like an NHL 21 tutorial. I last played NHL extensively in like ‘08.

I play ‘21, if I’m on semi pro difficulty, I win like 7-1 and can score on one-timers and from the point all day long.

If I switch to pro, I get called for penalty after penalty, I’m frequently losing 6-0 before the third period. Seems like the difficulty spike was too great.

Clearly there are some tactics I have to learn but the game doesn’t really point them out; other than the open ended training mode.

I feel like I can’t even get any room to skate, the CPU hounds my guys and takes the puck before I can get out of the zone, intercepts every pass. On D, I can’t stay in front of guys and they deme me and score all the time.

Is there some sort of training video on YouTube or something? Do I need to play to strategy better than just rushing down ice?

Also can someone explain the difference in between what the difficulty settings do (semi pro, pro, etc) versus what the game type settings do (arcade, full sim)?
Click to expand...
I play on Pro with Full Sim. Just don’t go for big hits. Use your stick, watch your coverage in front of the net, make sure you have defensemen back, and try to block the passing lanes and shots. The AI loves to one-time from the circles, so keep a forward on the weak side with a defenseman in front of the net, ready to clear rebounds.

Note: your goalie is as good as your defending is realistic. If you go for big hits, the CPU will score, even if the hit dispossessed the attacker. You want to poke check, but only from the front, as you’ll otherwise trip the opponent and end up in the box. So for those reasons, I trap, trap and trap some more.

Offense: winger with the puck to the center, with the center taking that winger’s place, resulting in space along the wing. Then it’s a matter of judging space: cycle along the boards of the defense plays tight point; go to the slot if you see a gap between the defense and the forwards (score with Panarin regularly that way); either strong high shots from the point with Fox / DeAngelo / Trouba or soft wristers for deflections. I like the following strategies and lines in the game:

Panarin - Z - Kakko (overload)
Laf - Strome - Buch (behind the net)
CK - Chytil - Gauthier (crash the net)
Lemieux - Howden - PdG (crash the net)

Johnson - Trouba (+3 from chemistry)
Lindgren - Fox
Hajek - ADA

Edit: with these settings I generally win 4-1 or 4-2; if I open things up and go or hits, etc, I score over 10 goals but let in at least five. I also prefer a real hockey experience to an NHL Hitz experience.
 
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CasusBelli said:
I play on Pro with Full Sim. Just don’t go for big hits. Use your stick, watch your coverage in front of the net, make sure you have defensemen back, and try to block the passing lanes and shots. The AI loves to one-time from the circles, so keep a forward on the weak side with a defenseman in front of the net, ready to clear rebounds.

Note: your goalie is as good as your defending is realistic. If you go for big hits, the CPU will score, even if the hit dispossessed the attacker. You want to poke check, but only from the front, as you’ll otherwise trip the opponent and end up in the box. So for those reasons, I trap, trap and trap some more.

Offense: winger with the puck to the center, with the center taking that winger’s place, resulting in space along the wing. Then it’s a matter of judging space: cycle along the boards of the defense plays tight point; go to the slot if you see a gap between the defense and the forwards (score with Panarin regularly that way); either strong high shots from the point with Fox / DeAngelo / Trouba or soft wristers for deflections. I like the following strategies and lines in the game:

Panarin - Z - Kakko (overload)
Laf - Strome - Buch (behind the net)
CK - Chytil - Gauthier (crash the net)
Lemieux - Howden - PdG (crash the net)

Johnson - Trouba (+3 from chemistry)
Lindgren - Fox
Hajek - ADA
Click to expand...

Thanks, I do feel like I’m always getting called for tripping, and I always get deked while playing D. I’ll have to work on discipline to just stay in front of guys and not necessarily to take the puck away with a poke check.
 
mas0764 said:
I need like an NHL 21 tutorial. I last played NHL extensively in like ‘08.

I play ‘21, if I’m on semi pro difficulty, I win like 7-1 and can score on one-timers and from the point all day long.

If I switch to pro, I get called for penalty after penalty, I’m frequently losing 6-0 before the third period. Seems like the difficulty spike was too great.

Clearly there are some tactics I have to learn but the game doesn’t really point them out; other than the open ended training mode.

