Multiplat AFL Evolution 2

[BallaratBulldog]

Obviously a very long video but I found it fairly engrossing. The guy has an interesting point though: almost every title in the past 20 years does one thing better than anything else. I guess this is what happens when you have development changing teams all the time. Things that were done well don't always carry through.

That was cool to look back on. Honestly, If I was WW I would definitely take a look at the past for ideas to implement/modernize future features. There’s still things untapped or marginally used that could work from past games.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

I made the suggestion to them on their forums that it would be great if we had a modifier button that we could hold down (ie L1 with ball in hand), which when held down, would place a A/B/X/Y (or PS symbols) over up to 4 players within quick handball range.

This would then allow us to continue moving any direction we need to avoid tacklers, and also fire off quick direct handballs to other team mates who have a bit more space.
Hopefully this would then see realistic 2, 3, 4 handball chains in tight space before a kick, rather than get ball, Triangle mash clearance kick ball..

Really think it would take the game to the next level, and I doubt it would be that hard to implement..

Love that idea.

Watching real games though, I swear players do just smash Y How else do you explain Clayton Oliver?

 

[ptrg]

Love that idea.

Watching real games though, I swear players do just smash Y How else do you explain Clayton Oliver?

It’s like in 2018 he had my suggested gameplay, but this year he’s got current Evo 2

 

[melbournemartin]

I made the suggestion to them on their forums that it would be great if we had a modifier button that we could hold down (ie L1 with ball in hand), which when held down, would place a A/B/X/Y (or PS symbols) over up to 4 players within quick handball range.

This would then allow us to continue moving any direction we need to avoid tacklers, and also fire off quick direct handballs to other team mates who have a bit more space.
Hopefully this would then see realistic 2, 3, 4 handball chains in tight space before a kick, rather than get ball, Triangle mash clearance kick ball..

Really think it would take the game to the next level, and I doubt it would be that hard to implement..

I think it's great in theory and yes probably wouldn't be a very tricky implementation, but in practice it would be pretty hard to use. I'm not sure our reaction times would be quick enough.

 

[ptrg]

I think it's great in theory and yes probably wouldn't be a very tricky implementation, but in practice it would be pretty hard to use. I'm not sure our reaction times would be quick enough.

I disagree - our brains are pretty good at recognising symbols, and most gamers know instinctively where those 4 buttons lie.

You wouldn’t have to do it, but I reckon it would be a very useful and enjoyable advanced gameplay tactic, and create much more accurate clearances (or maybe I just watch too much Melbourne shitting themselves handballing)

 

[Quivorir]

Works fine in NBA 2k, I don't see why it couldn't be implemented here.

 

[SugarShane]

Love that idea.

Watching real games though, I swear players do just smash Y How else do you explain Clayton Oliver?

Also I think Rory Laird's IRL Triangle/Y button is stuck.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Noticed an error in the Eagles line-up for the Eagles vs Sydney game in Match Day mode.

Team had Bailey Williams (a pale as buggery ruckman) instead of Jamaine Jones (Indigenous small forward)

 

[melbournemartin]

I disagree - our brains are pretty good at recognising symbols, and most gamers know instinctively where those 4 buttons lie.

You wouldn’t have to do it, but I reckon it would be a very useful and enjoyable advanced gameplay tactic, and create much more accurate clearances (or maybe I just watch too much Melbourne shitting themselves handballing)

I mean, I watch the same team

I guess the comparison would be NBA games where some people use icon passing, but that's a lot more of a slower, static build up, typically starting a play from a point guard, rather than doing it frantically in play.

But I mean maybe as an expert option, sure. To be honest, I found quick handball chains to be one of the best things about AFL Evo 2. Handballing was fine IMO. Kicking, on the other hand, is pretty disastrous.

 

[palmomagpie]

Just a few questions. Is there any way that you can change the opposition line up at the start of a match? Also are the SANFL, WAFL sides etc just generic? Assume they are non licensed.

