Well - I was going to buy the game this morning (Pro - online) as I'm off work for a week now. Still, reading the news of a new (improved) edition has cheered me up.
The argument over update costs is probably the reason why the original has been discontinued. Those of you who can't add up (or wait a week to get the credit on the Tresco' version) would claim you've been "ripped off" if a new version came out a few weeks after you bought the last one.
I like the idea of more idiosynchrosies in the individual players. Yes that means more stats "and many hidden" ones. But players who are the:
Pinch hitters (ie non specialist batsmen who can biff - Gilchrist, Dhoni, Oram)
Tail support specialists (Ramprakash, Bevan)
Dot ball bowlers.
Bad Wicket Opening Bats
Pigeon Catching close fielders
Club hopping merceneries
"Sick note" (Doug "Who ?" Bollinger)
Big match players (Vaughan and Gower)
New Skill Set Players (Craig White -Off Spinner turner 90mph plus bowler etc)
This would give a real sense of personality to the whole team. It wouldnt be just "Which stats are the most impartant and pick the highest - only alter if someone is injured" Which is how I win ICC games year on year
Alterable resolutions - so it looks good on a big screen.
Coaching idiosynchrosies (Did Chappell sort out Ganguly's short ball problem ? Moody oversaw Worcs relegated from both 1st class and ODI top divisions but somehow seems ok in the international arena why ?)
Specific batting and bowling strengths anf fallabilities. (Don't like spin, good cutter/puller, Doesn't like to bowl at overly aggressive batters)
Loads more I could think of. All a bit "subtle" I suppose, but those who spend hour after hour on the games would really appreciate the extra depth that gets revealed as you really get to know your team (that's why I emphasis that many of these are "hidden" stats - perhaps only hinted at through newspaper match reports or caoching observations).
Good luck Oli Glenn and the team. Looking forward to this one ...
Clarker