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.

 

[BRAB]

I wonder if one day game developers will be able to use AI to generate a much larger commentary bank than they can currently get with actual recording sessions.

 

[sneddo0526]

Heya, Ross! Love the work! Looking forward to playing the game May 4th provided all goes well!

Question: not sure if it has been answered in the 415 page forum haha, will there be an option to edit how many home games teams play at each venue? For e.g - North Melbourne playing home games at Marvel & Blundstone

 

[T2B_]

I wonder if one day game developers will be able to use AI to generate a much larger commentary bank than they can currently get with actual recording sessions.

Honestly don't think that would be too far away, technologically. I've been watching some of the AI President meme videos on YouTube, some of them are getting scary good.

 

[Cheifkeith95]

Does pro team require micro transactions

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

I wonder if one day game developers will be able to use AI to generate a much larger commentary bank than they can currently get with actual recording sessions.

From the outside looking in, VA could be one of the aspects of game dev that benefits most from AI - but it's a massive ethical issue.

 

[T2B_]

From the outside looking in, VA could be one of the aspects of game dev that benefits most from AI - but it's a massive ethical issue.

I'd have thought the original commentator(s) could still be compensated though. Like how some actors have gotten royalties or whatever with their likeness being used in CGI. At least I think that's how it worked.

 

[BRAB]

From the outside looking in, VA could be one of the aspects of game dev that benefits most from AI - but it's a massive ethical issue.

Yeah it’s definitely a huge ethical issue and that might hold it back more than the technology.

 

[Swooping_Magpie]

Does pro team require micro transactions

not necessarily, i got a pretty decent team on fifa without spending anything

 

[AnAussieWancker]

Does pro team require micro transactions

It won’t require it. It will be more of an optional thing

 

[Flagmantle Pod]

Honestly don't think that would be too far away, technologically. I've been watching some of the AI President meme videos on YouTube, some of them are getting scary good.

They’ve started using peoples voices from little snippets on the internet, making an AI script from that and then scamming their families out of thousands. The tech is there and ready, would present so many licensing issues though

 

[BRAB]

I'd have thought the original commentator(s) could still be compensated though. Like how some actors have gotten royalties or whatever with their likeness being used in CGI. At least I think that's how it worked.

I think sports commentary might be a good spot to use it ethically if the commentators are well compensated. You’re not costing anybody any jobs as only Anthony Hudson can be Anthony Hudson in a sports game and you’re also saving them gruelling hours recording commentary lines.

Voice acting in general is harder as you’re costing so many people their jobs.

 

[andy_c91]

I wonder if one day game developers will be able to use AI to generate a much larger commentary bank than they can currently get with actual recording sessions.

Apart from commentary I reckon game devs like BA should do something like the following video:



Imagine with the help of the afl they get match footage they can use to build more player movement data in bulk. No need to put people in suits and while it won’t replace traditional
Motion capture, marker less could help get more data in the bank for devs to use

 

[T2B_]

I think sports commentary might be a good spot to use it ethically if the commentators are well compensated. You’re not costing anybody any jobs as only Anthony Hudson can be Anthony Hudson in a sports game and you’re also saving them gruelling hours recording commentary lines.

That and honestly, as we know due to the way they have to record certain lines and snippets to be put together on the fly, it can sound a little robotic anyway. A good enough AI commentary could actually have some more natural/flowing sounding lines.

 

[Cummdog3000]

My comments in my post still stand whatever your opinion. People will continue complaining saying there is no date in the trailer, the game is deleted from the digital game stores. I’ve done my bit explaining the possible situations especially that LAUNCH trailer means the game will be released on 4th May, maybe even earlier.

Hopefully now that the LAUNCH trailer is published, big ant will now have more flexibility to release images and videos until release.

Also, I have a life. I can’t continuously look at the forums and take time out to make long posts going through the possibilities from a software engineering perspective to explain why Big Ant are delaying information or the digital game stores have the game pages deleted

My friend, I was making a silly joke. Are you the same guy with the long post that I mentioned big ant propaganda and being Ross undercover to? Do I really need to clarify we aren’t sacrificing goats on the internet also??

If you think many people are really gonna take the time to read, learn and decide not to post from a giant text wall from somebody not named Bigantstudios or JNT BA you’re kidding yourself. We all know their hands are tied on stuff but we got the iiiiitccchhh for juicy details.

Chill out and consider stop taking everything so personally. We’re campaigning for the stuff that matters in here like info from our mate that works at JB, gang tackles and holy grail

 

[orazio ray]

don't tell ross !!

 

[AnAussieWancker]

Ultimate Team (Pro Team) modes have been the death of decent career/management/franchise modes in EA/2K games over the past few years so we'll see how much effort goes into each mode once it's been released. My tip is, if microtransactions are a thing, and BA start making bank on Pro Team, it will be the mode that gets all the development put into it.

if them making bank of pro team means they can use more resources into making an even better game next year

 

[jdobs95]

BigAntStudios is it too late to remove Peter Ladhams

19

Peter Ladhams

Age

27

Ht

204cm

Wt

103kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.7

4star

K

6.8

3star

HB

8.8

5star

CL

3.3

5star

HO

15.0

5star

D

21.0

5star

K

9.0

4star

HB

12.0

5star

CL

4.0

5star

HO

16.0

5star

D

14.6

4star

K

6.4

3star

HB

8.2

5star

CL

3.2

5star

HO

14.8

5star

from the game?