I haven’t seen any way of modifying the opposition lineup in Coach mode at all! Might be able to muck around with it in the footy factory on the main menu to set a default lineup, but that’s it (not sure if that actually works though).
And nah the state sides are all generic unfortunately. Hoping someone with a lot of time in lockdown creates the players etc. but not likely.

 

[GunshyFire]

I disagree - our brains are pretty good at recognising symbols, and most gamers know instinctively where those 4 buttons lie.

You wouldn’t have to do it, but I reckon it would be a very useful and enjoyable advanced gameplay tactic, and create much more accurate clearances (or maybe I just watch too much Melbourne shitting themselves handballing)

Default pace of the game is to quick for this I'd imagine, but the game is much smoother and more realistic if you slow the running speeds down and that would also help to implement and utilise this feature. I'd also like this feature for kicking too though, especially after taking a mark and trying to get a forward 50 entry. Being able to hit the button for 3 options, hit another button to have each of them get on the lead (different patterns) and then pinpoint the ball in front of them would be good. Too many times I've struggled to lock onto the player I want to pass to, and when I do they don't want to lead or end up in a pack by the time I've locked on.

 

[ptrg]

Default pace of the game is to quick for this I'd imagine, but the game is much smoother and more realistic if you slow the running speeds down and that would also help to implement and utilise this feature. I'd also like this feature for kicking too though, especially after taking a mark and trying to get a forward 50 entry. Being able to hit the button for 3 options, hit another button to have each of them get on the lead (different patterns) and then pinpoint the ball in front of them would be good. Too many times I've struggled to lock onto the player I want to pass to, and when I do they don't want to lead or end up in a pack by the time I've locked on.

I have no issues hitting a target with a combination or R1 locking and quickly reverting to pretty accurate stick direction kicking if that fails, but the one thing that symbol lock on could possibly do is “instruct” the guy with a Symbol over his head to start leading.

When I can’t quickly get a R1 lock on, I’ll nail the kick to where the guy is or should be leading, but by then, he’s usually turned around or stopped. There’s no flat out, straight line leads.

But if there was a mechanism to show your intent to hit a lead (symbols, or even R1 as it is now), that would make it much more realistic (again, unless you follow the Dees, where the current system of bombing it, usually to the oppo is dead on realism....)

 

[SaadyArmy]

Petition to make tucking in and untucking you’re guernsey an option.

#guernseygate


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Obviously a very long video but I found it fairly engrossing. The guy has an interesting point though: almost every title in the past 20 years does one thing better than anything else. I guess this is what happens when you have development changing teams all the time. Things that were done well don't always carry through.

Finally got around to watching it. Excellent video. There's definitely ideas from older games that are due for a comeback or should never have been dropped in the first place.

I completely forgot about the set pieces at centre bounces etc in AFL 99. That was an excellent feature.

Goal kicking has been way too easy since AFL Live. The older IR Gurus games had better methods.

My first AFL game was a PC demo of AFL 98 (came on a magazine cover disc!), owned AFL 99 on PSone, the IR Gurus-developed 2003, 2005 and 2006 on PS2 (a bit annoyed I skipped what the video says was the best, 2004. And I admit I only picked up 2006 because it was an Eagles premiership year haha), and then every game since AFL Live. Including DLC.

Agree with most of the sentiments of the video EXCEPT for his dislike of the quick clearance kick in Evolution 2. I think it's great, and actually quite realistic in the modern game, and should be improved going forward instead of abandoned. Ideally with the ideas discussed recently in this thread (modifiers for handpassing based on button symbols, been a long-time advocate of a similar system).

 

[SugarShane]

Finally got around to watching it. Excellent video. There's definitely ideas from older games that are due for a comeback or should never have been dropped in the first place.

I completely forgot about the set pieces at centre bounces etc in AFL 99. That was an excellent feature.

Goal kicking has been way too easy since AFL Live. The older IR Gurus games had better methods.

