Sorry for the long post, but here is my full and comprehensive feedback for now, which I will update with each EA major update. If you get these things right, the game will be awesome, and address most, if not all of the important aspects.
Passing
Quick pass reaction times need to be low, with some variations on passing models based on the nature of the pass, such as pop pass for close, bullet pass for first receiver, higher floaty/curve pass when skipping a player. Likelihood of intercept and successful offload set with sliders.
Passing needs to take priority over tackle animation, at least for some tackle types. When the defender wraps the attacker, then offload should not be possible, but if tackled at the waist, offload should be possible in tackle. Should be able to get your pass away before fully tackled in either event.
Sliders could be introduced to affect various aspects, such as speed, arc, accuracy, player skill influence, etc, with player traits also affecting such.
Single tap for normal pass, double tap for close pass and hold button for longer/skip pass, with D-pad setting the line, rather than have A or B to select player to pass to. This creates a better flowing game with more dynamism.
Player positioning
The supporting players’ positioning should be fixed to the ball carrier at all times, putting them in a good position to receive the ball, importantly WITH momentum, as they run adjacent to the ball carrier – flat rather than deep. Have close runners for close offloads, dummy runners for first receiver to pass to, and fast runners to hit a half gap, including the scrum half following up and looping around after passing. In essence, lots of options to pass to in any faze. This is dynamic support play, which is a much better solution than set plays that never work. Using the D-pad to set the general offensive line tactics, such as close running with the forwards (left), wide with the backs (right), deep for the kicker with teammates chasing the kick (down), etc.
Players need to get into position quicker, but not too quick where it is unrealistic. Scrum half needs to always follow the action/ball to be at the ruck as soon as possible, with options to pass to. Different speeds for different players, based on traits (prop being slower than a wing, with less skills, but more power).
If you can get quick ball from the ruck and your offence can set for the next fase before the defence, it can create opportunities, although you will have less efficient positioning on offence as you would if you delayed the ball coming out of the ruck, so you can decide how to approach each fase (risk/reward), but the ball must be available to a ready half back as quick as possible. So ruck ball available immediately and scrum half in position immediately. Also add small things like the scrum half turning his head in either direction as he assesses his passing options before the you as user pass the ball.
Instead of having to write and introduce set plays, which slow down the overall gameplay, just code running players to fix to the position of the ball carrier and run different lines (crash ball, switch, dummy and normal). This should be dynamic and fast, depending on how your line is set before releasing the ball for the next fase and how quickly you decide to get the ball out of the ruck.
If you commit a lot of players to the ruck, to protect the ball, there will be less players in the close quarters to receive a crash ball and you might be forced to go to backline. Dynamism creates realism.
Again, using sliders and player traits can affect how effective a player is in positioning and running lines. Very important aspect IRL
Kicking
Box kicks need to be higher. Quality and strength of the player determines how far he can kick it.
Place kicking needs to be harder, with the quality of the player influencing difficulty. Not all players curve the ball, so default to straight kicks with a button to select the curve yourself, in either direction. Alternatively, some players do kick with more curve than others, so then set this on a player level, still with the ability to change this with a button when kicking, but small curves relative to the player specific curve. Different kicking animations you can set when creating a player, or pre-set for licensed players.
Punts need to have the right amount of power (not too little and not too OP), with player traits like strength and accuracy affecting the outcome of a kick, and sliders affecting the amount of influence of traits.
Grubber kicks need to go out of hand instantly, as IRL, similar to the passes, with follow up players fixing to the ball position so as to attack the ball and ignoring instruction until the ball has been picked up.
Defence
Again, using the D-pad to determine defensive line tactics, such as close to ruck (left), wide (right), kick receive (down), rushed (up), passive, etc.
Attack
- D-pad left - Set line close, with pods close to the rucks to receive short crash ball, with support runners for the offload. Mostly forwards on close support lines
- D-pad right - Set line wide, with support runners in the backline for the quick offload in contact to hit the gap. So forwards and backs run support lines for the backs
- D-pad down - Set line deep for the kick.
- D-pad up - Set line flat to chase on the box kick from the ruck.
Defense
- D-pad left - Set defense close to ruck
- D-pad right - Set defense wide
- D-pad down - Set defense for kick with wingers slightly back near touch and also full back and possibly 10 well back
- D-pad up – Normal or rushed defence with weakness on the wide pass
Once you select one of the options, it remains on that option until you select another one, so it sets to that option.
AI defence needs to be more chilled.
Reduce the tackle radius to allow for successful gaps.
Attacking player needs more forward momentum when tackled, unless the defender makes a dominant tackle. Introduce and differentiate between normal tackles and dominant tackles with a slider to determine the probability thereof.
Set piece
I like a simplified set piece, with minimal mini-games, as again they reduce the pace of the game, similar to set plays. Therefore, keep it simple, but with the ability to affect the outcome of the set piece, whilst introducing sliders and player traits to customise the probabilities of outcomes.
