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Battrick
Battrick logo.png
A browser-based cricket management game
Developer(s) Battrick Ltd
Designer(s) Allan Fairlie-Clarke
Platform(s) Internet browser
Release date(s) 24 April 2005
Genre(s) MMOMG
Mode(s) Single player
Media Website

Battrick is a free Internet browser-based cricket management game inspired by the football management game Hattrick. According to the game's creator, Allan Fairlie-Clarke (Battrick username BT-allanfc), the idea for the game came about during a conversation on an internet forum. The game has now grown to be the largest online cricket management game on the Internet. In early November, 2007, Battrick has over 9,600 registered users and as of March 2010 there are 8,300 active users.

In Battrick, users take over a cricket team in the lower levels of their chosen country's league system and aim - through training, tactics and transfers - to improve their team and achieve success in one or more of the several first class and limited overs competitions.[1]

There are currently eight countries in the game, each with their own league & cup competitions, and with National representative sides; they are: England, Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The game is free to play. A membership package, which offers no strategic advantage, can be purchased.

Contents

Game Characteristics

Battrick is browser-based game, of the PBBG type. This means that it is played over the Internet, using only a standard web browser, and that it is persistent, ie. progress is maintained from one playing session to the next. Progress in the game is obtained through management of one's team over the course of many seasons.[2]

The game is coded in C#, ASP, VB and XHTML. Game administration have stated their intention to soon add XML capability to the game site.

Gameplay

Battrick players are fictitious and exist only in the game. They have skill levels for Stamina, Batting, Bowling, Concentration, Consistency, Fielding and Wicket Keeping. Each of these is measured with 20 skill levels ranging from "Worthless" to "Elite". "Useless" precedes "Worthless" but isn't used to measure player skills.

The game updates daily, so that some effects of changes to tactics or training occur every 24 hours. Matches are played in real-time with ball-by-ball match commentary provided. The game follows a structured timetable over eighteen real-life weeks, with matches played at times appropriate to each individual country.

At any time, gamers may re-set their team line-up for forthcoming matches, perhaps selecting a strong batting line-up one week and a balanced batting-bowling team the next. One also sets their bowling order, and assigns individual players to enter matches with a defensive, normal, or aggressive attitude.

Batsmen, bowlers, fielders, wicketkeepers or all-rounders can be bought and sold on a virtual transfer market.

Gamers can communicate in a forum called "Sledging".

New teams start with an arena of 6500 seats and standing room. This can be expanded at a price as the game goes on.

Each team starts with a virtual budget of £200,000. This money can be used in a variety of ways to help the team progress, such as hiring staff, signing players, or increasing the capacity of the ground.

Competitions

There are currently four competitions - in three formats - played by club sides in Battrick. They are:

In addition to this the eight nations each field National and Under-19 teams for ODI cricket, culminating in their respective World Cup tournaments.

Season

A Battrick season lasts for sixteen weeks, with 14 weeks for the competitons. The 2 week off-season allows managers to recover from the previous season and prepare their teams for the next, and is when the international World Cup tournaments are held.

League System

The Battrick league system involves eight team divisions organised in a pyramid-esque structure. The eight teams play each other both home and away meaning each side plays 14 games in a league season. Four points are awarded for a win, two for a tie and none for a loss. Where teams are level on points they are separated by the Net Run Rate (NRR) system.

The pyramid structure means that while there is one top division in each nation, with four second divisions (Labelled II.1, II.2 etc) and sixteen third divisions and so on, the number of divisions multiplying by four with each additional level. As of October, 2007 each country has four divisions except for New Zealand and India which have five and Australia and England who each have six.

To have the chance of promotion to the level above (obviously not applicable with the top division where the OD League Championship is awarded to the top side) a team must first win their division by finishing top of the group. Their league record is then compared to the other division winners at that level; if they are in the top half they are promoted automatically, but the teams in the bottom half of the list must win a one-off play off match away against a team in the level above.

In the divisions of the level above, the 7th and 8th placed teams are automatically relegated, replaced by the sides who achieved automatic promotion. The 5th & 6th placed teams will then provide the opposition in the play-offs with the remaining lower level division winners.

Cup and Friendlies

The Battrick Cup is a straight knock-out cup competition which involves all of the country's teams. The draw is organised randomly, with some teams receiving a bye in the first round. Prior to season 9 the cup was a seeded competition, with the lowest ranked teams failing to receive a cup berth.

Once a team is knocked out of the cup they are then able to challenge any available team from any country in the world to a friendly game, the only way you can currently play sides from outside your chosen nation. These friendly games are purely played to help keep players in form and for enjoyment as opposed to being for any competition, although some friendly cups are unofficially organised by users.

First Class

First Class matches were successfully introduced on Tuesday 25 September 2007, 7 seasons after the planned release date. With the same league structure as the OD games, First Class matches are played from Tuesday to Thursday, with 14 (7 home, 7 away) in a season.

Miscellaneous

National teams were created during the second season of the game. Senior and Under-19 teams coaches were voted for via elections on the Battrick message boards, allowing them to form the national squads and compete against the other Test nations.

The first ever International OD matches took place in Battrick on the 23rd of November 2005.

