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Table Tennis Training Simulator (T3S) is Amazing!

Even though I love the multiplayer aspect of Eleven Table Tennis, from time to time I find myself looking for training tasks that can be done via single player. Recently I found a new VR table tennis game that fills this gap.

Introducing: Table Tennis Training Simulator, or T3S for abbreviation. In this article I will explain a few things that T3S offers.

Availability and Adapter Support

T3S is currently supported on both Pico and Meta Quest devices. It has position presets for almost all the SolidSlime adapters, as well as other good adapters like BonWasyl.

Physics

According to many players with ETT Elo above 3000, the physics of T3S is on par with Eleven VR. All the strokes feel very natural to execute.

Paddle Configuration

Most players would like to configure their paddle in order to make it suit their play style. The way to do that in T3S is very close to reality: you can select different options for blade (offensive/defensive…), rubber (tacky/non-tacky…), sponge (thickness and hardness…) individually via the UI. This makes it possible to configure the paddle based on the properties of the player’s real life racket.

In the official T3S discord server, there is a place where users are sharing their real life rackets and the in-game paddle configuration to match them.

Single Player Training Items

Since I was looking for single player training tasks, I have to mention that T3S provides 62 tasks, covering all the common TT techniques, serves and even has some for footwork training. All the tasks have very good human-recorded motion for both technique demo and the trainer. There are 186 stars to collect with an online leaderboard, which makes “grinding” the tasks a lot of fun.

You can practice against 48 different serves:

Below is a recording of me training against high spinny loop, which is a bane for a lot of players:

If you would like to play the shots to exact locations, the infinite target practice is a dream playground for that:

Other than the training tasks, there are numerous AI bots that can play in different styles (e.g. attack, defense, lob, different serves), all with human-recorded motion. One of the AI can even equip long pips!

Below is a recording of me practicing blocking against the “attack AI”:

Replay, Mirror Mode, Return Board etc.

These are all fantastic training features and they are all implemented with good quality in T3S.

  • You can record your serve motion, and then either view it at slower speed, or play it back so you can return your own serve.
  • You can play against yourself with either a delay or 0 delay (which makes it like juggling a ball, super fun).
  • You can play against a return board which is set at customized angle and distance.

Multiplayer

At the moment T3S only has multiplayer on Pico. Their developers are planning to add a fully revamped multiplayer to Quest version as well. This is also why the price on Quest store is only 15 USD.

The Ultimate Question: T3S or ETT?

To me who love table tennis asa sport and want to get the most value out of VR training, the answer is actually very simple: Both games help.

T3S excels at single player training. It makes training a fun experience, with progress that is easy to observe.

ETT has a huge online player base, ranked ladder and tournaments with cash prize.

The physics in both games are both very close to reality and close to each other. It still can take some time to get used to the difference between them, but it’s not that hard.

Thus currently I am using T3S to fix the known “short boards” in my techniques, and then switch to ETT to play against real person. This has been doing very well for me and a few other players who are doing the same.

Some Links

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SolidSlime Adapters now work with STIGA CWT Weights

We’re excited to announce a new variation in the SolidSlime VR table tennis adapter lineup—one designed specifically for players who want even more control over their setup.

This new version features an embedded magnet in the handle, allowing you to use official STIGA Custom Weight Technology (CWT) weights for a more personalized and realistic feel.

Note: The new CWT-Compatible variation is available as an optional variation in our store for the Quest 3/3S Adapter and Pico 4 Ultra Adapter. Our regular adapters without magnetic support are still available and fully supported.


Why a Magnetic Insert?

For many competitive players, replicating the real-world feel of a paddle is essential. While our standard adapters already deliver a top-tier immersive experience, some users requested the ability to adjust the balance and weight using their own STIGA CWT weights.

This magnetic variation makes that possible.

Key Features of the Magnetic Version

  • Embedded magnet : Securely holds official STIGA CWT weights in place.
  • Customizable balance and feel: Adjust paddle weight to match your playing style.
  • Tool-free install: Snap your weights in or out—no extra parts or hardware needed.
  • Same SolidSlime performance: Built to our exacting design and playability standards.

Which Variation Is Right for You?

  • Standard SolidSlime Adapter
    Great for players who want a consistent, ready-to-play paddle feel out of the box.
  • Magnetic CWT-Compatible Adapter (New)
    Ideal for advanced players who already use STIGA CWT weights or want to experiment with fine-tuned paddle balance.

Available Now

The new CWT-Compatible variation is available as an optional variation in our store for the Quest 3/3S Adapter and Pico 4 Ultra Adapter.

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ETT Physics Change: An in-depth look

In this update, the developer has worked with several IRL high level players to make the physics match real life better (please remember that is the goal). These are the changed parameters:

  • Table friction has been increased.
  • Magnus effect has been reduced.
  • Air drag has been reduced.