Player traits like strength need to determine a player’s effectiveness at counter rucking and holding, scrumming and line outs, and jackal ability determining the effectiveness of stealing the ball before the ruck is formed.
Previous feedback on rucks -
- Once the ball carrier goes to ground, if the defending team gets to the ruck first, you have an opportunity to jackal the ball. You usually see only 1 or 2 players at the same time jackaling. If not done quick enough, the attacking team support players can drive them off the ruck by joining the ruck. Can introduce sliders to determine jackal speed and efficacy, as well as individual player traits impacting speed and efficacy. Have actual animations of these moves. Two players to clear out the jackal and 1 or 2 more to secure the ruck. This is why people are saying 4 to 5 players.
- Once the ball carrier goes to ground, if the attacking team gets to the ruck first, the support players secure the ruck for the next faze and the defending team cannot steal the ball unless they counter ruck first. The user determines how many defenders to commit to the ruck, depending on how many attacking players have been used to secure. Again, sliders can be introduced to improve efficacy of securing the ruck, as well as counter rucking. Individual players traits, such as physicality or power can also be introduced to determine efficacy for individual players, so that backline players are predominantly worse at rucking than forwards, and some forwards are more skilled in either ruck clearing or jackaling.
Each user determines how many players to commit, in attack or defence. The more players used, the more successful the ruck. If the defending team tries to jackal and the attacking player holds on - penalty for holding on (tap button to either jackal in defence or hold on in attack). If the ruck is secured by the attacking team and the defending team tries to steal the ball without a counter ruck - penalty for hands in the ruck. Proper animations are crucial where you have individual players targeting other individual players in the ruck.
So you have a button for players entering the ruck and counter rucking, as well as a button to tap for stealing the ball or holding on. Good luck trying to steal the ball at the wrong time, i.e. when ruck has been formed and no counter ruck has been made. Also introduce referee sliders like in your cricket games, so the referee might miss some actions or calls. Timing should be such that jackaling happens rather quickly if successful, but counter rucking takes longer, as there are real animations. If there is no counter ruck, then the ball is available rather quickly for the next faze.
Player animations in line-outs look very robotic. Introduce more dynamism with each player making different movements whilst standing in the lineout and waiting for the ball.
Skill plays
I like the analog for side-steps, but don’t want to use it for fend-offs every time. Would like sliders as well, to determine the probability thereof when NOT using analog, with player traits like strength/power also having an impact and occasionally handing-off automatically.
Infringements
Sliders and player traits like discipline should also affect the probability and severity of infringements like high tackles and offsides. If your defence is set to “rushed” and a non-player gets too eager, he can be caught offside, otherwise there will never be offsides. Possibly do the same for stealing the ball in the ruck, with NPC’s, even though you control the stealing with your own player, otherwise there will rarely be ruck penalties.
Have penalties for “hands in the ruck” when trying to steal the ball, but also for “holding on” when opposition are trying to steal legitimately.
Referee
Sliders to affect how strict referees are (unless this is set per referee) and how often a referee can get a call wrong.
Fix the TMO to come in play when the ref missed something, or it is a close call, like a try in the corner and not a clear cut try.
The referee hardly ever says anything. Would like to hear the ref making calls and officiating the game, talking to and instructing the players. Also would like to hear the ref blow his whistle at each stoppage or score, with long blows for penalties and tries and shorter blows in other instances.
Cameras
Dynamic camera zooms, with a zoomed-in view at the set piece and ruck, and zoomed-out when passing down the line and kicking. Such as IRL broadcasts that immediately jump from zoomed-in to zoomed-out view
Also, would like a broadcast camera that is fixed to the 50m line, with another option for side-on view which follows the advantage line and another option from behind.
Different camera heights depending on the stadium, set at stadium creation stage, so smaller/lower stadiums have lower camera heights, whereas bigger/higher stadiums have higher camera heights.
Creation
I have already mentioned the camera heights for each stadium, set at creation stage.
Also add the option for an athletics track around the field, as that is a thing.
Many stadiums also have grass embankments, so either add that asset (various sized embankments) with crowds as a preset, or add a crowd brush, with various sizes and densities so that you could brush a grass embankment to have crowds. Need a wide variety of assets, not like the cricket games where it was limited. I forget the name, but you get pavilions without seats where the spectators stand and have a metal bar in front of them.
Give the option to add multiple home stadiums to a team, OR just be able to change stadium in match settings, irrespective the home stadium.
AI
The AI need to be great on attack and be able to play dynamically, not just pass once and crash up. Make the same backline moves that a player will make, including tactical kicks etc. The attack should be able to easily beat the defence with a good move (whether AI or player), so a good attack should have a higher ceiling than a good defence.
The quality of the AI opposition should be in line with the team’s overall rating, so when two AI’s play against each other, generally the better team will get the win, but always a chance for an upset. The difference in quality or rating should be clear in the final score.
