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Rugby Challenge 3 News Post

Rugby Challenge 3 Announced, Coming to Xbox One, PS4, 360, PS3, PC Later This Year

  03:52 PM - July 28, 2015 by Boltman

Tru Blu Entertainment and Wicked Witch Software have just announced Rugby Challenge 3 for Xbox One, PS4, 360, PS3 and PC. It is scheduled to arrive later this year, check out some of the features below.
  • NEW! Rugby Sevens - this first time addition brings all the realism and fast-paced action of live seven-a-side Rugby to the Rugby Challenge series.
  • NEW! Take total control in Be a Pro mode. Join a club team as a rookie and control your own destiny over 13 action packed seasons. Complete match goals to improve your skills as a player and work towards becoming the captain of your club. Work your way up the domestic ladder, and impress selectors to play for your national team on the world stage!
  • NEW! FanHub - the interactive Player Creator allows you to create yourself as a player and play then through the ranks. Players and teams can be shared online across all supported platforms.
  • BRAND NEW! Crisp next gen graphics - increased resolution and textures.
  • Real-time commentary from seasoned rugby commentators Grant Nisbett and former All Blacks turned commentator Justin Marshall. French language commentary from Eric Bayle and Thomas Lombard.
  • Play in different game modes including: Single Match; multi-team Competition; extensive multi-year Career Mode; Be a Pro Mode; and Online Multiplayer Mode.
  • Play over 11 competitions including the all new Super Rugby, ITM Cup and Currie Cup!!!
Read the full press release here.

Rugby Challenge 3 screenshot gallery - Click to view Rugby Challenge 3 screenshot gallery - Click to view
Game: Rugby Challenge 3Hype Score: Vote Now
Platform: PC / PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 0 - View All
Member Comments
# 181 strawberryshortcake @ 05/09/16 07:44 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by TerryP
Any general consensus on which game (this or RLL 3) has the better on-field game-play from anyone that has both? I just know the bare bones basics of rugby, so it 's not really important to me what version of rugby is depicted in the games.
Quote:
Originally Posted by celticboy25
I have both games. I have played Union for over 20 years but am very well-versed in league as well. I think for a player who is new to rugby, RLL3 is probably easier to grasp- since it is closer to American football in many ways. However, RC3 gives me more options which keeps the game more interesting. I can employ more strategy (i.e. kicking for space early to control territory, using my pack to grind out phases and dominate possession, playing the ball long to my backs to try to exploit holes for long gains, etc.....) in RC3.
That being said, RLL3 is a much better looking game and the commentary is slightly better


Disclaimer: I don't know anything at all about Rugby, but I've see a few matches and I think it's a fantastic sport. One can even catch full matches on youtube. So forgive me for butchering the terminology or even the concept of the sport.

(A) Why isn't there a more traditional larger "scrum" in Rugby League Live 3?

When I first saw footage of RLL3, I thought it was amateurish seeing as how the so-called "scrum" consisted of a total of 4 players. Yes, it starts out with a larger traditional scrum at the beginning, but during the field of play, I rarely ever see the traditional large scrum anymore. It starts with the ball carrier getting tackled to the ground, then those two goes at it while two other opposing teammates sorts of jumps in while everyone else stays far, far away. I've never quite seen "that" in a live match.

Rugby Challenge 3 on the other hand seems to at least represent the sport better in terms of what happens when the ball carrier gets tackled. A large scrum ensues. This is what I see during all real life matches.

I figured a "scrum" is a crucial part of rugby and I simply see it well executed in Rugby Challenge 3 but not Rugby League Live 3.




(B) Why are the players so stand off-ish in Rugby League Live 3 while everyone seems to be more engaged in Rugby Challenge 3 during the play?

In Rugby League Live3, it looks likes it's only a one on one battle between the ball carrier and the opposing defender while everyone else just stands and watches. In Rugby Challenge 3, everybody looks like they are engaged with the play.




