Don Bradman Cricket 14 General Discussion

[Deleted member 9102]

 

[Gabe]

no, i play it a lot. i find it significantly less enjoyable than previously. i find bowling all but unplayable, because the AI won't give up edges, there's no sense of bowling to a plan and getting wickets - you get hit until they decide to miss a straight one or pop it to a fielder. i find batting challenging, and occasionally rewarding but post patch 2 i'm rather restricted in shot selection because of the issues mentioned of the ball going in the air. i find the AI field settings and constant changes extremely off-putting.

if there was no academy, and i was stuck to playing with out-of-the box current gen players/teams (even licensed) i probably wouldn't still play this. the academy, and playing with older teams or my "barbarians" etc. keeps me coming back.

the game is somehow more than the sum of its parts... it somehow works overall even though the individual systems seen in isolation are often lacking or in the case of the whole AI fielding system staggeringly bad.

hell, this game has given me moments i really enjoyed, even "cherish" if that doesn't sound horrifically gay. Hedley Verity is an absolute hero of mine and I've taken wickets and scored runs "with" him... scored a double hundred against McGrath, Gillespie, Warne and Lee with Trescothick; bounced out Clarke with Harmison; hit countless batsmen with Van der Bijl; re-enacted the Rebel Tours and WSC. This has all been great fun.

Maybe I'm just being miserable, but I'm starting to get more annoyed at the faults than excited at the good stuff: what's the point in hitting a batsman with a bouncer, he doesn't flinch; i only went short-ball theory to Clarke because I'd bowled 40 overs without a single edge; any long innings involves "gaming" the field with pre-meditated defensive shots so they take out the short cover and 4th slip and put in silly mid off and on, as well as continuous other field changes.

the fact of previous patches and prospect of more that keeps me eager to persevere, i think Big Ant's attitude should be applauded and I want them to succeed. however, if the game had been released and left (either in it's initial release state, or post patch-2) my goodwill would have been exhausted by now and i probably would rarely play it, academy or not. i think it was more satisfying to play post patch one than two.

the blockerdave review says:
batting: very good. the controls are excellent, intuitive and fun. the HUD changes that get you watching the ball rather than the pitch are magnificent. batting is hard, especially at higher levels, but patience and discipline are rewarded. you will get out stupidly, you will have moments of thinking it's too hard, but if you resist the urge to pre-meditate too much you can improve. patch 2 spoiled batting significantly, making the cut a shot to be avoided and making most "normal" shots go in the air, as well as turning the last 20 metres or so of the outfield into a ball-stopping tar pit that eats up even the best-timed drives. post-patch one batting was close to spot-on, though in-game feedback on when you make mistakes would be beneficial. unfortunately, the AI field settings and behaviour also detract from the batting experience, as does some AI bowling (medium pacers 50mph bouncers that hit you in the stomach but still get you out LBW because they're dropping down so much).
bowling: close, but no cigar. the controls are lovely, intuitive and natural feeling, and stops bowling being a metronomic "push-button" affair. having to remember to shine the ball is a good thing in my book, and both swing and spin are visible in the game, occasionally extravagantly so. unfortunately however, seam seems to be minimal or non-existent. overall, bowling is spoiled by the AI batting behaviour - it's middle or miss, making AI edges in the game extremely rare. there's very little sense that you can bowl to a plan and get rewards.
fielding: user fielding is as fun as i can imagine it could be in cricket, which can be pretty boring in real life. the controls are sometimes difficult to remember, but fun.
AI: in every facet, from field sets/changes, bowling changes (or lack of as they bowl the same 4 poor guys into the ground), opening bowler choices, AI batting, the AI is between sub-par and (disastrously) not fit for purpose. the AI batting is generally as the same as most cricket games in terms of being overly aggressive in shot selection, but is (post-patch 2) worse than usual in terms of it's run selection, routinely turning down easy singles. the bowler changes/opener selection are worse than i recall in other games. the field settings and changes are simply not fit for purpose and significantly worse than i recall ever seeing before - should not have passed QA.
physics: not good enough. balls that are travelling along the outfield well enough suddenly slow down precipitately within touch of the boundary. fielders have zero reaction time/momentum penalty, and can travel extravagant distances with no impact on their ability to catch/stop a ball. equally, they can walk slowly a short distance and allow an easy two where there should barely be a single. the bounce of the pitch is very wrong - some fast balls reach the keeper on the bounce or at the very least are already on the way down by the time they hit the wickets. edges are extremely rare for the AI, and for the user there is little variation in edge type (not that it matters as the keeper takes everything till about 3rd slip anyway).
academy: brilliant. the options of gameplay, the teams to download, the chance of playing with historic teams etc. is wonderful for a cricket nerd like me, and extends the life of the game significantly keeps you coming back.
sundries: sound design is lovely, the "real time" pa announcements and stadium scoreboards are lovely touches. everything else (commentary, scorecards/statistics/presentation, menus etc.) is poor and seems ill-thought out/tacked on.

