Top Spin 4 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

[kingdevin]

is there a cpu v cpu option this version

[at23steelers]

A tip to help struggling players:

- Hold in shot button while you are getting in position to hit ball, and press again when you want to hit it. This will allow you to have the red in the circle fully shown, and give you much more power. This helped me out tremendously, as it seemed like whatever I hit, the opponent would make me immediately be on defense. And when they popped it up, I couldn't do anything with it.

I usually play with Nadal, because not only is he my favorite player, but if I am out of opposition, he can get to most balls. To be more on offense, I tend to guess where the CPU will hit the ball (cross court in a normal rally, and down the line with an approach shot, just like normal tennis), so if I happen to guess wrong, I can usually still get the ball back in play.

Hope this helps!!

[bigball12]

Does anybody know the following?

1. Will there be 'different' pre-serve animations? Dribbling the ball etc.
2. Is the ability issue a player challenge on a call by the line judge available in the retail version?

[Dudd]

Feels way, way too much like TS3. I played a decent amount of TS3 a year or so ago, and it just feels like the same game, just a bit quicker. Serving is still too easy, just hit a button and let go, you don't really have to worry too much about power or aiming, the return will generally be the same no matter what. Then just keep hitting slice shots back, eventually you'll open up an opportunity for a winner, which of course requires no finesse at all to make since you have virtually no chance of making an error on any shot. This was fun for a while back when I first bought TS3, but I got tired of it back then. It just feels so mechanical, I always know where I am in a point. There should be shots where I know I'm most likely going to make an error, but the only chance I have to get back in the point is to go for a low percentage winner down the line. There should be times in a rally where I have to risk hitting a ground stroke long to get back the upper hand, but to do it anyways because to do other wise is to eventually give my opponent the point. Instead I'm just slicing the ball constantly back over and over until my opponent gets tired and slows down enough to leave half the court open. Maybe the higher difficulty levels will fix this, but they didn't in TS3, and I'm not paying to find out if they do this time.

On a positive note, they did slightly improve the presentation. I don't know what reason they possibly could have for putting a giant CPU and 1P icon over each player before every point in TS3, but it's nice that they came to their senses and realized that it was ugly and we're smart enough to remember which player is ours. Crowds are better too.

[rangerrick012]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dudd

Feels way, way too much like TS3. I played a decent amount of TS3 a year or so ago, and it just feels like the same game, just a bit quicker. Serving is still too easy, just hit a button and let go, you don't really have to worry too much about power or aiming, the return will generally be the same no matter what. Then just keep hitting slice shots back, eventually you'll open up an opportunity for a winner, which of course requires no finesse at all to make since you have virtually no chance of making an error on any shot. This was fun for a while back when I first bought TS3, but I got tired of it back then. It just feels so mechanical, I always know where I am in a point. There should be shots where I know I'm most likely going to make an error, but the only chance I have to get back in the point is to go for a low percentage winner down the line. There should be times in a rally where I have to risk hitting a ground stroke long to get back the upper hand, but to do it anyways because to do other wise is to eventually give my opponent the point. Instead I'm just slicing the ball constantly back over and over until my opponent gets tired and slows down enough to leave half the court open. Maybe the higher difficulty levels will fix this, but they didn't in TS3, and I'm not paying to find out if they do this time. On a positive note, they did slightly improve the presentation. I don't know what reason they possibly could have for putting a giant CPU and 1P icon over each player before every point in TS3, but it's nice that they came to their senses and realized that it was ugly and we're smart enough to remember which player is ours. Crowds are better too.

I went back and played TS3 today and I have to say TS4 has improved a lot. The shots feel more natural, movement improved a lot.

If you're only going to use one button to play the game, on a low difficulty level it seems, then of course you're not going to get the most out of it. This game has a lot more depth than you give it credit for, but to each his own.

[Cro Morgan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dudd

Feels way, way too much like TS3. I played a decent amount of TS3 a year or so ago, and it just feels like the same game, just a bit quicker.

The TS4 demo is absolutely nothing like TS3. Granted, the courts look similar, but the difference in the gameplay is night and day.

I think 2k nailed it this go around, if for no other other reason than the game is a blast to play. After all, when the dust settles, the fun-factor is all that matters!!

[Dudd]

Quote: Originally Posted by rangerrick012

I went back and played TS3 today and I have to say TS4 has improved a lot. The shots feel more natural, movement improved a lot. If you're only going to use one button to play the game, on a low difficulty level it seems, then of course you're not going to get the most out of it. This game has a lot more depth than you give it credit for, but to each his own.

If the game was balanced properly, being able to use one shot for the bulk of every single rally shouldn't be a dominant strategy, even on a lower difficulty. Just compare the winners/unforced error ratio in the demo to real life tennis, I probably was around 7:1 all told when real tennis, a good day is anything above 1:1. I realize this is a video game and you get a little creative license to make it fun, but it's not even close, something like 2:1 winners/UE would be acceptable. Like I said, maybe it's fixed on a higher difficulty level, but I doubt it since strategy wise, TS3 played the exact same way no matter what the difficulty.

[rangerrick012]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dudd

If the game was balanced properly, being able to use one shot for the bulk of every single rally shouldn't be a dominant strategy, even on a lower difficulty. Just compare the winners/unforced error ratio in the demo to real life tennis, I probably was around 7:1 all told when real tennis, a good day is anything above 1:1. I realize this is a video game and you get a little creative license to make it fun, but it's not even close, something like 2:1 winners/UE would be acceptable. Like I said, maybe it's fixed on a higher difficulty level, but I doubt it since strategy wise, TS3 played the exact same way no matter what the difficulty.

Well it isn't a valid judgment IMO to play the game on a low difficulty and say the game is too easy for you, without at least giving a high difficulty a try. I'm assuming you played on easy or normal, without giving hard a try; if I'm wrong then correct me. If that's the case, it's akin to playing a game like NBA 2K11 on rookie and complaining that it's too easy to drive to the paint and score.

In any case, if you're not willing to fully explore the game and only use one button to play, then you're obviously a) not playing the game the right way, and b) not getting the most out of the game. But like I said, it's your judgment, just don't think you should come in and say it's the same as TS3 when a lot of others have noted the improvements just in this demo, and assuming there will be more in the retail version (as well as higher difficulty levels).