Tiger Woods 14 thread, part II

[10spro]

My willpower is that of a 12 year old girl and Bieber paraphenala...picked up the historic edition just by walking by the display at best buy. I suppose I should just stop leaving the house all together to prevent that from happening. Smh.

Haa, just picked it up on my way to picking my kid from school. If you bought it at GS get the free code for Pinehurst #2 course.

[Danimal]

I also bought it bugs and all.

[DChaps]

Damn you all..... Just completely caved and bought the The Masters Historic Edition version on Amazon (had credit to apply). It will be here tomorrow. We all sure talk a big game. Last year's DSP CC was too much fun so I guess I am willing to work through it.

Of course now I am regretting cancelling my pre-order. If I go pick up the Master's Historic Edition from Target or Best Buy tonight, would I be able to return my unopened copy from Amazon back to them the next day without any issues? In other words, does Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Amazon etc. have stickers or coding devices on the packages that would flag it from not being from their store so they would not accept it even if it was unopened and I had the receipt?

[dbdynsty25]

Damn you all..... Just completely caved and bought the The Masters Historic Edition version on Amazon (had credit to apply). It will be here tomorrow. We all sure talk a big game. Last year's DSP CC was too much fun so I guess I am willing to work through it.

Of course now I am regretting cancelling my pre-order. If I go pick up the Master's Historic Edition from Target or Best Buy tonight, would I be able to return my unopened copy from Amazon back to them the next day without any issues? In other words, does Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Amazon etc. have stickers or coding devices on the packages that would flag it from not being from their store so they would not accept it even if it was unopened and I had the receipt?

They do not as far as I know. I've done it a few times. Doesn't matter if it's sealed as no one loses money...they will just resell it anyway so ethical issues are non-existent. I regret losing the ten bucks for the historic edition deal on amazon too, but whatever.

And yeah...we are weak. Talk a big cancel game, but ultimately lose money to buy anyway. WTF.

[ddtrane]

This was the first game I've ordered from Amazon and it arrived promptly at 1:45 p.m. Just like you all said it would. No taxes, delivery charge, or having to drive to pick it up. Amazon gets all my game business from new on.

I had to work/travel over the weekend so when I got home late Sunday night, while waiting for the download I fell asleep. When I got to play it later, I really loved the ER as opposed to the demo. It just seemed like a completely different game and I started to feel better about my preorder.

My only gripe is the golf ball still fall down immediately after striking leaves when it should just keep going forward, that's my only complaint, but that's my fault because I should be on the fairway and not in the trees and off course.

[Wilk5280]

Well the Mrs just called me and told me not to go out and buy the game today because she just picked up the historic version while out on her lunch break. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I wasnt planning on getting it this year. I still may not open it up... Will depend on self control and other feedback between now and the time I get home from work.

You know you'll open it. Just embrace it now.

Guilty as charged

Club invite pls

[Wilk5280]

Well the Mrs just called me and told me not to go out and buy the game today because she just picked up the historic version while out on her lunch break. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I wasnt planning on getting it this year. I still may not open it up... Will depend on self control and other feedback between now and the time I get home from work.

You know you'll open it. Just embrace it now.

Guilty as charged

Club invite pls

[10spro]

What I like about the Sim mode is that finally we have realistic scores. Just played Mission Hills a quick Live tourney going on up to 5 holes and the leader so far is tidying at -2. I finished at +1.

About to play 18 holes at Muirfield Village where after a full round the current leader is sitting at -2. Will someone beat that score? Probably, but not the outrageous -20 scores we used to see in past TW versions.

Very life like realistic scores. This mode is a b*tch, it'll slap you silly if you miss the fairway, but then that's when the fun starts for me. How the heck do I play the next shot to get a possible par at least. A bit of strategy if you will.

[Danimal]

I posted in the CC thread about the 1 rounder and 4 rounder I set up for the rest of the week. That is where I will typically post about events.

Wiki I sent you an invite.

- Dan

[Leebo33]

Guilty as charged

Club invite pls

Me too!

[Wilk5280]

Soo, what's the issue about yardage again? It tells you in the top left of the screen how many yards to the flag. I'm perfectly fine with that. I guess I jumped to conclusions without playing the early release. I will say have the menu items stuck on the screen is a total drag, though.

[Wilk5280]

DP

[Danimal]

Soo, what's the issue about yardage again? It tells you in the top left of the screen how many yards to the flag. I'm perfectly fine with that. I guess I jumped to conclusions without playing the early release. I will say have the menu items stuck on the screen is a total drag, though.

The issue is you have no idea the distance to things. Any golfer worth his salt is not saying it 356 to the hole and there is water and bunkers out there so I'll just grab my driver and swing hard. Once you start playing enough you will see, when you hit a shot into water you didn't know was there or was reachable.

It is an artificial way to make the game harder and it is working so there is the plus side but the everyday weekend hack can determine how far it is to a bunker.

[Wilk5280]

Yep yep yep, absolutely. Got ya! The camera does need to be raised a bit higher so you can see the hole you're about to play with yardage indicators at each hazard or other significant landmarks on the hole for the purpose of reference. Oh well

[Danimal]

Well I just shot 4 strokes better than the cut line and was cut from the tourney.

Really no one else is seeing this or am I the only one playing a SP career?

[10spro]

Despite the camera angle flaws, this is perhaps the strongest representation of the TW franchise for any console. Sim mode is a great addition and it should be commended and followed up. If I hook a shot badly, I know it's me and not some cheap AI set on a hard level designed to play catch up. Playing a course during sunset is beautiful, not as dark as it appeared in the ST version. Shot shaping is crucial in getting out of the rough and unlike previous TW versions. this is the way to use your RS or LS.

Once again playing on Live tourneys I don't see the ridiculous scores anymore on this particular mode and frankly I personally keep telling myself to try to break par at this level as birdies are very hard to come by as it should and is in real life.

Still, this game needs a patch to fix some issues but when it comes to the gameplay department in Sim mode, it's the best yet.

[J_Cauthen]

Check this news out boys... I might be in the Tiger 14 camp after all!

Sean Wilson, TW 14 Executive Producer writes:

We have just checked in a fix to return the putting camera in follow cam back to the cam that stays with the golfer, much like last year. The current broadcast camera is still available in broadcast view.

A couple of things:

1) we need to test the #$%* out of this to make sure it doesn't break anything. If it does, we may have to revert.
2) for those that like the existing putting camera in follow-cam, if we lose it from follow-cam, my apologies. i just want to convey that the design team was not bullied into making this change. the design all along was meant to use this camera. we just feel that it's not fair that people don't have the opportunity to read their putts after they hit them. Plus, via a patch, we just can't fix the spots where you sometimes get a bad camera in the current view...it's not technically possible.

Again, I'm just trying to keep you guys in the loop. There is still the possibility this won't happen if we can't get it in bug free. I DO NOT want to make this game buggier. So I need to be sure.

In any event, thanks for being patient and I'll keep everyone posted.

Hallelujah

[orthostud23]

Glad to see that they are trying to patch that in. Did you cave JC and get the game?

[DivotMaker]

Sean has posted several patch updates today.....

http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/9396331.page

http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/9401262.page

http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/9401539.page

http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/9401588.page

[bulls23]

Don't have the game, but so refreshing to see this level of communication and immediate reaction from EA. Why can't all EA games have this treatment? Thinking of CCM in Madden (editing, etc). Took them weeks to admit editing wasn't in, and longer to get it patched.

[Danimal]

Don't have the game, but so refreshing to see this level of communication and immediate reaction from EA. Why can't all EA games have this treatment? Thinking of CCM in Madden (editing, etc). Took them weeks to admit editing wasn't in, and longer to get it patched.

After the Sim City fiasco I think EA has no choice than to be more responsive and importantly honest. I'd rather see better products out of the door from EA than good communication post release. I also think this is a make or break year for this game. Nothing to back that up other than a hunch. Licensing for this game must be through the roof and who knows if they make back their money.

Personally I really love the game play and some bugs like freezing are unavoidable. Others well it makes me wonder about their play testers.

[J_Cauthen]

Glad to see that they are trying to patch that in. Did you cave JC and get the game?

I've got a rental from Gamefly that I received today. I played one career mode round before I had to go out. My dissatisfaction with the putting camera cuts continues to mount. I can't explain to myself why it bothers me so much. Deep down, I just feel like I'm being deprived of the intimacy of the putting game. When I go back and watch the replays of putts using the swing camera view, it just drives home how much more 'personal' the game would feel to me if that was the real time view.

[ddtrane]

Glad to see that they are trying to patch that in. Did you cave JC and get the game?

I've got a rental from Gamefly that I received today. I played one career mode round before I had to go out. My dissatisfaction with the putting camera cuts continues to mount. I can't explain to myself why it bothers me so much. Deep down, I just feel like I'm being deprived of the intimacy of the putting game. When I go back and watch the replays of putts using the swing camera view, it just drives home how much more 'personal' the game would feel to me if that was the real time view.

