Patch Discussion - PS4 (1.11), Xbox One (1.0.0.12) and Steam

[Rumple43]

A few more observations after a much more prolonged period of play. I'm in career mode, controlling just one player (though probably not for too much longer!) In the last few days I've played 4 tests against India, the ODI series with India, the T20 series with India, plus the 3 match test series in Sri Lanka, and the 1st ODI in Sri Lanka, all as England. Playing as one player is much faster than the whole team, after all!

• Bowling is dull. Perhaps it's different when controlling the whole team, but I'm just using one guy and it is tedious at best. I never go for any runs, and I never get any wickets. Might get the odd play and miss, or the ball hitting the pad that isn't going to be LBW (the AI only ever seems to miss the ball when it isn't hitting the stumps, and only ever lets it hit its pads when it's not going to be out) but that is about it. My character currently has an average of over 100 in all formats with the ball as I simply never take wickets. My economy is less than 2 in tests, less than 4 in ODIs and less than 6 in T20s. So nobody can score off me, but nobody gets out. Not fun.
• Dropped catches are definitely a thing by the AI (no fielding mini-game when just controlling one guy). I've had a couple of drops off my bowling now, which whilst realistic, is incredibly annoying when coupled with the point above. One was a cool diving animation at gully that spilled out and went to the boundary, another was an absolute sitter, chest high, straight at Cook at first slip. Time to retire Alistair....
• With the sliders I've got, I find batting to be right on the edge of challenging. I don't feel it is unduly unfair (though I did have a nonsense C&B, and also the wild "take down leg side by the keeper after you've smashed it towards fine leg") and I really have to be absolutely on it to make runs. My top score in the Tests was 44, and 40 in an ODI. I had a couple of ducks as well. Probably averaging 15 or so in tests, and 20+ in limited overs, when I do get to bat. In short, I'm fitting in perfectly as England's answer at #3.
• I've got it on hard batting and veteran, and that's a good mix. I've tried bowling on hard, medium and easy, and none of those settings cured the first point above.
• I was happy that by changing the sliders and initial settings, I managed to make the pitches in Sri Lanka feel massively different to the green tops I had against India in England.
• It is frustrating that every spinner in the game can spin the ball both ways at will. If I could be bothered, I would literally edit every spinner so this wasn't a thing. I've posted before about spinners who's "strongest skill" is their wrong un. That is nonsense.
• Equally frustrating, I made my created character in the Academy, put him into the England line up as captain, and then started a career to play as an existing pro (selecting him, obviously). In game, I take part in the toss, and can change the field, but I can't select the starting XI. As such, we just played 3 tests in Sri Lanka with Rashid (I put him in the XI when putting my created guy in) as the only spinner. Unsurprisingly, Anderson, Broad, Woakes, Stokes and myself (Fast-Medium bowler) struggled to get it done on crumbly, soft pitches. Bit silly.

Not sure I'll progress with career, it just has too many limitations for what I'm looking for. May go for some up to date International teams and play some tours or competitions. Pleased that there has been another patch, was very surprising, just some musings above for anyone still checking in on the game.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

A few more observations after a much more prolonged period of play. I'm in career mode, controlling just one player (though probably not for too much longer!) In the last few days I've played 4 tests against India, the ODI series with India, the T20 series with India, plus the 3 match test series in Sri Lanka, and the 1st ODI in Sri Lanka, all as England. Playing as one player is much faster than the whole team, after all!

• Bowling is dull. Perhaps it's different when controlling the whole team, but I'm just using one guy and it is tedious at best. I never go for any runs, and I never get any wickets. Might get the odd play and miss, or the ball hitting the pad that isn't going to be LBW (the AI only ever seems to miss the ball when it isn't hitting the stumps, and only ever lets it hit its pads when it's not going to be out) but that is about it. My character currently has an average of over 100 in all formats with the ball as I simply never take wickets. My economy is less than 2 in tests, less than 4 in ODIs and less than 6 in T20s. So nobody can score off me, but nobody gets out. Not fun.
• Dropped catches are definitely a thing by the AI (no fielding mini-game when just controlling one guy). I've had a couple of drops off my bowling now, which whilst realistic, is incredibly annoying when coupled with the point above. One was a cool diving animation at gully that spilled out and went to the boundary, another was an absolute sitter, chest high, straight at Cook at first slip. Time to retire Alistair....
• With the sliders I've got, I find batting to be right on the edge of challenging. I don't feel it is unduly unfair (though I did have a nonsense C&B, and also the wild "take down leg side by the keeper after you've smashed it towards fine leg") and I really have to be absolutely on it to make runs. My top score in the Tests was 44, and 40 in an ODI. I had a couple of ducks as well. Probably averaging 15 or so in tests, and 20+ in limited overs, when I do get to bat. In short, I'm fitting in perfectly as England's answer at #3.
• I've got it on hard batting and veteran, and that's a good mix. I've tried bowling on hard, medium and easy, and none of those settings cured the first point above.
• I was happy that by changing the sliders and initial settings, I managed to make the pitches in Sri Lanka feel massively different to the green tops I had against India in England.
• It is frustrating that every spinner in the game can spin the ball both ways at will. If I could be bothered, I would literally edit every spinner so this wasn't a thing. I've posted before about spinners who's "strongest skill" is their wrong un. That is nonsense.
• Equally frustrating, I made my created character in the Academy, put him into the England line up as captain, and then started a career to play as an existing pro (selecting him, obviously). In game, I take part in the toss, and can change the field, but I can't select the starting XI. As such, we just played 3 tests in Sri Lanka with Rashid (I put him in the XI when putting my created guy in) as the only spinner. Unsurprisingly, Anderson, Broad, Woakes, Stokes and myself (Fast-Medium bowler) struggled to get it done on crumbly, soft pitches. Bit silly.