My first AFL game was a PC demo of AFL 98 (came on a magazine cover disc!), owned AFL 99 on PSone, the IR Gurus-developed 2003, 2005 and 2006 on PS2 (a bit annoyed I skipped what the video says was the best, 2004. And I admit I only picked up 2006 because it was an Eagles premiership year haha), and then every game since AFL Live. Including DLC.

Agree with most of the sentiments of the video EXCEPT for his dislike of the quick clearance kick in Evolution 2. I think it's great, and actually quite realistic in the modern game, and should be improved going forward instead of abandoned. Ideally with the ideas discussed recently in this thread (modifiers for handpassing based on button symbols, been a long-time advocate of a similar system).

Re: the goalkicking, if I remember right, the AFL Live method was because Ross mentioned they didn't want QTE style things in their games. They've obviously relaxed that stance a bit as the newer cricket games have a bit of that kind of thing again. It could've been more difficult, but there was a bit of variation depending on wind and stats. They weren't always gimmes but yeah they were too easy. It's also the only game that mattered if you were a right or left footer which was great. Was actually harder to kick a goal if you were on the wrong side for your player.

By modern standards the IR Gurus method (ripped from the OG NES game) look pretty bad, but honestly I reckon it's still my favourite too.

 

[GunshyFire]

I've got a few things I'd like fixed up or implemented for my own personal taste on ps4. Downloaded Paint.net and had a crack at visualising some of the things as a reference point.

For goalkicking - Personally I like green/orange/red system with objective value for the quality of the kick. I don't like hitting the edge of green and having it drift. I'd like if the space in front of goals had sectors and the size of the green bar changed depending on which sector you were in. Boundary kicks need to be much harder. My pictures may not represent accurately how difficult it should be, but just wanted a visual of the differences. This would tie in to the set shot stat and give a percentage increase to green bar size for each sector.


I would also like to have a distance to goals measure and next to the kick modifier selection if we could have an idea of the player's max distance for each kick as you navigate through them that would be helpful. I'd like to know if I should try harder to hit up a closer target, go the barrel or if my player can hit a long drop punt.


Ruck - I'm a fan of a ruck system which uses the ball's apex for the ruck mechanic. Seeing some people mention the concept similar to 2K games where you can highlight multiple players for passes makes me wish I could use it for the ruck. Ruck contests are a shitshow for me at times playing co-op, so I'd like to be able to put it on the chest of a specific player if I win the tap. Could maintain current system of thumbstick as well. But even though current system might be more representative of how difficult clearances are, I'd like to try something new.


F50 entries - Specifically relating to taking a mark outside F50 and wanting more control over the fluidity of an entry. Similar to the ruck, I want to select R1 and have 3/4 targets pop up, then I'd like to click r3 and have those players all create a lead. I loathe the packs that form at the moment and how OP the CPU gets with spoiling or marking everything once they knock you over mid ball flight. This could help improve balance of forward players and not have the same 2 or 3 players kicking 90% of the goals.


Team management - My picture's a bit clunky because there's not much to work with, but I hate this scrolling system. Playing co-op my partner kept getting confused with scrolling and having to press triangle to get on or off the bench. Just give me a full field again and replace the triangle/y button action with being able to look at a player's stats. I also want team management to be available during breaks. I hate starting a quarter with gassed midfielders who've come back onto the field at the start of a quarter even though I didn't manually put them back on. Also re-ordering the pause menu screen is a must. I don't know how others would like their's ordered, but I want mine ordered for how often I'll use the relevant menu. I've probably used instant replay 4 or 5 times total, it doesn't need to be above the setting to fix my team.


Another thing was the sliders menu. Give the User and CPU values to us side by side. WTF is the point of all the extra space on screen and having it in another menu? Much easier to alter settings and fix things up without having to scroll and change menus for every option.

