P3pro Launch Monitor and GSA!!!

[bubba22]

Once again, a simple thing that is an easy software fix.

[SDL]

A fast dual core or a triple core with 3GB of ram and a 1GB ATI video like mine or a Nvidia GTS250 with 1GB would do just fine.

ZMax,

I hate to mess with buying a new CPU or a new computer just for the golf sim if I can get some life out of the current system. Right now, the XPS 400 is the "third string" computer at our house. Both my son and I have desktops with i7 processors and 6 GB of RAM. I have an Nvidia GTS 240 video card in mine, and he has a GTX 285 for gaming. I don't really want to switch either of those to the golf area.

You don't think I can boost up the performance of the XPS 400 enough to run the virtual courses with a RAM upgrade and a new graphics card ?

SDL

[ZMax]

You don't think I can boost up the performance of the XPS 400 enough to run the virtual courses with a RAM upgrade and a new graphics card ?

SDL

It'll probably be able to run but you might have to put the detail on low to make it run smooth. When I had the dual core, some of the flybys were jerky.

[northgolf]

P3pro folks struck oil with this sensor, but they didn't have the know how to pump the oil efficiently. In 2004, when it was released, the software was primitive to say the least. And was not written by anybody that had real golf ball physics knowledge.

Jump to now, almost 2011, and it's still the same primitive software. They bought GSA integration but didn't bother to test all the features? We don't even know if only play will work. If I paid somebody thousands of $$ to do something, it better be done right.

There's no way in hell that they would ever consider opening up the software for us.

I expect the hardware companies would fight it, but the sim software companies might go for it. If they published a spec, then the hardware folks could either write to it and be able to keep up with the latest and greatest sims or languish on old versions. I think the sim companies would like this as they get the opportunity to sell direct to the customer and keep the mark up and instead of the hardware folk adding a large mark up on the software simply because they are bundling it with their hardware.

[ZMax]

I just made an 11 ft putt, but did not get the sound of the ball dropping in the cup. The only sound was from people clapping. I know the sound file for the cup is there because I found 3 of them. Wtf?


Edit:

Nevermind. On replay, the sound is there. What happen was the clapping sound start the same time as the ball went in the cup.

OK, maybe there was no sound of the ball fallining the cup after all.

Here's what just happened:

I had a 15ft putt off the fringe that hit the flagstick and bounced back a few inches. I decided to play it back. On replay, I can hear the sound of the ball hitting the flagstick. There was no sound earlier when it happened in real time.

I had also made a putt earlier and there was no sound of the ball falling in the cup, just people clapping.

Just another thing to add to the list of problems that will probably never get fixed. The courses should never have been released. People should stop buying the courses until these problems get fixed.

[bubba22]

I hear ya ZMax. The interface needs work for sure. Again its really just the little sloppy things like you are pointing out.

[ZMax]

I'm ready to move on to something else.

[bubba22]

ZMax did you happen to speak to the P3pro folks?

[ZMax]

ZMax did you happen to speak to the P3pro folks?

Yes, I posted it here in this thread yesterday.

[bubba22]

Just read again and it sounds like there was really no advancement talking to them. I know that in the new year, probably in the next 2 months I will be moving to a new sim. The expectations with the P3pro just have not come through. I think they have lots of potential, in fact huge potential. My big issue has always been getting a launch angle measurement and that, by the looks of it, may never happen with the P3pro. How long is someone expected to wait with really no end in sight and no positive communication from the company?

[ZMax]

Nope, no real advancement. He acknowledge the problem with terrain penalties but that was it.

How big is this company? How is it that a guy from tech support doesn't have a clue about product updates? Even if they eventually come out with a fix for the sand penalties, do you think they add a sand blast or flop shot, so that the ball doesn't hit off a 1 ft lip? I think not.

With there track record, we'll be lucky if we get any fix in 6 months. How long have the courses been out now? Sept.?

[bubba22]

My fear is how slow things are happening.

[Kball]

Just to confirm - I do not hear the ball going into the cup when utilizing the GSA courses.

[SDL]

It'll probably be able to run but you might have to put the detail on low to make it run smooth. When I had the dual core, some of the flybys were jerky.

Well, today I loaded the GSA courses to see if they will run on my outdated computer. Courses tend to load quite slowly, flybys are a bit jerky at times, and there are fairly long delays when switching between some parts of the program -- but it does work!

I didn't mess with the default graphics set-up, so it might run better (or worse) with other settings. I only had a chance to look briefly for a manual to explain a few features and settings, but I didn't find one. Is there a manual, and if so where can I find it?

I haven't had a chance to experience all of the performance problems described in this thread, but I'm sure I'll share in the pain after the "honeymoon" period ends. For today, though, I've seen the great potential of the P3Pro as a sim, which is why several owners are so frustrated with the missed opportunities for making this a really great product.

