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

 

[FearTheBeard13]

Swapping players is by far better since Monday. As is the rest of the game... really confusing post compared to my experience.

I’m definitely not great at the game as it was but playing now, I’m gonna chop most of it to difficulty. The game I referred to was on Hard and now playing one on Easy there’s a clear difference. I can actually tap to a mid, kick inside 50 no issues and take a mark but on Hard it felt like the actual game speed also flew up a bit. I’m sure most of it is a ‘me’ thing not a game thing, I just got massively surprised after a few patches of not playing.

 

[BlackMamba]

Yeah but the patch below would have been submitted earlier so I would have thought we’d get that this morning, which Steam got last night and the auto handball fix tonight? Maybe they just pulled the console patch and will add it with the handball fix patch

Yeah that's exactly what happened.... the console patch was pulled (so console players wouldn't have the auto-handballing issue for a whole day).

 

[jdoggdrool]

That was one of BTs favourite sayings, but it's "down the i diddle diddle". still says it all the time on MMM

It's definitely a thing I've heard quite a lot.

 

[palmomagpie]

No PS5 update last night? Nothing there this morning!

Yeah what version are we supposed to be on? I had mine on rest mode last night but switched it on this morning and there was nothing about an update installing. The latest installed version is .13 though apparently and says 1 day ago

 

[BlackMamba]

Swapping players is by far better since Monday. As is the rest of the game... really confusing post compared to my experience.

I suppose this could be if you and FearTheBeard13 are on different platforms....
Steam got a player switching update last night... PS4/PS5 will have to wait til tonight.

 

[ItsJonesy777]

PS4/PS5 will have to wait til tonight.

I’m on PS5 and player switching is greatly improved. Still not 100% but at least semi-usable now.

 

[mickelboy182]

I think people are learning there's a reason other devs dont pump out daily patches... That allows zero time for bare minimum testing.

 

[FearTheBeard13]

I suppose this could be if you and FearTheBeard13 are on different platforms....
Steam got a player switching update last night... PS4/PS5 will have to wait til tonight.

I’m on PS5 but as I said I think my issues were that I haven’t continually played the game with the daily patches. When I fired it up this morning it installed 2 patches (.12 & .13)

 

[Xtreme]

16.7mb update "improved human handball from marks"

*my experiences with the auto handball wasn't just in marking situations, but a lot of the time of just getting possession of the ball, also at the end of running plays etc. It actually wasn't a totally bad mechanic (except when the automatic handball occurred in a bad position similar to real life footy when a player handballs it to a teammate in a WORSE position than the handballing teammate was in before he handballed it lol).

"tuned marks and spoils"

 

[Nickers]

Honest answers, is the game playable to the point where spending $100 is worth it? (on PC)

Currently, no, I don’t think so. But hopefully soon.

Context for me is that I barely play PS5 at all anymore but have been following the forum here for the past few years, as I’ve been eagerly waiting the release of the new game. I even enjoyed Evo 2, so I consider myself generally pretty easy to please with AFL games (tbh I’m just grateful that we have one).

I really appreciate that BigAntStudios are working tirelessly on daily patches to fix things but from a consumer’s perspective, it’s been a truly horrible gaming experience these past two weeks. I bought it the day it came out, played a couple of games again last night, and found that it’s still riddled with core gameplay issues & incomplete features.

I don’t have the time or the desire to essentially be a tester for a Beta game that’s still very much being developed and fixed, so I’ve mostly been holding off until substantial fixes have been made. Essentially, until it’s at the point that it should’ve been upon the initial release - when that will be is anyone’s guess (which is also incredibly disappointing, to still not have an ETA on when it’ll be working as intended).

What I will say is that, IMO, it has excellent potential once (if?) all the bugs are ironed out. Which should’ve happened by now, but still.

My advice would be to give it another couple of weeks of patches and buy it then. I genuinely think that the end result will likely be a terrific AFL game; bottom line is they butchered the launch so badly that they released an unplayable game, which has turned a lot of consumers off.

If they held off until June and released as a properly finished, working-as-intended-product, I reckon everyone would be pumped & it’d be getting really positive reviews, as there’s a lot to like.

Basically, only get it now if you have the patience to ride out the bumps. But eventually, yeah, I expect that it’ll be an enjoyable game worth buying & recommending.

 

[Xtreme]

This magnificent kick along the boundary was just awarded a behind and opponent took the kick in after goal umpire signalled rushed behind.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

This magnificent kick along the boundary was just awarded a behind and opponent took the kick in after goal umpire signalled rushed behind.

But does a whistle blow after a goal is scored?

It's the little things.

 

[Xtreme]

But does a whistle blow after a goal is scored?

It's the little things.

The siren didn't even sound before the first bounce of the ball in the first quarter!! (not a major issue, just annoying - notice it happens a lot at MCG games, but at least Marvel has their siren go off when the game starts!)

 

[GoldbergsGold]

But does a whistle blow after a goal is scored?

It's the little things.

I like the sound of the thud on the fence when the footy is kicked into it.

 

[sfletch100]

See this.... I was thinking the same thing

That John Denvers full of s**t man!

 

[Xtreme]

A few observations

Player movement has reversed and gone stiff-er again (it's equally frustrating needing fast movement when an oppo player is right behind you - just the same as it's annoying if they're 10-20 meters behind and magically catch up 1) due to the slowness and 2) due to the teleport tackles being reintroduced into the game).

Tackling has also gone a bit backward, finding myself unable to stick them again like at launch, resorting to giving AI the control to be able to do the animation and then regain control if/when my team gets the ball back.

