NHL 13 Demo Aug 21

[troy 12]

My lag issues are entirely gone with 1.02. I don't get why EA didn't test more thoroughly, would have saved them poor consumer feedback and pressure-packed post release work.

[Chadd 916]

A lot of times developers can't get things finished in time for the final release and they roll things that should have been in the final version into the first patch. It happens quite frequently for projects on an external timeline.

[troy 12]

I'm sure, but that does not apply to what happened with NHL 13. The lack of testing resulted in an unexpected problem that has been fixed in the game's second patch on PS3, and has yet to be resolved on 360.

[IniNew 53]

I'm sure, but that does not apply to what happened with NHL 13. The lack of testing resulted in an unexpected problem that has been fixed in the game's second patch on PS3, and has yet to be resolved on 360.

When you have millions of people playing something online, it's difficult to hammer out exactly how the network is going to respond. Not sure why you're complaining in general, when the PS3 Online stuff is free anyway.

[troy 12]

Well aware of that, and I would hope EA is as well, so the lack of any online testing appears to be quite the oversight. The product I purchased was inadequate as it was sold to me. That seems like something to be upset about. I don't really see what PSN being free has to do with it.

[TeamHonda401 54]

Games have been having lag issues with online play for 5+ years. Almost every Call of Duty game has horrible lag/glitches/issues right off of the release. When there are about a million more players on the servers than there were during the beta phase, you will get lag. It's just a matter of the developers getting the proper amount of server space for the amount of players online. Patches are a way of life with modern games. There is usually no chance that they will get the game 100% correct right at release.

As for the ps3 being free, the only thing that comes up with that factor is usually with DLC. Microsoft will get exclusivity rights on most DLC, as well as other online features/gameplay improvements. This doesn't come up with sports games very often, but with other games such as Skyrim (where they have 2 DLC packages out for pc and xbox, but none for ps3, and have been saying that they probably won't be able to) is usually due to the difficulty developers have with writing code for the ps3. As far as sports games the online gameplay will be on par with xbox in almost every case.

[troy 12]

There are not millions of people on the server. Most I have seen active is ~20,000. For years this has been the typical amount of online players for the series, I just think video games are a very odd industry and a lot of people are accustomed to practices that would not be viable in other businesses.

[TeamHonda401 54]

There are not millions of people on the server. Most I have seen active is ~20,000. For years this has been the typical amount of online players for the series, I just think video games are a very odd industry and a lot of people are accustomed to practices that would not be viable in other businesses.

I was using the millions as a reference to the Call of Duty scenario. It's the same for every series, just scaled to the number of players. If they underestimate the number of players, issues result.

[troy 12]

I guess I wasn't clear, but I inferred in my post that they did/should not have underestimated the number of players online. It's all kind of moot for me now, my game works perfectly well, I just think video game purchasers are used to being treated like crap.

[Chadd 916]

I guess I wasn't clear, but I inferred in my post that they did/should not have underestimated the number of players online. It's all kind of moot for me now, my game works perfectly well, I just think video game purchasers are used to being treated like crap.

Being treated like crap would mean that they didn't bother fixing the issues. That what used to happen before you could download content for consoles.

[TeamHonda401 54]

I guess I wasn't clear, but I inferred in my post that they did/should not have underestimated the number of players online. It's all kind of moot for me now, my game works perfectly well, I just think video game purchasers are used to being treated like crap.

I get what you are saying. In no way am I saying that EA is correct in their tactics, just that it's the industry norm to conduct business in this manner.

[troy 12]

Being treated like crap would mean that they didn't bother fixing the issues. That what used to happen before you could download content for consoles.

They released the game with no knowledge of the problem, or any potential solutions. And they still haven't fixed it for Xbox, which is the console with the most users. It just seems like a very preventable situation, and from perusing the EA forums, they're communication has been very poor regarding this issue. Those are the people who are being treated like crap. I think I should be a video game consumer advocate.

I get what you are saying. In no way am I saying that EA is correct in their tactics, just that it's the industry norm to conduct business in this manner.

Exactly, speaking only for myself, I would prefer waiting longer and perhaps paying a fair premium to receive a game with full functionality at the time of purchase. I don't usually purchase games on their release day but made an exception for Giroux, I have learned to avoid this early-adoption consternation for future games.

[Orange&Black12 1]

Hey Guys,

maybe somebody can help me out. I´ve been playing NHL since i can think but i was never that bad at faceoffs. I tried so much but i only win about 10-20% of them when i play. any advice or basic moves that can help me out? I play with the Flyers so not that bad of faceoff guys with Giroux 67 (don´t know why so low???) Briere 73 Schenn 75 Talbot couturier etc. I try to press the left stick to the right or left and when the ref is dropping the puck i pull the left stick back. Most of the time i also press L2 during the whole faceoff process does that help?

Thanks

[troy 12]

I don't think L2 is doing anything to help you on draws, so I'd skip that. I have won about 55% online including a 15/15 game, so I've had some success even if it still seems like a crapshoot. I alternate what I do, from pulling left or right then pulling back, to getting a stick lift in and pulling it back. Try pulling left or right then incorporating a stick lift by rotating the stick 270 degrees before pulling back.