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

 

[footyfreak_]

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.

Handballing works for me does it for anyone else?

 

[jdoggdrool]

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

Strange, it definitely doesn't seem that way for me post-patch. The AI were on me if I tried to play on from silly positions or take them on.

I did suffer a crash, though. Very frustrating.

 

[jdoggdrool]

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

On VOG-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app

From memory, they said they weren't buying the game on principle.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

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.

Not being able to turn is the worst offender, breaks the game. Every AFL game before it at least has the ability to turn.

 

[T2B_]

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

I'm not sure we'll ever know exactly what happened. What we know is there was a perfectly playable version pre-release, as shown by the streamers, albeit missing content and some rough edges to be polished.

It seems like in the rush to release they plonked a bunch of stuff on top and chaos ensued. How it wasn't checked, who knows.

 

[Igloo]

Have your player turn around while possessing the ball challenge - impossible.

Player selection is cooked.

 

[tastiger]

From memory, they said they weren't buying the game on principle.

That makes sense

On VOG-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[illnino]

Handballing works for me does it for anyone else?

I'll have another go soon.

 

[Millky95]

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

Fair, I never played that. I was quite content with Cricket 19 on the switch

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

I'm fairly ignorant with Rugby but what's the difference with NRL and Union?

Handballing works for me does it for anyone else?

I can't handball or tackle to save my life. I can ruck, mark and kick for goal too easily though

 

[Millky95]

I'm not sure we'll ever know exactly what happened. What we know is there was a perfectly playable version pre-release, as shown by the streamers, albeit missing content and some rough edges to be polished.

It seems like in the rush to release they plonked a bunch of stuff on top and chaos ensued. How it wasn't checked, who knows.

I legit reckon someone uploaded the wrong version and you can't "unpatch" the game so they need to make new patches based on this build to get it to what should have launched

 

[PenAndPaper]

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



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.

The thing is they didn't even go around to every club and get scans of player faces. They literally contacted clubs to take photos of their own players at specific angles and in particular lighting and send them through.

 

[T2B_]

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

On VOG-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app

Honestly if I wasn't invested in the game I would have turned off notifications for this thread. Why anyone else would want to partake is... Well one can only assume not genuine intentions.

 

[dekani19]

Strange, it definitely doesn't seem that way for me post-patch. The AI were on me if I tried to play on from silly positions or take them on.

I did suffer a crash, though. Very frustrating.

I can’t tackle the AI, they can tackle me though*

 

[ice444]

Will we see another patch today for pc?

 

[jdoggdrool]

I can’t tackle the AI, they can tackle me though*

Ah, from your comment I thought you meant you walked through the AI when you had the ball.

The player's ability to tackle is definitely broken. I don't remember ever laying one, at least not intentionally.

 

[Millky95]

Will we see another patch today for pc?

Probably not until later tonight or tomorrow

 

[dont argue 04]

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.

Jason Bennett commentary on the women’s games are a lot better. Would rather him be in the men’s

 

[tigerairau]

Marking is ridiculous, just won the contested mark count 59-6.

 

[dekani19]

On a positive note game was much more competitive played as Gold Coast on hardest difficulty and lost 57-43 to Sydney

 

[DasItMayne]

Ok this was pretty neat …



Commentary for AFLW is so much better too.

 

[ItsJonesy777]

Handballing works for me does it for anyone else?

You can handball but it just goes in completely random directions and most times to the opposition. It works a little better in open play but in congested areas, forget it.

 

[Michaels]

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

On VOG-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app

The AI was definitely better. They chased, tackled and were tougher to play against.

I was able to handball better and create link up play.


but for me AI still needs to be tweaked and made harder and the big one is they need to be able to spoil. that will make things so much more difficult.

still able to take marks inside 50 even 2 or 3 vs 1 which is a bit crazy. they should be killing those contests.

Once the AI spoiling comes in i think that will make it feel tougher again.


I played mostly online games last night which I enjoyed. Had a couple of crashes, not as many as PS5 users pre patch.

Playing against another user who can spoil link up themselves etc makes it a much tougher game and more rewarding when you score.

Just needs to have a online leaderboard or stat keeping of some kind, reckon i was 4-0!

 

[Quivorir]

The thing is they didn't even go around to every club and get scans of player faces. They literally contacted clubs to take photos of their own players at specific angles and in particular lighting and send them through.

What is the source of this?

 

[dont argue 04]

The AI was definitely better. They chased, tackled and were tougher to play against.

I was able to handball better and create link up play.


but for me AI still needs to be tweaked and made harder and the big one is they need to be able to spoil. that will make things so much more difficult.

still able to take marks inside 50 even 2 or 3 vs 1 which is a bit crazy. they should be killing those contests.

Once the AI spoiling comes in i think that will make it feel tougher again.


I played mostly online games last night which I enjoyed. Had a couple of crashes, not as many as PS5 users pre patch.

Playing against another user who can spoil link up themselves etc makes it a much tougher game and more rewarding when you score.

Just needs to have a online leaderboard or stat keeping of some kind, reckon i was 4-0!

And 1 rage quit

 

[Michaels]

And 1 rage quit

that was amazing ha ha. They had me beat for 2 - 3 quarters at least didn't they and I just went ham with 3 or 4 goals in a row late!

Very much enjoyed the online piece so far!
*except the no stat tracking / leaderboard piece. and need to be able to invite friends to play too!