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One of Lambourne Games' projects was to have a go at designing a tennis simulation which played quickly enough to allow 64-player tournaments. The original self-imposed specification of the game included the following:

• A full five-set match playable in 2-3 minutes
• Player Ratings for any season capable of being generated quickly by the user
• Both men and women to be included, the top 100 ranked in each
• Fun to play

Designer's Notes

These Rating Cards convert a two-dice roll into a Performance Figure for each set and also incorporate tie-breaker Ratings and Ratings to use when the tie-break is level, or when the final set needs to be played out to a two-game advantage finish.

The two players' Performance Figures are compared and this usually results in a set win for one of them or failing that the start of the tie-break procedure which is also usually resolved with one additional roll for each player. Thus a set can take between 20 seconds - or less if you are able to convert two pairs of dice roll, made together, into the Peformance Figures in less time - and about a minute.

So the first specification is easily met. We have added an additional dice roll for each player at the start of a tournament to determine fitness and current form and this can affect the Rating Card used in either a positive or negative way. And there is also an 'in-match' injury possibility but this is triggered from the normal Performance rolls so no added playing time is involved unless and until an injury occurs.

We provide the Player Ratings for 1999 based on the latest Ranking lists available at the time of original publication. If you adjust these Rankings as the result of your tournament results - and we suggest how this might be done - you need to re-calculate the Ratings after every change in the Rankings. But even if this occurs after every tournament the re-calculation is very easily and quickly achieved. And if you wish to replay past (or future) seasons then provided you have the Rankings these can be quickly converted into Ratings used in the game. So the second and third specifications are also met.

An additional feature we have been able to build in is the ability to play not one set at a time but single games, possibly for those who want more than just a set score for, say, semi-finals and finals.

With the advantage of service having a different impact on men's and women's tennis we have had to construct two separate charts. But in both cases the original Performance Figures are used, taken from the Rating Cards which of course reflect the players' respective current Rankings. So whichever play method you use - sets or games - the results should be consistent. These charts produce a game score if you require that detail but obviously the playing time is longer, a normal set taking about 3 to 4 minutes.

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