Top Spin 4 Discussion Thread

[jamesblakefan#1]

Someone else posted a thread w/ the trailer, but I decided to post one for all the info that came out today.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBSPmYCzaV0

Roster:
MEN:

• Andre Agassi
• Bjorn Borg
• Roger Federer
• Jim Courier
• Rafael Nadal
• Boris Becker
• Patrick Rafter
• Michael Chang
• Andy Murray
• Novak Djokovic
• Ivan Lendl
• Pete Sampras
• Andy Roddick
• James Blake
• Nikolay Davydenko
• Gilles Simon
• Bernard Tomic
• Stanislas Wawrinka

WOMEN:

• Serena Williams
• Ana Ivanovic
• Dinara Safina
• Caroline Wozniacki
• Vera Zvonareva
• Eugenie Bouchard
• Jelena Jankovic

The release date is March 15. You can find more info here.

http://www.2ksports.com/games/topspin4
http://www.facebook.com/Topspin

 

[PeterPanda]

Same destination and modes?

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

Same destination and modes?

Career mode is supposed to be deeper, according to 2k.

Top Spin 4 redefines the way you experience the game of tennis. Intuitive controls make gameplay immediately accessible yet deep and rewarding for the tennis experts who want to plan their strategy, target their opponent's weaknesses and become an unstoppable force on the court. The most feature-rich title of the Top Spin franchise, Top Spin 4, puts you front and center of the professional tennis experience with the deepest player roster to date complete with 2K's Signature Style, an enhanced Player Creator with NEW Coaching and Development systems, an incredibly immersive Career mode, all-new visually stunning TV Broadcast presentation elements, and a fully online World Tour Mode. Do you have what it takes to rise above the competition and become #1 in the world?

http://www.2ksports.com/games/topspin4

 

[Deleted member 25923]

I hope it's less clunky and sped up a bit. The animations look a bit better, especially jumping 2 handers and federer's strokes.

Player models look better too, but still a bit too large. I wish they would fix their racquets too (aesthetics, not just paintjobs).

And they totally **** on the WTA with that roster (though the men's is amazing!)

 

[flyinghippos101]

Tomic? lol, ok I'll bite. I'm fine with the rest of the rooster though, Davydenko finally earns a deserved placed on the TS rooster. If I saw someone that long retired like Phillipousis I would've raged

Here's to hoping they do something with the single player career! Gameplay is fine, if not a bit slow. And if they somehow managed to create some racket customizability, picking frames, strings, etc. that would add an entire new layer of immersion to make your own unique player.

Not gonna lie though, some of those character movements looked terrible and those face textures look even worse than they did in Virtua tennis 2009. The only one that resembled the real player was Agassi

I saw a few real life venues though, Paris and WTF was there but I get the feeling that they probably didn't get the licenses for Wimbledon and a few other tournys like Cinci. Looks like we'll be getting that "Dublin Open" wimby surrogate again.

 

[Deleted member 25923]

Any word on commentary?

 

[Clay lover]

I am one of the fans of Virtua Tennis (3, not 2009, 2009 sucked) who felt it would not hurt to try Top Spin 3 but in honesty I found the gameplay to be mediocre at best. The player models didn't look good and their strokes bear little resemblance to their real-life counterparts. I could live with these flaws, though, if the game weren't so "clunky" as one here described it. The running animation looked ok, but when the players started executing their strokes it was as if they suddenly stopped their previous motion, glided on the ground for a bit until they finished their strokes.

Virtua Tennis 3, on the other hand, was MUCH more fluid and well animated and the players actually looked and hit similar to the way they did in real life. So I went back to Virtua tennis despite it being less realistic.

Later I bumped in to a cheap 2nd hand Top Spin 2 and found it to be much better than Top Spin 3. Despite the limited vareity of animation and player models the game was actually fluid and the career mode was much less boring and repetitive. Slice shots and Topspin shots would actually go out which seemed more realistic to me. I really hoped they could bring the gameplay of Top Spin 2 back with the updated graphics and player animations for Top Spin 4. That would be perfect.

 

[bezs]

Eugenie Bouchard? A 16year old makes the game...

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

Eugenie Bouchard? A 16year old makes the game...

I know right. The devs said this:

“For us it’s really about trying to capture what today’s tennis landscape looks like,” said Snyder. “But you also want to have the up-and-comers. We were looking at Eugenie Bouchard, who is a Canadian female tennis player who is very much so an up-and-comer -- and we think in a few years she probably could be in the top five somewhere. We want players like that because the hardcore tennis fan is going to be able to recognize that we went out of our way to get some of those up-and-comers."

http://www.operationsports.com/features/1209/the-process-of-creating-top-spin-4/

You want up and comers, guys like Dimitrov, Dolgopolov, Harrison, Sweeting, heck even Oudin or Vandeweghe if it had to be a chick. I hadn't heard of this girl before,and we all know how illustrious women's tennis for Canada is.

