Multiplat AFL 23: Launch Thread (Xbox release date TBC)

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

STATE OF PLAY:

• The game is out for Steam and PlayStation. There have been issues with Xbox release and it is unclear when the game will be available.
• Big Ant are aware that there are playability issues & bugs at present.
• Content has been temporarily removed from the game to identify where the issues lie.
• This content will be re-introduced via patches in the coming days.
• Big Ant have released a summary of what is to be reintroduced, which can be seen below.

Spoiler: Features to be added

Spoiler: MOST RECENT PATCH NOTES

Issues & constructive criticism are best communicated to: support.bigant.com

Michaels Twitch video with QA from Ross(BigAntStudios) from 31:40

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

I must say, getting on a good passage of play from the backline to the forward 50 is sexy as * in this game.

Isn't that every play as the full back runs the length of the field and kicks the goal?

 

[caloschwaby]

 

[Freo16]

Cant even chose heads or tails for the coin toss…

I thought the same but it seems you ‘call’ it in the air, so if it’s showing heads when you press ‘call’, you call heads

 

[guidodp15]

Just got home after a long day of work and uni. My copy is installing as I'm typing this. Going to have dinner before i play.

Have I missed anything? Been offline all-day

 

[ShaunWDT]

Parts of the game actually show promise, but you can acknowledge that while also admitting the vast majority is a steaming pile of cow dung.

 

[caloschwaby]

Have I missed anything? Been offline all-day

Nah not a thing

 

[ShaunWDT]

Just got home after a long day of work and uni. My copy is installing as I'm typing this. Going to have dinner before i play.

Have I missed anything? Been offline all-day

Go out to eat your dinner mate

 

[brendiss]

My theory as to what’s happened is as follow:

Development was going smoothly, game had some issues to iron out but was in a good enough state to have the kick around playable last year and then have a pretty impressive launch event in which feedback was good.

Somewhere between then and April 13th, the game ended up in its current state and Big Ant weren’t able to get it to a playable state, hence the delay and whatever marketing budget they had was scrapped as you wouldn’t want to spruik the game to release it as it was released today, so a nice quiet launch worked far more in their favour. It also worked in their favour that they were able to claim distribution issues with Xbox - they claimed this as the sole reason for the delay. This explains the delay in getting the YouTubers in when originally planned if the game wasn’t playable.

Between then and the YouTubers coming in, they were able to somewhat fix the game and the game worked well enough in house for the YouTubers to record not bad looking gameplay. Since then, they haven’t been able to get approvals etc or enough of a state to get the patches live in a live environment outside of development builds, but decided to release the game anyway.

I dunno how Xbox works in terms of quality assurance etc, but wouldn’t surprise me at all if the reason why they had issues with Xbox is that the game crashes far too often and thus didn’t pass certain approvals Xbox has.

That’s my 2 cents, happy to be proven wrong but there’s been far too many different issues in different aspects throughout the process between the launch event and now as opposed to just the game being buggy on launch and just all seems a bit too coincidental.

Then please explain the version shown at the launch event? The game was at a playable state long ago, something happened with the patch that caused the final build to break. Such as uploading the incorrect files for the patch.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Disastrous AFL23 launch ROASTED by footy fans

Umpires in team huddles, team benches in the centre circle and defenceless game plans, AFL23 has reimagined the AFL experience, and not for the better, leading the game to get a string of hilarious roasts.

www.perthnow.com.au

 

[bdawwg1021]

Parts of the game actually show promise, but you can acknowledge that while also admitting the vast majority is a steaming pile of cow dung.

Nicest thing you've said about the game... post and pre release

 

[JyeDye]

Surely people still aren't preordering games in this day and age?

 

[brendiss]

Disastrous AFL23 launch ROASTED by footy fans

Umpires in team huddles, team benches in the centre circle and defenceless game plans, AFL23 has reimagined the AFL experience, and not for the better, leading the game to get a string of hilarious roasts.

www.perthnow.com.au

Just reading the preview of the link and saw “umpires in team huddles” did the writer ever see the version that was presented during the launch event? look back at that gameplay - it was happening consistently

 

[Fizzler]

View attachment 1678147

Carnnnnn now you have to show us

 

[ShaunWDT]

Then please explain the version shown at the launch event? The game was at a playable state long ago, something happened with the patch that caused the final build to break. Such as uploading the incorrect files for the patch.

Whilst this is valid the question then needs to be asked how does that happen? They delayed the game a month already did they just twiddle their thumbs and not actually regularly ensure its functionality? Probably looks even worse if that's the case.

The launch event was far better but it still had fundamental issues to anyone who was prepared to look at it with both eyes open.

 

[mikeyyy35]

This is absolutely ****ed to say the least, I don’t care what anyone has to say but for a patch that went out like 5-6 hours ago for PC should be already live on PlayStation.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Johnno2000]

Honestly, the few games I played tonight were actually a lot more fun than the games I played last night. Post patch the AI definitely compete a bit more, despite some of the mechanics still being a bit janky I feel like I am actually involved in a decently competitive game, however I did notice once you score a few consecutive goals the opposition does fall away a bit so the momentum needs a bit of work.

Had a bit of a play with the stadium creator as well which is actually pretty cool. A few more assets and props to stick around the place to make stadiums that resemble local footy grounds (the kind of idea I was going for) look more lively would be a nice addition in that department. (albeit not overly important in the grand scheme of things right now)

Club creator is a little bit more confusing. I thought there was meant to be a guernsey creation part of that... Did I just not see it or is that yet another missing piece atm?

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Just reading the preview of the link and saw “umpires in team huddles” did the writer ever see the version that was presented during the launch event? look back at that gameplay - it was happening consistently

Unless they posted here, they probably didn't even know there was a launch event.

 

[JoeDanihersMoustache]

Anyone else have a problem where the crowd is tiny, like there is less then half the MCG filled even when playing finals/grand finals.

Crowd numbers dwindled with most games being 100 point blowouts

 

[DamianBis]

You just said the game isn’t that bad and proceeded to say it’s just sluggish, unresponsive and not fun. So it’s bad.

I said it isn't as bad as I expected based off people in this thread.

I was expecting ashes cricket 13 bad. And it's better than that. I don't think the issues are insurmountable for the developers If they get the resources to fix them.

 

[Flagmantle Pod]

Just got home after a long day of work and uni. My copy is installing as I'm typing this. Going to have dinner before i play.

Have I missed anything? Been offline all-day

Nah 80 pages have just spawned in because the game is perfect!

 

[Grechy]

I wonder if the AFL will come out and say anything. Their name is on a product that is quite literally making headlines for the wrong reasons.

 

[Flagmantle Pod]

GUYS I JUST HAD A DECENT HANDBALL CHAIN!

 

[jwikked]

I wonder if the AFL will come out and say anything. Their name is on a product that is quite literally making headlines for the wrong reasons.

AFL only cares about money, and presumably the money has already changed hands.

 

[ShaunWDT]

Surely people still aren't preordering games in this day and age?

Used to be a must for ease of access but now you simply just can't trust the industry, far better to wait and access at launch before purchasing.

 

[Bianconeri]

No not really, just not going to throw a tantrum over a video game when there's simple options.

Wait for it to be patched or return it.

By all means complain and repeat the same complaint if this really hurts your existence.

By all means keep complaining about big ant criticism if it really hurts your experience.