AFL Evolution - Launch thread

[illnino]

Played a lot of online now. Still a bit random with marks and spoils. Also, the diffence between the ridiculously good players and terribly poor players is immense. Live 1 has it covered for online play.

 

[illnino]

Terms such as 'penalties' and 'grubber kicks' also doesn't say much about WW's knowledge of the nuances of Aussie Rules footy.

 

[HoneyBadger35]

As I mentioned, figured out marking and it's just opened up the entire game. Getting really satisfying passages of play like this multiple times a game, some really fun moments. Have played for probably 4-5 hours total now, and all the little things have started clicking for me. It's basically an entirely different experience once you sort marking out.

 

[Clout Bombers]

I won 5 online quick matches in a row and no trophy? Surely they didn't mean without opponents quitting. Also I have no rank or any record of these wins WTF?

 

[footyfan1978]

As I mentioned, figured out marking and it's just opened up the entire game. Getting really satisfying passages of play like this multiple times a game, some really fun moments. Have played for probably 4-5 hours total now, and all the little things have started clicking for me. It's basically an entirely different experience once you sort marking out.

Not very realistic if that is a grand final.
Where is Darling's fumble and dropped mark ?

 

[A Tiger 4 lyf]

I drafted a 178cm Ruckman

 

[fullbull]

I actually quite like the kicking mechanics, had a lot of fun in free roam trying them out. Reckon it is the best they have ever been.

The match gameplay is a bit of a mess though.

The game speed is way too fast and the
players have no weight to their movement. It feels very arcadey. Honestly, it should be 50% slower which would allow players to think their way through situations better.

Marking and spoiling seem like a bit of a toss of the coin, even with "good" timing. The AI seem to mark everything, even in contested situations when you are in good position to spoil.

Game is constantly 1v1, way too hard to find loose players. Even if you kick backwards, everyone is manned up. You can't get an easy switch like you can in modern AFL. Hope they can tune the AI to get off their man and into space more often.

Overall, I think there are some good things in place but the AI lets the game down at the moment. A bit of tweaking (slower game speed, marking contests, more space/less 1v1) and I reckon we have the mechanics for a good AFL game.

This is very accurate. Would make it feel a lot more like the AFL we watch today.

 

[jc12]

You say this like it's guaranteed there will even be another game. It took WW 4 years between AFL Live 2 and Evolution. Depending on how this game sells and how many copies get returned I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see another AFL game for a loooooooong time.

Also, let's be honest; the ship has long sailed on AFL games ever "evolving". Look at Evolution and look at AFL 2004. They are almost identical, down to the tactic options. The main differences between them are that the PS2 games had far better features and actually functioned properly.

Lol judging by your username and your comment you are living in the past, funny the big ant **** suckers are getting salty over people giving some positive feedback for the game. If you actually think this is just afl 2004 go play that instead

 

[Temploar]

Quite possibly the most frustrating Game Ive ever played.

Everything is random as ****

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Lol judging by your username and your comment you are living in the past, funny the big ant **** suckers are getting salty over people giving some positive feedback for the game. If you actually think this is just afl 2004 go play that instead

Are you enjoying the game?

 

[jc12]

Are you enjoying the game?

Yes, if you figure out how to draw out players to get loose men you'll be able to create good passages of play, I managed to recreate the perfect richmond passage of play where I handball ed beautifully through the middle between 3 players then ended up stuffing up the kick or hand balled one too many times

 

[Temploar]

I'll be returning my used copy to EB tomorrow and sell the sealed new copy I have on eBay or some shit.

I'm done with this game. Random cluster ****.

I'm so disappointed I really had hopes for WW to make a decent game.

After about 24 hours of gameplay my final verdict is that I'm very disappointed.

This is the last time you'll be seeing me in this thread.
(Inb4 an edgy mother****er writes "good" or some shit)

 

[jc12]

I'll be returning my used copy to EB tomorrow and sell the sealed new copy I have on eBay or some shit.

I'm done with this game. Random cluster ****.

I'm so disappointed I really had hopes for WW to make a decent game.

After about 24 hours of gameplay my final verdict is that I'm very disappointed.

This is the last time you'll be seeing me in this thread.
(Inb4 an edgy mother****** writes "good" or some shit)

Good

 

[TheInjuryFactory]

Not very realistic if that is a grand final.
Where is Darling's fumble and dropped mark ?

Here it is

 

[TheInjuryFactory]

Appreciate the subtle troll of the Chris Mainwaring Wing in full flight for Dockers home games.

Cheers Wicked Witch

 

[WWSD]

How hard is it for the AFL to pay 2K to do an AFL game?

2K would have over 1000+ workers at that company compared to about 30 or 40 people who work at wicked witch.

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

Its not possible to change an AFL team's home ground, is it?