 

[westside]

Wawrinka got a gig. I'm sold

 

[bezs]

At least if she doesn't make it at the top she can say she made it in a video game.

 

[lidoazndiabloboi]

Atari needs to go back to making the Top Spin games.
The original Top Spin game was "classic", much better than the new ones.

Maybe 2k Sports needs some help from the guys that make Virtua Tennis because their strokes are nothing like the real thing.

 

[lidoazndiabloboi]

lol... federer has wristbands on both arms whereas nadal only has his on his left arm.

 

[rovex]

No Verdasco? What an ***** disgrace!

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

Gamespot preview w/ some info

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/sports/topspin4/news.html?sid=6286632&mode=previews

 

[leonidas1982]

Can they stop advertising this game has having signature styles when it clearly does not.

 

[Fandango]

the pro's technique is horrible. I know its a video game but they should have the pros come in to do the shots like they have in video games like tony hawk and nba 2k something and live.

I laughed at Andre's service motion and Fed's and Blake's horrible one handed half stroke.

Why is james is the game anyways? I'm pretty sure he is done and he is definitely not a legend.

 

[ARIARAIDEN]

If Top spin would have the Shot motions like VT the game would be perfect but as always all the forehands looks exactly the same.

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

the pro's technique is horrible. I know its a video game but they should have the pros come in to do the shots like they have in video games like tony hawk and nba 2k something and live.

I laughed at Andre's service motion and Fed's and Blake's horrible one handed half stroke.

Why is james is the game anyways? I'm pretty sure he is done and he is definitely not a legend.

Actually in NBA 2K I'm pretty sure they actually have guys who mo-cap most of the guys' shots. And the roster was put into place well into advance, probably over a year ago before Blake fell out of the top 100.

 

[CityTennis22]

James Blake might have a contract with them, because he's been in the last few believe.

 

[mdjenders]

i agree that the player animations really make it hard to get excited about this series... despite the over the top arcadey gameplay, it was really spectacular in VT3 to see all the "signature" strokes. ferrero's classic forehand, roddick's serve, hewitt's serve return stance, monfils' jumping two hander... all there, all very accurately portrayed. this alone made each opponent feel unique and interesting and the game worthwhile for the tennis purist.

 

[Deleted member 25923]

The technique looks better in this game though. But Rafa's forehand is still to exaggerated.

They need to get the game to be smoother, but less clunky. Think Topspin 1 speed with improved graphics, roster, camera angles, the works!

And commentary!

But, I still think I'll give this game a shot. Why not?

If the VT series wasn't as arcadey, and you could make mistakes, it'd be great (also with some more difficulties). Their animations and player movements are amazing.

 

[Deleted member 25923]

Also, anyone else pissed off with how difficult aces are in Topspin 3? Same with kick serves and slice serves. It's hard to be a smart, imposing server.

 

[Deleted member 25923]

Watched the video, and here are some of my comments.

Good:
-Improved roster
-Game speed has picked up
-Playing defense seems to be more smooth, realistic (quick flicks, WW forehands, etc)
-The players movement seems to be less clunky

Bad:
-Players have the wrong types of shot technique. Ex: Pete Sampras does not hit a pinpoint style serve. He uses a platform serve. Any tennis enthusiast can pick out a Sampras serve. I mean really? They perfectly replicated his serve in Topspin 1. Why can't they do that now?
-Forehand technique especially is damn ugly at times. It looks like they're slapping the ball. I mean seriously? These are pros, not backyard hacks.
-No commentary, or so it seems. Grand Slam tennis for the Wii has it, so why can't TS4?

Other issues: DLC? Will there be any? How about overpowered created players? No?

 

[leonidas1982]

Watched the video, and here are some of my comments.

Good:
-Improved roster
-Game speed has picked up
-Playing defense seems to be more smooth, realistic (quick flicks, WW forehands, etc)
-The players movement seems to be less clunky

Bad:
-Players have the wrong types of shot technique. Ex: Pete Sampras does not hit a pinpoint style serve. He uses a platform serve. Any tennis enthusiast can pick out a Sampras serve. I mean really? They perfectly replicated his serve in Topspin 1. Why can't they do that now?
-Forehand technique especially is damn ugly at times. It looks like they're slapping the ball. I mean seriously? These are pros, not backyard hacks.
-No commentary, or so it seems. Grand Slam tennis for the Wii has it, so why can't TS4?

Other issues: DLC? Will there be any? How about overpowered created players? No?

Precisely why this game will be mediocre and clueless. It is being made by individuals who apparently don't know anything by tennis or even watch tennis.

 

[westside]

Topspin gameplay + Virtua player attributes = GTGOAT

 

[defrule]

I hope clay plays better. In topspin 3 rafas forehand didnt do anything like kicking up to shoulder height.

