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

 

[Michaels]

I dont think its that outlandish to question if content creators have ulterior motives as long as theres a degree of respect there and you aren't solely playing the man, seems very convenient for all parties involved with alot of the s**t they come up with, financial gain for them in the short/medium term and maintain a good relationship with BA with a multitude of releases this year to come.

Lot of talking like politicians going on this past week haha.

you're making it sound like no content creator, including myself, hasn't said 1 negative thing about the game..

Stop looking for things that aren't there.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Still issues with turning players

Number 1 issue that needs to be fixed, everything else is at least tolerable. Without being able to turn the players in the direction you want to go, the game is just unplayable.

 

[Madog1185]

We will get there, the game will compare favourably.

Both EA and 2K have had recent launches that are not dissimilar to ours, while never ideal, mistakes happen. At least, as we are small, we can be nimble and can release patches in short timeframes.

Seeing this claim made by the CEO of the company with the condition the game is in atm is giving me great confidence that at the end of it we're gonna get a high quality product! Great improvements have already been made and hopefully Big Ant can rectify this unfortunate situation!! Hopefully I'm not let down

 

[Michaels]

Ok so stream just finished, massive thanks to everyone who stopped by!

some initial thoughts for BigAntStudios and JNT BA

Pros:
-First 2 games vs AI on hardest I got slapped
-AI taking a lot more marks now at both ends
-Player stats during game and post game are good, however when trying to filter the stats at the end of a quarter it actually skipped it back to the bounce of the following quarter.
-Tackling still seems solid, but could be improved which no doubt will come.
-AI sprinting to contest and chasing in general
-Actually saw a push in the back free kick for the first time!
-Overall I think this is the most playable it has been for sure.

Cons:
-Had 1 full crash
-Tried playing 4 x online games, 3 of them had Disconnect issues, 1 x crashed totally.
-I'm not convinced the wind actually does anything currently, goal kicking is still far too easy. just kick it straight
-Didn't notice the AI spoil at all.
-Saw a goal umpire doing a few ball ups at times
-Some movements of players a bit jarring
-When AI have a mark around the ground, I want to be able to switch to another player so i can push back and defend, but I can't swap to anyone
-Some player / coach scans still not in, may be because they haven't been done yet though.
-Think a movement tweak still needs to be made to smooth up the handball receive animation. still jolts sometimes which allows opposition to catch up too quickly instead of it being a smooth motion of not breaking stride as such. it can kill some good passages of play.
-Noticed a couple of times from marks or kick ins the kick automatically happened for me when I hadn't actually pressed any buttons

This one will seem a bit random and tin foil hat like, but I sometimes feel Brisbane are way too OP in some games. I used them in a play now game on hardest, after I had lost my first 2 games on hardest by 15 points plus, and I just absolutely dominated from start to finish.. I'd like to think it was my game play, but it really felt like it was playing how it did pre patch, it was so weird.

I tried another game after playing against Brisbane and it felt better again though, so not sure what to make of that.


Definitely much more playable now with the AI boosts, looking forward to more tweaks and inclusions to come!

 

[pattymalone00]

Hopefully they add in the scaled clock.

I like in previous games how the clock would count down from 20 minutes no matter the length you set it to.

Need to bring back the count up clock option and continuous count up then surely

 

[Cocomarsh]

I haven't bought the game and I don't plan to until there is actually a game to buy. I'm not that easy to scam but Ross certainly thinks the general video game public are.

The likes on this preposterous comment say more than I ever could.
I like the game, and am looking forward to enjoying it even more as it evolves.
Good luck overcoming your entitled misery.

 

[Archer_11]

Two games with today's Steam patch -

Pros -

• Another step forward. If all development stopped here the game would be reminiscent of the 'could be worse' IR Gurus era, with fancier graphics of course. It is definitely enjoyable in stretches
• I'm loving the direction BA are headed with the clearing kick & handball mechanic when contesting the ball. It's a work in progress but it shows great promise for what has previously been a huge weak spot in all AFL games so far.
• the code is now polished enough to get a glimpse of where (I think) BA are headed - a fast paced game with slick ball movement and robust goal scoring where you aren't punished for doing something a quarter of a second late or not being ten meters out from goal. The most noticeable improvement is goals on the run which are now a viable option more often than not.

Cons -

• Can't get excited just yet. A lot of crashes - more than ever - and a lot of the bugs from earlier are still with us.
• It could be me but an effective defence is close to impossible. If you lose possession in the centre there is a good chance the AI will score a goal and you're just sitting there watching it happen.
• The lack of a 'run to ball' as a button I think is preventing stress free play. You either have to select 'full assist' in the settings menu or be caught out of position time and time again. Holding down a button would make the chasing and manning up a lot more natural - perhaps that is how the 'pressure ball carrier' button will work one day. But for all scenarios - not just chasing.
• a lot of the old bugs are still here. At this stage I'm confident that BA knows what they are. The clunky player intertia and AI disfunction for ground balls is edging into focus as the top two problems.

Onwards and upwards! BA, good stuff, some promising signs.