Combined Effects

  • Ball flies straighter and faster (due to reduced Magnus + lower air drag).
  • Topspin shots dip less, making loops flatter and easier to counter.
  • Backspin floats less, so defensive lobs may drop sooner

How to survive and thrive post the update

  • You might find the topspin balls fly out the table more than before. To counter that, the pros recommend reducing the throw coefficient of the rubbers by about 0.04. Bounce and Spin can be reduced if needed too. It’s best to practice against the ball machine and do your stroke normally, while adjusting the parameters to make sure the ball lands properly.
  • Certain serves like, fast corner to corner serves, might fly out more than before. If you rely on such serves, please either adjust the serve, or utilize more serve types. In real life, a half long serve with either spin or no spin serve is usually the most effective.
  • Keep in mind what Michael Scott says, and always have fun!
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(Video) The ideal setup to play VR ping pong

Dimitri (MonquiRanger) is an exceptional player in both real-life and VR table tennis. In ETT, he reached 3000 Elo in just one month—and he’s still climbing! In this video, he shares his experience with various VR ping pong equipment. We’re honored to see the SolidSlime adapter featured among the best. Check out the video to discover the other top picks, and if you enjoy the content, consider subscribing to his channel for more great insights!

If you are curious about my setup, it includes:

  • Meta Quest 3
  • SolidSlime Quest 3 Adapter
  • Kiwi Quest 2 Headstrap + printed adapter for Quest 3
  • Paper Towel being folded on forehead during each session to absorb the sweat

About the paper towel: I have seen quite a few Quest 3 get damaged because sweat enters the device. This often happens during table tennis, as it is an intensive sport. The paper towel is an unsung hero in preventing that from happening. Other equipment like facial interfaces with fans and holes can work too.

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Experiencing ITTF World ESports Table Tennis Championship 2024

In November 24, 2024, I traveled to Helsingborg as a viewer of the ITTF eSports tournament 2024.

8 top players of Eleven Table Tennis fought valiantly and gave an amazing show to everyone. I was lucky to meet and chat with them all.

Congratulations to Anto, Aiphaton, and Swiss11Rally for winning the top 3 places!
If you are wondering what equipment they are using:
* Anto: Quest 2 + SolidSlime adapter
* Aiphaton: Quest 3 + Bonwasy adapter
* Swiss11Rally: Quest 3 + SolidSlime adapter

I also had the opportunity to meet the amazing people behind ETT, like carrotstien, Sulik, and Natasha.
Dan from TableTennisDaily was also an important part of the event, as he was one of the commentators on site. We had a lovely chat about the game and the adapters.

There was also an ITTF eSports summit held at the same time. Officers and media from various countries were discussing how to push eSports table tennis forward.

I and excited to participate in this event, and I believe there will be more and more development in the future of VR table tennis!

I’ve made a highlight from the matches in day one:

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CyberPen (Quest 3/3S Penhold Table Tennis Adapter) v2.0 Changelog

Thanks to community feedback, we’ve enhanced several features of the CyberPen Quest 3 Table Tennis Adapter.

(Shop links: UK | EU | other countries with local sellers )

Here are the key differences between v1 and v2:

  • The controller has been moved from near the wrist to between the thumb and index fingers, providing much better balance.
  • Instead of a metal screw, now a 3d printed “bottle cap” is used to fasten the controller, making it even more convenient to install the adapter.
  • The adapter now has a full size paddle surface. This makes the realistic balance easier to achieve, because the tip of the paddle is now further away from the hand.
    (Bonus: It can be used to play real life table tennis, and works fairly well!)
  • A hole is added for attaching the wrist strap, providing more safety.
  • The adapter now has Chinese Penhold handle by default. There is a JPen addon included that can be glued onto the handle and make it into JPen.
  • Improved the strength of various places.

As a real life penholder for 20 years, I am very happy to have finalized CyberPen v2. This has brought the pleasure of using Quest 3 with penhold style to another level, enough to make me put down shakehand style and fully transit into a penholder player. I hope the other penholders are going to feel the joy as well.

The latest version of the SolidSlime Table Tennis Adapter for Quest 3 can be purchased here.

Demo/Installation video:

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Pico 4 Ultra Table Tennis Adapter is Now Available

I’m glad to announce that the the SolidSlime Pico 4 Ultra Table Tennis Adapter is now available!

It utilizes the perfected “bottle cap” design element that’s also used in the Quest 3 adapter v3, to make installing and uninstalling the controller require trivial effort.