Introduce sliders on the impact of such ratings or gap in ratings, and the differential between attacking and defensive effectiveness, so whether you play 10 min, 20 min, or 40 min halves, you could have the same scoreline by adjusting sliders on effectiveness.
Other
Using sliders and player traits like “skills” or “handling” for the probability/frequency of knock-ons, otherwise there will never be any.
The ball should be tucked under the arm when scoring a try, more often than not, unless unchallenged by a tackle, where you might just dot the ball down casually. Sprinting when scoring could result in tucked ball and no sprinting resulting in dot down.
Immediate button input, i.e. no delays in action after pressing a button (immediate feedback). The game should register the exact moment you press the button, so that when doing different moves, with kicks or offloads, it can be executed and the gameplay runs smoothly. With this in place, you should be able to quite quickly change direction with your offensive player, by doing a dynamic step on the fly with your left analog, as opposed to right analog, hitting a half gap on attack and immediately change direction when needed. The same on defence, although much harder for a defender to make an effective tackle, if at all, whilst changing direction. Grubbers, kicks, passes and moves will also be executable for a realistic game, when you have dynamic positioning and running, with immediate button input.
Starting at ruck time, as soon as the player goes to ground, the closest one or two support players should go in to defend the ball, steal or counter ruck, then scrum half goes in immediately and waits until you have set your fase and are ready to pass. Once ball is passed, whilst ball is in the air, you should already be able to press the button for the next move, whether pass, offload or kick (like a grubber through the line), and as soon as the ball is caught, the action is executed. This allows for faster/smoother gameplay, WITHOUT speeding up the mechanics. The speed of the mechanics is pretty good at this stage and one might argue it could be slowed down a bit.
Immediate input and direction changes eliminates the need for set plays, as with direction changes, close/dummy runners, better passing, defence and tackle radiuses, you can do your own unique set play, every time, whilst enjoying a great flowing game.
Include a transparent mini map so you are able to see where the payers of both teams are positioned prior to making a kick or setting your line. Can toggle on/off in game settings.
Under the match settings, add different crowd size options to more accurately reflect the significance of a match, such as no crowd, small crowd, medium crowd, large crowd and full capacity, OR have a slider with percentages from 0 to 100.
Also give different options for scoreboard formats, either at match settings, or at league/tournament level or at stadium creation level, as different leagues and regions use different scoreboards on tele, such as abbreviated upper left, abbreviated lower middle and wide/full lower middle.
Have at least one Southern Hemisphere commentary team as well, which you could either select in match settings, when creating a league or competition, or preset when creating a created stadium. Not a fan of the current commentary team, as I don’t know them and they seem very unenthused, with too few lines. They should also mention player names when in possession.
Increase the crowd noise with particular bursts for certain actions, such as scoring a try, or boos for a high tackle or refereeing decision going against the home team, etc. It currently sounds weak and unenthused. Crowd should get louder when play is in the 22 area or someone breaks the defensive line, and crowd loudness should, in general, be in line with the crowd size.
We also need more player audio, like guys shouting various things at set piece and in the ruck. I heard a new audio in the lineout, with guys shouting “what are you doing” and in the scrums where they awkwardly count to 6 like a group of pre-schoolers. Although it was funny, doesn’t sound polished. Already discussed refereeing communication and audio, as well as commentary.
We need a lot more cut scenes, from the pre-match, to them running out the tunnel to sing the national anthems, to the parts in between play stopping and starting, to before the set piece, to tries being scored and kicks being converted, to half time shows and post-match, and some pyrotechnics for international matches. When they run out the tunnel, they run to about mid pitch before running out to the side. We should see them running from within the tunnel and then off to the side as soon as they are over the touch line.
Example - When the ball is kicked out of play, the scene cuts to the next lineout way too quickly. Take a few seconds to show the players jogging up to position. Also, after scoring a try, too many players are just randomly hanging around the try line. Have 3 or 4 closest players celebrate with the try scorer, with the rest jogging back to the half way line, perhaps throwing a quick fist in the air on the way back. The defenders can mope in the background, with hands on head and hands on hips. Naturally have a much more significant build up to the game, with anthems, player lineups and commentary hype.
Give the option as to how many cutscenes you want to see with a game setting – none, some, all.
Have different cut scenes and/or build ups and music or atmosphere for international matches versus club matches, like the inclusion of pyrotechnics and different music, similar to the cricket games where test matches have a different start than ODI’s and T20’s. The current vibe is fine for club games, but severely lacking for internationals. Also have the team sheets and more commentary build up before the match.
Some rugby rules still need refining in game.
Need the introduction of penalties (infringements like offsides, high tackle, holding on, not leaving the ball, not protecting the catching player in a contestable kick, etc) and knock-ons and injuries
Need sliders and player traits for everything to promote realism along with dynamic player positioning and dynamic cameras.
Include full 23-man squads with the ability to select your starting lineup and make replacements.
Include more assets, such as more default logos, more default kit designs, stadiums and player design.
