{"id":219955,"date":"2024-04-03T15:23:18","date_gmt":"2024-04-03T15:23:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/03\/a-look-into-the-signature-gameplay-animations-for-topspin-2k25\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T17:19:23","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:19:23","slug":"a-look-into-the-signature-gameplay-animations-for-topspin-2k25","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/03\/a-look-into-the-signature-gameplay-animations-for-topspin-2k25\/","title":{"rendered":"A Look into the Signature Gameplay Animations for TopSpin 2K25"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-xbox-summary\">\n<h3>Summary<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Learn from the developers of TopSpin about the process of capturing the new signature animations for <em>TopSpin 2K25<\/em>, the latest installment in the beloved franchise.<\/li>\n<li>See how these animations were implemented, amongst other new features and improvements, within the <em>TopSpin 2K25 <\/em>Gameplay Showcase.<\/li>\n<li><em>TopSpin 2K25<\/em> is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.xbox.com\/en-US\/games\/store\/topspin-2k25-cross-gen-edition-pre-order\/9P8VTZRK7X5M\/0017\">available for pre-order today on the Xbox Store<\/a> and will launch April 26, 2024, for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>As mentioned in our Gameplay Showcase Centre Court Report, <em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.xbox.com\/en-US\/games\/store\/topspin-2k25-cross-gen-edition-pre-order\/9P8VTZRK7X5M\/0017\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TopSpin 2K25<\/a><\/strong><\/em> picks up where <em>Top Spin 4<\/em> left off in terms of gameplay and animation quality. One of the first things you\u2019ll notice when you see or play <em>TopSpin 2K25<\/em> is that we\u2019ve added a lot of new signature-style animations for the players\u2019 serves, forehands, backhands and return idles. In this Xbox Wire article, we\u2019ll share an insight into the types of signature animations that are featured in <em>TopSpin 2K25<\/em>, before showcasing how we at Hangar 13 created these animations: from analyzing players to Motion Capture, all the way through to animation.<\/p>\n<p>When playing <em>TopSpin 2K25<\/em>, tennis fans will certainly notice the attention to detail on some of their favorite players\u2019 animations. For example, you\u2019ll be able to recognize Roger Federer\u2019s stylish backhand, Serena William\u2019s devastating serve, or Iga Swiatek\u2019s powerful forehand animation, just to name a few. In addition to these animations that aim at recreating the unique style of specific pros, we also captured a variety of animations that can be shared by multiple pros with similar swinging motions. Players can also use their 2K Account to add signature-styles to their MyPlayers to make them customizable, not only visually, but also in the way they move and hit the ball.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video controls=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/xxboxnews.blob.core.windows.net\/prod\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/MOTION-CAPTURE-PROCESS-GIF-1-1.mp4\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Some signature styles will be available immediately at launch, so you can begin working on your playstyle right away. We will also be adding new signature-style animations with each new Season. Players can use virtual currency to get some of their favorite signature-styles from the Pro Shop and additional styles will be available to unlock via the Premium Centre Court Pass (available for additional purchase). By the end of Season 6, <em>TopSpin 2K25<\/em> will have over 2x the amount of signature styles featured in <em>TopSpin 4<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Now, we\u2019re excited to share with you a sneak peek into the processes involved in adding these new signature styles in the game. The first step is to look at the players we have in our roster and to identify which ones have a truly unique or recognizable style for either their serve, forehand, backhand, or return idle, and to capture video references of each. Then, we create what we call a \u201cshot list\u201d for motion capture, which is a list of individual animations we want to capture with our athlete\/actor\/actress. For example, each forehand or backhand style consists of a total of nine individual animations that can play based on the height of the ball or the direction and speed of the player before hitting the ball.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video controls=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/xxboxnews.blob.core.windows.net\/prod\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/MOTION-CAPTURE-PROCESS-GIF-2-1.mp4\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Once the shot list is finalized, we\u2019re ready to move on to the mocap stage and start capturing all these new animations. On the day of the shoot, we get Hangar 13\u2019s mocap crew, animators, and designers together, our team of semi-pro tennis players suited up in that pretty cool-looking mocap suit to serve as our actors and actresses, and we\u2019re ready to go. We show our actor\/actress the motion we would like to capture and watch the video references with them to identify all the key poses and elements that make this motion unique. When the actor\/actress is ready, they start practicing the motion to get a better feel for it, and then we record it, replay it on the monitor on the mocap stage, and compare it with the video reference. We repeat that until we\u2019re happy with the result and it looks close enough to the reference.<\/p>\n<p>With both Roger Federer and Serena Williams, we were able to spend time with them on the motion capture stage and record their actual serves, forehands, backhands, and return idles, so the final result in the game is even closer to their real style.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video controls=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/xxboxnews.blob.core.windows.net\/prod\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/ANIMATION-TO-FULL-ART-GIF-1.mp4\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>After the data is captured and processed by the technicians of the mocap stage it goes to the animators who apply the data to a male or female character. At this stage the animation still looks very rough, so the animators clean up all the posing, making sure that it doesn\u2019t look broken, but also that it looks as close as possible to the style of the pro player! The animators also make sure that it adheres to the specifications, like making sure that the racket hits the ball at the expected height, or that it\u2019s oriented properly during the swinging motion based on the type of swing. The data from the mocap includes the motion of the racket, but it does not include any motion on the fingers, so the animators spend quite a bit of time making sure the hands and fingers are properly gripping the racket.