GSA Golf Updates

[rdh]

Figured I'd start a thread for postings on any upcoming GSA Golf updates (not sure what the software is called for P3Pro...P3P Golf??).

Here's a cool enhancement they've made for the PC game software that will be ported over to GSA Golf. It seems like a minor thing, but it will add a lot to the realism. The way the ball rolls always seemed unnatural to me, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I thought it was just rolling too much or something. Duh - it was just missing any natural "bounces" from the terrain. I'm looking forward to this one - demo video at the link below:

http://www.24-hrgaming.com/forum/top...524#entry14524

(The demo video and mention of the new feature is about halfway down that page)

[bubba22]

What a great idea. As you say it is a minor thing but just adds that little bit to the realism. i like it. I wonder if the p3pro folks will get that upgrade?

[js1010]

Bobble is cool - maybe a bit too much booble on that video, especially seeing the courses are PRo courses that most likely have immaculate greens vs a local muni that may have some bumps. Maybe they could tweak it down just a hair for the green rolling - but overall I like adding realism to the software.

RDH - I checked the TIger Woods online game based on a post of yours. That is some cool stuff. Wish it was easy to integrate other software with the various hardware platforms. Would be nice to be able to take advantage of other software.

Also, in another thread - we talked about other features for GSA here are a few more that I would like to see

Camera views

I like the Chase Ball Cam best but wish it worked a bit different. I like seeing the ball flight where the ball flies to its apex and also see which way it will curve – I don’t like how it chases and gets so close to the ball that you lose the back drop of the course. I think I would like it better if the chase part of the flight had the camera not as high and a bit further back from the ball so you could still see the course and where the ball is heading in relation to the course.

I have been going through all the cameras and this is still my favorite cam view - just wish is was tweaked a bit. Curious what camera views others like?


Other things I wish they would adjust in the software

Sometimes I just want to play some par 3’s – unless you know which hole number you end up clicking around to find a hole to play. On the choose a hole screen why not display Hole Number, Par x, and the yardage would be nice. Seems like a not so difficult addition.

[rdh]

Those are great suggestions js1010 - I have the same problem identifying par 3s for iron practice. I'm going to send your comments to red chain to (hopefully) add to their list - it can't hurt to ask!

[js1010]

I actually sent the chase ball cam request to Dean via a PM on that 24 hour site. NIce find by the way - cool to read through those threads.

I really don't like when the ball goes off the screen and scrolls up towards the sky and you lose the course background and see the ball and the sky or upper part of trees.

I really hope they add another cam view or adjust this - In my opinion, it would be a nice addition.

In order to get my wedges shots to stay on the screen I have had to play around with my simulation setup tool program. Not sure if you have these options in your version, but Foresight has a Sim Setup Tool where you can tell it how big your screen is and how far you are far the projected screen which zooms your perspective of the course.

Zooming out a bit allows me to see the ball flight without scrolling up off the screen. But also has the downside of feeling a bit further away from the distance than it is.

[bubba22]

Very nice suggestions.

[rdrunner]

Lack of support for hybrids is a serious deficiency. Hopefully this will be rectified soon.

[bubba22]

I have said that before and totally agree with you rdrunner. What sim do you have rdrunner?

[rdrunner]

Bubba22
P3pro. Have been a user for over 5 years.

[bubba22]

Nice do you have the new courses? Do you have the launch angle cam? You have good experience that will be helpful for us all.

[rdrunner]

Yes I do I have the new courses. I am generally very pleased with them. I had difficulty with the chipping and putting at first but I seem to be getting better at it. Right now I am shooting in the high 80's-low 90's on the virtual courses although I did manage an 80 on Links at Spanish Bay. I am a 7.3 index and usually shoot in the low 80's on a real course.

I found the Highlands course much too easy and was always shooting in the low 70's which I never do on a real course.

I don't have the launch angle add-on as I use the Almost Golf balls. I used to use real golf balls but I shanked it once and left a hole in my basement drywall so I switched.

Great thread. Hopefully the folks over at P3Pro provide us with the updates on the software and new courses as they are developed.

[bubba22]

I have the launch add on and also use the almost balls. It works great with them. Really it just gives you the angle of the ball flight. I actually prefer the world of golf limited flight balls from Golf Town. Enquire about the launch add on or the new updated launch add on by p3pro. It really adds realism to those thin or skyve'd golf shots.

[rdrunner]

Bubba22,

How realistic would the launch angle of the almost golf balls be versus real golf balls? Have you compared the readings with the same club or clubs. I would be very interested in knowing what launch angle readings you obtain with various clubs using the almost balls and also real golf balls.

[bubba22]

The initial ball launch is very similair with the limited flight balls (almost. World of Golf, Brush T balls) compared to real balls. I have hit them all and compared and the differences are minor. What is different is the initial ball velocity (using accusport Cobra monitor). The almost golf ball initial ball velocity is lower than the other balls (Cayman, Brush T and World of Golf ). I find the launch measurement very realistic with the limited flight balls compared to the real balls. I imagine the spin and ball velocity are what are really different which would make a difference with sims like the GC2 but not the p3pro.

[rdh]

I had another thought on a potential improvement for GSA Golf today. I don't know if this applies to the P3Pro version as they may have modified the putting in it (there seem to be different tweaks in different versions of the software, after hearing that the Foresight Sports branded edition has some settings GSA Golf doesn't). I sent this email to Dean at Red Chain:

-----------------------------

One thing that takes you out of the simulation a bit is the fact that when you’re putting, the camera moves behind your ball unlike other shots, so while the actual ball might be 6 feet from the screen, you see the ball on the screen itself and the pin is a disproportionate distance away. i.e. if I have a 7 foot putt, I actually see the view as if the pin is 15 feet or so away since I see the ball 7 feet (or so) ahead of me.

I can press the up arrow key to move the camera up so that (in this example of a 7 foot putt) the hole is just above the bottom of the screen. So, it looks great – I am putting the ball over 6 feet of turf and then it just has a foot of “on screen” image to go, so it’s much much more realistic.

If you could add some option to configure the camera for putting, that would be great. The things I’m not sure on, or additional logic that would be needed, are:

1. I’m not sure how the various cameras (like moving along with the ball) would work in this case.


2. There would have to be a setting to say how far back your putting spot is from the screen, and the camera would need to have an appropriate “cutoff”. i.e. if I say I am 6 feet from the screen, then any putt that is 6 feet or less should just show the hole at the bottom of the screen – it wouldn’t make sense on a 2 foot putt to position the camera PAST the hole so you don’t see it at all.

[bubba22]

These are good thoughts rdh that will improve the realism. Let us know what Deans response is.

[rdh]

Dean said they're going to look at adding an option to do something along these lines.