IMPORTANT UPDATE: ECL ’26: Spring - All Abilities Banned

7 minutes ago, iSvamp said:

I actually think what you are describing is exactly the same in real hockey.

You cannot leave a gap, because if the shooter manages to hit that gap, whether through skill or luck, it is a goal. Just like in real hockey, it is not only up to the goalie to be ready for the short side, the slot, and the back post at the same time. You have defensemen in front of you who are supposed to block shots, do the right mechanical things, clear the crease, and take away passing lanes.
The idea that a goalie in a game should be like some kind of superhero who can cover all three threats at the same time would actually be unreasonable. At that point even I could play goalie.

In every situation, regardless of position, you have to give up some part of the ice. It comes down to hockey sense and making the right read. And even with sponge or abilities, there are still bugs in the game today where goalies fly around in butterfly. That is something we will probably never fully get rid of when these developers keep releasing unfinished games year after year. It is what it is.

 

 

 

i hope you are right. i think i will be saving the same amount nothing will change so much lets see how it end up in games. just i am a bit worried about goalie situation because hut and 1v1 and offline goalies is realy bad. my goalie cant cover shortside lol, i take away this far side, and player dont even need to beat goalie far side :d he just snipes easy shortside with some stupid move.

Edited Wednesday at 02:40 PM by saagssy

21 minuter sedan, Janikka säger:

It really isn't, though. You need a game like Rocket League to get something like that or at least much closer to it.

This is a tempting sentiment, right? Especially because people have teams or players they don't like so much, so obviously those teams or players will be bottom of the barrel once they can no longer rely on their beloved abilities. But we have both been around a long, long time. We have seen plenty of changes and their impact to the game, and I think we'll find history repeating itself. The players who were good using the traits will still be good going forward, and vice versa. Maybe there will be an adjustment period to get rid of certain bad habits from using the abilities. But eventually, I think we will simply have a different flavor of the game. Possibly a preferable one.

It is tho, the game will only be skillbased? 

No perks = only skill

Good decision!

From goalie perspective:
Imo elite sponge and other save related abilities just gives you way too many unrealistic saves when you're out of position or just too late to one tees etc. 

Reason for funny looking goals against are weird animations, which have nothing to do with the abilities. And I think that is sadly just part of the game at this point. Rng just throws it at you when the code tells it's time for scoring😄 What I've tested without abilities, I had more balanced gameplay and more solid animations between the pipes. 

Survey would have been nice? 

Only gold abilities maybe?

1 minuutti sitten, Snus97_ kirjoitti:

It is tho, the game will only be skillbased? 

No perks = only skill

To be clear, I am not suggesting the more skilled team doesn't usually beat the less skilled team in this game. The game just doesn't match my interpretation of a "pure competitive experience". I agree that the abilities brought NHL even further from games I hold up as examples of this (such as Rocket League or Counter-Strike). But to me, the core game itself still has various aspects outside the abilities that take away from that purity. Most of these are from EA trying to recreate actual hockey, with varying success.

There are many changes I have always liked to see. On the defensive side, the poke check is one example and puck interceptions are another. I would like these features to be more manual and consistent at the same time. I would like to see a game where you truly had to control the poke check for yourself (whereas now it is always initially aimed at the puck on pressing R1, regardless of whether you leave the button held or not) and where you truly had to control the interceptions for yourself (whereas now you merely position and orient your player correctly for the best chance at an automatic interception).

I am not saying poke checks or interceptions currently require no skill or awareness of game mechanics whatsoever. They certainly do. But in my ideal game, these things would require more skill than now while being more powerful than now whenever correctly executed. This would make them more difficult to use, but also more rewarding when used well.

Of course, I'm straying rather far from the topic.

I genuinely think there were some great ideas on how to make this decision in a much better way, whatever the outcome would have been. 

Perhaps this is the best for the game. It’s impossible to say yet. Maybe we will actually like it much more, we’ll have to see.

BUT the way this was handled, like it seems with all the other decisions, was quite poor. We are all paying for this, so I would have at least hoped that the teams/captains had actually been asked what they really wanted, instead of making dictatorship-like decisions.

This was first announced too early (in the middle of the season) and then deleted after the reactions.

“We have come to this decision based on community feedback.”

I’m sorry, but this feels like total nonsense. Where did you get this feedback from? Not here. From what I read and understand in the comments, it’s more like 50-50.

32 minuuttia sitten, Janikka kirjoitti:

There are many changes I have always liked to see. On the defensive side, the poke check is one example and puck interceptions are another. I would like these features to be more manual and consistent at the same time. I would like to see a game where you truly had to control the poke check for yourself (whereas now it is always initially aimed at the puck on pressing R1, regardless of whether you leave the button held or not) and where you truly had to control the interceptions for yourself (whereas now you merely position and orient your player correctly for the best chance at an automatic interception).

