OVERVIEW

Wicked Witch would firstly like to mention what we aimed to achieve with this title, and that is a game that delivers more than any AFL title in the past, is fun and feels like the sport we all love, and that also utilises the capabilities of the Wii.

As a result of this objective we will be delivering 16 stadiums, 5 different leagues and over 70 different teams to play with. There were several features we had hoped to include in the game, such as to have GWS Giants fully implemented in the career element of the game for 2012 and onwards and deliver an under 18's and state league for every state and territory around Australia. However circumstances outside our control prevented us from doing so. Nevertheless, this title will give players far more teams and career progression than any AFL game ever before. You will be able to play in the TAC Cup as an under 18's player and depending on how well you develop, progress into the VFL and AFL (or if you prefer just to start in the AFL you can do that as well). You will also be able to play the NAB U18 National Championships and even play in the International Cup!

There are too many features to list so some of the main ones are:

• A quick match mode (of course) but instead of the usual 16 AFL teams as well as the 2 new teams (Gold Coast and Greater Wester Sydney), you can play with teams from the 5 different leagues as well as bonus teams such as the 2010 All Australian Team.
• A competition mode where you can begin with a fantasy draft and draft a full squad to play through an entire campaign.
• A Career mode where, as mentioned, before you can begin in the TAC Cup and work your way up to premiership glory. Key aspects of this mode are:
  • The ability to complete straight trades or complex three way trades with multiple players and even trade draft picks.
  • Contract negotiation
  • Email inbox.
  • Face the tribunal.
  • Choose medical treatment for player injuries.
  • Juggle finances such as staff wages, ticketing and merchandise.
  • 29 player attributes to train to improve your teams ability.
  • Win the Brownlow, club best and fairest, Coleman medal, NAB rising star and the Norm Smith medal.
• 5 fun minigames to play such as a game similar to Lou's Handball and another like a basketball style 3-point shootout kicking at goal from outside the 50 metre line. Others include a Horse goal kicking game, a marking game, and a free for all game.
• A custom character creator
• A team editor (change team lineups and player ratings as you see fit).
• Achievements.
• Supports 8 players at once and allows friends to drop in and out of a players career so that you can continue a career with friends whenever you desire.
• Range of camera, weather and gameplay options to customise your experience.

There are many Wii style features, such as "mini contests" within the main game play which really add to the excitement during difficult marking contests (speckies) and for close tackles which is similar to 2k Sports 'The BIG's 2'. However if you are not a fan of mini contests within gameplay these can easily be turned off.

The 16 stadiums in the game include 12 AFL venues. This is more venues than ever before in an AFL title. There were no games played in Cairns or Blacktown last year so we didn't have enough notice to put them in this title. The other 4 stadiums might be loosely based on some Victorian grounds to help support the VFL and TAC Cup but otherwise are just generic random grounds ;).

The game will be published by TruBlu entertainment and I believe it will be released around the same time as the PS3 and XBOX 360 titles; however we are not able to confirm any dates as yet.

There are sooo many new features in this game for an AFL title we are sure you will have a blast exploring all the little nuances we have put in the game like even allowing you to veteran list players on your club list so that you remain under the salary cap.

CONTROLS

AFL Wii supports 3 controller types. You can play the game with just the Wiimote for basic controls or include the nunchuck for more advanced gaming. For those that prefer more a more traditional controller the game also supports the game cube controller, but not the classic controller.

With this being the first AFL title on the Wii we felt it was a great opportunity to redefine some of the more classic thoughts on control setups. We had a huge list of options we wanted to give a player and ensure we improve on past AFL games so the controls are reasonably intuitive however can take some players a little time to become familiar with. It is worthwhile finetuning your skills in our minigames unless you really can't wait to jump into the action and we wouldn't blame you! When kicking for goal the wind has always played a factor in AFL titles but with the Wii we were able to implement some curve on the ball similar to Wii bowling so that you can bend the ball around extreme angles and kick around goal posts. This makes for some great replay moments. There is Wiimote shaking used to break tackles and win the break tackle "mini contest" and pointing is used for marking "mini contests" as well as our Lou's Handball minigame. Kicking requires the user to power up their kick and then release with an upward stroke or downwards if you want to try and bend a bouncing grubber around towards goals or not have your kick smothered.

Control wise it's probably a 50/50 split in the studio as to everyone's preference of controller but to get those really fun multiplayer party moments, we believe the Wiimote and Nunchuck is the way to go. There is nothing like being able to rib your mates after curling in an impossible goal from the boundary line or the frantic 'mini contest' moments that we have like break tackles and speckies that the Wiimote and Nunchuck can offer. The Wiimote and Nunchuck also work well in our mini games. If you are playing by yourself then using the GameCube controller is equally suitable and can provide a more relaxed environment to appreciate and immerse yourself in the game. We would probably choose to use the GameCube controller when playing Career Mode. It definitely comes down to personal choice but we see it as a party control vs a personal gaming control. Using the Wiimote on its own, while it's simplified for novice gamers, loses out on some of the nuances of the game.

