_____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ | __ \ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | \/_ __ ___ __ _| |_ | | | | ___ | | | ___ _ _| |__ __ _| | | | | __| '__/ _ \/ _` | __| | | | |/ _ \| | |/ _ \ | | | '_ \ / _` | | | | |_\ \ | | __/ (_| | |_ \ \_/ / (_) | | | __/ |_| | |_) | (_| | | | \____/_| \___|\__,_|\__| \___/ \___/|_|_|\___|\__, |_.__/ \__,_|_|_| __/ | |___/ İ Copyright 2013 Keith Kelly. All Rights Reserved. The websites that are allowed to host this guide is: www.gamefaqs.com - Username = Glacoras www.neoseeker.com - Username = Games_GameFAQs www.supercheats.com - Username = Glacoras =============================================================================== Introduction =============================================================================== Welcome to my twenty-seventh Guide without a co-author. This guide was written for the SMS FAQ Completion Project. I decided to write for this game as I kept getting drawn to it and found it challenging to beat. I also found the controls hard to master and little information available on the Internet. After figuring out how to play the game and being able to win several matches in a row, I decided to write for the game, and then got sent a link to the game's manual that helped me further improve my knowledge of this game. I have enjoyed writing this guide and playing the game, and wish that anyone using this guide finds the game just as fun and this guide helpful. Good luck with the game. =============================================================================== Contents =============================================================================== To find a section quickly, press "Ctrl"+"F" and copy the string of text in the square brackets. 01) Game Basics .................................. [GV01] 01A) Controls ............................... [GV01A] 01B) Menu Options ........................... [GV01B] 01C) Winning a Match ........................ [GV01C] 01D) Scoring Points ......................... [GV01D] 01E) Game Modes ............................. [GV01E] 01F) Teams .................................. [GV01F] 02) Strategies ................................... [GV02] 02A) Team Features .......................... [GV02A] 02B) Serving ................................ [GV02B] 02C) Defending .............................. [GV02C] 02D) Attacking .............................. [GV02D] 03) Contact Details .............................. [GV03] 04) History ...................................... [GV04] 05) Credits ...................................... [GV05] =============================================================================== 01) Game Basics [GV01] =============================================================================== This section is aimed at providing you with the controls and knowledge that you will need throughout the game. It will not explain any strategies or any game plays. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01A) Controls [GV01A] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In this section are the basic controls. Stringing a combination of the jump and Receive/Directional Buttons can perform different actions, as well as just using the Receive/Directional Buttons. The majority of section [GV02] and it's subsections will discuss in further detail how to use the control combinations to beat your opponents. Menu Control ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Directional Buttons = Choose Menu Option 1/Start = Select Point Allocation ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Up/Down = Choose skills to assign points to Right/Left = Increase/Decrease points allocated to skills 1/Start/2 = Confirm selection of skills Player Control ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Directional Buttons = Moves players Directional Buttons = Alter ball flight 1/Start = Jump 1/Start = Block 1/Start = (After lost point/serve, before whistle) Time-Out 2 = Serve/Receive Ball 2 = Set Ball 2 = (After Set Ball) Spike/Dink Ball ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01B) Menu Options [GV01B] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Main Menu ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ The main menu allows you to select which type of game (or "Game Mode") you wish to play. Below is the options you will see for this menu. The section [GV01D] will explain the different Game Mode types. Practice Goodwill Match Tournament Play Practice Menu ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ These menu options are only available if you select the "Practice" Game Mode from the Main Menu. All of these options are explained in greater detail in section [GV01D]. Service Spike Discontinue Practice Team Selection ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ This menu will appear whenever you select either the "Goodwill Match" or "Tournament Play". Below are the different teams you can select from. The information on the team differences are located within section [GV01E]. USA USSR China Korea Japan Brazil Cuba France Team Features ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ After selecting your team, you can choose the team's features. For information as to what each feature does, go to section [GV02A]. Below is the options that will present themselves. Service ## Spike ## Receive ## ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01C) Winning a Match [GV01C] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Match Information ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ To win a match, you need to win 2 out of 3 sets. Set Information ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Winning each sets requires you to have at least 15 points, with a 2-point lead against the opposition. For example, if each team has 14 points each in a set, the team that reaches 15 points