Well, the crazy hip checks are gone, but I'm glad to see the developers of NHL 24 continue to listen to the community and improve the game. They're not making the changes I want to Hockey Ultimate Team, but that is for a later discussion.
In the latest patch, the team over at NHL 24 has fixed many things. Still, some of the highlights are the hip check animation/execution, reduced time the puck needs to be out of the zone to end Full Pressure from 5 seconds to 3 seconds, significantly reduced the probability of CPU Teammate taking penalties, and made this consistent across all Game Styles, and fixed an issue that caused players to load into games wearing a default black EASHL jersey instead of their own.
I'm happy they're fixing the CPU Teammate talking penalties, as it was becoming a pain point for me during online play. Far too often, my CPU Teammates took tripping penalties that didn't need to happen, so I was always on the penalty kill. I would have no issue with this if the calls went the other way. Very rarely am I going on the powerplay in the game.
I didn't see an issue with the hip checks that others complained about, but I did notice it was far too easy to execute, so with these changes, we should see the hip check being far less effective.
They also disabled the chance of Auto Fights triggering from hits into the boards. Far too often, and I even spoke about this in my review, we have fights being started from non-penalty hits. The players in the real NHL don't take this much offence to every check as much as it was happening in NHL 24.
Below is the list of the full changes coming 11.23.23 with NHL 24 Patch 1.2.1. Let us know in the comments what you hope to see in future patches.
NHL 24 1.2.1 Patch Notes
A New NHL 24 Patch and Tuner will be released on Thursday, November 23rd, beginning at 12 PM ET. Please complete all online matches before this time, as the servers may become unstable for up to an hour following the updates.
Gameplay
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Community Feedback: Hip Checks are really fun to use and useful at making big hits, however they are too overpowered in non-authentic situations and the risk of taking a penalty is too low.
Hip Checks now use default interference logic to create more consistent penalty calls.
The player throwing a Hip Check needs to be completely in the Hip Check animation for a hip check to be successful.
Players who are getting Hip Checked can slow down before contact to help reduce the impact and reaction of the Hip Check.
Added logic that requires a higher relative speed between the Hip Checker and the hittee to create large hip check reactions.
Community Feedback: While using Total Controls controller scheme, players are accidentally triggering Reverse Hit by clicking down the right stick while trying to perform dekes or shots.
While using the Total Control controller scheme, Reverse Hit will not be triggered while the puck carrier is in a right stick Stickhandle or Deke animation.
The skater must be in a neutral skating/gliding state in order to trigger a Reverse Hit.
Other Gameplay Fixes:
Fixed an issue where AI teammates were triggering stick tie ups for a few frames which could cause an interference penalty to be called.
Fixed an issue where Shoulder Checks could target a player without the puck, even if the player had the puck carrier lined up.
Fixed an issue where in Be A Pro players were unable to perform the Between-the-Legs deke while using the Total Control controller scheme.
We have also released a new Tuner Set to accompany Patch 1.2.1 improvements.
Community Feedback: The removal of R2/RT glitch shots has made shooting less effective, and overall less of a viable threat. This results in players focusing on scoring through very close range shots, backdoor tap-ins and breakaways which makes scoring feel predictable. Players want shooting to be a threat especially in optimal shooting locations and as your opponents goalie becomes more fatigued.
For CPU Goalies, Increased max accuracy error when the goalie is performing a save with a low precision score. This will result in more opportunities for shots to beat the goalie clean and create more unpredictable outcomes, especially as a goalie becomes more tired.
The distance required to trigger Thunderclap and Heatseeker have been reduced by 10 feet, allowing skaters to get closer to the net to blast home shots with these X-factors.
Reduced the Close to the Net power modifier on close range shots from 20 feet to 15 feet to increase the threat of shots from inside the slot.
Community Feedback: The Full Pressure impact on the team that is pinned is too powerful and doesn’t feel authentic to the situation. Full Pressure while on a Penalty Kill is extra punishing and the time to end Full Pressure when the puck is out of the zone is too long.
