Suggestions/ideas for Rugby 2012

[skittles]

except that there is no replayability value at all if the gameplay sucks.. safe to say to gameplay needs plenty of work from the past games so they need to just make that good then worry about any other gimmicks. I would much rather play a game with only two teams and one game mode if it had a proper representation of rugby and was good to play than an updated roster version of rugby 08 with all these features and game modes and all these other things that don't really matter.

And how long would you play that for before you got bored? A game needs to have gameplay AND replay value if it's going to succeed. You can't neglect either of them, otherwise you'll have either a terrible game with an awesome franchise mode (extremely frustrating), or brilliant gameplay but all you can do is play the same game over and over and over again (which is the computer game version of chloroform).

 

[madflyhalf]

I'm a user of Rugby 2006! So my little suggestions come by using this game, even if know something about R08
Sorry if anyone have posted these things before... well, I actually thought I've already posted it, but I can't find it in this thread!!
Also sorry for my bad English, I have a lot of ideas and suggestions, but it's hard to translate them precisely.

Tournaments
I'd like to have november/june tour, but anyway, I hope that all features in R06 will be available in R12 (Lions and World League included, maybe with some differences by regions).

Rosters & Teams
Updated of course, possibility to create own players (and maybe our own team, but it's not so important to me) with a good editor, because in R06 it was impossible to not having big-mouthed players, with strange nose and small eyes!

I'd like to select 30 players for normal tournaments, but for World Cups and B&I Tours (and maybe end-of-season tours), I think that 35 players would be better!

Gaming and General Play
I think there are a lot of things to improve in Rugby 2006, and if something have been done in 2008, others not!
So:
[
U]- better lineout[/U]! I think Rugby 2004 was the best lineout system ever had! You must be able to use in the lineout at least one flanker and the n.8 too!

- better scrum mode. I found very hard to use a correct push, hard to rotate! It's also ridicolous that your n.8 wouldn't be able to make 3 mt. out of a scrum without being tackled, but CPU n.8 could run for 5 or 6 meters!!

- rucks, better tournover: I'd like to be able to conserve the ball until some of my backs (or other players not involved in the rugby) will be ready to receive the ball. I can't understand why if you wait for 4 seconds, you immediatly lose possesion.

- flyhalf on the run I really like it, but when I do this, one player from outside the 3/4 (normally a wing) start to run back and positioning himself inside the flyhalf! This is stupid, because this is a good system for a quick attack with numeric advantage, but this numeric advantage disappears without the wing outside.
It's a good idea to have someone inside the flyhalf, but he should come from the other side of the field, the one you're not attacking into.

- scrum-half should be able to pick & run the ball from the ruck and from a scrum, this is impossible to to in R06 because he starts to run straight into the defenders, being tackled after 50cm!! He should be able to run a little wide from the ruck/scrum

- better camera angles. I always use Classic 1, well... ehm... behind your players, I think it's the best angle to attack and defend, but in Rugby 2006 camera was too close! I'm not able to see touchline if I want to kick and I'm not able to see the post if I want to take a dropgoal!

- better grubber and kicking mode! Longer grubbers, good kicking time, in R06 it's unreal you've been tackled after a nanosecond of late! Also i want chip kicks!
A good power/distance ratio, it's impossible that Wilko, DC and Monty could kick a 90m punt, but no one is able to take a dropgoal from outside 30mt!
Also a right-footed must not kick with the same precision with his left-foot and viceversa!

- better passing in R06 there are slow and lob skip-pass easy to intercept, i think a good system to pass the ball could be:
L1 (1 click) pass left
L1 (2 clicks) skip pass left
R1 (1 click) pass right
R2 (2 clicks) skip pass right

- better running lines: teammates must be able to run different angles than the ball carrier, looking for gaps and holes! In R06 everyone runs the same angle of the ball carrier!

- attacking moves: some are good, some others not! Especially the more complicated, made by players running very slowly and always stopped by the defence.
I like (R06) "Classic" "Pivot" "Miss Pivot" and "Miss", I hope to have this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OsOlqWnAUQ#t=1m56s

Defences
In Rugby2006 there is a stupid defence!!! Your centres just run away, opening an enormou gap that you have to cover with only one player (normally 10), who has to tackle every one! Centres are useless in this way of defending, and of course it's not real!! Just make them run straight if you make a normal defence, or run outside if your using a sliding defence...

