Suggestions/ideas for Rugby 2012

[starkadder]

The kicking animations (ie. those huge arrows that appear) should just be removed from free play. Instead allow the player to aim, with perhaps some help from the game (a la fifa). Worst case scenario this makes kicking a little harder, which would be no bad thing, but also will speed up the process, make it harder for the opposition to see what you're going to do and players will get used to it quick enough and be able to judge appropriately how much power etc. is needed. This would also help iron out some of the over-exaggerated / under-played kicking abilities of players. Most fly halves can kick a ball a decent distance, something that was not really given justice in Rugby 08, instead just allow the difference between kickers be decided yes to some extent on how far they can kick it, but also on how much the computer helps.

Not sure if this is clear, so to exemplify:

A player attempts a cheeky dink across to a winger first with Wales prop Adam Jones, and then secondly with Dan Carter. Both times they apply a little too much power, and slightly misdirect the kick (understandable as there is no arrow now). However, where as Adam Jones' kick simply maps the players input (probably ko-ing someone in the stand), the game is more likely to correct Carters (to reflect his superior kicking technique) and have it drop right into the basket of the winger. This way it is still possible to perform a drop goal with say... Matt Dunning, as obviously this would be possible in real life, if a little unlikely but has a much greater chance of knocking one over with Daniel Carter.

Just a thought, as I think attacking minded kicking was not a strong enough weapon in previous ***les.

Thanks.

SMBK

 

[charles_springbok2007]

1. FIFA similar rugby based
2. Players with their own design of boots (or various types of boots)
3. Improved gameplay and animations
4. Quicker reactions
5. New teams and kit
6. All teams, kit, stadiums, leagues licensed
7. Better graphics
8. Injury animations, like player getting off the field, or if a serious injury paramedics coming on field and removing the player
9. Added celebrations
10. Improved button controls
11. Better tackling, or contact rather than the rugby 08 tackling where players just lag and doesnt look real
more ideas soon!

 

[Will Simpson]

#Scrap world league mode and have a Director of Rugby mode (like fifa manager mode)
#Stadium Creator mode
#Kit Creator
#Player Creator

 

[eastside]

1. Carl Hayman
2. Sean Fitzpatrick
3. Olo Brown
4. Ian Jones
5. Colin Meads
6. Michael Jones
7. Josh Kronfield
8. Zinzan Brooke
9. Justin Marshall
10. Andrew Mehrtens
11. Jonah Lomu
12. Tana Umaga
13. Frank Bunce
14. John Kirwan
15. Cristian Cullen

16.Anton Oliver
17.Craig Dowd
18.Robin Brooke
19.Wayne shelford
20.Sid Going
21.Grant Fox
22.George Nepia

thats should be the allblacks unlockable Legend team by winning the world cup with the allblacks

 

[Jayatron]

I feel that graphics, player profiles, stadiums, stats of players and kits should be a focus, this wouldn't be hard to get, every team should have a website.
I also feel a focus on a more competitive game could be a good steep in the right direction. Just not better AI but also the ability to create custom set pieces and lineout moves, very important for online. A wider range of defences would be nice, i.e., blitz, man on man or zone marking.
Mini games through out the match would also make it very interesting, such as a turnover at a breakdown, a successful button combination could lead to your team gaining the ball or if done wrong a penalty given away, this would stop the random turnovers and the ability to win or loose a penalty. Of course depending on the player's stats and field position this could prove to be easy, for the likes of Richie McCaw, or a lot harder, for poor old Ronan O'Gara.
On my travels playing rugby in Ireland, Wales and New Zealand the likes of the super 14/15 and the Magners League is no where near as important as the domestic competitions. In NZ the Air New Zealand cup is held in a much higher regard than super rugby, I saw the highlanders play in a half full stadium while I saw the Southland Stags play a friendly at a full house! This is also true in Wales where the Primership is held in higher regard than the Magners League, all to do with history I believe. My point is that if EA were able to gain the rights to these leagues it WILL appeal to a wider rugby audience! These rights, I would imagine, would be easily attained, free advertising for the sponsors to a wide audience while the leagues would generate lots of sales through being able to play as your next door neighbour or father!
This could also cross over to other markets, such as the Top League of Japan, a growing rugby market, and the Super 10 of Italy, even further to the "Professional League" of Russia? All these leagues and competitions need to be added to make appeal for the local fan while helping to grow the profile of rugby.

