HB Studios Next-Gen golf game: The Golf Club

[Naples39]

Aside from our PGA 2000 detour, any beta participants have anything to share on this game?

I'm not aware of any other news.

[MERACE]

We just received beta build 2 which is actually a third build of the game. The FPS have been increased (On my laptop computer I still have to play it on low settings) and some game "assists" like the aiming arc have been removed. However, it is still pretty easy to hit the ball straight. I'm hoping for some more tweaks in the game play difficulty prior to release.

Most of my time has been spent on the course creator and I'm loving every minute of it. This part of the game is just incredible!

HB Studios will be playing the PS4 version of the game in their booth a the GDC this week. Hopefully, they'll release some You Tube and/or Twitch videos to check it out.


-MERACE

[DivotMaker]

Looks like the HB Studios Team have a sense of humor as they pulled a fast one today with an April 1st Beta build that had folks ready to burn them in effigy........LOL.

http://www.hb-studios.com/forum/index.php?topic=1233.0

[J_Cauthen]

The early access version of The Golf Club was released today on Steam for $29.95. It will go to $34.95 in a week. It's very playable, but clearly not finished yet. A lot of the game modes and options show on the menu as "Coming Soon". There are no tournaments or tours yet, for example. They've made a lot of changes since the last beta build, mostly for the better. The greens now have fringe and are now believably receptive to approach shots. HBS has shown me that they are listening and reacting to feedback.

I will warn PC buyers that this game still hasn't really been fully optimized. My system is probably a little better than average. I've got and Asus desktop built with 2.87 gigahertz AMD A4-3420 APU Dual Core Processor, Radeon HD 7700 Series 1GB GDDR5 memory video card, and 8 GB RAM, yet I have to run the game in low detail graphics at 1600 x 900 resolution to average ~30 fps. The game takes a significant aesthetic hit going from medium to low graphics detail, particularly the water, which looks like molten purple lava.

I'm still going to get $30 worth of fun out of it, but I really only bought it to tide me over until the XBox One version is released. Those of you who have more powerfult graphics cards will get a lot more out of this game, IMO. My frame rates drop into the mid to high teens when I go from low to medium graphics detail. The game is unplayable at frame rates in the teens...

[Naples39]

The early access version of The Golf Club was released today on Steam for $29.95. It will go to $34.95 in a week. It's very playable, but clearly not finished yet. A lot of the game modes and options show on the menu as "Coming Soon". There are no tournaments or tours yet, for example. They've made a lot of changes since the last beta build, mostly for the better. The greens now have fringe and are now believably receptive to approach shots. HBS has shown me that they are listening and reacting to feedback.

I will warn PC buyers that this game still hasn't really been fully optimized. My system is probably a little better than average. I've got and Asus desktop built with 2.87 gigahertz AMD A4-3420 APU Dual Core Processor, Radeon HD 7700 Series 1GB GDDR5 memory video card, and 8 GB RAM, yet I have to run the game in low detail graphics at 1600 x 900 resolution to average ~30 fps. The game takes a significant aesthetic hit going from medium to low graphics detail, particularly the water, which looks like molten purple lava.

I'm still going to get $30 worth of fun out of it, but I really only bought it to tide me over until the XBox One version is released. Those of you who have more powerfult graphics cards will get a lot more out of this game, IMO. My frame rates drop into the mid to high teens when I go from low to medium graphics detail. The game is unplayable at frame rates in the teens...

Hmmm. Tempting.

How do you feel about the swing mechanics right now, shot variety...etc.?

[J_Cauthen]

Hmmm. Tempting.

How do you feel about the swing mechanics right now, shot variety...etc.?

The swing mechanics are solid, but too easy to execute a perfect shot, at least with my Microsoft Silver Edition wireless 360 controller. I find it hard to deviate from the Y axis enough to get me in trouble on anything more than a putt. It is possible to pull and push putts, thankfully.

They've got it too easy to hit 100% shots right now. Heck, even when I'm trying to hit like a 90% shot, it still gives me 100%. The shot setup screen is giving too much information as you're lofting and delofting the club. You can dial the carry distance down to the yard while adjusting it. The only thing you have to factor in is wind and elevation change. The red "risk cone" shrinks as you make loft/stance adjustments in any direction from default, but I paint the Y axis so consistently, it rarely matters, but when I don't.... woah be unto me! (it's rare though).

They've really neutered the pitching game, IMO. It's too easy to dial in a laser precision pitch shot using the shot setup tool. Pitches stop and in come cases back up on a dime, even from the rough. I rarely fail to get up and down from inside of 50 yards, even from bunkers, using the pitch shot, even from a 70% buried lie! Flop shots are really not needed, punch shots are really the hardest shot to execute in the game

TGC is still a work in progress and I'm sure it will continue to be refined. Hey, we've got fringes on the greens now, mostly believable approach shot physics, and semi-playable live play. Can't wait to see this on the PS4 and XB1 though, I don't think I'll ever touch the PC version after that.

[Diablo25]

The easy shot complaint seems to have been there since the first beta build. I hope they fix that. I'm no developer but how can that be that hard? I just want a challenge. Everything else (graphics, course designer, etc) is worthless without a challenging game.

