Multiplat AFL 23 - Part 2 with added Pro Team

[Kidneykid95]

Seems like patch notes are out already .. not sure how to feel about it.. thoughts??

ITS GONE LIVE ALSO! Just got it on PS5 = 1.7GB

 

[hooked on fishing]

I’ve stepped up the difficulty on PS5 from medium to hard and haven’t really noticed much change (admittedly only one quarter of footy). Is difficulty still a work in progress or is that sorted?
Cheers

I did that for about 3 games then the AI suddenly turned on god mode and back I went to medium haha

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I did that for about 3 games then the AI suddenly turned on god mode and back I went to medium haha

So I’ll know the exact moment when I go in to a game 6-0 and suddenly I’m 10 goals down

 

[hooked on fishing]

So I’ll know the exact moment when I go in to a game 6-0 and suddenly I’m 10 goals down

Haha yep you’ll know it’s happening when they kick 4 goals in a row and you’re powerless to stop it

 

[Belmore Rd]

BigAntStudios Also what the heck is with the stats layout you see in ‘Match Stats’? Was this designed by someone who’s actually watched a game before? Or even just bothered to open the official AFL app and take note of how match stats are usually presented & viewed by the average fan?

Seeing ‘Fifty Metre Penalties’ (and why not write it as ‘50’ like fans are used to seeing?) as the 4th listed stat is bizarre.

How many team disposals? Not telling. We’ll give you Contested Possessions but not Uncontested Possessions. Kicks & handballs are down the bottom of the list somewhere, go figure it out yourselves.

How many team marks? It’s a mystery. Add up contested marks (8th in the order) with uncontested marks (2nd last). Frees For aren’t listed alongside Frees Against, etc etc etc.

For some bizarre reason, ‘Goals scored’ & ‘Behinds scored’ are unnecessarily listed in the same table (and why write it that way anyway?). It’s a mess.

To have such poorly presented & recorded stats - in a modern sports game of all things - is ridiculous, tbh.

It also makes Management mode unplayable, which is a huge disappointment given I purchased the game on day one of release and have been bloody patient with all these patches.

Is this something that will be fixed in the upcoming patch, or is this likely another month or so away? Thank you.

What an incredible read.
Head scratching from the devs.

 

[Xtreme]

Probably should have done a screenshot of what my camera settings were, after mucking around trying to find a better viewing angle... I can't quite get it 100% back to what it was previously lollllllllll. Now it's either too close to the screen or the players are too far away (which isn't bad as you can see more of the ground and the player patterns, but they look like ants!!!).

Likewise I was going through other settings and I can't get it back to how I had it before (I solved the motion blur issue early on, well now it's back grrr). I found that throwing the VERY HIGH QUALITY setting on the player models was a little too good. Hard to explain but I think it's the extra "shine" on the player models that makes my eyes go wonky (don't have such an issue on high quality though).

I chucked a frame rate limiter on, and limited the FPS to 50 - an old trick I used on Don Bradman Cricket back in the day .
Calms things down a bit (I find the 30fps setting in the options in the game a little too choppy).

 

[Chuckinho]

How many guernseys can 1 custom team have? Should pair each guernsey design with white shorts and shorts with colour if it's possible.

Each custom team can have 12 Guernseys so there is plenty of scope for white shorts

 

[carn tigez]

Would also love to instruct defenders/midfielders, etc to run loose forward or wide of the user controlled player once the ball is in the user's possession. Just to present uncontested options.

Loose forward sounds exploitable, but loose backward would be a good start point to create. Things like "push higher up ground" for a centre half forward etc would be great too.

Just played my 2nd game since latest patch, as Essendon v Carlton on hardest 5 minute quarters. Was down 9.2 to 0.1 in the 2nd quarter, winning the hitouts but just couldn't get my hands on the ball. Was tempted to quick and come here to rant about how broken the clearances are, but thought I'd try a few things to see if I could turn it around. I replaced Merrett, Shiel and Parish with Stringer, Caldwell and McGrath and lo and behold, suddenly started getting first possessions. Also as a side note I dominated hitouts with Draper, but definitely less able to win hitouts to advantage than the AI seems to be.

