Features you want to see in next iteration of Big Ant Cricket

[blockerdave]

It's an interesting point, if DBC had no career mode though, the longevity of the game would have been severely reduced imo. But as you say had the actual gameplay had more time and budget spent on it, a career mode may not have been required to give it longevity. As it stands there is very little about the player Vs AI gameplay to supercede previous titles.

I'd say the career mode is so basic as to not really have made an impact on longevity... Although the continued activity in the career thread perhaps is a good counter to my opinion.

But for me personally I hardly played career at all, largely because of its limitations on top of the general AI frustrations

 

[VijayGreat]

I love Brian Lara cricket 1999
Spin bowling
Shots
outside edge going in the air
hoping DBC 16 will have all those

check at 1:08 outside edge.
Love the game presentation.showing teams line up was opt for that time.
My fav game all time.
I do not see any outside edge going up in the air like that in DBC 14 and some shots are unrealistic.Also spin bowling in 99 is better than DBC14.Presentation in the beginning pronouncing key players name and showing teams lineup--it is opt for that time.
crowd noise and chants are missing in DBC14.ROss please observe this game.

 

[richowebbo]

It's an interesting point, if DBC had no career mode though, the longevity of the game would have been severely reduced imo. But as you say had the actual gameplay had more time and budget spent on it, a career mode may not have been required to give it longevity. As it stands there is very little about the player Vs AI gameplay to supercede previous titles.

As usual mate, I agree with you!

Like I said, many people enjoyed the Career mode, and certainly it gave a different dimension to the game and it was exciting at first because I wasn't aware of the gameplay issues. I was also pretty unlucky whereby I had the 'game crash' bug early doors for about 2 months and my career has been wiped three times. After this happened the third time, I was pissed off and couldn't be arsed with starting again.

Unfortunately, I believe that the last time (at least) it actually wiped my DBC14 profile, so all the changes I'd made to the Academy (to improve gameplay) had gone and so it went back in the box, and only in the last few weeks came out. I was hoping there would have been a patch by now, but when I'd scoured the forums after being away for a while, it was clear it's now going to be "wait for the next game".

I guess my overall experience has been somewhat buggered, but had it have been playable (as proper cricket) from the box, I'd still be playing tours and what-not and that's really all I want. Just a cricket game that I can pick up and play a decent tour series where I feel like I'm playing cricket. Sadly, this has not been the case with DBC14.

 

[richowebbo]

I'd say the career mode is so basic as to not really have made an impact on longevity... Although the continued activity in the career thread perhaps is a good counter to my opinion.

But for me personally I hardly played career at all, largely because of its limitations on top of the general AI frustrations

It seems to me that you've just basically been play testing DBC14 all this time to see if you can get it to play right. Frustrating times.

 

[blockerdave]

It seems to me that you've just basically been play testing DBC14 all this time to see if you can get it to play right. Frustrating times.

That's not too far off the truth. For an awful lot of time sunk in the game, there was relatively little of just enjoying it.

Je ne regrette rien.

 

[cooks1st100]

That's not too far off the truth. For an awful lot of time sunk in the game, there was relatively little of just enjoying it.

Je ne regrette rien.

This mirrors my experience, I did really enjoy it at times but I've definitely never spent so much time on a game that has frustrated me so much. I think a lot of this frustration was down to the fact that it felt just a few tweaks here and there away from being a great game. For me personally, it ranks somewhere between the EA series and BLC99.

It will be interesting to see how much gets ironed out in the next version.

 

[richowebbo]

This mirrors my experience, I did really enjoy it at times but I've definitely never spent so much time on a game that has frustrated me so much. I think a lot of this frustration was down to the fact that it felt just a few tweaks here and there away from being a great game. For me personally, it ranks somewhere between the EA series and BLC99.

It will be interesting to see how much gets ironed out in the next version.

For me, BLC99 is still my favourite. DBC14 got very frustrating to me very quickly, but this could have been because of all the problems I encountered and I had been eagerly anticipating the release.

