Multiplat AFL 23 - PS/Steam Releasing May 4, Xbox TBC

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

WHEN CAN I PLAY? READ BELOW:

• PlayStation (Physical): Thursday 4 May
• PlayStation (Digital): 8:01am AEST Thursday 4 May
• Steam: Currently 8:01am AEST Thursday 4 May, may be moved to 12:01am AEST
• Xbox (Digital or Physical): TO BE CONFIRMED, unlikely to be 4 May

Spoiler: Specific Big Ant quotes about the release:

Those that pre-ordered PS versions will be able to play on Thursday, disks will have already been mailed by retailers, they will also be available in-store.

Steam will also be available Thursday.

Stating the obvious, we are still having issues with XBox.

Seriously, anyone that looks hard knows there’s issues - why do you think there are so many exclusives for a particular platform that are not marked as exclusive, but are only on that platform.

If I took that road, life would have been a lot easier.

Xbox digital and retail will release at the same time - that is not a decision we get to make.

It applies now and I will no doubt pay a price.

Spoiler: Other Quotes

Re: commentary team

Spoiler: Other Quotes

Hamish is still there, Daisy didn't make it into the final version of the game.

We added Gary and increased the workload of Harf.

Re: game availability/release dates

I can never give 100% guarantee about anything in the future, but as it stands today, the statement I am prepared to make it that all stock that is at retailers on 4 May will be available for sale.

As to the amount that will be there for sale, and whether it is enough, that is a question I cannot answer.

It will be made digitally available on the various platform holder electronic stores.

Clarifying, the game will not release prior to 4 May 2023.

I am vague as there is one platform that has had sufficient stock at retailers and the other has not, and I cannot name them (contractual reasons).

The game will not be further delayed because of the numbers of units in stock.

Re: Steam listing

I've already put in a request for the screenshots to be replaced with current ones, they'll probably only be there for a day.

As much as the feedback has generally been positive, these are old, meant to be placeholder only and were not meant to go live.

Re: playing lists

All playing lists are accurate for the 2023 season.

Re: content creator footage

This is all prior to day one patch (as some have noted updates like numbers etc are apparent)

Re: Career mode

A head's up on Career mode.

At the AFL 23 Launch night I mentioned the non-team based Individual Career Mode in an interview with Dean (Twistie3). As alluded to at that same event, we were working with the AFL and AFLPA to include as many past legends in the game as possible.

The great news is that we have received approval for far more AFL legends than were previously envisaged, but this has meant that we had to make the tough decision to divert resources away from the Individual Career mode development. The individual Career Mode function will not make it into AFL 23, Career Mode will be entirely team based. I expect this mode to be include in future iterations of the game.

Re: microtransactions

You do not have to make purchases, things can be earned.

Re: general development

So fundamentally flawed, in so many ways, it’s bananas.

We are doing AFL as it’s a passion project, without us doing it there would not be one being made.

So much more upside with making games that are played internationally, let alone one that will not even be played in every state in this country.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Yeah goal kicking (set shots) is tricky one to get right. Became a bit too easy in Live 1. Evo 2 I thought was ok but the wind sometimes was rediculous.

For goal kicking on the run, I would like to see something like an NBA 2k shot where you hold the shot button down and accuracy is determined by how close you can get the metre to the top (and also take into account base player accuracy) without it dropping back down fast. In an AFL game though I would imagine a horizontal metre. I feel like it would be pretty satisfying nailing shots when correctly timing a system like that

That meter thing, where you have to get it in the green zone, or you shank the ball they brought over from The IR GURUS games was terrible, though. Such a lazy inclusion, that's not how goal kicking works. You shank the ball usually from the ball drop or if the ball hits outside of the foot, not necessarily from over powered kicks. So far, AFL Live 1 probably had the best goal kicking mechanics, though you could never do straight kicks towards goal, that needs to be implemented. I liked the AFL Live 1 on the run goal mechanic. Basically the more composed or into a coherent trajectory towards goal you are, the more likely you are to kick it.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Was it going to be 5 iterations that build on the precious version? Or 5 seperate?


