46 replies to this topic

[Mike Jones]

We have just released a new alpha to the testers and although there are a couple of glitches that need patching regarding a performance related bug the overall impression we are getting from the testers is that this is a big step forward from the last build.

 

Included in this build have been a real world wind system. We're use real time physics on our ball so that the real time variations all have an effect while the ball is in flight. Numerous tweaks have been done to the surface physics and we now have a system which enables us to replicate bunker splash shots realistically as well as other short game shots such as realistic lob and chip shots.

 

We have fine tuned the some of the graphical effects on our 'Time of Day' and weather and started to prepare our control methods for the difficulty and aids systems we will be using to allow people to find the sweet spot to enjoy the game the way they want to play it.

 

Hopefully some of the testers will post a few of their thoughts, screenshots and videos here soon.

 

 

[KenR]

Thanks for the update and new info Mike. All of this sounds great and looks like PG is edging closer and closer to an Early Access version. Hope that is going to happen soon.

 

I would love to be part of this testing but will continue to wait "patiently" for early access.

 

Hope some testers will post some screenshots (assuming you've given them permission to do so) soon.

 

Thanks again...

[Kablammo11]

I'm afraid screenshots won't do, Ken. This needs videos... And yeah, we have permission. Mike has explicitely asked for this for quite some time in the private forums, now even put some more pressure on us by posting in public.

 

About this video:

• All GUI elements are most likely subjected to further change
• Due to the fps issues mentioned by Mike, I have edited some shot replays into this.
• Picture quality is sub-standard, not because of the game, but because of poor screen capture by me, aggravated by mp4 compression.
• This is just a short teaser of holes 12 and 13 at Willow Heath. A first glimpse...nothing more. Everything still in flux...
• There is no audio on this video, so I put in the Mozart Medly by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra

 

And without further ado, let's start that ball rolling...

 

[fungolfer]

ok here is my video. I wanna show you how to setup a round, how the course loads and I played the 1st hole too. Hope you get an idea, not sure if the menus will be the same in open access, but thats the one we use now.  http://www.vidup.de/v/ZrLCz/

[Ted_Ball]

Thank you everyone. Very exciting.

 

My immediate impressions based on one viewing of each video and coming from a 'realism' point of view. 

 

I like the clean, mature HUDs - including the swing meter. It's great that you aren't appealing to the kiddies. All kiddies grow up.

 

There seems to be plenty of sensible detail in the menus. That will be interesting to explore.

 

Even though I don't like grids they are subtle and probably perfectly adequate. What I was most excited about was the ability to read the green without the grid - considering the low quality of the vid capture.

 

There were a few minor worries but they are only based on my first viewing. I'm sure my worries are unfounded once I was driving the game and tweaking options.

 

The roll on the fairway was a bit excessive on K11's vid. I later saw the option to tweak the course hardness. Otherwise get the ground staff to raise the cut.

 

Watched the swing gauge with an eagle eye. It seemed that it was quite easy to hit the ding. But of course it's impossible for me to know how the accuracy of the click effects the launch. Just an observation. I was impressed by the simplicity of the gauge though.

 

The tracer was a bit too prominent for me but I realise you would be able to adjust that. 

 

NOW!  I thought having no avatar doesn't detract from the gameplay, the 'feel', the experience at all. I'm sure there will be one there with nicely proportioned legs but 'no avatar' almost justified my epic rants.

 

But from an unimportant nobody I can say that I was hugely impressed. Much obliged.

[mhammer113]

Very exciting stuff. I must say I am impressed

[fungolfer]

Teddy, remember the game is in alpha The swing meter is a placeholder atm. The final swing meter, however it will look and play like, will be different. Not sure if it will be different in the early access or at a later version, but it will not be the same. Right now the penalties on snap missing isn't that much, but discussions are going on how to penalize snap misses. It will be interesting what the devs vote will be You have to turn on the grid everytime to see it, atm the standard is grid invisible. So atm the player decides to view it or not. I'm sure there will be an option in the future grid on/off/invisible-Player choice.

 

The ball roll is better now than in the last version, so devs improved the ball roll after tee shot. But there are differences in course settings. Also k11 played on a downhill fairway I think. Otherwise he would never, ever hit such a Tee shot...