Rules
Correct rules!
Tackling in the air, lineout offsides (a lineout ends when the ball crosses the advantage line, not when the jumper touches ground!), ball carried over dead-ball line... no holding-on, backs penalised for collapsing scrums...

And of course, as everybody said before, AI must be more realistic and smarter.
"Elite" mode is too easy!

 

[beerholder]

Another thing would be the Fatigue thingy. In r08 and 06 the fatigue had no effect (I'm not talking about the sprint fatigue), only if you were crazy enough to play 20minutes a half.

There are some players that just can't play the whole 80 minutes, so I think this should be incorporated in the game (it's present in the last 5 or 6 fifa games, so it should be fairly easy).
I think it would be cool to see tired players miss tackles or lose the ball in the ruck or fresh wings that would break the lines after being introduced later in the game.

 

[donmcdazzle]

And how long would you play that for before you got bored? A game needs to have gameplay AND replay value if it's going to succeed. You can't neglect either of them, otherwise you'll have either a terrible game with an awesome franchise mode (extremely frustrating), or brilliant gameplay but all you can do is play the same game over and over and over again (which is the computer game version of chloroform).

well i still play jonah lomu rugby so that's about 14 years or so? Still the best to play against mates. Good gameplay lends itself to replayability. I'm just saying that with the limited budget these guys probably have it's unrealistic to expect a rugby version of FIFA or Madden. So if they try to do all the things those other games do then it'll end up being half assed. They should work on a new engine so the gameplay is good, then do whatever else if they have any money/time left over. Surely the gameplay bit is the most important aspect to perfect before worrying about additional things.

 

[madflyhalf]

I found another thing: the wind!
In R06 the wind affects only place kick, but I remember (pretty sure) that in R04 it affects also kick in play! That was very realistic!

 

[skittles]

well i still play jonah lomu rugby so that's about 14 years or so? Still the best to play against mates. Good gameplay lends itself to replayability. I'm just saying that with the limited budget these guys probably have it's unrealistic to expect a rugby version of FIFA or Madden. So if they try to do all the things those other games do then it'll end up being half assed. They should work on a new engine so the gameplay is good, then do whatever else if they have any money/time left over. Surely the gameplay bit is the most important aspect to perfect before worrying about additional things.

Which has, surprise surprise, several different game modes.

 

[MindofMykyta]

I agree with some of the extra features like "Be a Pro" mode and the like, but I don't think HB Studios should focus on getting every single tournament that is played by rugby union into the game. I do really want to see the Currie Cup, ITM Cup, etc. in the game, but I would rather have the team solely focus on the big ones for their first game. The big ones would be (from my knowledge):

- The international teams (includes Tri-nations, Six-Nations, yada yada yada)
- Heineken Cup
- Super Rugby (formally Super 15, formally Super 14 haha)

That is a good amount of teams to focus on and really make all the players look believable. If you include Currie Cup, ITM Cup, Top 14, Magners League that also means hundreds of more players. And you guys all apparently want realistic faces, realistic stats, and all that, which would require too much resources for this starting effort.

Like the saying goes, we can't have everything =).

 

[RockoCarosella]

Hi guys,

I'm sure there you have plenty of gameplay suggestions already and most of my ideas have probably already been covered. Not sure if it's been mentioned, but a feature i think would be relatively easy to implement would be half time, post game, season & career statistics, statistics for everything not just kicking and tries. Especially Tackle Stats which have been missing in rugby games. I think it's a small thing but would help with the immersion in the "Rugby Coach" role, and it's always good to look at your championship team and see how each individual went. Not everyone can bee a star try scorer or goal kicker, so I think having tackle stats/line out steals/turnovers etc would show the hard work of the forwards especially.

There could even be a player of the day/tournament, and the tackle/turnover/forwards type stats would weigh heavily towards that so that it won't just be the try scoring backs winning all the awards (Unless they earn it of course haha). In the previous games, me and my mates would wait for the end of the game and there would usually be a close up of a player at the end and we'd name that person 'player of the day' but it'll be cool to have something official to give an extra sense of pride in your team.

Cheers and good luck with production.