If all they improve on is the fall of wickets (more edges and LBW's), an increase in chances (play and misses etc.) and better ball dynamics (reverse swing for example) I'd be happy. I really don't care about the stadiums or other cosmetics at this stage. It's interesting that all of my gripes are about bowling. The batting was pretty good.[DOUBLEPOST=1449083531][/DOUBLEPOST]

That's not too far off the truth. For an awful lot of time sunk in the game, there was relatively little of just enjoying it.

Je ne regrette rien.

And you thought video games were meant to be entertainment ;-)

 

[blockerdave]

For sure I got heaps of fun out of the game. But it was often moments... Too often it felt like fighting the game to get fun results, rather than the game giving it organically.

When the game got it right, it was better than anything.

I really really hope they nail the bowling experience in the next version, any other improvements will come to nought if the AI doesn't play better or bowling feel more rewarding.

 

[richowebbo]

For sure I got heaps of fun out of the game. But it was often moments... Too often it felt like fighting the game to get fun results, rather than the game giving it organically.

When the game got it right, it was better than anything.

I really really hope they nail the bowling experience in the next version, any other improvements will come to nought if the AI doesn't play better or bowling feel more rewarding.

I think you've nailed it. At times it was the best fun I've had in a sports game. Certainly in the early days when I'd started a career and I took four wickets to win the match when they needed 10 to win. I was jumping all around the living room! However, especially when it came to doing an Ashes series, I had about four or five innings when the only wickets I took were mid on/off catches or bowled where the batsmen missed the ball by a mile. For a first edition of a game, it was a decent effort and I hope it's built on. It's such a shame that us non-PC players are left with the game the way it is. Not everyone has the luxury of knowing about PlanetCricket.

 

[cooks1st100]

If all they improve on is the fall of wickets (more edges and LBW's), an increase in chances (play and misses etc.) and better ball dynamics (reverse swing for example) I'd be happy. I really don't care about the stadiums or other cosmetics at this stage. It's interesting that all of my gripes are about bowling. The batting was pretty good.

Mine are generally bowling related too but due to the fact that the majority of my time playing was spent bowling, which has been the case with all cricket games apart from BLC.

The batting for me was hugely let down by the constant field changes and the bowler switching from around to over the wicket which broke any sense of realism. Now I can't really comment on the levels above pro, but the AI bowling lacked any sort of feeling of being lured into something, with the pace bowlers especially it seemed that an over would consist of 2 balls on a good length, 2 full and 2 short and wickets would be a result of human error rather than an unplayable delivery or a plan of attack.

It's interesting that you mention a lack of LBW's as I felt that they along with bowleds were about right. To begin with my shouts for LBW were always going over the stumps, but once I'd sussed being able to hit the 3-4 metre length regularly, the quantity for both types of dismissal seemed fairly realistic. I also felt that the AI facing spin in Tests was a more realistic experience than when they were facing seam.

 

[richowebbo]

Sorry I should have included that I meant LBW's against pace bowlers. For Spin bowlers it was good. However, the AI wasn't great at playing Spin and loads of wickets I took via spin was mid on/off catches. I too spend most of my time bowling (I think thats how we got talking at first! Memories, not a sound from the pavement....)

 

[richowebbo]

Just as an aside, I can't believe that the highest % of the above vote is for professional commentators. That is the last thing I'd want BA to spend their money on. Get rid of commentary completely!

 

[Biggs]

Multiple votes are allowed.

I wouldn't take internet-forum poll too seriously...

Confident that at 113 pages, this thread has got "others" well ahead of poll options...

 

[Fahad Ahmed Minhas]

I think injuries to players is one of the most important and cool feature. Especially in career.

 

[outbreak]

Probably mentioned but I want career to be more realistic. Players should age and decline in skills and possibly get dropped if they aren't good anymore. Orders should be flexible enough to move depending on who's in the squad, rather than being a number 5 bat you should be top, middle, lower order and the game should adapt your place based on who's the worst in that area to drop. Same should go for players coming in to the side (regen youth players would be nice maybe add in 4-5 each year at the end of the season to a squad and if they are good enough they can get a game). Ability to change between clubs and sign a set length contract. Improved skill upgrades, I'd rather we can allocate them rather than being based on what you do in game. More in depth too maybe I'm built to be a great driver but a poor hoooker? Maybe I'm a great defensive batsman but a poor hitter? Things like that that can make you have an individually built player skills wise.