Good times😭

3 tuntia sitten, imosi kirjoitti:

So much for democracy 

Democracy is slow and very good at making shitty compromises in situations like this.

🔥🔥

As a goalie I'm not looking forward for next season. Without abilities goalies suck. I can agree elite sponge and post to post is too good. But it would be better that goalies could only choose gold x-factors. Ea didn't make the game thinking about goalies only skaters. It is not going to be who is better goalie. It's just who can avoid unavoidable Ea bs.

The decision came a little later, but it’s finally here.

The game itself will definitely be slower than a classic match with super abilities, but that won’t hurt the gameplay, since skaters will need to adjust their builds to improve abilities that specifically suit their style of play.

As for goalies, I’ve been playing in net for 5 years, and in the last two seasons I’ve played 100 games without super abilities. It may sound strange, but the game will finally make sense here too. A smaller, fast goalie will be great for OT, while a big, lazy one will cover the angles perfectly — just like in real life.

We’re talking about hundreds of games I’ve played in different competitions and practices. Whether people like it or not, players will finally have it in their own hands. And I should point out that I made my biggest saves without any problems, even without super abilities. The fact that goals go in because an opposing player screens the goalie and the goalie doesn’t have a good view is completely normal — it’s part of hockey.

Good luck and enjoy the game.

Ws to the community for adopting changes fast and playing no ability games with pw already today! ✊

imo just golden traits would make game feel more creative and overall better to get reward for good plays on a better percentage, sure goalies dont have abilities to compensate it but either way its gonna be forcefest+turtle D for most teams but to be fair shouldve made a poll for captains atleast to get more opinions.🤠

Edited Wednesday at 10:01 PM by aJuti
Muokkaus

1 minuutti sitten, Yoloberg kirjoitti:

Having played a whole session without abilities now, I would say I prefer it over having the abilities. There are certain things you need to relearn because everyone is used to the abilities boosting the players in various situations. For example, now you need to pay more attention to your player's orientation when taking a shot to avoid a long pickup animation. Defenders need to be more deliberate with the R1. I feel like removing the abilities brought back the need to consider more of these little details, which is nice.

Everything also feels more consistent overall, both on offense and defense.

Sure, there are fewer "clean" goals from ability-boosted shots and more forced pass attempts in situations where players would previously spam the shooting abilities. But I think there is also more room for other type of goals now that the boosts are gone. Besides the usual passing plays to break through the tight slot area or create a decent chance from the outside, you need to utilize tip-ins (we conceded two tip-in goals last night now that I guess people are going for them again), rebounds, and just shooting the puck while having your guys crash the net.

1 timme sedan, Janikka säger:

Having played a whole session without abilities now, I would say I prefer it over having the abilities. There are certain things you need to relearn because everyone is used to the abilities boosting the players in various situations. For example, now you need to pay more attention to your player's orientation when taking a shot to avoid a long pickup animation. Defenders need to be more deliberate with the R1. I feel like removing the abilities brought back the need to consider more of these little details, which is nice.

Everything also feels more consistent overall, both on offense and defense.

Sure, there are fewer "clean" goals from ability-boosted shots and more forced pass attempts in situations where players would previously spam the shooting abilities. But I think there is also more room for other type of goals now that the boosts are gone. Besides the usual passing plays to break through the tight slot area or create a decent chance from the outside, you need to utilize tip-ins (we conceded two tip-in goals last night now that I guess people are going for them again), rebounds, and just shooting the puck while having your guys crash the net.

King Jani 😍😍😍

1 timme sedan, Janikka säger:

Having played a whole session without abilities now, I would say I prefer it over having the abilities. There are certain things you need to relearn because everyone is used to the abilities boosting the players in various situations. For example, now you need to pay more attention to your player's orientation when taking a shot to avoid a long pickup animation. Defenders need to be more deliberate with the R1. I feel like removing the abilities brought back the need to consider more of these little details, which is nice.

Everything also feels more consistent overall, both on offense and defense.

Sure, there are fewer "clean" goals from ability-boosted shots and more forced pass attempts in situations where players would previously spam the shooting abilities. But I think there is also more room for other type of goals now that the boosts are gone. Besides the usual passing plays to break through the tight slot area or create a decent chance from the outside, you need to utilize tip-ins (we conceded two tip-in goals last night now that I guess people are going for them again), rebounds, and just shooting the puck while having your guys crash the net.

And i dont think its more force no than with abilities. I dont know what people talking about 🤣. Force and turtledefence teams play with or without abilities 

I really appreciate work of SG Team and excited to play in next season.

