Multiplat AFL Evolution 2 - pre-launch thread

[GetAroundHim99]

Anyone know what engine WW actually use for Evo? I can understand any medium to large developers staying away from Unity and Unreal licensing can be pretty pricey. I can't understand the lack of polish on some of these sorts of games (as in Evolution) though when all you need to do is follow Unity on Twitter and look the quality that single developers are pumping out from their bedrooms on a weekend. Mind you, Golf Club 2019 by HB Studios is a great example of what's possible with Unity with a team of 80-100 people.

As a programmer and wannabe game developer (ok... I get an idea, make a sandbox prototype then give up) and I think about an AFL game I can't get my head around how realistic AI could work. Programming is really just problem solving and you can think about how to solve a problem without writing a line of code. Soccer is pretty rigid in positioning and rules and you can think through the whole thing in your head without any code. This is why I haven't played an AFL game since Live 1 as they're really just aerial ping pong. I don't think it will take a massive budget or team to improve, just a genius or two to work it out.

I don't know. I think it's an in-house engine. And I think they have a 15-25 person team with a budget 1/20th of a FIFA game. (Like were talking $100-200k or Maybe $1m compared to $350m.)

You're right about Unity and Unreal being able to be used in great ways and that this could be cracked by a genius coder but at the moment, We're kinda already gotten an engine and there's lots that needs to be worked on before we get to Ultimate Team and 18-a-side Online Games like CharlesJames suggested and I think a lot of people including Charles would agree.

There's only really so much a dev team can do with a low budget and their own engine. If we were to switch to Unity for Evolution 2, We'd have to wait for Evolution 3 or another game to see improvements.

AFL Games are in a rock and a hard place at the moment. The AFL is too big not to have a game but the league itself is too small outside of Australia to warrant a big publisher or dev company to attempt at it at this day and age in Gaming.

Unless the AFL funnel millions into the game with the current devs, A genius coder finally works things out in multiple things and the team can move on to adding loads of things or Big Ant or another dev team takes over and blows Wicked Witch out of the water, We kinda have to take things one step at a time sadly.

 

[dwwaino]

I don't know. I think it's an in-house engine. And I think they have a 15-25 person team with a budget 1/20th of a FIFA game. (Like were talking $100-200k compared to $350m.)

You're right about Unity and Unreal being able to be used in great ways and that this could be cracked by a genius coder but at the moment, We're kinda already gotten an engine and there's lots that needs to be worked on before we get to Ultimate Team and 18-a-side Online Games like CharlesJames suggested and I think a lot of people including Charles would agree.

There's only really so much a dev team can do with a low budget and their own engine. If we were to switch to Unity for Evolution 2, We'd have to wait for Evolution 3 or another game to see improvements.

AFL Games are in a rock and a hard place at the moment. The AFL is too big not to have a game but the league itself is too small outside of Australia to warrant a big publisher or dev company to attempt at it at this day and age in Gaming.

Unless the AFL funnel millions into the game with the current devs, A genius coder finally works things out in multiple things and the team can move on to adding loads of things or Big Ant or another dev team takes over and blows Wicked Witch out of the water, We kinda have to take things one step at a time sadly.

There’s a small video with Ross from Big Ant on Twitter from a sports channel (I cant remember the name so need to hunt it down) and he mentions with their budget they can hit about 80% of a product. I imagine this is the same thing at Wicked Witch. I would hazard a guess that non-Agile processes would be used too as the cost would spiral out of control and that’s why our domestically produced sports games are a little rough and can lack features.

Another catch with any licensed engine is all the overheads that you don’t have any control over. At least with your own proprietary engine you can bake in the essentials and leave all the bloat out. But then it’s the compromise of spending resources upgrading your engine or trying to make your product.

Where Big Ant have an advantage is that their recent tennis and cricket games is that they have a wider audience and they can produce updates for each tournament which turns over the profit. You’re right that AFL is kind of isolated and there is only a single market and there is a ceiling on the profit. Some sort of on going revenue is probably the most realistic answer but that’s murky at the moment too with governments looking into online gambling in video games.

It’s a tough one. For now we just have to take what we can get.

 

[palmomagpie]

There are a few posts starting to pop up on instagram and everything of draftees being scanned and playing the game. Surely looking at a Q2 release ?

 

[Quokka]

Or maybe they are trying to improve on their previous titles? You think FIFA all of the sudden just became the (mostly) great game it is today?

OT but FIFA kind of did. Whatever you think of the series (and for a long time I much preferred PES), EA's first effort was instantly the best football game available and it sold by the bucket load.

I really wanted to buy Evolution but never did as I couldn't see myself getting much value out of it (I had bought Live 1 & 2). Expectations will be very low but still keeping on open mind and hoping WW produce an improved game.

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

There are a few posts starting to pop up on instagram and everything of draftees being scanned and playing the game. Surely looking at a Q2 release ?

Was it late May in 2017 for evo 1?

 

[palmomagpie]

Was it late May in 2017 for evo 1?

