Rugby 25 Megathread

[Embraceit]

Oh dear, Oh dear

Ok so let’s get to the bugs.

PS5 Base
Current Update: v1.0.3163

So I reported this last week but after today’s update it’s gone one further.

I catch the ball from a kick off and while I hold L1 and when the player lands on the ground while holding L1 I press Square it glitches and goes to a lineout, then at that lineout I win the lineout and hold R1 and when the scrum half has the ball I try pressing square to do a long pass it again glitches and goes to a lineout .
Me winning a lineout with this glitch is a big problem as it’s happened to me about 5 times in 1 game.

Review on the latest update:

What have you done to the rucks system?

Had to add these GIFs in 2 parts due to file size but it’s the same phase of play but just in 2 parts
Part 1

Part 2

It’s destroyed, Now I keep getting turned over after every other phase even on easiest on career mode, it’s awful. It’s taken 10 steps back with the 5 people.
It’s chaos in that there’s just players bunched everywhere and sometimes when I’m hitting circle to add to the ruck it takes forever for the players to get there and by that time there’s always a turnover.

Is it really that hard to implement one of the biggest things nearly most people here have requested?
The floating passes are worse than ever after this update:

The support runners are exactly the same, From a scrum the backs are too deep and like 10m away from the 10 so let’s say you have a scrum on the opposition 5m line, scrum half will pass to the 10 and if you want the 10 ro pass to anyone else in the backs then they are so deep that you’ll actually lose ground getting the ball to them.
For me that’s a rugby league minded developer that’s coding that but I could be wrong and if I am I apologise.

A player is running and instead of passing left or right he’ll pass to the person directly behind him, this again ruins the fun and pace of the game for me.

The opposition has high tackled me 4 times in 1 game and didn’t get sent off or sin-binned so I’m guessing it’s the luck of the draw for that one.

I’m losing all hope, what are we now, 18 patches in and there’s been small improvements but no where near as good as it should be being roughly 18 patches in.

I just think that the most basic things that have been asked to be fixed aren’t being fixed and the game is going backwards and I fear we won’t have a completed game.
People are showing what’s wrong by posting GIFs and it seems like the likes of @JNT_BA & @Lachie_BA bless them are reporting back to the development team but nothings been done that the most important things are either being broken or massively overcomplicating things that shouldn’t be overcomplicated.

@JNT_BA & @Lachie_BA I hope you two guys are getting a pay rise for all the work you bare doing here because out of everyone it’s you two I feel sorry for, I really do, seem like two great guys that shouldn’t have to put up with this week in, week out.

I kindly and respectfully won’t be providing feedback until some major changes are done because as a big rugby fan and a person who wants this game to succeed, it’s so disheartening every week that it seems the same is going backwards.

I will check back to see updates, but I wish especially @JNT_BA & @Lachie_BA the best of luck as if anyone deserves the game to be a success it’s you two for what you two have to put up with and the countless hours you spend on here.

Can see from the comments here that most people feel like giving up.

[Embraceit]

Wow I haven’t played rugby league game but the passing mechanics on your GIFs look great, why can’t that be added to rugby 25, that would be amazing, wow I’m gutted that isn’t on r25.

The way the passing players arms are swinging etc look very realistic and they can’t add to that for a game 8 years later? Wow, I’m shocked, I really am, no floating passes, players hitting the line up short and going through gaps, that’s what everyone has been screaming for on here amongst other things, that has really blown me away that a game that has those small features that people want from R25 was already in a game made 8 years ago.

[AdamX]

My previous Xbox career and competition saves load fine. About the game though this is a step back. Don’t see most of the changes in patch notes. 5man rucks are not good at all. They look like scrums. They need to be dynamic, with 1-4 players in depending on situation. If you can’t do that then you should revert. I’d rather have the “april fools day” patch than this. You still need two patches per week to fix this mess. Go back to early access build 4 and add sliders. Let us fix the gameplay via a batch of sliders and you add the rest.

[IanOM]

Ironically, the April Fool’s Day patch was probably the best there’s been.

[Redordead72]

Silly number of turnovers today. Almost impossible to keep the ball for more than two phases. This needs to get back to a realistic level. Playing medium, six nations.