as mentioned above, the game is more than the sum of its parts. on xbox and PC i have played this a lot, and don't see myself stopping any time soon. i've mentioned before the analogy of this game being like making out with a lingerie model then noticing an enormous adam's apple. i wasn't going for cheap laughs i think it's a good analogy - you can be playing and enjoying and then bam - you've got a silly mid-on and off, a short cover, a deep extra cover etc. and only one slip and it's the 3rd over of a test; or you're opening the batting in career mode and yet facing a spinner... but i keep coming back - maybe I get a bouncer and pull it through mid-wicket for four and i'm happy again - the "girl" you're making out may well have a schlong but maybe she puts out.

This is excellent constructive criticism.

I think you're right - that the game is more than the sum of its parts. You've covered many of the issues but I would add to that the lack of impact of pitch conditions, the lack of weather impact (the rain itself looks awful - Graham Gooch's Cricket looked better), and scores in the 3rd and 4th innings being unrealistic (much higher than the 1st and 2nd innings, which I think backs-up the lack of the impact of pitch conditions).

And yet I keep playing it, because I can look past these things in the short term - but they are building up a head of steam because my play sessions are getting shorter each time as I'll play for a bit and then get frustrated.

 

[IceAgeComing]

please don't post my picture in this thread, tia

 

[Biggs]

please don't post my picture in this thread

I'd still hit it...

 

[dadarocks]

I think that's the main problem, I haven't seen any pattern to it. I've created some custom field sets for online play and have only noticed the "slow runner" affecting mid-on. I wonder if that's worth exploring a little more, seeing if creating custom fields can mitigate the slow-runners and/or target specific field positions maybe?

Even though I haven't played the game, deducing from what i read here, looks like the game's got a long way to go, mainly on the player-movement consistency overriding a set of ball-speed driven presets. The systems in place seem to be kind of made up -
1. You've got the ball deflecting off the batsman's body to the stump, but the same ball's not kept along the ground during a shot/nor does it bounce off the pitch.
2. The bowler attempts to take a return catch eveytime and fails mostly (balanced though!), but fielders sloppy on field - based on ball speed than their skills...
3. The keeper attempts to catch every ball, not considering presence of a slip fielder, or may be his acrobatic skills.

The game's surely got the potentials, but it's not used to the core. These issues may not be fixable by patches (a bit of toning down and tweaking will surely make it more playable), but may be in a future version, they can be improved by putting systems in place correctly, and see that player abilities/movement constraints aren't overcome by "this-should-go-this-way-only commands...

