Topspin 3 (360)

warnerwlf98 · Post by **warnerwlf98** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:14 pm

JackB1 wrote:
Why can't someone make a tennis game where you mostly use the 2 thumbsticks to move and hit the ball? I think 2K missed the boat on this game.

I was thinking about this too. Why not do it this way and use the shoulder buttons to choose different kinds of shots instead of the face buttons. That way, you'd never have to take your thumbs off the sticks.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 5:47 pm

GTHobbes wrote:After spending some more time with the PS3 demo last night, I think I'm definitely going to pick this one up today. It's a lot of fun once you get the hang of it.

Yeah, I agree. It really takes a long time to get the hang of it and to unlearn previous games. I finally beat the CPU on Normal Difficulty...and it was rather handily once I got the hang of it 6-3, 6-2...so things are looking up!

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 5:59 pm

I think that if you can get around the learning curve of TS3 controls and give it some time, you'll find a solid experience out of this tennis game. If you're looking for a game that properly represents the sport of tennis, TS 3 fulfills that criteria. The Career mode is solid, a challenging Tournament mode, a deep and fun player creation and enjoyable online matches.

But I understand why some of you just want to pick a quick game such as VT and start swinging the ball. To have some kind of success at it, you got to introduce yourself to the tutorials and invest a bit of time there.

I just wished the crowd was livelier, the grunts were louder, (what happened to Sharapova) and a guy like McEnroe to call the shots.

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 10:52 pm

Can you save mid-tournament?

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 12:28 am

Gangrel wrote:Can you save mid-tournament?

I don't think so. I just paused during a tourney game and didn't see an option to do so. Maybe afterwards? I'll check.

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 1:27 am

macsomjrr wrote:
Gangrel wrote:Can you save mid-tournament?
I don't think so. I just paused during a tourney game and didn't see an option to do so. Maybe afterwards? I'll check.

OK unless I'm missing something no you can't save in between matches in a tourney.

dougb · Post by **dougb** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 5:29 pm

macsomjrr wrote:
macsomjrr wrote:
Gangrel wrote:Can you save mid-tournament?
I don't think so. I just paused during a tourney game and didn't see an option to do so. Maybe afterwards? I'll check.
OK unless I'm missing something no you can't save in between matches in a tourney.

I thought if you have autosave on you can just switch the game off and continue in mid-tourney. At least I think I've done that in career mode.

Game is definitely a heckuva challenge but I'm appreciating the depth put in to make it more sim like. I agree that players momentum may be a little overdone but there's a definite feeling that the game rewards timing on shots. So far I'd give it a qualified thumbs up - as long as you don't mind the learning curve.

Best wishes,

Doug

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:00 pm

Tried the demo.

So they make you hold the button so that there's a learning curve and some variability about the accuracy and power of shots.

But what that does is it takes away the fluidity of the game.

Maybe Federer, the only guy you can use in the demo, isn't the most mobile guy but he just doesn't seem to be moving that well.

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:24 pm

dougb wrote: I thought if you have autosave on you can just switch the game off and continue in mid-tourney. At least I think I've done that in career mode.

Best wishes,

Doug

You're right. I booted up the game after turning it off just before my finals match yesterday and it put me right back into my final match without a hitch. Good stuff:)

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:18 pm

I am getting used to the controls and liking this game more. I will definitely rent it from gamefly and possibly keep it.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:53 am

I had an epic match on normal between Nadal & Roddick. The unforced errors in the game are so realistic, it's scary. Roddick started the game blasting aces and winners but as the game progressed he's started committing more errors and playing a grudge baseline match with Nadal (moi) which he didn't fare very well. Roddick perhaps tired, started double faulting, his errors were more obvious and all of the sudden I started seeing the light of the tunnel.

This game just grows on you, well at least on me everyday, where I just can't put away.

icvu42 · Post by **icvu42** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:23 am

Do the set/match length increase as you advance in your career? Or is it always first to win 3 games/ 1 set?

Rick

GTHobbes · Post by **GTHobbes** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:33 am

10spro wrote:This game just grows on you, well at least on me everyday, where I just can't put away.

I didn't have a chance to play yesterday, but I agree. I bought it Saturday and spent a good long time in the tennis school (still have a couple lessons to complete, and a few I'd like to do over). If I ever master the controls, I bet this game would be a complete blast against other skilled players. It will be nice to have some time with the game and practice up my skills before others pick it up in the used bin. Good game from what I have played, once you get the hang of it.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:06 am

Is there any difference between pressing A,B, or X to hit the ball?
The demo says you can press either of those buttons, but it doesn't explain
why they do?