[Ted_Ball]

Thanks fungolfer. Very encouraging things happening here.

 

I also liked the drop down hole layout. Sort of like a nice version of a yardage book but not a huge, obtrusive thing like other golf games. The wind indicator is simple, effective and unobtrusive. I'm obviously a fan of subtlety and unobtrusiveness and not cramming info and stuff in a player's face and spoon-feeding us. There is always the danger of over-gilding the lily.   

[KenR]

Thanks for the videos guys. Very exciting stuff, and even with the reduced video quality one can get a sense of how the game looks and feels.

 

Here's a question for you: when you create a player, can you set his/her default yardages for each club like you can in Links 2003? This is an option I very much hope to see in PG; if not in the beginning then hopefully at a later time, as this lets an individual play the game as themselves.

 

Thanks again, and keep those videos and screenshots coming!

[Mike Jones]

Thanks for the videos guys. Very exciting stuff, and even with the reduced video quality one can get a sense of how the game looks and feels.

 

Here's a question for you: when you create a player, can you set his/her default yardages for each club like you can in Links 2003? This is an option I very much hope to see in PG; if not in the beginning then hopefully at a later time, as this lets an individual play the game as themselves.

 

Thanks again, and keep those videos and screenshots coming!

 

Because we use real world physics variables and not fudges, the ultimate goal is to allow you to do just that and adjust your players distances. In fact in the future if you play golf IRL and can book a Trackman or other launch monitor session, you will be able to plug in your real world stats for spin, speed and launch angle and then play the game as yourself. 

[J_Schollmeyer]

Very exciting! Wonder what the display at the top in the middle of the screen is showing. Is it a wind meter showing the strength and direction of the wind? Can anybody of the testers explain the 8 buttons in the tool box at the top right of the screen. Fabulous work so far. I think the long wait has payed off. Keep up the videos and screenshots.

Keep up the good work devs and testers.

Juergen

[Mike Jones]

BTW the vid from fungolfer was from an alpha released several weeks ago and not the latest one released on Friday.

[IanD]

Juergen, at present, those buttons aid in displaying things such as Scorecard, Camera, Pin Location, Flyby, Green Grid etc.. whilst kind of imperative things, they are not fully perfected nor are they guaranteed to remain in any form or position.

[fungolfer]

Think I reduced the vid quality a lill too much to have a smaller file I'll record a new one sometimes today, thats no biggie, but 2 GB was a bit much for me tho

[Perculator]

I noticed when the game was being set up that there was a spot for "Handicap". It would be great if the game kept track of a player's tournament rounds and created a handicap. Is this already a feature? Planned?

Game is looking great, hope to get a closer look soon. Thanks for the updates.

[KonaDawg]

I am sure this has been posted somewhere else but thought id ask again. Is there a true swing or is it going to be click method? The game looks great and will be buying early access even tho I was ripped off with TGC. I have faith in this studio and will  be looking forward to release. The videos look awesome and I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas again. Thank you all and keep up the good work.

[fungolfer]

ok new video with much better quality here Sorry the putt isn't there but I can only record 1:30 minutes atm...

Link won't work, looking for another place

[Kablammo11]

There will be a trueswing, KonaDawg. It's currently called "Motion Swing" and the option for it is already in the menus. The Devs being unable to be in 5 places at the same time have prioritized the 3 Click swing meter atm, but certainly will turn their attention to the motion swing prior to early access.

 

Fungolfer, try vimeo or youtube. I did suggest to the Devs to open their own official PP youtube channel to gather all the videos that are bound to surface from now on, but they can't be in 5 places at the same time... It would be better if those who want to watch videos could be given a single link to go browse for themselves.

Perhaps if somebody from this community would volunteer to go get the clips from the posters and then put them up on YouTube? That would be the kind of voluntary contribution that might open alpha doors... (or not, what do I know, I don't have that power)

[fungolfer]

Yep, just gone that way Just took 45 Minutes to get the video available but now it is here  Hmmm, quality is still not what I expected, looks much better on my PC tho...

 

[Volker]

Wow, great things to come. I am very excited. Thanks to the testers who show us some videos or pics.