 

[LennyHayes77]

if them making bank of pro team means they can use more resources into making an even better game next year

That's just it, they make money off Pro Team and give that mode more resources, not other modes which don't make them any money. It's exactly what happens with EA/2K games every year. I don't think BA will go down that road but it's a slippery slope once it starts happening.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Features features features, first lets get a game where I can pass the ball with the ease of FIFA. Shoot for goal in a meaningful way too. Of all the AFL games, for kicking at goal on the run I still think 2006 did it best.



Yes it's timer based yes sometimes you have to wait for it to bounce back to the middle but at least you can actually aim in a meaningful way. It's not just hit the goal kick button and the game decides weather it's a goal or not. You can actually see what you're doing. It is affected by wind as well so it's not purely get the line in the middle of the goals, its relevant to your position on the field. Deep in the pocket hitting the goals dead centre with no wind will still go out on the full, its a metre relative to what is physically possible also.

Goal kicking on the run was almost perfect in Live 1. You had to compose yourself and run in a methodical way to get an accurate kick, almost like real football. The kicking on the run mechanic in those Premiership 2006-2007 games is atrocious.

 

[palmomagpie]

Heya, Ross! Love the work! Looking forward to playing the game May 4th provided all goes well!

Question: not sure if it has been answered in the 415 page forum haha, will there be an option to edit how many home games teams play at each venue? For e.g - North Melbourne playing home games at Marvel & Blundstone

It was answered at some stage but I can’t find it - I’m pretty sure he said we couldn’t edit it but they’ve programmed it to run on an average from the last few years (eg. hawthorn plays 4 a year at Tassie and the rest at the G etc. ) instead of it being random like Evo 2

 

[brendiss]

My friend, I was making a silly joke. Are you the same guy with the long post that I mentioned big ant propaganda and being Ross undercover to? Do I really need to clarify we aren’t sacrificing goats on the internet also??

If you think many people are really gonna take the time to read, learn and decide not to post from a giant text wall from somebody not named Bigantstudios or JNT BA you’re kidding yourself. We all know their hands are tied on stuff but we got the iiiiitccchhh for juicy details.

Chill out and consider stop taking everything so personally. We’re campaigning for the stuff that matters in here like info from our mate that works at JB, gang tackles and holy grail

No, I’m none of what you said. I’m someone who understands and works in Software Development and if anything keen to work for a video game company.

You just have no idea how much my brain hurts when I read many comments on these forums from people who don’t understand a thing about software development/engineering and start throwing around their own reasons as to why no release date is on the trailer, why the game is deleted from the online stores, why Big Ant can’t release images/gameplay/information or why it’s delayed.

People have the choice to read my posts or not, I don’t care. But when I see people make comments without knowing anything about software development, I just want to explain the reasons - that is all. The behaviour and comments by clients to speed up the development process can lead to issues in the final software, this does happen in industry- it wastes money and resources and sometimes (depending on the companies) has an impact onto future projects. Example: say I’m working on a new project but there is a bug in something that was released, resolving the bug becomes priority and the new project gets impacted.

 

[RG16]

R

Features features features, first lets get a game where I can pass the ball with the ease of FIFA. Shoot for goal in a meaningful way too. Of all the AFL games, for kicking at goal on the run I still think 2006 did it best.



Yes it's timer based yes sometimes you have to wait for it to bounce back to the middle but at least you can actually aim in a meaningful way. It's not just hit the goal kick button and the game decides weather it's a goal or not. You can actually see what you're doing. It is affected by wind as well so it's not purely get the line in the middle of the goals, its relevant to your position on the field. Deep in the pocket hitting the goals dead centre with no wind will still go out on the full, its a metre relative to what is physically possible also.

recently replayed 05, 06, 07 on my phone and 06 was my favourite, especially for a young and upcoming dogs list

 

[maskmcgee]

Goal kicking on the run was almost perfect in Live 1. You had to compose yourself and run in a methodical way to get an accurate kick, almost like real football.

Sounds like the game just decides weather you kick a goal or not. I'm not saying the 2006 way is perfect or should be copied, but it should be a starting point. Maybe have the other stick move the bar around, instead of having it bounce from side to side.

 

[FearTheBeard13]

R

recently replayed 05, 06, 07 on my phone and 06 was my favourite, especially for a young and upcoming dogs list

How’d you play on your phone?

 

[maskmcgee]

R

recently replayed 05, 06, 07 on my phone and 06 was my favourite, especially for a young and upcoming dogs list

There's something about 2006, picking West Coast and just winning clearances with Judd Cousins and Kerr is just so satisfying and fun even to this day, the speed and the handball are just so good in that game. Got 2007 many years later and those two things were totally changed and no longer fun. Don't know why everyone says 2007 is the better game.