I had a chance to play Turnberry today, and it was great fun! I played this course for real in 2000 with my brother, and it's one of my favorite courses in the world. The GSA sim doesn't fully convey all the elevation changes and the truly stunning beauty of the seaside holes, but it gets me close enough to make it an enjoyable experience. I just have to remember that golf sims are still "not quite golf" and hope that they can continue to get more and more realistic without costing me too much money.

Thanks to those of you on this forum who have helped me get this far in reviving my old P3Pro set-up -- and HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

SDL

[ZMax]

Glad to see that you're up and running. If you're up for a challenge, try Akron from the back tees. Nice course but tough. For me, it was driver, 3 wood, then LW on just about every par 4.

[Bruce Balog]

Zmax-- I played that course from the back tees over the summer in real life. Couldn't reach a lot of the par 4's in 2 and the greens were lightning fast. It's amazing how much harder the pro courses really are! I think this course on the sim is actually pretty realistic. I enjoy the graphics, but the greens are too flat-- just like in most of the GSA courses on the P3Pro.

[blackfire]

Hey everyone,

I have the P3Pro without GSA for the moment but planning to get them soon. I don't realy care about flat green as it is a SIM and putting in a SIM is not realistic at all anyway. Also I do not care about launch angle For a SIM cause you know you did'nt hit it well but who gives a ..... It a SIM.

OK I'd like to know if you can select an option to practice so that once you have a shot lets say 155 yards to the green and you what to practice this shot so you click on a button and you're in practice mode and you do the same shot all and all until you click on the practice button again then you get back to normal playing. This option is available on the GSA simulation of Martin Gardiner(GGS-GSA).

Other then sand trap problem, flat greens and some sound that are not so great is they're big problem with normal shot driver, irons and chiping.

By the way intergration with Vector is great cause you get launch angle, ball speed, ball speen and azimuth better than zelocity and for lower cost. 3000$ plus 2000 for a P3Pro and you get accurate ball and club data for 5000 with great SIM.

GC2 is verry great but for 10 000$ you don't have club data and just a few courses.

[ZMax]

Hey everyone,

I have the P3Pro without GSA for the moment but planning to get them soon. I don't realy care about flat green as it is a SIM and putting in a SIM is not realistic at all anyway. Also I do not care about launch angle For a SIM cause you know you did'nt hit it well but who gives a ..... It a SIM.

OK I'd like to know if you can select an option to practice so that once you have a shot lets say 155 yards to the green and you what to practice this shot so you click on a button and you're in practice mode and you do the same shot all and all until you click on the practice button again then you get back to normal playing. This option is available on the GSA simulation of Martin Gardiner(GGS-GSA).

Other then sand trap problem, flat greens and some sound that are not so great is they're big problem with normal shot driver, irons and chiping.

By the way intergration with Vector is great cause you get launch angle, ball speed, ball speen and azimuth better than zelocity and for lower cost. 3000$ plus 2000 for a P3Pro and you get accurate ball and club data for 5000 with great SIM.

GC2 is verry great but for 10 000$ you don't have club data and just a few courses.

Why not just get a Wii or a $300 Playstation?

What's your definition of a "SIM"?

[bubba22]

I agree ZMax. Blackfire I am not sure I understand your thoughts. You don't care about launch angle yet you are talking about the Vectort as well as the GC2? I for one think that the ball data is extremely important in simulation. Understanding what the ball does will make it more realistic. Will it be perfect, no I agree. However getting club and ball data (especially ball data) will improve the realism. Although debatable I would suggest knowing the ball launch, direction, speed and spin are critical imformation to know in order to determine the ball flight. I do think that having this info and the right algoryths for ball flight will improve the accuracy and realism of the sim.

[readygolf]

.

[blackfire]

Why not just get a Wii or a $300 Playstation?

What's your definition of a "SIM"?

I think your insulting me and the P3Pro with this comment.

P3Pro is a verry good swing analyser.

Yes it would be great to have all the ball data but It's better then nothing and you can play the 2 courses included if you whant to use the launch angle to work. But I understand that for you guys that have the launch angle it must be frustrating that it's not intergrated but I'm not sure that we sould'nt buy the courses because of that. I dont have the launch angle yet. I'm waiting for Vector pro to be intergrated but I hope they will intergrate more then launch angle for 3000$

Sorry as english is not my primary langage and maybe what you read is not exacly what I whant to say.

[bubba22]

Thanks for the info readygolf. I am glad that p3pro is reading these comments. For the most part the comments are not negative in fact they are geared towards improving a good product. I am not sure I understand what you mean by he knows our names. Is that a threat? I really hope they will come through with a new launch add on and a vector integration. I really wonder what will happen with the owners of the old launch add on? I hope they will have that integration to GSA as well. All I can say is that some users have been able to correct some of the flaws in the P3pro GSA courses and hopefully P3pro just acknowledges that there are issues and works on correcting them. That is really all.

[bubba22]

Probably just a misunderstanding Blackfire. If what you are saying is that you don't care for just the launch add on and really are waiting for the vector integration, I understand.