Competitions such as-
IRB World Cup
6 Nation
Tri Nations/4 Nations
Pacific 4 Nations
Churchill Cup
European Nations Cup
Lions Tour (To all Southern Hemisphere teams)
Barbarian Tour (Where a focus should be applied on an entertaining game, a bar for example, needs to filled to judge if the tour was a success or not. Goes up on successful set piece move, interceptions, which should be made easier, and of course victory)

On the domestic front
Magners League
AIB Irish League
Welsh Primership
Scottish Primership

English Primership
English Championship

French Top 14
French Second Division (Pro D2)

Italy Super 10
Russia Professional League

Super 14/15
Air New Zealand Cup
South Africa Currie Cup
PNC Nations Cup (Domestic for Pacific Nations)

Thrown in just for fun
USA and Canada Rugby Super League
Spain/Portugal Division de Honor

And very important the 7s circuit, even more so now that it has been accepted into the Olympics.

These domestic leagues sided with the Heineken and Amlin Cups makes for a very open wide ranging catchment area in which this game has to a success. Hopefully. With all the leagues connected in a game mode in which a coach must work from the lowest league in their native country to world cup success for the home nation, with the pinnacle being a successful lions tour or defence from a tour letting them being elected IRB President? (Top of my head) Added with this brain storm, storylines. While in season mode different story lines would take effect, such as injury crisis, star player injury, run of poor form, underdog, hated league, local or cup rivals which can be fanned by weekly gossip in the match reports. For example, after a spell in which you were the academy coach for Toulouse (where during a game you could only control your selected academy players) you move on to a new club, as head coach, were bad press, rumours and league or cup rivals fan the flames of hatred, which ends with both teams, by no accident, meeting the final of the Heineken Cup! It might be match fixing but it would be fun.

That's it, all I can think of the top of my head. And yes, everything in the game can be edited, players, profiles, stadiums. Of course a create mode where unlimited players, teams and leagues cam be made. And the game can be upgraded via online at a reasonable price, instead of waiting for the next world cup! It would also be great to see some good quality unlockables, such as each country can unlock legends suck Jonah Lomu for New Zealand, J P R Williams for Ulster or Ireland, Jonathan Davis and/or Neil Jenkins for Pontypridd or Wales. But also with players when you win a championship a small video, history and list of champions to date. Just a thought.

Thanks to FFLilJon for the link to the site, an brilliant to see so much input for the game, can't wait for the new game!

 

[leinsteire]

I reckon there should be at least 2 legendary players for each of the top 10 rugby teams available to unlock via winning tournaments or Challenge mode, here are a few suggestions:

New Zealand: Jonah Lomu and Tana Umaga (recently retired)
South Africa: Francois Pienaar and Percy Montgomery (recently retired)
Australia: John Eales and David Campese
France: Philippe Sella and Christophe Lamaison
Ireland: John Willie McBride and Keith Wood
England: Martin Johnson and Rory Underwood
Scotland: Gordon Brown and Gavin Hastings
Argentina: Augustin Pichot and Hugo Porta
Wales: Neil Jenkins and Gareth Edwards
British and Irish Lions: Tony O'Reilly, J.P.R Williams and many others to chose from

 

[Dizzy]

Goal Kicking

This is just another idea, not really hoping this makes the game or not but when your player takes a kick at the post, it would add a more, simulated effect if we[the controller] were able to control the entire process of taking the kick.
What I mean by this is it would be great if we had full control of taking our paces back from the ball[as many as was possible, but not too much ten paces back is just silly]. Just to add that desired simulation to make you feel more in control. Tthen when you're satisfied, you can set the angle.
Or maybe judging on how many paces you take to the side sets the angle for you.

Just an idea.

