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Suggestions and Improvements for ICC 2010 - Administrators and all please comment...
hey, I know there are a few of these floating around, but thought I'd add my thoughts. If I've suggested something thats already been announced, discussed to death somewhere I apologise. Please add your own thoughts, I'd like other viewpoints on these, especially from the folk that make the games.
1) Fielding ratings for all players: This would add a simple depth to field placings. I don't think we need several stats for fielding per player (speed, concentration, catching, agility etc...) because for many this would seem like micro-management, but at the moment I feel it doesn't matter which fielders go where. One simple rating for a players fielding ability, that can be trained, coached etc... improved and then decline maybe towards retirement? would mean slightly more thought needed, without it taking too much time every time you change bowler or field placings. This would affect dropped catches and maybe run outs? So Ponting drops fewer catches than Monty Panesar.
2) Wicketkeeper ratings: Similar to the first suggestion. Case in point - in real life there is a debate about whether Matt Prior or James Foster should keep wicket for England. MP is the better batsman. JF is the better keeper. A descision needs to be made. Do you take the guaranteed runs of MP but risk the dropped catches that can be crucial? Again, I think this would be a simple inclusion that wouldn't be guilty of micro-management that turns a lot of people off from some ideas. It could also be coached, the rating improved etc... through training as I mentioned with the fielding stat/rating in suggestion 1. The problem with this, or the lack of it, in ICC at the moment, is that you will ALWAYS SIMPLY PICK the keeper with the best batting skill, which is not how it works in real life. Perhaps this could also affect stumpings, but at least dropped catches as in suggestion 1.
3) Overseas players - replace when they go away: This has def been mentioned on another thread, but thought I'd weigh in here, because the administrator replied to this suggestion saying that realism for realisms sake isn't always a good thing. What some think needs to be done is that when you select an overseas player and he goes off on International duty, in real life you can select another one to replace him till he gets back, so at any one time you still only have the one overseas player (also,i thought you were allowed more now? no?) . I think a bit of transfer tinkering in the middle of the season would be a welcome break from just pounding away through the season of matches and training, as well as keeping many happy for being realistic, which I have to say is what a game like ICC or football manager should ALWAYS STRIVE TO BE. This is not a fantasy game. Its a management sim that SHOULD be as realistic as possible. I DON'T want to control what players eat or anything stupid like that, but realism in the context of the game is always good for me and for some others.
4) Interviews - Player Interaction: Whilst cricket is perhaps a calmer environment than football, I'd like some kind of media and player interaction as in football manager. If a player is unhappy, he can talk to you, or go through the media. Perhaps a players happiness affects their momentum? Perhaps you can discipline them financially, or verbally? Whilst I'm fine with players playing the odd aggresive shot even when you've set them to ultra defensive (would Kevin Pietersen leave a bad ball alone even when in a defensive frame of mind? I think not!), perhaps you could give them a stern warning after they get out playing a slog when you've set them to be ultra defensive? Perhaps how you handle them affects this happiness? Again, this needs to be carefully handled if included, and only included if it is done in appropriate quantities and doesn't overshadow other areas of the game.
5) Graphics: This one will be controversial. I DO NOT expect next gen graphics from ICC! It IS NOT the most important thing! But... if the highlights in 09 cannot be seriously improved, am I the only person who would prefer the best possible version of the old highlights from ICC 2005 Ashes Edition?? Whilst it was further away, it looked slightly more... natural in many ways for me. This isn't essential or as important as other suggestions, but one I thought I'd throw out there.
6) Team Momentum Meter: When a player drops a catch, the momentum meter goes down. When a player scores a hundred or breaks a record ina game, the momentum meter goes up. When your team gets a wicket your meter goes up slightly for a bad batsman, or more for a really good no.3. Momentum Meter basically gives players stats or form a slight boost within the context of each individual match. Perhaps it could start afresh each match? Perhaps it could be carried on throughout the season, with wins and good performances building momentum that could be carried on to the next game, although this sounds too similar to each players individual form to me. I'd simply like it to start and end each individual match. So that when England knock three Aussie wickets over in two overs, the team is jumping and takes that momentum with them. But when the Aussie middle order stay in and steady the ship Englands momentum meter decreases and the Aussie one increases, and so on...
Thats it for now. Again, apologies if any of these have been mentioned excessively elsewhere. I'd love to hear everyones thoughts, but especially the folk at Childish Things, because basically I tried the trial version of ICC 2009 and whilst it's not bad, I feel more improvements such as the ones I've made here, whilst NOT BEING MADE at the expense of the fundamental tried and tested heart of the game we all know and love, is whats needed to get me to pay my hard earned money for ICC 2010. If steps forward aren't taken, I don't see myself being tempted I'm afraid, and that would be a shame, because I don't think these suggestions would alter the basic flow of the game, but feel that most of them are needed to add a bit of variety, realism and depth.
