The Flawed Forecheck System in Hockey Games: A Call for Realism

In the world of hockey simulation games, forechecking strategies are crucial to a team's success. However, I've found that these situations can be overly simplified, leading to unrealistic gameplay experiences. In my opinion, the fluid nature of forechecking and trapping should not always require players to make split-second decisions.

The relationship between Forechecking (FC) and Neutral Zone (NZ) traps via the bias slider is not an accurate representation of how teams set up in real-life hockey games. It's essential for developers to give players more control over their off-puck defense, allowing them to position themselves effectively rather than being stuck in a useless spot.

Currently, 2-3 forechecks are designed to be aggressive and push for turnovers, but they often fail to execute correctly, leading to a high risk of getting caught too deep. A crucial aspect missing from these forechecks is the D pinch, which involves pinching at the blue line. This should allow F3 to identify the center lane opponent and cover them man-to-man.

Another issue I've noticed is that certain forechecks, such as 1-2-2 aggressive and passive, are fictional and weakside locks do not involve pinching D. To make matters worse, the AI fails to execute these forechecks consistently, making it feel like they don't exist in reality.

As someone who has previously discussed ways to improve in-zone play, I believe that it's time for game developers to focus on realism when it comes to forechecking strategies. By incorporating more realistic mechanics and giving players more control over their defense, we can create a more immersive hockey experience.

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