EA Vancouver has released a new patch today for consoles that will bring a good bit of gameplay changes just in time for this weekend’s NHL All-Star Game. Patch 1.4.0 is being highlighted by updates to goalie play, including X-Factors, size balancing, and save accuracy. The developers have also included the new All-Star uniforms that will be seen this weekend. The specific X-Factors getting updates are ‘Light Work’, ‘Extra Padding’, ‘Whirlwind’, ‘Handled It’, and ‘Energizer’. ‘Save Reach’ has also been scaled by the height of the goalie so smaller goalies will receive less penalty and larger goalies will receive a higher penalty when attempting a far reach save. Players can now expect an increased bonus to the precision score for user goalies when they are square to the puck and require less reach to make a save. The full patch notes can be read below:
Patch Notes 1.4.0
Goalie X-Factors:
Community Feedback:Certain Goalie X-Factor Zone Abilities don’t provide enough incentive to use. This results in players feeling like they have limited choice when assigning Goalie X-Factors.
Goalie Size Balancing:
Community Feedback: There is not enough incentive to use smaller goalies over larger goalies. Larger goalies feel like they cover more physical space and are harder to score on. In EASHL, this results in the majority of players creating large sized goalies and in HUT, players primarily dressing tall goalies.
User Goalie Save Accuracy:
Community Feedback: User Goalies who are square to the puck are too inaccurate at making saves, allowing pucks to squeak through, while User Goalies who are out of position are making too many highly accurate reaching saves.
Push Checks in Front of Net:
Community Feedback: Recent changes increased the chance of getting called for a penalty when Push Checking in front of the net. Defensemen want a way to clear the net, allowing for better defending in close proximity to the crease to prevent screens/deflections/tap-ins.
Other Improvements:
Presentation:
o Fixed an issue where user’s goalie settings do not persist through title reboot in World of CHEL
o Fixed an issue where Users cannot assign Alternate Captaincy in Club Members
o Fixed an issue where the Club Finals records are not being displayed in accordance with the new Finals playoff structure.
o Fixed an issue where Ones Eliminator and Threes Eliminator modes were not accessible during Club Finals leaderboard auditing.
o Fixed an issue where the World of CHEL Club Finals Elimination Retry pop-up only triggered on exiting and re-entering World of CHEL, not in Dressing Room after elimination.
o Fixed a failed to retrieve data (FRTD) issue that users were encountering when entering the World of CHEL store.
o Fixed an issue where being a Special Character in the Dressing Room, previewing items in the World of CHEL Store would cause the avatar to break when returning to the Dressing Room
o Fixed an issue where the goal celebration preview button was nonfunctional in the item preview screen in Battle Pass & World of CHEL store.
o Fixed an issue where some users with EA Play subscriptions couldn’t view or receive EA Play incentive offers in the WOC Store
o Fixed an issue where the purchase text is missing for EA Play Membership Chel Coin Rewards
o Fixed an issue where the EA Play Rewards headers were missing in the World of CHEL Store
o Fixed unlocalized text that was present in the World of CHEL Store descriptions.
o Fixed the Great Britain Player Banner Background so it shows the correct flag.
o Fixed an issue where users would lose functionality trying to open the Battle Pass after completing an online World of CHEL game.
o Fixed an issue where EASHL matchmaking would change to the Finding Opponent step even if the user doesn’t find any Teammates.
o Fixed an issue where Matchmaking doesn’t advance to Finding Opponent after five seconds when skater positions of a dressing room are filled.
o Fixed an issue where users could hear the opponent’s VOIP in the pre-game matchup screen for EASHL game modes.
o Fixed an issue where a customized club jersey logo color wasn’t displaying in the game correctly.
o Fixed an issue where a Clubs Away logo wasn’t brought into gameplay.
o Fixed an issue where the Jersey preview is not correct after one club changes jersey selection in the EASHL matchup screen.
o Fixed an issue where the default player equipment didn’t appear in Club Identity correctly.
o Fixed an issue that would sometimes show players wearing the Anaheim Ducks jerseys when returning to the dressing room after a game.
o Presentation - NIS Logic - Intro/ Outro - Special character player classes are cut off in Clear Player Intro
o Fixed a rare crash that would sometimes occur when quitting the match after puck drop.
o Various UI Fixes
The following uniforms have been added or updated in NHL 24
o New York Rangers Third
o All-Star Uniforms
o Calgary Wranglers Third
o Colorado Eagles Third
o Utica Comets Third
o Utah Grizzlies Third
o Canadian Hockey League
o North Bay Battalion Third and Fourth
o Halifax Mooseheads Third
o Prince Albert Raiders Third
o Cape Breton Screaming Eagles Third
Review: NHL 24
The biggest changes to NHL 24 do occur where it matters the most: on the ice.