AFL Wii AND PS3/360/PC

The PS3/XBOX360/PC version has a major focus on balanced online play which is a lot of fun and thus, as far as I am aware, will not be including the International Cup, TAC Cup, Under 18 National Championships and VFL.

While AFL Wii certainly has more arcade elements than the PS3/360/PC version, it does not go as far as "on fire" mode.....even though some of us would have liked that! We have tried to maintain a fair amount of simulation in this title with the arcade and Wii style elements optional, and this complements our career manager mode nicely. We have not seen the PS3/360/PC game for a little while; however it has been looking pretty awesome with great HD graphics! Generally speaking, you could draw a comparison between the two titles something like the PS3/360/PC is like 'MLB 2K10' in that it's a straight simulator title, where as the Wii could be compared to 'The Bigs 2' in that there are some over the top moments but still allows the player to progress through a career. Both of those titles are published by 2K Sports but have a different developer which is the same in our case. Both are genuinely compelling games to play and offer something different and we would suggest you will find the same between the AFL Wii version and the AFL PS3/360/PC titles.

There has certainly been communication and cooperation between the two studios to share the workload where possible as we both want to be able to deliver the highest quality, most fun product achievable and this allows us to focus on nailing the unique aspects of our own games. Yes our faces are similar to BigAnts however they are limited to the capabilities of the Wii. But don't fret, you will get an enormous kick out of how recognisable our player faces are! BigAnt have really outdone themselves and have completed some fantastic face modelling which I find a blast to finally play AFL with players I recognise in HD. Hopefully you all feel these two titles are the AFL games you have been waiting for. If both games get enough support both BigAnt and Wicked Witch will be able to improve their feature offerings for any potential sequels. Unfortunately if AFL titles continue to be less supported than Rugby games (even in Australia), it may be a long wait before other great modes like My Player ever feature in an AFL game.

RAISED QUESTIONS

Questions have been raised about the AFL Challenge title and how it compares to AFL Wii. The title AFL Challenge was a promotional project to be bundled with the Sony PSP. As developers we often have little control over how the finished product is sold, marketed and distributed. AFL Challenge was given only a few months development time and a mini game budget. In fact originally it was even going to be a 2D game, similar to our mobile AFL java games that have been available on Telstra for the last few years. All things considered, the project was a success; however we were not involved, or necessarily comfortable with the way expectations were managed and can certainly understand how consumers, that may have expected a full featured game of FIFA standard, may have been disappointed. AFL Wii is not related to AFL Challenge in any way; the only similarity between the two titles is that they are both AFL titles!

We would have loved to have supported some online elements especially updates to include new player statistics and current team lists however the Wii does not really have capacity for downloadable content such as patches and updates. However, as mentioned, we have included a team editor so that users can edit team line-ups as they please so that the game stays current for as long as possible.

Mii's would have been great to have however this is not a feature that Nintendo allows for third party developers so we were unable to implement this. We do have cool unlockable features in the absence of using Mii's. ;)

Unfortunately there is no My Player/Be a Pro mode on this title. We had a very strong vision for this title and unfortunately we couldn't get all our wish list into one title. Career Mode lasts 10 seasons and there is a slight blend of Manger/My player so that we set the foundations for potentially having a pure My Player mode in any possible sequels. Our Career Mode is tied to a profile character who plays his career throughout your managed years. It is merely a foundation for our studio in case we are presented with the opportunity to create a "Be A Pro" mode. Be a Pro is definitely one of the most popular sporting game modes in this studio, we just were not able to put everything we wanted into one game. Especially considering how many firsts we have packed into this game!!!!!

No we have not implemented pointer controls for positioning. It was something that was mentioned early in development but it was a case of choosing what will make the game most compelling and functional for a first title. It is definitely on a wish list for future enhancements.

Other answers to questions raised:

Competition Mode

• Can play a normal season with just one team
• Can play the season with as many teams in the league as you like.
• No custom competitions

Career Mode

• If you start your career in the AFL and play well the board will have no reason to sack you and you can complete your entire career with the one team. Alternatively, you can start your career in the TAC Cup or the VFL and look to get job offers at the end of the season which will see you change clubs. The better you play the more job offers come your way. Do poorly and you will probably be disappointed with your job opportunities.
• Players progress, get older and retire.
• Yes, there is a Draft
• Yes you will be required to scout. A scout is one of the staff members you can hire. However, you do not need to actively send them out to different locations during the season. They are professionals and they know what they are doing ;). The scout will help reveal information like player potential and club loyalty. This is useful in both trading and drafting. In trading you might be able to get a bargain if a player is not very loyal to a club. In drafting the scout will help ensure you use your draft picks wisely as a player with greater potential will train up their attributes much faster. The more you spend the more information you receive but be careful not to blow all your budget on your scout as you will have to juggle other key financial aspects and staffing requirements.
• Rookies are on our club lists but you cannot list mature age rookies or international rookies specifically. If they are on the club list for 2011 you will find them there.