Ended up slowly clawing it back from 9.2 to 0.1 to end up losing 9.6 to 7.4. It never felt like the game momentum'd for me, it did for Carlton in one patch but it felt right when that happened. Definitely noticed I was winning less marking contests as Essendon than I had been as Richmond. Loving the way the game genuinely feels different against each team, and that their real life strengths seem to be their game strengths. Richmond's intercept marking, Carlton's gun inside midfield, key forwards who should dominate do, don't try to run and carry with a ruckman. Long bombs down the line or inside 50 are now very low percentage because the AI actually knows how to do marking contests properly, which is great.

Still plagued with frustrating bugs, tackling really feels like I'm fighting the controls but the 'call defender' type button would fix this. Would be great to be able to quickly change player to someone one kick behind the play, not sure if we can set a button for this but is where I would like to change most of the time when defending. Players receiving handballs was very frustrating too as they'd stop half the time, and why the AI is allowed to kick from tackles but I always get either HTB or held in I'm not sure.

In saying that, getting the ball out from clearances is super satisfying, several times I used the quick 1-2 to get free, short 1m handballs now seem to work somewhat reliably and the 'grind' of AFL felt accurate, without feeling frustrating (beside the bugs).

I'm not sure what the tackling solution is, I think ideally making tackling much stickier similar to Evo games, BUT allowing players to kick or handball from the tackle most of the time but with far reduced accuracy. That way you avoid the stoppage fest but don't make it feel like you can't do anything when you don't have the ball sometimes.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Loose forward sounds exploitable, but loose backward would be a good start point to create. Things like "push higher up ground" for a centre half forward etc would be great too.

Just played my 2nd game since latest patch, as Essendon v Carlton on hardest 5 minute quarters. Was down 9.2 to 0.1 in the 2nd quarter, winning the hitouts but just couldn't get my hands on the ball. Was tempted to quick and come here to rant about how broken the clearances are, but thought I'd try a few things to see if I could turn it around. I replaced Merrett, Shiel and Parish with Stringer, Caldwell and McGrath and lo and behold, suddenly started getting first possessions. Also as a side note I dominated hitouts with Draper, but definitely less able to win hitouts to advantage than the AI seems to be.

Ended up slowly clawing it back from 9.2 to 0.1 to end up losing 9.6 to 7.4. It never felt like the game momentum'd for me, it did for Carlton in one patch but it felt right when that happened. Definitely noticed I was winning less marking contests as Essendon than I had been as Richmond. Loving the way the game genuinely feels different against each team, and that their real life strengths seem to be their game strengths. Richmond's intercept marking, Carlton's gun inside midfield, key forwards who should dominate do, don't try to run and carry with a ruckman. Long bombs down the line or inside 50 are now very low percentage because the AI actually knows how to do marking contests properly, which is great.

Still plagued with frustrating bugs, tackling really feels like I'm fighting the controls but the 'call defender' type button would fix this. Would be great to be able to quickly change player to someone one kick behind the play, not sure if we can set a button for this but is where I would like to change most of the time when defending. Players receiving handballs was very frustrating too as they'd stop half the time, and why the AI is allowed to kick from tackles but I always get either HTB or held in I'm not sure.

In saying that, getting the ball out from clearances is super satisfying, several times I used the quick 1-2 to get free, short 1m handballs now seem to work somewhat reliably and the 'grind' of AFL felt accurate, without feeling frustrating (beside the bugs).

I'm not sure what the tackling solution is, I think ideally making tackling much stickier similar to Evo games, BUT allowing players to kick or handball from the tackle most of the time but with far reduced accuracy. That way you avoid the stoppage fest but don't make it feel like you can't do anything when you don't have the ball sometimes.

I think the consequence would be you leave yourself open to a counter attack from the opposition if you mess up the chain passes to the loose players, since you're not manned up. Or, to circumvent it, have some sort of quick select tactic to close down space, or put tags on.

 

[BigAntStudios]

Completely agree. But, all previous afl games have been essentially ruined for off-line play by having exploits that are also core gameplay mechanics.