A few of these things for me tie in to the EXP. points as well. They need to make these way harder to earn. IMO remove the training system altogether. Have the players earn EXP based on game performance, senior appearances and then have multipliers for difficulty level and the staff level. Then have reserves players earn a base amount each week as well, providing something, but not enough to get them up to an 80 rating at 19 years old before they've played a single senior game. Ratings need to be more realistic (stop inflating for the sake of 90+) and provide actual differences to player performance. Don't let players max every stat in a single season, force them to focus on specific things. With my goalkicking change increasing the stat provides a reasonable upgrade for something that should be difficult. You can increase the value of stats with the R1 to highlight passing options mechanic, as greater stat values can increase the distance certain options are available. if your handballing or kicking stats are shit then you can only hit shorter passes with the mechanic. Implement a proper tagging system which puts more value on tackling, endurance, tagging stats etc and then for tackle break, handballing, fending etc for the player being tagged.

Also not sure if it shows at the moment, but in previous fixtures let us see the results again and look at the BOG votes for the game. I wanna know if any of my boys have a chance of winning the Brownlow and whether I should just inflate their disposals and output for a few games to get them over the line.

Use the practice mode to have a mini game for around the world or HORSE type game as well. Would've been great with the 3 of us playing to take turns trying to ping shots from around the arc in a fun way.

I wanna see some big changes for the next game. We need some bigger vision and the devs to take on some greater challenges.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

I've got a few things I'd like fixed up or implemented for my own personal taste on ps4. Downloaded Paint.net and had a crack at visualising some of the things as a reference point.

For goalkicking - Personally I like green/orange/red system with objective value for the quality of the kick. I don't like hitting the edge of green and having it drift. I'd like if the space in front of goals had sectors and the size of the green bar changed depending on which sector you were in. Boundary kicks need to be much harder. My pictures may not represent accurately how difficult it should be, but just wanted a visual of the differences. This would tie in to the set shot stat and give a percentage increase to green bar size for each sector.
View attachment 908635View attachment 908636View attachment 908633

I would also like to have a distance to goals measure and next to the kick modifier selection if we could have an idea of the player's max distance for each kick as you navigate through them that would be helpful. I'd like to know if I should try harder to hit up a closer target, go the barrel or if my player can hit a long drop punt.
View attachment 908632

Ruck - I'm a fan of a ruck system which uses the ball's apex for the ruck mechanic. Seeing some people mention the concept similar to 2K games where you can highlight multiple players for passes makes me wish I could use it for the ruck. Ruck contests are a shitshow for me at times playing co-op, so I'd like to be able to put it on the chest of a specific player if I win the tap. Could maintain current system of thumbstick as well. But even though current system might be more representative of how difficult clearances are, I'd like to try something new.
View attachment 908640

F50 entries - Specifically relating to taking a mark outside F50 and wanting more control over the fluidity of an entry. Similar to the ruck, I want to select R1 and have 3/4 targets pop up, then I'd like to click r3 and have those players all create a lead. I loathe the packs that form at the moment and how OP the CPU gets with spoiling or marking everything once they knock you over mid ball flight. This could help improve balance of forward players and not have the same 2 or 3 players kicking 90% of the goals.
View attachment 908643

Team management - My picture's a bit clunky because there's not much to work with, but I hate this scrolling system. Playing co-op my partner kept getting confused with scrolling and having to press triangle to get on or off the bench. Just give me a full field again and replace the triangle/y button action with being able to look at a player's stats. I also want team management to be available during breaks. I hate starting a quarter with gassed midfielders who've come back onto the field at the start of a quarter even though I didn't manually put them back on. Also re-ordering the pause menu screen is a must. I don't know how others would like their's ordered, but I want mine ordered for how often I'll use the relevant menu. I've probably used instant replay 4 or 5 times total, it doesn't need to be above the setting to fix my team.
View attachment 908644View attachment 908638View attachment 908639

Another thing was the sliders menu. Give the User and CPU values to us side by side. WTF is the point of all the extra space on screen and having it in another menu? Much easier to alter settings and fix things up without having to scroll and change menus for every option. View attachment 908641

