Patch v0.1.3.3
Happy New Year!
This week has been mainly focused on improving the gameplay on the field. We're striving to make Legend Bowl great and we understand the importance of gameplay as a top priority. We will eventually move onto building out the Career mode and rest of the game after we feel the gameplay is solid across all phases of the game on the field (offense, defense, special teams).
So what's this update about you ask? Well let's start by saying the passing AI is much improved compared to previous builds. In the past, the Quarterbacks would determine an "open" receiver by simply measuring distances between receivers and nearest defenders on the field with no relation to routes or player speed or direction. This was okay, but it didn't take receiver lanes or routes into account and just threw to a generic spot.
Well, now it does! Quarterbacks will scan the field searching for an open receiver who has preferably completed their route and running speed and direction is open. Quarterback skill and strength play a role in determining how open receivers need to be in order to throw to them and progression speed is also a thing. We also have check downs now, so if you r Quarterback can't find an open player soon enough, then they check down if there's an option available.
Another major feature is controlling those wild passes out of bounds that many of you despise with all your energy. Up until now, throws would go as far as you throw them and often times sail out of bounds with no attempt at a conversion. Now, the ball is kept closer to the sidelines when you throw a pass. This is something we didn't know if we would like, but we have to say it really works and we think you're going to love it!
In terms of Quarterback movement in the pocket, sack detection and running or throwing the ball away is much better now. Quarterbacks will sense sack threats and defender danger much more fluidly in this version. They will try to evade defenders and decide to throw the ball away, make a desperate throw, or try to outrun the defenders. Good stuff!
Let's move on to the running game. Running has been lackluster to say the least up to now. Running backs would almost always lose yardage or get stuck behind the line of scrimmage on the regular. Blockers would get stuck at the line and not carry out their route for tosses or counters where they need to pull to a spot before blocking.
Things are different in a good way now! Blockers will pull to their destined spots now and running backs will shoot for those designed holes, instead of just getting lost behind the line. Running backs have much higher success running inside with better blocking in the trenches. We're really digging the running game right now and hope you like it too!
Those were the two major areas of concentration this week. We also updated several other areas of the gameplay and can't wait to hear your feedback. We want this game to be great and we'll get there with your help! Be sure to read the patch notes below and get on the field!
Gameplay Improvements
- Fixed issue when calling timeout and ball gets hiked causing game to get stuck.
- Fumble rule logic improved to help mitigate issues when ball fumbles out of bounds.
- Fixed game stat showing the advantage to team when stat is tied.
- Defensive AI playcalling IQ bumped up.
- Added logic to avoid QB dropping back so far he goes out of bounds.
- Ball Carrier out of bounds detection improved.
- Tournament Tree semi-final team logos were backwards.
- Tournament Tree overall home team winner logo was incorrectly displayed.
- Improved QB AI for better offensive production to sustain drives more realistically.
- Improved AI timeout calling logic for better game management.
- Lineman no longer flip when you flip a play.
- Player card located in top-left of screen allows for cycling through offensive players during presnap using dpad left/right inputs.
- Fixed issue where punt returner would auto-pilot and user can't control player.
- Fixed issue where you can't controller punt return defender until you switch players from the original presnap player.
- Downfield blocking tuned for more realistic run blocking.
- Players no longer run to the bench after each play in order to speed up the huddle process.
- Players now move in air when jumping in motion.
- Passes to the sidelines are now being respected to keep more balls in play.
- Player stamina has been improved to realistically deplete and regenerate throughout a game.
- Ball carrier hurdle move no longer has player facing opposite direction from moving direction in air.
- Number of plays called not matching stats fixed.
- Decreased overall QB move speed while holding bar in throw ready position.
- AI clock management improved.
- Field intro now cycles through top players for each team.
- Improved running game with better hole vision and line blocking.
- Run blocking routes now work much better for those plays where blockers need to pull to a spot and open a running lane.
- When playing a training camp full scrimmage game, you can now see the defense's play art in addition to your offense's during pre-snap.
- Miscellaneous bugs & fixes.
Please if you experience any bugs or issues please report them here or more preferably in our Discord where you can chat with the community, report bugs, or give feedback on the game.
As always, if you've enjoyed the game so far and enjoy what you're seeing out of the game it would be great if you can leave a review on Steam!