Reduced time puck needs to be out of zone to end Full Pressure from 5 seconds to 3 seconds.
Reduced the negative attribute multiplier applied to Pinned players during Full Pressure from 20% to 15%.
Removed the negative Energy Drain multiplier for a team on the Penalty Kill, to avoid double stacking with the Full Pressure Energy Drain multiplier.
Community Feedback: Goalies take too long to recover Energy when the puck is out of the zone and having Goalie slowly drain energy when the puck in the zone doesn’t feel authentic.
Removed the energy drain a goalie receives while the puck is in their defending end.
Slightly increased the amount of Stamina a goalie loses when performing a save.
(Stamina Drain is mitigated by Durability Attribute)
Increased the Goalies neutral zone energy recovery to be identical to the energy recovery for when the puck is in the attacking zone. (Energy Recovery is boosted by Endurance Attribute)
Community Feedback: CPU Teammates are taking too many penalties which is causing frustration, especially in competitive games.
Greatly reduced the probability of CPU Teammate taking penalties, and made this consistent across all Game Styles.
Other Gameplay Updates:
Disabled chance of Auto Fights triggering from hits into the boards.
Reduced the range defending players can push check in front of the net with reduced chance of taking an interference penalty, from 40 feet to 30 feet.
Increased the chance of a CPU Goalie performing a Michigan Save attempt from 30% to 80% when in position.
Adjusted the Player of the Game / Period highlight reel scoring weights to provide more highlights for important goals and big saves.
Be a Pro
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Fixed an issue with incorrect line change button callout showing during gameplay
Fixed an issue where the Be a Pro player ages when saving changes in Edit Player
Franchise
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Increased speed of salary scroll when offering coaches contracts
Fixed an issue where having the auto-sign free agents setting set to “On” didn’t always include some prospects
Creation Zone
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Fixed issue where sometimes creating a Defensive Defenseman created a defensemen with a forward playstyle
Audio
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Updated Buffalo Sabres Goal Horn
Updated Detroit Red Wings Goal Horn
Fixed an issue where World of Chel soundtrack was playing while previewing emotes, this has been resolved.
Fixed an issue where you were unable to hear the announcer speech about games before and after home stand and road trip scenarios, this has been resolved.
Fixed an issue during the rush Mini Narrative that after a shotblock there was no shot resolve and instead said couldn't get the shot off, this has been resolved.
Some intros could play for leagues that are not currently in the NHL, this has been resolved.
World of Chel
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Fixed an issue that caused players to load into games wearing a default black EASHL jersey instead of their own.
Fixed an issue where goalie control settings were not being saved after playing a game with the controls modified.
Fixed an issue where Banners and Emblems were not displayed correctly in creation zone when selecting to view them from the world of chel store.
Fixed an issue where a user’s home equipment preset would be used when the club was wearing their alternate uniforms.
Fixed an error that would occur if a club tried to change their uniforms a 2nd time in the matchup screen in EASHL clubs.
Fixed an issue where all changes in creation made on Account 1 would carry over to Account 2 after switching profiles.
Fixed an issue where the Club Finals stats overlay persisted into gameplay.
Fixed an issue where special characters boosts were not showing on the attribute chart when viewing loadouts from the dressing room or matchup screen.
Fixed an issue where users were unable to report a blocked player in EA Connect.
Fixed an issue where the user would be taken to the NHL Main Menu if they selected the EA Connect clubs deep link while on the purchase NHL Points screen.
Fixed an issue where the screens user interface will break if the user selects the EA Connect clubs deep link while in a creation zone sub layer.
Fixed an issue where some tabs are missing on World of Chel main hub if the user deep links to clubs from the EA Connect after quitting out of Free Skate.
Fixed an issue where the World of Chel coins received was showing on the Club Tab during the end of game screen flow.
Fixed various text color issues
Hockey Ultimate Team
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Fixed issue with display of objectives progress in pause menu during game.
Various UI Fixes
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