But I was thinking a little bit about goalies, and really perfect combo would be to ban all abilities for players on the field (as it was done) and allow compromise for goalies, for example you can choose 2 gold abilities or 1 blue, it won’t make goalies overpowered as with red sponge, but they will save at least some good shots as in real life.

44 minuter sedan, Artem Osykhovskyi säger:

I really appreciate work of SG Team and excited to play in next season.

But I was thinking a little bit about goalies, and really perfect combo would be to ban all abilities for players on the field (as it was done) and allow compromise for goalies, for example you can choose 2 gold abilities or 1 blue, it won’t make goalies overpowered as with red sponge, but they will save at least some good shots as in real life.

Good goalies who can read the game will also make saves on high danger chances. Just like in real hockey.

And this is without abilities.

We could flip it around and let the skaters play with some kind of gold or blue ability, while goalies play without any. Then every player out there would sometimes be able to pull off crazy shots that result in insane goals. Just like in real hockey.

But this makes no sense?

Play without abilities on every position. That creates fewer random outcomes. I do not understand at all why goalies should have some kind of superpower that kicks in sometimes even when the goalie made a mistake? It is completely unreasonable.

I played all evening yesterday without abilities, and good goalies are still good without them. It is the skaters who are struggling right now because they have been far too dependent on certain abilities that have been doing the offensive work for them

Question. If all abilities are banned (in a video game built on abilities), then why are icon passes still allowed. Those exploit the mechanics more than 90% of the abilities - and it's basically just pressing a button with no skills involved. And it's 1000 times more effective than the two banned passing abilities.

 

 

Edited Saturday at 06:59 PM by Karlzzzon

Because icon passing is not an ability

12 tuntia sitten, Karlzzzon kirjoitti:

Question. If all abilities are banned (in a video game built on abilities), then why are icon passes still allowed. Those exploit the mechanics more than 90% of the abilities - and it's basically just pressing a button with no skills involved. And it's 1000 times more effective than the two banned passing abilities.

 

 

Because you cant realistically police the use of icon passes in any way.

Edited yesterday at 07:10 AM by plaaplaa72

2 hours ago, plaaplaa72 said:

Because you cant realistically police the use of icon passes in any way.

I don't really care either way but you absolutely easily can by just limiting it to the stretch passes that are literally impossible to do manually, they are the ones people have issues with anyway.

Edited yesterday at 09:44 AM by Foppatofflan

Whatever decision will be made, there always will be guys for it and against it. So really no traits is a most universal thing to do in current situation. 

As from goalie perspective - i can say that if you have shitty defence, you can have all elite traits and still suck. 

Dont really care that much about traits tbh. Seams that bot is more stable without them on animations.

Still fair game if skaters dont have traits then why goalies should have them? 

Let it be skill on skill. 

14 timmar sedan, plaaplaa72 säger:

Because you cant realistically police the use of icon passes in any way.

I agree that it is less obvious since it's a hidden "ability" and not a chosen one. But the stretch-passes who go through everythingand travel twice as fast as normal passes - are very easy to spot. Those affect and exploit the game more than all abilities except 2-3.  That's the worst part of the game IMO. Especislly since it doesn't take any skill, just pushing a button without even having to aim.

Hyvä jani annawa💡🥶❤️😎

You cant do nothing to make this game work, its broken and whatever you do its still bad game. With abilities or without game anyway is poorly made and still happens bulshit on the ice. So to say with abilities is okey and without is not - game is worst in the last years, goalies act stupid in core gameplay and noone is fixing this stupid auto post hug even when we switch it off. i would say without abilities game is more forgiving for goalies and more goal line sitting works and breakaways is a lot easier now, but goalies seems slow and lot of times, my goalie dont even try to move on cross crease or onetimer, just stuck on the post for no reason, and its not timing problem lol. 
Games goes 24 shots 1 goal, almost every game goes to ot if team is decent enough to play on ice. 

The best decision is to just play as it is game without abilities, but game still will be lot of lucky shit, what makes nonsense. Its so hard to play goalie 26 because he is constantly fighting with you, if you  post hug and go out of post hug, he jumps out on top of crease, amazing, when you see guy goes wraparound and you want fast hug posts, then goalie go to top of crease and you need to navigate your goalie back to the goal line and its fucking annoying. also sometimes, you want to just bfy slide to the post and he stuck on the post because you aimed your stick down and he stucked in animation, but your auto post hug is off... Or on breakaway, you get stuck on post hug animation for no reason, or cross crease shot where he jumps like fifa goalie for no reason - there is lot of bs what happens on goalies, and its already march and developers dont give a shit about that. They made goalies act more by ai, but put in dumbest ai i ever seen , even in dogma 2 this pawns is smarter then hockey goalies in 26. 