[Chris20000]

Haven’t tried new patch yet but from the comments I am worried

[Nesreviac]

Regarding 5 Man Rucks.

I think because there is nearly always a lot of haste in adding players to rucks, because there’s going to be a degree of urgency in wanting to win the ball back. So with the change from 3 maximum in rucks to 5, this is meaning 5 are added far more often than would ever happen in a real game. This is also including the AI, who are apparently using 5 more often than they should also.

The solution would seem to me to be to limit the numbers in the ruck to 3 by individual button presses and then if people really want to add another for four, or another for 5, then that could require a slightly different input.

Like this (PS5):
First 3 players into ruck. Circle, circle, circle.
Last 2 players into ruck could be added by either holding down Circle (maybe taking a 2s press), or multiple taps of circle (like 4-5 quick presses each).

Also, when it comes to what players contribute towards winning ball, perhaps it could be something like this…

First player into ruck contributes 40% towards overall ruck winning/ball stealing ability.
Players 2-3 contribute 25% towards ruck winning/ball stealing ability.
Players 4-5 contribute 5% towards ruck winning/ball stealing ability.

In this way, the game would end up being played with 3 players in a ruck for the most part, but still some reason to add the last couple of players on occasions.

To be honest it was originally a Lionmaul idea. My focus has always been on the rucks having a legitimately playable game system with possibly a meter to show whether you’re about to win a counter ruck.

Right now possession turns over (and incredibly frequently!!!) and sometimes you don’t even know you’ve won the ball and can end up kicking it away if you’re still going for a steal!

You also don’t know if you’re holding the ball in or not. With a meter this becomes incredibly readable.

The meter could be colour coded. Once the user’s desired number of players are added. Then the button which goes towards filling the meter would be the steal button. Steal could also be ruck urgency or aggession. They amount to the same thing (people on their feet trying to get their hands on the ball). Overdone and you get penalized.

Blue meter, you’re going for a steal. (Fill that very rapidly, but don’t hit the end bar, you win the ball).

Red meter, you’re holding on to possession. You could be about to be penalized.

Green meter, Standard ruck aggression and push. You’re attempting to win a counter ruck. Filled meter, but not hitting the end bar and you get the pushover counter-ruck.

With a meter we can see what we’re doing, what effect it is having, our chances to win ball etc. The unknown in every ruck becomes a bit more known.

For those who don’t like meters because they aren’t there in real life and it takes away from the realism, so do circles around the players we control and kicking circles, but we need them.

[FilthyBandit]

Controversially I think i can see what you’re trying to do with the rucks?

Issue is at the moment, the turnovers are instant and constant.

Just adjust the time it takes to award a turnover by a second or two from when players commit to a ruck.

In this time, the player can choose to hold the A or X button to hold onto possesion if outnumbered, giving a window for supporting players to arrive and secure the ball. Doing this for longer than a couple seconds can result in a penalty.

Defending team should be able to contest the ball in this time too and either gain possession, or gain a penalty from the AI trying to hold onto the ball.

In addition, the defending team trying to jackle the ball can be penalised for using the jackle button when the ruck has been formed.

[simnofear]

Hello Big Aunty,

had a go at the latest patch…

Trying really hard to find something good out of it, but it feels desperate. Ross taking over the communication sure is the icing on the cake, as soon as he released his patch notes prior to the update we all knew it was gonna be trash. I guess the rugby 25 communication team has already joined the photogrametry team and gameplay team of Cricket and Rugby League, just like all the rest of the rugby 25 staff.

If y’all let Ross and Kelvin alone this game sure is doomed !!

Cheers !!

[dfrdfr]

Emergency patch required to correct the number of ruck turnovers. Too many.

[Rugbygamer40]

Hi Team,

Brief Feedbsck. PS5 Hardest Difficulty - Coach Career. URC competition

• Unable to retain possession for more than 2 Phases.
• Set match to “Extreme Injuries “ to test Ai bench replacements. Got no injuries for my team or the Ai for the whole match.
• Bind button to get players into the rucks does not always respond , frequently there is a delay pressing “O” button and my players just standing around the ruck and not joining straight away or sometimes never.
• Stamina at halftime. I have seen no improvement to make it realistic. Players were all almost at 90-100% in starting 15.