Rugby League Live 3 - why is everyone so stand offish



Rubgy Challenge 3 - everyone looks to be engaged with the play
 
# 182 bad_philanthropy @ 05/09/16 11:14 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by strawberryshortcake
Disclaimer: I don't know anything at all about Rugby, but I've see a few matches and I think it's a fantastic sport. One can even catch full matches on youtube. So forgive me for butchering the terminology or even the concept of the sport.
What you illustrated in your post is simply the differences of the League code versus Union. Where possession in union is much more free flowing, chaotic, and continuous because a team can possess the ball for an unlimited number of phases as long as they win at the ruck.

Rugby League has a limited number of phases allowed per possession (if the ball is not turned over before that), and is generally more structured and less chaotic because there is no rucking. The tackled player simply releases the ball. Think about American football compared to, I guess, like Aussie Rules.

Additonally, scrums in Rugby League are largely vestigial at this point. They are rarely contested, and there is even talk of scrapping them entirely.

In short, what you've observed is actually relatively accurate representations of what the different codes of rugby look like.
 
# 183 strawberryshortcake @ 05/10/16 03:12 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by bad_philanthropy
What you illustrated in your post is simply the differences of the League code versus Union. Where possession in union is much more free flowing, chaotic, and continuous because a team can possess the ball for an unlimited number of phases as long as they win at the ruck.

Rugby League has a limited number of phases allowed per possession (if the ball is not turned over before that), and is generally more structured and less chaotic because there is no rucking. The tackled player simply releases the ball. Think about American football compared to, I guess, like Aussie Rules.

Additonally, scrums in Rugby League are largely vestigial at this point. They are rarely contested, and there is even talk of scrapping them entirely.

In short, what you've observed is actually relatively accurate representations of what the different codes of rugby look like.
Good information there. Both leagues look great from my brief youtube sampling. However, Rugby League Live 3 still seems to be missing a couple components from live video captured broadcast.

(1) Video game Rugby League often shows 1 person tackling the ball carrier, and sometimes infrequently 2 tacklers. But looking at real life rugby league game footage, it looks like there is often 3 tacklers on a ball carriers and sometimes 4 and more, and anyone within the vicinity of the ball carrier joins in on the tackle. Video game rugby league seems to frequently have the observing defensive players immediately adjacent to the ball carrier simply stand off-ish. Also hopefully video game rugby league can remove the suction tackling that I'm seeing.


EDIT: Maybe I was wrong. Decided to further check out Rugby Challenge 3 gameplay footage, and to my surprise, it's also just one person tackling the ball carrier. I was very surprised. I always had the impression that there were multiple defenders tackling the ball carrier. That was all a facade. It may look like multiple because everyone is in such close quarters, but if one actually dissects the Rugby Challenge 3 gameplay footage, it's only a one on one tackle situation. Unfortunately, I don't see multiple tacklers on the ball carrier.


(2) Video game Rugby League has both "lines" still so far apart when the play is in motion (i.e. when the ball carrier is on his feet running forward). Real Life rubgy league has both "lines" converging closer to each other, almost forming a V-shape, closing the gap on the ball carrier. The V pointing towards the ball carrier. Everything in real life rugby league still seems to be more compact while the video game rubgy league seems to be more spacious. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's simply my (have no clue about the rules and regulations of rugby) mind's observation.

Rugby League real life footage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6g_WMYaRk0

But the key is that at least there's a video game for both leagues, and I would like to see improvements to both games.
 
# 184 Krebstar @ 05/10/16 10:11 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by strawberryshortcake
issects the Rugby Challenge 3 gameplay footage, it's only a one on one tackle situation. Unfortunately, I don't see multiple tacklers on the ball carrier. [/color]


(2) Video game Rugby League has both "lines" still so far apart when the play is in motion (i.e. when the ball carrier is on his feet running forward). Real Life rubgy league has both "lines" converging closer to each other, almost forming a V-shape, closing the gap on the ball carrier. The V pointing towards the ball carrier. Everything in real life rugby league still seems to be more compact while the video game rubgy league seems to be more spacious. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's simply my (have no clue about the rules and regulations of rugby) mind's observation.

