Sunday Rivals News

We've defeated the Early Access team and can finally hoist the long-awaited 'full release' trophy, Sunday Rivals hits 1.0 today! Check out this trailer and then I'm going to wax poetic about the game for a bit:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

This release was all about tying up loose ends, but I did add one more fun thing on the way out: Taunting! Remember, showboating is all fun and games until the AI breaks one and shoves it in your face!

To make the game a little more familiar to new players coming from other sports games, I've made some changes to the default controls. Do us both a favor and check out the all-new 'How to Play' section before you hit the field to see the new layout (original one is now called 'classic'). And who knows, maybe you'll learn something new about the game too?

Lastly, music! Actual Sunday Rivals menu music!

Now before I dump a list of patch notes on you, I want to give a huge thank you to everyone who tried out the game in early access, yall stuck with it during that barebones first summer, playing your games in front of an empty stadium with only a promise that one day there'd be a real game in front of you. I hope you've enjoyed this 2.5 year long journey as much as I have and that this game continues to entertain you for years to come!



This definitely isn't an ending, I think this game has a bright future and I still have more in the tank to put into it. While I won't be working on Sunday Rivals 100% of the time anymore, it will continue to simmer and I will continue to stir.

So let's get out there and have some 1.0 fun! Maybe do a flip into the endzone on your way there? Your choice, I'm probably not your dad.

As always, thanks for playing!

GAMEPLAY

• Updated default button mapping, made prior mapping available as 'classic'
  
• Added controls for run and dive taunting while carrying the ball
  
• Added a detailed rating and role description for controlled player while in pass/defensive preview mode
  
• Holding down a receiver's pass button will toggle to their detail in preview modes
  
• Adjusted position of player names and OVR in preview modes
  
• Pass spiral tightness now directly correlates to the quality of the throw
  
• Improved variability of fumbles during a game
  
• Improved support blocker's positioning as they run in front of the ball carrier
  
• Improved animation for protect power running
  
• Adjusted AI logic to more frequently kick a field goal in closing seconds of a game if the result will lead to a tie or win
  
• Adjusted AI logic to more appropriately use their timeouts on defense
  
• AI timeouts called in 'Watch Mode' games are now visible in the UI
  
• Updated RB blocking on 'Jailbreak' play
  

MUSIC

• Added 5 music tracks to the frontend
  
• Added 7 stadium music tracks
  

SEASON MODE

• Added playbook selection option between Season Mode games
  

FRONTEND

• Added a fully illustrated and updated How to Play section
  
• Added option to set controller button display and layout directly in the How to Play section
  
• Updated and reorganized settings menu with support for additional audio, control, and gameplay settings
  
• Added interactive player 'role' description while adjusting a player's ratings
  
• Updated scouting reports to use full range of data available to them
  
• Added multiple tooltips to menu options
  
• Added NUX for 'How to Play' section
  
• Adjusted loading sequence to account for larger files at startup
  
• Adjusted loading sequence for new players
  
• Removed deprecated 'budget' slider
  

BUGS

• Fixed a bug where the blocking UI would show up over the ball carrier in 2 player games
  
• Fixed a bug where interceptions were excluded from the game summary and recap screens
  
• Fixed a bug where QB-keeper style plays were incorrectly being counted twice for carries
  
• Fixed a bug where QBs who ran out of bounds would be incorrectly counted twice for carries
  
• Fixed a bug where the ball could pop out of a diving players hands if they collided with the bench
  

Happy to finally announce that Sunday Rivals will leave Early Access and officially launch on May 16th, 2022 for only $20!

Easy to pickup, hard hitting, fully customizable arcade football is back!

Please help me spread the word and a special thank you to everyone who has jumped in during Early Access and helped me build this game and community, I hope you've enjoyed the ride as much as I have!

Excited to launch the v.21.0 Fumble Update! Offenses beware, if you think you can just run out the clock in crunch time, better find some guys who can hold onto the rock! Don't take my word for it, see for yourself!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

This update also brings along some important AI improvements on both sides of the ball, as well as adding new sliders to support pass disruptions and fumbles. As a result, your slider/difficulty settings will be reset, so make sure you adjust them to get the challenge you're looking for!

I've also removed the custom roster 'auto-patcher' added in v.17.0, last July. If you had custom rosters prior to v.17.0 and also haven't played the game since then, I recommend running the game first before installing this update to patch your rosters! Most players should not be affected by this change, it's more of a heads up for any lapsed players who might be checking back in after a long break!

