Make timing of powering up and releasing a shot a bigger part of the game

Right now I think the biggest thing that will affect gameplay, which against the AI is a little bit too easy is making the timing of powering up and releasing a shot actually matter, along with positioning of a player.

Currently as long as you power up early enough and release it before it goes red I would say 10/10 times the shot will go over the net and close to fully powered.

this gameplay mechanic makes it so easy to have a properly timed and powerful shot, it makes rallies feel like a game of ping pong, there really isnā€™t any strategy in shot placement and positioning (of the player).

If timing became a bigger factor, we might actually get some variation in rallies, for example, sometimes a player may want to lower the rally speed by hitting a slower/offspeed ball in order to throw off the timing of the opponent. which you canā€™t do in the game as you just get punished with the cpu/opponent hitting a flat fully powered shot (cause it is so easy).

It is like in baā€™s cricket games you can get used to a fast bowler once you get used to the timing. But if they throw in a offspeed - that messes you up and you might go too early with your shot or overcompensate and go too late. Right now tiebreak lacks in that area.

With timing and powering up of a shot so easy right now in addition to being able to place a ball exactly where you want it without much risk. I feel like most of the rallies involves moving the ball left and right, rinse and repeat until I get the cou/opponent far wide enough to hit a winner.

There is no build up in the rallies unless I CHOOSE to hit the ball back to the player, and this is me choosing and not because it is required in the situation.

Hopefully big ant really takes this into consideration in making shots a bit harder. If they make it so that the player has to consider playing a safe shot to remain in the rally, that in turn creates Risk vs reward, that will make the game play better and allows the player to learn and adapt during the game.

Additionally, I reckon a different type of controls which uses the right joystick would be great. (Will also need the tiebreak movement triggers as part of it)

Using the joystick to Pull back to start power and push forward (direction you want the shot to go) would be great. This should be like a simulation control where the aiming if basically manual, and balls long and wide will happen more often if you try to make a shot when the situation you are in does not warrant it.

By having a simulation (no assistance fully manual aim) would make players choose when you hit low percentage shots like the winners down the line.

Having a fully manual power up and shot direction control using the joystick would make the players really choose when to be safe and when to attack. And having a player choose when to power up and release would make fully,powered shots Less of a thing unless a player is timing it perfectly or has built up the rally to a point where they have their player perfectly positioned and the ball where they want it.

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I agree with most of this but honestly donā€™t think this is something that will change.

I disagree with using the sticks to hit the ball. I donā€™t like that at all and has a very exhausting feel to it for me personally. Especially in a game like tennis where you have to pull back and push forward with the stick every couple of seconds.

i really donā€™t think that their engine is robust enough to implent a Right Stick shot system like in Top Spin 3 for example. But i agree with the post. They have to implent something to make sure timing and movement matters more plus work on Serve/Return.

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They do have a system for another game they make, cricket 24 and previous years iterations.

Funny thing is footwork, timing and risk vs reward already exist in big ants other major sport game, their cricket series which is surprisingly that they donā€™t also have a system in tiebreak

IMG_0509

They have a pro mode for batting where left is footwork and right is used for shot direction.

They could make a version of this for tiebreak and honestly when I play their cricket games this control option at first is hard to get used to but over time gives the player so much more control and makes them really think about what shot they have to make, right now seems like a bit of a press button early enough and donā€™t go overboard with the power, real tennis players donā€™t have it so easy as in they can make cross court shots one after another and making their opponent go from left to rightā€¦ā€¦ā€¦there really should be some risk associated with risky shots in risky situations.

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hmmmā€¦interesting. The question is does that Cricket game use the same engine as Tiebreak? Btw i know nothing about cricket but it sounds such a system would be perfect and handy to have for a tennis game.

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Big ant I believe use a in-house engine for all their games. So right now it is a bit confusing why some mechanics which make other ba games good are missing in tiebreak.

Using buttons right now is what I believe BA thinks will be attractive for a wider audience but at least give the gamer an option to challenge themselves and make the game not just a button smash where I can literally ā€˜pull the triggerā€™ on basically every shot, no matter what the situation is, I have balls landing on the baseline or singles sideline when playing defenceā€¦ā€¦ā€¦ā€¦too much hand holdingā€¦ā€¦which might be fun for those looking for a casual experience where you want the thrill of making shots only found in a game, but for those looking for a real authentic experience it is a bit VANILLA atm.

