DBC17 Patch 4 available now on PS4/Xbox One

[whiteninness]

I played a 20/20 game on PS4, batting on both sides. Some pros and cons specific to the new patches

Pros:

- AI fielders are more aggressive so running between the tickets is a challenge, but there are still too many direct hits
- More variety in shot placement forward of square, particularly if you use the L2-R2 combination as well
- AI bowlers have more variety, including short balls from spinners

Cons:

- The AI changes the field almost every ball, and having to constantly look around to see adjustments can get annoying.
- I still am not sure how to hit behind square
- Still some runout and stumping annoyances with the player wandering out of the crease or grounding the bat but it's in the fair. I exited and returned to the game at those points
- Some of the batting animations are a bit off-putting still, and can be dangerous to your wicket if you do a huge step to the leg side, for example.
- Some of the catching animations are equally off. Having watched videos of others too, there are slips catches but rarely are they simple ones just in the bread basket. There is often a dive or, funnily, it looks like the person is running in from the boundary to take a catch and not just standing there waiting

Overall it's a much improved experience, but there are still lots of rough edges to it.

I mean, I got to play as Australia 06/07 vs England 06/07 and all of their bats had been perfectly recreated like Ponting's old Kahuna etc. I mean that's pretty special, and really took me back to a great rivalry. The game definitely has moments like that which just make you go wow, like when Ricky Ponting does a beautiful hook shot for six against Steve Harmison. Unfortunately, for every gorgeous moment like that you also get a bowler facing away from the stumps and throwing the ball that goes directly behind them to the keeper.

 

[blockerdave]

The AI changing the field so often is very annoying in test/first class and ODI but I would expect them to change the field regularly in T20 (and possibly ODI) because they don't want you able to smash unthinkingly in the same area.

But in FC especially it is very jarring and frustrating that the AI does everything so randomly with no hint of a "plan"

 

[zimrahil]

The AI changing the field so often is very annoying in test/first class and ODI but I would expect them to change the field regularly in T20 (and possibly ODI) because they don't want you able to smash unthinkingly in the same area.

"

Yeah that may be realistic but in terms of playing a game, changing field almost every delivery just gets frustrating/tiresome and well, not fun!

 

[Deleted member 185125]

The AI changing the field so often is very annoying in test/first class and ODI but I would expect them to change the field regularly in T20 (and possibly ODI) because they don't want you able to smash unthinkingly in the same area.

But in FC especially it is very jarring and frustrating that the AI does everything so randomly with no hint of a "plan"

If there was a field map, might have helped. Instead of having look around 360 degree.

 

[whiteninness]

I do notice that the field changes are often as a result of where I hit the ball, so in that sense I think there is a plan of sorts.

Now, do bowlers target outside offside if they have a heavy offside field? I'm not sure. I haven't played the game long and carefully enough to speak about this. It'd be a nice thing to have, and for weaker bowlers to struggle to stick to plans, but we are getting into fairly complex AI here.

The AI obviously doesn't know the limitations of the human batting though, and continues to employ third men and fine legs, despite me never hitting the ball there :P

 

[Sweppy12]

I do notice that the field changes are often as a result of where I hit the ball, so in that sense I think there is a plan of sorts.

Now, do bowlers target outside offside if they have a heavy offside field? I'm not sure. I haven't played the game long and carefully enough to speak about this. It'd be a nice thing to have, and for weaker bowlers to struggle to stick to plans, but we are getting into fairly complex AI here.

The AI obviously doesn't know the limitations of the human batting though, and continues to employ third men and fine legs, despite me never hitting the ball there :P

in my experience, weaker bowlers bowl more no balls and wides, the game I'm playing now the bowlers have bowled almost 30 no-balls, most of them are between 65-75 rated. Games I've played previously with 80+ bowlers, they bowl less than 10 no balls and almost no wides

 

[DeadShot]

The AI changing the field so often is very annoying in test/first class and ODI but I would expect them to change the field regularly in T20 (and possibly ODI) because they don't want you able to smash unthinkingly in the same area.

But in FC especially it is very jarring and frustrating that the AI does everything so randomly with no hint of a "plan"

Was it not identified and notified during beta testing?

 

[Dutch]

Was it not identified and notified during beta testing?

It was: ideally we as beta team would have liked another month to tighten things up but BA had a deadline. I don't think there will be another patch.

 

[DeadShot]

It was: ideally we as beta team would have liked another month to tighten things up but BA had a deadline. I don't think there will be another patch.

Appreciate you guys for doing things which is under your control.

It doesn't sound good if there will not be another patch. Still there are issues to be fixed which shouldn't have been there out of the box from Day 1. Stats issue is number one in that list.

Fingers crossed. Will wait for BA confirmation.

 

[cricket_online]

It was: ideally we as beta team would have liked another month to tighten things up but BA had a deadline. I don't think there will be another patch.

That's disappointing to hear if true as the career mode is broken due to stats issues. You would expect stats to be fixed as it was claimed in Patch 4 notes.

 

[blockerdave]

That's disappointing to hear if true as the career mode is broken due to stats issues. You would expect stats to be fixed as it was claimed in Patch 4 notes.

if it was claimed, that means they thought it was and none of the beta testing suggested otherwise (including the wider PC patches) - they wouldn't have listed it otherwise. which suggests to me the issue may be as such that another patch wouldn't necessarily fix it anyway.

 

[cricket_online]

if it was claimed, that means they thought it was and none of the beta testing suggested otherwise (including the wider PC patches) - they wouldn't have listed it otherwise. which suggests to me the issue may be as such that another patch wouldn't necessarily fix it anyway.

Disappointing nevertheless.

 

[DeadShot]

IF the decision is there will NOT be one more patch to fix the stats issue, it is disappointing.

Like many others, I pre-ordered and bought both the iteration of DBC. I will not be doing it for next iteration (If it gets released). Not fixing the career mode and stats issue is going few step backwards from previous iteration.

Hope BA doesn't start next iteration before doing analysis on what went wrong. Not able to fix stats after many patches is alarming.

I haven't started career mode since Day 1 with hope of things will be fixed. Now this game will be going back to shelf sooner without touching career mode.

 

[passwordistaco]

Yeah, the only thing holding me back really is the stats in career mode. Something that was correct in 14 but not in 17 is a bit odd.

I suppose now with Rugby League coming out soon, they will put all of their efforts into that.

 

[Xboxer]

The AI changing the field so often is very annoying in test/first class and ODI but I would expect them to change the field regularly in T20 (and possibly ODI) because they don't want you able to smash unthinkingly in the same area.

But in FC especially it is very jarring and frustrating that the AI does everything so randomly with no hint of a "plan"

The AI doesn't bowl or bat as per the field set up. I can understand a few deliveries on the wrong line or wrong length, but it happens more often than that. Also, if you place 3 fielders in the deep and bowl full length, the AI will definitely hit them in the air.