Sunday Rivals Launch Day!

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:

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