May 5th according to Wikipedia. So only like 3 months away roughly! Would be nice

 

[RoosterLad]

May 5th according to Wikipedia. So only like 3 months away roughly! Would be nice

I would love a new footy game to come out in a few months! The first one was decent fun and something to build on. Played a lot of couch co-op with a mate and a few beers.

 

[RossFC]

I've always said these games or list updates should be coming out when the JLT starts. Not when the season is almost over.

 

[Mister Carlton]

Can't wait to see players run through the fence again in the trailers.

 

[Freo16]

 

[Quivorir]

Is that guy you?

 

[lmaohelp]

Thanks
Nothing new in the video unfortunately, just someone’s opinion on what he wants. Still ages away

 

[thefootymanalex]

Only 7 weeks away from the season and not much coming out except some scans being posted on social media. Just hoping for just a sign of progress like a screenshot or something. Not expecting this to be released at the start of the season but hopefully not too long after, but we don't want a rushed game so hopefully they put that into consideration.

 

[palmomagpie]

Only 7 weeks away from the season and not much coming out except some scans being posted on social media. Just hoping for just a sign of progress like a screenshot or something. Not expecting this to be released at the start of the season but hopefully not too long after, but we don't want a rushed game so hopefully they put that into consideration.

Surely Wicked Witches is due for an appearance in here soon

 

[melbournemartin]

What to expect? More beautifully modeled player faces to try to cover up that the gameplay is rubbish

 

[palmomagpie]

Week away from the start of the pre-season and there's crickets. Maybe after the backlash from Evo 1 we're just going to get an announcement + "comes out this Friday" instead of a hype train build up and drop off

 

[Dez!]

Week away from the start of the pre-season and there's crickets. Maybe after the backlash from Evo 1 we're just going to get an announcement + "comes out this Friday" instead of a hype train build up and drop off

I'm not sure why you're surprised, I don't see it being released till May/June.

 

[edgie]

Makes perfect sense for a delayed release to me.


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[SugarShane]

Week away from the start of the pre-season and there's crickets. Maybe after the backlash from Evo 1 we're just going to get an announcement + "comes out this Friday" instead of a hype train build up and drop off

Either that or it means it won't launch for 18+ weeks to accommodate the 1 face scan per week hype build.

 

[Michaels]

late May / Early June at a minimum I believe.

 

[Quivorir]

late May / Early June at a minimum I believe.

You got a source?

 

[Michaels]

You got a source?

yes.

I'll clarify my comments by saying the late May / Early June at a minimum is my opinion but it's an educated guess based on what I know.

that's all I'll say on it.


either way I'm looking forward to it, i've always got time for AFL Games, I fully get how hard they are to make and the budget issues surrounding it, so make sure we all get behind it!

 

[dwwaino]

I guess without a year in the title they aren’t really bound by a deadline as such.

 

[Quokka]

yes.

I'll clarify my comments by saying the late May / Early June at a minimum is my opinion but it's an educated guess based on what I know.

that's all I'll say on it.


either way I'm looking forward to it, i've always got time for AFL Games, I fully get how hard they are to make and the budget issues surrounding it, so make sure we all get behind it!

I've said this too many times in AFL game threads but I'm almost angry how badly the AFL is judging the gaming market. Pretty sure in an interview recently someone from Big Ant said that the AFL should give the licensing for free, IMO the AFL should give it for free and a couple of million and really try for a quality product. It's not going to be FIFA but if the numbers above are anywhere close to right then it would be a massive improvement and at least gives the game a chance. Even if the AFL have to take a hit initially on their investment (which is worst case and with a better game likely wouldn't happen) in promoting the sport it will pay dividends in Australia and its actually the best chance of promoting the game overseas. Gamers will give anything a try, the novelty value would only be a plus and over time some of them will tune in to check out the real game.



Anyway I'll wait and see before purchasing Evolution 2 but I really hope it at least shows real improvement.

 

[palmomagpie]

I've said this too many times in AFL game threads but I'm almost angry how badly the AFL is judging the gaming market. Pretty sure in an interview recently someone from Big Ant said that the AFL should give the licensing for free, IMO the AFL should give it for free and a couple of million and really try for a quality product. It's not going to be FIFA but if the numbers above are anywhere close to right then it would be a massive improvement and at least gives the game a chance. Even if the AFL have to take a hit initially on their investment (which is worst case and with a better game likely wouldn't happen) in promoting the sport it will pay dividends in Australia and its actually the best chance of promoting the game overseas. Gamers will give anything a try, the novelty value would only be a plus and over time some of them will tune in to check out the real game.



Anyway I'll wait and see before purchasing Evolution 2 but I really hope it at least shows real improvement.

I think one of the roadblocks is that the general public do expect it to be FIFA quality. Real gamers and people from Bigfooty etc. understand budgets and the logistics of making an AFL game. But we only make up probably 10-20%. They need to build a game to appeal to all markets and as soon as a trailer drops, the game is ridiculed and slammed into the ground all over social media. Probably why they are so scared to do any real advertising or promo work besides their lifelike face scans.

Either way, I'll get sucked into a day 1 purchase and will win 10 straight flags with Hawthorn