906 replies to this topic

[Buck]

I wish all golf developers would give up on the post shot reactions nonsense.
At the very least always make them an option you can turn off.

Rory was horrible with this.
Seemingly every reasonably good shot had a reaction akin to "the player just won the Powerball"

[mebby]

OK. More observations...

 

The ability to customize the appearance of the dude is de rigueur in games these days. The TGC2 one is adequate but I give it 6/10 compared to the Don Bradman Cricket one which is probably 8.5/10. DBC had the ability to add the basketball I carry under my shirt. Is this important? I don't know. If we have to watch a dude to play maybe it is. The Perfect Golf one I give..hmmm....0/10

 

I've been using the Scout cam thingy for reading putts. Keyboard and mouse is OK. Better than PG's F5 and the bouncing camera. With the controller it's a bit hard to control but I could get used to it. Reading the slopes is slightly worse than PG. Maybe a bit more than 'slightly'. 

 

I should also mention the clean menus and UI at TGC2. It's what you would expect in 2017. Plenty of options. Finding a particular course is a matter of entering the name in a search bar. Well who would have thought of that !!? A search field - not a carousel.  Carumba!

 

Aiming is by direction keys or that thing on the controller. No magic, striped stick. Good. Armand would approve.

 

But the lighting is woeful now that I've had time to experience it properly. There is no way to change time of day or gamma. 0/10

 

I've gone to Player clubs and I'm just hacking around out there. That doesn't worry me - yet. The overall gameplay (actual shooting in all situations is not good compared to PG. It's early days but I'm not real confident that I can make it improve with experience. PG is the standard and it's a high standard. PG 9/10, TGC2 6/10.

 

Cheers

 

 

 

Ted

Agree with you on reading the greens in JNPG vs TGC2 without grids.  I fee like it's easier to get a realistic read in JNPG without grids where in TGC2 you have to learn some tricks.  Which is why I've simply turned the grids back on in TGC2.  I think the textures are just better in JNPG compared to TGC2 which makes all the difference in this area.

 

I play without using the scout cam (force myself to aim via referencing the overhead map and what I see in front of me), I refuse to use the stupid dial-a-distance loft mechanism, and I turn off all shot feedback (no distance or shot cone feedback) and I feel like the game plays quite well that way if I use Tour Clubs.  I definitely have to work to keep my swing grooving because I'm never 100% certain if it's bad tempo or an off-plane swing (or a combo) that's got me going off-line.

 

I think JNPG still has the better controller swing in terms of difficulty.  I'd LOVE to see them add a tempo element like TGC has done.  That has added way more to the swing than I ever expected.  And I think that JNPG is still more sim-oriented than TGC2 so I agree with your comment on the shot making.

 

Overall, if JNPG ever gets a decent avatar that's closer to real-time (that slight lag stands out after you've played TGC for any length of time) and 3D grass then they'll have something much better on their hands and it may even become my go-to game again.

 

I knew you'd come around on the lighting.  It's really bad at times in TGC2.  Makes me fearful for what we might see with JNPG2 if it goes to the same version of Unity than TGC2 is using.

[mebby]

I wish all golf developers would give up on the post shot reactions nonsense.
At the very least always make them an option you can turn off.

Rory was horrible with this.
Seemingly every reasonably good shot had a reaction akin to "the player just won the Powerball"

Yea - it's one of those things that if you get it absolutely right then it's pretty awesome.  But anything short of perfection is going to look really bad.  I'm not sure anyone is ever going to get it exactly right though... and if they can't, then they should just leave it out.

[Buck]

Yea - it's one of those things that if you get it absolutely right then it's pretty awesome. But anything short of perfection is going to look really bad. I'm not sure anyone is ever going to get it exactly right though... and if they can't, then they should just leave it out.

Exactly. Until they can successfully make the reactions be contextually appropriate they look ridiculous.

A birdie on Hole 2 on Thursday shouldn't draw the reaction it gets to win the tournament at 18 on Sunday.

[mebby]

Exactly. Until they can successfully make the reactions be contextually appropriate they look ridiculous.

A birdie on Hole 2 on Thursday shouldn't draw the reaction it gets to win the tournament at 18 on Sunday.

Oh you mean like when you get a tap-in birdie on the first hole and the guy drops to his knees like he just won his first grand slam?  LOL!

 

Or... when you get a tap-in double bogey and he does a fist pump.  Yea... 

[Buck]

lol - precisely.

What's sad is that any developer implements that, sees how it looks in the game and says: "sweet! Ship it!"

[Ted_Ball]

LOL!  I literally think you guys are the only two people on earth that actually think the JNPG avatar is better than the one in TGC2.  Talk about broken arms/wrists... have you even LOOKED at the guy in JNPG?!!  LOL!!

 

Totally agree with you about the PG broken-wristed, zombie-eyed Harry the Horrible. I was imagining Harry when I wrote that and forgot about the hands. PG did have trouble with the mo-cap process I seem to remember - lost files or something - but that doesn't mean it would have been better all being well. For games that are based on the animation of the avatar to co-ordinate the swing there doesn't seem to have been much quality control (or money spent).

 

But to put aside the look of the dudes, the marrying of controller to animation in TGC2 is much better. TGC2 10/10. PG 6/10 for that part alone.

 

The post shot reaction is so unnecessary. It's a distraction. Save your mocap money by ditching it developers. 

[mebby]

Totally agree with you about the PG broken-wristed, zombie-eyed Harry the Horrible. I was imagining Harry when I wrote that and forgot about the hands. PG did have trouble with the mo-cap process I seem to remember - lost files or something - but that doesn't mean it would have been better all being well. For games that are based on the animation of the avatar to co-ordinate the swing there doesn't seem to have been much quality control (or money spent).