 

[imwinningagreatwall]

Will 50m penalties be in the game?
Once the gameplay is fixed.
So many times randomly an opponent will just be in my protected zone and in my way.
Thats 50!
Most of the times it looks like the player is there randomly due to a glitch tho.
Sometimes i press L1 and i can change player
Sometimes i Press L1 and i cant control anyone besides the still player on the mark
(Online)

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Turning still hasn't improved, because I had players "gliding" backwards without even moving their legs, when I turned my analog stick in another direction, or not even moving at all, or running in random directions. Players keep running into the opposition, opposition players smother the ball at all times, even if you're far away when handpassing, and you still have teleporting tacklers. But I will say, if this wasn't a broken game, it would be an amazing game. You can tell it'd be something else if it just wasn't in a messed up condition.

 

[Kangas1990]

Bit disappointed that stats are locked even with its upsides for gamers like myself its sad.

The updates are helping think by week or 2 it'll be ok.

Not an ideal start but it would have been worse to delay again... made best with certain difficult things.

Long as end result is good I think bit of patience wait for them to patch etc I loved live though it had its flaws it needed some updates though different eras.

Hope the stats locking is not a regular thing thanks to SC (who else would make irl stats totally locked ) or whoever unless a modder can unlock ala inta.

Anyway positive note definitely enjoying plenty of aspects the bugs are reducing the occasional crash.

Hopefully some creators flood the creations to help with above.

Know some are very frustrated but to an extent was either keep word may 4 and hotfix 2 weeks or break a clear promise of no more delays, I imagine the uproar for the latter would have been worse.

They know there's work needed just gotta give time enjoy what it is patch by patch until the work is fully done.
Glad to just have an afl game even with bugs and limitations.

Reckon it'll be a new game come 2 weeks of daily updates.

Think while annoyances are ok and constructive criticism is fine anything more won't help (unless it's privately to the right channels) though just my opinion. Some seemed more than frustration with bugs almost below the belt and making some enemy number 1 almost... I think they know the mistakes and the amount of work needed and are on I imagine OT.
If end product still has big flaws so be it but ill be patient til its more reflective.
Even if unfinished I agree with not breaking their word.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

From latest patch.

 

[ShaunWDT]

Offset of a more stable game will be congestion, not sure what the answer is there but 15 blokes hovering around a stoppage is a bit of a problem.

 

[ShaunWDT]

Seeing this claim made by the CEO of the company with the condition the game is in atm is giving me great confidence that at the end of it we're gonna get a high quality product! Great improvements have already been made and hopefully Big Ant can rectify this unfortunate situation!! Hopefully I'm not let down

They have a pretty good track record of getting there in the end, look at the Cricket games at launch versus now, the repeated nature of absolutely abysmal games at launch is a constant cause of frustration though hopefully they learn from that for future games.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

The interactive replay is the best feature so far.

 

[Gameova_]

The interactive replay is the best feature so far.

One more handball and you're in the goal square.

Who needs foot skills eh

 

[GoldbergsGold]

One more handball and you're in the goal square.

Who needs foot skills eh

Happened to me numerous times on the current patch, a backwards hand ball traveling 80 metres, in different parts of the ground.

The interactive replay is a great tool, though. We can use it to compile and record all the broken mechanics for Big Ant to look at.

It doesn't bring me joy having to do this, I just want the best game. I didn't ask for a refund, because if these bugs and broken mechanics were gone, the game would be awesome.

 

[Selim]

not sure if mentioned but with the new patch there are some bugs with the interchange,

-you can only make interchanges manually,

- you can only make interchanges if your the home team, wasnt working when i was the away team.

- if you make a interchange and the person your taking off gets a free kick or has a set shot, it will break the game and you have to quit the game,

the ball just sits on the floor as the player who got free kick is now on bench

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Players will always run into the opposition if they're receiving a hand pass, even if you're telling them to run in the opposite direction.

 

[Xtreme]

I'm struggling to play well even on the easiest difficulty. Hoping a readjustment of the camera helps albeit a little lol.

 

[robertto]

Loving alot about this game.

I think the goal kicking is a step backward from AFL live 1. I loved the mechanic of guessing the natural arc, and easy shots should be simple and quick. Where as currently the goal kicking feels like a drag on the game play

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Loving alot about this game.

I think the goal kicking is a step backward from AFL live 1. I loved the mechanic of guessing the natural arc, and easy shots should be simple and quick. Where as currently the goal kicking feels like a drag on the game play

The mechanic they went for goal kicking I don't think was a very good idea. Something like using the left and right analog sticks for a run and kick would have been a better mechanic. Something like All-Pro Football 2K8 field goal mechanic would have been awesome.

 

[illnino]

Sounds playable now, but still nowhere near it. Keen to have a crack tomorrow on ps5.

 

[bdawwg1021]

One gripe for me is when you spoil the ball, your player stops dead in their tracks for like 2 seconds and can't run onto it.

 

[Mootsy]

I think it’s important to remember, this wasn’t the intended version of the game to be seen, however, players using teleportation and handballs going seventy metres is kinda cool.

 

[Mootsy]

One gripe for me is when you spoil the ball, your player stops dead in their tracks for like 2 seconds and can't run onto it.

Yes, I might make a ticket on their support site for this, players look stuck for a few seconds really effects the flow of the game sometimes.