References

  1. ^ "The greatest internet sports games of all time" (in English). May 2008. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/may/27/games.toys. Retrieved 2010-25-01. 
  2. ^ "Description of Pbbg and online sports management games." (in English). July 2007. http://onlinesportmanagers.blogspot.com/. Retrieved 2007-07-01. 

External links


Battrick Logo


Battrick is a free Internet browser-based cricket management game inspired by the football management game Hattrick. From its humble beginnings during a throw away conversation on a message board, Battrick - largely under the hand of its creator Allan Fairlie-Clarke (Battrick username BT-allanfc) - has now grown to be the largest free cricket management game on the Internet.

In Battrick, users take over a cricket team in the lower levels of their chosen country's league system and aim - through training, tactics and transfers - to improve their team and obtain glory in one or more of the several competitions in the games.

In Battrick, there are currently eight countries (the most established real life Test nations) each with their own league & cup competitions, and now National and Under-19 sides. The countries are: England, Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

It costs nothing except time to play Battrick; everything that's needed to manage sides is on the website and changes take effect from the moment orders are given. It's been designed so that you can spend as little, or as much, time managing your club as you wish. A membership package is available for those willing to pay, offering additional services like team logos and access to more statistics, although no in-game advantage is given.

Matches are played in real time with ball by ball match commentary provided. The game follows a structured timetable over eighteen real life weeks (a fourteen week season with four weeks off-season) with matches played at times appropriate to each individual country.

At any time gamers may re-set their team line-up for forthcoming matches, perhaps selecting a
strong batting line-up one week and a balanced batting-bowling XI the next. It is also
possible to set a bowling order and to say which batsmen or bowlers will play
aggressively or cautiously match by match.

Other Features



Batsmen, bowlers, fielders, wicketkeepers or highly cherished all-rounders can be bought and sold
on a virtual transfer market.

Gamers can communicate in a forum called "Sledging".

Friendly matches can be arranged between teams knocked out of the cup.

New teams start with an arena of 6500 seats and standing room. This can be expanded at a
price as the game goes on.

Each team starts with a virtual budget of £200,000. This money can be used in a variety of ways to help the team progress, such as hiring staff, signing players, or increasing the capacity of the ground.

Competitions



The types of matches/competitions are currently in three different forms. They are:
  • OD League matches
  • OD Cup matches
  • OD friendlies.


    • and from season 5:
  • Twenty20 Competition in the 4 weeks at the end of the regular season*

  • <small>has been postponed for 1 season due to unforseen circumstances</small>


    • and for the National and U-19 teams ODI cricket

    The Battrick league system involves eight team divisions organised in a pyramid-esque structure. The eight teams play each other both home and away meaning each side plays 14 games in a league season. Four points are awarded for a win, two for a tie and none for a loss. Where teams are level on points they are separated by the Net Run Rate system.

    The pyramid structure means that while there is one top division in each nation, with four second divisions (Labeled II.1, II.2 etc) and sixteen third divisions and so on, the number of divisions multiplying by four with each additional level. As of June, 2006 each country has four divisions except for Australia, New Zealand and India which have five and England which has six.

    To have the chance of promotion to the level above (obviously not applicable with the top division where the OD League Championship is awarded to the top side) a team must first win their division by finishing top of the group. Their league record is then compared to the other division winners at that level; if they are in the top half they are promoted automatically, but the teams in the bottom half of the list must win a one-off play off match away against a team in the level above.

    In the divisions of the level above, the 7th and 8th placed teams are automatically relegated, replaced by the sides who achieved automatic promotion. The 5th & 6th placed teams will then provide the opposition in the play-offs with the remaining lower level division winners.

    A cup match is part of a straight knock-out cup competition which involves the top 75-80% of the country's teams. Qualification and seeding for the cup is based upon the final league standings at the end of the previous season.
    The draw is organised so that the highest remaining seed is drawn away to the lowest remaining seed, the 2nd highest remaining seed against the 2nd lowest remaining seed at the latter's ground and so on. There is the possibility that the seeding system may be scrapped in favour of a random draw at some stage, although no date has been placed upon this.

    Once a team is knocked out of the cup they are then able to challenge any available team from any country in the world to a friendly game, the only way you can currently (and, most likely, will ever be able to) play sides from outside your chosen nation. These friendly games are purely played to keep players in form and for enjoyment as opposed to being for any competition, although some friendly cups are unofficially organised by users.

    The season lasts for eighteen weeks with 14 for the OD League and Cup competitions. It has been announced that the 4 week off-season will feature a new Twenty20 competition, taking up half that period.

    As you can see all of the games are currently in Limited Overs format; First Class cricket (Matches played over multiple days) in development but after an aborted attempt at introduction they are not expected to begin until at least the second quater of 2007.

    Miscellaneous



    Battrick is currently in its sixth season and has over 8,100 active users.

    National teams were created during the second season of the game. Senior and Under-19 teams coaches were voted for via elections on the Battrick message boards, allowing them to form the national squads and compete against the other Test nations.

    The first ever International OD matches took place in Battrick on the 23rd of November 2005.

    External links

  • Battrick is owned and operated by Battrick Ltd in partnership with Hattrick Ltd, owners of hattrick.org, the inspiration behind Battrick.
  • The rules of Battrick <!--surely they should be called Laws not rules?-->
  • MPOGD's summary of Battrick
  • Interview with Allan-Fairlie-Clarke, the creator of Battrick













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