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

 

[brendiss]

Looking at the list of features to be added/fixed makes it definitely obvious to me that they pushed to wrong branch for the patch and broke the game by using files that a team of developers were working on instead of the main branch.

I’ve been doing some thinking of my own (being a software engineer myself), and think they are definitely breaking apart the actual version of the game and moving it across to the branch they used for the patch - they can’t just push the main/correct branch for the patch because there will be metadata specific for the patch and might break the entire game project. Again just a educated guess based on software engineering knowledge

 

[KingNothing]

The next PS5 patch can't come soon enough. 4 attempted games today, 4 crashes in the first quarter.

Off to go play something that's not a piece of shit for the rest of the night, will revisit once the patch comes through.

 

[Mkcaptain]

Has there been any official comments on Xbox being delayed? Other than what we got from third party retailers?

 

[Lesnish]

Playing with the latest steam patch.
Slowly getting better. Definitely playable now.
Still the same core issues, poor player movement. Not able to spoil or tackle.
Get chased down way too easily when kicking.
The issues are well known.

One thing I will say is I can really see the potential. The commentary has really grown on me, and I think it works really well.
It feels very authentic when you work the ball up the ground. The leads and kicking are the most realistic we have ever seen. Please don't shoot me, but the kicking and marking feel almost Fifa like when there are no bugs.

I'm actually devastated with the way the release has happened. I think this game could have really propelled AFL games into the future. I think it will definitely get fixed to the point where it is the game we all wanted to see. However, I am really concerned with what damage it has done to the future of AFL games.

On SM-S901E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[kingbob182]

If I could get the same quality as other streamers (getting a kind of blurry motion when going left to right / right to left) so I don't feel as though I'm going blind that would be great

Note sure I know what you mean but you don't have motion blur enabled do you?

 

[_SirStealthy01]

I hope Essendon, Collingwood and Hawthorns Anzac Guernseys are added into the game


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Grechy]

Playing with the latest steam patch.
Slowly getting better. Definitely playable now.
Still the same core issues, poor player movement. Not able to spoil or tackle.
Get chased down way too easily when kicking.
The issues are well known.

One thing I will say is I can really see the potential. The commentary has really grown on me, and I think it works really well.
It feels very authentic when you work the ball up the ground. The leads and kicking are the most realistic we have ever seen. Please don't shoot me, but the kicking and marking feel almost Fifa like when there are no bugs.

I'm actually devastated with the way the release has happened. I think this game could have really propelled AFL games into the future. I think it will definitely get fixed to the point where it is the game we all wanted to see. However, I am really concerned with what damage it has done to the future of AFL games.

On SM-S901E using BigFooty.com mobile app

BA will earn a lot of good will once the patches keep rolling around. What’s done is done but credit where it’s due they’re trying to fix it.

 

[hooked on fishing]

View attachment 1680110
Has anyone got the same issue I have, where Kicking in while playing at ikon park……..the netting is annoying…..

Haven’t at ikon park, but at utas stadium I think it’s called, when you kick out half of the screen to the 50m mark is blocked with the grandstand. Im assuming this sorta thing might be happening at a few of the other grounds.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[GoldbergsGold]

If I could get the same quality as other streamers (getting a kind of blurry motion when going left to right / right to left) so I don't feel as though I'm going blind that would be great

Ryzen 7 5800h
32gb ram
Nvidia 3070ti

Should run it decently, but it's a bit patchy in parts.

Also first game completed successfully
Second game, the ball was kicked to the backline and it crashed upon marking.

Ball trail is a good idea, but maybe done differently than a red streak ? (maybe translucent / transparent style dots ?). I was going cross eyed watching it zoom around the screen.

Lol at Dangerfield jogging towards an almost contested loose ball, and then getting tackled by a teleporting opponent.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Playing with the latest steam patch.
Slowly getting better. Definitely playable now.
Still the same core issues, poor player movement. Not able to spoil or tackle.
Get chased down way too easily when kicking.
The issues are well known.

One thing I will say is I can really see the potential. The commentary has really grown on me, and I think it works really well.
It feels very authentic when you work the ball up the ground. The leads and kicking are the most realistic we have ever seen. Please don't shoot me, but the kicking and marking feel almost Fifa like when there are no bugs.

I'm actually devastated with the way the release has happened. I think this game could have really propelled AFL games into the future. I think it will definitely get fixed to the point where it is the game we all wanted to see. However, I am really concerned with what damage it has done to the future of AFL games.

On SM-S901E using BigFooty.com mobile app

If you can't turn, it's not playable. Aussie Rules and most field sports is all about having the ability to turn, and all the previous AFL games had that ability. Why they haven't fixed turning is beyond me.

 

[UAWM]

Quick bug also, hopefully easy fix, nothing urgent. But when lining up for goal, if you press the kick/pass button (A) instead of the normal (B) or whatever it is for Xbox controller, the ball teleports to the ground and then the player kicks it. Super weird, don’t even know if I explained it good

 

[Mootsy]

Actually had a few enjoyable games in a row. After patch 1.4..
It’s starting to shape up pretty well. Really am impressed with the graphics and stadium atmosphere etc..

Needs a bit of work, but it’s getting there.

 

[Xtreme]

Note sure I know what you mean but you don't have motion blur enabled do you?