first would then need to score another point before the opposition to win the set. The layout of each set is slightly different to the others, but they keep the same layout per match. Whichever team is serving first for the set starts on the left side. The first set always starts with whichever team is considered the "home" team (generally the human player) serving first. The second set has the "away" team move to the left side of the court and serve first. If the match moves to a final set, the home team will serve first, but the teams will switch sides once one of the teams reaches 8 points. Point Information ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ To score a point, your team must serve the ball for the point. If you are not serving the point, anything that would have been a point for your team instead provides your team with the serve. Below is how you can score a point: 1) Your team hits the ball into the opposition's side of the court and it hits the playing area. 2) The opposition hits the ball and it lands on their side of the court 3) The opposition hits the ball and it lands outside the playing area ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01D) Game Modes [GV01D] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Practice ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ SERVICE - This option allows you to practice serving the ball from the left side of the court. You can move the player like you could in a real match and control the ball in a similar manner. To return to the Practice menu, press Button 1/Start before you attempt to serve the ball. Section [GV02B] has more information on how to serve. SPIKE - You can practice how to spike the ball with this option. First, you need to set the ball by having the guy with his back to the net knock the ball into the air. Then, controlling the player at the top of the screen, position him underneath the ball and jump. When you come close to the ball in the air, attempt to spike it into the opponent's side of the court. Section [GV02D] has more information on how to spike the ball. To return to the Main Menu, select the "Discontinue Practice" option. Goodwill Match ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ For a single-player goodwill match, you can select the country your team is from and have 5 team feature points to allocate to specific skills. You are also able to select the country the opposition's team is from. You are not able to select the feature points for the opposition team. If you are having a two-player goodwill match, the only difference is that the second player gets to select his team and features after the first player. A Goodwill match will only last a single match. Once a winner is found through a best of 3 set situation, the game ends. Tournament Play ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ The single-player tournament play lasts until the player is either defeated or they win the tournament. A tournament is won if you manage to defeat three different teams. At the start of the tournament, you select your team and get 4 team feature points to use. Each match victory will allow you to obtain an extra 2 feature points to allocate to your current total. A two-player match works in a similar manner, but you will only face each other in the final match. Additionally, if one of the players are knocked-out of the tournament, the tournament will keep going until the other player either wins or is also knocked-out of the competition. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01E) Teams [GV01E] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Excluding the player's colour scheme, there is no difference between the teams you select. Below is what each player in each team will look like. ,---------,-------------,-------------,--------------,---------------, | COUNTRY | SKIN COLOUR | HAIR COLOUR | SHIRT COLOUR | SHORTS COLOUR | |---------+-------------+-------------+--------------+---------------| | USA | Yellow | Blonde | Light Blue | Dark Blue | |---------+-------------+-------------+--------------+---------------| | USSR | Yellow | Blonde | Red | Dark Red | |---------+-------------+-------------+--------------+---------------| | China | Yellow | Black | Red | Dark Blue | |---------+-------------+-------------+--------------+---------------| | Korea | Yellow | Black | Light Blue | Grey | |---------+-------------+-------------+--------------+---------------| | Japan | Yellow | Black | White | Red | |---------+-------------+-------------+--------------+---------------| | Brazil | Black | Black | Green | Green | |---------+-------------+-------------+--------------+---------------| | Cuba | Black | Black | Purple | Purple | |---------+-------------+-------------+--------------+---------------| | France | Yellow | Brown | White | Dark Blue | '---------'-------------'-------------'--------------'---------------' =============================================================================== 02) Strategies [GV02] =============================================================================== This section explains how to play through the game and win a match. Not only will it explain how to execute different moves, but I will also provide my opinion on the different types of moves and how effective I found them during my experiences with this game. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 02A) Team Features [GV02A] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the menu that you are presented with once you have selected your team (as a human player, not AI player). You can configure a set of attributes for your team to help you win the match. Additionally, you can call a Time-Out during a match to configure your attributes. To call a Time-Out, you must have lost the last point or the serve and press Button 1 before the referee blows the whistle for the the serve. Below will describe each feature and my personal recommendations for adding points to them. Service ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ This feature will increase your service speed. I did not find this feature to be useful enough to use, as you might only use this feature once a point. I have also found it almost impossible to win a point while serving against the computer, no matter the speed of the serve. Finally, you will not use this feature for any point where your team does not serve the ball. SUMMARY - Do not bother investing in this feature. You may only use it once a point, while the others can be used several times. Spike ŻŻŻŻŻ Allocating points into the Spike feature will increase the speed of any balls you spike. This feature is more useful than the Service feature because most of your points will probably come from spikes. Although it is possible to win the match without spiking the ball, learning this move and improving this feature skill will make it much easier and less reliant on luck. SUMMARY - Invest your points into this feature, but only to match the current points total in the Receive feature. Receive ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ The manual states that this feature "determines speed of player's movements". I am unsure if this includes hitting the ball, or just the players running around the court. I have noticed the players are faster when I invest extra points into this feature. For this reason, I think this is the best feature to invest your points in. This is due to the defensive requirements of getting to the ball as quickly as possible. SUMMARY - If you are matching points with the Spike feature, add another point into this feature. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 02B) Serving [GV02B] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the first move of every point. A team will serve the ball to the other side of the court, where the opposition will return the ball until one of the teams wins the point or serve. As mentioned earlier in this guide, you can only score a point if your team served the ball. To serve a point, your player will on the outskirts of the scoring area. They will either be able to move around the bottom-left half (if on the left), or the top-right half (if on the right). You can move your player away from the scoring area of the court to have him perform a running jump, and you can direct where the ball will land by using the Directional Buttons after throwing the ball up for a serve with Button 2. Due to the importance of winning points when you have the serve, coupled with the AI almost certain to reach the ball, I would recommend keeping your serves simple. If I am on the left side, I will serve from the bottom-left corner and direct my shot by pressing Up of the Directional Buttons. Playing from the right side will mean I am staying in the top-right corner and aiming Down with my serves. Too often, I have gifted the ball back to the opposition just by trying something fancy with a serve that ended with it going out. This game can be hard enough without loosing valuable serves. SUMMARY - Make sure you get the ball into the opposition's half of the court. They will reach it, but it is the preferred option to knocking the ball out for them to gain the serve. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 02C) Defending [GV02C] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Receive ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ When you are on the receiving end of the ball, you must anticipate when the ball will land on your side of the court and move a player accordingly. There are two methods that you can do to control your players to the ball landing area, both listed below: 1) This is the method described in the manual. Use the Directional buttons to point the player to where you believe the ball land and press Button 2. I found the lack of control this option provides to be too limited for m liking, so generally used the other method. 2) Unlike the first method, this only uses the Directional buttons to control your player to the required location. Unlike the first option, this method requires the player to direct the player to the location instead of it being done automatically. Additionally, you will also control the movements of the other players. However, I found that the control I had of my player's location made up for these issues. SUMMARY - Choosing how you control your players when they try to reach the ball is up to your personal choice. Either way, you will not get far in this game without being able to move your players around the court to prevent the opposition scoring points or winning serves. Block ŻŻŻŻŻ The menu explains that you should determine the players that you wish to be part of the blocking move. Once that is determined, you should press Button 2 once to have two forwards move together, or press Button 2 twice to have three forward players together. You should then move the players to the position you wish them to be with the Directional buttons before using Button 1 to execute the attempted block. I also found that you can attempt to block with a single player. No matter how many players you use in your blocking move, a block will only be attempted if the opposing team attempts either a Spike or Dink move. I found that a well-timed block and counter Spike will be a great combination to use against anyone. However, a poorly-timed block may cause you to loose the point or serve. I also found the blocks to be more effective if you are nearer to the net and the opponent than further away. My blocks are generally timed with a jump just after the opponent Spikes the ball, but working on your own timing will allow you to fully utilize this ability. SUMMARY - Blocks should be a part of your game, but use the sparingly. If you overuse them without thinking, you might end up gifting more points to the opposition. This game's AI is hard enough without giving them free points. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 02D) Attacking [GV02D] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- During this subsection, I will make the directional comments "Forwards" and "Backwards". The "Forward" directions relate to either right if your team is playing on the left side of the court or the left if you team is situated on the right side. "Backwards" directions are obviously reversed (left on the left side and right on the right side). Set the Ball ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ To control, or set, the ball for a player on your team, you must move another player the destined an incoming ball. When the ball is above the player, use the Directional buttons to point towards another player that you want the ball to be set for while also pressing Button 2. The ball should then travel to the intended target. It is better for the intended target to be as close to the setter as possible. SUMMARY - It will allow you to get through a match a lot quicker, but you can beat the AI without it. This technique should be mastered to if you want to beat opponents quicker than relying on luck. Spike or Dink the Ball ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ To perform either a Spike or a Dink, you need to position at least one player underneath a ball that has been launched into the air and press Button 1 for the player or players to jump. While jumping, press and hold the Directional button to indicate the direction (and move) you want to make and press Button 2 when you reach the ball in the air to perform the intended move. In the manual, it displays a directional chart to show what sort of move you will execute based on how you are holding the Directional Buttons. While I have been playing the game, I found these directions to be innaccurate. I have always been able to perform a Spike when pressing only the Up or the Down direction, while these should be causing me to do Dink moves instead. With my experience, I found that you will perform a Dink by either not pressing any Directional button or pressing the "Backwards" (left if on the left side of the court, right if on the right side of the court) direction with or without the Up or Down direction. If you press the Up direction, the ball will land closer to the top of the court. If you press the Down direction, the ball will be directed to nearer to the bottom of the court. Just pressing "Forward" will cause a Spiked ball to travel straight ahead, and the same is true if you press "Backward" for a Dink. If you are pressing either "Forward" or "Backward" with either the Up or Down direction, the ball will be aimed in the same direction based on the Up or Down direction. SUMMARY - I found the Dink technique to be pretty useless, but the Spike is vital to beating the AI. The Spike will get you a large percentage of points Perform the Delayed Attack ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ First, set the ball. You then want to gather two players together by pressing Button 2 (like if you were doing a block. Position the players below the ball that has been launched in the air and press Button 1 to jump. Select which of the players will Spike the ball with the Directional buttons and then Spike it. This may confuse the opponent as they will not have an idea who will Spike the ball and you could grab a couple of points with this method. SUMMARY - Although you can grab a couple of points, I have not really seen much of a difference in comparison to using a normal Spike against the AI. Facing a human competitor, I found this to be more useful and would recommend using it on occasion. Against the AI, it should be used rarely and mainly to practise for when you face a human opponent. Perform the Dummy Attack ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Like the last attack, you need to set the ball. Then, get a forward to jump (Button 1), but don't Spike the ball. Choose another player to run to the ball drop location and quickly jump (Button 1) and Spike (explained above) the ball into the opposition's end of the court. SUMMARY - I have not been able to implement this move successfully, but each time someone has used it against me, they have won a point. If you can learn this technique, I believe you will get lots of points when executed properly. =============================================================================== 03) Contact Details [GV03] =============================================================================== E-Mail: games_ps2_pc[at]yahoo[dot]co[dot]uk Subject: Great Volleyball Guide NOTE: Replace "[at]" with "@" and "[dot]" with "." to make the E-Mail address a valid E-Mail address where I will receive your message. Please DO NOT E-Mail me if you can not write in English or you want to ask a question that has already been answered in the guide. =============================================================================== 04) History [GV04] =============================================================================== Version 1.0 First copy of this FAQ =============================================================================== 05) Credits [GV05] =============================================================================== Everyone on the FAQ Contribution General Board for help with improving my guides and starting up the SMS and NES Completion Projects. Please check out board 2000094 to see the latest Completion Projects and see how you could help them out. The Manual for this game - Helped me with sections [GV02A] and [GV02D] tim_roast/TheMightyRoast - Providing me a link to the game's manual ===============================================================================