I feel like I can’t even get any room to skate, the CPU hounds my guys and takes the puck before I can get out of the zone, intercepts every pass. On D, I can’t stay in front of guys and they deme me and score all the time.

Is there some sort of training video on YouTube or something? Do I need to play to strategy better than just rushing down ice?

Also can someone explain the difference in between what the difficulty settings do (semi pro, pro, etc) versus what the game type settings do (arcade, full sim)?
Click to expand...
I have this same problem one difficulty level up. I can win 9/10 games on pro but on all-star I just get killed every time
 
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mas0764 said:
Thanks, I do feel like I’m always getting called for tripping, and I always get deked while playing D. I’ll have to work on discipline to just stay in front of guys and not necessarily to take the puck away with a poke check.
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Let the forwards come to you when playing defense. Then, either lift the stick or poke check the puck. Also, never stop and start — keep things fluid. Skate in circles with player, rotating between forward skating and backward skating as needed, as this preserves energy.
 
You guys can try adjusting individual sliders if you can pinpoint the reasons why you're having trouble. Like if the CPU is always getting to pucks faster, you can lower its speed or increase yours. If you're getting tons of shots but not scoring enough goals, you can increase human shot accuracy, etc. The NHL series is pretty good in terms of giving you enough sliders to tweak the gameplay to your liking.
 
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haveandare said:
I have this same problem one difficulty level up. I can win 9/10 games on pro but on all-star I just get killed every time
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I feel that ok All Star I need to deke the heck out of everyone to stay competitive — and PdG should never undress Hedman. So for that reason I keep things on pro with self-imposed limitations. Realism is far more exciting, to me, than winning on the highest level difficulty via unrealistic means.
 
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Another tip, and maybe it’s obvious, but it makes a big difference for me: ask what a player would do IRL in such a situation. So, if facing a 2v1, cover the pass and let the goalie face the shot; don’t go for a hit. Similarly, if you have a winger coming at you from the outside, force him wide and hit him to slow him down and have a second man restore coverage — don’t go for the big hit (as satisfying as it is). As for shooting from the point: skating backwards with the puck is a great way to open up a lane. Just keep your head up and look for teammates. If none available, just pass back to the winger and look for an alternative, and don’t force the play. Be prudent and conservative with this game. I’ve had Shesty make all sorts of insane saves when I play this way and then let in soft wrist shots when I go for big hits etc — this is based on a sample of about 120 games.

And one more thing: use the boards. On defense and offense!
 
Brutal playoff series last night against the Leafs in the ECF but ended up winning 4-1. The results were not particularly close, except the first game, which I lost — but the games were. My lead never felt safe; I knew that two however subtle mistakes would change the lead from 4-1 to 4-3. Now facing the Avs in the SCF. I will say this: morale is very real and the outcomes are especially sensitive to your decisions.

Before I used to get some leeway here or there if I missed a hit (eg on a 1v2 — so I would have a second man back to pick up the puck or defend the 1v1 if I missed the hit). Now Kadri deeked through my entire defense and casually slid a the puck between Shesty’s legs. The moral of the story: don’t take penalties, stick to high percentage plays and surprise the AI every now and then so that it doesn’t expect those high percentage plays at every turn, and control your stick. I had a 90% PK during the regular season with 20+ SHG built on picking passes on the point and jumping to loose pucks on the boards. Now just dump the puck down and get a change. You don’t screw around come this time of year!

Back to morale, I will add this: once you beat the opponent, he’s done — especially if you make it a rout — because morale becomes zero-sum. So if I’m up 2-0, instead of protecting the lead, I will add more pressure, aiming for at least 5-0, to chase their goalie and kill their morale for the next game. The goalie will be substantially easier to beat (Grubauer was making otherworldly saves the first two games and getting a ton of lucky posts even on open nets) and the forwards won’t be as supercharged as they previously were.

Just my two cents!

Edit: I’m using the default Rangers roster. Trading for superstars or highly rated prospects and whatnot seems a bit gamey. I swap picks (a bit speculatively I’ll admit), trade my players or prospects for picks, and go into UFA as long as my resulting cap space is at least $8MM and the targets are no older than 28. This way I isolate my developmental and management abilities. Perhaps it’s too constricting and takes away some of the fun of having McD or EP on a team ... but it makes wins more rewarding.
 
