Top Spin 4 - Player Balancing Updates

[edlglide]

I repeat myself, but its nonsense that you lose nearly half of stamina after 1 single ralley, means after 30 seconds of the match.

Compared 2 reality most pros play their BEST TENNIS after 3 hours of gameplay, so this new addition to me is completely XXX

That hasn't changed; it was like that before. They just made it so the stamina makes a bigger difference. Before the patch players would be completely drained of stamina after a 15-20 shot rally, and then start the next point with only 50% stamina.....that's exactly the same.

What they should have done was made two separate stamina bars -- one for the individual rally (as you lose stamina your player gets slower and it's harder to hit precise shots during each rally) and one for the match as a whole (where as it burns down, your rally stamina depletes much quicker). In other words, at the start of the match you could play long rally after long rally without worrying too much, but later on in the match your player might get really tired after a few shots if you burned up too much energy earlier. But since the official online modes have such short matches, I guess there would really be no point for an overall match stamina as opposed to just point/rally stamina.

[swifty512]

to be honest I would just like to be able to play a match on world tour. forget about this player balancing, FIX THE DAMN WORLD TOUR!!!

[Maitre Kax]

I repeat myself, but its nonsense that you lose nearly half of stamina after 1 single ralley, means after 30 seconds of the match.

Compared 2 reality most pros play their BEST TENNIS after 3 hours of gameplay, so this new addition to me is completely XXX

That hasn't changed; it was like that before. They just made it so the stamina makes a bigger difference. Before the patch players would be completely drained of stamina after a 15-20 shot rally, and then start the next point with only 50% stamina.....that's exactly the same.

What they should have done was made two separate stamina bars -- one for the individual rally (as you lose stamina your player gets slower and it's harder to hit precise shots during each rally) and one for the match as a whole (where as it burns down, your rally stamina depletes much quicker). In other words, at the start of the match you could play long rally after long rally without worrying too much, but later on in the match your player might get really tired after a few shots if you burned up too much energy earlier. But since the official online modes have such short matches, I guess there would really be no point for an overall match stamina as opposed to just point/rally stamina.

I think such a bar exist because in a third set it seems to me that the shots are less hard despite the fullness of the stamina bar and they become weaker more quickly.

[jayl0ve]

I agree.

At least, that's what it SEEMS like to me

[xMFHxMataiiBANNED]

I like the patch so far too.. the errors have added a small something to the excitement again..

Although yesterday I had a few games against tigerofintegrity and we had pretty much endless rallies..(before the patch) we had quite a few above 30 shots and 2 above or close to 50.. I hope this patch has addressed the ability to hit winners (with the ITST limited players) and not just addressed errors..

I look foreword to trying out the game more post patch

Ok so tried it a bit more now and still have the issue of extreme boredom in rallies.. I can even run the wrong direction turn around and catch up to my opponents shot and continue the rally.. haha quite funny how this is turning out exactly as I said it would in the TI/MD thread.. that the only way to finish points (actually get a winner) within 30 shots is at the net..

The balls move so slow now its a joke to be honest.. bares no resemblance to the game I bought.. and to be honest I wish the demo was like this so I wouldn't have got it.


Quote 1 :

anyway.. all I'll say is that this game is fun when you come up against opponents with weapons.. it seems that many here want to have players that can only return nice friendly useless shots back every time, until it allows them to get THEIR characters strengths to win it for them.. try starting a career again if you want that!

They could maybe lower the FH and BH a little to say +13 each.. but as I said.. the game will get really boring if we all have some middle of the road players with diluted skills. "

Quote 2:

.. But if we do indeed go this route.. 2K please change the power players. I dont want to come up against power hitters when I can't get angles anymore to counter them.. they are over-powered!! - once that patch is out - everyone can use S&V and it will be awesome very much like pong on easy, we can just watch the ball slowly moving up and down the screen for the S&V players to whip away.. but 2K - Just ahead of time --- its OVER POWERED -- PATCH IT!

[SBR Ironik]

I didn't find it boring but tactical.
By the way, I played a match against a defensive player (I'm a defenser) and the longest rally I got was something like 20 shots : both of us were exausted and the first mistake you make means you're loosing the point.

Anyway, I agree that it's up to you to find it boring.

[xMFHxMataiiBANNED]

SporTec add me up are you on PSN? I'll show you what I mean.. Its not like tiger or I are clueless with tactics .. its just now it goes so slow you can run the wrong direction recover then neutralize it and carry on.. just to tell you I would be in the top 3 all time tournaments wins If I hadnt remade my character 10 times lol - so we (me n tiger) both know tactics.

[IAmLopes]

Am i the only one who doesn't like the patch?
Ok, it seems good for World Tour Online, no doubt, i agree on that part, but (and there's always a but), if you play offline (career mode, exhibition, etc) there comes the problems.

You see, most of the changes don't apply to CPU players, they still hit extreme angles, few UE, stamina doesn't matter, and now, players with 45fh and 40RF hit return winners from serves at 200kmh all the time, if it's not a return winner it will cause you problems.

