473 replies to this topic

[Pappy]

Thinking about it

My gut feeling is we're in for a VERY BIG surprise very soon! I would say within weeks!!

[3199E5kennetharry]

EASTER.

[Jesus Jones]

EASTER.

Falls on the same day this year as April fools.

[Richard]

My gut feeling is we're in for a VERY BIG surprise very soon! I would say within weeks!!

And weeks become months. I hate surprises in business. Usually bad news for a group of people.

[Hammerfest]

Kennetharry only said "EASTER". He didn´t give any year! 

We will never see a PG2. The new version will get a new name too:  SOON

[Mike Jones]

Unfortunately I no longer make any decisions regarding updates and released for PG1/PG2 so any comments I make will be my opinion only and I'm not sure that they mean any more than anyone else's. There are a multitude of things I would like to see now and in the future but as in the past resources are the limiting factor.

 

I'm well aware of the things we need to do to the game in regard to making it truly 'perfect' but then again some of the comments that are banded about here on the forums about how the developers have 'abandoned the game' or 'never delivered the game promised' really do little to advance anyone's cause apart from making the poster feeling a little better after venting.

 

Many of the things that sim users want to see are compatible with a computer/console game so many aspects of the engine and interface will work equally well for both. The obvious difference between a sim based system and a game is that there's less use for a character animation in the sim so obviously lower on the list of priorities. I guess it begs the question - would a better PG with even better physics, graphics, user interface and a career mode be of any use as a 'game'  if it existed without an avatar? What would that do to immersion or perhaps a more sim based interface with a first person view would be better?

 

We know other games out there are targeting a more arcade like experience 'no matter what their marketing dept tells us! Should we compete in this segment of the market or can a more realistic based game still be fun enough to have broad appeal? I mean flight sims are making a big comeback based around realism and graphics so perhaps things are coming full circle.

 

Hopefully this will give lots of food for discussion as we work towards a future where sim , VR and pc/console play will be all part of the same 'ecosphere'

[frank70]

Unfortunately I no longer make any decisions regarding updates and released for PG1/PG2 so any comments I make will be my opinion only and I'm not sure that they mean any more than anyone else's. There are a multitude of things I would like to see now and in the future but as in the past resources are the limiting factor.

 

I'm well aware of the things we need to do to the game in regard to making it truly 'perfect' but then again some of the comments that are banded about here on the forums about how the developers have 'abandoned the game' or 'never delivered the game promised' really do little to advance anyone's cause apart from making the poster feeling a little better after venting.

 

Many of the things that sim users want to see are compatible with a computer/console game so many aspects of the engine and interface will work equally well for both. The obvious difference between a sim based system and a game is that there's less use for a character animation in the sim so obviously lower on the list of priorities. I guess it begs the question - would a better PG with even better physics, graphics, user interface and a career mode be of any use as a 'game'  if it existed without an avatar? What would that do to immersion or perhaps a more sim based interface with a first person view would be better?

 

We know other games out there are targeting a more arcade like experience 'no matter what they're marketing dept tells us! Should we compete in this segment of the market or can a more realistic based game still be fun enough to have broad appeal? I mean flight sims are making a big comeback based around realism and graphics so perhaps things are coming full circle.

 

Hopefully this will give lots of food for discussion as we work towards a future where sim , VR and pc/console play will be all part of the same 'ecosphere'

If the game truly delivers a golf sim experience i absolutely think that there would be a market on PC and consoles.

 

But a fully animated, real-time avatar would be essential for that. I know that mo-capping is expensive. But it only has to be done once. And return of invest would come, if the game is advertised in the right way - as a realistic simulation of the game of golf.

 

If the next game really gives the immersion to play Augusta, to play Pebble or a famous Links course. That means: If the putting greens in the game are as trecherous as those of Augusta, or if the wind could become a main factor at Pebble, or if Links style gameplay (low shot trajectory, bumb and runs, putting from the fairway, etc.) really is of use in St. Andrews. If the additional data and resources of TrackMan leads to a game that can provide this feeling, that gets rid of -50 scores over 72 holes on top of that - then PG2 could absolutely be an economical success on PC and consoles as well. There are a lot of sim fans out there. But there has never been a golf game out there that really was a sim.

[NoPutt]

Glad to see you post Mike and congrats on the PG deal with Trackman.

I still have some lingering questions...

Will this forum stay?

Will PG1 still remain on Steam?

