This game is just too hard!

[Raver]

Just putting out a plea for help. I think this game is great, wonderfully designed and great fun to play. In fact I've played something approaching 200 hours now, which is a record for me.

The thing is though, I'm hopeless. For example - I've played Middlesex, Essex, Surrey, and always have similar results - 2-4wins in the T20s (generally I seem to win when the weather is overcast) and perhaps 2 ODIs. In the 4 day game I oversaw Middlesex dropping immediately to division 2 (then came close to topping it in season 2). I handed the T20s over to the AI in my latest game and it did a heap better than I do. I go a bit better in the 4 day game, but generally have a huge number of draws.

I'm hoping for some ideas for how to improve my game as I'm on the verge of deleting it completely in frustration. I tend not to play too much with my field, and follow the general suggestions on this forum for aggression. One thing I do see frequently in the shorter formats is that I tend to collapse, or struggle to keep up with the run rate, never in between.

Dropping to easy just seems to make the 4 day game ridiculously easy to win, which is unsatisfying.

Does the game get easier or harder as the years go on? Are there any good training videos around? Is it possible to play someone on line and get some tips? Any other ideas?

[Raver]

Sorry, another thought. Is there any way to 'mod' the difficulty level? Or plans to introduce additional difficulty levels in the future?

[GrahamB]

Sorry, another thought. Is there any way to 'mod' the difficulty level? Or plans to introduce additional difficulty levels in the future?

Have you tried the easy level?

[Raver]

Yes I have tried that quite a bit, but find it too easy - seem to blitz the 4 day games on easy. I was thinking of something in between easy and normal.

[Sureshot]

Have you read this thread?

http://forum.childishdownloads.co.uk/showthread.php?18600-Tips-Rough-guide-to-formats

I'd recommend creating some fields, particularly a defensive one (or two) for each bowler type. It takes a bit of time to build up, but can help massively.

I play ball-by-ball in short formats and have had much more success since doing so, it's so much easier to adapt, imagine your batsman gets a boundary off the first 2 or 3 balls and you're on 6 bars, you can then drop it down to reduce the wicket chance in the remaining balls of the over. I do like to look for wickets continually too when bowling.

For short formats, try to avoid defensive players in the middle to lower order, and preferably throughout in 20 over.

If the batting is where you're struggling then try to make your overseas an amazing batsman.

It can take time to build up the "lesser" counties and I'd say Essex are one of the worst sides. Surrey should be pretty good with the bat, but not so good with the ball. Normally, I'd reckon on 5 seasons to build up a county in to "my" team.

[estmsm]

Same here, mate! Out of frustration i have started to play in easy mode but still getting frustrated especially when playing against England in a Test series!

I had no problems in ODIs and T20Is! It was just Test cricket for me! I had started a career mode with Pakistan on normal difficulty! I had played till 2030! And i couldnt beat England in Test series at all! They are just invincible in Tests in this game especially on normal difficulty level! Which i found/find unfair! Their Test series wins against me seemed scripted! So this made me very frustrated! Read many guides over here as well but to no avail!

And now even in easy mode, i find it tough to beat England in a Test series! The series is a draw always! Unbelievable!

[Graham_5000]

Same here, mate! Out of frustration i have started to play in easy mode but still getting frustrated especially when playing against England in a Test series!

I had no problems in ODIs and T20Is! It was just Test cricket for me! I had started a career mode with Pakistan on normal difficulty! I had played till 2030! And i couldnt beat England in Test series at all! They are just invincible in Tests in this game especially on normal difficulty level! Which i found/find unfair! Their Test series wins against me seemed scripted! So this made me very frustrated! Read many guides over here as well but to no avail!

And now even in easy mode, i find it tough to beat England in a Test series! The series is a draw always! Unbelievable!

I don't think the game is too hard - dominating in three formats should be challenging! I do agree though that England are tough to beat in Tests - others have posted this in the DB thread. Childishthings seem to tweak things regularly though, so this might change - I also think that South Africa could generally do with a boost in the game as they drop down the Test rankings in most of my saves to about 5th/6th a few seasons in. There is no way there is any element of scripting in my opinion - in fact England were woeful in earlier versions of the game when indeed they were poor in real life (back quite a few games).

[sidanger]

I struggle a bit with getting fast bowlers to perform in first class/test games but custom fields can make a huge difference in OD/T20 matches.

For ODIs & T20s I always have F,MF,FM & M bowlers on 2 bars of aggression aiming outside off stump with a full length (shown below):



Then I have the following field settings

F,MF (powerplay)



F,MF (non powerplay)



M,FM (powerplay)



M,FM (non powerplay)



Give these a try and see if your short format results improve.

[sidanger]

Spin bowlers I have 2 bars aggression aiming outside off stump with a good length (shown below):



The field settings as follows:



Some examples of how these are working below:

[GrahamB]

One shouldn't have to resort to custom fields to experience success.
The default fields should allow a similar chance of success.

[Raver]

Thanks sidanger, that's exactly what I was hoping for. Interesting field settings though - quite aggressive and reliant on having bowlers with pretty good accuracy I would have thought (?). I wonder if they'll work as well in domestic cricket.

GrahamB - are you saying that default fields "should" result in a similar chance, or that they "do"?

[Raver]

Oh and just to prove murphy's law, after I posted my original post in this thread, Essex went on to make the quarter finals of the one day cup, winning 5, 1 tie and 2 losses. The best I've ever managed. We'll see if it lasts!

[Watson33]

You definitely need some defensive minded custom fields, because even if you drop onto the lowest aggression level your default field will still have a slip and a short leg (although short leg does seem to be an absolute gun position on this game). If your attacking then the custom ones are fine.

[GrahamB]

GrahamB - are you saying that default fields "should" result in a similar chance, or that they "do"?

That they should, just as default formations in football management games do.

[Raver]

I've been reflecting some more on sidangers excellent posts. I'm definitely going to try his exact prescription, but it seems to me that what is behind it is essentially placing a high premium on bowling to a field when defending in a short-form game. Trouble is that while I love cricket, I've never paid that much attention to field settings, so it doesn't come natural to me.

What seems obvious is that bowling short will require more square and behind square fielders, but I'm at a bit of a loss as to what else to consider.