Don Bradman Cricket 14 - first impressions thread

[angad]

But Snowy one thing which definitely strikes you when you watch all those DBC 14 gameplay videos is that you don't see AI scoring too many against human opponent. In nearly all those videos the AI barely puts up a respectable total and I would love AI batting to be a lot more solid. AI should be able to post a 180+ score in a T20 and 300+ in odis if I'm a newbie and bowling poorly.

Even the scorecards I have seen on other sites (e.g., IVG) point to a similar trend, i.e. it's pretty easy to bundle out AI batsmen. The point 'Mitchs Johnson' is making is a valid one, i.e. once you get a handle on batting and are reasonably proficient at scoring runs, offline mode will become an exercise in futility owing to AI not being able to put competitive total.

I suggest Let people play on the more difficult levees and see how the opponent batsman is scoring. Right now people are just playing at the normal difficulty level. Would love to see someone try Veteran and Legend difficulty levels to see if they are getting the ai batsmen out cheaply consistently and then I will make my judgement.

Also if AI is indeed getting out for low scores on those higher levels, even then it's more about making the AI bat more sensibly than making bowling tough (I believe that's what you all mean anyways when you say bowling should be tough as control wise I think BigAnt got it absolutely right.). From the videos posted so far on Pro difficulty levels I see batsmen is making silly mistakes and getting out to rubbish deliveries......that might not happen when you level up.

 

[triniboycolin]

the problem is everyone is trying to master the game on high difficulties without spending atleast 3 weeks with the game and trying to get the hang of it .evryone want to their first go at the game on pro and totally dominate the ai no no no no that not how things work.practice a bit more and get use to the game. but i have to admit bowling seems really easy to bump down the ai

 

[outbreak]

the problem is everyone is trying to master the game on high difficulties without spending atleast 3 weeks with the game and trying to get the hsng of it .evryone want to play their first go at the game on pro and totally dominate the ai no no no no that not how things work.practice a bit me and get use to the game. but i have to admit bowling seems really easy to bump down the ai

don't agree, i don't want to dominate the other team I just want to have more of an idea of what I'm doing wrong and how to get better.

 

[Frostyvegi]

Missed the last 60 pages of this thread.. couldn't bother reading them all before posting my first impressions.

After reading the bug reports, I thought I was probably in for a world of hurt when I ended up playing it. Much the opposite, my expectations had been lowered to more realistic levels, and I'm happy to say that the game has exceeded my expectations to a large degree.

The bugs mentioned have been noted, but really, do not impact my personal enjoyment of the game. The mechanics are fantastic, the options and customization is wonderful, all those little things really round off the game into making it so playable. I quite quickly went through the tutorial practice sessions into career mode on legend difficulty (like I said). Found very quickly bowling was definately something to work at. Even though I eventually started getting wickets, it was not due to any pre-emptive moves by myself, but just being lucky in getting the combination right at the time. Now that I've worked out how to get the ball movement selected and the line, and as I (slowly) improve on my timing, I am getting more consistant and intended results, I'm seeing the greatness in this part of the game. Just so enjoyable.. even when you get slogged for 6 on a bad ball.

Batting is noticibly hard, but not due to the game, but just due to myself and the pressure of being out there as your career player. I've gone for two ducks (third and second ball) so far in my career.. but every time I knew exactly why, and it was due to my input rather than anything the game did to cause it. I can see this being very, very enjoyable.. once I actually get a run for myself.

I have even found myself to, at least during my bowling spells, that I'm playing in the field.. unfortunately I'm given those positions that doesn't see much activity (recovered the ball more as a bowler than a fielder so far) and have yet to tried wicket keeper.

Big Ant, a big WELL FISHING DONE from me.. thank you.