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Pinpoint football accuracy

Australian Rules is about to become a whole new ball game, writes Jason Hill.

www.smh.com.au

 

[lmaohelp]

Not sure if these have already been answered but;

• Has Big Ant entered into a multi year rights deal, locking in some long term development building on previously release?
• Will the new release be built for the next gen consoles?

 

[netslave]

I wonder if they've trialled slowing down the game speed by %50 and adding in quick time button presses for the ruck and/or clearance situations.
Perhaps tied to an awareness player stat so they have more time to get rid of the ball or have more options based on how high their stat is.
Could be one way to avoid button mashing and not being able to tell whats happening in a giant group of players perhaps.
Might also work for on the run goal kicking.

 

[Monfries7]

I wonder if they've trialled slowing down the game speed by %50 and adding in quick time button presses for the ruck and/or clearance situations.
Perhaps tied to an awareness player stat so they have more time to get rid of the ball or have more options based on how high their stat is.
Could be one way to avoid button mashing and not being able to tell whats happening in a giant group of players perhaps.
Might also work for on the run goal kicking.

I like your thinking, but I’ve never been a fan of slow-mo during sports games. I’m a big fan of Cricket 22 but couldn’t put up with the slow-mo run out animations

 

[netslave]

I like your thinking, but I’ve never been a fan of slow-mo during sports games. I’m a big fan of Cricket 22 but couldn’t put up with the slow-mo run out animations

Yeah I know what you mean, kind of disrupts the flow. But I'm not sure how to simulate the close in action of AFL without some sort of alternative control schemes, apart from just mashing the buttons and hope you get a clearance.

 

[Saintsation]

Idea for goal kicking - similar set up to the bowling in cricket 22. Where as the run up can be timed in the green pressing down on the analogue stick and up towards the goal in the green. Obviously the better the goal kicking stat the easier it is to time it perfectly and the harder the difficulty the smaller the window for success.

But unlike previous games if you miss time it slightly or don’t press the upward motion in the right direction it can miss to the left or right not on the full every time


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

One of he most annoying things with Evo was that you'd never miss a set shot, unless you failed to account for the category 5 cyclone.

I'd love a mechanic that takes player accuracy stats into consideration and makes it possible to miss.

 

[game_chromosome]

One of he most annoying things with Evo was that you'd never miss a set shot, unless you failed to account for the category 5 cyclone.

I'd love a mechanic that takes player accuracy stats into consideration and makes it possible to miss.

Agree though timing and aiming everything properly and still missing the shot could end up feeling unfair.

Maybe the players accuracy skill level could pop up to warn you and perhaps it could affect the speed of the 'power metre' where lower accuracy players the speed is quite quick and a deadeye speed would be slower to make it easier

 

[SugarShane]

One of he most annoying things with Evo was that you'd never miss a set shot, unless you failed to account for the category 5 cyclone.

I'd love a mechanic that takes player accuracy stats into consideration and makes it possible to miss.

I'll preface by saying AFLL1's set shots ended up way too easy, but I love that they took into account left or right foot preference. A right footer marking in the right pocket meant a harder shot.

Definitely needs to be harder, but I hope that mechanic stays. As for accuracy, to me it seems like there needs to be some skill element like the old "press when the ball is between the post" trick, but also taking into account left or right, plus wind. The flick back then forward can work, but is pretty easy to nail every time. Don't know if it's too janky in 2023 but the old Microsoft Golf "press to stop power gauge, then press to hit accuracy" system could work.

 

[Lynchy04]

The way the tail bat on cricket 22 expect some ridiculous come backs from the footy game.

Let's hope its more polished than cricket 22 is which is now 3-4 months post release and still a cluster.

 

[SaadyArmy]

The way the tail bat on cricket 22 expect some ridiculous come backs from the footy game.

Let's hope its more polished than cricket 22 is which is now 3-4 months post release and still a cluster.

Oh no not a glitch? You mean to say FIFA roll out perfectly polished games with no glitches?

