Mike,
I've been emailed you back and forth for months with feedback about AOIT, thank you for being responsive. This is Derek Brian at
[email protected].
The latest patch really hurt the game, as the worst thing you can have in a tennis game is slow feet (It's unrealistic). Changing directions even when its not after a full chase is slow, and now your player does this super slow movement for a second before accelerating and it's a major eyesore, and it feels sluggish.
All of a sudden, we can chase down a hittable ball within rackets reach, and it takes so much time for us to change direction that we have no chance to get the ball if it's hit the other way (This is extremely unrealistic). Players movement now feels like it is stuck in the mud.
We don't want Virtua Tennis, but there has to be a happy medium between Virtua Tennis and a game like WTA Tour Tennis (Gamecube). Right now, this game feels much closer to the sluggish movement of WTA Tour Tennis. With the new foot planting you folks implemented, also comes more freezes by the player, and more herky jerky hits. When I emailed you a few days back, it was before the patch, the game felt really solid. Now, it's so sluggish and feels unresponsive at times, that I don't really want to play it.
Felling pressure (Obviously) you implemented easy aces back into the game, I get it... people want to ace more rather than less. Yet, my 62 overall player who has a 66 on serve is getting between 10-14 aces a set on World Class against 85 and 86 overall players. I am getting them easily by serving full power green down the middle. Not only do we get aced even when we are guessing right (Which is really frustrating), but now we can get aces all the time even with super weak servers.
I could live with the serving, but the side to side movement restriction (Which has now introduced us back into freezes and herky jerky animations) might be a game killer, especially for that first impression (When someone initially picks up the game). I feel like with this most recent patch, the game has regressed quite a bit. I've sent you numerous videos via email with my gameplay critiques in the past (Including my preferred surface idea which you implemented, thank you), I shouldn't have to send you more gameplay videos for the recent movement issue.
If your really want to feel the games flaws right now, try playing doubles. The players are so slow to react, that you can't even hit a ball at the net most of the time when it's hit to you, and the players are so sluggish side to side that it just destroys the fun in the game.
Please look into fixing the foot speed side to side, tennis is all about quick feet, not stumbles and slow reactions, and super slow starts before accelerations.
Thank you for being so responsive by email, I've been supportive since day one, but this most recent patch killed the thing that matters most in tennis, the movement.
-Derek