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Improved Support Runners
Support runners position themselves more aggressively keep up with line breaks -
Improved Kicking Systems
The system for in-play kicks improved, including AI better targeting kicks when attempting a 50-22 kick -
General Gameplay Improvements
Includes resolving a case where players would be invisible during a ruck, improved AI decision making after rucks/mauls, resolved reported case of incorrect offside calls, and minor passing tweaks (still WIP). -
Improved Graphics
Adjusted overall visuals including player marker, replays, camera clipping, and further work in progress improvement to overall graphical fidelity -
Improved UI
General polish to the Player, Team, and Logo creators, resolved reported issues, improved UI and cleanup functionality -
Improved Stability
Resolved reported set piece non-progression issues.
This is some really good updates. Cannot wait to get into it.
Yes, yes, yes ! Five seconds in and you can feel the difference. Passing looks better but feels better too with drawing and passing. Already we can score tries that we would of struggled with other rugby games to date.
I feel like this is a big leap forward to where we need to be but just to highlight the things that need to be looked.
- Inside passes seem to be off. When passing back inside it looks to be going up to three or five players down the chain versus the closest player available.
- Mauls are still not implemented. The AI backline seems to have discipline issues as they are running 10 meters sprints Everytime the maul advances.
- SH can still be unresponsive and can get locked into a passing queue while running to the ruck.
Any console release date yet or update?
Havenāt had the chance to play since the update but came across a video that summarises a lot of points that I, and other players, have been making about structure and creating space.
Unfortunately, I canāt add links to the posts but please YouTube ārugby structureā and look for the channel RugbySlate to see the video.
I appreciate that many of the team may not be rugby players, or even rugby fans, so some of this may seem alien but it must be implemented to reflect rugby. Especially with forward pods being stand alone passing options, plus pods having passing options off them.
Please feel free to watch to get a visual idea of what I am talking about.
Look forward to playing the update when work calms down a bit.
No still a good 3-6 months away probably
Whilst there is most definitely a steady improvement there is still an issue with basic passes being flung 10m back, when there is a player right next to you in support ready to go through a gap.
A lot more fun to play. Passing and offloading seems much improved, but in both instances I have balls being passed into touch quite frequently. not sure if this is a passing issue or a support running issue.
Support running is also much better, but can also still improve.
Ruck speed is much quicker which is great, but too often the SH takes way too long to get into position.
Lineout players stand still for far too long, doing nothing, cannot be controlled following a lineout.
All in all, seems better for a minor update
Hmm on another play through I feel like we LL need a hot fix asap. The passing seems to have a fairly major bug in terms of recognizing the available players to pass to which is resulting in extremely strange behavior. Case in point the player on the right isnāt available to be passed to and ultimately the pass went to the player directly behind me.
Lots of people will give good feedback so Iāll keep my points brief. Firstly this is a nice minor update. Lots of little tweaks make passing / offloading / running better. Likewise tackles feel more physical to me. Not sure if Iām imagining it though. Main thing for me though which others may not notice as my laptop is weak and Iāve got the graphic settings dialled right down to get it to play. The graphics tweaks make this look much nicer. Iāve double checked and my settings arenāt any different which is exciting. Great update and this is definitely improving with each update. Great job
Hi team,
Thanks for the minor update and your work so far. My feedback is below;
Improved Support Runners
Patch Note: āSupport runners position themselves more aggressively to keep up with line breaks.ā
Feedback:
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Positive Feedback: Supporting players are now much more present and effective in certain scenarios. Itās great to see that community feedback is being listened to and implemented.
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Issue 1: In the midfield (Commonly 13 and 15), support runners often overrun the ball carrier and remain out of position to receive a pass. They should adjust by positioning themselves just off and behind the ball carrierās shoulder, close enough to maintain momentum but clear enough to avoid defenders who are closing in.
