After all the remaining HUT Rookies were announced, EA is back with new details on how the new Creative A.I. works on NHL 18. There’s also a trailer showing off the new changes on Creative A.I. and more:
EA has announced that the new Creative A.I. system will improve the way teammates find an opening during breakouts, including how strong the teammates need to pass, taking advantage of bank passes, and taking advantage of the field’s “walls” to perform passes. Also, the teammates will try to position themselves better to both make and receive passes, analysing the player’s play speed, offensive pressure and taking that into account when taking risks.
With NHL Threes, the new arcade-y 3-on-3 game mode, the A.I. was also trained to adjust to the smaller playing area and rush better in any game mode. While on the topic of rushing, the A.I. will dynamically pick the best approach when rushing and any A.I. teammates nearby will also evaluate whether it makes sense or not to join a rush.
On the defensive, the A.I. opponents will better track their rushing opponents and also choose which points to cover based on the pressure the opposing team creates during rushes.
EA also explained that the addition of the NHL Threes allowed working on the A.I. to “improve player avoidance in all situations” in any game modes, increasing also the collaboration between the A.I. and the player when creating unique scoring opportunities and strategies.
NHL 18 will release September 15th.