The BBC and Master Computer Public Domain Library

TENNIS

Professional, Originally Released On Cassette Only

Game Type          : Arcade; Tennis Match

Author             : Margaret Stanger

Standalone Release(s)  : 1986: TENNIS, Bug Byte, £1.99

Compilation Release(s) : None

Stated compatibility    : Electron Side A, BBC Side B

Actual compatibility    : As stated

Supplier            : BUG BYTE, Liberty House, 222 Regent Street, LONDON W1R 7DB

                    Tel: 01/439 0666

Disc compatibility     : CDFS E00, DFS E00

Instructions

"It's 3D Arcade Centre Court action with speech against five of the world's best! Can you out volley, out serve and outwit the likes of Powerful Pierre & Norm Everidge. Ace programming by Margaret 'Champion' Stanger."

The computer displays the tennis courts, players and scoreboard and asks for the player's name to be typed in. This name appears on the scoreboard versus Manual Fawlty of Barcelona, his first opponent.

The player is asked whether he wants a one or three set match, and then for a choice between three or six games in a set. He is then asked to choose between joystick and keyboard control and the starts with Manual serving.

If the player loses the match he is invited to play against Manual again. If he wins through to the next round, he may have a chance to play against Powerful Pierre from France, Ivan the Vulgar Boatman from Russia, Norm Everidge from Australia or even the quietly spoken American, John O'Neill.

The Rules Of The Game

The game is played on a court on the screen. The computer-controlled player is at the top of the screen and the player controlled by the keys or joystick at the bottom of the screen.

The object is to hit the ball in such a way that it cannot be returned or it bounces twice in the opponent's half of the court. The opponents continue hitting the ball to and fro until one or the other places a shot that cannot be returned successfully; this wins him a point.

Each point starts with a service. The server stands with both feet behind the baseline anywhere between the centre mark and the sideline of the court, the server changing sides after each point.

The ball is served to bounce in the opponent's service court diagonally opposite him. If the first attempt is faulty, a second attempt is allowed.

The receiver must allow the ball to bounce, all subsequent shots in the rally may be volleyed (struck before it bounces) or hit as ground-strokes after the bounce.

One player continues serving until the game is compete. The opponent serves one game, and then service reverts to the next player.

The first player to win all four points wins the game, unless the score reaches three points all. When this occurs, the game continues until one of the players establishes a lead of two points.

Tennis scoring traditionally uses the scores 15, 30, and 40 rather than one, two and three. If both opponents win three points this is called 'deuce'. The next point is called advantage server or advantage receiver according to who wins it. If the same player wins the next point, he wins the game. If he loses the score reverts to deuce and the game continues until a player has a two point lead.

Tennis matches are usually won by the first player to win two sets. A set is won by the first player to win six games in the set unless the score is 6-5 or 5-6. A final deciding game or tie breaker is played when the score reaches 6-6. This game, and the set, goes to the first player with five or more points and a two point lead. The service changes after the first point, and then after every further point.

Game Controls

Z - Left,   X - Right,   : - Up,   / - Down

SPACE BAR to hit the ball,   Q - Music on,   N - Music off

F/C - Freeze/Continue

Instructions' Source   : TENNIS (Bug Byte) Back and Inner Inlay

Review (Electron User)

Should you be one of the many thousands of people who spend Wimbledon fortnight glued to the TV set you may have considered trying a computer simulation. Bug Byte have just released one such program, though I doubt whether it's destined to be a winner.

You have the option of playing one or three sets with either four or six games per set. Control is via keyboard or joystick and your opponent is always the computer - you cannot challenge a friend. This is a pity as the computer provides such stiff opposition that you will normally only win one or two points during a complete set.

The court is drawn with perspective going into your screen, the computer always being at the top of the screen. When serving, as in the real game, you must remember to keep your feet behind the baseline or you will be foot faulted.

Your player can travel left, right, and up and down the court, and balls can either be volleyed or taken as groundstrokes. When volleying from the net I would suggest that you do not stand too close as you will tend to hit the ball out of court.

I can only assume that the angle of the shot which you play is determined by your position in relation to the ball, though I didn't find that this made too much difference. The ball's flight and its associated shadow, was relatively smooth,
although on several occasions it vanished for a fraction of a second in mid-flight.

The characters representing the players are large, angular and rather crude. The best part of the screen is the scoreboard where electronic style numbers display sets, points and server.

Had the game employed a user-selectable skill option it would probably have had more lasting appeal. But in its present form I feel it would soon be abandoned by a thoroughly demoralised player.

Sound ........................... 6
Graphics ........................ 6
Playability ..................... 6
Value for money ................. 6
Overall ......................... 6

James Riddell, ELECTRON USER 3.10