A few of these things for me tie in to the EXP. points as well. They need to make these way harder to earn. IMO remove the training system altogether. Have the players earn EXP based on game performance, senior appearances and then have multipliers for difficulty level and the staff level. Then have reserves players earn a base amount each week as well, providing something, but not enough to get them up to an 80 rating at 19 years old before they've played a single senior game. Ratings need to be more realistic (stop inflating for the sake of 90+) and provide actual differences to player performance. Don't let players max every stat in a single season, force them to focus on specific things. With my goalkicking change increasing the stat provides a reasonable upgrade for something that should be difficult. You can increase the value of stats with the R1 to highlight passing options mechanic, as greater stat values can increase the distance certain options are available. if your handballing or kicking stats are sh*t then you can only hit shorter passes with the mechanic. Implement a proper tagging system which puts more value on tackling, endurance, tagging stats etc and then for tackle break, handballing, fending etc for the player being tagged.

Also not sure if it shows at the moment, but in previous fixtures let us see the results again and look at the BOG votes for the game. I wanna know if any of my boys have a chance of winning the Brownlow and whether I should just inflate their disposals and output for a few games to get them over the line.

Use the practice mode to have a mini game for around the world or HORSE type game as well. Would've been great with the 3 of us playing to take turns trying to ping shots from around the arc in a fun way.

I wanna see some big changes for the next game. We need some bigger vision and the devs to take on some greater challenges.

I agree with pretty much all of this.

Love the ruck idea and inside 50s idea, it's how I envisage it. I think the icons above head idea has so much potential as a modifier after marks, in the ruck and in tight to handpass the ball around more effectively to help eliminate the tacklefest without resorting to sliders or the Y clearance kick. People don't have to use it if they're happy with the current system, but as an option I think it's a great idea.

 

[Port85]

I think that NBA or Madden style passing (e.g. target identified with a button and then you hold/tap etc for different types of kicks) could work pretty well for distributing the ball by foot after taking a mark.

 

[SugarShane]

I've got a few things I'd like fixed up or implemented for my own personal taste on ps4. Downloaded Paint.net and had a crack at visualising some of the things as a reference point.

For goalkicking - Personally I like green/orange/red system with objective value for the quality of the kick. I don't like hitting the edge of green and having it drift. I'd like if the space in front of goals had sectors and the size of the green bar changed depending on which sector you were in. Boundary kicks need to be much harder. My pictures may not represent accurately how difficult it should be, but just wanted a visual of the differences. This would tie in to the set shot stat and give a percentage increase to green bar size for each sector.
View attachment 908635View attachment 908636View attachment 908633

I would also like to have a distance to goals measure and next to the kick modifier selection if we could have an idea of the player's max distance for each kick as you navigate through them that would be helpful. I'd like to know if I should try harder to hit up a closer target, go the barrel or if my player can hit a long drop punt.
View attachment 908632

Ruck - I'm a fan of a ruck system which uses the ball's apex for the ruck mechanic. Seeing some people mention the concept similar to 2K games where you can highlight multiple players for passes makes me wish I could use it for the ruck. Ruck contests are a shitshow for me at times playing co-op, so I'd like to be able to put it on the chest of a specific player if I win the tap. Could maintain current system of thumbstick as well. But even though current system might be more representative of how difficult clearances are, I'd like to try something new.
View attachment 908640

F50 entries - Specifically relating to taking a mark outside F50 and wanting more control over the fluidity of an entry. Similar to the ruck, I want to select R1 and have 3/4 targets pop up, then I'd like to click r3 and have those players all create a lead. I loathe the packs that form at the moment and how OP the CPU gets with spoiling or marking everything once they knock you over mid ball flight. This could help improve balance of forward players and not have the same 2 or 3 players kicking 90% of the goals.
View attachment 908643

Team management - My picture's a bit clunky because there's not much to work with, but I hate this scrolling system. Playing co-op my partner kept getting confused with scrolling and having to press triangle to get on or off the bench. Just give me a full field again and replace the triangle/y button action with being able to look at a player's stats. I also want team management to be available during breaks. I hate starting a quarter with gassed midfielders who've come back onto the field at the start of a quarter even though I didn't manually put them back on. Also re-ordering the pause menu screen is a must. I don't know how others would like their's ordered, but I want mine ordered for how often I'll use the relevant menu. I've probably used instant replay 4 or 5 times total, it doesn't need to be above the setting to fix my team.
View attachment 908644View attachment 908638View attachment 908639