Not sure I'll progress with career, it just has too many limitations for what I'm looking for. May go for some up to date International teams and play some tours or competitions. Pleased that there has been another patch, was very surprising, just some musings above for anyone still checking in on the game.

I think with spinners their top spinners and arm balls go 'the other way' so it appears they bowl a lot more doosras than they probably do. I really think the solution for future games has to be some kind of tick box for deliveries that bowlers bowl.

Bowling is my favourite part of the game. I only play team matches and it's a lot of fun. I've never really been into bowling much before Big Ant games. I've not played career mode but it does sound like there is an issue from the feedback everyone is giving about it.

 

[Deleted member 193590]

I think with spinners their top spinners and arm balls go 'the other way' so it appears they bowl a lot more doosras than they probably do. I really think the solution for future games has to be some kind of tick box for deliveries that bowlers bowl.

Bowling is my favourite part of the game. I only play team matches and it's a lot of fun. I've never really been into bowling much before Big Ant games. I've not played career mode but it does sound like there is an issue from the feedback everyone is giving about it.

I agree,I always used to prefer batting in cricket games but in ashes cricket I find bowling much better.one thing i'd like to see though is much more random ai,when the computer is batting.just seems like since the last patch most of the ai scores are very similar,it's kind of put me off playing.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

I agree,I always used to prefer batting in cricket games but in ashes cricket I find bowling much better.one thing i'd like to see though is much more random ai,when the computer is batting.just seems like since the last patch most of the ai scores are very similar,it's kind of put me off playing.

It can be a bit repetitive and I was worried initially they were just going to score 290 in ODI every time but I have seen enough variation (different teams, ground or conditions) to at be content with how it is right now. Most of my ODI games are competitive compared with 0 before this patch (when the AI batted second). I've bowled the AI out a few times too, chased some big scores myself and failed miserably.

AI doesn't seem as strong chasing (certainly compared with the previous patch) but I think chasing is generally more difficult anyway. Runs on the board and all that.

Had a couple of a odd ones. AI needed four off the last ball and left it. It was a wide yorker and I did think for certain it was going to be given as a wide so I can let that slip. The other one I scored about 360 and the AI didn't at any point seem to look to chase it down, even chancing it in the powerplay. I was India and playing v Afghanistan so it was always going to be a bit one-sided. But they batted the 50 overs, lost 4 or 5 wickets and it was like a net.

I'd love to see more variety in how teams go about setting scores and chasing. I've said in the past team mentalities for each format would be good in my opinion. So you could have teams that look to score big throughout (like England) or teams that look to go big in the powerplay, others who look to keep wickets in hand for the last 10-20 overs. Beyond that a more adaptive approach depending on the circumstances. Frequently it feels like the last 10-15 overs will be the same regardless of the number of wickets in hand. Slogs are either sixes or fours or they avoid them, it'd be great to see a bit more hit and hope.

 

[Deleted member 185125]

India Vs New Zealand T20 Highlights.
AI vs AI batting.

 

[issue]

i see 730 mb update for ashes cricket on steam today but no update/patch notes in steam

 

[Muhammad shafiq]

i see 730 mb update on steam today but no update/patch notes in steam

i also got the update but no notes

 

[Dutch]

Could be just a steam update to do with steam itself?

 

[Muhammad shafiq]

Could be just a steam update to do with steam itself?

the update was only for ashes 17

 

[issue]

Could be just a steam update to do with steam itself?

I am talking about Ashes cricket as the thread says

 

[Dutch]

Yes but sometimes steam updates specific steam files to a specifi steam game without it having anything to do with the game as such....

 

[MattW]

i see 730 mb update for ashes cricket on steam today but no update/patch notes in steam

There has been no update from our end today.

You can get updates to games if there are changes on steam's side to things like the required installers in the _CommonRedist folder, or if Steam decides that your game cache isn't valid compared to what's on the server.

And to pre-empt the question, no, I can't comment on the potential for future actual updates.

 

[hammadahmed88]

There has been no update from our end today.

You can get updates to games if there are changes on steam's side to things like the required installers in the _CommonRedist folder, or if Steam decides that your game cache isn't valid compared to what's on the server.

And to pre-empt the question, no, I can't comment on the potential for future actual updates.

A request to please remedy the issue of the one day World Cup in career. Even just a career world cup patch would be great. Thank you.

 

[issue]

Ok guys thanks for all clarification

 

[blockerdave]

I played first time in ages. Have no idea if it’s patch related or not but the AI used 5 bowlers including an all rounder, and the all rounder was brought on when I was having a good stand...

Given an almost identical team had been ignoring the same player bowling 4 bowlers into the ground in my last game I was very pleased.