This page will detail all the features you would like to see in a sequel to
Cricket world Cup 99. Sensible suggestions will be added here and passed on to
EA/Creative Assembly who will hopefully look at them seriously.
General
Different developer than Creative Assembly
Tougher computer AI, game is currently too easy even at hardest level.
Test Matches!
Day/Night matches. There are none planned for the
World Cup in England.
Accurate playing grounds from all over the world.
Editable players.
The Pakistani player's names to be written as in real life i.e. Inzaman instead
of I. Haq.
More tournaments other than just World Cup.
Make your own competitions (e.g. test match world championship).
Innovations for one-dayers e.g. in Mercantile Mutual Cup, 2 fielders outside
circle in first 15 overs, 3 in overs 16-30 and 5 for overs 31-50.
Super 8's and Hong Kong 6's.
Domestic leagues like in FIFA.
Many features mentioned on the EA FAQ page are missing! Update the FAQ or
release a patch.
Promised feature in which you could download the latest stats, scores and
injuries of players as the World Cup progressed.
Correct squads as used in World Cup. This has now
been released as a patch.
Ability to start World Cup at Super Sizes stage selecting which teams made it.
Ability to read scorecards of simulated matches.
More stats for players.
Better stats tracking like Shane Warne Cricket.
DETAILED record book which keeps record of all the game played, teams played,
wins for, wins against, etc.
Injuries.
Qualifying round/tournament for minor teams like the Irish. Finding out all the stats for minor teams could be a nightmare.
A managerial feature e.g. taking the selectors role and picking a squad of 15
then pruning it down to 12 before a match. Nightmare
getting stats on all domestic players for each test side.
A feature which incorporates counties and state sides into a world competition
(this could be a nightmare but if done properly could work).
Classic Matches option like in Brian Lara Cricket.
Classic matches when you finish the world cup like world cup 98 - soccer.
Artificial pitches for practice.
Better Joystick Controls, just like Cricket97. I
disagree with this. I like the fact that the game has different controls, the
bowling is nicely done. I would prefer the batting interface to be improved so it is
more realistic.
Numerical value for player ratings as opposed to bars.
Two player game with both players on same side.
Multi player game across network/Internet.
Match
The game needs to have a better camera. Why is the camera mounted? EA's Cricket
97 had a better camera. I personally think the camera is
okay.
Where is the third umpire? I have not seen him anywhere.
A decent pitch report like on TV where a commentator talks (e.g. Tony Grieg).
More detailed scorecard reflecting all 6s and 4s scored.
Save innings/match for replay later.
There should be a time factor build into the game, e.g. each over from a fast
bowler takes about 4-5 min, spinner takes 3 min. Must complete 50 overs by a certain time
or are penalised.
Sometime make it rain. Is there really no weather
interruptions?
Graphics
Better menus if not running at ideal 640x480
resolution.
Better game textures not optimised for 640x480
resolution.
Remove texture stitching problems with a Voodoo 2 card
on wide angle camera.
Animated crowd with a bit more than 2-3 frames. It
is a change to actually have an animated visible crowd as opposed to the more normal flat
textures like in Brian Lara Cricket.
More crowd, plus the batsman saluting the crowd when he makes 50, and removes his
helmet and salutes at 100, 150, 200 etc.
When you take a wicket the fielders should all congratulate the bowler.
Overview of the over currently in progress. Like six red balls in the corner of
the screen showing runs scored (or wides or wickets, etc) scored off each ball.
Improved graphics in software mode. Not all of us have access to a 3D card. I
would think that only a few people actually have 3D cards. I
think you are wrong here - most people with a newish PC will have a 3D card, it is a sign
of the times.
Different Looking umpires.
Individualisim of player models (e.g. Ajuna Ranatunga!).
Cyberfaces like in NBA Live 99.
Different types of features on certain players (Darren Lehmann's ear ring or
Shane Warne's sweat band of his wrist).
A clearer ball, you can't easily see the ball once it has been hit. Fixed in patch 1.1.
Customise flag and uniform for teams.
Better celebrations when you win the World Cup.
Commentary / Sound
More commenatary - at times the game is very quiet.
More crowd reactions - a six hardly seems to generate
any noise.
Chants for individual players (ooh aah McGrath, Warnie Warnie who ate all the
pies).
More than two commentators.
Better sound effects when hitting the ball and the ball bouncing in to the
boundary boards.
More commentators - different commentators for each country.
Batting
Left handed batsmen. Now fixed in first patch.
The batting cone should be much smaller for better batsmen so shots can be played
through the field, it could also be reduced as a batsmen is played in. Small errors in
timing could then play it just outside the cone, where it could find a fielder.
More Detailed and better AI, they either get boundaries or get bowled. Why don't
they make it that the computer bats out the full 50 overs and goes for the slog in the
last 10, especially when there's lots of bowling pressure or they've lost early wickets.
More accurate wagon wheel plus option to save it.
There should be a far greater range of shots available. It is extremely difficult
to play sweeps, cuts and glances aren't that easy either. It feels like the AI is helping
you to hit the ball! Better to attempt a sweep and miss than not play the shot at all.
Brian Lara on the MegaDrive had this perfect.
Need to be able to vary the shot a little more than just direction and one of two
power levels. Knocking it just over square leg head for example.
It is far too easy to constantly hit fours over the bowler!
Players should have their own individual characteristics, instead of just their
speed. Like Bevan is excellent at picking the gaps in one day games, but very vulnerable
to pace bowling in tests. Excellent idea in theory but a
nightmare to get accurate details for every player.