When I played the demo and season ticket versions, I wasn't sure what you were referring to. But after receiving my copy and playing through a round I know exactly what you mean with the camera switching during putting, it's downright awful!!! I feel like I'm watching someone else putt, I'm hoping they patch this and make this better.

Overall, I really like the putting, and the approaches, but my game off the tee is disastrous, and needs much work. I'll continue to play the dailys and continue to place first, at the bottom, that is.

[DivotMaker]

When I played the demo and season ticket versions, I wasn't sure what you were referring to. But after receiving my copy and playing through a round I know exactly what you mean with the camera switching during putting, it's downright awful!!! I feel like I'm watching someone else putt, I'm hoping they patch this and make this better.

Overall, I really like the putting, and the approaches, but my game off the tee is disastrous, and needs much work. I'll continue to play the dailys and continue to place first, at the bottom, that is.

If you haven't already, put your camera on Follow Cam and see if that does not help the putting camera. I am not seeing these issues and I am using Follow Cam universally in the game. I would prefer Broadcast presentation, but those cameras don't do me any good when trying to see where I hit my tee and approach shots and I believe this is a major cause for the putting cams to be so inconsistent.

[DChaps]

Wow, this game is difficult on Simulation settings. I have never been so stoked at just making it to the fairway. Posted a first round score in the DSP 4 Round tourney at TPC Sawgrass of +50. On the bright side, I am currently the leader.

The biggest positive for me so far, after 2 full nights of playing the retail Historic version, not one freeze! With TW13 I would have already had a least a couple with the amount of hours I put it, and I had several with the demo. Knock on wood....

One interesting thing that I don't think I had seen mentioned is that it appears that you can "buy" your way into leveling up your custom player attributes if you chose to do so using in game coins. If I am understanding it correctly, I now have the choice of grinding it out like last year by playing online or offline and gaining XP, or I can use coins to buy level ups. Is this new, or was it like that last year and I just did not realize it?

Likewise, it also seems like you cannot just "buy" new gear using coins. New clubs, balls, clothing, etc. is locked until you gain certain levels. I know last year I just went and bought better clubs and balls straight away using ms points converted to coins. It does not appear that you can do that this year, although I guess technically you could by "buying" your way to a leveled up golfer. What if you wanted to grind it out for your player attributes, but wanted to be playing with all Nike gear from the get-go with your player. I don't think you have that option.

Not a big deal either way, I just think it is different from TW13, correct? I think I like the idea of at least giving the option of "paying" to get your player upgraded, so that there is an option for people who don't have the time to grind it out. On the other hand, you could just already use an upgraded Pro and be done with it. I still wish there was some kind of tournament simulation setting that would just give you a certain number of attributes to pick how you wanted to distribute them. Everyone playing would have the same total number, but it would be up to the individual player as to how the would distribute the points to best suit their strengths and weaknesses.

Somehow Amazon ended up giving me the pre-order code for Bethpage Black as well as the $10 discount on the Masters Historic edition. Pretty cool! So of course now I am in the process of figuring out what DLC courses to get.

There is a 14 Course DLC for 3200 points (229/course) but it includes 4 fantasy courses that I do not care to purchase, and it has Bethpage Black, which I now already have. So it would really only be 9 courses. The Xbox Live Marketplace both in the game and on the web also states that it comes with PGA National (see link), but I am pretty sure PGA National is default in all editions of the game. My guess is they actually mean Black Wolf Run as it is the only DLC course that is not listed as one you can buy in a pack of some kind.

http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Produ ... f7da378a9a

Add 14 of the world's best courses in this single download! Includes Banff Springs, Bethpage Black, Celtic Manor, Colonial CC, Costa Navarino, The Els Club, PGA National, Pinehurst No. 2, Whistling Straits, Wolf Creek, Emerald Dragon (Fantasy), Greek Isles (Fantasy), Highlands (Fantasy), and The Predator (Fantasy).

The best deal for me seems to be the TPC 4 Pack for 800 pts (TPC River Highlands, TPC Scottsdale, TPC San Antonio, TPC Boston). As there were many course that I never played last year, I am going to try to be a little more discerning in purchasing additional DLC. With the $60 Amazon discount on the Historic, it gives me 25 real courses right out of the box, which is a really good deal compared to last year. Damn, 2 pages ago I was taking a "wait and see" approach to TW14, now I am all in. No will power....

PS - 10spro, Danimal, and JC --> how do you guys already have 500+ holes played? It took me over an hour to play 18 in the first round of the DSP Tourney. I have got to learn how to play quicker console golf.