Rugby League real life footage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6g_WMYaRk0
You're not wrong, but it's also not the best way to evaluate what is happening in RLL3. Are the players often far more compressed in a real game? Yes.

Do players being less compressed in RLL3 make it easier to gain meters? No. Just because there is more space does not affect the realism of the game. It's actually harder to gain meters without passing wide in RLL3 than it is in an actual league game.

As bad_philanthropy said, all of your other points are strictly differences between how the two sports are played, not differences between how well made the games are.

I've played RLL2, RLL3, RC, RC2, and watched lots of footage of RC3 and I can say without a doubt that RLL3 is a far better representation of rugby league than RC3 is of rugby union.

To me that is as close of an apples to apples comparison that you can get—which one is the closest representation of their sport.
 
# 185 bad_philanthropy @ 05/10/16 12:33 PM
I should echo Krebstar's point about RLL being a better representation of the its code.

I have RC3 because it is the best union game available, and I am a longtime player irl, and supporter of rugby games because I want them to continue existing and progressing. That said, RC3 is essentially the exact same as RC2. It does some things well, but most fundamental aspects like back play, the kicking game, general control and player movement is not very good. The AI doesn't generally seem to know wtf is going on, and this causes the game to be too chaotic and making forward and back play almost indistinguishable. Combine this with some dodgy collision detection and animation and it gets to feel like a pretty low-end experience at times.

Additionally the quick strategies are completely unreliable. Sometimes I press the d-pad arrows or L2+d-pad and the menu doesn't even come up. Further, often the strategies don't seem to make my players execute what I selected.

I'd say the gameplay is behind that of Rugby 06 and Rugby 08 by EA.

Overally, you can do some decent things with sliders, there are some good licenses, career mode is close to being quite good but is ultimately a miss due to no player progression, Be-a-Pro is ok, and there is some sustained fun to be had for rugby enthusiasts because its rugby union. As far as a sports video game, rugby simulation, or just contemporary video game in general it's not a very good game. I'll play it a lot because I love the sport and it fulfills a niche interest of mine somewhat.
 
# 186 theEDGE5 @ 05/11/16 10:15 AM
As a massive fan of both union (which I played for many years in school) and league I am extremely disappointed with this game. RLL3 is far from perfect and there are some things it could do better (such as the hit-up mechanism), but on the whole it is just a vastly better representation of it's code. I don't expect an amazing game on par with the stuff that EA or 2K puts out, but when you compare to RLL3 or even older Union games it falls pretty short. Apart from the addition of sevens and a be pro it's essentially the same as RC2 and given the length of time it took between the two, the fact that this was delayed and the amount of money it costs I think it's very poor...in fact if anything it's a step back from RC2 from my point of view, because it has less licenses and so I can't even have fun using my own team.

I mean, don't get me wrong the game is still somewhat fun because it is rugby on some level, but it's just ridiculously 'arcade' like. The AI is pretty terrible and forwards will just stand aimlessly around the ruck, there are no pick and drive options (forwards don't form pods anyway). This is less noticeable when you can control all the players but when you play be a pro you notice how truly woeful the AI is. Forwards will often just stand there, not joining the ruck while the ball is being turned over for example.

As for back play, again it's not great and is often little more than a game of hot potato, shoveling the ball across the line. There are no dummy runners and unless I just haven't found it, no option to run attacking moves (like wrap around's and so on). I think the kicking mechanism is decent, it's better than RLL3s actually. The worst thing is the passing itself though, players just fling passes about with reckless abandon and can throw it huge distances even in mid-tackle but then you'll get simple passes that will be inexplicably knocked-on.

All in all, not very good but at the end of the day...it's still rugby, so I'll play it while I pray something better will come along. I am also not surprised to learn that this was developed by 'Wicked Witch' rather than 'Sidhe' who made RC2, as they are the company responsible for butchering AFL Live 2 after Big Ant made a solid first attempt.
 
