This is a sort of wishlist post but is majorly related to Cricket 07 and is a review and wishlist of sorts, so I think it is right to put it in these forums.
I recently played Cricket 07 which I have not touched since December with my cousin and appriciated that the game has much potential and also has many things wrong with it.
I am using classic controls,
While batting it is quite obvious that there are some nice animations and some poor ones. The square leg side (backfoot and frontfoot) shots are nicely animated and both time the ball quite well. The backfoot leg glance against pacers is a very effective shot and nicely animated but here in is the first problem; there is no way to play this shot in front of square with considerable power. It is indeed a difficult task to have a shot go in one of two completely different directions when played well. I believe the key to doing this is to incorperate multiple timing zones. There can be three timing zones, one early, one late and one ideal.
They can be placed like this...
-------Early-----------------------Ideal-------------------------Late------
If you play it early, it can be treated as deliberate, the shot can be a push into mid wicket and potentially get four runs but may sqaure you up if the ball jags away (into off stump from leg) and catch the edge. This can add a whole new dimention to batting and give worse players a illusion of class.
If it is played between early and ideal, it is treated as if you have played it too early and hence the ball can sky up, edge to fine leg or be completely missed.
If played "ideal", the shot can go in a direction according to the delivery. In other words, if it is down leg side, it can be helped on its way, if it is on middle stump line it can be pushed into mid wicket and if it is on the body it can be hit in a square leg away.
If played between late and ideal the shot can be treated as outpacing you and pop up.
If played "late" it can go fine down to fine leg or finer, and can be a deliberate delicacy.
The idea of different directions based on timing is visible in Cricket 07 but I believe it can be expanded on as noted above. Cricket gaming fans can go insane about it. Confidence levels can increase the possibility for such shots.
I think the pull shot (especially against a pacer) can utilise this system in the exact same way. In Cricket 07, the pull shot can go to fine leg and occasionally through mid wicket. My system can expand on this so a pull shot can be deliberately played early and go through mid wicket or if played ideal can be a powerful shot which may go anywhere from fine leg to forward square leg. Makes sense?
Ok, on with my experience with the game. I noticed that the leg side shots had no risk except when the front foot leg glance is 'skied' slightly to square leg.
This annoyed me somewhat, I think the game could make the shots more risky through making it sky consistantly when played to a length ball (on the up) but go quickly and NOT ALWAYS TO A FIELDER. Small note, I believe this shot should also have the same deliberate early or late timing as I mentioned before but that the late one should have a 'flick' animation and go to fine leg or finer. I believe that this shot should only happen with the shot being played very late.
Next point, when my cousin pitches one outside off stump, no matter how much of a wide half volley or wide long hop, it too often catches the edge. I believe that the key to solve the edge off half volleys is to make edges less frequent (happening to mistimed shots as in Cricket 07), only to swinging half volleys and occasionally (using the cover drive as an example) turn out to be a good shot either going through point or straight down the wicket.
Now, onto cut shots. I think the animation in Cricket 07 is adequate. The actual edges look good and when the shot is pulled off it is brilliant.
PS: In my game against my cousin I am not 28/5.
I believe that if the ball is too close to you and you attempt to cut it in the game, you should get out caught behind. However, if a batsman is high on confidence, a close cut shot animation like that of Cricket 2004 should be used to manoever it for four. Since it is a cross bat shot, out swing or leg cutters should not have an effect on an edge on the shot and shot at worst cause the ball to be toed. I believe an edge should be caused by chance taking into account the batsman's confidence, how well the ball is timed and how uneven the bounce on the pitch is.
Straight drives can be used like BLIC 05 with several different animations depending on the line of the ball, however, I think that playing slightly early should not result in a loss of timing or a skied shot but should result in playing the initial line ignoring any swing, which can often result in playing the wrong line. Playing V early should result in a skied shot and playing late, although safe, can result in weak shots.
As Lazy Chestnut suggested on the codemasters forums, I think modifier buttons for shots could work well. The button + ground shot can create a hard (not ground or aired) shot which simply looks to demolish the ball and the button + air shot can create a loft over the infield. The system could work well and provide another dimention to batting.
A large problem with cricket games and batting is the extreme effectiveness of full tosses, basically, I believe to solve this, their should be other shot animations for full tosses which are powerful and easy to perform, the main problem with these shots being that they can often go airbourne.
I think that the method of having three sweeps (instead of two) in BLIC 07 works well and should be a must have in any cricket game.