I ask as a CF designer completing a course, but don't wish

to continue if the lights are going out.

Thanks

[MimicPS]

I don't feel that a mo-capped character is essential, but its absence would most likely have to be substituted for much more first-person ball interaction, and possibly an aiming 'gauge' which made use of a top-down and distance view.

 

Good to have a post from you Mike, even if the perspective you have is somewhat removed now from the front of the curve on the development cycle. Thank you. It was certainly not pleasant reading for anyone on these forums recently when members have been becoming impatient, and I can only imagine how it must have been for the people that the comments were aimed at. I know that is what comes with the territory as far as being a developer and having a customer base, but I would hope that the conversation can remain as civil as possible, even if the news is not meeting everyone's expectations.

[JoeBradley]

I guess it begs the question - would a better PG with even better physics, graphics, user interface and a career mode be of any use as a 'game'  if it existed without an avatar? What would that do to immersion or perhaps a more sim based interface with a first person view would be better?

First-person view - club head, shaft, ball - that swivels to view the ball in flight is an underrated concept. Didn't Tiger Woods Wii have this option? Also another abandoned game - forget the name. The view of the avatar is what we see on TV. When actually playing, you see just the ball and club. Bring it on.

[trailblazergolf]

exl  posts !!!

[Acrilix]

I know that mo-capping is expensive. But it only has to be done once. And return of invest would come, if the game is advertised in the right way - as a realistic simulation of the game of golf.

 

It is quite possible for indie devs to do mo-cap relatively cheaply now using VR tech - an HTC Vive can do a pretty convincing job recording movements of motion controllers and/or Vive trackers.

[Buck]

I don't what post from Mike everyone is reading that commented just above, but the one I just read is the equivalent of "Perfect Golf is dead unless you have a Sim".
 
My key takeaways were:
 
- Mike (and likely Andrew too) is not in control

 

- There are some synergies between a new PC game and Sim software to be had, but an avatar and any semblance of game/career/pro shop/gear/etc are of essentially no use to the Sim side / new owners of Perfect Golf and moving forward.

 

- Flight Sims are an interesting analogue.  A lot of the success they are having right now and the resurgence is a combo of new tech and the software being built in a way to encourage extensibility by third parties, both free and commercial.  That might be a great idea to pursue if Trackman did want to do a PC release of future software.

 

As for the rest...

 

Candidly, it's nearly impossible for me to see Trackman commercially releasing a PC or Console game with either no avatar or the one we have now.  

Certainly something that's a new approach or in VR could be interesting, but given where this discussion is right now, that sounds like something we'd be lucky to see in 2020 or beyond.  Also - that type of "new approach" to gameplay and interaction would probably never involve any of the swing types we have right now - especially VR obviously.

 

All of that even assumes Trackman wants to suddenly be in the general or VR gaming space all of the sudden, vs buttering more of their existing bread.

 

Mike:

 

I appreciate you commenting, thank you.  

 

I'm not sure if Andrew is more allowed to say anything, but I know many of us would really appreciate just a small bit of commentary or reassurance regarding PG1 as it stands today and the online servers and if we will be able to at least just keep playing the current game moving forward?

[Crow357]

I would pee my pants for a VR version of this game.

[Justin9926]

I would pee my pants for a VR version of this game.

I sure as heck hope the VR version doesn't have smell of vision attached to it, then

[zmax - sim]

I would pee my pants for a VR version of this game.

 

As a simulator user, I have no need for VR.....  

 

Btw, 3 click is needed to test courses, betas, and other features.   So, 3 click can stay.   

[Thinman]

any updates on the 4-click mechanics?

[MimicPS]

From past experience on the forum and from its 'correspondents', it is a brave man who mentions messing with the 3-clickers....

[flyer01]

 The disappearing ani we use to have was my favorite feature. I complained many times when it was removed and mentioned more than once that it gave me a "poor man's" first person view. As a 3C'er I am fine with no ani. Also, I don't see why there wouldn't be some sim players just as interested in a career mode as some PC'ers are.

[Buck]

As a 3C'er I am fine with no ani.

 

You really want to stare at a ball on the tee or green, sitting by itself, click a little meter and then watch the ball fly around, seemingly launched by an act of god? 

 

No people - no golf clubs - just a ball flying around an empty environment?

 

I truly mean no offense sir - but that honestly sounds like a very strange and awkward experience.

I can't believe a company like Trackman would find it a good business decision to release such a product with their name on it.