# 187 theEDGE5 @ 05/21/16 05:17 PM
The more I try to play Be A Pro mode the more I realise it's absolutely terrible. The AI in this game is pathetic, it's honestly a joke that they even included the mode because teammates are just so ******** it barely resembles rugby.
 
# 188 baconbits11 @ 09/06/16 12:25 PM
It appears a patch has been released under the radar. On consoles it is 3MB. I see a harder kicking meter (goes much faster) and sound issues fixed. Some report other gameplay improvements. Is anyone else seeing this (or still playing the game)?
 
# 189 bad_philanthropy @ 09/06/16 03:48 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by baconbits11
It appears a patch has been released under the radar. On consoles it is 3MB. I see a harder kicking meter (goes much faster) and sound issues fixed. Some report other gameplay improvements. Is anyone else seeing this (or still playing the game)?
I think this was released about a month ago.

Kicking is a bit harder and player AI seems a bit better, and the animations feel a bit less slide-y.
 
# 190 thekodinator @ 09/07/16 02:22 PM
where can I find a copy of this in the states? Having a hard time purchasing in USA
 
# 191 baconbits11 @ 09/08/16 03:14 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by thekodinator
where can I find a copy of this in the states? Having a hard time purchasing in USA
It's on XBOX Live, Playstation Store for consoles, and Steam for PC.

Links on page 1.
 
# 192 Krebstar @ 09/10/16 09:03 AM
I can't help but have a slight itch for some union action...can anyone who has the game echo if there's been gameplay updates that equate to an improvement?

Any good slider sets floating around out there?

I know career mode has no ratings changes, but I'm still tempted to pick this up at some point.
 
# 193 bad_philanthropy @ 09/11/16 12:50 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Krebstar
I can't help but have a slight itch for some union action...can anyone who has the game echo if there's been gameplay updates that equate to an improvement?

Any good slider sets floating around out there?

I know career mode has no ratings changes, but I'm still tempted to pick this up at some point.
I actually think the game plays quite a bit better than RC2.The 1.01 patch cleaned up some animation issues and also cleaned up what I can best describe as the user input. It feels more refined and the players feel a bit weightier. The cpu also seems to play a more realistic game with the ball instead of wildly flinging it all around.

That all said, it took me a a bit to notice some of the better differences between RC2 and RC3, and RC3 is by no means a landmark improvement over 2.

There is a bit more subtle depth to RC3's gameplay that at times these gameplay refinements surprised, satisfied, and impressed me—which I can't really say RC2 ever did.

If you know RC2 then you know it's not necessarily a good game, but there is some decently satisfying rugby union pseudo simulation. I've had much more fun with 3 than I did 2.

It's still madness they didn't implement any kind of progression into the Manager mode, and the international rosters get jacked to hell in Be a Pro where it seems players get called up to any country.

I adjusted a few sliders (namely offload chance), but maybe the folks over here
http://www.therugbyforum.com/forums/...allenge-Series

have a bit more to say on the matter.

I did a Currie Cup dynasty more to test the game out. I was pretty impressed with the variety of results and gameplay.

http://www.operationsports.com/forum..****gby-rc3.html
 
# 194 BL8001 @ 02/28/17 01:22 AM
I can't find any indication what patch 1.01 did.

No notes on the web that I could find after searching for 45 minutes.

Game is fun though.

Fanhub issue I found was people are not doing the tactics or the tactics get reset somehow because 99% of the fanhub teams have default 50% slider team tactics and the game plays way better when the tactics sliders are set varied like on the default non fan hub teams.

If you could add kits like pes, if there was a kick accuracy slider and if you could download more than 30 fanhub teams. Oh yeah and an anytime replay option like rugby league live has, this game would be really good.
 
# 195 bad_philanthropy @ 02/28/17 01:49 AM
I know it's hugely overpriced, but on PC you can d/l some modden kits and rosters. Even modding the kits outside the game is reasonably simple to the point Ive even done a bit.

