Sunday Rivals News

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
  

Hey yall, happy to show off the Face Update, which is a funny name but honestly I'm not sure what else to call this one!



This update adds a handful of new player customization options, including 2 additional heads, 5 facial hair options, new hair colors, and finger tape! In addition, you'll be able to pop up your player's helmet while working on them to see those mean mugs in all their glory.

This update isn't just pretty faces, in fact things are gonna get real dirty soon with the addition of late hits! Lay off some steam by laying out an unwitting opponent who forgot to keep his head on a swivel after the whistle.

There's a few extras packed in here too, including new ball bounces on punts and tipped passes, better throws on bubble screens, and some bug fixes. Check out the complete patch notes below:

ART

• Added 2 head options, updated the original one
  
• Added 4 facial hair options
  
• Added 3 hair color options, updated existing colors
  
• Added single bar facemask option
  
• Added finger tape to player's glove options
  
• Added option to pop up player's helmet in customization menus
  
• Some sitting sideline players will pop up their helmet while sitting on the bench
  
• Players will pop up their helmet during touchdown celebrations
  
• Goalpost flags hide correctly
  
• Improved fidelity of jersey numbers
  

GAMEPLAY

• Added late hits
  
• Improved ball bounce trajectory on errant passes
  
• More predictable ball deflections on overthrown and tipped passes
  
• Low quality passes have higher chance of being tipped forward and picked off
  
• High skilled punters will be able to land punts with backspin near the endzone
  
• Added collision to stadium walls, uprights, and bench areas
  
• Increased tendency for AI kick returners to take touchbacks in critical game situations
  
• Increased tendency for AI punt returners to allow ball to bounce into endzone
  
• Blockers will continue running towards their assignment even if their target is not moving
  
• Players stay still until the ball is kicked on kickoffs
  
• Decreased gunner's starting speed on kickoffs
  
• Widened path for outside QB runs
  
• Agile QB's will stay in pocket longer before deciding to scramble
  
• Defenders will take better pursuit angles on QB scrambles
  
• AI will call less 2pt conversions when only up by 6
  
• AI will call less QB/WR runs on 3rd and 4th down
  

UI

• Player model can be rotated using the trigger buttons in customization menus
  
• Replaced outdated blocking assignments on some outside run play art
  
• Disabled lights in some frontend menu screens
  

SRFL

• Updated names and customizations on multiple teams
  

BUGS

• Fixed a bug where a text field could be edited even after it loses focus or visibility
  
• Fixed a bug where players experience unexpected navigation behavior when using the numpad for text customization
  
• Fixed a bug where a measurement resulting in a turnover on downs would incorrectly display as a first down
  
• Fixed a bug where scouting descriptions for high-rated edge rushers were incomplete
  

Hope everyone is enjoying the weather, this week I put together a gameplay patch that addresses a long standing issue in Sunday Rivals: Where to place the ball after a big tackle. As you know, the hits in Sunday Rivals can be on the massive side and as a result, it's not always clear where a tackle began and where it actually ended.



Enter the chain gang! You may have noticed these guys on the sidelines in the last update. Going forward they play a crucial role in determining whether or not that big run you just broke off will be a first down or 4th & inches!

While ball spotting has been improved everywhere on the field, you'll notice it most in the endzone, where past plays that probably should have been touchdowns will finally get you the 6 you deserve! See it for yourself:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

There's even more packed into this patch, so check out the full release notes below!

GAMEPLAY

• Improved forward momentum detection when spotting ball after tackles
  
• Carries that cross the goal line while being tackled will now count as touchdowns/conversions
  
• Added chain gang measurement cutscene on plays within 1 yard of the first down stick
  
• Play preview art is now hidden in two player games
  
• QB accuracy is decreased as rain and snow conditions worsen
  
• Player speed is unilaterally decreased in heavy snow conditions
  
• Receiver speed is slowed down out of catches, based on agility rating
  

ART

• Updated the football model and shader
  

UI

• Better clarified relationship between weather presets and slider values by updating the preset value to 'custom' whenever sliders are adjusted
  
• Current information tab is remembered between plays on the playbook screen
  
• Coach dialog can override information tab in critical situations on the playbook screen
  
