Post your questions about the game here!

[isrararrafi]

^^ thought the same thing before but ross confirmed they are in it for the long haul and patches should be expected in the future for the game. Given the amount of detail they have put in the cricket academy itself i do believe they know what they are doing. Even without our feedback on cricket academy their original version was heaps and bounds above our expectations

While we are at it, BA being all about the small details, ross confirmed on BA forum that we can change the number of overs to be played AND number of balls in an over...so basically you can set up a classic match with 8 balls per over. It might not be that important to most but damn it they really love putting these small details in the game.

 

[umosay]

^He said the game had a lot more testing than CA, though I'm sure he will listen if we have concerns after release!

 

[BigAntStudios]

Ross, there's one thing which worries me about Big Ant's gameplay. Maybe I am being nervous for no reason or it's me being cautious (read pessimistic) after being burnt one too many times with earlier cricket games. Let me elaborate...

We have seen plenty of great feedback from CA Beta users, especially folks at PC (Planetcricket), which has resulted in CA getting improved leaps and bounds in a few short weeks. To me it's clear the value this "beta" brought to the table along with raising awareness about the game.

But my fear is the core gameplay didn't go through the same cycle and did not gain from the valuable feedback it could have if there had been a closed beta. I understand that a few club and first class cricketers did indeed play the game which could very well double as closed beta but professional cricketers do not neccessarily mean they are harcore cricket gamers. I have full faith in you and your team, especially after what I've heard about the innovative bowling and batting mechanisms you have implemented in the game. But it does help to get a fresh perspective and sometimes fresh set of eyes looking in can point out a few glaring game-breakers which could have been hiding in plain sight.

That's why I would have really loved the Big Ant game to have gone through a small closed beta cycle akin to what CA editor is going through. The major difference being the timelines for gameplay beta could have been a bit short (1 week?) and only a few select folks would be privy to the beta (PC members in Melbourne?). Surely these folks could have provided valuable feedback based on playing multiple cricket games over the years (sort of a sanity check).

I hope my fears are unfounded and you have thought through the pitfalls I mentioned. I am keeping my fingers crossed for the success of the game but I would really appreciate it if you can provide some insight into how you have managed to glean inputs from other sources regarding improvement in gameplay and were able to incorporate the same.

Understand the concern however the game has gone through a lot more rigorous testing and trials than the Cricket Academy (and that's been pretty solid for a beta release).

There will no doubt be issues with the game, there are always issues of online exploitation, etc.., but we will patch and fix these issues as they arise. We have a real track record of releasing patches and DLC updates to all of our sports games, I understand that it is something that Cricket fans have never had before and so understand the scepticism.

 

[MattW]

Only this year that window isn't as small with two back to back Ashes series.

The UK is the bigger market - especially considering Australia will lose both series. The whole point of licensing is to leverage them for the most free publicity.

Still - my point is that Big Ant would be in a better position to boast about hitting release dates if they had one.

 

[cricket_online]

Understand the concern however the game has gone through a lot more rigorous testing and trials than the Cricket Academy (and that's been pretty solid for a beta release).

There will no doubt be issues with the game, there are always issues of online exploitation, etc.., but we will patch and fix these issues as they arise. We have a real track record of releasing patches and DLC updates to all of our sports games, I understand that it is something that Cricket fans have never had before and so understand the scepticism.

Thanks for addressing the concern

Hope nothing but the best for the game (actually for both the cricket games) and wish the game turns into a best-selling annual title going forward

 

[BigAntStudios]

The UK is the bigger market - especially considering Australia will lose both series. The whole point of licensing is to leverage them for the most free publicity.

Still - my point is that Big Ant would be in a better position to boast about hitting release dates if they had one.

Off to Ladbrokes to take the double, Australia winning the series and Ashes being in store on the 21st June, the odds should be something squared

 

[angad]

Understand the concern however the game has gone through a lot more rigorous testing and trials than the Cricket Academy (and that's been pretty solid for a beta release).

There will no doubt be issues with the game, there are always issues of online exploitation, etc.., but we will patch and fix these issues as they arise. We have a real track record of releasing patches and DLC updates to all of our sports games, I understand that it is something that Cricket fans have never had before and so understand the scepticism.

Are the patches released on the same date on both PC and console versions?

 

[BigAntStudios]

Are the patches released on the same date on both PC and console versions?

Traditionally yes, but this is just "fairness" as the PC versions are always quicker to get out but we hold them back - MS and Sony testing adds two weeks.

 

[angad]

Traditionally yes, but this is just "fairness" as the PC versions are always quicker to get out but we hold them back - MS and Sony testing adds two weeks.

Thats cool !!! Even if it is after 2 weeks it still would be good :!!

 

[ricky87]

Still - my point is that Big Ant would be in a better position to boast about hitting release dates if they had one.

I am not sure if I understand you correctly here. Big Ant's past record for their sports games in terms of release dates speaks for itself with no signs of any show off - Cricket isn't any different, only difference here is that there is some relation between when 505 Ashes releases and Big Ant's date.

 

[MattW]

Big Ant's past record for their sports games in terms of release dates speaks for itself with no signs of any show off

Their previous sports games are precisely my point - a 2012 update to an AFL game coming out in June? Rugby League Live 2 coming out in October with an NRL licence? Of course there weren't 'delays' because they announced their release dates within a month of them being out - but I don't see why that's better than a chance at missing a date announced months in advance. Not to mention,

Big Ant Studios, Australia?s leading sports video game company, are proud to announce that Cricket for current generation consoles will be released this Summer ? it?s Cricket like you?ve never seen it before!

From 2010...

 

[79cricket]

Still a lot of talk about ashes game getting delayed, if this happens I hope they warn us soon.
Would hate for the delay to come this time next month.

 

[BigAntStudios]

Their previous sports games are precisely my point - a 2012 update to an AFL game coming out in June? Rugby League Live 2 coming out in October with an NRL licence? Of course there weren't 'delays' because they announced their release dates within a month of them being out - but I don't see why that's better than a chance at missing a date announced months in advance. Not to mention,

From 2010...

Firstly,it's not always the developer that causes delays, that's a huge assumption in your post.

Given that it takes two months on average after completion of a game for it to hit retail, June for AFL is good. Final sponsors in march, Melbourne FC sponsor in April, then dev time after + 2 months.

Cricket is self funded and I expected it earlier.

Main point-I have not taken or induced you to give me ANY money at all for Cricket, had I done so the you would have some entitlement to a secure date amongst other things.

Edit: I should say my post was originally aimed at the fact the we support our games after release with patches and DLC, and that is the track record I speak of.

 

[ricky87]

Their previous sports games are precisely my point - a 2012 update to an AFL game coming out in June? Rugby League Live 2 coming out in October with an NRL licence? Of course there weren't 'delays' because they announced their release dates within a month of them being out - but I don't see why that's better than a chance at missing a date announced months in advance. Not to mention,

From 2010...

Since when were virtues a bad thing!

 

[MattW]

Main point-I have not taken or induced you to give me ANY money at all for Cricket, had I done so the you would have some entitlement to a secure date amongst other things.

Which is fair enough, I just don't think the jabs at the other guys for potentially missing a date are when you haven't got a date announced for this game.