 

[swervin]

I reckon there should be at least 2 legendary players for each of the top 10 rugby teams available to unlock via winning tournaments or Challenge mode, here are a few suggestions:

Yes - great idea!! Stuff the trophies/achievements/videos. Unlocking greats from the past that you can use in current teams is the way to go. Also let us build a custom baa-baa's team with them (and the entire player base). Would keep me playing much longer.

 

[Sixesandsevens]

No no Iron Mike, a leicester tigers fan! He is probably the best back we have ever had!

 

[deano]

open play

better side step and if u play 2players on same time the 2nd player can change the angle of the player about to recive the ball just by selectin him, the last game i played if u selected the player before he recived the ball he dropped it. just little things like that would make me happy​

 

[welshglory]

I'm just going to say that, as long as it close to Madden 10 and/or Fifa 10 i will be grateful

 

[Dizzy]

Oh and take the arrows away when you're kicking in general play. So that your opponent[playing two players] doesn't know exactly where you're kicking it to. Or make the arrows optional?

 

[SavageLez]

open play

if u play 2players on same time the 2nd player can change the angle of the player about to recive the ball just by selectin him, the last game i played if u selected the player before he recived the ball he dropped it. just little things like that would make me happy​

You are absolutely right. This did not happen in Rugby 06. In 08 you had to pass then select the player once he has the ball. That was a load of crap because you could not change the angle of play like you could in 06!

All the wrong things about rugby 08 needs to be changed, the frozen screen when there is an injury

The frozen screen was ridiculous, you could be in the RWC Final and then an injury occurs. The only way to solve the problem was to eject the controller and wait for the screen to notify you of this. Once the controller was inserted you could then push circlw repeat you substitute and it would work again. Only 80 % success rate though!

 

[Dizzy]

open play

better side step and if u play 2players on same time the 2nd player can change the angle of the player about to recive the ball just by selectin him, the last game i played if u selected the player before he recived the ball he dropped it. just little things like that would make me happy​

or they could just make a quick step feature.. Instead of being able to select him before hand and then change your angle.
So that when he gets the ball it looks more realistic. As opposed to running one way and the ball chases you.

 

[Dizzy]

Why not make a season mode.. Like the NBA ***les where depending on your country[optional] you pick a super 14 or guiness premiership team to begin with and you go through that season, and depending on the form and performances of each player[including cpu teams] stats, work rate, form, etc determine who gets picked for the national side, and then you control your national sides fixtures through the tri nations or the six nations and then the end of year tour... Like in the NBA ***les, the all stars team gets selected depending on who the league leaders are.

Or if they do decide to include the ITM cup[which I doubt] you start off there.

And make it continuous for four seasons leading up to the World Cup... that would definitely keep gamers playing.

Have this season mode and the world league mode[where you start off with a bunch of nobodies] and there you have 2 long term tournaments that will keep gamers happy until the next ***le is released.

 

[Milo mekaio]

Make the gameplay like jonah lomu rugby but with better graphics. and also would be cool if there was a 7's option in it as well.

 

[deano]

or they could just make a quick step feature.. Instead of being able to select him before hand and then change your angle.
So that when he gets the ball it looks more realistic. As opposed to running one way and the ball chases you.

Good point, it would look a lot more realistic! the side step in the old lumu game was better than wat we've had resently, not realistic but better

 

[deano]

would love to see a classics babarians team with the likes of lomu, greegan, cullan, howly etc just a mix of all the class players make it a bit more fun

 

[Genon]

Add the ITM Cup!!!

 

[ryyounger]

I think a create a player option/ edit team option is essential. Before you all jump down my throat hear me out! My concernfor Rugby 2012 is that this wont be a yearly release unlike the Fifa series of our over paid nancy boy cousins. I'm sure that the player depth for rugby 2012 will be fantastic, however in 1-2 years the teams will be out of date, and any new young players will not be included. A player creatre/ team edit option would enable us to update the squads. I'm not sure if everyone else is a sad as me! but i do like to create the new young breakthrough players and include him in the game. On the other hand Im not asking the developers to not devote all the time to getting fast, flowing, realistic gameplay. As I definately agree with the other posters that this has to primary, as anything else they include doesnt really matter as the game would be unplayable anyway!