• Field hash arrow correctly positioned for away team on the playbook screen
  

Audio

• Home team touchdown celebration music plays during extra point
  
• Stadium music is muted heading into kickoffs
  

BUGS

• Fixed a bug where the away uniform sock colors were incorrectly displayed in the uniform editor
  
• Fixed a bug where the players uniform would incorrectly show snow in the uniform editor
  
• Fixed a bug where the away team sock colors were incorrectly loaded in game
  
• Fixed a bug where a punt returner would get stuck in the receive animation after switching over control on a long kick
  

Excited to launch the long-awaited weather and time of day update to Sunday Rivals!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Time of day runs continuously through the game, start a game in the early morning dew and finish in the heat of the afternoon. As the the setting sun dips below the horizon, the blinding stadium lights flood the field.



Dynamic weather systems bring rain showers that evolve into muddy down pours. Snow dusted grass transforms into a frozen, winter wonderland. Howling winds blow well-aimed kicks off the uprights and rolling fog strains field visibility. Mother nature at her finest!



To implement all these changes, I've made a host of adjustments to team customization screens, so you'll absolutely want to update your teams' weather, grass, and stadium settings before you start checking out the new weather!



Finally, this update brings with it a host of graphical improvements that may have an impact on lower end hardware (especially laptops). Please let me know if performance suffers after this update so I can get started on some solutions for those cases.

As always, there's a ton of bug fixes, gameplay tweaks, and overall improvements in this update, so check out the release notes below and thanks for playing!

ART

• Added dynamic weather and time of day
  
• Added rain and snow particle systems
  
• Added impact particle systems
  
• Updated field, sky, and stadium art
  
• Added field degradation and footstep imprints
  
• Increased total of custom field colors to 16
  
• Added customizable grass quality
  
• Updated stadium lighting, reflections, and support for night games
  
• Updated scoreboard to support background animations
  
• Added stadium and upright flags
  
• Added chain gang to sidelines
  
• Added collision to endzone pylons
  
• Added field goal camera
  
• Player uniforms show wear from heavy weather
  

GAMEPLAY

• Kicks are now affected by wind direction and strength
  
• Increased likelihood AI teams will kick field goals to win the game
  
• Improved AI kicking aim
  
• Ball bounces significantly less in thick snow
  
• AI teams will use CPU set of slider values in watched games
  
• Decreased odds of kicks being blocked
  
• Increased time before a held down button is registered as a kick
  
• SEASON MODE
  
• Added weather forecasts and game start times to season schedule and pregame screens
  
• Removed preseason hiring screen
  
• Decreased frequency of ticker showing streaks over player stats
  
• Sim engine uses all QB ratings to determine success of running plays now
  

SEASON MODE

• Added weather forecasts and game start times to season schedule and pregame screens
  
• Added start times and player of the game stat line to game results screen
  
• Removed preseason hiring screen
  
• Decreased frequency of ticker showing streaks over player stats
  
• Sim engine uses all QB ratings to determine success of running plays now
  

UI

• Updated and added new customization options for weather, stadium slogans, and grass quality
  
• Added options to set time of day and weather conditions on game setup screen
  
• Added wind meters to kicking interface and play call screen
  
• Added long text support to multiple screens
  
• Improved UI support for 21:9 screens
  

AUDIO

• Added ambient weather sound effects
  
• Added new sound effect for a kicked ball hitting an upright
  
• Rebalanced audio mix
  

BUGS

• Fixed a critical bug where pressing the 'sync league' button would fail and create junk data
  
• Fixed a critical bug where players with blank first names could cause a series of cascading crashes in multiple areas of the game
  
• Fixed a critical bug where pressing the 'sync league' button would silently crash the game
  
• Fixed a bug where the defense would not pursue the ball carrier into their own endzone
  
• Fixed a bug where incorrect data would be shown for the player of the week in the postseason
  

Hey yall, just posted part 3 of my community Q&A series on youtube, you can watch it here:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

This video covers the possibility of console ports, fumbles, new game modes, future customizations, and a whole lot more. Stick around for a sneak peek at some of the visual improvements coming in the next major update and be sure to like, subscribe, and all that good stuff to help the game grow to a bigger audience!

I tend to post more frequently on places like twitter, youtube, and our discord server, so if you're looking to follow the game's development more closely, check out the links below:

https://twitter.com/sundayrivals
https://www.youtube.com/c/26k_actual
http://discord.gg/Waq2j6UbqC