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

 

[hooked on fishing]

Both

Lovely… will be playing it for the first time later on today. Will be interesting to see how it plays as I didn’t play it pre patch. I’ll see how it plays from a different side I guess..


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[dekani19]

Tackling is literally non existent can walk through the AI like they are a ghost

 

[Cheifkeith95]

Surely they’re patching this again today to fix the game modes
This is just a play now game
If I payed money to get early access I would be fine with it
But **** me we paid 100 bucks for this

 

[Millky95]

Tackling is literally non existent can walk through the AI like they are a ghost

I had the opposite experience, I was getting tackled out of the blue and my players were stuck in the mud when looking like getting a handball receive

I'm on Steam, Medium difficulty btw

 

[hooked on fishing]

From everything I have read I can’t say that I am super excited to play.. I won’t be able to get on untill later tonight so I can only hope another patch comes out before then so the weekend players coming on will have a half decent game to play.

 

[TF006]

Good to know after the PS5 patch that the game is now playable. I only play sports games and all my games recently have been bad on Day 1 so im used to this - NBA 2k23, Cricket 22, EA PGA Tour23 and now AFL so it happens to everyone....
Hoping gameplay can be fixed today or by the weekend and we can get things like interchange and stats in next few days cos these should be easy fixes !

 

[Xtreme]

Tackling is literally non existent can walk through the AI like they are a ghost

They secretly call it Joel Selwood mode

 

[dekani19]

Players also keep running backwards, and doing a turn without going backwards is impossible

 

[tastiger]

The commentary is extreme it’s too fast and makes me want to play on mute

Way to much from Huddo, if he spoke half as much I think that would be a good balance
The actual commentary is the best we have had apart from that.


On VOG-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

@Michaels The version that you played, how were these things mentioned?

On VOG-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app

The version you played sounds hilarious. Its so unbelievable

You dont show a 2 storey house to someone and build a 1 storey and go "huh, thought this was the same house. Whoops"

Code isnt some hidden concept that appears and disappears. Its very clear to see. Its either a 2 storey house or a 1 storey house. Its not something you get confused on

 

[OhDustinMartin]

The thing that shits me is not that things are broken, but what things are broken.
This is advertised as the most realistic AFL simulator we’ve seen. And I’d like to believe that the work Big Ant have done largely fulfils that promise.
But when core tenants of Australian football flatly aren’t functional, it’s really hard to cop:

Can’t handball.
Can’t turn.
Can’t tackle.
Can’t take high marks.
Can’t lay bumps.
Can’t control the rucks.
Can only play as an elite team.
Can’t see end of game of end of quarter stats.
Broken interchange so it’s essentially 18v18.
Umpires only play “incorrect disposal” frees - no other free kicks.

It’s really flattening to have a game promise so much (and deliver when it comes to graphics and setting), yet fail on so many easy wins.
It would’ve been monumentally hard to get every VFL ground scanned into the game, and unlike others I really don’t care where the broadcast wing is as I want to be shown the highlight features of each ground.
They’ve nailed that in the release, but the stuff up is…you can’t lay a tackle.
I understand this is likely a cascading coding error in the patch that mutilated the game, and it’s going to be fixed up piece-by-piece.
But geez, the calamitous nature of this launch is going to be hard to beat.

 

[DNAngel]

AFL, Cricket, Rugby and Tennis all apparently being released this year. I mean kudos to Big Ant for trying to work on 4 games all at once, but with how unfinished this is it makes you wonder if they are doing to much all at once

They can't even get one game right let alone four...

 

[StoneyHawk]

Way to much from Huddo, if he spoke half as much I think that would be a good balance
The actual commentary is the best we have had apart from that.


On VOG-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app

I havent played the game but are you saying that it is more like a radio commentary at present than a TV coverage?

 

[crowsflag2030]

I think the commentary would’ve been good if we had two play by play callers plus an analyst. Hearing huddo nonstop is tiresome. Also agree with others calls that the amount of commentary needs to be decreased for a better feel.

 

[FearTheBeard13]

Has anyone else found when playing a AFLW game vs a mens game that the formation holds up way better in the AFLW? They don’t run off screen half as badly and also the commentary is WAY better! Vic Park also looks unbelievable

 

[Millky95]

They can't even get one game right let alone four...

Devil's advocate for a hot second: Aren't the other 3 games sequels? They would be based on older builds of functional games complete with modes and assets to be re-used and ready so the development time could be elsewhere? Compared to AFL23 which has been made mostly from scratch in the new engine?

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Devil's advocate for a hot second: Aren't the other 3 games sequels? They would be based on older builds of functional games complete with modes and assets to be re-used and ready so the development time could be elsewhere? Compared to AFL23 which has been made mostly from scratch in the new engine?

Cricket 22 was a sequel and that had a ... questionable launch too.

 

[StoneyHawk]

Devil's advocate for a hot second: Aren't the other 3 games sequels? They would be based on older builds of functional games complete with modes and assets to be re-used and ready so the development time could be elsewhere? Compared to AFL23 which has been made mostly from scratch in the new engine?

Cricket and tennis they have done in the past...rugby is new! They done NRL but not Rugby Union.

 

[tastiger]

I havent played the game but are you saying that it is more like a radio commentary at present than a TV coverage?

I'd say TV as in he dosent say players names all the time... More calling the play. He just calls too much of the play

On VOG-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[mickelboy182]

mickelboy182 the troll-y reactions are really unbecoming of a supposed adult.

I am genuinely laughing at some of the stuff you say, not trolling at all.

 

[footyfreak_]

I’m having a lot of fun tbh just beat Collingwood 112 to 85 on 10 min qtrs and on hard handballs feel really good now.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

The thing that shits me is not that things are broken, but what things are broken.
This is advertised as the most realistic AFL simulator we’ve seen.

You have to remember what their focus was though. Straight from the horse's mouth:

Depth is also about content - and that is what takes the most time and budget. And for those banging on about budget, this has the most scanned players/coaches/umpires of any sports game ever, especially from a Women's equality POV. So many stadiums, some showing the final state of a stadium...

All their marketing (such as it was) was based around face scanning (oh, and Ultimate Team, wherever that is), the focus of their budget was on face scanning and stadiums, and that's pretty evident in the state of the game.

 

[Chark96]

Thought I’d give season mode a go as management career is full of crashes and unplayable games.. first game crashes everytime I try and play or simulate! This is tough fellas


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[illnino]

The gameplay is basically fine now

Huh?

Can't tackle.
Can't handball.
AI never spoils.
Can't switch player.
No speccies.

Basically fine? We are a fair way out from that.

 

[tastiger]

mickelboy182 I asked if you have brought and played the game? You never answered.

On VOG-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app