Aussie Rules Grass Roots

[flaps]

Finally made it to release, on Android as a beta still, be kind, but criticism is welcome:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cinchai.afl

To play, you drag the player out to give them a path to run to, then when they are running, tap the ground to pass it there, they will automatically try to mark the ball. To kick a goal, flick the ball straight (really straight, it's not very forgiving).

I'm a month overdue, the last month was the worst grind. Not only busy in normal life and job, but the programming tasks were difficult and frustrating. I had this written over a week ago, then tested on a few devices, was so buggy on devices, but working fine in testing. I learned a lot about 3D game dev even in this last week.

This is a beta, so still a long way to go, so many features I want to add, in fact I had to take a few out just to get this up.

Next up iPhone, then probably a little break. Whether I come back and finish this after a break or work on something else is still unknown, but any support is very welcome. Here are some ideas I have going forward:
* Sounds
* Defence
* Online Multiplayer
* Contact, so bumping etc (was in, but too buggy so pulled out)
* More advanced gameplay options including interaction while in play, play on, etc
* More tactics to forward play
* Teams/ladders/finals

Enjoy!

I've downloaded it but haven't' had a chance to give it a proper play yet. Looking forward to sitting down soon and having a go though from the looks of it

 

[sb944]

I've downloaded it but haven't' had a chance to give it a proper play yet. Looking forward to sitting down soon and having a go though from the looks of it

Brilliant, thanks for that. I'm spending another week or so to tidy up a couple of things:
* Adding a more thorough instructions section, this is actually quite interesting to do
* Will play around a bit with camera positions
* Will fix a couple of known bugs
* Also, I'm updating Unity, which will now allow you to keep playing music in the background

Once that stuff is done, I'll submit it for iphone/ipad.

 

[sb944]

Substantial update to the beta version is up on the android play store:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cinchai.afl

The key points:
* More thorough gameplay instructions
* Gameplay angles improved
* Player setup and AI improved
* Many bug fixes

I rushed through this a bit to get bugs ironed out in December, so it was nice just to play with the cameras and tweak the AI to make it a more fun and interesting game. I'm definitely warming to it as a game now.

Next up... a holiday. Then will try for IOS. After that is much less certain, but I am already starting to feel the early excitement of AFL season, so anything could happen.

 

[Landgraft]

I don't suppose there's any chance of changing the goal kicking mechanic from the flick? I freely admit to being biased but can't stand games that rely on dexterity in that sense. Either way it's a solid effort, I'm sure I'll spend some more time trying to lead close enough to goal that I can't miss...

 

[sb944]

Thanks for the tip. It's too sensitive that's for sure. Played this game for about 5 hours or so on my trip away, and I worked out you pretty much need a perfect swipe to not miss, which I couldn't manage often. Before I made it more sensitive everything was going through for goals, so I need to tweak that. I might take the opportunity to add a settings menu, and a second way to shoot at goal. Suggestions so far have been pull back and let go, angry birds style. This feels like it would be too easy to me. There is the Nintendo Aussie Rules of an aim bar left and right, might be worth a try, feels a bit more 90s golf games, but I never did mind that way of doing it. Any other thoughts?

A few other tweaks needed to AI too, and had problems running on IOS for some reason, still have to work that out before I release for iphone/ipad.

 

[Landgraft]

My preference would probably be for some kind of aim bar? Just in general something more based on timing than pure dexterity. I was playing on a Note 3 with S Pen so I could see how straight the lines were but still it went out on the full.

 

[sb944]

Game has been out in beta now for almost a coupe of months, and was very slow on downloads to begin with, and the steps to complete a full game seemed a little overwhelming, so I started on a VR cricket game for Google Daydream, which has been fun to play with, but...

Downloads are now up to 120, and seem to be accelerating the last week or two, and who isn't itching for a new footy season right now? Also, while I like what I've done right now, it is a beta, and I'm not really pleased keeping a beta version for 12+ months while I play with other ideas, I would like to have a real release.

I've decided to make an official V1 now, and I finally found a way to do it that doesn't seem overwhelming right now.

So the ideas to get this thing to V1 include:
* Be able to play as the defender vs computer (optional in the settings, you can just play as forward if you like)
* Play online 1v1, so start/join an online game and play vs friends, randoms, etc
* A few cleanup bits and pieces, such as small improvements to gameplay, perhaps different options for goalkicking, graphics settings, etc.

I'll try and do this by roughly start of the AFL season, so at least people downloading during the season will have something a little more complete to play with.

 

[Nunez]

Game has been out in beta now for almost a coupe of months, and was very slow on downloads to begin with, and the steps to complete a full game seemed a little overwhelming, so I started on a VR cricket game for Google Daydream, which has been fun to play with, but...

Downloads are now up to 120, and seem to be accelerating the last week or two, and who isn't itching for a new footy season right now? Also, while I like what I've done right now, it is a beta, and I'm not really pleased keeping a beta version for 12+ months while I play with other ideas, I would like to have a real release.

I've decided to make an official V1 now, and I finally found a way to do it that doesn't seem overwhelming right now.

So the ideas to get this thing to V1 include:
* Be able to play as the defender vs computer (optional in the settings, you can just play as forward if you like)
* Play online 1v1, so start/join an online game and play vs friends, randoms, etc
* A few cleanup bits and pieces, such as small improvements to gameplay, perhaps different options for goalkicking, graphics settings, etc.

I'll try and do this by roughly start of the AFL season, so at least people downloading during the season will have something a little more complete to play with.

Any updates? Keen to give it another shot.