 

[Lynchy04]

Oh no not a glitch? You mean to say FIFA roll out perfectly polished games with no glitches?

If you have followed Cricket 22 it has been bugged from the start. Xbox users could not play the game for some 4 weeks post release due to crashes , ball disappearing from screen etc. Normally their games are ok but 22 has been a shit show. Run outs being given not out , the game following a script with the last two batsman making 50 plus consistently, fielders sliding over the ropes and disappearing. The list goes on, 19 had some glitches with patches fixing but this release has been a shocker.

 

[BigAntStudios]

Good to see the discussion on goal kicking, always a tough one - no one wants misses too often from dead in front, but they do happen. We often sit there at games and see the most amazing dribbles go straight for a goal and dog-leg to a point, etc. and think that if we did that in a game we'd definitely get posts that accuse the AI of cheating - next time you see something completely odd, think about us putting it in the game and what the feedback would be - e.g. Milne's "missed" opportunity?*

Looking backwards, not forwards, talking of AFL Live, back then we looked at whether scoreboard pressure, time left in the game etc. should be introduced, and perhaps randomised with a greater chance of a miss for number for those that are normally not in that particular position taking the shot.

Wind direction, footedness and natural draw are something that we did do in AFL Live, the aim back then was to match the real life stats in general from the positions but it would have required further patches and by the time that was to occur, we were not in control of the game.


*I think Milne gets that and Malthouse doesn't come to Carlton... instead Collingwood get a flag and it cost us years!

 

[jdoggdrool]

If you have followed Cricket 22 it has been bugged from the start. Xbox users could not play the game for some 4 weeks post release due to crashes , ball disappearing from screen etc. Normally their games are ok but 22 has been a sh*t show. Run outs being given not out , the game following a script with the last two batsman making 50 plus consistently, fielders sliding over the ropes and disappearing. The list goes on, 19 had some glitches with patches fixing but this release has been a shocker.

COVID clearly did a number on the development of 22, but from what I hear it's definitely getting better with each patch.

 

[Lynchy04]

COVID clearly did a number on the development of 22, but from what I hear it's definitely getting better with each patch.

In some parts yes it is but for every thing that gets fixed it seems something else pops up.
Its a shame because it was a game geared at the ashes being a main feature and it was virtually unplayable until the ashes were completed.

It had so much potential especially with the new animations and actions but to be honest when you spen up to $100 on a new release game you shouldn't be expected to be a "tester" for them.

Of course I will still get the AFL game they produce straight up to but hopes and expectations are very low for me now.

 

[BigAntStudios]

COVID clearly did a number on the development of 22, but from what I hear it's definitely getting better with each patch.

I think you'll find we were the only company in the world effected by Covid

We have a vastly improved rating with an 80% trend of people liking it for the last month. I wouldn't listen to anyone that hasn't actually got it and seen the improvement, there's a reason they call it "hearsay" - and it's not like we would use the AI from Cricket for AFL, that's just troll bait.

 

[Lynchy04]

We have a vastly improved rating with an 80% trend of people liking it for the last month. I wouldn't listen to anyone that hasn't actually got it and seen the improvement, there's a reason they call it "hearsay" - and it's not like we would use the AI from Cricket for AFL, that's just troll bait.

I have the game and had so since day one. Xbox series X it was unplayable for a lot of reasons until Christmas time. It has improved but still so many issues with it and unfortunately cricket season is pretty much over now.

Like I said I will still get it from day one like I have with the other AFL games and your cricket games but expectations will be very low considering the state cricket 22 was released in and unfortunately when you release a game in that condition after picking at things WW did with Evo some of us consumers have every right to be hesitant about this release.

 

[BigAntStudios]

3-4 months post release and still a cluster.

More than 80% of people rating the game in the past month would disagree with you - but each to their own.