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Issue 2: When support runners break the line, they are often unavailable as passing options. Using LB or RB (for manual selection) or holding down to pick the correct runner becomes unresponsive and the pass goes to a player located directly behind the ball carrier insteadā¦ Ideally, the first support runner should be selectable using LB or RB, with further runners available through targeted passing.
Improved Kicking Systems
Patch Note: āIn-play kicks have been improved, including better AI targeting for 50-22 kicks.ā
Feedback:
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Issue 1: Targeting for in-play kicking remains overly sensitive. It doesnāt reflect the level of precision that skilled kickers should be able to achieve. I recommend scaling the targeting sensitivity with the playerās kicking skill levelāsimilar to adjusting mouse pointer speed. This way, higher-skilled players can achieve slower, more precise targeting within a reasonable range.
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Issue 2: While box kicking responsiveness has improved, kickoff contests seem less frequent. The timer that indicates jump height for contesting kicks often fails to appear.
General Gameplay Improvements
Patch Note: āResolved issues such as invisible players during rucks, improved AI decision-making after rucks/mauls, corrected offside calls, and made minor passing tweaks.ā
Feedback:
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Positive Feedback: AI decision-making has greatly improved, particularly in how AI-controlled teams attack and make strategic choices. This is a significant step toward making the AI feel more purposeful.
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Issue 1: However, the AI still tends to rely on overly long, quick passes across the field, which often contradicts the inertia of the players and looks unrealistic. Switching plays should happen, but not as frequently as every second pass.
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Suggestion: AI should be restricted to using these fast passes under specific conditions, such as when inside the opponentās 30-meter line or when behind on the scoreboard (i.e., chasing the game). Teams known for fast, fluid play (e.g., Fiji) could be exempted from these restrictions to a degree.
Improved Graphics
Patch Note: āAdjusted visuals including player markers, replays, camera clipping, and general improvements to graphical fidelity.ā
Feedback:
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Positive Feedback: On the highest graphical settings, the game looks stunning in certain areas. The textures of hair, the sheen of the plastic on playersā boots, and skin details are some of the best in any rugby game to date.
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Issue 1: There are issues with the camera during replays. On one occasion, a try replay caused the camera to flip upside down and zoom in and out erratically.
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Issue 2: When taking conversions from wide angles in the Stade de France and Allianz Stadiums, the screen edges appear to warp or tear.
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Issue 3: The grass textures at the Stade de France look unrealisticāalmost like green moon rock. The grass at Allianz is better, but still lacks the depth of color and texture youād expect at this level of graphical detail.
Improved Stability
Patch Note: āResolved set piece non-progression issues.ā
Feedback:
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Issue 1: The game often fails to progress when the opponent needs to perform a drop-out. Neither team has the ability to collect the ball, causing a freeze in the gameplay loop.
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Issue 2: Quick throws are also inconsistent, with the game frequently failing to progress after the throw. On rare occasions, it works when the user-controlled player manually retrieves the ball before the AI does.
Improved UI
Patch Note: āGeneral polish to the Player, Team, and Logo creators, and resolved reported issues.ā
Feedback:
Here is a list of things I think would improve the accessibility of the Academy logo creation tool. Apologies if some of this is already a possibility. I am hopeless at using the tool and it feels like I need a Graphic Design qualification to utilise it atm. Would be a shame for such a promising game with such possibly longevity to be let down by a creation tool that cannot replicate anything close to the content currently in it.
Option to combine layers
Option to select multiple layers at once to apply a change to i.e. colour, size
Option to select all layers and apply a global change
Option to copy colour to LB and paste with RB
Option to enter colour numbers manually
Option to have letters, shapes etc set to a certain size so all produced will be the same
Option to enlarge the selected design using the up and down arrows or middle mouse wheel so you are not constrained by how far you can move your mouse to the corner
Option to copy and paste layer without having to select points
Option to upload far more complex SVG designs (Or even PNG files) with a much higher point count, but with the caveat that these will not be shareable in the Academy.