Finally, v.21.0 marks 'feature complete' for Early Access, as we charge head first towards v1.0 release! Stay tuned over the upcoming weeks for an announcement regarding the release date and final price!

Full patch notes below and as always, thanks for playing!

GAMEPLAY

• Players can now fumble the ball on plays from scrimmage
  
• Replaced 'inside 20' punting stat with 'pins', awarded when the ball is downed inside the 5
  
• Improved player pursuit angles when players are parallel to each other
  
• Improved AI runner's break point on outside runs
  
• Improved AI receiver's awareness when quarterback is scrambling
  
• Improved AI running logic after a turnover
  
• Passes can no longer be dislodged when a player is on the ground after a dive
  
• Increased likelihood of tipped passes in all directions
  
• Increased likelihood AI will choose to kick their extra point if it will win the game
  

DIFFICULTY

• Added pass disruptions and fumble difficulty sliders
  
• Updated and cleared custom difficulty save file
  
• Updated all slider descriptions
  
• Updated preset difficulties
  
• Rebalanced difficulty values for 12 sliders
  

PRESENTATION

• Added celebration cutscene for defensive fumble recoveries
  
• Added celebration cutscene for pins
  
• Added more randomization to player reactions and celebration animations
  
• Cleaned up improper player and sideline reactions
  
• Cleaned up rotation jitter for unengaged blockers
  
• Cleaned up animation for ball carriers who are tackled while getting up from the ground
  

FRONTEND

• After a Season Mode game, the frontend will return you back to the Season Mode menu
  
• Removed auto patching for pre v.17 rosters and new players at startup
  
• Updated help popup text for player ratings
  

UI

• Created animated event text and added support for fumbles
  
• Updated summary screen with support for team stat totals and additional stats
  
• Brightened the line of scrimmage
  

BUGS

• Fixed a bug where the description for 'Pacific' weather used info from 'Northwest'
  

Quick patch to fix a critical bug that popped up in the most recent release:

BUGS

• Fixed a critical bug where punts could land in a location that players would not be able to pick up the ball from, effectively soft-locking the game
  

Hey yall, the v.20.3 Gameplay Update is live featuring some changes on the defensive side of the ball, most notably the ability for a well timed hit on a receiver to jar the ball loose for an incomplete pass! Once it happens, you'll think twice about setting your receiver up for that hospital pass...

In addition to pass disruptions, I've made some overall changes to how and when defenders try to make plays on the ball, as well as tightening up their ability to keep plays in front of them and make quick tackles. This is all pretty fresh, so feedback is appreciated!

There's also a bunch of new animations, reactions, and a few important bug fixes, so you'll want to read the full patch notes below. But odds are if you're still reading this, you probably want to hear about these release plans, so without further ado, here's me, talking about release plans!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Questions? Concerns? Let me know what you think and I'll try and update as much as I can as we get closer to wrapping up Early Access. It's been a crazy ride and I appreciate all of you for sticking with me!

GAMEPLAY

• Added the ability for tacklers to jar the ball loose immediately after a catch for a deflection
  
• Lower rated pass defenders will position themselves for making immediate tackles rather than make a play on the ball
  
• High tackle rated safeties and linebackers will choose to disrupt passes with hits more than deflections
  
• Improved skilled safety's positioning and containment on slants and outs
  
• Improved AI tacklers ability to discern 'useless' directional changes
  
• AI will occasionally lunge for tackles when in range
  
• Increased defender's speed during deflection attempts
  
• Improved AI defender's route towards receiver while a catch is being made
  
• Improved AI pass coverage positioning when players toggle in and out of passing modes
  
• Decreased the knockback distance of weaker hits
  
• Decreased camera shake on late hits
  

ANIMATION

• Players react at the end of plays
  
• Added multiple post-play reactions
  
• Added a new touchdown celebration
  
• Added two new tackle animations and polished existing ones
  
• Added a new hit animation and polished all existing ones
  
• Broken tackles play appropriate hit animations now
  

UI

• Updated rating titles and descriptions on the edit player screen to better explain what each value does per position
  

BUGS

• Fixed a bug where punts that were not immediately downed would be counted as an incomplete pass and give the ball back to the offense
  
• Fixed a bug where pressing the Escape button would not correctly close the gameplay sliders menu while the game is paused
  
• Fixed a bug where finger tape position was inverted in game