I lost the match as Stormers 21-14 against Sharks. Good to get a loss but losing possession after 2 phases is not good gameplay. I wouldn’t mind if it got harder to retain possession after 6-8 phases.

Another point I wish to make from community feedback I have read and my own experiences- High Tackles. I think the reason we not seeing much high tackle incidents is that the the player stats across many of the top competitions like URC, Super Rugby, Premiership , Top 14, is that the “Discipline stats” are too high for all players. Most players are Discipline at 85 - 75 and no lower than 70. I would like you guys to consider changing these if you can ?

Emergency patch needed to fix please the rucks binding / phases if this could please be possible by the weekend. Injuries too.

Thanks team.

[JNT_BA]

I won’t make promises that a patch will be ready in time to tune more around the Rucks, the team are already working on it. Unfortunately for Australia, we are in a heavy time for Public holidays. This week is a 3-day standard work week for us, not saying people won’t be working those other days, it’s just something to keep in mind. Hopefully, we will be able to give an indication if we can get something out today.

[Jasche77]

I am liking the passing for now with forward momentum maintained mostly and ability draw and pass, pass at the line and in the defensive line which I felt RLL4 lacked in this area because once player was near defender the tackle animation did not allow for those passing scenarios… so for RL26 please include these passing abilities/scenarios nice work.

oh yeah think you guys need to convince NACON on announcing RL26?.. because then you can start a thread and start canvassing ideas from the customer base..

[Nesreviac]

@FilthyBandit

Issue is at the moment, the turnovers are instant and constant.

100%, this is the biggest issue at the moment.

However, the whole ruck system is unreadable for the user from one ruck to the next. Even when the balance is corrected from what this patch has done, we’re literally blind as to why there is a turnover or not.

There’s not really any getting around the fact that:

Sometimes players join rucks - sometimes they just stand there.

Sometimes you can steal the ball because the opposition AI didn’t join a ruck for some reason and sometimes you can’t.

Sometimes a rare pushover counter-ruck will happen, other times none in a game at all.

Sometimes you feel like contest tackle did something and other times you don’t (nah, 90% of the time you feel like it did nothing).

There’s no indication on screen to the user as to why any outcome is happening.

I don’t think the team at HB Studios wanted a meter there at all in RWC 2011. No-one wants unnecessary UI screen clutter. They did it because when implemented everyone could plainly see with their eyes why a certain team had won the ball.

I’m open to anyone telling me how they could implement ruck outcomes in a way that we can know why we won or lost that ruck, but without some sort of meter or similar method?

[mike2084]

Career mode crashing here as well, hopefully they can get a fix out for this as well as the rucks.

[thexfactor]

Why with every patch released, the number of issues & complains increase instead of decreasing… Is it the Players or BA?

[Alex11081981]

Yes, I also think that it is not easy for Big Ant because players have different opinions and different desires. For example, I thought the ruck system was good before the update. People asked for the 5-player ruck and now that it is possible, it is not good either. Put yourself in Big Ant’s place too. We agree that there are still problems with the game but honestly I think that Big Ant should make the game the way he wants and at the end add sliders because the game will never satisfy everyone. I like the complex and simulation side, others prefer simplicity and arcade mode.

[Valhalla_Vagabond]

I do not agree with this in it’s entirety. Not everyone needs them to be fair. Some people just want the logic to work.

If you knew the Y worked for drive, the X worked for steal and the ref stated the warnings as in game at the right time (Could even be text if voicing was too much effort) … then not a lot of need for shiny bars. If they simply want to remove all logic and make it a timed event or button bash because it is simple and they cant make it interesting instead … well … would be continuing down the path of pants that this game is genuinely on.

If there is going to ever be metres, players should have the ability to either turn them off completely or in the least drop the opacity. Simply saying you have to have arcade metres on everything and too bad for the other half is never a good way of satisfying a player base and making a successful game in my opinion.

Having the option for it though, 100% a great idea. Especially for those new to rugby. I must admit, for an arcade online rugby game … mashing the button and getting a win in the ruck would probably feel quite satisfying I imagine.