If for example the exploit in afl live was just bumping, because the AI didn't bump, that would be fine. But even taking away bumping and playing normally was too easy, and to have a challenge I'd have to set rules for myself which really stifles the enjoyment.

So far what I'm seeing in afl 23 is great in this area. Obviously balancing and bug fixes to come but the mechanics are feeling largely well balanced. Hitting leads or kicking long or handballing, all carry risk but all offer their own advantages.

Something I have noticed recently, but not sure on the cause. Does player fatigue now have a material effect on gameplay? I've not used subs or interchanges due to the issues I've been reading since I started playing, but in recent patches it's seemed like some of my players have been fatiguing late and unable to sprint much at all.

Has been too inconsistent to tell whether this has been fatigue related or just a glitch though. Are you able to confirm whether fatigue behaves this way?

Fatigue definitely plays a role in the game, and it is skewed by difficulty - I'll get some detail on Tuesday.

BigAntStudios would it be possible to activate front guernsey numbers for Custom teams?
I'm making some TSL guernseys and they as a league have numbers on the front like the WAFL.

View attachment 1709997.

Will ask the team if they could get it done - if you could please send a request to support.bigant.com that will help also.

I’ve stepped up the difficulty on PS5 from medium to hard and haven’t really noticed much change (admittedly only one quarter of footy). Is difficulty still a work in progress or is that sorted?
Cheers

Difficulty is currently linear from the easiest to the hardest, it is being further balanced each patch, I expect that the hardest level will become a lot harder.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Fatigue definitely plays a role in the game, and it is skewed by difficulty - I'll get some detail on Tuesday.


Will ask the team if they could get it done - if you could please send a request to support.bigant.com that will help also.


Difficulty is currently linear from the easiest to the hardest, it is being further balanced each patch, I expect that the hardest level will become a lot harder.

As always loving your work Rossy

 

[maskmcgee]

Decided I don't actually care. Was all set to buy the game the day it came out if it was of even reasonable quality. Now decided I'm just not that interested. Playing FIFA is fun enough. Thanks for saving me the $100. Know of several other people who have reached the same conclusion.

 

[illnino]

So no one concerned that ps4 still has tactics and ps5 doesn't? Aren't they supposed to be the same version?

 

[ItsJonesy777]

So no one concerned that ps4 still has tactics and ps5 doesn't? Aren't they supposed to be the same version?

No one is allowed to be concerned or negative around here…..did you miss the memo?

The whole things baffling TBH. It was the patch the night after the tactics that appeared to screw gameplay but yet a week later tactics still couldn’t be added for PS5.

I know they said everything after that couldn’t be added because “developing games is hard” or some excuse like that but honestly, it’s a ridiculous excuse and there’s really no reason PS5 should be that far behind unless BA are really struggling with something.

I’m just damn confused how it’s got to this point, honestly and I still don’t think the games in a good enough state where 2/3rd’s of the platforms need to wait a week for features and improvements.

 

[illnino]

More confused than concerned, I probably should have said. Wondering if BA or anyone else is even aware as I haven't seen it mentioned at all. Might be why we can't play each other online now.

 

[palmomagpie]

View attachment 188ac6c448325-master_playlist.mp4

Attempt #7 at completing this match in Manager Mode and it crapped itself again in the 4th quarter. Gutted, I was actually quite far in front and enjoying the match.
For a bit of a laugh, I recorded this amateur hour moment from both teams though - takes kickout straight into one of my players, Frosty rolls into an open goal and smacks the post. Completely my fault as I just held down circle to be a jerk and completely overpowered it

 

[ItsJonesy777]

Wondering if BA or anyone else is even aware as I haven't seen it mentioned at all. Might be why we can't play each other online now.

It’s been known all week. Currently there’s 3 platforms and 3 different versions of the game out there.

PS5 is due tactics tomorrow, supposedly.

 

[dylan7]

Is there a thread where people can put suggestions who actually want to see a great Game and communicate with BigAntStudios instead of this one where everyone is negative and just shitting on the game instead of being constructive? Coz this chat is shit

 

[ItsJonesy777]

Is there a thread where people can put suggestions who actually want to see a great Game and communicate with @BigAntStudios

Lodge tickets on their website if you have suggestions. Forums aren’t an official avenue for communication, positive or not.

