The load times are really the only thing I dont like, they are MURDER. Especially if you fail a challenge. You have to load back to menu and load back into the challenge. Way too slow.

No crashes at all for me so far. Hope it stays that way.

Love the game otherwise. Online is really fun.

Yeah, I thought the whole point of having a hard drive was to not have long load times.

I finally got my second serve star! WOO! Looks like the third one will be even harder, though. I found that the easiest way to afford the challenges (at the Young Gun level, anyways) is to just keep whoring yourself out to company after company. You get WAY more money for completing the first two sponsor challenges than you do for winning a Minor Pro tournament, and in much less time.

Okay, I started a new character for giggles (Cap'n Morgan, meanest tennis player to ever sail the seven seas), and gave him the Defense natural ability as well as the Precision skill... so basically, less power, more control. I got the second serve star in one try. Yeesh.

I'm on the fourth serve star now, and that's giving me problems. I can't seem to hit the targets at 9 or 3 o'clock... the ones halfway into the service box and all the way on the left or right.

So who wants to play me online Is it me or is it really hard to hit the ball? How do you know which way it's going to go? By the time I figure it out the ball's buzzed me by

I just ordered this game, so I'll play you as soon as I get it

Woohoo

On the serve? Or during a point? On the serve it can be really hard, especially if someone risk-shots you. There's no real way to know for certain until the ball starts coming at you, although I've found that certain opponents fall into patterns... some like to risk-serve out wide, and some like to go down the middle. Scoot back from the baseline a few steps, and you'll get a fraction of a second more to react... that might be all that you need. (Conversely, if someone sends you a weakass second serve, step into the court a few steps and send it back to them quicker.)

During the point I find that it's almost too easy to hit balls, unless you get caught too far in one direction. It seems like the game aids you with that in certain situations.

And I'll play anyone once I get a long enough Ethernet cable... that sounds a lot cheaper than a wireless bridge. I'm going to try and trade in for Crimson Skies, too, once it comes into my local Toys R Us.

I'll offer my usual group up as dvdtalk's 'subcontractor' if nobody here starts up a league.
http://www.powerhousesportsleagues.com/forum/

We have a league for every sport, but currently only tennis and golf are in the preparation/signup stages. (Football and hockey are currently in-season [but we could always use more people on the Waiting Lists], and basketball is currently full and soon to reach their Opening Night.)

where's the signup for the tennis league at your site? i'm very slow today... duh, i found it... it's grouped together w/ the golf forum.
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you know it's a good game when your thumbs hurt

Holy crap, this game is a ton of fun. I may have to drop out of society for this and RS3.

Are there any plans to do this on XSN for DVDTalkers?

Top Spin = beaten .

Since you've beaten the game, let me ask you how often you used the Risk Shot after the initial serve? I'm just wondering if I have to master using that technique in order to beat the game.

Thanks!

Thong

I would really like to get together with some "regulars" to play this game with. I don't really like playing against a bunch of strangers. An XSN league would be perfect.

don't need the risk shot at all to beat the career mode. but, you will need it for online.

If that's the case then ESPN NBA is friggin awesome lol

I'm in for this! Looks like they haven't started up the XSN sports season for Top Spin yet.

Yeah, when XSN starts to carry it, I'm definitely up for this.

Yeah, I think I had 2 winning risk shots for my entire career lol.

I'm using the Drop Shot a lot more than the Risk Shot, but they're about the same thing... although it looks like not getting right in the middle on the Drop Shot is more forgiving than it is on a Risk Shot. I got in the groove on a few games and Risk-Shotted my return of serve like four or five straight times for winners.

If nothing else, the Risk Shot is worth it on serves.

I almost always use the Risk Shot for my first serve. After that, I only use the Risk Shot when my ITZ meter is full, otherwise, I could never get it right.

Thong

How is everyone building their character(s)?

My first (well-rounded):

Technician - Precision, Power, Risk Shot

3 serve, 3 forehand, 3 backhand, 3 volley

My second, a net player that can hold his own at the baseline as well:

Defense - Speed to run those long balls down, Volley to end points quick at the net, and Drop Shot to end them even quicker.

3 serve, 4 forehand for a good approach shot, 2 backhand, and 5 volley.

The first character I built (who looks so like me that it's creepy... I even found the shades that I wear) was a more of a baseline player, high in forehand & backhand, but I've gotten further faster with my second player.

i have 2 players right now:

characteristic/serve/forehand/backhand/volley/skills

defensive / 1 / 5 / 5/ 3 / forget... but the last one is aggressive lob

power / 2 / 4 / 5 / 3 / angles, precision, and i forget the 3rd.


the second guy is a lot better.
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static, when are you getting on line? there's a sports league w/ a ladder, etc at www.leaguegaming.com i signed up for the first tournament this weekend.