Hitting attacking shots in Cricket 07 has a strange feeling as front foot shots are built for galf volleys and so the ball can constantly end up hitting the splice which is wrong. Basically, I believe that the game should have a front foot and back foot selection but several different shots for each direction and foot selection depending on the length of the ball. This can also lead to the situation where a batsman comes forward to a ball too full and is beaten, or goes back to a fullish ball which skids and is trapped LBW.
BLICs batting has the fun factor to it and Cricket 07 does not. I believe this is due to camera views more than anything else. BLIC focuses the view on the ball and I believe that this is a good way to make the game more realistic and it seems to make it fun.
Now onto fielding
I think the BLIC fielding and catching system is perfect for outfield fielders, by outfield, I mean in front of the bat or outside the 30yrd circle of the boundary. I think that for slips, keepers, short fine legs and backward points a system where you press a button to catch it can be implemented. I could explain this further, but I believe it is self explanitory and can really test your reflexes, the button should appear late. I believe that a secondary system can be used for backward point or gully catches utilising the analogue stick. Basically, you tilt the analogue stick in the direction of the ball, the speed that you do this has an affect as a blinder will need you to do it quickly while a simple catch may need a slow push or just pressing of R3 for a straight forward one.
Bowling:
I think that for pacers a 3D ball model should be used to position the ball in your hand. Pointing diagonal one way can have it swing that way, pointing it diagonal the other can have it swing the other. Placing it so the seam is 'sideways' with the seam on the top centre and bottom centre of the ball can be a grip for a bouncer or severe cutter if it hits the seam but the ball could die on the pitch if it does not. I think cutters themselves can be a seperate option like that of Cricket 07 but should always be slower.
A possible option can be two dots on the 3D ball model which represent the fingers, you can move the ball, press X (for example) and then start placing the fingers on the ball.
The way this could work on online mode is simply to not show it to the opposition and in two people on one computer mode, the 3D ball can be invisible.
For spinners the same method can be adapted (modifyed slightly) with a googly and cutter being a pre determined event which can be affected (but not decided entirely) on the position of the ball and the fingers.
And there you go, what started as a rant about Cricket 07 becomes another infamous wishlist from me.
PS: I won the match by five runs
57 & 46 played 57 and 41.
I recently played Cricket 07 which I have not touched since December with my cousin and appriciated that the game has much potential and also has many things wrong with it.
I am using classic controls,
While batting it is quite obvious that there are some nice animations and some poor ones. The square leg side (backfoot and frontfoot) shots are nicely animated and both time the ball quite well. The backfoot leg glance against pacers is a very effective shot and nicely animated but here in is the first problem; there is no way to play this shot in front of square with considerable power. It is indeed a difficult task to have a shot go in one of two completely different directions when played well. I believe the key to doing this is to incorperate multiple timing zones. There can be three timing zones, one early, one late and one ideal.
They can be placed like this...
-------Early-----------------------Ideal-------------------------Late------
If you play it early, it can be treated as deliberate, the shot can be a push into mid wicket and potentially get four runs but may sqaure you up if the ball jags away (into off stump from leg) and catch the edge. This can add a whole new dimention to batting and give worse players a illusion of class.
If it is played between early and ideal, it is treated as if you have played it too early and hence the ball can sky up, edge to fine leg or be completely missed.
If played "ideal", the shot can go in a direction according to the delivery. In other words, if it is down leg side, it can be helped on its way, if it is on middle stump line it can be pushed into mid wicket and if it is on the body it can be hit in a square leg away.
If played between late and ideal the shot can be treated as outpacing you and pop up.
If played "late" it can go fine down to fine leg or finer, and can be a deliberate delicacy.
The idea of different directions based on timing is visible in Cricket 07 but I believe it can be expanded on as noted above. Cricket gaming fans can go insane about it. Confidence levels can increase the possibility for such shots.
I think the pull shot (especially against a pacer) can utilise this system in the exact same way. In Cricket 07, the pull shot can go to fine leg and occasionally through mid wicket. My system can expand on this so a pull shot can be deliberately played early and go through mid wicket or if played ideal can be a powerful shot which may go anywhere from fine leg to forward square leg. Makes sense?
Ok, on with my experience with the game. I noticed that the leg side shots had no risk except when the front foot leg glance is 'skied' slightly to square leg.
