Where Has The Respect Gone In NHL Games
It’s the 3rd period and the score is 1-1. The game is down to the wire, tension is high, and only one goal could make or break you. The crowd goes wild because your opponent has just scored a go ahead goal. You look at the time and notice there’s still 8 minutes left and you breathe a sigh of relief because you’re still in the game. BAM! Your opponent has possession of the puck and starts to go in circles in his own zone. You chase him and try to get the puck but your team’s AI doesn’t understand this tactic so they stay in your zone and the neutral zone. This is because playing keep away in your own zone with a fair amount of time left is unknown in the NHL and wouldn’t be dared to be practiced for two reasons. For one it’s disrespectful, and secondly they are not computer AI and know how to counter this tactic. Were this an act that only a few members of NHL 10′s online community practiced I would not need to write this article. However, due to the fact that it’s becoming a common practice within the community that could quite possibly spread even further that bothers me. Respect is arbitrary so swaying people to not practice this would be a waste of time. Sadly the only solution to this problem is for EA (not sure about 2k’s iteration) to make the AI aware of this tactic so it cannot be exploited any longer (which in all honesty should of been put in place a long time ago), but because this doesn’t happen in the NHL I guess they overlooked it. So I ask you again, where has the respect gone in NHL games? Leave a comment if this shady tactic has ever been used against you.
Cheers, Spenny
17 Comments
I am a hardcore EA NHL player. This is a problem ONLY if you are playing a 1v1 game. And yes, many do this as of course they want the win. But don’t fool yourself. In real NHL games “turtling” is often common. “Defend Lead” is an option in the strategies and is practiced in the NHL. While most of the time it’s just a player standing behind the net allowing the clock to run down, online players know that it is difficult for a player to strip a puck from the opposition while they skate around in circles. If you change the options or “strategies” you can make your defense more aggressive. While you are using your player to try and “read” what the other players direction will be, a wingman will start to inch his way into the offensive zone and assist. You have to try and read the direction where the player is going to try and either strip the puck or cause a turn-over by causing him to pass. Since the players on the ice all have different stats and they are all not perfect, what may happen is a pass is made that is off the target…thus causing the turn over you need.
This take practice and a keen eye. I have had players do this to me and they have won the game, while i have also managed to strip or cause a turn over in their zone and score to go into OT.
It sucks that these players are more concerned with there “virtual” stats more than actually enjoying the experience of a well played Hockey game, but that’s thats the way it is when you play with the online community against people you don’t know.
My advise….play in a league or with a partner.
P.S. what is with the censored middle finger that Sean Avery is giving to the camera? I didn’t know this site was a PG site. =)
Yeah I know in the NHL they do use a form of keep away, but never going around in circles in their own zone and not over a time period of 8 mins. But I digress good comment, oh and I couldn’t find the uncensored image!
it’s a good article. However i don’t think there ever was any “respect” in NHL games to begin with. I remember my brother doing this to me before online gaming was even around. Back on the Sega genesis, NHL games always either had either a glitch goal that always went in, which my brother exploited like it was crack, or he would just cycle the puck in his zone while i chased him around. I think in every sport game, there is always a way to “run the clock” or “exploit a move”. Soccer, Football, hockey….hell even back to basketball on the sega master system. I remember my brother found the sweet spot where no matter where i shot from, he would just jump and catch it out of the air. LOL no goal tending. The scores were like 8 – 4.
i play nhl 10 all the time and i never seen that done. i do play on the ps3 though and there are more mature gamers online.
I wouldn’t say more mature, I played COD 4 mainly on the ps3 and immaturity was definitely there.
The reason why you don’t see that on the PS3 is because all the players lack skill and thus the game always goes into a shoot out with the score 0-0. All the real players know that the 360 is where the skill is.
You know NHL 09 had the play offs for both the 360 and the PS3, and the winners of each console played each other….the 360 Purple Cobras team beat the PS3 team 3 games to 2.
The real talent is on the 360. That’s where the hardcore gamers go to play.
LOL. another butt hurt bot on the bitbag.
Another ignorant Sony Droid.
MikeMadden – going by your response “LOL. another butt hurt bot ont he bitbag” to my factual comment about the best 360 team beating the best PS3 team is a CLEAR indication that it is YOU who is the butt hurt person on the bitbag.
You can thank me later for correcting your ignorance infront of everyone on here. It’s been my pleasure.
“The reason why you don’t see that on the PS3 is because all the players lack skill and thus the game always goes into a shoot out with the score 0-0.”
can you post the link where you found this bullshit. i have all the consoles how many do you own?
Sure, i got the quote:
“The reason why you don’t see that on the PS3 is because all the players lack skill and thus the game always goes into a shoot out with the score 0-0.â€
from the same reliable source that you got the quote:
” i do play on the ps3 though and there are more mature gamers online.”
As for the consoles, i own a PS3 and a 360. X360 Mike01 and PSNID Da_HiVeTyRaNt
Now that you know that, does it make you feel any less ignorant?
You’re both douche-bags. Just STFU.
@DamonTheMoney
If you don’t like the conversation going on between Mikemadden and myself, then go start your own post and GTFO of ours. Dumb fuck.
Well actually I was just hoping you’d stop to preserve your own dignity. I fear that I’m too late.
sometimes you have to choose your battles.
@DamonTheMoney
“You’re both douche-bags. Just STFU.”
Too bad you had to throw yours away in order to try and save us from ours.
It’s a sad, sad world
Yeah that sucks 8 mins of that shit is not keep away that’s straight corny. It’s like playing in madden when you winning in the 3rd quarter and you start running the clock out.