** will re-edit with videos shortly **

First mark/shot from this kind of distance and angle in a very long time, wanted to capture it in real time... and I butchered it lol




So the beginning of this one isn't a teleport tackle as such (the closing distance did look sus to me in real time though lol). But watch what happens with the kick at the last second before the tackle, I've seen instances of this previously where the ball launches at a set height, but magically warps/gets a little higher before dropping - in this instance the warp/height increases when the ball was already tracking downward. Furthermore at the end I can't decide if it's a wonky spoil animation or my player spilled the mark ?






About to kick (kicking animation commences and should have kicked long before the player tackles me)



And just because











Unpopular opinion but for me the gameplay was pretty much bang on awesome prior to last weekend (before the shrug/evade tackle was nerfed).

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

A few observations

Player movement has reversed and gone stiff-er again (it's equally frustrating needing fast movement when an oppo player is right behind you - just the same as it's annoying if they're 10-20 meters behind and magically catch up 1) due to the slowness and 2) due to the teleport tackles being reintroduced into the game).

Tackling has also gone a bit backward, finding myself unable to stick them again like at launch, resorting to giving AI the control to be able to do the animation and then regain control if/when my team gets the ball back.

** will re-edit with videos shortly **

Sounds like patched issues are reappearing again?

Wild.

 

[tastiger]

As there was an issue with auto-handballing we've made a new Steam patch that will go live imminently.

PS4 / PS5 will not get the patch until tonight.

Onto it nice and quick, appreciate the work you and your team are doing to get this game where it needs to be

On VOG-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[extractasam]

A few observations

Player movement has reversed and gone stiff-er again (it's equally frustrating needing fast movement when an oppo player is right behind you - just the same as it's annoying if they're 10-20 meters behind and magically catch up 1) due to the slowness and 2) due to the teleport tackles being reintroduced into the game).

Tackling has also gone a bit backward, finding myself unable to stick them again like at launch, resorting to giving AI the control to be able to do the animation and then regain control if/when my team gets the ball back.

** will re-edit with videos shortly **

First mark/shot from this kind of distance and angle in a very long time, wanted to capture it in real time... and I butchered it lol




So the beginning of this one isn't a teleport tackle as such (the closing distance did look sus to me in real time though lol). But watch what happens with the kick at the last second before the tackle, I've seen instances of this previously where the ball launches at a set height, but magically warps/gets a little higher before dropping - in this instance the warp/height increases when the ball was already tracking downward. Furthermore at the end I can't decide if it's a wonky spoil animation or my player spilled the mark ?






About to kick (kicking animation commences and should have kicked long before the player tackles me)



And just because

Yeah I agree it feels like a few issue have been reintroduced. It’s become very stoppagey at times and hard to clear congestion. It’s not because the congestion is impossible to get out of more just lack of control of what’s actually going on, invisible walls.

Hand to foot timing for kicking also seems like it’s gotten slower again? Getting tackled mid kick a fair bit again

 

[fargothegreat]

We're committed to AFL, personally and professionally, it is a long term commitment.

Are you aiming for annual releases like games such as FIFA, etc. or possibly a biannual thing with list updates like has been done in the past?

 

[Andonis1997]

Sounds like patched issues are reappearing again?

Wild.

For anyone clever enough with coding, could this mean that the team has recreated the bugs/issues and can easily fix it in the next patch?

 

[Andonis1997]

View attachment 1690587

Now that's a beautiful guernsey (and man)

Looks great!

 

[kingcobey78]

Having played last night on PS4 this is what I'm noticing:

• handballing is still not right. Aim towards a team mate and ball still goes in different direction or goes to team mate and they stop and start running again. AI seems to be able to handball over their head and hit their open team mate.
• tackles aren't sticking 4/5 times. AI escapes tackle and runs off.
• Random AI players just stop and stand for no reason.
• Player won't move when ball on the ground and AI opponent is there next to them. Can't even pick the ball up
• trying to aim to a team mate to kick the ball to and at the last minute the indicator changes to another player and kicks to a contest

There need's to be a way we can kick in front of a leading player without just kicking to an open space. Also need to be able to lock on to a player to kick to e.g. hold R1 and X to kick to locked on player
I am not getting the vibration on my controller when in a marking contest or ruck contest. Vibration is turned on also.
Where is the marking meter that seems to have been mentioned? Doesn't show under my player.
Tactics definitely need to be brought in. Need to be able to at least choose man on man, zone etc. Kickout preferences, defensive structure, offensive structure. Setup at ruck contests etc.
Surely there should also be an option as to what happens to the ruckmen when they are changed e.g. bench, forward etc. or even an option for the ruckman to move down back, up forward or follow the ball. This could then have a tactic where you can select who takes the ruck in the forward/backline at throw ups or boundary throw ins etc.

Management mode - how do you upgrade a rookie? Where can you see the free agents at the end of a season? Is there a warning that pops up if you are coming close or go over the salary cap? Do other teams offer you trades? Something that could be looked at implementing - There should be a scouting option and also a list of father-son prospects at end of season and whether you have enough points to be able to draft the son if required.

 

[RG16]

Are you aiming for annual releases like games such as FIFA, etc. or possibly a biannual thing with list updates like has been done in the past?

Hoping for a minimum of biannual so we actually get a completed game on release

 

[hooked on fishing]

For the console crew, I saw that BA reverted the console patch to get rid of the auto handballs or whatever happened. They said it’ll be out for us tonight.. does that mean they sent it through last night and the 8-10hrs is from late last night? Or do they mean they are submitting it with whatever tonight’s patch contains for us to get it tomorrow morning? (AM)