This annoyed me somewhat, I think the game could make the shots more risky through making it sky consistantly when played to a length ball (on the up) but go quickly and NOT ALWAYS TO A FIELDER. Small note, I believe this shot should also have the same deliberate early or late timing as I mentioned before but that the late one should have a 'flick' animation and go to fine leg or finer. I believe that this shot should only happen with the shot being played very late.
Next point, when my cousin pitches one outside off stump, no matter how much of a wide half volley or wide long hop, it too often catches the edge. I believe that the key to solve the edge off half volleys is to make edges less frequent (happening to mistimed shots as in Cricket 07), only to swinging half volleys and occasionally (using the cover drive as an example) turn out to be a good shot either going through point or straight down the wicket.
Now, onto cut shots. I think the animation in Cricket 07 is adequate. The actual edges look good and when the shot is pulled off it is brilliant.
PS: In my game against my cousin I am not 28/5.
I believe that if the ball is too close to you and you attempt to cut it in the game, you should get out caught behind. However, if a batsman is high on confidence, a close cut shot animation like that of Cricket 2004 should be used to manoever it for four. Since it is a cross bat shot, out swing or leg cutters should not have an effect on an edge on the shot and shot at worst cause the ball to be toed. I believe an edge should be caused by chance taking into account the batsman's confidence, how well the ball is timed and how uneven the bounce on the pitch is.
Straight drives can be used like BLIC 05 with several different animations depending on the line of the ball, however, I think that playing slightly early should not result in a loss of timing or a skied shot but should result in playing the initial line ignoring any swing, which can often result in playing the wrong line. Playing V early should result in a skied shot and playing late, although safe, can result in weak shots.
As Lazy Chestnut suggested on the codemasters forums, I think modifier buttons for shots could work well. The button + ground shot can create a hard (not ground or aired) shot which simply looks to demolish the ball and the button + air shot can create a loft over the infield. The system could work well and provide another dimention to batting.
A large problem with cricket games and batting is the extreme effectiveness of full tosses, basically, I believe to solve this, their should be other shot animations for full tosses which are powerful and easy to perform, the main problem with these shots being that they can often go airbourne.
I think that the method of having three sweeps (instead of two) in BLIC 07 works well and should be a must have in any cricket game.
Hitting attacking shots in Cricket 07 has a strange feeling as front foot shots are built for galf volleys and so the ball can constantly end up hitting the splice which is wrong. Basically, I believe that the game should have a front foot and back foot selection but several different shots for each direction and foot selection depending on the length of the ball. This can also lead to the situation where a batsman comes forward to a ball too full and is beaten, or goes back to a fullish ball which skids and is trapped LBW.
BLICs batting has the fun factor to it and Cricket 07 does not. I believe this is due to camera views more than anything else. BLIC focuses the view on the ball and I believe that this is a good way to make the game more realistic and it seems to make it fun.
Now onto fielding
I think the BLIC fielding and catching system is perfect for outfield fielders, by outfield, I mean in front of the bat or outside the 30yrd circle of the boundary. I think that for slips, keepers, short fine legs and backward points a system where you press a button to catch it can be implemented. I could explain this further, but I believe it is self explanitory and can really test your reflexes, the button should appear late. I believe that a secondary system can be used for backward point or gully catches utilising the analogue stick. Basically, you tilt the analogue stick in the direction of the ball, the speed that you do this has an affect as a blinder will need you to do it quickly while a simple catch may need a slow push or just pressing of R3 for a straight forward one.
Bowling:
I think that for pacers a 3D ball model should be used to position the ball in your hand. Pointing diagonal one way can have it swing that way, pointing it diagonal the other can have it swing the other. Placing it so the seam is 'sideways' with the seam on the top centre and bottom centre of the ball can be a grip for a bouncer or severe cutter if it hits the seam but the ball could die on the pitch if it does not. I think cutters themselves can be a seperate option like that of Cricket 07 but should always be slower.
A possible option can be two dots on the 3D ball model which represent the fingers, you can move the ball, press X (for example) and then start placing the fingers on the ball.
The way this could work on online mode is simply to not show it to the opposition and in two people on one computer mode, the 3D ball can be invisible.
For spinners the same method can be adapted (modifyed slightly) with a googly and cutter being a pre determined event which can be affected (but not decided entirely) on the position of the ball and the fingers.
And there you go, what started as a rant about Cricket 07 becomes another infamous wishlist from me.
PS: I won the match by five runs
57 & 46 played 57 and 41.
Last edited:
