SERIOUS MotionPlus problems

very glad i could help.
once i realised the backswing was so important i started enjoying the game so much more, so i had to share it.
i havent played online yet, maybe i could catch a couple of you guys when i do

xbox.DudBug wrote:I have just followed the limit-backswing advice and it has made all the difference. I have just won 9 games in a row (ok, on easy), including the Australian Open final. It does not play as much like real tennis as I had hoped (or was claimed?), but the last hour or so counts as my best ever experience of playing videogame tennis.

i still get into a proper tennis stance. i just move my body around the wii mote, as in i will prepare th backswing parallel, then step into the shot to complete the swing. still heaps of fun to get into!

I have been battling with this game since the day of its release. I got VirtuaTennis first, and the next day, Grand Slam Tennis. As a tennis player, neither of these games truly simulates tennis. Honestly, WiiSports Tennis is still, and by far, the best video tennis game I've ever played.

I have had more luck with VirtuaTennis, but grew frustrated with my player constantly running around the backhand, even though I would swing for a backhand shot. The player would then miss the shot. I also got frustrated when my player would just stand still, or run in the opposite direction of the ball.

I've never had enough luck with GST to even get that far. The player jitters all over the screen, and as others here in this thread have observed, it will do the exact opposite of what you want.

After reading this whole thread, I experimented for a half hour with some of the tips I read about. It did seem to help to stand with the remote sideways (as if the racket face was parallel to the ground), and rotating it whenever I would swing for forehand or backhand. For the first time since I bought the game, I could actually sort-of play it.

The problem, though, is that my player keeps missing shots. Even though I will swing for them, he'll miss them sometimes. Or he will still, at times, just like the VT player, try for an opposite-sided shot, or stand there like an idiot instead of running for the ball.

I've tried the Nunchuck on both games and had zero luck. Neither player responds well with the Nunchuck, and the cord is too short, and gets in the way. So that's out completely.

Why can't the player follow the ball more closely, like in WiiSports Tennis? That game is so ideal. You can swing just like in real tennis, and the shots happen just like in real tennis -- topspin, slices, lobs, etc. If I played VT or GST like real tennis (and I've tried it), I get a character that jumps around and does nothing but miss shots.

The rest of the game is absolutely fantastic. It may be "cartooney" but the graphics are amazing. The characters movements between points, the attention to detail, etc, is simply amazing. It's actually better than VirtuaTennis, which tries to be more "real" and not as "cartooney" but instead ends up looking cheesy.

I dunno what to do. I'm on the verge of eBaying the thing. Tiger Woods PGA '10 on the other hand, is extremely cool, except for its lack of features compared to the PS3 version (I have both).

Rob

you need racquet face parallel to the tv, not the ground.

start with the wiimote pointing fowards to the tv.
then when the ball is coming to you, you then decide, will i hit a forehand or backhand.
then move your wii mote 90 degrees to the side of your body so it ends up parallel to the tv, on the left or right side of you(forehand or backhand), with buttons still facing up. the wii will register which type of shot (forehand or backhand), have a look at my diagram^^^ few posts up. from the backswing, you swing 90 degrees to do a cross court shot.
For down the line shot - keeping it parallel with screen, move it fowards closer to the screen.
then return the wiimote to point at the screen, so it can refresh in time for your next shot.

cem_ea_id.Mordeus wrote:What this game lacks is feedback. It should take some time before you master the game, that is the case of almost every game out there, but with this one, you dont get any indication on what you are doing wrong. I've read alot of posts here, and written some myself, and it seems perfectly clear that many players, including me, dont know why we fail. And that's cause we dont get any feedback.
And as pointed out before - why is there no real tutorial? Seeing this is one of the first games using WMP, there really should have been one. It could be really simple, like a version of the Training Court, but with a trainer telling you to hit different parts of the court. And when you missed, he would tell you why! It would just need to cover the basics, then you could get the option to practice all the different kinds of strokes, with feedback, until you get it.

This is it! I wrote my review before reading this thread, but this is the issue for me. Tell me what I'm doing wrong. It shouldn't be a guessing game. Let me practice properly instead of having to try a hundred different things to make this work.

I want to win, but if I don't that doesn't bother me. What does bother me is not knowing why I can't win. Not knowing what I'm doing wrong. Feeling like I don't even have a chance to win. That stuff bothers me.

In RL, playing tennis you can experiment with different swings, grips, etc., but with this game I make the same swing and get different results. How do you learn from that?

This game feels too "wristy" to me and I don't like that. I'm used to arm swings, not wrist snaps.

remrusty - I'd like to add my thanks to the list.

Your tips made the WORLD of difference. Before reading them I could not win a game (even on easy) and I was seriously close to chucking the wiimote through the TV in frustration (never has a game annoyed me as much as this one!). After reading them I went back to the practice court/ball machine and worked in there for about 20 minutes, simply learning to place shots consistently. I then played a game of doubles with my wife against the computer and we won!

After that I started the Grand Slam mode and wiped the floor with the first guy 6-1.

There was still the odd hiccup, like I would swing and it would not register, however this was only twice in all 7 games, where as before it was several times per game!

I have since beaten Venus Williams 8-6 in the legends match at the Australian open.

When this game works it is the closest to real tennis I have ever played and is very enjoyable, when it goes wrong it is still frustrating but the tips provided have minimised this.

One thing I did that may also have made a difference was locate the sensor bar to a better location - now this could just be pure coincidence.

In fact does the MotionPlus controller even need the sensor bar - I cannot find any info on this online? As far as I was aware the sensor bar is required when pointing at the screen with the wiimote - I don't tend to do too much pointing while playing GST.

Anyway, thanks again remrusty!

Wow, I can't believe people are tyring to play this without the nunchuck or Motion Plus, you are truly robbing yourself of the experience by not learning how to use these.

It's a learning curver for sure but payoff is worth it.

Snarfblat,
If the AI controlling your player is a problem for you, just take control yourself with the nunchuck. When I did that it made the game much more enjoyable. Also, try to get into position before you swing. If you swing with the ball coming into your body, you will hit a bad shot, just like real life.

Gravity17,
great to hear you are kicking some * in the game!
thanks heaps for your comment, i really appreciate it.
just keep playing and soon you will also be kicking * on hard!
remrusty

This may fall on deaf ears, but anyone having trouble with GST with M+ should definitely read the sticky in General Discussion written by Betz. http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/242348.page

This message was edited 7 times. Last update was at 06/26/2009 21:13:18

1) I have played real tennis for several years 2) I have watched the GST videos on youtube and the tutorial inside the game. 3) I have tried the game with the motion plus and without it 4) I am currently in the top 200 of the singel leaderboard without using the nunchuck.

As far as I can see... the only major advantage from playing GST with the motion plus is the added ability to "twist" the Wii control.... giving you extra slice or top spin. The attachment gives you more control with drop shots and lobs (?).

I have played against the #1 in the world in 4 rated matches... and his perfect drop shots is by far his strongest weapon... don't think he would be able to pull them off like that without the extra slice from the motion plus....

It seems that the nunchuck is maybe required to become top 10.... since it helps alot during net play... I therefore strongly consider to start using it.

I love GST alot, since it's alot of skill involved. Based on my experience with online rated games... it seems that the game favors the players choosing the overall or serve and volley set up in the player creation... (getting to top 50 on the leaderboard that is...)

I have serious motion problems not with the wii+, because i play better without it. I don´t know if it is a bug:

When my character is at the baseline, most times at the corner right of the screen i swing for the ball but i got no reaction from the character it´s frustrating because i lose a lot of points this way...

Have you experience the same problem?

Could be just a batteries problem?

cem_ea_id.Mordeus wrote:erondo, while what you say its true - that we shouldn't expect to win from start, atleast I expect to loose because I got outplayed, not because I couldnt control my avatar.

What this game lacks is feedback. It should take some time before you master the game, that is the case of almost every game out there, but with this one, you dont get any indication on what you are doing wrong. I've read alot of posts here, and written some myself, and it seems perfectly clear that many players, including me, dont know why we fail. And that's cause we dont get any feedback.
And as pointed out before - why is there no real tutorial? Seeing this is one of the first games using WMP, there really should have been one. It could be really simple, like a version of the Training Court, but with a trainer telling you to hit different parts of the court. And when you missed, he would tell you why! It would just need to cover the basics, then you could get the option to practice all the different kinds of strokes, with feedback, until you get it.

Im not sure, but it seems like there was no real external testing during the deelopment of the game, or they would have noticed all the frustration new players get. And they would have created this Practice Mode. Perhaps they had to rush the game so they coul release it with WMP, I dunno.

I've had the game for 2 days and am definitely in the frustrating period. I've played tennis for a couple of seasons and have received some instruction, but after reading these posts playing real tennis and GST are 2 different beasts. But I'm wondering why the games are so *hard* on easy. I mean ace serves, and the opponent charges the net right after a tough serve and I can't even lob it over them. I even have some pretty long volleys but after 10 back and forths inevitably i make a mistake and lose the point. In real life i'm basically a 2.5 level player yet the opponents in GST are playing at least at a 3.5 level. I will try a few more sessions using the advice in this thread and hopefully things will turn around but at this point its difficult for me to envision it.

wii.Douggerz wrote:

cem_ea_id.Mordeus wrote:erondo, while what you say its true - that we shouldn't expect to win from start, atleast I expect to loose because I got outplayed, not because I couldnt control my avatar.

What this game lacks is feedback. It should take some time before you master the game, that is the case of almost every game out there, but with this one, you dont get any indication on what you are doing wrong. I've read alot of posts here, and written some myself, and it seems perfectly clear that many players, including me, dont know why we fail. And that's cause we dont get any feedback.
And as pointed out before - why is there no real tutorial? Seeing this is one of the first games using WMP, there really should have been one. It could be really simple, like a version of the Training Court, but with a trainer telling you to hit different parts of the court. And when you missed, he would tell you why! It would just need to cover the basics, then you could get the option to practice all the different kinds of strokes, with feedback, until you get it.

Im not sure, but it seems like there was no real external testing during the deelopment of the game, or they would have noticed all the frustration new players get. And they would have created this Practice Mode. Perhaps they had to rush the game so they coul release it with WMP, I dunno.

I've had the game for 2 days and am definitely in the frustrating period. I've played tennis for a couple of seasons and have received some instruction, but after reading these posts playing real tennis and GST are 2 different beasts. But I'm wondering why the games are so *hard* on easy. I mean ace serves, and the opponent charges the net right after a tough serve and I can't even lob it over them. I even have some pretty long volleys but after 10 back and forths inevitably i make a mistake and lose the point. In real life i'm basically a 2.5 level player yet the opponents in GST are playing at least at a 3.5 level. I will try a few more sessions using the advice in this thread and hopefully things will turn around but at this point its difficult for me to envision it.

ok so just did a quick play with no nunchuck and I won !!! 4 - 2, 4 - 3 McEnroe vs Federer.

The backswing is very important as mentioned elsewhere. Only go back 90 degrees ... i was going back 180 before. And now I only follow through for cross court so I have better control over placement of line shots, as well as hitting more topspins and flat shots.

Now I will go back to the grand slam tournaments and hope I fare better there. It is a fun game once you learn the controls. And I know I still have more room to improve.

Well I can tell you that it is not just your game. Mine does it too. I have tried many different stances but if you are letting the wii control your character then get ready for a frustrating experience. I have two wii motion plus units and they both work great in Tiger Woods golf. However in this tennis they both react the same way with the character facing the wrong directions, not moving to get a ball, and sometimes not swinging at all. This is definitely not like the video and is really frustrating. I wish i could return the game but most places in my area do not take them if they have been opened. I hope Ea fixes it or adds an option in the game to cause my player to smack himself in the face because it gets extremely irritating.

Electronic Arts

Highlighted Game

EA SPORTS™ Grand Slam® Tennis