Gameplay

• There are 4 types of kicks: drop punts, torpedos, snaps or check sides and grubbers.
• There is only one type of handball but the further you try and handball the more elevation it will receive.
• There are different meters on screen but the game works without them and can be turned on or off in the options.
• Rucking is different to the previous AFL games.
• New commentary from Dennis Cometti and Brian Taylor.
• There is no online play!
• Camera can be set behind the players back (which seems to be the preferred way in this studio) or a more traditional broadcast style plus a few other options.
• There are 5 difficulty levels in the game. It ranges from very easy (so that users can familiarise with the controls and game nuances) to incredibly difficult (that will challenge even the most experienced gamer).

Miscellaneous

• The NAB Cup is in its 2011 format however you will not be allowed to play with GWS Giants. This decision is outside our control.
• There is not a create a team feature. There is a team editor so if you are really keen to load up a team with all your favourite players you can do that although it's really so you can keep a clubs playing list up to date ;).
• We are not allowed any retired players. We did push for legendary teams etc but the final decision on this matter was outside our control.
• Downloadable content is not supported

WICKED WITCH THOUGHTS ON AFL

There are a few things that make replicating Aussie Rules quite difficult. The 3 dimensional nature of the sport and fluidity of it makes it difficult to translate to a video game. Sports like League, Union and NFL are easier in that players are really only making their way up and down a field. The stop start nature helps and it's easier to flip the camera around when it's time to head in the other direction. Soccer is similar as well and really the only method of passing is kicking the ball and when you do decide to head the ball, there is a logical reason for that.

AFL on the other hand is far more complicated. Ever tried explaining the rules to someone? Most sports take far less time than explaining AFL to someone for the first time. Sure the offside rule can take some time to understand but there is just so much going on in AFL! So deciding on the complexity of an AFL game is the first step. First there are kicks, tackles, marks and handballs but then you need to think about whether you're are going to have different varieties of kicks, do you allow the player to bounce, throw out a don't argue, side step? Marking is a key feature in AFL. In a soccer game you aren't required to press anything to receive the ball but would that feel right marking the ball in AFL without doing anything? No one wants to do a speckie without any input. Where is the reward in that? So combining all the elements that a player can do in AFL is very tricky and this all happens in a single moment without stoppages in the game to adjust to different game demands (a part from ruck contests). So when you consider that in the AFL you have kicks, handballs, evades, hip & shoulders, tackles, smothers, spoils, marks and speckies all happening at once it becomes very difficult. After you have considered these elements then telling the AI to use these fundamentals in a meaningful way and understand what a user would want to do is not easy either. When does the AI break for a lead? Do they break when you have a clean possession to where they would go or do they hold back and run to where you are most likely to kick it too. Do they go up for the mark as well or do they sit front and centre and wait for the ball to hit the deck. The size of the field and the number of players used is also throws out its own set of issues.

Due to all these complexities we have seen many AFL games in the past not reach the standards that have been set by other games in the sporting game genre. There has been a tendency to romanticise AFL games from the 90's but they also lack a sophistication that we have come to demand from sport titles today. Great for then, not for now.

Another major issue is to compete against titles that have a 20 year back catalogue of technology and assets and a global market compared to an Australian first title with a target market that doesn't even include the entire population (when you consider NSW and QLD are rugby states) and still make the game competitive. When you compare what comes NEW in some of these established titles and their annual budget to what Big Ant and Wicked Witch have delivered for the first time on a budget that doesn't even compare, you might feel ripped off with what those yearly titles deliver. Yet these are not factors you should have to consider especially when it's your time being invested in playing a product and your hard earned to buy the product. This is something that both Wicked Witch and Big Ant are aware of and have battled to ensure that these titles hold their own in today's marketplace. In the end it was essential that these titles went to developers that live in AFL dominated landscapes (both are Victorian based) as it was always going to have to be a labour of love to be competitive. However, despite these obstacles we are very happy with the final product and hope you enjoy playing it as much as we have internally. We really think that both these titles are what the AFL gaming community have been waiting for.

Having said that there are some really cool features in our Wii version that are a blast. We have a 3-point shootout style mini game where players are to kick around the 50m arch and score as best they can. This is really fun with the Wiimote as you battle the wind and angles to slot goals and incorporates all the great things about the Wii. There is also a Lou's handball style archery style mini game which is also a entertaining challenge. It might seem odd that we are pointing out some of our mini games as features but any AFL title has to cover the core gameplay. When you consider the challenges that we have had to face (time and budget) and yet the team here have given up their own time to add these great extras, for the love of the project, which won't make the game sell any better, just to ensure consumers are getting value for money. This makes us proud of what has been accomplished as corny as that might sound.

Wicked Witch Player Attributes for AFL Wii

Wicked Witch use a variety of player attribute ratings to get an overall player rating as well as a team rating. Attribute ratings range from 0 to 99. Most attributes can be directly affected by the user however there are also attributes such as a players potential and loyalty which cannot be changed by the user. Potential decreases over time due to age and other factors and loyalty will increase or decrease based on factors such as wages and game time.

The attributes that define player ratings are:

AFL Wii Trailer