Ant_
Premium Platinum
This thread will be a summary of all the answers to our questions we've received from the guys at BigAnt regarding the new AFL Game. Will also include information that's been offered without us asking. 
Information on AFL Wii can be found here.
Information on AFL Wii can be found here.
- Will be released on PS3, 360 on the 21st of April 2011
PC version will be released at a later date.
- Has a 4 v 4 Online Multi player.
4 for Xbox local - 8 online max (4 v 4)
7 for PS3 local - 8 online max (4 v 4)
The online is being tuned to what we consider most people will have available, it will support two boxes head to head with 4 v 4 (Xbox has a max of 4 controllers in any case) without lag on a reasonable ADSL connection.
- Every player of every team has been photographed and modelled.
- Create your own team, own players, and own comp
Can play user crated teams online.
18 Playable sides include those that you create.
- No Head High Bumps, tackles but no bumps
No tribunal, No intentional head high tackles.
- There is training - unlike FIFA at this time it isn't while loading, it is a separate menu item.
- Most of the "left of field" (odd) things will be trophy/achievement based. (Guessing getting Richmond past 9th )
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Our first screenshot. In the game the face, eyes, etc.. are animated.
- Controls : there are Torpedo's, stabs, snap kicks etc.. taps in the ruck, punches - mongrels will generally happen when you do something that doesn't make sense given the position on field, power of the kick, on the run (or not)
Right or left footedness (kicking) will make a difference, particularly with set shots and which way the ball will draw or fade.
There is also the strategy of carolling players onto their wrong foot so they are less accurate when kicking on the run
Handball can be to a player directly or to space - the trajectory is dealt with by the system - there are "look aways" and over the head handballs.
Have implemented a control mechanism for both handball and kicks that players can choose to "lock" to a team mate, allowing for strafing and drawing the opposition.
Hoping the novice will be able to pick it up and play but that others will get more depth through "modifiers" we've put in there, eg. triggers/shoulder buttons for stab passes, torp's, strength of tap/punch in the ruck and so on.
There will be meter systems in the game but BigAnt are trying to remove as many of them as possible, don't want this to be a "quick time" game.
Ideally,there would be no meters at all in the High difficulty mode, but this may or may not be the case in the final delivery.
Bouncing the ball can be manual or automatic (default). Will not bounce while sprinting. (Will get pinged if you run too far).
PC : Can use most PC controllers, Ross currently uses a XBOX controller on his laptop.
- Ruck work
No meters on screen, individual size, speed, jump, stat's, etc.. are all taken into account, and you can also ruck conservatively or aggressively by timing your run at the ball which effects the outcome based on what your opponent is doing in that regard. Taps can go to space or a player or you can punch.
- BigAnt debating internally about balancing the "real world" stats with the ability of say taking the 16th team to the flag... should everyone have an even shot?
A lot of the debate is centred around online and maintaining the online community that they believe will be a huge part of the game.
- The grounds - they have all been licensed. Real MCG, SCG, etc... and they look *real*!
- Off the ball by-play incorporated into the game: "the off the ball play is currently my favourite thing to do, especially in 4 vs 4."
Can Smother, baulk, fend, shepherd, amongst other thing
- Marking: Contested Pack Marking will be a contest. Players will hit up/honour leads.
What they have implemented is that the player will automatically, on free kicks and marks, go to get back behind mark but you can pre-empt this at any stage by selecting any action - eg. just keep running, kick, etc
1. Players will go to ground after marking and other contests.
2. Players will try to keep their feet and pick the ball up.
- Crowd/Atmosphere - Crowd is in team colours, there are flags and the old "floggers" made out of paper.
There is more home crowd than away, based on interstate or not. There isn't booing.
Heritage rounds, ANZAC day etc... are all in there.
Based on the MCG being in Melbourne and both teams being from Melbourne the crowd would be equal for the ANZAC day clash - the key is that it is biased if a team has come from interstate (or out of town - eg Skilled at Geelong)
- Dennis Cometti to do the commentary (Will be more then just Dennis)
- Players individual attributes will be at play, including distance/accuracy, fitness, etc... ie Fev will find it easier to kick from outside 50 than Judd.
- Deliberate rushed behind rule is incorporated into the game
- Game Balancing.
I always steer away from game balancing via penalties that take a player below what would be considered "0", you should always, in my opinion get your base stat. That's not to say that your opposition, having played well or having seen how bad you are playing don't get a lift from it.
That said, most games have "catch up" - meaning the worse you are the easier it is to score/drive/whatever, this has been done all the way back to NBA Jam. I understand the idea of reward for good play (the old NBA Jam "he's on fire"), but there is something to be said to negating someone getting the daylights belted out of them.... particularly online, as it de motivates people and has them leave the online space.