Advantages of This Adapter:

  • 🏓Very good tracking quality for both forehand and backhand, especially tuned for Pico 4 Ultra controller and verified by top players.
    • All LED on the controller are visible by the camera during conventional shakehand TT strokes.
  • Shakehand (for penhold, please check other products)
  • 👍Realistically weighted. (205g~235g depending on AAA or AA battery. Can also be customized per request)
  • ⚖️Comfortable balance.
  • 💪Controller does not wobble during swing.
  • 🔢 Various handle shapes(Flared, Straight, Anatomic). (What are these and why should I care?)
  • 🧷The design allows stock wrist straps to be used for minimizing safety risk.
  • ⏩10 second assembly by hand. No screws! 
  • 🪵Wood grain patterns on the handle to ensure slip-free grip.
  • 👍🏻Optional rubber and cutout templates can be provided, to improve the touch feeling.

About Pico 4 Ultra VR headset:

Pico 4 Ultra VR headset is the latest product in the Pico family.
Similar to Quest 3, it uses Qualcomm snapdragon XR2 Gen2 chipset and pancake lenses.
It has 12GB of RAM versus 8GB for the Quest 3; two 2,160 x 2,160 pixels per eye LCD screens versus 2,064 x 2,208 pixels per eye for the Quest 3 (though the Meta’s Quest 3’s screens can hit a refresh rate up to 120Hz rather than 90Hz).
Pico 4 Ultra also has better passthrough cameras than Quest 3.
Full datasheet comparison can be seen here.

The Pico 4 Ultra controller is quite heavy. Including the adapter, the whole racket can be from 205g to 235g, depending on the batteries being used. For most users, I highly recommend getting the AAA->AA battery adapters.

In terms of playing table tennis, a big advantage of Pico 4 Ultra is its controller tracking quality. The Pico 4 Ultra controller has 12 LEDs on itself. Unlike Quest 3 which places all but one of the LEDs on a flat surface, which means the trackable angle is extremely limited, the LEDs on Pico4 Ultra controller are placed around it. This means even when the racket is flipped 180 degrees, the controller still can be tracked well enough to do fast drives and loops. This was impossible to do with Quest 3 controller and adapter.

From my personal experience with Eleven Table Tennis on both Pico4 Ultra and Quest 3, backhand loops on Pico 4 Ultra feels faster/more reactive than that of Quest 3. Forehand loops are quite similar.

All in all, it’s a solid VR headset for people who are looking for alternatives to Quest 3.

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ITTF World Esports Table Tennis Championships 2024: Open for Registering!

The ITTF World Esports Table Tennis Championships 2024 are here, and it’s your chance to become the first-ever Esports Table Tennis World Champion 🏆
Get ready to take your skills to the next level and make history with us this October and November 2024 with the launch of the inaugural ITTF World Esports Table Tennis Championships.

Building on the success of the Olympic Esports Week 2023, the ITTF is once again partnering with For Fun Labs, Inc. and their renowned VR game, Eleven Table Tennis.

This open, mixed-gender, and free-to-enter event will take place in two exciting phases: an inclusive qualification round designed to attract and engage players from around the world, followed by a thrilling final taking the center stage of Helsingborg Arena.

14 October – 17 November: Online Qualifying Stage

Players worldwide are invited to participate in the Online Qualifying Stage. The top two competitors will earn a place in the next stage of the competition. Register until 13 October here to start your journey towards becoming the first-ever ITTF World Esports Table Tennis Champion.

27-28 November: Finals in Helsingborg, Sweden
The Helsingborg Arena will host the Finals, where eight elite players will compete for the prestigious title. The finalists will include the top two qualifiers from the Online Qualifying Stage, the two top-ranked Eleven Table Tennis players, one representative from the host country, and three wildcard entrants.

Gamers of the world, it’s time to hone your skills! Prepare for the qualifiers and stay tuned for more exciting updates 🏓

(Above was copied from https://www.ittf.com/tournament/2982/#information. Please visit the original page for updated info)

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Play Ball Machine Drills to Your Favorite Music

We all know ball machine is a precious tool in getting better at table tennis.
However, training with ball machine can be boring.
The solution? Music! 🎶🏓

Inspired by CHN_Shayne115, I made a ball machine drill pack that can match any song as long as it has a constant BPM (beats per minute).

Video explanation:
(EN) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmoYa5eBDHI
(JP by Meguri) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn8JZ_9DhaU

Music Drills cloud code for Eleven Table Tennis:
4008.48

Spotify playlist that includes the 6 example songs:
https://solidslime.net/bpm

To find the BPM (beats per minute) of any song, check websites like:

Show BPMs of songs in a Spotify playlist:
http://sortyourmusic.playlistmachinery.com/

Show BPM of a Youtube song:
https://keybpmfinder.com/

Manually tap and find out the beats of a song:
https://www.beatsperminuteonline.com/

Additional notes:

I recommend to limit your drill BPM to be within 50~100.
100 is super fast, like what Fan Zhendong does in multi-ball training (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfIx4TbJle8)
So if your song has a higher BPM than 100, divide the number by 2 until it’s within 50~100.