 

[grkrama]

no, i play it a lot. i find it significantly less enjoyable than previously. i find bowling all but unplayable, because the AI won't give up edges, there's no sense of bowling to a plan and getting wickets - you get hit until they decide to miss a straight one or pop it to a fielder. i find batting challenging, and occasionally rewarding but post patch 2 i'm rather restricted in shot selection because of the issues mentioned of the ball going in the air. i find the AI field settings and constant changes extremely off-putting.

if there was no academy, and i was stuck to playing with out-of-the box current gen players/teams (even licensed) i probably wouldn't still play this. the academy, and playing with older teams or my "barbarians" etc. keeps me coming back.

the game is somehow more than the sum of its parts... it somehow works overall even though the individual systems seen in isolation are often lacking or in the case of the whole AI fielding system staggeringly bad.

hell, this game has given me moments i really enjoyed, even "cherish" if that doesn't sound horrifically gay. Hedley Verity is an absolute hero of mine and I've taken wickets and scored runs "with" him... scored a double hundred against McGrath, Gillespie, Warne and Lee with Trescothick; bounced out Clarke with Harmison; hit countless batsmen with Van der Bijl; re-enacted the Rebel Tours and WSC. This has all been great fun.

Maybe I'm just being miserable, but I'm starting to get more annoyed at the faults than excited at the good stuff: what's the point in hitting a batsman with a bouncer, he doesn't flinch; i only went short-ball theory to Clarke because I'd bowled 40 overs without a single edge; any long innings involves "gaming" the field with pre-meditated defensive shots so they take out the short cover and 4th slip and put in silly mid off and on, as well as continuous other field changes.

the fact of previous patches and prospect of more that keeps me eager to persevere, i think Big Ant's attitude should be applauded and I want them to succeed. however, if the game had been released and left (either in it's initial release state, or post patch-2) my goodwill would have been exhausted by now and i probably would rarely play it, academy or not. i think it was more satisfying to play post patch one than two.

the blockerdave review says:
batting: very good. the controls are excellent, intuitive and fun. the HUD changes that get you watching the ball rather than the pitch are magnificent. batting is hard, especially at higher levels, but patience and discipline are rewarded. you will get out stupidly, you will have moments of thinking it's too hard, but if you resist the urge to pre-meditate too much you can improve. patch 2 spoiled batting significantly, making the cut a shot to be avoided and making most "normal" shots go in the air, as well as turning the last 20 metres or so of the outfield into a ball-stopping tar pit that eats up even the best-timed drives. post-patch one batting was close to spot-on, though in-game feedback on when you make mistakes would be beneficial. unfortunately, the AI field settings and behaviour also detract from the batting experience, as does some AI bowling (medium pacers 50mph bouncers that hit you in the stomach but still get you out LBW because they're dropping down so much).
bowling: close, but no cigar. the controls are lovely, intuitive and natural feeling, and stops bowling being a metronomic "push-button" affair. having to remember to shine the ball is a good thing in my book, and both swing and spin are visible in the game, occasionally extravagantly so. unfortunately however, seam seems to be minimal or non-existent. overall, bowling is spoiled by the AI batting behaviour - it's middle or miss, making AI edges in the game extremely rare. there's very little sense that you can bowl to a plan and get rewards.
fielding: user fielding is as fun as i can imagine it could be in cricket, which can be pretty boring in real life. the controls are sometimes difficult to remember, but fun.
AI: in every facet, from field sets/changes, bowling changes (or lack of as they bowl the same 4 poor guys into the ground), opening bowler choices, AI batting, the AI is between sub-par and (disastrously) not fit for purpose. the AI batting is generally as the same as most cricket games in terms of being overly aggressive in shot selection, but is (post-patch 2) worse than usual in terms of it's run selection, routinely turning down easy singles. the bowler changes/opener selection are worse than i recall in other games. the field settings and changes are simply not fit for purpose and significantly worse than i recall ever seeing before - should not have passed QA.
physics: not good enough. balls that are travelling along the outfield well enough suddenly slow down precipitately within touch of the boundary. fielders have zero reaction time/momentum penalty, and can travel extravagant distances with no impact on their ability to catch/stop a ball. equally, they can walk slowly a short distance and allow an easy two where there should barely be a single. the bounce of the pitch is very wrong - some fast balls reach the keeper on the bounce or at the very least are already on the way down by the time they hit the wickets. edges are extremely rare for the AI, and for the user there is little variation in edge type (not that it matters as the keeper takes everything till about 3rd slip anyway).
academy: brilliant. the options of gameplay, the teams to download, the chance of playing with historic teams etc. is wonderful for a cricket nerd like me, and extends the life of the game significantly keeps you coming back.
sundries: sound design is lovely, the "real time" pa announcements and stadium scoreboards are lovely touches. everything else (commentary, scorecards/statistics/presentation, menus etc.) is poor and seems ill-thought out/tacked on.