EDIT: OK just picked a page at random and stats/man of the match feature has already been mentioned several times, hope they can make it happen!

 

[sarugby05]

Have euphoria natural motion engine for a sevens part of the games.

 

[madflyhalf]

Hi guys,

I'm sure there you have plenty of gameplay suggestions already and most of my ideas have probably already been covered. Not sure if it's been mentioned, but a feature i think would be relatively easy to implement would be half time, post game, season & career statistics, statistics for everything not just kicking and tries. Especially Tackle Stats which have been missing in rugby games. I think it's a small thing but would help with the immersion in the "Rugby Coach" role, and it's always good to look at your championship team and see how each individual went. Not everyone can bee a star try scorer or goal kicker, so I think having tackle stats/line out steals/turnovers etc would show the hard work of the forwards especially.

There could even be a player of the day/tournament, and the tackle/turnover/forwards type stats would weigh heavily towards that so that it won't just be the try scoring backs winning all the awards (Unless they earn it of course haha). In the previous games, me and my mates would wait for the end of the game and there would usually be a close up of a player at the end and we'd name that person 'player of the day' but it'll be cool to have something official to give an extra sense of pride in your team.

Cheers and good luck with production.

EDIT: OK just picked a page at random and stats/man of the match feature has already been mentioned several times, hope they can make it happen!

Totally agree!!!
Especially for tackle stats, which last featured in Rugby2000!!
I need that! I need to now how many tackles "my Schalk Burger" does every match!

 

[Adam Nastos]

this stuff sounds good

i would like to see weight affect the tackle,rucks,mauls and scrums
more than two players in a tackle so more tackle animations
better try animations
chip kicks and grubbers
turf cutting up during a game
Be a Pro with an option to be an unsigned American player trying to get an overseas contract
weather affecting players
more stadiums to play in
British and Irish lions as a playable team

MOST IMPORTANT

PLEASE SELL THIS GAME IN AMERICA DON'T MAKE IT AS HARD TO PURCHASE AS RUGBY 08 WAS
Thank you for taking the tough task for making the first rugby game in 4 years
Good luck

 

[Swarley]

The most important thing for me is the ability to create a franchise/competition.
Competition would be very fun for multiplayer.

All the gameplay issues above are also very relevant.

 

[doogiedog1234]

HB studios i have a fantastic idea.
Player attack and defense could revolve heavily around the amount of players it takes to bring down a ball carrier. And the defender has this option to either bring in more players into the tackle to bring the guy down or just leave it up to the one defender. This has many benfits.

1. It forces u to choose wether u trust that the first tackler has the tackling ability to bring the ball carrier down...If u dont think he does then thats wen u would send in another player to bring the ball carrier down. This meens u have to know ur players tackling stats and the oppositions tackle breaking stats

2. If u do choose to bring in another tackler into the tackle than that meens that ball carrier has drawn two men.. creating points of attack if the ball carrier can offload the ball, or at second phase because two players would have been brought down in the ruck.. this would also meen that quick ball from the ruck is important at these critical times.and so u need good ruckers in your team (which is where fowards stats would come in so importantly)

3. The whole games attacking element could be based off this..Knowing which players to target in the defensive line.. knowing which players are able to break a single tackle often. It would increase the importance of a players ability to offload... this could be another stat attribute..Also make it more important to have good ruckers... for example if ma'a nonu got the ball and richy McCaw and Thompson were behind him it would be a fantastic option to crash ball draw in a few players get quick rucking with those two forwards and distribute quickly for a possibly created overlap.

4. The gaps and overlaps created by this would also make defensive patters more important because there would be these situations where there would be gaps and overlaps due to the extra men drawn in the tackle.... The two main defensive patterns are rushing and sliding.. There could be a button on the directional pad which allows u to choose which defense u would like to incorperate at everymoment of the game... rushing or sliding....If the players had an overlap out wide u would want rushing... if there were gaps ud want sliding...This would also make it more important for the player with the ball to choose cut out balls (for rushing) or short or inside balls for sliding.. It just opens up so many options.

5. Good tacklers are also worth alot more.... they can bring down a palyer one on one..... for example richie mcCaw, Johnny Wilkonson, Dan Carter, would rarely need an extra person in there to bring down a defender... So good defenders would be extreamly important just like in real life..