 

[Clout Bombers]

8 wins in a row still not seeing any ranking. I let last few stay in the game so they wouldn't quit.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

I think it's funny how he's going out of his way to refrain from saying anything negative because the devs gave him a tour of the studio. Can't take any opinion he has about the game seriously.

He got really defensive, before this game came out, when somebody criticised Wicked Witch returning to develop it.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

I think they just lacked the technical ability and capacity to produce a game with good mechanics so they just prioritised the graphics, stadiums and all that stuff over the gameplay itself. It's why we were given face scans and pictures of the stadiums rather than gameplay footage.

The graphics don't look that flash to me if that was their priority. But yeah, you hit the nail on the head about the mechanics of the game not being good. They probably spent a good part of the budget on those face scans, when they're on this "balance sheet" budgeting.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

How hard is it for the AFL to pay 2K to do an AFL game?

2K would have over 1000+ workers at that company compared to about 30 or 40 people who work at wicked witch.

It's not a matter of difficulty; it's a matter of money. An AAA game developer would demand a lot of money, and they wouldn't get anywhere near the necessary return on sales. The AFL would have to put in big money.

The AFL, True Blue, and Wicked Witch are business. They're out there to make money, not make games at a huge loss to themselves. They went with Wicked Witch because they are the cheapo option and therefore the most likely to generate a return on the investment. Unfortunately, this results in a terrible game, but I believe the AFL/True Blue have determined that a certain number of people will always buy this games, so it doesn't really matter how good it is. If a certain segment of the market will buy it, and it's unlikely that market will grow considerably from more expenditure (given AFL's limited coverage), then to them it doesn't really matter how good the game is.

This philosophy is also evident in how the game is made and marketed. The focus was never on how the game played. Initially we were treated to some realistic face scans, because graphics are marketable, and we were told about cool new features like Be a Pro and the incorporation of the AFLW, because game modes will entice people it is like big-name American franchise games and perhaps they'll garner a few more sales from little girls if they can play as women. Due to limits in budgets, resources, capabilities, etc. this approach sees them doing a lot of things and getting none of them right.

 

[sfletch100]

Anyone in the US able to find on PS network? Only seeing on Xbox.

 

[A Tiger 4 lyf]

Its not possible to change an AFL team's home ground, is it?

Its possible,You would need to create the team though and Would need 44+ FanHuB players to transfer the licensed players from team to created version

 

[GoldbergsGold]

It's not a matter of difficulty; it's a matter of money. An AAA game developer would demand a lot of money, and they wouldn't get anywhere near the necessary return on sales. The AFL would have to put in big money.

The AFL, True Blue, and Wicked Witch are business. They're out there to make money, not make games at a huge loss to themselves. They went with Wicked Witch because they are the cheapo option and therefore the most likely to generate a return on the investment. Unfortunately, this results in a terrible game, but I believe the AFL/True Blue have determined that a certain number of people will always buy this games, so it doesn't really matter how good it is. If a certain segment of the market will buy it, and it's unlikely that market will grow considerably from more expenditure (given AFL's limited coverage), then to them it doesn't really matter how good the game is.

This philosophy is also evident in how the game is made and marketed. The focus was never on how the game played. Initially we were treated to some realistic face scans, because graphics are marketable, and we were told about cool new features like Be a Pro and the incorporation of the AFLW, because game modes will entice people it is like big-name American franchise games and perhaps they'll garner a few more sales from little girls if they can play as women. Due to limits in budgets, resources, capabilities, etc. this approach sees them doing a lot of things and getting none of them right.

"They're a business". What's that got to do with investing in markets you won't profit from straight away, like with Gold Coast and GWS, but not doing so with video games? It's a bit redundant to read the same, "they won't profit from it". You would do this no different than those expansion sides, as a marketing strategy but for an international market. This isn't unprecedented. FIFA already did this when nobody had even heard of their games. They were virtually giving their games out to start with.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

You say this like it's guaranteed there will even be another game. It took WW 4 years between AFL Live 2 and Evolution. Depending on how this game sells and how many copies get returned I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see another AFL game for a loooooooong time.

Also, let's be honest; the ship has long sailed on AFL games ever "evolving". Look at Evolution and look at AFL 2004. They are almost identical, down to the tactic options. The main differences between them are that the PS2 games had far better features and actually functioned properly.

Live 1 to me at least defied that logic. AFL De-evolution was always going to be a let down, if you had been following the behind the scenes "balance sheet" logic of The AFL. That's why Wicked Witch were picked again, even though Live 2 was unanimously considered a huge let down. The AFL want to have their own videos games, but aren't investing money into producing a decent one. I believe you're incorrect when saying there won't be another footy game for a while. They'll probably pop out another low budget flop sometime in the next few years, if they don't change their attitude towards the video game market.