Mana Games

[CC]

Manutoo,

I have very much enjoyed your video demonstrating volleying. However, I don't recall your hitting any drop shots during that match. Would you be able (time, etc.) and willing to record a match with CPU demonstrating drop shots? I would like to see you be able to go through that and not hit the wild drop shots that I keep encountering. In real tennis, the problems that I have encountered when I have tried drop shots are mainly two:
1) the shot does not clear the net,
2) the shot lands out, but not by much.
In TE2009, I can't remember a drop shot ever not clearing the net (I mean hitting it and just falling softly back onto the court of the one that hit it). In real tennis, I can't say that I have ever had the difficulty of a wild shot resulting that goes flying into the fence at a faster rate than even my hardest possible "non-drop shot" shot. In TE2009, even when I get the green indicator sometimes, the ball goes flying off much harder and faster than any other shot that I know of. I am sure that maybe my positioning isn't perfect, but there are just so many times when there doesn't seem to be the need for any movement where this shot results. I think that maybe it may have to do with how long I have been holding down the drop shot buttons. There are times when I will think that I am in the perfect position, and I will be ready for the drop shot well in advance. So, by the time the ball is within striking range, I have been holding the buttons for some time. Then, instead of just making very little swing and executing a drop shot, this crazy shot results. So, I would very much appreciate a demonstration on how to avoid this.

Thanks

[Santiago92]

Manutoo,

I have very much enjoyed your video demonstrating volleying

Where is it?

[CC]

Santiago92:

It is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYLBa87mecA&eurl .

[Santiago92]

Ok, thanks

[CC]

I do recall now some drop shots hit by the CPU player that did not clear the net. I actually don't know for certain that they were drop shot attempts, but they probably were. I don't remember this ever happening why my attempts, though, and I think that it should happen more often.

[manutoo]

this behavior is supposed to show u that u lost the control of the ball coz it was coming too fast to execute a drop shot, but it seems the resulting speed is too high so I'll lower it for next update...

I never do drop shot so I can't demonstrate how to use them...

Just avoid to do a drop shot against an acceleration, or while the ball is in its raising phase after the rebound.

[CC]

Manutoo,

What you said about trying to hit a drop shot on an accelerated ball makes sense; I had been considering this is a reason for what was happening (my bad technique again). It's too bad that you don't try the drop shot. I really think that it is not quite right, but since no one else is complaining, I have to strongly consider that the problem is all my doing.

When the non-CPU player hits the drop shot, is there currently the possibility that the ball will not clear the net, yet not go out of the court? I have seen this happen with CPU strikes, but I can't remember this ever happening with the many drop shots that I have attempted. Maybe this can be improved if it is not currently there. Otherwise, it may just be that I have forgotten any times that this could have happened with my attempts.

If anyone else uses drop shots and is willing to test them, please post here about any issues that you are having with them. Some of you are very good with them, as I have been the victim of too many of them. Does anyone else think that there is need for improvement here, where it seems that the player moves too much into the shot, or maybe it seems that you have setup everything perfectly for the drop shot, but when the attempt is made, something unexpected happens, and a bad unforced error results. Also, does it seem to matter to you how long in advance of the attempt the drop shot buttons are pressed? I am thinking that maybe it is best with the drop shot to not press the keys in advance at all; maybe it is best to lightly touch the keys at the exact moment that the strike needs to execute (which is not how it is with other shots).

[manutoo]

I don't use the drop shot when I play, but of course I tested many times the drop shot...

You can send the drop shot in the net when you're at the net.
It may be possible to send it in the net from the baseline, when u don't center it.

And as I already told u, u must prepare the drop shot as early as possible, like all other shots, and to check that, just turn on the aiming helper...

[CC]

OK. Your telling me doesn't always make my fingers obey what you tell me. Of course, I can't volley like you show in your neat video, anyway, so I'll try to stop complaining about this. Maybe one day I will look back and laugh at all of my frustration (when I can stop making so many errors). You do say that the drop shot is a risky shot, and it seems that I keep forgetting what that means. Thanks.

[Brecht]

CC, many of the things (missed dropshots and others) you describe happens to me too (I'm rather new at the game). As far as I can judge, I think I'm missing either when I'm not in the right position (then the indicator turns orange or red whereas I thought I was standing correctly to the ball) or, and this last since the new update, when I'm not timing the shot correctly while preparing some 0,01 seconds too early (and hitting wide), especially on very slow topspins shots from the CPU. After doing the same mistake several times I manage to do it less often, ie to improve ... The difficult thing while playing with noone to watch you is to find out the reason for the mistakes. "Can you make it without a coach?" should be the slogan !

[CC]

Thanks, Brecht. It is good to hear of someone else going through this and finding a way to improve. I was so frustrated a few minutes ago that I thought about taking a break from the game for a while. I don't understand why when I am maybe a half-inch from the perfect position to hit a drop shot the game will, right before the strike (which I think that I could have hit where I was) slide me way too far so that I am completely out of position and hit the ball with my wrist instead of the racket. I don't understand that. I have the auto-positioning on slow, yet that takes place at fast speed. I think that it must have to do with the drop shot being a difficult shot and that it just requires more skill. I can center a ball with my body so that it would hit me in the chest if I were to not swing, and I can easily hit error-free shots this way either by not pressing any buttons are using slice or whatever. Being at the net is more difficult.