Insideout forehands were near impossible to hit. Very important shot that pros use that topspin3 couldnt adequately provide. I mean when i play rafa on clay on a tennis game, i want to see him run around to hit forehands on the backhand corner for example.

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

More info.

http://kotaku.com/5741106/tennis-everyone-is-the-name-of-top-spins-latest-game

 

[Deleted member 25923]

Damn, no commentary. But, the pre-match stuff looks nice as well as the concept of a bit easier play. I hope it's sped up too.

 

[flyinghippos101]

No Wimbledon? What the hell? No, I don't want to play the Dublin Open, this cheap Wimbledon knock-off, I want the real thing.

 

[leonidas1982]

I also want real signature styles.

 

[AlexDK09]

When will there finally be a ranking system in a video game?

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

When will there finally be a ranking system in a video game?

There was a ranking system in Top Spin 3, as well as Smash Court Tennis 2 & 3.

 

[LameTennisPlayer]

When will there finally be a ranking system in a video game?

There have been tonnes of tennis games with ranking systems.

 

[snr]

I'm really looking forward to this.

I can overlook the animations...

I've played VT, GST and the old top spin and while the old top spin games are quicker, what I really like about TS3 is acutally the slower pace. I helps to visualize point construction.

Can't wait for it.

 

[jms007]

Er, this doesn't look to good. Maybe tennis is just not big enough of a sport for a developer to put some REAL effort into. And by that I mean, making a really good sim such as FIFA, PES, NBA, NHL etc. A game that uses the ATP license, with realistic movement and character models. I thought VT was on the right track but it just stopped evolving at some point.

 

[LameTennisPlayer]

Er, this doesn't look to good. Maybe tennis is just not big enough of a sport for a developer to put some REAL effort into. And by that I mean, making a really good sim such as FIFA, PES, NBA, NHL etc. A game that uses the ATP license, with realistic movement and character models. I thought VT was on the right track but it just stopped evolving at some point.

Try Full Ace Tennis- if you want a real simulation of tennis, it's the best one.

 

[JackB1]

Tennis Elbow on the PC is still the best, gameplay wise.

www.managames.com

 

[AlexDK09]

There was a ranking system in Top Spin 3, as well as Smash Court Tennis 2 & 3.

I know about that, I was thinking of ranking points as in the ATP World Tour

 

[CityTennis22]

No Wimbledon? What the hell? No, I don't want to play the Dublin Open, this cheap Wimbledon knock-off, I want the real thing.

It's Wimbledon's fault. Not 2K's. They never want anybody except them to profit off of their name.

 

[LameTennisPlayer]

Tennis Elbow on the PC is still the best, gameplay wise.

www.managames.com

It doesn't even compare to Dream Match Tennis or Full Ace.

 

[Legend of Borg]

Tomic gets a gig, but Dolgo and Dimitrov are nowhere to be seen?

Blasphemy!

 

[PeterPanda]

any free online ones for browsers?

 

[LameTennisPlayer]

any free online ones for browsers?

download trial version of Full Ace- beats all the others hands down. Full Version is only 15 pounds.

 

[JackB1]

It doesn't even compare to Dream Match Tennis or Full Ace.

Boy, you weren't kidding! Full Ace is awesome! I couldn't believe how detailed it was. And Hard!!! I had to dial it down to "easy" and "auto prepare" to get some competitive games to start. Tennis Elbow is fun and more casual, but Ace is definitely hard core. Thanks for the tip!

 

[flyinghippos101]

It's Wimbledon's fault. Not 2K's. They never want anybody except them to profit off of their name.

Mind explaining to me how EA manage to get the licensing for Wimbledon in Grand Slam tennis then?

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

Mind explaining to me how EA manage to get the licensing for Wimbledon in Grand Slam tennis then?

EA likely has more money to spend on the process involved in acquiring the Wimbledon license, as evidenced by the fact they also recently acquired the Augusta National license for the upcoming TW 12 golf game.

 

[flyinghippos101]

EA likely has more money to spend on the process involved in acquiring the Wimbledon license, as evidenced by the fact they also recently acquired the Augusta National license for the upcoming TW 12 golf game.

2K games is among the more prominent developers in the gaming industry. With that said, I'm sure they have more than enough funds to acquire a license. I mean, they managed to get the FO, AO and USO. Was it just a hassle to call up the guys at Wimbledon?

 

[Deleted member 25923]

Is Grand Slam tennis for PS3 even in the works? The game is nowhere to be seen.

 

[LameTennisPlayer]

Boy, you weren't kidding! Full Ace is awesome! I couldn't believe how detailed it was. And Hard!!! I had to dial it down to "easy" and "auto prepare" to get some competitive games to start. Tennis Elbow is fun and more casual, but Ace is definitely hard core. Thanks for the tip!

no problem, try and get used to manual preparation as quickly as possible as u are able to create better shots eg inside out forehands, better returns, angled shots etc... when u purchase the full version around 15 euros, u are automatically entitled to future updates with no further charge.