how does the gameplay work?

[mitc1111]

i've never played a tennis game on pc (or console for that matter) and i'm wondering how it works.

Is there just a button for swinging the racket and it's all about positioning? Or do you control other things like how hard you swing? And putting spin on the ball? Etc.

Is the game fun in general, or do you need to be into tennis to like this?

thanks

[Yeowj]

Movement is via analogue sticks. Racket swings are based upon the 4 main face buttons, each for a specific shot. Often these are forehand, slice and lob. Backhands are automatically chosen based on player position.

Depending on the tennis game, some allow you to adjust the power/spin using the L/R triggers or shoulder buttons or other functions.

Often you tap the button you wish to make a shot with. The earlier you press the more powerful the shot. Virtua tennis is very arcade. It's actually impossible to hit the shot out, the computer is impossible to beat at the top levels (due to the control interface lag, which means reaching shots is impossible when the CPU can hit them absolutely anywhere at full power without any shot power meter buildup.

So essentially you are right. It is about 75% positioning, 20% power/swing and 5% spin (which only works with serves.

I base this all on Virtua Tennis 3. Sega doesn't really update the gameplay of these games, so I'll be surprised if Virtua Tennis 4 isn't the same game with updated player rosters.

[dune297]

I use the keyboard for Virtua Tennis 4 and it's just a few simple controls as far as I know. Arrow keys to move and C for shot/serve.

@Yeowj - It doesn't seem to be too hard at the hardest levels, but I've only played this version. And in 4 it is possible to hit it out, I've done it quite a few times on very hard.

[mitc1111]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll get VT4 and give it a try.

[Yeowj]

I use the keyboard for Virtua Tennis 4 and it's just a few simple controls as far as I know. Arrow keys to move and C for shot/serve.

@Yeowj - It doesn't seem to be too hard at the hardest levels, but I've only played this version. And in 4 it is possible to hit it out, I've done it quite a few times on very hard.

Yes, on hard it is easy to make an error on return and have it go out. I've noticed it's only possible to hit out when you don't reach a shot in time, and your player performs their stumbling animation. The ensures you just reach the shot, but without any aim or control and it goes out. It often requires you to "stumble-return" a very hard CPU shot, at least with VT3. I can't imagine they changed it with VT4, unless they changed the control system alongside to enable you to more accurately place shots where you would like on the court, like Top Spin 2 does.

[dishymars]

An interesting question for anyone still interested, I think the controls are quite good. First of all the basics of it are computer controlled which is quite good in my opinion. This means that your character is considered a good player and as long as he has sufficient reaction time he is not going to hit the ball out of bounds etc.

There is alot more to it than that though. Most of it depends on two things:

1) How much time your character has to react: The tougher the opponent and/or more time he had to hit the ball to you, the harder and faster the ball is going to come. Depending on where you are, you will have more or less time to react. The more time you have, the earlier you can start your return. Once you press the swing button, the analog stick can then be used to direct the shot, instead of continuing to move your character.
Although alot of it is positioning, alot of it is still skill based, including positioning yourself, choosing what type of swing (i.e topspin, drop spin etc) and then also positioning where you want to place the ball. Power, placement, angle and control will all be improved w/ better stats and better equipment. I started w/ Virta Tennis World Tour for PSP and was hooked immediately by the controls, it has become one of my favorite games and I think that Virtua Tennis is extremely well done in this regard.