There is no reason to even debate about what  is better what abilities to ban or not ban, game still be pretty shitty and skaters will always be better. and whatever you do game still be pretty luck based more then skill.

Lets hope 27 gonna be better,but i doubt that, this guys is freakingly stupid and dont even give shit about their hockey game - i having less fun ever as goalie this game is not hockey even hut and 1v1 is peace of crap, i dont know how someone can play that, if not chel then this game is disaster, in chel its kinda playable, but not fun for sure, i dont know why guys telling they have so much fun this year to be goalie or even play this game as skater. This skater scoring also is not fun you learn some moves and it always goes in. How fun is that? or you shoot shoot and then beat with some stupid bs where puck hits your helmet drops down on your body and then flips in or whataver wierd goal and then you can be so happy about yourself - yeay i win this game, im so good. But actualy game just glitched your goal in or made goalie act stupid on easiest shot ever in game. Im not talking about onetimers and cross crease passes goals, yeah we are late or what but its actualy okey, it can happen, but when we let frontal goals and other easy shots from blue for some wierd reason because goalie just aims their save different side far away from side where puck going or stucking in stupid group up animation. Its not fun for sure and i cant understand how skaters can be happy playing this kinda game. Also even if you do all perfect you still cant be sure that easiest ever shot in game you will save every freaking time, and its make this game not fun, there dont matter how many hours you put in , how much training on position or game reading you put in, because its doesnt matter all comes down to your luck - maybe i will save everything tonight, but maybe i will save nothing at all. I dont know what they did to game, but goalies is disaster the worst after 23.

Edited 54 minutes ago by saagssy

1 hour ago, saagssy said:

You cant do nothing to make this game work, its broken and whatever you do its still bad game. With abilities or without game anyway is poorly made and still happens bulshit on the ice. So to say with abilities is okey and without is not - game is worst in the last years, goalies act stupid in core gameplay and noone is fixing this stupid auto post hug even when we switch it off. i would say without traits game is more forgiving for goalies and more goal line sitting works and breakaways is a lot easier now, but goalies seems slow and lot of times, my goalie dont even try to move on cross crease or onetimer, just stuck on the post for no reason, and its not timing problem lol. 
Games goes 24 shots 1 goal, almost every game goes to ot if team is decent enough to play on ice. 

The best decision is to just play as it is game without abilities, but game still will be lot of lucky shit, what makes nonsense. Its so hard to play goalie 26 because he is constantly fighting with you, if you  post hug and go out of post hug, he jumps out on top of crease, amazing, when you see guy goes wraparound and you want fast hug posts, then goalie go to top of crease and you need to navigate your goalie back to the goal line and its fucking annoying. also sometimes, you want to just bfy slide to the post and he stuck on the post because you aimed your stick down and he stucked in animation, but your auto post hug is off... Or on breakaway, you get stuck on post hug animation for no reason, or cross crease shot where he jumps like fifa goalie for no reason - there is lot of bs what happens on goalies, and its already march and developers dont give a shit about that. They made goalies act more by ai, but put in dumbest ai i ever seen , even in dogma 2 this pawns is smarter then hockey goalies in 26. 

There is no reason to even debate about what  is better what abilities to ban or not ban, game still be pretty shitty and skaters will always be better. and whatever you do game still be pretty luck based more then skill.

Lets hope 27 gonna be better,but i doubt that, this guys is freakingly stupid and dont even give shit about their hockey game - i having less fun ever as goalie this game is not hockey even hut and 1v1 is peace of crap, i dont know how someone can play that, if not chel then this game is disaster, in chel its kinda playable, but not fun for sure, i dont know why guys telling they have so much fun this year to be goalie or even play this game as skater. This skater scoring also is not fun you learn some moves and it always goes in. How fun is that? or you shoot shoot and then beat with some stupid bs where puck hits your helmet drops down on your body and then flips in or whataver wierd goal and then you can be so happy about yourself - yeay i win this game, im so good. But actualy game just glitched your goal in or made goalie act stupid on easiest shot ever in game. Im not talking about onetimers and cross crease passes goals, yeah we are late or what but its actualy okey, it can happen, but when we let frontal goals and other easy shots from blue for some wierd reason because goalie just aims their save different side far away from side where puck going or stucking in stupid group up animation. Its not fun for sure and i cant understand how skaters can be happy playing this kinda game. Also even if you do all perfect you still cant be sure that easiest ever shot in game you will save every freaking time, and its make this game not fun, there dont matter how many hours you put in , how much training on position or game reading you put in, because its doesnt matter all comes down to your luck - maybe i will save everything tonight, but maybe i will save nothing at all. I dont know what they did to game, but goalies is disaster the worst after 23.

TLDR; Game is shit and stupid