1) Fielding ratings for all players: This would add a simple depth to field placings. I don't think we need several stats for fielding per player (speed, concentration, catching, agility etc...) because for many this would seem like micro-management, but at the moment I feel it doesn't matter which fielders go where. One simple rating for a players fielding ability, that can be trained, coached etc... improved and then decline maybe towards retirement? would mean slightly more thought needed, without it taking too much time every time you change bowler or field placings. This would affect dropped catches and maybe run outs? So Ponting drops fewer catches than Monty Panesar.
2) Wicketkeeper ratings: Similar to the first suggestion. Case in point - in real life there is a debate about whether Matt Prior or James Foster should keep wicket for England. MP is the better batsman. JF is the better keeper. A descision needs to be made. Do you take the guaranteed runs of MP but risk the dropped catches that can be crucial? Again, I think this would be a simple inclusion that wouldn't be guilty of micro-management that turns a lot of people off from some ideas. It could also be coached, the rating improved etc... through training as I mentioned with the fielding stat/rating in suggestion 1. The problem with this, or the lack of it, in ICC at the moment, is that you will ALWAYS SIMPLY PICK the keeper with the best batting skill, which is not how it works in real life. Perhaps this could also affect stumpings, but at least dropped catches as in suggestion 1.
3) Overseas players - replace when they go away: This has def been mentioned on another thread, but thought I'd weigh in here, because the administrator replied to this suggestion saying that realism for realisms sake isn't always a good thing. What some think needs to be done is that when you select an overseas player and he goes off on International duty, in real life you can select another one to replace him till he gets back, so at any one time you still only have the one overseas player (also,i thought you were allowed more now? no?) . I think a bit of transfer tinkering in the middle of the season would be a welcome break from just pounding away through the season of matches and training, as well as keeping many happy for being realistic, which I have to say is what a game like ICC or football manager should ALWAYS STRIVE TO BE. This is not a fantasy game. Its a management sim that SHOULD be as realistic as possible. I DON'T want to control what players eat or anything stupid like that, but realism in the context of the game is always good for me and for some others.
4) Interviews - Player Interaction: Whilst cricket is perhaps a calmer environment than football, I'd like some kind of media and player interaction as in football manager. If a player is unhappy, he can talk to you, or go through the media. Perhaps a players happiness affects their momentum? Perhaps you can discipline them financially, or verbally? Whilst I'm fine with players playing the odd aggresive shot even when you've set them to ultra defensive (would Kevin Pietersen leave a bad ball alone even when in a defensive frame of mind? I think not!), perhaps you could give them a stern warning after they get out playing a slog when you've set them to be ultra defensive? Perhaps how you handle them affects this happiness? Again, this needs to be carefully handled if included, and only included if it is done in appropriate quantities and doesn't overshadow other areas of the game.
5) Graphics: This one will be controversial. I DO NOT expect next gen graphics from ICC! It IS NOT the most important thing! But... if the highlights in 09 cannot be seriously improved, am I the only person who would prefer the best possible version of the old highlights from ICC 2005 Ashes Edition?? Whilst it was further away, it looked slightly more... natural in many ways for me. This isn't essential or as important as other suggestions, but one I thought I'd throw out there.
6) Team Momentum Meter: When a player drops a catch, the momentum meter goes down. When a player scores a hundred or breaks a record ina game, the momentum meter goes up. When your team gets a wicket your meter goes up slightly for a bad batsman, or more for a really good no.3. Momentum Meter basically gives players stats or form a slight boost within the context of each individual match. Perhaps it could start afresh each match? Perhaps it could be carried on throughout the season, with wins and good performances building momentum that could be carried on to the next game, although this sounds too similar to each players individual form to me. I'd simply like it to start and end each individual match. So that when England knock three Aussie wickets over in two overs, the team is jumping and takes that momentum with them. But when the Aussie middle order stay in and steady the ship Englands momentum meter decreases and the Aussie one increases, and so on...
Thats it for now. Again, apologies if any of these have been mentioned excessively elsewhere. I'd love to hear everyones thoughts, but especially the folk at Childish Things, because basically I tried the trial version of ICC 2009 and whilst it's not bad, I feel more improvements such as the ones I've made here, whilst NOT BEING MADE at the expense of the fundamental tried and tested heart of the game we all know and love, is whats needed to get me to pay my hard earned money for ICC 2010. If steps forward aren't taken, I don't see myself being tempted I'm afraid, and that would be a shame, because I don't think these suggestions would alter the basic flow of the game, but feel that most of them are needed to add a bit of variety, realism and depth.
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