Cloda
School Cricketer
Same thing I posted on the BigAnt Studios forum...
As always, a forum is not the easiest place to get information and see what has been discussed before. As such, apologies if I'm starting a thread on points that have been discussed before.
I just joined the forum and am posting this as I have now reached a dangerous point with this game where I love the idea and see the potential in it, but I am just not enjoying playing the game due to certain frustrations. In most games that you continue playing these frustrations gets outweighed by the satisfaction you get from playing... the rest just doesn't get played.
Anyway, my frustrations are mostly around various aspects of batting; the control scheme, camera positioning and picking up the length of the ball.
Control Scheme
The control system is not at all intuitive for me and it is really hindering my enjoyment of the game. On Xbox360, the action to leave the ball (pressing down on the right analogue stick) just doesn't work practically and is really a hassle. I also really struggle to control the power of a shot using the right trigger. I either block it or belt it as you don't have that subtle control needed for a power adjustment due to the fact that your thumb and index/middle finger both need to be moving at the same time. Can you please consider changing the controls (or add and alternative control scheme) where the decision to leave the ball is by pressing the right trigger and where the power of the shot is controlled by how far you press the right analogue stick in a direction? I'm hoping that through changes like this, what you are trying to do as the batsmen will become more intuitive, without any premeditation, so that each ball can be played on merit.
Camera Positioning and Length determination
The best camera position for me for picking up length is the Pro mode and then secondly the close bowling camera (only in the batting nets though). The Pro mode camera has too many blind-spots (for a lack of a better term) to allow for good shot selection and timing whilst with the close bowling camera, there is too much camera movement in an actual game, so both are not a practical options for me. With the close batting view, there is just not enough depth of view to pick up the length even though the ball colour gives you an indication between short, good and full deliveries. The problem for me though, is that within those different categories you can't distinguish e.g. between a short delivery that is going to hit you on the head or one that won't rise up too much, allowing you to still get bat on ball. Same with a good length delivery, I can't differentiate until it is too late if the ball is e.g. just short of a length or towards the fuller side so that you can choose to play front or back foot. My suggestions for this is maybe a fixed camera e.g. above the umpires head looking at the batsman and rather than just having "green" for a good delivery have shades of "green" with lighter indicating more back of a length and darker indicating fuller (and the same for the "red" for short deliveries).
Please understand, I really appreciate the effort that goes into a game such as this and know that all these aspects discussed above must have been brainstormed and considered loads of times whilst the game was being developed. I hope that you understand where I am coming from and that you would please consider these points for future patches and iterations of the game. It would increase my enjoyment of the game immensely if these ideas or something similar can be implemented. I do relish a tough challenge but the challenge of a wildly swinging out-swinger is more than enough of a challenge without me still having to struggle with limitations of control, camera and length determination.
As always, a forum is not the easiest place to get information and see what has been discussed before. As such, apologies if I'm starting a thread on points that have been discussed before.
I just joined the forum and am posting this as I have now reached a dangerous point with this game where I love the idea and see the potential in it, but I am just not enjoying playing the game due to certain frustrations. In most games that you continue playing these frustrations gets outweighed by the satisfaction you get from playing... the rest just doesn't get played.
Anyway, my frustrations are mostly around various aspects of batting; the control scheme, camera positioning and picking up the length of the ball.
Control Scheme
The control system is not at all intuitive for me and it is really hindering my enjoyment of the game. On Xbox360, the action to leave the ball (pressing down on the right analogue stick) just doesn't work practically and is really a hassle. I also really struggle to control the power of a shot using the right trigger. I either block it or belt it as you don't have that subtle control needed for a power adjustment due to the fact that your thumb and index/middle finger both need to be moving at the same time. Can you please consider changing the controls (or add and alternative control scheme) where the decision to leave the ball is by pressing the right trigger and where the power of the shot is controlled by how far you press the right analogue stick in a direction? I'm hoping that through changes like this, what you are trying to do as the batsmen will become more intuitive, without any premeditation, so that each ball can be played on merit.
Camera Positioning and Length determination
The best camera position for me for picking up length is the Pro mode and then secondly the close bowling camera (only in the batting nets though). The Pro mode camera has too many blind-spots (for a lack of a better term) to allow for good shot selection and timing whilst with the close bowling camera, there is too much camera movement in an actual game, so both are not a practical options for me. With the close batting view, there is just not enough depth of view to pick up the length even though the ball colour gives you an indication between short, good and full deliveries. The problem for me though, is that within those different categories you can't distinguish e.g. between a short delivery that is going to hit you on the head or one that won't rise up too much, allowing you to still get bat on ball. Same with a good length delivery, I can't differentiate until it is too late if the ball is e.g. just short of a length or towards the fuller side so that you can choose to play front or back foot. My suggestions for this is maybe a fixed camera e.g. above the umpires head looking at the batsman and rather than just having "green" for a good delivery have shades of "green" with lighter indicating more back of a length and darker indicating fuller (and the same for the "red" for short deliveries).
Please understand, I really appreciate the effort that goes into a game such as this and know that all these aspects discussed above must have been brainstormed and considered loads of times whilst the game was being developed. I hope that you understand where I am coming from and that you would please consider these points for future patches and iterations of the game. It would increase my enjoyment of the game immensely if these ideas or something similar can be implemented. I do relish a tough challenge but the challenge of a wildly swinging out-swinger is more than enough of a challenge without me still having to struggle with limitations of control, camera and length determination.