Hi dear devs, @JNT_BA @RossSymons
First of all, congratulations on this EA7. The game is already starting to be a great game. Congratulations to the whole team.
However, I think there is still room for improvement. One of the key points to improve to make the gameplay more complete and realistic is the net play and volleys. After the great work you have done on the serve section, the next priority should be to improve the net gameplay. You have time to do it.
For starters the AI is not able to handle shots close to the net and its net play is non-existent. This is very detrimental to the playstyles you mentioned. If we are facing an opponent who serves and volley very often, this doesn’t apply at the moment in the game. Therefore, we know that no player is going to surprise us by serving and volleying or approaching the net after a good shot.
In order to realise this, volleys, approaches and net play in general need a profound improvement.
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Realistic Animations: Make sure player animations are fluid and natural. Approaches to the net should be realistic and transitions should be fast and resemble the real world. In other words, they should be neither too fast nor too slow, there should be a balance.
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Mid-court volleys: This point needs to be corrected because players often hit forehand or backhand volleys at the net instead of volleying. These shots should only be hit when we are in the middle of the court because we haven’t completed our approach to the net. Just like in real tennis.
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Ball Physics: The physics of the game should simulate how the ball behaves when hit after a volley. Consider factors such as the speed, angle and rotation of the ball. This will help volleys feel more authentic.
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Intuitive Controls: Implement controls that allow players to execute volleys easily and accurately as you have done with the serve. You could use button combinations or specific gestures to perform different types of volleys (e.g. forehand volleys, backhand volleys, dropshot volleys, high volleys, etc.).
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Player Positioning: As mentioned above, the game must recognise the player’s position on the court. If a player is close to the net, the system should prioritise volleys over groundstrokes.
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Opponent AI: Make sure that the opponents’ AI is also capable of volleying. This will make matches more challenging and realistic.
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Visual and Sound Feedback: Add visual and sound effects to accompany volleys, such as the sound of the racket hitting the ball and the animation of the racket hitting the ball.
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Game Modes: Consider including game modes that focus on the net, such as doubles tournaments or specific volley challenges, so players can practice and improve their skills.
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Tutorials and Practice: Offer tutorials or practice modes where players can learn how to volley correctly, with tips on proper timing.
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Smashes: A new system for executing smashes is also needed. It should not be so easy to make a smash as it should depend on several factors: the height of the ball, the trajectory, the strength, our position on the court, our ability to hit the smash, etc.
Finally, it is imperative that if the volley game can be fixed and be realistic, it is also important to pay attention to the passing game. If our opponent makes an approach to the net to volley, we must have the tools to try to neutralise him with a passing shot. Again, this has to be balanced and will depend on how good our opponent’s approach is. A risk-reward system as you have done with the serve would be ideal.
Thank you very much for everything again and I have no doubt that you will listen to this feedback and work on it as you have been doing all this time. Lots of encouragement, you are getting closer and closer to making the GOAT of tennis videogames after all this time.