Option to turn the visibility of points on and off to see and uniformly place smaller patterns and letters
Option for a text box that can be on a straight line, a half circle, or a full circle
Mouse pointer speed option for more precise placement and selection
I will come back and add to it, a really decent tutorial on the tool wouldnāt go astray either, we all know how much you love whipping up extra videos @JNT_BA 
Thanks for your time in reading all my feedback.
Game is not quite as playable as it was yesterday but when it all comes together this will be lightyears ahead of anything else.
Still a frustrated watcher from afar, hopefully not for much longer, but from what Iāve seen the game is progressing nicely.
Some things Iād still like to see, and apologies if these are already present as Iām only goimg off videos i have watched:
Ability for scrum half to pick and go from the scrum. Ive see No.8 pickup and goes plenty, cant say ive seen a 9 do it.
Likewise from the maul, both forward and scrum half need to be able to peel off from the back to either run or pass.
Forward pick and go from the ruck, or just another player passing out. I know theres a big push to have the 9 passing the ball out from the ruck as much as possible, but there has to be a distance/time constraint as to where the cut off is for this to happen, and for the next closest player to play the ball, especially in positions where you want quick ball.
Also there needs to be an option for a forward pick and go from the ruck. Hopefully this is included in the tactics that are brought in, where thereās an animation for the 9 calling the forwards in, then 2 pods are set up, one right at the ruck and one slightly wider so they can rumble up.
A final one, but what about the short play at the front of the lineout, where the hooker throws it in the gets it straight back for a run down the line. Thereās so many options that teams run at the line-out instead of juat front, middle and back like it currently is.
On a final note, I have to say the kits and logoās being pumped out by some of the folk here are pretty amazing. I love creating teams, for example foreign players in leagues etc, and creating players not in the game, so canāt wait to be able to get involved!
How about the game becoming unstoppable after kicks. Thatās a massive issue, I havnāt been able to finish a single game since the patch.
Hi team,
Just a bug report on a strange graphics issue for Newcastle Falcons. This is at any stadium. The number 13 āDohertyā players head constantly flashes with light , almost like itās an electrical current. Thanks team
Some lighting updates did happen for this update, seems they may be a little too powerful!!! Team is aware and looking at sorting this out,
Huge thanks for the detailed responses on this.
I hear you on the logo creator - itās a bit out of scope for this edition to make major changes, but there might be a few on that list that are quality of life things that might be doable.
Issue 1: Targeting for in-play kicking remains overly sensitive. It doesnāt reflect the level of precision that skilled kickers should be able to achieve. I recommend scaling the targeting sensitivity with the playerās kicking skill levelāsimilar to adjusting mouse pointer speed. This way, higher-skilled players can achieve slower, more precise targeting within a reasonable range.
Obviously some other games have solved this with a slowdown when you initiate a kick, as weāre trying to balance you being able to quickly target anywhere you want to kick on the field within a small space of time to get a kick off.
Online is the big consideration here, a slowdown wouldnāt be practical online - so itās not our preferred approach - but that then means we are working in a fairly short window to set up a kick.
What comes to mind would probably be to tighten up the default kick, but then holding LT or something then will make the aim change more significantly to make those big shifts - but Iād worry that mechanic might be too complex for the time you have to get a kick off.
Iād be interested what people think there.
Hi Matt,
With regards to the kicking, after the early access period has completed its primary purpose, would it be possible for slowdown of kicks to be an option for the player?
I know others have different views, although I am a fan of the slowdown as it provides the gamer to have a level of accuracy and carry out certain plays or tactics, similar to a real player in a game pre meditating a cross field kick, grubber kick, etc., which unfortunately is not easily possible in the gaming world. The slowdown acts somewhat as a substitute for this premeditated move.
Cheers!
Hello everyone and the whole Big Ant team!
Thank you for this update. I was able to play 20 games and get an overall idea of āāthis update.
