A new behind-the-scenes video was launched for AO Tennis 2 from publisher Bigben Interactive and Australian development outfit Big Ant Games. The video covers some of the design philosophy behind the upcoming sports game, as well as the tech powering the AO Tennis sequel.
The video is four minutes long, discussing how Big Ant has been working with the Tennis Australia committee to capture the authenticity of the Australian Open arenas and venues that are part of the tournament. This includes capturing the entire Melbourne Park sports complex and its three main courts, as well as Rod Laver Arena, the accompanying outdoor parks, and the indoor press rooms, all of which have been replicated in their authenticity for their appearance in AO Tennis 2.
You can check out the arenas and a glimpse at some of the behind-the-scenes shots and footage of the game in the video below.
At the half-way point they switch from talking about the Australian arenas in the game and discuss the Australian tennis players who are participating in next year’s outing; this includes Ash Barty and Thanasi Kokkinakis, as well as newcomers like Alex De Minaur, Russian player Karen Abgarovich Khachanov, Czech female athlete Karolína Plíšková, and the German beauty Angelique Kerber.
They talk briefly about maintaining authenticity for each of the arenas and the players on the court, as well as overhauling the animations and improving the way the characters handle.
They also added custom animations for some of the players so that they feel more authentic to how they play in real-life, and you’re not just getting a moving mannequin with the name of the superstar on the HUD.
Cloth physics simulation has been added this time around, so that every movement, every swing, and every hit will create a dynamic reaction depending on what the character is wearing.
And, for the first time ever, they talk a little bit about porting the game to the Nintendo Switch, where they state that it will have every feature and function that present in the PS4, Xbox One, and PC version of the game.
They round out the video talking about the online competitive modes where you can either play in tournaments, career mode, or partake in casual matches against others, or create your own character and attempt to make a name for your custom avatar by moving up the online leaderboards.
We’ll see if Big Ant Games managed to score a win with AO Tennis 2 when it launches for home consoles and PC starting January 9th, 2020.