- Camera Angles
Getting the camera right is actually the hardest part of making the game.
I struggle watching on TV, the coverage is too "cameo" and tight for my liking, so much is happening off the ball you lose at least 50% of the action in my opinion.
So while there is a "broadcast like" camera, the default will be further back. I personally play it with the same view as if you were in the Southern stand, second level, front row. Playing it any closer doesn't allow you to see what's on offer far enough down the field.
In any case, you will have many camera options. I know it will be a very personal thing as to which one you like most.
- International Footy supporters
The advantage BigAnt have on 360 and PS3 is that they can package the game for download in other regions where a retail/disk version doesn't make sense. Bigant are in talks with the publishers about this.
- Fully Licensed Game, only licensed product will be in the game, ie, all jumpers/logos shall be those that are currently under license.
- Radar - There is one
- 3rd Person
No Third person tried it and it was unplayable.
- Frame Rate
There won't be an issue with frame rate - that is a top priority for us. The system we have implemented for the tattoo's is on a player by player basis - not all players will use the same amount of memory/textures.
- Replays
There will be replays, this is where the close-ups of the characters, some of which you've seen here, will be at their highest resolution.
Indeed, if it weren't for the replays we wouldn't have modelled the players so closely.
- Dynamic Weather
Rain, sunshine, even shadows of clouds going accross the ground.
- Injuries
Will be injuries and weaker clubs will be effected greater by injury
- AI
The AI is very "fluid" and there is a lot of movement to and from space, not necessarily positions. Players will tend to keep to their "comfort zones" but react to team mates and opponents movement. I can't say much more...
- Interchange
The Interchange works in conjunction with the switching of players anywhere on the field and does not interfere with gameplay, the game is not paused.
First select the player to switch:
Press the D-Pad (defaults on first menu - Down = Bench, Left = Defence, Up = Followers, Right = Forwards)
Menu pops into hud with options:
Bench
Defence
Followers
Forwards
Use D-pad up and down to navigate, right to select, left to cancel entire operation.
Once area selected, list changes to player names in that region.
Use D-pad up and down to navigate, right to select, left to cancel entire operation.
Once player selected, list changes to regions for the player to swap with:
Bench
Defence
Followers
Forwards
Use D-pad up and down to navigate, right to select, left to cancel entire operation.
Once area selected, list changes to player names in that region.
Use D-pad up and down to navigate, right to select, left to cancel entire operation.
For example, to swap Waite to the bench and bring Betts on:
Press D-Pad Right->
Lists forwards on the field, press down on D-Pad until Waite is highlighted.
Press D-Pad Right->to select Waite
Lists Bench, Defence, Followers, Forwards, Press D-Pad Right->to select Bench
Players on the Bench are listed, press down on D-Pad until Betts is highlighted.
Press D-Pad Right->to select Betts
Waite will then run to the bench and Betts will run to Waite's position.
- Statistics
Big Ant would like to continually keep up to date stat's via XBLA/PSN (online), the ability for us to do this is being worked through, no promises, but if they can they
will.
There are multiple season in that your record is stored and the players individual stat's are stored form season to season.
- Draft/Trading & Retiring/Creating New Players
There is no draft. We cannot take photos of draftees or license them before they get into the AFL.
You can add players to teams, swap players from team to team, or make up a team of superstars if you wish - but you can't draft them.
Player stats will be editable, their likenesses will not.
Players that you create will look as good as the snippets you've seen here. It will be harder for you to make the likeness as good as we have, but they certainly will look "human" and will not be generic.
You will be able to create as many as the teams would hold, potentially 18 side of 42. (So 756 custom player limit)
Without going into too much detail, if players retire, you can retire them. If draftees come in then you can create them (or swap them from club to club if they exist already). Stat's will be remembered from year to year (based on your gameplay).
If Sony and MS give the green light draftee’s and player stats will be updated by DLC
You could create player stat's and likeness based on the real players drafted if you wished. There is no draft but you can simulate the result of the draft.
Players are retired by you just taking them off the club list.
Players are traded by adding them to another clubs list.
You can create a player and add him to any list.
If you want to simulate what is happening in the real world then you can.
Players do get older and there is progression (or regression depending on how they've done) between seasons.
- Miscellaneous
When the game ships we will be releasing a "developer diary" that will have pictures, concept art, and lots of "insider" goodies.
There will be the expected rewards for a good season, B&F, Brownlow, etc...
There will of course be a season mode.
There will be a game length that will be ideal, ie the scores will be realistic, but if you limit or expand the game time then scores will of course vary.
Have some staff here that worked at IR Gurus/Transmission, no one here was involved in the previous games.
This version has been built from scratch - that's why it's taking so long