However, I will probably repeat myself as we do not know what is taken into account on our feedbacks (Surely you work a lot and you do not have time to answer in detail but I think that a little more communication would make us not repeat ourselves and that we move forward with the team together at the same time)
The positive aspects have already been mentioned above by my colleagues so I will focus on the improvements to be made.
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Last pass at the end of the line is often put into touch even if the support player is well placed
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Support players are more present when we break a line but the pass is made to a player far behind (even with the targeted pass system)
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Very good improvement on the position of the player in the axis of the ruck. Unfortunately this one always starts moving instead of staying static either for kick or for a drop goal.
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Conversions are too easy
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Bug on some AI kicks the players remain frozen in front of the ball on the ground.
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Line outs are to random (impossible to take the ball from the opponent even if I make the right player jump)
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The rucks are still as linear (even if I have 3 players and AI 2 I cannot recover the ball.
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It happens too often that my players are present first in the ruck but wait for the opponent to arrive to get into the ruck.
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Problem with the number 9 from time to time who comes back from the other side of the field to take the ball out of the maul or who does not take the ball out at all, suddenly it gives a scrum to the opponent.
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When we have a penalty and we all hit in line out the ball goes back to the opponent when it should be to the team that has the penalty.
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Positioning in defense on the line out and scrum to be reviewed (the 1st defender is 10 meters far from the scrum or the line out)
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The defense is too fast we cannot most of the time make more than 1 pass. either the defense is too fast or our players are not deep enough
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Reactivity of the kicks is better but still lacks a little adjustment (maybe the problem of depth of the lines can solve this problem)
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The graphics have really been well reworked and really it is the most beautiful rugby game graphically ever
-Bug : When im tackle a player when he fely he can made a pass but he s on the ground and the ruck started
- After line out when i made a maul or the opposite i can cross all the field with the maul and no penalty if the ball dont go out about the maul.
Thanks in any case if you managed to read me with my approximate English.
Have a good day !!
Thanks for the update guys.
-support runners are greatly improved however they are often impossible to pass to. This makes passing across the back line difficult because itās a lottery. Once you make a line break it becomes more of an issue.
-ai kicking out of hand is still far too accurate, lots of 50-22 every game, this is made worse by the back 3 not taking up good positions when expecting a kick, and not attempting to catch the ball. In future a much bigger target should be implemented when kicking with unskilled players, Iāve no problem with a star fly half nailing accurate kicks, Iād rather not see it from a prop though
-textures and lighting have been greatly improved of late which is great to see.
- not sure if itās been tweaked but player stamina seems to be more obvious to me, hopefully an indication subs will be implemented soon.
-Iāve mentioned it before, but lines beneath attacking players akin to those in the rugby league live games would be useful to help us identify who best to pass to.
-have noticed attacking players running a greater variety of lines, more of this please.
-as before attacking formations and greater line depth are required. Allowing shorter , flatter crash ball and balls out the back offering time and space for kicking, and unlocking the outside backs.
Overall I think the patch is a minor step back in terms of gameplay however once the passing/support runner issues above are tweaked itāll be a big improvement
Hello everyone
With regards to the issue of kicking and the slowing down of the game and the issues this will present in online mode, I have a suggestion, but Iām not sure whether this will have the same problems as currently being experienced or whether it will contribute to resolving the issue.
So my thinking is this, you have to press a certain button to execute a certain kick, now currently you have a split second to place your kick with the analog in real time, and previously this would have been resolved with slowing the game down, but as mentioned this is not the direction you would like to go. Now, in golf, there is the swing mechanic that has you pull back the analog stick for power, and push it forward for direction.
Iām thinking maybe have the player press the button for the kick and while holding this button, pull back on the left stick for power and push forward for direction. I think this could be done in about a second with some getting used to and can also be played around with, you know, have the sensitivity for a prop be much higher than a flyhalf?
It might be a terrible suggestion, but it was just be throwing around some ideas.
Thank you