A new text-based freeware game...

[lachlan43]

Hey guys,

Been spending the last couple of months (very sporadically, I'll admit) creating a small text-based game. The player controls both teams, and it's one day cricket only, but it keeps a lot of statistics from the games that have been played.

Features 18 man squads from all the test nations, as well as Canada, Holland, Ireland, Kenya, and Scotland, with statistics (which are used for the match engine) from the end of the Champions Trophy for the test nations, and some time between then and now for the non-Test nations. Only real tactical input at the moment is changing the batting aggression, ICC-style, but only team aggression, not individual batsmen.

But, yeah, if anyone fancies giving it a try, I'd be quite happy, and if anyone wants to edit the DB (it's just text files, so it's easy as pie), I'd be more than happy to tell you the format that things are in.

Any kind of feedback, criticism, insults, praise, etc will be much appreciated. (Except maybe the insults)

 

[Somerset]

Good effort Lachlan.

 

[NZTailender]

Had a game, it's pretty good look forward to seeing future versions, especially one with AI.

 

[lachlan43]

AI's definitely in the pipeline, but it's a long way off (as it's by far the most difficult of any future developments to design and implement). Working on the statistics side of things, and introducing extras into the game will be the next things to add.

I did neglect to mention one thing that you wouldn't find out unless you were really poking around, and that's if you right click on a bowler's name during a match, you can see a few stats for the match. Nothing major yet, but there is something there.

 

[Storer]

I played it. Pretty good. The only thing I dislike is the fact that I have to choose the computers bowlers, and there is no option to bowl the full over instead of ball by ball. But otherwise, it's good.

 

[lachlan43]

Thanks heaps to those who had a go, even if you didn't leave any feedback. I'm currently tinkering with the stats. So far, the game displays the following records for each player:

• Name
• Games
• Runs Scored
• Batting Average
• Overs Bowled
• Runs Conceded
• Wickets Taken
• Bowling Average
• Economy Rate
• Points (simple way of sorting best all-rounder, really. Just 20 points per wicket, 1 point per run, found it in a book written to commemorate the 1000th test ever played, so you know it's not a new idea!)
• Points Per Match

Also, you will soon be able to see, through right-clicking a bowler's name, along with his current figures, RPO, and bowling average, what type of bowler he is. Might rig something like that up for the batsmen - see strike rates, maybe 4s and 6s counts, something like that. Just popped into my head now, really.

Being away in Canada, semi-job hunting, semi-having fun, little adjustments are all that's being made at the moment. If I end up back to my boring old life any time soon, that's when I'll add some major things in. Next up are:

• Currently, run outs are listed with the bowler in parentheses - will change this to the fielder involved in the run-out.
• Selection of a designated wicketkeeper
• Power Plays
• Ball Condition
• Varying Weather/Pitch
• Bowling Over by Over
• AI...eventually. Automatic change of batting aggression for computer team will probably be the first part of that done; bowling changes will come after that.

That is in no chronological order apart from AI being last.

 

[Somerset]

Good luck with the changes Lachlan, look forward to trialing any new releases.

 

[Storer]

Sounds brilliant Lachlan. Can't wait for the next release.

 

[lachlan43]

Hey all, sorry for the lack of updates - Canada's been pretty crazy for the last week or so...NYE brought me a late Christmas present in the form of a new lady in my life, so, y'know...but I have been doing a bit of work on the ball and weather conditions changing. Project is not dead by any stretch though.

 

[Storer]

Good to hear Lachlan. Look forward to the next release.

 

[Lies]

Interesting - awaiting updates

Just got one suggestion - as bowlers become fatigued, do they become less effective?

Maybe need to balance this with the effects of bowling a spell - otherwise you could just change bowler every over and be better off

 

[lachlan43]

Bowlers do indeed become less effective as their stamina reduces, and the weather conditions impact how quickly they become fatigued.

 

[andrei121]

great game m8 hopefully the next one will be even better gd luck

 

[lachlan43]

Well, here's Version 1.1. (I guess that's what it'd be called. Not sure really.)

Updates

• User now selects own wicketkeeper
• Ball condition changes
• Current and Required Run Rates both shown
• Powerplays included - chance of dismissal altered during powerplay overs
• Team win/loss percentage table added
• Tinkered with frequency of each dismissal - hit wicket was occurring far too often
• Tinkered with amount of sixes hit - found a few too many for my liking
• User can now click on bowler name at end of game to see stats

I've left my test run's stats in there so you can see how it works. If you want your own stats, just delete the Matches and Game Records files, and the game should create your own the first time you play.

 

[andrei121]

Well, here's Version 1.1. (I guess that's what it'd be called. Not sure really.)

Updates

• User now selects own wicketkeeper
• Ball condition changes
• Current and Required Run Rates both shown
• Powerplays included - chance of dismissal altered during powerplay overs
• Team win/loss percentage table added
• Tinkered with frequency of each dismissal - hit wicket was occurring far too often
• Tinkered with amount of sixes hit - found a few too many for my liking
• User can now click on bowler name at end of game to see stats

I've left my test run's stats in there so you can see how it works. If you want your own stats, just delete the Matches and Game Records files, and the game should create your own the first time you play.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
well done m8

 

[Somerset]

Have given the latest version a trial, very impressive mate!

 

[andrei121]

m8 there is one prob i think when you want to change the team and then when i do i click the wicket-keeper prior usually and then it says you have no wicket keeper also England's best team should include Morgan methinks

 

[lachlan43]

Yeah, I've noticed that, and will fix that up soon.

The squads haven't actually been changed since I first started making the game at around the time of the Champions Trophy. Marsh and Harris aren't in the Australian team, and Lee's still in the best XI for Australia as well.