Mana Games

[manutoo]

Hello,

EDIT: new topic created, updated with for v1.0d version => topic8-6180.php

here a few tips to be more effective when you play online :

1- In Fair Mode, you need to have 780 points left in your Character Sheet, else the game engine will change your skills to force you to have 780 points left on match start

2- Service Skills : in Fair Mode, your Service Power can't be higher than 70% ; as the service efficiency is something very important, don't set it lower than 70%, though ; you can raise your Service Consistency to 90% or even 100% to raise your percentage of 1st serve in

3- Return of Serve :
a) turn on the Service Preview (in your Character Sheet) to know where the ball will land, and even the Danger Zone, so you'll have an idea of its speed and effect
b) if like me, u have poor reflexes on the return of serve and get aced like a turtle glued to the court, this tip should greatly help you : press the button down so the autopos will be activated, and as soon as your opponent will serve, your player will begin to move slowly to the left or the right ; for me, it gives a great visual stimulation to which I react about 2 times faster than to the Danger Zone display ; depending of your own reflexes, it may be helping or not ; me, before I was aced about 1.5 times per service game, and after that, only 0.5 times / service game (thanks to R.Nadal for this tip )
c) instead of using the autopos trick, you can try to do little left-right steps : it'll give you a lil bonus speed ; but it raises the chances to be caught of the wrong step, so don't do too big left-right moves
d) Try change the distance you stand from the baseline ; go more far if you're close, and vice-versa ; the position you'll be the most comfortable depends of your reflexes & own preferences

4- TopSpin : the higher your Topspin is, the slower your accelerations are ; to counter this, you can take a Defender player with a 0% Topspin skill ; so you'll have full speed on your acceleration, while still have a lot of Topspin when you'll have the time to prepare the topspin strike ( = B1 + down)

5- Rally strikes : you need to have at least 90% in your FH & BH powers ; 100% is better, if you're not planning to come to the net

6- Being efficient at the net : if you want to play at the net often, you absolutely need to take the volleyer style, coz he's the one with the biggest jump ; also, you'll have to limit your rally skills FH & BH to 90% to get enough points left for the volley skills ; don't lower under 90%, else you'll have problem to sustain the rhythm with 100%-power players.

I may add more tips to this list. If I forgot some important ones, you're welcome to answer to this topic...

[Leena]

I've tried your returning method before, and don't care for it. Yes, it does give you an early visual tip... BUT you have to release the button to move. This doesn't allow you to reach full acceleration for wider balls, and most importantly, weaker returns since you don't get to hold the button long enough.

My method: Have the service marker on, of course. Stand well behind the baseline. Only focus on your side of the court... don't bother trying to "read" the serve or follow the ball from the racket. See the green spot, run there, and hold onto the topspin button as long as possible. This is unrealistic as heck, but works for me... I very rarely get aced anymore on fair mode outside of the faster courts.

As for setting your stats... I disagree with many of these, especially topspin (and I know another defender in the game now uses 0%). Of course, I play an extremely defensive style, and you seem to be aiming more for an aggressive style.

Basically, newer players should know that they shouldn't play with the default stats. Tinker around with them, and find what works best with your style.

[Richou]

lol, i just stand where your placed, maybe a little futher back if they have a particularly good serve, and it seems to be the ideal place to stand, its only a step or so to reach the serve

[Leena]

Your returner automatically moves according to the server's original position. I move back because if I hit a short return, a good attacking player will usually hit a winner on the next shot. Plus, I love getting people to hit drop shots and silly stuff against me, unless they're good volleyers...

[manutoo]

yup Leena, as I said, it depends of your own reflexes ; mine are quite bad on the return of serve...

[tati cornet]

please manu, can yo tell me how we can hit deep when we are defending (and then far from the baseline). everybody is able to do this except me and it's a big problem to defend correctly.

[manutoo]

just center the ball in your racket...

[Richou]

i have my serve consistency at 100, but my serve fires long consistantly. care to explain?

[adner]

i have my serve consistency at 100, but my serve fires long consistantly. care to explain?

Noone obliges you to serve the most risky serve all the time :p

[NavinIsrani]

I've tried your returning method before, and don't care for it. Yes, it does give you an early visual tip... BUT you have to release the button to move. This doesn't allow you to reach full acceleration for wider balls, and most importantly, weaker returns since you don't get to hold the button long enough.

My method: Have the service marker on, of course. Stand well behind the baseline. Only focus on your side of the court... don't bother trying to "read" the serve or follow the ball from the racket. See the green spot, run there, and hold onto the topspin button as long as possible. This is unrealistic as heck, but works for me... I very rarely get aced anymore on fair mode outside of the faster courts.

As for setting your stats... I disagree with many of these, especially topspin (and I know another defender in the game now uses 0%). Of course, I play an extremely defensive style, and you seem to be aiming more for an aggressive style.

Basically, newer players should know that they shouldn't play with the default stats. Tinker around with them, and find what works best with your style.

absolutely..that's the right for me..it works best for me..your service return technique..one thing i would like to add..is try soemthign that a lot real pro players are advised to do while returning serves..is try different positions of returning..try roaming around the ur return area..b4 stabilizing near the green area just when the serve is abt to be hit..another tip si also based on real life..like if u see a first serve at 106 mph..you expect the second serve (if u get it) to be a slightly slower..so naturally, for sceond serves u should step near the baseline or if expecting somethign even slower..try a few steps inside the baseline sometimes..i havent played against any real player online..but all these things worked for me against PRO and mASTER level Computer players..!!:D

[CC]

This is an old post, but I thought that I should ask here rather than to create a new post.

Are there enough visual cues right now to be able to somewhat read the strike intention of the opponent? I'm being clobbered by the CPU player in World Tour, and I'm trying now to watch more closely the preparation of my opponent. This sometimes helps when he is going to hit a slice shot, but for the most part, it seems useless. My speed is so low right now and I guess I am so bad that I can't even get through the qualifiers. I started the difficulty on Incredible, sub-level 1, thinking that maybe I could have some success. I think that this is where Togtdyalttai started his Karlovic tour at, but obviously he is much better than I am. Maybe as my skills increase (which seems to be possible at increments of 7 experience or training day points after each match regardless of how well I play), I will have more success.

Anyway, is anything to be gained from close observation of the opponent's shot preparation? Am I missing something? Does this need to be improved (to be more realistic), or is it just fine as it is? Should there be more visual cues about shot intention than there are?

[manutoo]

CC, there's no visual hint except for the slice animation.

[Rayn]

I still get out-aced and I still don't understand why I get very few first serves in while my serve precision and consistency are high (>90%)

[Jovanovski]

Well, it's probably because of your strength. If it's 100%, you should lower it down

[Maxy]

I have problems with return