[J_Cauthen]

The easy shot complaint seems to have been there since the first beta build. I hope they fix that. I'm no developer but how can that be that hard? I just want a challenge. Everything else (graphics, course designer, etc) is worthless without a challenging game.

The majority felt they made it too difficult in Build 3. I don't think it was as much because of the swing difficulty, it was more a matter of the greens not holding shots, and not having a lot of preshot targeting information. They narrowed the red risk cones sufficiently even in the early access build, IMO, but I'm still finding it too easy to groove the Y axis. Others with different controllers aren't having as easy a time and they're complaining the game is too hard. This is why I think it's going to be a much better fit for the console versions.

[Naples39]

Wow, that's disappointing. I have no interest in a golf game where you carefully set a target on the course and hit it nearly every time.

Maybe one day I'll get that game I'm looking for, where there's no shot aiming reticule, you have to just read distances on the course, and the shot mechanic is more than just a straight back analogue stick thrust.

[Aristo]

Wow, that's disappointing. I have no interest in a golf game where you carefully set a target on the course and hit it nearly every time.

Maybe one day I'll get that game I'm looking for, where there's no shot aiming reticule, you have to just read distances on the course, and the shot mechanic is more than just a straight back analogue stick thrust.

That was TW 11, and it was great. With True Aim you could zoom, but there was no target. More importantly, when you zoomed in and moved around, you were not aiming. So when you went back to your golfer, he was till there facing straight ahead. All you had were distances and elevations that a pro playing a course would have. I would aim by picking a tree or another object and hoping it was about right. It was the first time since PGA 2000 that I felt like a game made a significant change in how to play that made the game so good I would never want to go back.

The problem is, TW 11 sold like poop. EA took the feature out and included The Masters for TW 12, which sold a much better. And that was the end of of fun golf.

Powerstar Golf is more fun than TW is at this point.

[Diablo25]

Website dedicated to user created courses, etc. I wish this damn game would come out for consoles already. Supposedly it's a few weeks away.

http://www.pocketscout.us/tgc/

[Diablo25]

Almost there.

http://www.pastapadre.com/2014/07/05/th ... t-and-sony

[Diablo25]

HB Studios has submitted their game to both Sony and MS. Barring any major hiccups the game will be available for download in a few weeks. The game will be digital download only.

[MERACE]

I've been patiently playing the PC version waiting for HB Studios to finish up their work on the console versions and submitting them to Sony and Microsoft. My low spec laptop is almost at the point of a meltdown so the PS4 version can not come any sooner.

If HB Studios gets approval for cross-platform sharing of the course creations I'm wondering if there might be any interest in a DSP league starting up here like we had for TW?


-MERACE

[Diablo25]

I've been patiently playing the PC version waiting for HB Studios to finish up their work on the console versions and submitting them to Sony and Microsoft. My low spec laptop is almost at the point of a meltdown so the PS4 version can not come any sooner.

If HB Studios gets approval for cross-platform sharing of the course creations I'm wondering if there might be any interest in a DSP league starting up here like we had for TW?


-MERACE

I'll be interested in the cross platform stuff if it's a go. I'm still not sure which console ver. I'm getting.

[MERACE]

I'll be interested in the cross platform stuff if it's a go. I'm still not sure which console ver. I'm getting.

Hint, hint, PS4


-MERACE

[10spro]

I'll be interested in the cross platform stuff if it's a go. I'm still not sure which console ver. I'm getting.

Hint, hint, PS4


-MERACE

Yeah, I'll be interested too. I'll go with whichever console.

[TheTruth]

Definitely interested. XB1 here

[MERACE]

Ok, let's be fair now. The guys that have multiple consoles should buy the PS4 version of TGC since they are going with Xbox One for NHL15.


-MERACE

[RobVarak]

I'm all over this. XB1

[Spooky]

Day one purchase - XB1.

[Danimal]

Ok, let's be fair now. The guys that have multiple consoles should buy the PS4 version of TGC since they are going with Xbox One for NHL15.

Here is the flip side to that. The guys who have PS4's are not usually participants in any DSP online gatherings, or should I say regulars. I only kept my XB1 because I figured once most adopted here the online gathering regulars would go XB1.

[dbdynsty25]

Ok, let's be fair now. The guys that have multiple consoles should buy the PS4 version of TGC since they are going with Xbox One for NHL15.

Here is the flip side to that. The guys who have PS4's are not usually participants in any DSP online gatherings, or should I say regulars. I only kept my XB1 because I figured once most adopted here the online gathering regulars would go XB1.

That's pretty much the only reason I've got mine. Just in case something really takes off (NHL, TGC, etc.).

[DChaps]

Will pickup for XB1 with the hopes that there is even the slightest chance of achieving the fun but short-lived DSP golf club style weekly matches.

[Jimmydeicide]

Ok, let's be fair now. The guys that have multiple consoles should buy the PS4 version of TGC since they are going with Xbox One for NHL15.

Here is the flip side to that. The guys who have PS4's are not usually participants in any DSP online gatherings, or should I say regulars. I only kept my XB1 because I figured once most adopted here the online gathering regulars would go XB1.

That's pretty much the only reason I've got mine. Just in case something really takes off (NHL, TGC, etc.).

Just in case NHL.