I can see that this game has longevity

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Just off a few of the posts above, I'd like to know if people are finding they're getting the batsmen out because they did something they intended, or just that they were lucky or the batsman was being too agressive. As I said above, I've been getting wickets (ok, 3 over 2 and a half innings of bowling) on legend difficulty, and the wickets were, really, just chance. One was a wonderful inswinging full ball that was lacking a bit of pace and somewhat tricked the middle order batsman.. totally resonable and realistic, something that I had not really planned but just managed to bowl a good ball. The other two were catches in the outfield when the batsman were slogging.. which they did against me alot (I've been going for 6-8 an over). If you find you're consistantly bowling exactly where you want, and your tactics and field placment are working, and that THAT is too easy, then sure, there is some justification to it.

Thing is, we get to practice bowling in the game alot more than we get to practice batting.. you bowl regardless of how much you get hit (sure, realisticly you'd be pulled, but the game is not that brutal so early). One failed delivery does not end your innings. But when you bat, once you slip, that's it, no second chance. It's more obvious when you fail at batting than when you fail at bowling.

 

[sami ullah khan]

M johnson and sami, what camera you guys setup while batting? If it is not behind the keeper then you must activate the invert batting, maybe that is the reason you guys cant bat well? Just trying to be some sort of help...

I am using behind the batsmen camera, the upclose one.

 

[isrararrafi]

And that is exactly how it works in the game as well doesn't it.....defensive shots are easier than aggressive shots.....specially on higher levels.

And the point I was making was that even in real cricket 'under certain conditions' playing an aggressive shot is more easier than defending it and the fact that to play a defensive shot you need an equal amount of concentration as a batsmen (hence the statement that it's equally as probable to get you out as an aggressive shot if you mess up the footwork, bat position, body position etc). In real world cricket blocking the ball does not guarantee success and certainly not if you play down the wrong line.

Actually, what i was trying to say was in the game attacking shot seems easier than blocking as the number of sticks+buttons for attacking is more than blocking (2 vs 3). I would also like to add leaving the ball seems hard too since pressing R3 is not the most easy thing to do and my finger ends up slipping. I have posted in some other thread with a slightly modified controller scheme

LS - only use LS to leave the ball alone in different poses
LS+RS - block the ball in different directions
LS+RS+R2 - agressive drives and shots and nudges/pushes depending on how much R2 is pressed
LS+RS+L2+R2 - attacking ground shots (no change from current system)

I understand some people will like the current way much better but i would like to see some different preset controller schemes in the game like fifa has 3-4. People can choose what works best for them.

 

[outbreak]

Missed the last 60 pages of this thread.. couldn't bother reading them all before posting my first impressions.

After reading the bug reports, I thought I was probably in for a world of hurt when I ended up playing it. Much the opposite, my expectations had been lowered to more realistic levels, and I'm happy to say that the game has exceeded my expectations to a large degree.

The bugs mentioned have been noted, but really, do not impact my personal enjoyment of the game. The mechanics are fantastic, the options and customization is wonderful, all those little things really round off the game into making it so playable. I quite quickly went through the tutorial practice sessions into career mode on legend difficulty (like I said). Found very quickly bowling was definately something to work at. Even though I eventually started getting wickets, it was not due to any pre-emptive moves by myself, but just being lucky in getting the combination right at the time. Now that I've worked out how to get the ball movement selected and the line, and as I (slowly) improve on my timing, I am getting more consistant and intended results, I'm seeing the greatness in this part of the game. Just so enjoyable.. even when you get slogged for 6 on a bad ball.

Batting is noticibly hard, but not due to the game, but just due to myself and the pressure of being out there as your career player. I've gone for two ducks (third and second ball) so far in my career.. but every time I knew exactly why, and it was due to my input rather than anything the game did to cause it. I can see this being very, very enjoyable.. once I actually get a run for myself.

I have even found myself to, at least during my bowling spells, that I'm playing in the field.. unfortunately I'm given those positions that doesn't see much activity (recovered the ball more as a bowler than a fielder so far) and have yet to tried wicket keeper.

Big Ant, a big WELL FISHING DONE from me.. thank you.