Another thing was the sliders menu. Give the User and CPU values to us side by side. WTF is the point of all the extra space on screen and having it in another menu? Much easier to alter settings and fix things up without having to scroll and change menus for every option. View attachment 908641

A few of these things for me tie in to the EXP. points as well. They need to make these way harder to earn. IMO remove the training system altogether. Have the players earn EXP based on game performance, senior appearances and then have multipliers for difficulty level and the staff level. Then have reserves players earn a base amount each week as well, providing something, but not enough to get them up to an 80 rating at 19 years old before they've played a single senior game. Ratings need to be more realistic (stop inflating for the sake of 90+) and provide actual differences to player performance. Don't let players max every stat in a single season, force them to focus on specific things. With my goalkicking change increasing the stat provides a reasonable upgrade for something that should be difficult. You can increase the value of stats with the R1 to highlight passing options mechanic, as greater stat values can increase the distance certain options are available. if your handballing or kicking stats are sh*t then you can only hit shorter passes with the mechanic. Implement a proper tagging system which puts more value on tackling, endurance, tagging stats etc and then for tackle break, handballing, fending etc for the player being tagged.

Also not sure if it shows at the moment, but in previous fixtures let us see the results again and look at the BOG votes for the game. I wanna know if any of my boys have a chance of winning the Brownlow and whether I should just inflate their disposals and output for a few games to get them over the line.

Use the practice mode to have a mini game for around the world or HORSE type game as well. Would've been great with the 3 of us playing to take turns trying to ping shots from around the arc in a fun way.

I wanna see some big changes for the next game. We need some bigger vision and the devs to take on some greater challenges.

Quality post. Like the ideas.

A lot of the issues boil down to the devs not really understanding the game. The team lineup screen is a perfect example. No football fan ever would look at the screen they devised and go "Yep. Looks good." Screens are huge these days. Use them. There's no reason you can't fit a whole football side on the screen. Same with the sliders thing that you mentioned. Just small QOL things that keep grinding those gears.

I like the intended receiver buttons too. Works great for Madden. The current lock on system gives me the shits so something like that would be great. But even then it only works if the game is smart enough to kick in front of the lead. It's probably way too complicated but you almost need a drop zone icon, so you can select your receiver, then where you want to kick to land and the receiver will try and make it to that spot.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

One of the old IR Gurus games had the best team line-up screens. It was an actual field, looked a bit like the whiteboards coaches hold up with the player name magnets on them.

It wasn't perfect, low res PS2 graphics on a CRT didn't help, but it's definitely possible to do it properly now.

 

[netslave]

I've got a few things I'd like fixed up or implemented for my own personal taste on ps4. Downloaded Paint.net and had a crack at visualising some of the things as a reference point.

Great post, please copy and paste this post onto the Wicked Witch website forums so they see these suggestions if you can.

 

[GunshyFire]

Great post, please copy and paste this post onto the Wicked Witch website forums so they see these suggestions if you can.

I keep getting an error when trying to access the website, apparently the certificate expired 70 days ago or something along those lines and the connection isn't secure.

I sent the Evo page on FB a message and tried to clean it up a bit without rambling, not sure how else to get it across to them.

 

[netslave]

I keep getting an error when trying to access the website, apparently the certificate expired 70 days ago or something along those lines and the connection isn't secure.

I sent the Evo page on FB a message and tried to clean it up a bit without rambling, not sure how else to get it across to them.

Try this mate:
https://www.wickedsports.com.au/community/afl-evolution-2
If that doesnt work try a different browser maybe?

 

[GunshyFire]

Try this mate:
https://www.wickedsports.com.au/community/afl-evolution-2
If that doesnt work try a different browser maybe?

Worked perfectly, you're a legend!

 

[netslave]

Worked perfectly, you're a legend!

Good too see your post already has someone encouraging feedback there too.