Mana Games

[S.Williamz]

Considering that...a player with less precision but more power would have an easier time hitting cross court winners than down the line winners because down the line winners require more precision...cross court shots come more naturally...

If I'm wrong lemme know

You know, something like that would be better than the current way IMO...it seems now, if you have less precision, your shots just randomly start flying everywhere...that is just not fun and kinda pointless. I understand that in real tennis lot of errors are hit but this isn't real tennis and having more errors occur just for the sake of it is a wrong way to go...you should always have control over your player Imo...
I think if you have less precision, it shouldn't result in random errors, but rather it would be harder to hit near the lines. Now couldn't this be achieved by for example altering the sensitivity of the direction keys, and thus requiring a lot of timing skill in order to hit near the lines? If you aren't careful, your shot goes wide. Having more precision makes the timing easier and you are able to hit more accurately.
I'm not a game designer so I don't know if that would work but to me something like that sounds better than random errors...

Also, I guess I would have hoped to see the player statistics have more meaning and variety, so that when playing online for example you could see players using different styles of play, that you can choose...I know there was something like this in TE 2006 but I was hoping it was developed further in 2008 version...for example the volleyer style was way overpowered. It would be nice to see power hitters, finesse players...etc. Each style would have their pros and cons. Power hitters can hit faster but with less precision for example, whereas finesse players hit softer but more accurate, near the lines. Etc etc etc.

Now excuse me while I wake up from dreaming...lol

[manutoo]

JenerationJ , you are right, it's easier & less risky to hit a cross court than down the line.
In the Youtube Preview 3, the first 2 mistakes I made were coz I hit the ball with the body, not with the cords.

PS: you can write more than 1 sentence per message...

S.Williamz, I think you don't understand what is the precision/imprecision. It doesn't lead to just plain random errors that can go anywhere on the court.
Yes, the ball goes to a random spot, but of a very definite zone ! And this zone is bigger or smaller depending of the situation, ur skills, and ur chosen strike. So it's up to u to select the best strike, and the best aim, depending of your current position & skills, to avoid the random errors.

But I guess I'll have to add another visual helper, so at last, you could understand how works this zone, and how you have to play according to it...
BTW, in your last message, you're not dreaming, everything u said is already in TE2008 (for example, the volleys are already a lot less easy than in the past), it's just u can't see the whole thing right now...
So my work now will be to try to make u see it..!

Unfortunately, it won't be before a few days, as I have another task on the fire for now...

Possibly, I could also add some popping icons to show why your last shot went out... But I think it'd be less clear...

One thing I want to clarify: it's only the random faults from too long balls that annoy u, right ?
Coz the faults from ball going into the net, or ball falling down at ur feet are due to too difficult incoming ball, so hopefully, with the current visual helper, you should already be able to figure out these ones..!

[S.Williamz]

I did understand what you said, I don't like the random landing zone, regarless of it being defined to an area. It is still random. I don't find it fun, but that is just me of course. I'd like to have control over where the ball lands, always. So I hope there is a way to set your stats so that there won't be much randomness at all.
I could understand if something you do on court leads to randomness, such as not preparing well enough, or positioning correctly...that makes sense, you make a mistake on court that likely leads to an error. But it is just weird that there are stats that make you hit random shots. Is there any mind with having a lower precision, do you get anything in return, or is it just a goal to have a 20% difference between power and precision, as you said? Wouldn't it be more fun if there was a reason for people to have placed their stats in different ways, and not in a totally similar way?

Yes and as much visual help as possible is always appriciated, I have my head full of school work and I cannot possibly add any complicated game mechanics there anymore. lol

And you really don't have to roll your eyes on me, I'm just trying to be helpful and add some constructive criticism, even if it always isn't that good. lol

[JenerationJ]

lol I know Manutoo...thoughts just came to me after I would hit submit lol

[manutoo]

S.Williamz, I don't roll my eyes on you, I roll my eyes on additional work, coz I'm lazy...
And also coz I worry the game might be hard to get to other people as well, coz I consider you won't be the same to feel like you do.
So I hope the new visual helper will fix that.

With it, you'll see that the random zone depends in a big part of your preparation time, and thus, that a lot is up to u.

Did you try the updated version of yesterday ?
I just played again with it to be sure, but with 100% in power & 50% in precision, I still almost never miss my shots, just coz I know how to play...

About the skills... 1st, I think I will display only "Forehand" for newbies, and the Power, Consistency & Precision will be all linked & equal to the "Forehand" skill.
It'll have an option for advanced users to set different values.

So after, imagine you have 100 points to give between Power & Precision.
Basically, you'll have these 3 ways to distribute them :
A) 70 & 30
B) 50 & 50
C) 30 & 70

100 & 0 will be too imprecise, and 0 & 100 won't have enough benefit over 30 & 70.

With A, you'll have a lot of power, but little bit precision, so you'll have to prepare your strikes well in advance, and if not, skip to the safe strike. This configuration could fit both a defender playing far from the baseline, or a puncher that doesn't want to go for the lines, as long as they have good reflexes (in their real human brain )

B will suit most players & tactics, coz it's well balanced

C will be for people who have very low reflexes, or to play counter style, taking the ball very early, and always aiming close of the lines.

[stuey]

has anybody done something like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTla9tcwPhc

[manutoo]

Ouch, stuey how did u manage to do that ..?

[stuey]

Ouch, stuey how did u manage to do that ..?

I think I was holding f1+f2+up while serving, and then in the last moment before player hit the ball, released 'up' button.

[manutoo]

humm, what is your height, and your service skills ?

[stuey]

humm, what is your height, and your service skills ?

Service_Consistency= 89
Service_Power = 88
Service_Precision= 91

i didn't change the height, so it's
Height = 746 ; (h+32)

if that is what you're asking

[Allez Amélie]

At the beginning I did this kind of service very often ! lol

[Santiago92]

I did that kind of serve a lot of times, and also when I'm trying to do a drop shot (ctrl + up) sometimes that "shot" appears.

[ahmedcoolio]

Yes that happened to me too well its nothin ubnormal it happens when u dont serve properly thats it .

[Algo]

i've done it too, no changes on height, but on skills i have 100 on all lol

-whatever the level is, the bot gets so difficult to reach a parallel return after the serve, when he gets it, you're done lol

[TTennisfan]

Same here