No that video was after I switched it off (as the red motion blur from the ball was driving me bonkers).
The overall video looks ok, I just need to tinker with other settings I guess.

That said, I ventured off to Marvel Stadium in almost complete darkness before :-/

 

[BlackMamba]

Looking at the list of features to be added/fixed makes it definitely obvious to me that they pushed to wrong branch for the patch and broke the game by using files that a team of developers were working on instead of the main branch.

I’ve been doing some thinking of my own (being a software engineer myself), and think they are definitely breaking apart the actual version of the game and moving it across to the branch they used for the patch - they can’t just push the main/correct branch for the patch because there will be metadata specific for the patch and might break the entire game project. Again just a educated guess based on software engineering knowledge

Being a software engineer also, Im also curious about this.
Would love to know what happened with ‘the stable release’ for what the company were going to launch with. (I.e Release plus day-1 update)…

And then how, from a branching strategy/merging/release process, whatever problems were hit couldn’t have just been rolled back, but instead are being re-introduced back in incrementally.

Probably need to have a beer with BigAntStudios and JNT BA to get that info though.

 

[NimFromSudan]

Has there been any official comments on Xbox being delayed? Other than what we got from third party retailers?

No.

But CEO Ross said on BF on Thurs or Friday that Pro Team will launch when Xbox is live. In the statement on Friday Big Ant said "The much anticipated Pro Team mode is still to come, we will be able to share more on this soon"

Putting the two together, we can hope they will share info on xbox date "soon".

 

[Oliver G]

Has there been any official comments on Xbox being delayed? Other than what we got from third party retailers?

Nothing official, but the prevailing theory is that the game has failed a QA test somewhere along the line...

It's almost certain that the game has failed a QA test somewhere along the line at Microsoft, it's not the first time with BA either, the initial patches for Cricket 22 were rejected by Microsoft leading to the Xbox version being behind the PS version for the first couple of weeks after release.

I'm not buying the discs that have yet to be printed narrative, the Xbox delay was announced just 2 days prior to the intended release, they would've known at least a week or two in advance if there was a printing issue. There is a possibility that the shipment has been held up at customs which is known to happen for certain products coming into Australia. But going by history an issue with QA is the most likely cause.

 

[jdoggdrool]

I've got to say, playing 2 player on PS5 was a lot of fun. A crash or two out of about 10 games, but as we got better at the game there was some really good play happening.

This game has lots of potential.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

- here is a video of the latest pc patch - I'm now having trouble winning any centre bounce/ruck - I wonder if it's changed?

That gameplay is so awkward. Just everything about the movement. The ball teleports into the players hands, when it should go past their heads. I haven't seen a player move left or right on the mark after they take it to pass it off, when you could do that in Live 1, because the the basic turn mechanic is broken in 23.

 

[kingbob182]

3 games in (1 full and 2 crashing in the 3rd quarter) after the patch and Adelaide have scored a collective 21 goals and 0 behinds against me. Still, 5 min quarters and won the full match by nearly 100pts.
I've also found that for sets shots (right footed), you just aim at the right goalpost or slightly further across and you can just press kick again early on the acurracy bar and your kick just goes slightly left of where you aimed. Like halfway up the bar, not even close to the blue area.

 

[Oliver G]

I've got to say, playing 2 player on PS5 was a lot of fun. A crash or two out of about 10 games, but as we got better at the game there was some really good play happening.

This game has lots of potential.

I think most believe the game has plenty of potential but you really should not be experiencing a 20% crash rate 4 days after the delayed release day and 3 weeks after the original release date. There are zero excuses for the current state of the game.

 

[jdoggdrool]

I think most believe the game has plenty of potential but you really should not be experiencing a 20% crash rate 4 days after the delayed release day and 3 weeks after the original release date. There are zero excuses for the current state of the game.

Never said there were any excuses. I added the details around crashing as proof that it still needs work.

I'm still allowed to say what I like about the game.

 

[KingNothing]

I think most believe the game has plenty of potential but you really should not be experiencing a 20% crash rate 4 days after the delayed release day and 3 weeks after the original release date. There are zero excuses for the current state of the game.

Especially when they're more than happy to charge you $100 for it.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

View attachment 1680110
Has anyone got the same issue I have, where Kicking in while playing at ikon park……..the netting is annoying…..

I thought they would have made it transparent as per Ross liking my suggestion to make it like Live 1.

 

[Xtreme]

Game crashed while cycling through the options menu

FUN TIMES!

 

[ptrg]

That gameplay is so awkward. Just everything about the movement. The ball teleports into the players hands, when it should go past their heads. I haven't seen a player move left or right on the mark after they take it to pass it off, when you could do that in Live 1, because the the basic turn mechanic is broken in 23.

One thing I've noticed is that when there's a ball up, free kick or any sort of "screen-wipe" from a stoppage (ie the logo appears across the screen), the following moment sees all the players teleported back to a 6/6/6 position, regardless of where they were one second prior.

I find this incredibly annoying and unrealistic as it stops any chance of mismatches and natural flow (or more number's around the ball)

Evo 2 would do this if you had replays turned on, but thankfully with them turned off, everything stayed "real time", and the developers didn't "cheat" by using a fade/transition to reset players in easy to code locations.

To me this is a massive issue, as it means every single stoppage results in players being teleported back to 6/6/6 which is incredibly lazy.