Agree on your points and would add the messy aspects of no progression and cpu squad selection in the career modes.

The game is surprisingly good. I just wish it had had a chance of being developed for a few more iterations.
 
# 196 BL8001 @ 02/28/17 08:28 PM
Yeah I own both game RLL3 and RC3 and both are fun in their own ways.

I feel like union is a tough sport to recreate in a videogame.

Wicked witch basically bought the RC2 engine from sidhe and added some more stuff.

I wish the sliders were broken out for user and AI. I wish you could search player names when you are adding players in the team edit section.

I need to figure out what I am doing wrong in rucks though, I posted on the rugby forum for help.

You have the circular meter when a ruck starts to form. Wtf does it mean???

It will fill up towards the top or deplete towards the bottom. But in either instance the AI will contest and steal the ball. It feels completely out of my control.

I quick bind if out on the edge and heavy bind in towards the middle with forwards closer. Nothing makes the ball cycle out faster.

Also I asked over there if wiggling the RS moved the ball out quicker but a guy said no. I swear it does sort of, or maybe I just want to think it does, either way, I hate the AI contests feeling random. My only real gripe with the game.

Here is the video
 
# 197 Krebstar @ 02/28/18 11:18 AM
Any chance that anyone is still playing this? I fired it back up to play with some updated Six Nations rosters, messed around with sliders and tactics, put it on the hardest difficulty with 40-minute games and I've really been enjoying it. Still playing around with the sliders, but it's definitely scratching my union video game itch for the moment.

I've pondered grabbing Rugby 18, but even with the latest update, it seems it might have too many issues.
 
# 198 scourge @ 03/02/18 03:30 AM
I still play it, but I am really hoping a Rugby Challenge 4 is in development, or a rugby union game from someone new.
 
# 199 baconbits11 @ 03/06/18 02:21 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by BL8001
I need to figure out what I am doing wrong in rucks though, I posted on the rugby forum for help.

You have the circular meter when a ruck starts to form. Wtf does it mean???

It will fill up towards the top or deplete towards the bottom. But in either instance the AI will contest and steal the ball. It feels completely out of my control.

I quick bind if out on the edge and heavy bind in towards the middle with forwards closer. Nothing makes the ball cycle out faster.

Also I asked over there if wiggling the RS moved the ball out quicker but a guy said no. I swear it does sort of, or maybe I just want to think it does, either way, I hate the AI contests feeling random. My only real gripe with the game.

Here is the video



I have found a way to have more input in the ruck, by pressing X (or square on PS4) to contest the ball. I have found it can be pressed a lot, even when the ref tells you to let go and there is a big risk/reward where some of the time I can get the opponent called for a not releasing the ball (holding on) and sometimes I get called for hands in the ruck. On some rucks though I just balance a quick bind or heavy bind, I don't think it matters whether the ball is toward the forwards or not. You also may want to increase the "ruck tackle bonus slider". It should help you maintain the ball for more phases.


Quote:
Originally Posted by scourge
I still play it, but I am really hoping a Rugby Challenge 4 is in development, or a rugby union game from someone new.

Still playing here also, got the itch again with Super Rugby starting. This is the best union game out there right now. It's also been nice to see a price drop in the last few months. I agree with you in hoping RC4 is being worked on now.
 
# 200 Krebstar @ 03/07/18 09:37 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by baconbits11
I have found a way to have more input in the ruck, by pressing X (or square on PS4) to contest the ball. I have found it can be pressed a lot, even when the ref tells you to let go and there is a big risk/reward where some of the time I can get the opponent called for a not releasing the ball (holding on) and sometimes I get called for hands in the ruck. On some rucks though I just balance a quick bind or heavy bind, I don't think it matters whether the ball is toward the forwards or not. You also may want to increase the "ruck tackle bonus slider". It should help you maintain the ball for more phases.
I was so excited last week when I got the AI called for holding on. I'll have to keep contesting more and more in hopes to get more penalties, even if it's against me.
 


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