 

But to put aside the look of the dudes, the marrying of controller to animation in TGC2 is much better. TGC2 10/10. PG 6/10 for that part alone.

 

The post shot reaction is so unnecessary. It's a distraction. Save your mocap money by ditching it developers. 

I had forgotten about the slight lag between input and avatar reaction in JNPG until I started playing TGC2.  Whenever I fire up JNPG for a quick round or two the lag sticks out like a sore thumb.  You get used to it after a while but given the choice I'd much prefer there to be no noticeable lag.

[Buck]

I had forgotten about the slight lag between input and avatar reaction in JNPG until I started playing TGC2.  Whenever I fire up JNPG for a quick round or two the lag sticks out like a sore thumb.  You get used to it after a while but given the choice I'd much prefer there to be no noticeable lag.

I wonder if this doesn't bother me so much because I play using in home streaming to the steam link now (and have for 4-5 months).
Ignorance definitely can be bliss at times. lol

[mebby]

I wonder if this doesn't bother me so much because I play using in home streaming to the steam link now (and have for 4-5 months).
Ignorance definitely can be bliss at times. lol

When I only played JNPG I had forgotten all about it.  I only notice it when going from TGC back to JNPG.  So you probably don't notice it because you don't play TGC.  

[Buck]

When I only played JNPG I had forgotten all about it.  I only notice it when going from TGC back to JNPG.  So you probably don't notice it because you don't play TGC.

For sure - With so many things in PG I'm, sadly, in the battered victim zone where I accept it as it is since it's the best available for what my limited digital golf needs are.

If TGC ever gets their online situation modernized and more feature complete I'd love to consider it again, but I simply can't live without real time, online 1:1 Match Play that works as it should. That's literally all I do these days.

[mebby]

For sure - With so many things in PG I'm, sadly, in the battered victim zone where I accept it as it is since it's the best available for what my limited digital golf needs are.

If TGC ever gets their online situation modernized and more feature complete I'd love to consider it again, but I simply can't live without real time, online 1:1 Match Play that works as it should. That's literally all I do these days.

Their multiplayer implementation is absolutely abysmal.  They are sort of hinting that their pending announcement won't address it either which tells me that they have their heels dug in on this one.  I really hope I'm misreading them or that they are just holding their cards very close to their chest but it's very hard to believe that they can't see the importance of a solid MP environment in the year 2018!

 

If JNPG2 ever comes out and has an updated avatar along with 3D grass AND TGC3 gets a reasonable MP environment then I'll probably be playing a LOT of video game golf!  Something tells me that I'll be perpetually disappointed though.

[MERACE]

 Something tells me that I'll be perpetually disappointed though.

That's why I set my expectations low for any video golf game. 

 

I primarily play the golf game that provides me with the most enjoyment which currently is TGC2. 

 

 

-MERACE

[GoldenBear]

Nah... give him a break, I think he just missed his Tony Robbins seminar this week 

Thank Yahweh I am not like some of you who simply come here to attack others.  Give it a rest.  None of you will wear me out.  What happened in some of your lives makes me shudder to think of it.

 

As for the fools who listen to that Robbins guy or all the others like him I am not one of them.  Some are so easily brainwashed by a smooth talking guy who spouts nonsense just to get your money.

[mebby]

Thank Yahweh I am not like some of you who simply come here to attack others.  Give it a rest.  None of you will wear me out.  What happened in some of your lives makes me shudder to think of it.

I live a pretty darn good life actually.  I even get outside and do real things with real people and stuff!  

[JCat04]

Thank Yahweh I am not like some of you who simply come here to attack others.  Give it a rest.  None of you will wear me out.  What happened in some of your lives makes me shudder to think of it.

 

As for the fools who listen to that Robbins guy or all the others like him I am not one of them.  Some are so easily brainwashed by a smooth talking guy who spouts nonsense just to get your money.

 

Yeah, I must confess... that's the most vile, hurtful thing I think I've ever said in this forum.  At least you've got a slant on Robbins that I agree with so I'll have to tip my cap to you on that one.

[DoGgs]

I was always under the impression that Mr freeze was nothing more than a place holder, but news of PG 2 kinda made him a permanent fixture, would be nice to have him animated ( without the post shot rubbish ) maybe PP can go grab a tramp, pay him 20 quid to swing a golf club, record it and get him in game..better than nothing.

[mebby]

I was always under the impression that Mr freeze was nothing more than a place holder, but news of PG 2 kinda made him a permanent fixture, would be nice to have him animated ( without the post shot rubbish ) maybe PP can go grab a tramp, pay him 20 quid to swing a golf club, record it and get him in game..better than nothing.

I think you are right.  When they put him in the game they said it was just a temporary place holder until they could get something better in place.  That was about two years ago now and I'm guessing that with their new owners and a steady focus on the simulator offering that updating this animation is on the WAY back burner as the sim guys have no use for an avatar.

[DoGgs]

Big mistake if they focus more on the sim side of things, then it will become firmly niche market,  i'm never gonna own a sim setup and if PG 2 is tailored more towards that then i won't be getting it unless it also compliments standard play nicely. 

[Buck]

Big mistake if they focus more on the sim side of things, then it will become firmly niche market,  i'm never gonna own a sim setup and if PG 2 is tailored more towards that then i won't be getting it unless it also compliments standard play nicely. 

 

 

You realize that's what Trackman, the now owners of PP & PG, does, right?

 

SIM setups may be a niche, but they are obviously a very healthy company irregardless.

 

Niche ≠ Unprofitable