1st Ashes Test Match - Reduced Skills. Full Playtest.

[Langeveldt]

Into my fiftieth over with the exact same settings against Zimbabwe. Not one edge. Dry, cracked pitch, PRO mode. They are 137 for 5 and it does feel like good cricket however. One thing reducing the skills does is get rid of the incessant caught and bowled dismissals.

Wish I could create what was going on in those videos, it looks great.

You don't talk much about the bowlers, I have mine with swing set to halfway and below depending on ability. Does this sound correct?

 

[cooks1st100]

Into my fiftieth over with the exact same settings against Zimbabwe. Not one edge. Dry, cracked pitch, PRO mode. They are 137 for 5 and it does feel like good cricket however. One thing reducing the skills does is get rid of the incessant caught and bowled dismissals.

Wish I could create what was going on in those videos, it looks great.

You don't talk much about the bowlers, I have mine with swing set to halfway and below depending on ability. Does this sound correct?

I think you will find it was not so much the pitch but it you look at the beginning of Wealey's first video it shows that at lunch it was cloudy. So you need to keep an eye on the weather during a match because even though it shows it as lunch it is a rough guide and the cloud could last through the first two sessions. This is a big factor as it creates more swing.

As for setting your bowlers up, outswing I will set at no more than 8 generally less, while inswing no more than 6. This keeps the swing to a realistic level and gives you a disadvantage on days when it isn't swinging so much but an advantage when it is, which again adds to the realism.

For seam I use this to determine the quality of the bowler so the Steyn's of the world I set at 17 and then work down. A decent county bowler for example I would set at around 12. You will find you will need to change the seam to suit, depending on how easy/difficult you are finding it to bowl the AI out.

For the cutters I generally set that to the same value as the seam. The same for the slower ball.

For spin I work along similar lines to seam but will generally have them set a bit lower than for the seamers apart from the stock delivery( off-break, leg-break) due to the fact I find the AI can struggle against the spinners but again you will need to find what suits you personally.

 

[Wealey]

Into my fiftieth over with the exact same settings against Zimbabwe. Not one edge. Dry, cracked pitch, PRO mode. They are 137 for 5 and it does feel like good cricket however. One thing reducing the skills does is get rid of the incessant caught and bowled dismissals.

Wish I could create what was going on in those videos, it looks great.

You don't talk much about the bowlers, I have mine with swing set to halfway and below depending on ability. Does this sound correct?

My bowlers have only 4 away swing and 3 inswing. All other stats are one or two bars away from being maxed out.

Is it worth taking a picture of my field settings.

Im very curious to see how they bat second innings.

Im struggling in reply on this pitch with the fields they are setting so it shouldnt be long ha!!

 

[Wealey]

@blockerdave let me knows what Beta is like im scared to opt into it if its changed anything ha!

 

[blockerdave]

@blockerdave let me knows what Beta is like im scared to opt into it if its changed anything ha!

i'll try today.

what are your bowler settings mate?

 

[Wealey]

i'll try today.

what are your bowler settings mate?

4 for outswing
3 for in

Everything else I have bumped up to 2-3 short of max.

What I have done though, is bumped up all their heights to about 194.

Cant notice this on the screen to be honest.

One thing im now also certain of. Antipation is 100 % related to catching!

 

[cooks1st100]

I wouldn't worry too much about cranking their pace up or increasing height as I find I get just as good results with these things set realistically. Plus it's good to have variation.

 

[cooks1st100]

On a completely unrelated note I had a great example of DRS last night. Bowled what looked like a plumb LBW and was shocked when my appeal was turned down, so reviewed it and hotspot showed a small inside edge just before the ball crashed into the pads.

I really loving bowling without the meters, it's a nice little challenge trying to push your bowler as close to the line without overstepping. Finding spin bowling quite difficult though, as timing the rotations in sequence with the bowler turning his arm over is not easy to get right.

 

[AnkitC]

@wealey88 @cooks1st100 It'd be great if any of you guys could upload your teams.

 

[cooks1st100]

@wealey88 @cooks1st100 I'd be great if any of you guys could upload your teams.

Once I'm done testing a few things and am finally happy I will, but it won't be until after the console patch is out. Just look at page 50 of the make bowling more enjoyable thread and use those guidelines for batting and the guidlines for bowling on this thread. That way you can apply them to any team you wish.

 

[Wealey]

Bairstow makes Aussies pay after being dropped on 18!

England slump to 78/5 before Bairstow (117*) and Buttler (56) rebuild innings before Australia seize advantage as Lyon removes Buttler late on Day 2.

Stumps Day 2
England 242-6

Afternoon Session :

Evening Session:

Just an update on the game as most people are more worried about how the AI bat. However for those who are interested I batted with all batsmen on 6 skills increments for each. I have to say on this pitch was a really enjoyable challenge. With the lowered consistency meaning harder to time it and the AI setting pretty decent fields throughout, I found it very difficult to pick up runs at times.

I would say for me personally this is close to being the ideal set up for an all round Test Match.

Again I don't know how much of a part the pitch has to play for this. But 70 odd for 5 on a shitty pitch suits me down to the ground. I had to grind and it made it enjoyable.

You do get some very nice edges when you bat that scoot along the ground etc. I really wish you got more of them bowling to the AI.

All in all as realistic Test Matches go I cant really fault this!!

 

[Langeveldt]

Very nice batting

This might be a daft question, but I'm into my 60th over on Amateur and I haven't had any sort of nick.. Do you think shining the ball makes a difference or is that cosmetic? Did you pick your edges up with straight deliveries or outswing? Perhaps I should get the HUD back on!

 

[Wealey]

Very nice batting

This might be a daft question, but I'm into my 60th over on Amateur and I haven't had any sort of nick.. Do you think shining the ball makes a difference or is that cosmetic? Did you pick your edges up with straight deliveries or outswing? Perhaps I should get the HUD back on!

Well was horrific batting to start with ha! Got alot of time off so fun to have a good play through.

I shine it but I haven't noticed anything occur that would make me think its essential. How do you look to bowl? I just look to bowl the channel outside off and just vary it slightly!

 

[grkrama]

Does shining help get any reverse swing ?

 

[Wealey]

Does shining help get any reverse swing ?

Again not from what I can see. I will focus on that in second innings when I bowl and see if I can pick anything up!

I'm very interested to see how the AI approach their second innings and what differences in dismissals I get from the 1st. Will tell a story as the stats and skills are all the same.