Review: First Impressions of DB14 on PC

[BigAntStudios]

We have test beds that iterate millions of balls and we check the recorded results to see that things are having the outcomes that they should.

I will run the tests for 24 hours on Monday and check the results.

 

[zimrahil]

We have test beds that iterate millions of balls and we check the recorded results to see that things are having the outcomes that they should.

I will run the tests for 24 hours on Monday and check the results.

Cheers Ross

Just so not used to this developer interaction, even if nothing comes of this appreciate you taking the time to investigate
Once AI edging is balanced that's last major query sorted for me

 

[Alberts]

We have test beds that iterate millions of balls and we check the recorded results to see that things are having the outcomes that they should.

I will run the tests for 24 hours on Monday and check the results.

Interesting. How exactly does the methodology work. Is there are set of "stock" or "model" balls that are tested and then checked against how the AI react and result?

If you get the wicket balance right (or demonstrate that it is in fact correct) and somehow deal with the Dressing Room Shot, that would be amazing.

I'd absolutely blown away by the level of support you guys are showing for the game, and the level of interaction with the community. I think I'll actually buy a couple more copies of the game and gift them to some friends in an attempt to get them into the game. This game deserves more publicity.

 

[BigAntStudios]

We bowl literally millions of balls through a grid on the ground, record the results as in miss, edges, etc. and outcomes for each level of AI batting.

 

[blockerdave]

We bowl literally millions of balls through a grid on the ground, record the results as in miss, edges, etc. and outcomes for each level of AI batting.

presumably the "we" is an automated process?

i can't claim to have bowled millions of bowls, but i have certainly bowled enough long periods to see there is an issue with generating AI edges in the game. i'm not saying they never happen, but they are nowhere near frequent enough, nor i would say do they come from the "right" shots enough (i.e. defence and drives)

 

[Alberts]

We bowl literally millions of balls through a grid on the ground, record the results as in miss, edges, etc. and outcomes for each level of AI batting.

Here's an question then. You previous got me on a version of the game with logging through the beta system. Is the kind of information you are recording with these testbeds something that can be done for human players playing, recorded by the game, then automatically uploaded at the end of playing sessions? If it is I think it could be worthwhile to see how human players are playing, both bowling and batting, and the results that occur. With a larger player base and people on here, is that something that could be useful.

It's one thing for an automated process to bowl millions of balls, it's another to see what people are doing and trying and seeing what kind of game experience comes as a result. If it's something that can be recorded of course.

 

[Wealey]

Its not even necessarily edges that go to slips, but even bowling with perfect deliveries you dont see many outside edges off drives that squirt down to third man etc.

I have bowled alot and the game is sooooo good!! But id say in about 60 hours of gaming i have had one snick off to slips for both a spinner and seamer and around 7-8 edges to keeper.

They are there but very rare!

 

[inertSpark]

I do agree that mostly edges either go to the keeper, or go down to the ground. Slips seem a little un-necessary as things stand at the moment.

 

[Biggs]

Slips seem a little un-necessary as things stand at the moment.

I agree, @MattW dropped two catches in the slips against me then other night, may as well had em somewhere else

 

[Alberts]

I agree, @MattW dropped two catches in the slips against me then other night, may as well had em somewhere else

The discussion is about Humans bowling to AI. Unless you know something about MattW that we don't, you getting edges off a human (which doesn't appear to be an issue, or at least as much of an issue) doesn't say anything about the AI.

 

[Biggs]

It was a joke.

 

[inertSpark]

I saw the funny side, chill!

 

[Deleted member 9102]

Regarding edges, I've had quite a few of them in my career mode from my bowling to the CPU on Veteran difficulty, probably quite a nice frequency of them, but none have found the slips - they have all been really thin snicks which are comfortable for the keeper or just fail to carry to him.

They still look and feel much more realistic and satisfying though than in any previous cricket game, although there is room for improvement with a bit of tweaking.

I also think that perhaps pace bowling in general should carry through to the keeper with a bit more 'venom' if that makes sense. Apart from with bouncers it seems the keepers take everything very comfortably and at quite a low height. Not really being very specific/descriptive here but I'm trying to be constructive .

I'd also like to echo the sentiments of zim and Alberts on this page - this community interaction is excellent. To keep it up after release as well and take onboard so much feedback and continue to support the product is outstanding.

 

[inertSpark]

Apart from with bouncers it seems the keepers take everything very comfortably and at quite a low height.

I'm not really so sure that is truly the case. The condition of the wicket seems to be the major deciding factor in that regard, much as it is in real life too. I've played some career matches where there has been considerable bounce even off a fuller length, and sometimes I've played matches on damper pitches and it's hardly carried at all. Overall I'm pretty satisfied in this regard.

 

[Deleted member 9102]

I'm not really so sure that is truly the case. The condition of the wicket seems to be the major deciding factor in that regard, much as it is in real life too. I've played some career matches where there has been considerable bounce even off a fuller length, and sometimes I've played matches on damper pitches and it's hardly carried at all. Overall I'm pretty satisfied in this regard.

Perhaps then it's just that the matches I've played so far have had pitch conditions which have led me to that conclusion.

Still, it would be nice if we could at least move the keeper closer to the stumps in conditions where he seems to be often collecting it at his toes.

It could even be that most of my pace bowling has been with my career mode player, who maybe extracts less bounce from the pitch due to low attributes? He is also 5ft10 (178cm) so not too tall for a pace bowler. Actually now I think about it those two factors are probably quite important although that said, I didn't notice a dramatic difference when using the England test side except getting significantly more swing.