NHL 18

[Meacon Keaton]

I've never played every game in an NHL franchise. Every year I do something to mix something up. Season 1 I may play weekend games only. Season 2 I may play one game a week. Season 3 I may play only the teams in my division. Season 4 I may only play the games in the last two months.

82 games is way too many for someone like me, who loves to trade, do free agency, and draft. 

That said I've enjoyed the time that I've spent playing this. The expansion draft is fun and you can be Vegas or completely create your own franchise, including an incredibly in depth stadium creator. 

[Gabriel]

After my first season, I will be playing one game, and then simulating the next few. I usually decide on how many games to sim by taking the goal differential from the game I played (if I won) and using that. So if I win 5-2, I simulate the next three games. If I lose, I play the next game.

[apsham]

I've heard good things about the 3 on 3 mode which is something that I want on its own. I might look at it when it goes into the EA Vault for that.

[JasonM]

Apparently I didn't look correctly, and the regular game is 23 euros on Xbox. So I decided to buy it because that's cheap af and I'll probably play it next year too with roster updates, or not.

it was the young stars edition that was 30 bucks, but I don't care about HUT points because i'll probably won't play that mode at all.

[Meacon Keaton]

43 minutes ago, This Is APSHAM said:

I've heard good things about the 3 on 3 mode which is something that I want on its own. I might look at it when it goes into the EA Vault for that.

3-on-3 is a blast, especially if you're playing with friends. I'm usually a franchise only guy, but that's a mode that I tried out and immediately loved. 

[apsham]

It almost had me buying because I was specifically missing the 3 on 3 Xbox 360 Arcade game at the time that I found out that NHL 18 was going to have it, and putting an actual progression mode behind it was just icing on the cake.

[Gabriel]

1 hour ago, This Is APSHAM said:

It almost had me buying because I was specifically missing the 3 on 3 Xbox 360 Arcade game at the time that I found out that NHL 18 was going to have it, and putting an actual progression mode behind it was just icing on the cake.

NHL Three's is a lot of fun, but the progression needs to be improved. It's a good first effort, but if they keep adding onto it, it's going to be a good staple of the series.

[JasonM]

First shift of my CHL career for the Oshawa Generals, I get an off-side call, shoot the puck for the heck of it, and Sudbury's goon goes for my throat.

I get knocked out in the following fight. Five minute major to start my career 

Also nobody seems to question why this 15 year old kid has a mighty red beard.

Edited February 26, 2018 by Jasonmufc

[Meacon Keaton]

Kids look older these days.

[JasonM]

Started a franchise with the Flyers, in my first two pre-season games against the Rangers and Caps I got utterly trashed 2-7 and 3-7... Yikes!

I keep letting myself get pulled out of position on defense, giving the AI open shots in the slot that just ruins me. At the same time i'm slightly struggling to find good scoring positions, as the slot is closed always because my players get ruined when I pass to them in the slot, not even giving me a chance for the cheeky one timer.

I'm also like 0-6 on the powerplay, which is terrible, and worrisome. Even with the extra man I just can't find openings, even though I try to set up on the offense and pass it around for the open shot at the point for a deflection, or a wrister from the corners. 

Since the Flyers are kinda 'eh' beyond their first line defense and offense, with only two exciting prospects on offense (Konecny and Patrick), I decided to be an utter idiot and traded away a young center (which i'm drowning in, with Giroux/Couturier/Konecny as my here/now/forever group) for Jaromir Jagr and a 2nd round pick. The goddamn legend himself, and a very valuable pick for the future, hopefully!

Any tips for scoring? I'm currently on All-Star, and I find the slot to be pretty much impenetrable for passes. I try to cut across the ice and wrist it in opposite direction, but it's barely effective. The five goals I did get felt flukey, with the odd slapper or wrister that just managed to avoid the defender. 

[Gabriel]

I find that the best method for scoring is to take your time and look for open spots on the net (if you have manual shot aim on). Moving the puck around creates openings, and sometimes you can get their defense to make a mistake and leave a man open for a one-timer. Make sure to move around with the puck too, don't just pass it around. Movement changes their defensive coverage, which will help create openings as well.

[JasonM]

3 hours ago, Gabriel said:

I find that the best method for scoring is to take your time and look for open spots on the net (if you have manual shot aim on). Moving the puck around creates openings, and sometimes you can get their defense to make a mistake and leave a man open for a one-timer. Make sure to move around with the puck too, don't just pass it around. Movement changes their defensive coverage, which will help create openings as well.