as mentioned above, the game is more than the sum of its parts. on xbox and PC i have played this a lot, and don't see myself stopping any time soon. i've mentioned before the analogy of this game being like making out with a lingerie model then noticing an enormous adam's apple. i wasn't going for cheap laughs i think it's a good analogy - you can be playing and enjoying and then bam - you've got a silly mid-on and off, a short cover, a deep extra cover etc. and only one slip and it's the 3rd over of a test; or you're opening the batting in career mode and yet facing a spinner... but i keep coming back - maybe I get a bouncer and pull it through mid-wicket for four and i'm happy again - the "girl" you're making out may well have a schlong but maybe she puts out.

top review couldnt have put it better.

 

[blockerdave]

I haven't missed anything at all. I was just pointing out the irony.

Given my point was one of customisation/variety rather than balance, I'd say you missed it entirely. Twice.

 

[sadumon]

another update today.. 11MB

 

[richowebbo]

Given my point was one of customisation/variety rather than balance, I'd say you missed it entirely. Twice.

I agree with most of all of your review mate.

Pace bowling is pointless. I've been though a whole innings (as England against India) without the hint of an edge. Yeah I can bowl mostly dots, but what's the point? It's boring at the moment. I totally agree about the bouncers. Surely they have to have some effect on the batter. Also, the majority of my wickets come at MId on/off, which wouldn;t happen in a real life game.

I think that the game works great in career mode, where by you are only playing a short stint of the game (Assuming you ski fielding). The fielding and bowling becomes less annoying where you only have to see it for a short space of time. But if you're plying a series, it gets tedious very quickly. Especially as ENG don't have a Spin bowler of any note!

 

[zombieian]

This is excellent constructive criticism.

Exactly. I'm happy to continue my endorsement of @blockerdave.

 

[blockerdave]

The positive response to my review here almost makes it worth the "boring nerd" abuse I got from my wife while typing it

 

[richowebbo]

The positive response to my review here almost makes it worth the "boring nerd" abuse I got from my wife while typing it

My fiancée often makes sly comments...she doesn't understand why I play the game, and then discuss it. She thinks I should just be happy the game finally came out, seeing as I was checking this site every day until it was released! She did buy it for me for as a late Christmas present (as we were expecting the game much earlier!) so I just tell her she should be pleased that I am getting so much usage out of a present she got me!

 

[Ch0rus]

Well 2 recent updates from 1.09 to 1.11... Anyone care to fill me in on the changes made in em?

 

[cricket_online]

Well 2 recent updates from 1.09 to 1.11... Anyone care to fill me in on the changes made in em?

Patch 1: [HASHTAG]#blamebiggs[/HASHTAG]
Patch 2: [HASHTAG]#blamesnowy[/HASHTAG]

 

[Gabe]

I mentioned about the weather (or lack thereof) and its made me think about the career aspect, where I think I've only encountered rain once or twice in many many seasons.

Part of the problem is surely that lots of games take place in Australian grounds for the English county season. I'd almost prefer just recycling the same 3(?) English grounds for the English season. At least that would be less jarring than playing in Melbourne.