Originally posted by lazy_chesnut@Dec 7 2005, 02:27 AM
I was amazed to read on the Official EA Sports Rugby 2005 forum that apparently people really enjoyed the tutorial you had to play before you could play a match. They basically said that their feedback was that it was a good idea. I wonder how they managed to miss the vast numbers of people who were still on the first challenge after weeks of trying to run round an entire defence without being able to sprint diagonally.
Where do they get their feedback from?
And now I see from the new 2006 screenshots that the sidestep animation is, as far as I can tell, exactly the same as in Rugby 2005. There were so may people who moaned about this stupid sidestep. Even the fullback in the Oz/NZ match pictured above is doing the same animation as the sidestepped player in Rugby 2005.
It also looks as though the binding down on the scrums is the same. I know this isn't a very big thing, but this game clearly needed redesigning. Also, there are screenshots of the same tackle animations being used. Now, it's been a long time since I played Rugby 2004, but I remember that there was a distinct animation when you broke out of a side-on tackle, where the runner would sort of sidestep and twist out of it. I'm sure that animation featured in Rugby 2005, and again also, it appears in Rugby 2006.
Also, the line out animations were used from Rugby 2004 in Rugby 2005. You could tell that by the complete lack of smoothness in the jump animation. I would be surprised if there were many new animations in this game, and given the criticism dished out to Rugby 2005 based on the animations all being too "long", where your player could get "captured" before being able to pass, I find this amazing.
Another thing. Was it only me who saw that the sidestep animation in Rugby 2005 seemed to happen at the same speed regardless of the player. Jason Robinson slowed down when going into the sidestep, whereas Trevor Woodman would speed up dramatically, due to the same animation being used. It's pretty pathetic to be honest.
I seriously think that the difference between this game and RC2006 will be the same as between FIFA and PES, and also Brian Lara Cricket and Cricket 2005.
I don't think HB have done enough work to earn my money. I don't think we'll be seeing a new game. Even with thise stupid gimmicks like "Impact Player".
Actually, one more thing. That Impact Player thing typifies the EA mentality. FIFA 06 has this new Team Chemistry thing. Sounds great, and they made a big hoo-hah about it, but it didn't really manifest itself in the game all that well. Then take PES 4 or PES 5. Instead of Team Chemistry, every single player interacts with other players in different ways. They have a number which basically rates how well they link up with each other player on the pitch. That shits all over the Team Chemistry idea, but they don't need to make a feature of it - you can just tell when you're playing.
I've said it before and I'll say it again - now. If HB want me to design a game for them, it would be ace. Think of all the great suggestions people on TRF have made over the years. They have hardly listened to them at all. Who on earth requested Impact Player as a feature. How about a custom set play creator? Or any of the other 100s of useful suggestions made.
HB deserve to lose out to RC2006 with this game.
By the way, I think the lighting in Rugby 2006 looks ace. But then HB didn't do that themselves, did they....