I can see that this game has longevity

----------

Just off a few of the posts above, I'd like to know if people are finding they're getting the batsmen out because they did something they intended, or just that they were lucky or the batsman was being too agressive. As I said above, I've been getting wickets (ok, 3 over 2 and a half innings of bowling) on legend difficulty, and the wickets were, really, just chance. One was a wonderful inswinging full ball that was lacking a bit of pace and somewhat tricked the middle order batsman.. totally resonable and realistic, something that I had not really planned but just managed to bowl a good ball. The other two were catches in the outfield when the batsman were slogging.. which they did against me alot (I've been going for 6-8 an over). If you find you're consistantly bowling exactly where you want, and your tactics and field placment are working, and that THAT is too easy, then sure, there is some justification to it.

Thing is, we get to practice bowling in the game alot more than we get to practice batting.. you bowl regardless of how much you get hit (sure, realisticly you'd be pulled, but the game is not that brutal so early). One failed delivery does not end your innings. But when you bat, once you slip, that's it, no second chance. It's more obvious when you fail at batting than when you fail at bowling.

when I've taken big wicket hauls it's usually due to things I'm trying to do, I have found if I keep bowling full inswingers dead straight on the stumps and just mix up the pace with the slower and faster triggers I get a lot of bowled and LBWs. Varying pace seems to get them pretty easy on pro.

 

[SibiNaayagam]

I get the impression, somewhere in the bowels of the BigAnt sound recording files there's a session with Ross' appeals loaded full with "F%#K it, you're gone!" and "Yeah, piss off outta here!"

Reminds me to ask, did anyone try the taunting option?

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Watch more cricket dude.....batsmen get out on defensive strokes as much as they do on aggressive ones.

True. For example, Shikhar Dhawan on debut against Aussies got out on his first defensive shot after scoring 187 off 174 balls.

 

[FNK]

I am using behind the batsmen camera, the upclose one.

Try behind the bowler cam or broadcast and then practice your shots. Maybe you could get your thumbs work better with that setting.

 

[Biggs]

@Biggs, @MattW what are your thoughts on the bowling of the AI? Some people seem to be complaining about the line. I would expect around 4 deliveries outside or on off with 1 or 2 bouncers or angling into the stumps each over for a quality bowler. Cheers guys.

I know a few guys who got the game first were saying the bowlers were bowling a lot down leg? Not sure what difficulty they were playing on as I've had zero issues with the AI bowling. They're all bowling great line-and-length, few moments of "heh, well played bowler" have happened, especially in my first match in career mode facing some fast Tasmanian bowler who promptly fire two short deliveries "at the head" for my first two balls in career mode...

So that's fun stuff...

In the "Quick Match" modes, whatever it's called, again no issues with the AI bowling, couple of odd moments with the field placements in a T20 with a silly-mid-on being put in, but I was 8 down for about 90 runs so, fair enough captain.

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For what it's worth, I find the best camera for batting in all modes is the far behind-the-keeper option, giving you a decent view the field and a decent angle at reading the ball...

 

[SibiNaayagam]

I hope this game will be deep enough to last years.... imagine once the guys here get modding

That is one big advantage being a PC gamer. And as you have mentioned about providing modding tools, would it be a few days before the actual release or after?

 

[FNK]

I hope this game will be deep enough to last years....

A hint towards no sequel?? :-(

 

[Mitchs Johnson]

M johnson and sami, what camera you guys setup while batting? If it is not behind the keeper then you must activate the invert batting, maybe that is the reason you guys cant bat well? Just trying to be some sort of help...

Using behind batsman cam far. Controls not inverted.

 

[MattW]

How to PlanetCricket -
1 - Find something Ross says
2 - Take it to the absolute worst possible interpretation of what was said
3 - Post that as fact
4 - ???
5 - Profit

 

[Biggs]

Most people have a fault that effects their thumb that goes in you.

#HowToPlanetCricketRight