 

[Treehill23]

Good to see the discussion on goal kicking, always a tough one - no one wants misses too often from dead in front, but they do happen. We often sit there at games and see the most amazing dribbles go straight for a goal and dog-leg to a point, etc. and think that if we did that in a game we'd definitely get posts that accuse the AI of cheating - next time you see something completely odd, think about us putting it in the game and what the feedback would be - e.g. Milne's "missed" opportunity?*

Looking backwards, not forwards, talking of AFL Live, back then we looked at whether scoreboard pressure, time left in the game etc. should be introduced, and perhaps randomised with a greater chance of a miss for number for those that are normally not in that particular position taking the shot.

Wind direction, footedness and natural draw are something that we did do in AFL Live, the aim back then was to match the real life stats in general from the positions but it would have required further patches and by the time that was to occur, we were not in control of the game.


*I think Milne gets that and Malthouse doesn't come to Carlton... instead Collingwood get a flag and it cost us years!

I think if the AI kicks worldly goals every now and again (like 2-3 times a match at the most) on the hardest difficulty, then I think that’s completely understandable as it happens in real life when a team has all the momentum
I think it should be highly randomised however and not scripted to the point that it genuinely does happen every game 2-3 times
Same goes for misses
I think it all comes down to pressure and game trends which is the hardest part to get right
It basically just needs to feel different every game if that’s possible

 

[BigAntStudios]

I think if the AI kicks worldly goals every now and again (like 2-3 times a match at the most) on the hardest difficulty, then I think that’s completely understandable as it happens in real life when a team has all the momentum
I think it should be highly randomised however and not scripted to the point that it genuinely does happen every game 2-3 times
Same goes for misses
I think it all comes down to pressure and game trends which is the hardest part to get right
It basically just needs to feel different every game if that’s possible

The issue is when it is random, it could happen 10 times a game* and if it was capped then that is tantamount to scripting (same result) - plus as anyone that goes to the footy knows, this sometimes happen, how many times does one side kick so straight and the other so badly that it's like they're on different grounds playing in different conditions.


*If hundreds of thousands of games are played in the wild I'd expect some of them to have that occurrence.

 

[Treehill23]

The issue is when it is random, it could happen 10 times a game* and if it was capped then that is tantamount to scripting (same result) - plus as anyone that goes to the footy knows, this sometimes happen, how many times does one side kick so straight and the other so badly that it's like they're on different grounds playing in different conditions.


*If hundreds of thousands of games are played in the wild I'd expect some of them to have that occurrence.

Yeah I’m hearing ya

It’s a very fine line but I’d 100% rather it be randomised and take that chance as long as we’re not seeing score lines such as 17, 0, 102 all the time
But also I’d like to think we as players can control the outcome in a way with the pressure we do or don’t apply and that in turn really comes down to the player and not always the AI

 

[robertto]

Good to see the discussion on goal kicking, always a tough one - no one wants misses too often from dead in front, but they do happen. We often sit there at games and see the most amazing dribbles go straight for a goal and dog-leg to a point, etc. and think that if we did that in a game we'd definitely get posts that accuse the AI of cheating - next time you see something completely odd, think about us putting it in the game and what the feedback would be - e.g. Milne's "missed" opportunity?*

Looking backwards, not forwards, talking of AFL Live, back then we looked at whether scoreboard pressure, time left in the game etc. should be introduced, and perhaps randomised with a greater chance of a miss for number for those that are normally not in that particular position taking the shot.

Wind direction, footedness and natural draw are something that we did do in AFL Live, the aim back then was to match the real life stats in general from the positions but it would have required further patches and by the time that was to occur, we were not in control of the game.


*I think Milne gets that and Malthouse doesn't come to Carlton... instead Collingwood get a flag and it cost us years!

I actually way prefer AFL lives goal kicking to any since.

 

[Etto]

Would love to see some sort of Dream Team feature like FIFA's Ultimate Team would be a really cool additional feature in the game, Also when choosing your jumper in the pre-game menu would love the ability to select the shorts you wear as well (think it was in Live 1) Thoughts?

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

I actually way prefer AFL lives goal kicking to any since.

Agreed.

Bananas from the pocket were awesome. I don't care that it was "too easy".