It sucks that for exemple my player with 82FH can barely hit the lines, and players with so low FH and BH always hit the lines, and that sucks.

The patch ruined the offline game!
But hey, it's just my opinion.

[Maitre Kax]

I agree, 70 FH and 70 BH is no more enough to hit angles and it s nice. Now, it seems to me that we must make a real choice between power or precision, or BH or FH... I m sure it will become a more tactical and clever game.

[SBR Ironik]

SporTec add me up are you on PSN? I'll show you what I mean.. Its not like tiger or I are clueless with tactics .. its just now it goes so slow you can run the wrong direction recover then neutralize it and carry on.. just to tell you I would be in the top 3 all time tournaments wins If I hadnt remade my character 10 times lol - so we (me n tiger) both know tactics.

I didn't say you don't know tactics, i said that in my opinion winning a point is more about tactic than power and about who is the first to pull a short crossed ball. I agree with you when you said it's slower now but this is not a problem for me. Maybe 'cause i'm a noob, i agree with that too.

[Immortal Strife]

Am i the only one who doesn't like the patch?
Ok, it seems good for World Tour Online, no doubt, i agree on that part, but (and there's always a but), if you play offline (career mode, exhibition, etc) there comes the problems.

You see, most of the changes don't apply to CPU players, they still hit extreme angles, few UE, stamina doesn't matter, and now, players with 45fh and 40RF hit return winners from serves at 200kmh all the time, if it's not a return winner it will cause you problems.

It sucks that for exemple my player with 82FH can barely hit the lines, and players with so low FH and BH always hit the lines, and that sucks.

The patch ruined the offline game!
But hey, it's just my opinion.

Expert grand slams were already impossible ive been trying for that achievment the last week, Nadal and Murrey are rediculous. If post patch makes the computer players even better then I might as well give up trying.

[xMFHxMataiiBANNED]

I didn't say you don't know tactics, i said that in my opinion winning a point is more about tactic than power and about who is the first to pull a short crossed ball. I agree with you when you said it's slower now but this is not a problem for me. Maybe 'cause i'm a noob, i agree with that too.

Its not a problem for me its just totally boring when playing good players because every rally is 30+ shots.. unless you come up against a S&V but its damn tedious when you both have baseline players..

I just played the #18 and my ... its so boring, we just go back and forth then I work a shot down the line when he's at the net.. go for it perfect timing and all - he runs back after it - catches up with the ball! - and hits it back and off we go again on this mindless rally.

Its a joke when the players run faster than the ball moves haha. I think thats the final straw for me.. pitty though seeing as the original was fun and got good reviews.

[Hawkeye Miihawk]

I didn't say you don't know tactics, i said that in my opinion winning a point is more about tactic than power and about who is the first to pull a short crossed ball. I agree with you when you said it's slower now but this is not a problem for me. Maybe 'cause i'm a noob, i agree with that too.

Its not a problem for me its just totally boring when playing good players because every rally is 30+ shots.. unless you come up against a S&V but its damn tedious when you both have baseline players..

I just played the #18 and my ... its so boring, we just go back and forth then I work a shot down the line when he's at the net.. go for it perfect timing and all - he runs back after it - catches up with the ball! - and hits it back and off we go again on this mindless rally.

Its a joke when the players run faster than the ball moves haha. I think thats the final straw for me.. pitty though seeing as the original was fun and got good reviews.

Rallies aren't as scripted anymore. Rallies are longer, but I don't see how you're having 30+ shots everytime. You can still pull people out wide with the short cross court, just this time it's more random. People seem to be scared to hit short cross court angles now cause their effectiveness is randomized, but that's where the risk is, and one you're gonna have to take if you want to take the advantage in rallies.

Deep controlled shots are the way to go now, but you still have to go for that short cross court. I don't have these constant 30+ rallies you're talking about. I don't mean to lecture, but there are multiple things you can do to keep rallies short.

-Move someone from side to side to drain their stamina. At the same time while pushing them around you take a chance at the short cross court. Yes it's risky and randomized now, but you still have to go for it.
-Or while moving someone around, since the effectiveness of shots on defense has been reduced, you come in to net.
-Or if your character has decent returning stats, you can take advantage of the rally off the return

Then again I mainly use all rounders, and s&vers so it depends on what your character's strengths are.

I think some people are still too used to the old system, where they could do whatever they wanted and certain extremely arcady things worked because they system allowed it. Now, those extremely arcady things aren't as effective as they used to be, so people are having trouble adjusting.

I like the changes so far. It was way too arcady before.

[Hawkeye Miihawk]

Is it just me or is the timing window for ground strokes smaller? I'm not hitting as many perfects as I used to.

[SBR Ironik]

Is it just me or is the timing window for ground strokes smaller? I'm not hitting as many perfects as I used to.

I have the same feeling, especially with flat control shots.

@ Mataii : I think I understand what you mean : are you talking about low speed players? If so i agree with your statment. I still have the feeling that speed doesn't count that much or that there is something in this game I don't understand regarding player's movement.