NHL21 EASHL and HUT AI Teammate Play

[Timmoore777]

I can only imagine how difficult it is to get the AI perfect, I certainly understand that. But, that being said, when you play against the computer AI on All Star or Supper Star the COMPUTER AI is nearly perfect. Always in position and moving to open ice for passes, always in position defensively, etc. The issue is that when there is a human player involved the AI goes out to lunch. I am sure there are similarities in the code base for ALL of the AI whether its a human teammate AI or strictly computer AI. THIS is the issue I have. When I play a Squad battle on Super Star, my AI teammates are ABSOLUTLY NOT on Super Star. They skate in circles and do nothing defensively. This is what is frustrating.  

[EA_Aljo]

@Timmoore777 

The AI players are also reacting to what the human player is doing. Humans often play out of position. If you're taking your RW and skating all the way to the left side, the AI will adjust to cover the open ice so they won't be in position to make the best play.

[Timmoore777]

BELIEVE me, I understand that. And clearly there is no point debating this here since it seems some people are fine with the AI the way it is. BUT, the AI should NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE pass the puck directly to an opposing player RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY NET. No one called for it and even if someone was HORRIBLY out of position this should never ever happen. And this was not a one off. It has happened at least 5 or 6 times (Mostly in NHL20, I will admit).

I guess there must be a secret strategy setting that I simply can't hit. 

Anyway, thanks for the input.

[EA_Aljo]

@Timmoore777 

I agree with you that they shouldn't be passing to opposing players. Especially right in front of the net. That would be a different issue. I'll pass on the feedback. You're always welcome to provide some video of the issues you're seeing as well.

[IceeKush]

Could you also mention something about a matchmaking system that pairs you with same skilled RP players?

[EA_Aljo]

@IceeKush 

You can raise your chances of getting matched with someone in your division by canceling the search if it takes more than 20 seconds. If a match isn't found, the search expands and includes other divisions.

[TTZ_Dipsy]

It'd be nice and much appreciated if the game can show if/when/how search parameters are being affected. For example, maybe I wouldn't mind +-3 divisions from where i am, but not +-5 so I could cancel out in time. Safe to say I think this should be a thing in ALL modes.

AI players are indeed affected by human positioning but that doesn't mean it HAS to be this way - Couldn't there be a setting to force the AI to only play their position and not worry about what we are doing? Punish me for being out of position some other way than making my AI suddenly drop 5 million IQ points trying to cover me

[Timmoore777]

Thats a great idea. Clearly its possible to get a perfect playing AI (Have you ever played the computer on Super Star? They are nearly perfect in all aspects of the game). To have the AI become completely brain dead JUST because a human player is out of position is ridiculous. As I have said in my previous posts, I play my position and the AI is still horrible. Here is a recent example, last night I played 2 CHEL games, we won them both (Despite our horrible teammate play). I am not exaggerating  when I say the following, EVERY DECISION OUR AI TEAMMATES MADE WAS WRONG. I am not joking. Whether it was a pass out of our zone, a pass in the neutral zone, a NONE pass to a wide open human teammate for an easy tap in goal or losing the puck to the opposing team nearly every time they touch it. It was so bad I am thinking about uninstalling this piece of junk. I have had it. I didn't think it could get worse than NHL20, BUT IT HAS. Not 1 second of coding time went into fixing the HORRIBLE AI teammate play.  

[Timmoore777]

@EA_Aljo 

Here is another example of how bad this is, worse in NHL21. When I am playing my HUT Squad Battles, I play on Super Star, there are times in my zone that I will control 1 player instead of chasing the puck. My teammate AI players may as well not even be on the ice, its a complete joke watching them stand around and skate in circles like they are on Rookie setting. EA has made this WORSE by making the computer AI MUCH better than it was in NHL20. At least in NHL20 it was a more level playing field, now it is ridiculous. 

The more I think about the more upset I get that I paid 95.00$ for this junk. And please, stop making excuses for the lack on EA part for fixing these glaring issues. Adding a couple of new moves but not fixing the real issues in the game doesn't make ur paying customers feel better. FIX THE TEAMMATE AI.

[EA_Aljo]

@Timmoore777 

While the "skill zone" strategy used to work well, it doesn't so much these days. You need to be more aggressive on the carrier and play more manual defense instead of letting the AI play it for you.