GTHobbes · Post by **GTHobbes** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:19 am

Jack, the sqare, o, x (and even triangle) buttons on PS3 do have different effects. The full version has more lessons to complete in tennis school than the demo, and you learn that those buttons do different things when you approach the net (I forget the buttons on PS3, but one is flat, one is more of a hard hit, triangle is more of a drop shot, etc.) I think they also operate that way when you're at the baseline, i.e., x is a flat shot, o is more of a power shot, etc., but anyone else can correct me if I'm wrong. It starts getting confusing when you throw in the L and R trigger buttons but with time I hope to get the hang of it.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:24 am

JackB1 wrote:Is there any difference between pressing A,B, or X to hit the ball?
The demo says you can press either of those buttons, but it doesn't explain
why they do?

The shot I use the most is the flat shot which I think it's the green one on the 360. Then X should be your slice shot and blue for hitting heavy topspin. Combine it with one of the shoulder buttons and you can smack one past your opponent for a winner. Don't rush it though, you have to work your plan around. Quick tip, always keep your finger pressed on the s*** that you want to make next, release it (and as you admire your shot) keep your finger pressed again.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:28 am

Whenever I try the L2 plus R2 plus one of the face buttons, the shots are always long.

Tried just holding the R2 and again, long shots.

Long serves too.

I can see the velocity is much greater but how do you get accuracy?

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:30 am

wco81 wrote:Whenever I try the L2 plus R2 plus one of the face buttons, the shots are always long.

L2 is for hugging the lines...R2 is for more power. There is a difference between them. It's a timing thing...to make them actually land in. I rarely can do it. It's all a fluke as far as I'm concerned. Haven't figured that part out yet.

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:42 am

Anyone play online much with this yet? What's it like?

I am very curious about this game now. I played the demo and enjoyed it. While the controls were different, it did not take me long to feel comfortable.

One BIG question...do the created players use the same old lame 'build up your stats' feature or is there a way to just spread out a set amount of stat points right off the bat (like fight night) so I can be competative with my created player right away online? I cannot stand online games where you have to build your created player. Why do they not just give us a set # of points to distribute across all attributes but not enough to maximize all areas. ARGH!!!

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:42 pm

10spro wrote:I had an epic match on normal between Nadal & Roddick.

Am I missing something here? I've been looking for Nadal and haven't seen him. Did you just create him or something? Could use use your own stats or did you have to build him up? I'm lost, but would love to have some Nadal vs Federer matches...

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:49 pm

TCrouch wrote:
10spro wrote:I had an epic match on normal between Nadal & Roddick.
Am I missing something here? I've been looking for Nadal and haven't seen him. Did you just create him or something? Could use use your own stats or did you have to build him up? I'm lost, but would love to have some Nadal vs Federer matches...

Only available on the PS3.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:18 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:
wco81 wrote:Whenever I try the L2 plus R2 plus one of the face buttons, the shots are always long.
L2 is for hugging the lines...R2 is for more power. There is a difference between them. It's a timing thing...to make them actually land in. I rarely can do it. It's all a fluke as far as I'm concerned. Haven't figured that part out yet.

What DB said, but just don't go crazy aiming for those shoulder buttons. Now regarding L2-R2 you have to know when to apply them, it's not a fluke for me. That's what I meant by working your game plan first. If I know an opponent has problems returning a serve that's pulled wide to his backhand, I'll use a slice serve constantly and if he's pulled wide, I may try the R2 button to put him away. But I do study the CPU tendencies first. I seldom use it, only when I see that my opponent is out of reach that I come up with the hammer.

I had a game where B. Borg kept playing his shots to my backhand almost 70% of the time and my challenge was to counteract that tactic and figure out how to get my forehand around it. That's what I like about the game, it's very smart, and you have to be patient.

I haven't created any players yet, I really want to get the controls downpad before I head out to the real big wide world out there.

And Terry Nadal signed a contract with Sony, so you won't see him on the 360, out of all the Pros out there he looks the most realistic to the real man. Amazing detail.

dougb · Post by **dougb** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:55 pm

Spooky wrote:Anyone play online much with this yet? What's it like?

I am very curious about this game now. I played the demo and enjoyed it. While the controls were different, it did not take me long to feel comfortable.

One BIG question...do the created players use the same old lame 'build up your stats' feature or is there a way to just spread out a set amount of stat points right off the bat (like fight night) so I can be competative with my created player right away online? I cannot stand online games where you have to build your created player. Why do they not just give us a set # of points to distribute across all attributes but not enough to maximize all areas. ARGH!!!

Same deal witht the created players - and I agree, it's annoying. I'm playing on the Amateur circuit and most of the players are 20 points above me in ability - and it's damn hard to win a match to get experience points.

I'd like a create a player option where your player actually can be reasonably decent from the start - start out a a relative unknown on the full pro circuit. Euro 2008 was another example where you start as a pretty crummy player and have to amass points in relatively few games to become reasonable. It calls for a completely unrealistic improvement curve.

Best wishes,

Doug

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:15 pm

Maybe some people will upload game saves with a bunch of experience points so you can download it and get a good start.

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:10 pm

It's really for online play that it bothers me. I would love to be able to use a created player right from the get go online and know that I am playing against someone else's created player that had to put together their skills from the same exact # of points I did.