 

[carn tigez]

Is there a thread where people can put suggestions who actually want to see a great Game and communicate with BigAntStudios instead of this one where everyone is negative and just shitting on the game instead of being constructive? Coz this chat is s**t

Use ignore. Much less of a cesspit once you do that

 

[Xtreme]

The next step in my AFL video game journey..... I don't just enjoy blow outs, I like to let the AI get out to a sizeable lead.... then see if I can peg it back goal by goal by goal and (hopefully) win by the end of the game. Evolution 1 & 2 were challenging at times, but also far too easy (some matches the opposition were too far ahead and kept on piling on goal after goal, while others - the momentum could be halted and then you could pile on goal after goal yourself).

AFL 23's difficulty has been up and down since launch, sometimes the other team's AI couldn't be halted (midfielders too strong to contain, only hope being a last gasp mark on the final line of defence at times). My challenge, give the AI a leg up and see if I could win in the end. I did this by letting the game run and have them waltz through the midfield and score quick easy goals. I even helped them at times by winning the ruck contests and passing the ball backward, rushing through behinds giving them straight forward shots at goal dead in front.

The highest score I allowed Richmond to get up to was 108 points in front. I started my come back moments before the end of half time. Continued it through the third quarter, stopping when I was only 15 points down. Probably could have hit the front before the end of the quarter, but I didn't want to "win" at that point in the game, because the 4th would have just been an avalanche of goals on my behalf. End result I allowed them to score a few extra goals, to give myself a bigger challenge in the final quarter.

I shouldn't have as the final quarter was much more of a struggle than the third. I started off strong, but the Tigers would halt my momentum and bring it down their end several times. It was a bit of an arm wrestle, I'd peg it back to 15.... they'd kick another goal to make it harder, I'd get it back again and they'd score again to slow things down.

I wound up hitting the front with less than a minute to go, and I put the exclamation mark for victory! with 6 seconds left on the clock. It was a pretty amazing win

Player gets knocked to the ground by football

Spoiler

In the words of Luke Darcy, one of the great goals of modern football, a smother, followed by some dinky die possession, a tackle, then the goalllllllllllllll.

Spoiler

* Video quality note, for some reason the site (streamable) likes to set things on 360p when 720 obviously looks far better. So yes the potato cam quality can't be helped

 

[carn tigez]

Xtreme - what difficulty is this on? Because no offence but I've seen your posts in the Rocket League thread and you seem not very good at that, so I'd assume also not overly good at AFL games. But I find hardest very challenging with the current patches on the PC version, and am a fair bit better than you at Rocket League, so want to understand if I'm just missing something with AFL23 or if you're playing on a low difficulty for games like above.

 

[ItsJonesy777]

no offence but I've seen your posts in the Rocket League thread and you seem not very good at that, so I'd assume also not overly good at AFL games.

No offence intended and proceeds to offend anyway, classy!

 

[dylan7]

Use ignore. Much less of a cesspit once you do that

Just did it for a certain post thanks mate

 

[Xtreme]

Xtreme - what difficulty is this on? Because no offence but I've seen your posts in the Rocket League thread and you seem not very good at that, so I'd assume also not overly good at AFL games. But I find hardest very challenging with the current patches on the PC version, and am a fair bit better than you at Rocket League, so want to understand if I'm just missing something with AFL23 or if you're playing on a low difficulty for games like above.

Playing on hard
We've all got varying skill levels in whatever games we play, my overall winning percentage in Rocket League (currently 60.1% on Xbox and 70% across pc/switch/playstation) is pretty good considering I stick with the basic skill set (not an aerial superstar).

I've gotten used to how '23 plays. It's not such a complicated game at the end of the day, after the mechanics the real challenge is having faster reflexes when dealing with the teleporting in the game.

 

[palmomagpie]

No offence intended and proceeds to offend anyway, classy!

I read that and felt the heart-whack for old mate Xtreme. Reminded me of the old "Dad I love you and would never say mean words to you. You really need to exercise because you're fat" I copped from the young fella during the week