I get antsy holding on to the puck for too long, because the AI seems to be wizards with stick defense, and before i'm turned around to face the net or the pointman below i've often been leveled or pilfered already, so I focus on passing it down or around the boards for the other side to pick up.

[Gabriel]

5 hours ago, Jasonmufc said:

I get antsy holding on to the puck for too long, because the AI seems to be wizards with stick defense, and before i'm turned around to face the net or the pointman below i've often been leveled or pilfered already, so I focus on passing it down or around the boards for the other side to pick up.

I was getting crushed early on whenever I would make a pass, but once I started skating around more, it got better. You absolutely need to get the other team moving around in order to create chances, otherwise you will have to rely on game exploit goals or just hope that you can score on the rush by picking an open spot on the net. Are you using manual or auto shot aim? Auto makes it difficult to pick those open spots. Manual can be difficult to master, but when you see a five hole open and score, or pick the top corner, blocker side on a guy who has left that open... man, does that feel good.

[JasonM]

I immediately used manual aim because I don't trust the system to properly aim for the right spot on goal. But my problem is that i'm always aiming for the high corners which makes the AI realize how predictable I am  

[Gabriel]

39 minutes ago, Jasonmufc said:

I immediately used manual aim because I don't trust the system to properly aim for the right spot on goal. But my problem is that i'm always aiming for the high corners which makes the AI realize how predictable I am  

It's a hard habit to get into, shooting low, especially when you have the view so that you're always going up the screen. But if you can do that, vary your shots and start creating more open space by getting the AI to move around more, you'll find more success in scoring.

[JasonM]

After getting trounced two more times by the Jackets (1-10!) and Canes (5-1) I relented and decided to put the game on Pro instead. First game against the Pengs, and I in turn trounced them 7-2. On Pro there was significantly more room in the offensive zone and I actually got players open from the slot or the circles. But well, seven goals is a bit much. I'm hoping that it evens out, else i will have to look for a slider set that gets me good offense and defense for some actual interesting games.

Also I got Nolan Patrick on my team, he's a 77 overall but a 19 year old med-elite. I wanna have him on my depth chart whatever happens, but I have four centers at 80+ so he won't be in the center. Is it better to just send him back to the Juniors for his final year, or should I just find a spot for him on the wings instead? I don't know what's best for development in NHL franchise, so i'm slightly on the fence about that.

 

[Gabriel]

Just increase the goalie sliders favorably for the computer if you feel like Pro is where you should be at in regards to generating chances. It's going to lead to unrealistic shot totals and scores, in the sense that you will out-shoot your opponents regularly 35-10 and finish the games with a score of 3-2... so your goalie stats will be absolute shit compared to the rest of the league, but if that doesn't bother you, it will allow you to stay on a level where you can create those openings, and see final scores that are more appropriate.

[JasonM]

Tried a new slider set that was on pro, that vastly ramped down the AI's passing skill (because they were consistently 95% against me). And after losing the final pre-season match by a whopping 7-3 to the Devils, I was dreading the first match of the season.

Won 6-4 against the Sharks! Very chippy game, I made some mistakes and that brought them back to 3-3 at half time, but then I managed to pull away with some clutch scores, and the EN at the end clinched it. Attack felt good, I felt like I could control the offensive zone but still had to be wary of mistakes (which I made plenty), and on the opposite end I felt that I only dropped goals when my concentration lapsed (although the AI had one dodgy goal where the goalie just ass-bumped a stationary puck across the line)

And after a poor pre-season, Jagr got himself three points too, so that's very encouraging! Cout and Giroux got two assists too!

Scoring is still on the high side, but I think as I get better that might change and i'll be able to make the goalie a tad harder so that the scores drop to around 3 a game, which seems to be the average. But the game was fun, exciting, Provorov murdered a winger that had his head down, and it truly was a nail biter where I couldn't slack off ever.

I've become better in picking my angles, aiming for the open corner more often when the pass goes into the crease. And shooting slappers from the point low and center to get some deflection goals since they seem more consistent to get than the straight slapper through a crowd into the top corner. But all six games were distinctly different in how they were scored, there were deflections, crease scores, garbage goals, and even a breakaway deke score.

If every game can be like that, then I have something to build on!

Now if I could get some goddamn right handed defenders, it might be easier to get shots from the point too!

Edited March 6, 2018 by Jasonmufc

[Meacon Keaton]

I think I may start a new franchise tonight with a randomly assigned team, but do a fantasy draft to shake things up. 

[JasonM]

On 6-3-2018 at 23:28, Meacon said:

I think I may start a new franchise tonight with a randomly assigned team, but do a fantasy draft to shake things up. 

You better draft that up and coming talent Jaromir Jagr, or i'll riot!