Hell, I love making a fully powered backhand down the line shots all the time with Federer, but yeah I want the satisfaction of building up a point tactically, getting my opponent where I want them, getting my player positioned and have my opponent basicallly play the ball to me set up perfectly before I take my opportunity and pull the trigger down the line, at the right timeā€¦ā€¦ā€¦not just first chance I get without any riskā€¦ā€¦

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Using your Thread here as a UPDATE 11/10/24 feedback thread because you made a good point here. Monitoring the feedback here, youtube, reddit and steam there is clear that a lot of players really like the update but there are still things to tackle.
I think the game is in a very solid state now for super casuals but there is still work to do for people like me and others who like to have a more challenging experience.
First of allā€¦Pumpin up the AI isnā€™t the solution!
Question going forward is the following! Maybe itā€™s the best idea at this point to really implent a Arcade(Now) mode and a Simulation mode for the following remaining gameplay issues.

  1. Serve/Return:

This is still the ā€œloudestā€ feedback i see across platforms. The new update nerfed the Serve and overpowered return is still there!

  1. Risk/Reward:

There is too much reward right now in the game. Itā€™s nice that we can aim shots to the lines once again :wink: but you have to find a way to make timing and movement matter more. Iā€™ll add a gameplay video from AJ4 Games here. These are CPU vs CPU videos but it shows that there are now a lot of rallies with up to 84 shots possible. That comes from more factors. 1. is for sure that cpu doesnā€™t go for the obvious winner when possible. 2. The mechanics when it comes to Animation lock. 3. Some smaller mechanic things like half-volley top spin shots are too powerful and easy to aim. 4. Itā€™s too easy to get into the offensive position again if you are in a defensive position.

users like @itsandy09 or @F14tomcats already made good suggestions to add the systems you have in Cricket24 going forward. I know nothing about Cricket and i didnā€™t play that game but looking into it, it looks like a very good suggesion/solution.

-Gameplay sliders for AI and players!

Cosmetics:

-That damn slice jumpy forehand finally has to go/reworked please xD it really is the ugliest shot ever modeled in a tennis game IMO. Hereā€™s a video what shot we mean

-Andy Murray serve animation still not right!

-Replays still donā€™t have that TV Presentation(weird camera angles etc.)

-Another user complains since weeks about Signature strokes from some players. Personally i donā€™t have a problem how it is now but i definitely want that feedback added here.

-add all stadiums to exhibition mode

-Soundesign: Strokes/Hard Flat Serve could use more ā€œpunchā€ in overall sounddesign. In EA 1 for example the strokes sound punchier. Donā€™t know why this was changed along the way?

-All surfaces play the same(i donā€™t think that this will ever be changed but it would be a dream come true)
I think it would be a good idea to add a bigger pool(for all players) of animations when it comes to
close ball reaches, blocks etc.

-transitioning to the middle of the field plus net doesnā€™t really work fully. I think there are also animations missing for example forward moving forehand/backhand shot(now you run forward and the normal forehand animation starts) that looks choppy. Also forward slidding animations for short balls behind the net for example and better animations for dropshots.

-Players still donā€™t apologize when they hit a net cord winner!

-problem with the application of backhand styles on our created character.
the backhand styles never really apply, theyā€™re just generic backhand no matter which backhand style you choose.

okā€¦i think i have it here mostly. As always folks if you have something to add what i miss or if you have better solutions go forward :wink:

Another word for the BigAnt team. I think most of the community really applauds you for the constant updates and showing that you actually careā€¦not like some other folks from another tennis game xD :wink: Have a nice one!

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You mentioned ā€˜ All surfaces play the same(i donā€™t think that this will ever be changed but it would be a dream come true)ā€™

Big ant has built games where the surface plays differently (biggest example their cricket games again) that game you have variations in the surface, from bone dry and hard which provides more bounce to surfaces that are grassy and the ball tends to skid more.

So it is a bit perplexing that this sort of mechanic hasnā€™t been implemented and if it has barely noticeable. Playing Federer on grass and ace count was like 2 and I can get 20 plus shot rallies as a normā€¦ā€¦

I could not even get a serve and volley game going with how slow the surface was and how easily the cpu could return the ball. Hope ba patches that in soon

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