There are still many aspects of both visual and audio that are feasible and can enhance the immersion of the game.
Dirty kits and sweat
A great detail in RLL4 is when in rainy matches players would get soaked and their kits would get muddy every time they hit the ground. I’d love those details back, and it would be even better if it wasn’t exclusive to rainy days. Simulating the sweat on the players’ faces and little grass stains during the game would be amazing.
I feel that the crowd audio by default is a bit overshadowed by the rest of the sounds and voices in the game. It’s necessary in large stadiums for the crowd to have a big presence, especially during chanting.
Offside lines disabled by default
The individual indicators to show who is offside are simple and do the job. The lines, apart from serving exactly the same purpose, don’t look very good aesthetically. Perhaps some players might find them more useful, but two options with the same function enabled is unnecessary.
Better pitch marking
Since EA4 I noticed that the pitch markings look much thinner for some reason. At certain angles or times of the day it’s really hard to see them.
This effect helps to make player and ball movement feel more realistic especially during cinematics. Motion blur often affects performance, so if you are considering adding it, an option to turn it on/off would also be necessary.
Would love to see live updated player ratings based on form. Like in the fifa series. Even the quick match being the teams who are actually playing that day or the next upcoming one.
As in the world ranking because I too would like to see it. Something else I need it real commontators. That feeling of sitting down and playing rugby challenge 4 and hearing nisbo and justin marshals voice gives that game a sence of realism (ignore the graphics). But it would need to be done that there are commonrators for different countries so nisbo for nz sean mallony for aus so on so forth.
I would like the substitutions to be automatic (like the PES football game: early, late or flexible) it would help not to break the rhythm. The presentation of the teams before the match, like a photo gallery, the more complete commentaries in French, of course the seasons of various championships in career mode with official players and logos
In the career mode, for the RWC qualification, it would be cool to have the possibility to choose at the beginning of the career between real qualification system and a custom system
When you play in the newport Dragons stadium in URC championship, its always empty. No fans in the stadium. So why we can t choice johannesburg stadium and dublin stadium on quick match mode, there are only available on urc championship. Thanks
Here are some key suggestions to improve the next rugby game to make it more fun, realistic, and engaging for players:
1. Gameplay Enhancements
Better AI
AI-controlled players should react more intelligently, especially in defense, lineouts, and scrums. Introduce adaptive AI that adjusts based on player tactics.
Dynamic Weather & Field Conditions
Introduce weather effects (rain, snow, wind) that affect gameplay, like slippery fields causing handling errors or wind affecting kicks.
Scrum & Lineout Overhaul
Make scrums more interactive with skill-based mini-games, and improve lineout mechanics with real-time timing challenges for throws and jumps.
Advanced Tackling System
Allow more control over tackling types (low, high, ankle tackles) and introduce risk-reward mechanics, such as high-risk tackles leading to cards.
2. Realism & Presentation
Licensing & Real Teams
Secure more licenses for real teams, leagues, and stadiums to enhance immersion.
Player Likeness & Animations
Improve player models and add more realistic running, tackling, and celebration animations, including unique ones for star players.
Dynamic Commentary
Add a more reactive and varied commentary system that adapts to the intensity of the match and key moments.
3. Game Modes
Career Mode Overhaul
Introduce a detailed career mode where players can start as an amateur and rise to professional rugby. Include off-field events like contract negotiations, media interactions, and training mini-games.
Team Management Mode
Add a mode where players manage a rugby team, handling everything from player recruitment to tactics and training schedules.
Be a Pro Mode
A first-person or third-person mode where players control a single player on the field, focusing on positioning, teamwork, and personal performance.
4. Customization Options
Create-a-Team & Create-a-Player: Allow players to build their dream teams with deep customization, including logos, jerseys, and stadiums.
Create-a-Play: Introduce a feature where players can design custom plays and set pieces for scrums, lineouts, and kickoffs.
5. Online & Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play
Enable cross-play between platforms to build a larger online community.
Online Leagues & Tournaments
Add online leagues where players can compete with custom or real teams in ranked tournaments.
Co-op Multiplayer
Allow friends to team up in the same team online, each controlling different players.
6. Fun & Arcade Features
Arcade Mode: Introduce a fast-paced arcade mode with exaggerated tackles, power-ups, and crazy animations for casual fun.
Mini-Games: Add fun rugby-themed mini-games like kicking challenges, pass accuracy tests, or tackling drills.
7. Esports & Community Features
Esports Integration: Build ranked systems with leaderboards and host regular online tournaments.
Community Creations Hub: Allow players to share custom teams, players, and plays with others via a community hub.
Can we have create a league so we can use created clubs in a league and clubs already in the game, Also like to see career mode like in rugby 08 where you got to work your way up the different leagues either with club in game or created club start off low level players.
Hoping to see some different serious injury animations when players have to be replaced straight away and we see animations of the player with the injury hurt and down on the ground or hurt walking to the sideline. An animation of new player coming into the field too if possible.
Also would be great to have “Sliders” for injuries so it could be adjusted for a competition mode.
I just been reading up on rugby news and a lot of injuries at the moment to some teams / players in the URC and being ruled out for 6 Nations.
It would be great to have player model shape their bodies to catch a ball, arms and hands out catching in front of them , there are too many one arm catch’s like the passes are not timed properly, also be good to have wingers option stand wide or deep or flat for either quick hands , cut outs or chip kicks etc grubbers etc.
Have the same passes like RLL4 short normal passes, double tap for floaters or cut outs
Providing the gameplay is enjoyable enough to stick with it, I think the career mode is the thing that will give the longevity. It’s annoying because Rugby 08 got this so right with the world league, but I know BA won’t just copy this idea. So I’m not sure what this is going to look like on Rugby 25, but there are a few ‘musts’ for me that need to be in there or it’s failed from the start:
1: buy and sell players - this needs to be in the game and have all players across all competitions available to transfer in/out. It also needs to be not TOO easy to sign players I.e. to make a team of the best players from all over the world, would take multi-seasons to achieve.
2: salary caps/affordability - I recall on rugby 08 you couldn’t just sign anyone. You had an annual salary that you had to be able to afford. You won extra money by winning games/cups/leagues etc which meant that you could in turn buy more expensive players. Will be so pointless if you can literally just transfer in the likes of Finn Russell, Antoine DuPont etc straight away with a lower rated team. Elite players shouldn’t be available straight away or decline the transfer to make you have to work for these kind of players.
3: promotion/relegation - unlikely to be in the game if there is no mixed/world league. So not expecting this one to be in there, as most leagues won’t have any other tiers to get relegated to. Loved the fact that you could only start with the lower rated teams on rugby 08 and would be offered jobs as time went on with other clubs and international job offers. This brought internationals competitions in to the career mode then also which makes things a bit more fun. And of course you could work your way up the leagues to the top.
Writing this out has basically just made me remember how unbelievably good the Rugby 08 world league was and realise that’s it’s very unlikely that a new career mode will get anywhere close to this without copying the format