Edit: The rucks could definitely use some indicators though. Don’t think that bar to the side at the moment really says anything to the player.

[Nesreviac]

@Husky1

1)Dont mind the 5 in a ruck option…but every ruck there is a turnover thats annoying and seriously affects momentum…cant we make it that whichever team adds 3 to ruck the fastest wins the ball?With that said please ten look at the speed at which players join the ruck because i still find that on occasion they just stand around not joining?

Maybe not having the first team to add 3 to a ruck winning the ball, but possibly a major factor in the outcome, sure. I think the 4th and 5th players should contribute, but a smaller percentage to winning ball. I think first player 40%, 2nd-3rd 25% each, 4th-5th 5% each. This would be a good balance in how much players affect ball winning.

@Husky1

2)We need to see more passing out wide to wingers from the AI…They still only seem to do a crash ball runner or a one two pass and thats it…this also kills momentum and fluidity

Agree with this, the wingers should be easily scoring as many tries as anyone in the team, but the AI doesn’t seem to pass well to wide players.

@Husky1

3)Said it before gonna say it again THE SIDESTEP ANNIMATION TAKES TOO LONG!!!

Totally agree. I have never done someone with a step in many patches. They need to have a look at the step on RWC 2011. Not only does the step work well, but it wrong-foots the player trying to make the tackle and they get stood up.

@Husky1

5)AI still not making use of kicking in general play…grubbers,chip kcks,territory!!!

Yes and not just the AI, I don’t bother with it much myself. Almost impossible to get a decent clearance out to the 10m line or halfway with even the best kickers in the game. Grubbers and chips would be great, but the AI can’t do it and I can’t get them to work either. If you grubber ahead, the tackler just comes in and tackles you late without penalty!

@Husky1

7)Last point …Can you guy’s please limit backline players joining the ruck!!!I understand it must happen occasionally but every ruck i have backlne players joining and then allmost 70% of the time my first receiver is a front rower then from him it would allmost allways be a no8 or a flanker.Please sort this out URGENTLY
it’s affecting gameplay massively!

There’s been a lot of this mentioned, a whole lot of times. The game is basically structureless in this regard and it needs to change. Sometimes when you go to choose a pocket kicker, it won’t even give you one. All the available backs are probably in the ruck! If the 10 is in a ruck, where is the 12, the 15 or a winger to receive or clear?

Good post, I agree with a lot of it.

@Valhalla_Vagabond

If you knew the Y worked for drive, the X worked for steal and the ref stated the warnings as in game at the right time (Could even be text if voicing was too much effort) … then not a lot of need for shiny bars.

If it worked fully without them, then yeah that’d be great, but we’d also have to know what we were doing was working. How would we be able to see that the drive was working with Y, and X was working with Steal. As it currently is we just see bodies engaged in a ruck.

@Valhalla_Vagabond

If they simply want to remove all logic and make it a timed event or button bash because it is simple and they cant make it interesting instead

Well no-one wants a purely button mash event, but some speed in doing what you need to do is obviously likely to be a part of the solution because in real life the actions in getting a turnover are not done slowly.

@Valhalla_Vagabond

If there is going to ever be metres, players should have the ability to either turn them off completely or in the least drop the opacity.

100% agree there.

@Valhalla_Vagabond

Simply saying you have to have arcade metres on everything and too bad for the other half is never a good way of satisfying a player base and making a successful game in my opinion.

Never said there shouldn’t be an option. I think an option would be great.

Also agree with your last point about some useful indicators though. We definitely need some understanding of what’s transpiring. We can’t claim that right now.

[Valhalla_Vagabond]

Did you not sort of say there shouldn’t be an option by saying “For those who don’t like meters because they aren’t there in real life and it takes away from the realism, so do circles around the players we control and kicking circles, but we need them.”? Unless I misread that. If I did then I wasted a post ha ha.

All for options to switch things on or off for players, much like sliders … that way players can really tune the game to their own liking. I think they could just tweak the current bar UI to reflect events rather than need to change the whole mechanic maybe. If it was more reactive to realtime inputs in the way it shifted. Would definitely need an indicator for the steal risk/penalty warning added though.

Watch us get a whole bunch of gauges and metres and rings now like we are playing pinball