[ZMax]

I think your insulting me and the P3Pro with this comment.

P3Pro is a verry good swing analyser.

Yes it would be great to have all the ball data but It's better then nothing and you can play the 2 courses included if you whant to use the launch angle to work. But I understand that for you guys that have the launch angle it must be frustrating that it's not intergrated but I'm not sure that we sould'nt buy the courses because of that. I dont have the launch angle yet. I'm waiting for Vector pro to be intergrated but I hope they will intergrate more then launch angle for 3000$

Sorry as english is not my primary langage and maybe what you read is not exacly what I whant to say.

Didn't mean to insult you. It was an honest question. It seems that most people just don't care about the details. Somebody needs to speak up about the problems. How else will things change?

[bubba22]

Further more to the P3pro comments. I personally was upset because I invested a lot of money into the p3pro for specific reasons. I bought the launch add on, grass top and GSA courses to find out that they discontinued the launch add on with no feedback as to why and what was happening. As well the GSA courses did not have the launch integration at all. Finally the GSA courses have many flaws and are not working as well as with other sims. Many sims have the GSA courses and have good integration, so its possible. I understand that it is not easy integrating courses however one of the members on this board has made some very nice tweaks of the P3pro GSA that have greatly improved the GSA courses. Why could P3pro not have done that? Perhaps they should speak to that member. Look I endorse the sim however as a customer constructive negative comments should be used to improve the quality of the sim.

[ZMax]

FYI - Spk to Jay Rousseau (sp?), Owner of P3 and he told me some info I though i would pass on. He is a really nice guy and very approachable. Btw, he has been reading all of our posts and he knows our real names...Glad I didnt say anything bad

Anyway here is what he said...
1. They are going to be relaunching the selling of the Launch Angle package very soon. Prob in the next two weeks.
2. They are putting the finishing touches on the integration with Vector Pro and the data captured by Vector will be passed along to P3 to show the launch angle that the Vector measures
3. They are looking at having their own Launch Angle package integrate with the Virtual courses. FYI, he explained that he read our comments about our combined thoughts about "how easy it is" to have done this earlier. He also explained to me why it is not easy. He said he wasn't surprised that we dont understand how the technology of integrating woth other programs works but would have no problem explaining it to whoever is interested as he did with me. Anyway...
4. He also mentioned that they are working on trying to get Custom Play Games, makers of the Virtual courses, to work with them to get them to pass on to the them the data they need to improve lie penalties such as bunker and rough shots. P3 already can do that but its limited for Custome Play Games.

I have to say I am happy with my P3 and the course even with its limitations. But for $1600 I think its the best bargain.

And apparantly a lot of other people agree. Rousseau told me they have sold over 8000 P3's since 2004 and they have sold over 300 Virtual Course packages. And the PGA Learning Center endorses them, and every newly opened Sports Authority get one of their Ace packages...So they are doing something right.

Thats all. Hope this info help all of you.


Thats all I got

Why didn't Jay just come on here and discuss the issues with his customers?

I really question #4, but if all of it is true, then good for you and all P3pro/GSA owners. Too bad for me as I've ready returned my courses. Too bad the only tech support guy working there or sales people didn't know about any of this 2 weeks ago. If they had told me all of this then, I might have kept my courses. Darn it...

[ZMax]

Further more to the P3pro comments. I personally was upset because I invested a lot of money into the p3pro for specific reasons. I bought the launch add on, grass top and GSA courses to find out that they discontinued the launch add on with no feedback as to why and what was happening. As well the GSA courses did not have the launch integration at all. Finally the GSA courses have many flaws and are not working as well as with other sims. Many sims have the GSA courses and have good integration, so its possible. I understand that it is not easy integrating courses however one of the members on this board has made some very nice tweaks of the P3pro GSA that have greatly improved the GSA courses. Why could P3pro not have done that? Perhaps they should speak to that member. Look I endorse the sim however as a customer constructive negative comments should be used to improve the quality of the sim.

Well put bubba22.

[Bruce Balog]

I have also heard from Jay Russo, and agree he is a very nice guy who is truly trying to work with his customers. I think this stuff takes time, and I am confident that improvements will come. In my opinion, the unit is great, and so are the two courses. The virtual courses are just too unrealistic in my opinion for $1,000. The launch angle would be great, but I think that is a secondary concern. Sand play, rough, and trees mean nothing, so it is like playing golf in an open field with a flag 400 yards away. If these things are fixed, I will look at buying the courses back.

[Bruce Balog]

Also, I think Jay reads this forum because he understands the value of it. I would have never purchased P3Pro if it wasn't for the input of bubba22 and others who spoke so highly of it. I am sure others feel the same way. There is not a better golf sim forum on the internet, and I think it is safe to say that sales are won and lost based on our opinions and feedback.

[bubba22]

I think you are right Bruce. I hope p3pro continues to improve. Like the dd, the p3pro are good sims but there is always room for improvement. For the P3pro it really is the GSA courses.