<\/p>\n<p>Once the animation has had a first pass, it\u2019s exported and checked in the engine on the pro player it was created for and that\u2019s when we truly see everyone\u2019s efforts come to life for the first time! The animation gets implemented and reviewed by designers in-game, after which there\u2019s often a round of feedback and the animations are polished even further.<\/p>\n<p>Truly a lot of care and attention to detail went into the animations, from start to finish. We\u2019re eager for you to see the level of authenticity and realism present in <em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.xbox.com\/en-US\/games\/store\/topspin-2k25-cross-gen-edition-pre-order\/9P8VTZRK7X5M\/0017\">TopSpin 2K25<\/a><\/strong><\/em> \u2014 Rally On!<\/p>\n<div id=\"msp1712152732626\" class=\"\">\n<div class=\"ms-product-badge mspb-large\" data-product-id=\"9P8VTZRK7X5M\">\n<div class=\"mspb-primary-image\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/store\/apps\/9P8VTZRK7X5M\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/store-images.s-microsoft.com\/image\/apps.8014.14080074289152822.0bb25bce-8b9c-4993-a7cf-63890966c38d.40478396-7487-45aa-984f-cda5cf97a203?w=400&amp;h=600\" alt=\"TopSpin 2K25 Cross-Gen Edition - Pre Order\" class=\"skip-lazy\"\/>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"mspb-details\">\n<div class=\"mspb-feature-badges\">\n<div class=\"mspb-feature-badge xbox-live\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.onestore.ms\/cdnfiles\/sfw-service-web-onestore-onerf-2017-11-8-12\/store\/common\/images\/xbllogo_black.png\" alt=\"Xbox Live\" class=\"skip-lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>TopSpin 2K25 Cross-Gen Edition \u2013 Pre Order<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mspb-secondary-details\">\n<div class=\"mspb-left-container\">\n<p>2K<\/p>\n<div class=\"mspb-rating\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t<span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span>&#13;\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t<span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span>&#13;\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span>$69.99<\/span>&#13;\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mspb-right-container\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\tThe Cross-Gen Edition includes TopSpin 2K25 for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nPre-order* TopSpin 2K25 Cross-Gen Edition and receive the Under the Lights Pack, featuring Serena Williams and Roger Federer Alternate Outfits, Wilson Nightfall Bundle, and Night-Time Majors.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nThe Under the Lights Pack is included with the Deluxe and Grand Slam\u00ae Editions. &#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nWIN THE CAREER GRAND SLAM\u00ae&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nTravel the world as an up-and-coming pro, go toe-to-toe with the biggest names in tennis, and take Centre Court at Wimbledon, Roland-Garros, the US Open, and the Australian Open as you strive to become a Grand Slam\u00ae Champion in MyCAREER.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nCOMPETE AT ICONIC VENUES&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nVisit some of the most vibrant courts on the tennis circuit in TopSpin 2K25. From the four Grand Slam\u00ae tournaments to larger-than-life international arenas like Indian Wells, La Caja M\u00e1gica, Pala Alpitour, Foro Italico, and more.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nTENNIS LEGENDS &amp; RISING STARS&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nPlay as tennis legends Roger Federer and Serena Williams, or serve up smashing highlights as Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, Frances Tiafoe, Andre Agassi, and others. Choose from over 24 playable pros and unleash their explosive power and clever finesse against other players locally or online.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nDOMINATE THE COURT ONLINE&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nTest your MyPLAYER&#8217;s mettle and showcase your tennis prowess on the World Tour or step into the 2K Tour as a playable pro challenging players around the world with cross-play support.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nTRAIN WITH JOHN MCENROE&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nFrom power serves to gorgeous drop-shots, learn how to play like a legend with John McEnroe at the TopSpin Academy. Master advanced controls as you progress through a series of skill-sharpening drills and challenges to gain an edge on every surface.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nPERSONALIZE YOUR MyPLAYER&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nCreate a MyPLAYER tailored to your play style and define your look on the court! With a wide range of customization options, you can fine-tune your attributes and earn new Coaches, Fittings, and gear from adidas, HEAD, Lacoste, New Balance, Nike, Wilson, and more.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\n*Pre-order bonus offer available through April 25, 2024. Internet connection and a 2K Account required to redeem bonus content. Terms apply. Under the Lights Pack is included with the Deluxe Edition and the Grand Slam\u00ae Edition, and will be available for separate purchase for owners of the base game. Terms apply.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nCertain portions of the game, including online multiplayer and other online features, are not accessible by child accounts. \u201cChild\u201d means players under the age of 13, unless local laws specify differently.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\n2K Account is required to play the game.\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2024\/04\/03\/signature-gameplay-animations-for-topspin-2k25\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] Summary Learn from the developers of TopSpin about the process of capturing the new signature animations for TopSpin 2K25, the latest installment in the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":219956,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219955"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=219955"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219955\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":331431,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219955\/revisions\/331431"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/219956"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=219955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=219955"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=219955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}