You should be able to build an innings, where pushing the singles is the smartest
option early before batting becomes easier.
Skill should be required to pick spinners, different deliveries should be
distinguishable through flight and speed through the air.
First person batting. It seems some people have had luck batting, but only
because they know what's coming, selecting cone position and already running up the wicket
BEFORE the ball's even bowled! In REAL cricket if you decide on your shot before the
deliver, you'll get yourself out. I want to watch the ball and decide what to do with it
like real life. I guess a lot of people bat using the bowler's view camera like Cricket
97, but to me, that's nothing like cricket. This would be
great if it could be done properly and realistically because the game could also be used
as a coaching aid.
The computer should block more because they get bowled to often.
Their should only be only one aggressive button (eg C instead of A/B). Maybe definable would be better as making it a third button means you
can't use mouse (best control method) or joysticks with only 2 buttons.
The chase progress like in C97 should be the run rate required.
Should have a fielding map as in Brian Lara so that you can place shots more
easily. In fact, it's almost impossible to play the game properly without one.
Batsmen currently run slower than fielders. Should be more equal.
Unrealistic that when you cancel a run (or press button after more than halfway)
batsmen run twice as fast.
Bowling
Better (despite claims of most realistic) physics for bowling. Inability to
bowl a bouncer of any sort shows physics are not correct!
Left handed bowlers. Now fixed in first patch.
Ability to keep same bowlers on until you decide when
to change rather than having computer selected bowlers or having to select a bowler every
over.
Slow left arm bowlers should be SLOW!!! (e.g. before the first patch, Daniel
Vettori was a right handed medium bowler!)
Different bowling styles for same bowler. e.g. Chris Harris can bowl swing, spin,
cutters and medium pace.
As many bowling types as possible, e.g. slow, slow-medium, medium, medium-fast,
fast-medium, fast, all the spin types like slow left arm, left arm orthodox, left arm leg,
r/h leg, etc.
Bowlers can bowl from wide on the crease, stump to stump or anywhere in between.
Amount of overs each bowler can bowl should correspond to the amount of overs in
the game.
Off spinners cannot bowl leg breaks.
A facility for Seamers to grip the ball, e.g. down the seam for swing, across the
seam for non-swing/slow ball.
Adjustable bowler run-ups you can shorten his run-up.
A speed gun for measuring pace of deliveries or average bowling speed in player
profiles e.g. Bevan at approx. 90km/h Warne at approx. 75km/h (depending on which delivery
bowled).
Better umpire decisions. At present you get a no-ball (full toss above
waist) or an lbw despite being half way down the pitch.
When you take a wicket the fielders should all congratulate the bowler.
Fielding
Human controlled fielders.
When a batsman leaves his crease and misses the ball to a spinner or medium pacer
the wicketkeeper should try and stump him instead of always trying to run him out. Look stupid when they miss as well!
More accurate field settings - i.e. at the start of the game and on pausing a
game, a table of field positions, Mid On, Silly Point, Short Forward Square Leg etc and
the ability to "map" fielders (not bowler or wicket keeper!) to the positions -
so much easier than zooming/rotating/higher-lower!
I am real disappointed with this game. Everyone else has commented on the
negatives with this game, they have said most of them, but here's other things which they
can or could have done.
I would like to point out that the base they had with C97 was good, why did they
have to go completely away from that. I do a lot of comparisons between the two in which I
think C97 is better in a lot of areas?! Cricket 97 was
developed by a totally different company Beam as opposed to Creative Assembly.
The oval is too big (or the players are too small?). It should be about the same
size as C97's except a bit bigger.
The gameplay is too fiddly, there are too many options e.g. decrease pace by 50%.
C97's gameplay was fun and easy - you just run up and bowl.
WHERE IS THE RECORD BOOK?! It keeps peoples (well mine at least) interest in the
game longer. They could have had a record book for World Cup and ODI records (It would
give you something to do after you've won the World Cup 10 times). And If they did have or
if they do have one in the next game it should be way more detailed than Cricket 97's e.g.
instead of top 2 batsmen, top 10 same with bowlers. Most economical bowlers (8 or more
overs)? Best strike rate for batsmen (20 or more runs)? Biggest winning margin, smallest
team score etc...
The in game stats are not good, the stats in C97 were heaps better and that in
game menu isn't good, again C97's tab menu was quite good and had lots of good stats on
the game.
The graphics need to be improved, I think the graphics in CWC99 aren't that much
better than C97 ATE. They have have different coloured skin and hair colour, the uniforms
are more detailed and the stadiums are fairly good. But the players still look basically
the same, too many of them wear sun glasses, they should have some wide brimmed hats (e.g.
like Michael Bevan etc...). But besides that the player detail, for me, isn't too bad.
Left handers, I know you're fixing this with your patch by there shouldn't be
that problem in the first place.
The commentary is not as good as what it should be hopefully in the next game the
commentary will be heaps more detailed and Richie will be saying something after every
ball and Gower or whoever is commenting a lot more and giving a good match analysis.
The Crowd is nowhere near as detailed as what it should be, there should be a lot
more variation to the crowd atmosphere e.g. clapping (because its England) the crowd
chanting (Balmy Army, Scottish supporters and People who have come from the sub-continent
yelling their heads off after every boundary or wicket taken) etc...
The general graphics are not as good as what they should be. I can't say anymore.
The person in charge of this site (Dan Thomas?) hopefully you can give them heaps of good
suggestions for their next cricket game.
