100% mate and I know I sound negative and people just want to enjoy the game. I did for a bit yesterday but it seems the more you play the harder that is.
Passing is all over the place because the off the ball movement is. What works one play may not work again. Passes you expect to happen don’t, I have had passes cut out three guys for no reason. Why should I have to double tap to not cut out a player, I am fairly sure it was always double tap for flat cut out passes.
In regard to what your saying over runs are a big issue also. I know why and I have said it before, everything is predetermined off the set play, so if you try and be add lib or in a position like close to the try line the attacking game collapses. So people who like sticking to and learning just the set plays may have a more enjoyable time to a degree, but from the youtube vids they are also frustrated because the tempo on them is wrong, or players out wide who use to be there for a ball are stuck 20m back for no logical reason.
I get frustrated because you recognize an attacking opportunity like an overlap on one side of the ruck, to only have my first receiver switch to the opposite side of the ruck. Because the game made that decision on the fly. Today I consistently had guys out wide who if they got the ball on the predicted running line could have attacked, but once the pass was executed they either stop, automatically move towards the ball or cut right back into the ruck often into oncoming defense. I am not even talking about a few step either I am talking about a good five meters. When this happens sometimes the receiver makes themselves airborne. In all scenarios you have no control of the receiver until the animation is done.
I used the replay function a lot today and it really highlights the confusion in the code. Things are not moving in a predictable logical rugby league way. The attacking game outside human control is a complete mess right now.
A sports game needs to have the base structured play down pat and everything else like set plays should be an addition. For example the base formation for all rucks should look something like ^ a staggered upside down V. There should be a slight variation to this like two forwards on the open side and one on the blind directly in front of the v to provide a hitup option on early tackles at minimum. The halfs should generally be sitting somewhere just behind the first forward to distribute wide if the player choses. Like it should always be predictable for basic play, if I hold down the pass button I should expect to see the same exact face button for a close reciever, the middle, the long and the hail marry pass. If I want a set play I should be able to press one direction button, that gives four options out of the box, 8 with a modifyer such as L2 or R2 to make it more player controlled for direction of the play.
To bring the Fullback into the game on a normal play all he/she has to be doing is following the play wide as the second option. Just trailing the V to the outside of the ball carrier, if you want to hit him at any time you can hold the pass and hit him with the pill. You then have a fullback sprinting onto the ball adding to the back line or hitting the gap. On hit ups he should be running an inside line around the ruck and the half should be either bringing up the v to still provide a second option for the prop to send it wide or the third option being the tip on for the second forward who also has the option to send it wide because the v is still coming up in a staggered predictable way.
That in my opinion is something how the basic bare bones run of play should look. The player has the freedom to do what they want with a generic predictable formation. That still provide ample opportunity for some creative add lib play. Then when the player has hit the field position they want or sees an opportunity they can go for they can engage a set play of their choice to capitalise.
I don’t think any rugby league team is doing a set play every tackle of every set. It would cause chaos as is evident in this game. You will find that there is a general structure, with a few shapes core shapes and lines. Tackle 3 and 4 will usually be the moment for set piece movement but a good 75% of rugby league is a simple formation with options for what the defense is responding to. That is what makes league so great, it allows for the ad-lib that stems from structure.
I am frustrated because the game just really isn’t rugby league in it’s current state. Rant over……