6. Steps... dont need to be like they were in 08 with this type of gameplay^. If shane williams got the ball on the wing and there was a guy in front of him marking up...u could incorporate this option of bringing more defenders into the tackle even before the defender starts the tackle... Shane williams gets the ball u press the O button which causes the closest player on the right to also move in on him. this way if shane steps the first defender and moves to the right this guy has the chance of covering him..The step shouldn't be this "u have to be facing the player and having the perfect timing to step through the tackle" it should just be a vicious change of direction which the defender cant change direction fast enough for.. Animations of the change of direction could be incorperated per player.. like quade and shane have different stepping animations..

7. This is practically how the game is played in real life... ITs all about quick ball from the ruck.. .creating gaps and overlaps... and individual ability to break tacklers with muscle or footwork... Then there are the speedsters to finnish off these created opportunities..
It would make a fantastic game...

So...
Game would not be this "control one person in the tackling line and swap to closest to the ball"....u have the ability to control people on either side of ur selected player to come in and target the ball carrier with u..
U could have this ability to choose rushing or sliding defence which drastically effects how the play unfolds. Not just wide or tight like in 08. Makes u know ur team.. ur player stats.. and who marks up against who.. Game would be more realistic.Stepping and tackle breaking has a higher importance in the game
.more decisions for the player to make, more variation in gameplay would result, more option for better AI (it could calculate best time to crash ball with wat players, the ruckers around the ball carrier etc when to spread it wide and use footwork etc.

 

[alittle80]

this is a great idea

 

[Spanks]

When in possession, would it be possible to select the closest man rather than the ball carrier and change his running angle or position. For example if you have a two on one and you are controlling the man with the ball, you press in the left analog stick and control the closest supporting runner's direction. The ball carrier continues in the direction he was running originally and you still control his actions with other buttons, so you press pass once the support runner is where you want him.

Could there be a momentum bar for the game; as you hold on to possession, break gain-line, gain field position the momentum bar improves your players stats slightly while reducing the other teams. This would make it quite realistic and actually reflect the way in which the game works; when a team is on the front foot it is much easier to win quick ball and go forward. Perhaps this could affect the camera angle in two player games, as a team gain more momentum the camera angle swings more behind that team making it easier for the player doing well. This would help create that feeling of helplessness that sometimes happens in rugby when you are losing and the other team just continues to retain, steal the ball and you're forced to play catch up.

Please don't make the offload out the tackle as simple as one button, really ruined rugby 08 that someone could just repeatedly hit X and keep going forward. Make it difficult and risky to do because in a real game it is.

Thoughts

 

[FKlopper]

One thing I personally would like to see is a Video referee, which could be used for close decisions in scoring a try.

 

[cpt. awesome]

video reffs are an awesome idea, and to the dude before him, about offloads, i find offloads quite easy as i run to offload so maybe offload easiness could depend on stats, i just think u shouldnt make it hard for all players such as sonny bill who oftens quite frquently and effortlessly

 

[londonirishboy]

sonny bill offloads quite a lot of things easily, passes, clubs...

ayooooo!

 

[wallwalson74]

The most important thing to me is. Updating the player rosters, more lineout options, better performance at the scrums angles going straight down etc and new animations! also not as many stars in one team, playing B&L tour was great but we were unbeatable with an all star back line. Ronan o'gara with a star? give me a break. also making your own set plays would be cool and add a whole new level of depth. especially in online play. but they should make it that you make your own set plays seperately eg before the game otherwise having to wait for an opponent or friend would be very annoying. also giving teams personalities would be great. give teams overall stats like the crusaders good off turnover ball while the bulls are build momentem by pick and driving. and realistic kicking, england were unbeatable in rugby 08 with johnny wilkonson being able to kick the ball the whole field just stupid. adding an 'x-factor' to some players would be great to. if they havent performed any errors or drop balls or missed tackles,passes etc they can pull off a wild goose step (quade cooper) or create a turnover (richie mccaw). and there needs to be less turnovers! passing it to the back was hard in rugby 08 becaue half the time you would lose the ball! agree with defensive patterns of set pieces but not off every play! this is rugby not madden

 

[squirrel]

i would like to see tackle stats at the end of game to see which players are pulling their weight