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CasusBelli said:
Brutal playoff series last night against the Leafs in the ECF but ended up winning 4-1. The results were not particularly close, except the first game, which I lost — but the games were. My lead never felt safe; I knew that two however subtle mistakes would change the lead from 4-1 to 4-3. Now facing the Avs in the SCF. I will say this: morale is very real and the outcomes are especially sensitive to your decisions.

Before I used to get some leeway here or there if I missed a hit (eg on a 1v2 — so I would have a second man back to pick up the puck or defend the 1v1 if I missed the hit). Now Kadri deeked through my entire defense and casually slid a the puck between Shesty’s legs. The moral of the story: don’t take penalties, stick to high percentage plays and surprise the AI every now and then so that it doesn’t expect those high percentage plays at every turn, and control your stick. I had a 90% PK during the regular season with 20+ SHG built on picking passes on the point and jumping to loose pucks on the boards. Now just dump the puck down and get a change. You don’t screw around come this time of year!

Back to morale, I will add this: once you beat the opponent, he’s done — especially if you make it a rout — because morale becomes zero-sum. So if I’m up 2-0, instead of protecting the lead, I will add more pressure, aiming for at least 5-0, to chase their goalie and kill their morale for the next game. The goalie will be substantially easier to beat (Grubauer was making otherworldly saves the first two games and getting a ton of lucky posts even on open nets) and the forwards won’t be as supercharged as they previously were.

Just my two cents!

Edit: I’m using the default Rangers roster. Trading for superstars or highly rated prospects and whatnot seems a bit gamey. I swap picks (a bit speculatively I’ll admit), trade my players or prospects for picks, and go into UFA as long as my resulting cap space is at least $8MM and the targets are no older than 28. This way I isolate my developmental and management abilities. Perhaps it’s too constricting and takes away some of the fun of having McD or EP on a team ... but it makes wins more rewarding.
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95DB3D59-2C0C-4CD2-9435-D068D6B9001B.gif I know the feeling. Way Back when . . . if that Green Dragon (the thing that looks like a duck) got me (i’m the dot), my confidence hit the floor b/c i knew the Red Dragon had my number.

Sounds like an exciting series. Yes, when trailing you hesitate or start thinking too much. :)
 
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NYSPORTS said:
View attachment 385759 I know the feeling. Way Back when . . . if that Green Dragon (the thing that looks like a duck) got me (i’m the dot), my confidence hit the floor b/c i knew the Red Dragon had my number.

Sounds like an exciting series. Yes, when behind you hesitate or start thinking too much. :)
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Preach it brother!

I don’t think I ever played that one. My favorite “old” games were Wing Commander and FlightSim 3.0. Honorable mention to Strike Commander and X Wing vs Tie Fighter ... but those were much later.
 
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Decided to abandon my no-trading, UFA and drafting only NHL 21 management style. Instead, I started with a Fantasy Draft and made some trades such that no player on the current roster has played for the NYR. I give you The Roster:

Hughes - Byfield - Pettersson
Kubalik - Bjugstad - Arvidsson
Lindbolm - Rask - Bjorkstrand
Chaisson - Kuraly - Grigorenko

Heiskanen - Ekblad
Hughes - Stralman
Lindell - The Finnish “j” defenseman on Buffalo

Korpisalo

Key prospects:
Stutzle
Lundel

I know the offense seems weak at first glance, but the speed from the back line essentially gives me four forwards, with the defensive defenseman staying back. The number of odd-man rushes I’ve generated is insane. And I’ll tell you this: Heiskanen/Hughes - Petterssen / Arvidsson never misses. Unless I’m playing an insane goalie. And that’s my story. So far 19-0-2. Goalie has GAA of 1.02 and .857 S% in true EA fashion. :laugh:
 
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I've tried to start a Be A Pro career as a goalie in NHL 21 and boy, is it not fun trying to learn how to play. You face maybe 5-8 shots a game and there always seems to be some funky bullshit that happens that results in the easiest goals against. I sat staring at my TV after giving up like 4 goals in the first period just asking myself "Is this any sort of fun?"

Is there some sort of like, goalie training? I watched some of the training videos, but I'm not savvy enough with the menus/training thing to figure out how to set anything up.
 
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