HB Studios Next-Gen golf game: The Golf Club

[DivotMaker]

There are a lot of people complaining about the cost which I don't get. You have unlimited courses how is that not worth it?

I don't get that either. It looks to be a tremendous value as is....

[sportdan30]

According to a thread on the HB Studios TGC forums (http://www.hb-studios.com/forum/index.php?topic=4357.0) the PS4 version will be 1080p while the Xbox One will be 720p.

For those that have both consoles which version of TGC will you be purchasing?


-MERACE

Seems like a no brainer to me. 1080p vs 720p, but I understand there's quite a few people who only own the One on here. I'll be more than happy to play with the PS4 owners on here along with the guys over at OS.

[J_Cauthen]

The bit about the XBox One version being only 720p was quite surprising. I figured they had both consoles at 1080p, but there would be a frame rate difference between the two. I hooked up my PC to my 55" HDTV to see how the game would look on it at 720p and high graphics detail (HBS did confirm that the PS4 and XB1 would use the equivalent of the PC version's high detail). It looked a little better than I thought it would. I was using 2x MSAA and 8x AF, which is what I'm guessing their using with the XB1 in The Golf Club.

I then changed the res to 1080p, detail still at high and fired it up over the same display. There was no mistaking the fact that it looked markedly better at this res, at least sitting 7 feet from the screen as I do in this room. It was hard to play it because my frame rates were chugging in the low 20's at these settings, but she dang sure looked better and didn't suffer the pronounced tree shadow rotation as the light source changes during camera movement. I saw that when I was in the 720p setting.

It then struck me that HBS might use 4x AA in The Golf Club, so I changed to that, and ran it again at 720p, high detail. It made a huge difference in the image quality! It still wasn't quite up to what 1080p looked like at 2x, but I could live with it if that's the way it would look. The real surprise was how this change in the AA settings to 4x got rid of the stark, rotating shadows on the trees. I'm trying to get an answer from HBS as to what level and type of AA they're using for both versions, so I can have a better idea of what this might look like. They're not very forthcoming with answers though, and it might be because they don't want it known.

What's cool about what I've read though is that both consoles will have an input thread that holds steady at 60 fps. I think that will make a HUGE difference in the way this game feels, and to me, that's where it counts most in an analog swing controlled golf game.

[Diablo25]

Read something interesting over at HB's forums...evidently all "Digital Only" games on the PSN are discounted 15% the first week of release. Someone asked if this would be the case with TGC. Nothing definitive was stated. That would make the game $29 on PSN. I've never bought a digital only game from the PS Store so I don't know. Can anyone confirm the 15% thing on PSN.

[dbdynsty25]

Read something interesting over at HB's forums...evidently all "Digital Only" games on the PSN are discounted 15% the first week of release. Someone asked if this would be the case with TGC. Nothing definitive was stated. That would make the game $29 on PSN. I've never bought a digital only game from the PS Store so I don't know. Can anyone confirm the 15% thing on PSN.

I've never seen that before, but that doesn't mean it's not true. I can't remember the last full priced game that was digital only for that matter (full priced just not being $19.99 or less).

[Sudz]

When is the release date for the Xbone/PS4?

[10spro]

When is the release date for the Xbone/PS4?

Next Tuesday for the X1, PS4 the following week if I am correct.

[MERACE]

When is the release date for the Xbone/PS4?

PS4 the following week if I am correct.

...if Sony ever gets off their a$$ and finishes the certification process.



-MERACE

[J_Cauthen]

I'm reading a few early impressions from a couple of reviewers who got final game code if the XB1 version Thursday night. So far the only real complaint out of the box is there is some screen tearing in evidence. One reviewer found that HBS included the ability to enable v-synch in the options menu, and it apparently locks the animation frame rate to 30 fps but also gets rid of the screen tearing.. Here's his comment on it after enabling it:

"Turning on the V-Sync did make a world of difference as it relates to the screen tearing I was noticing. I played three rounds with it on and didn't notice any screen tearing at all and I couldn't tell any difference as far as framerate. It was still smooth and, really, that's all that matters to me."

Sounds to me like they should have made the game default to this setting. I wonder how many XB1 gamers are going to be up in arms over this on release day, not realizing there's an option to change to get rid of it, or see the v-sync enable option and not realize what it does? This isn't a common option on console games.

Anyway, it would seem to me that HBS left the v-sync off by default so the claim could be made that it runs between 30 and 45 fps. In reality I don't think that's going to be all that noticeable in The Golf Club, since it had a control input thread that's locked at 60 fps.

I'm wondering if if the PS4 version will display this same screen tearing tendency at 1080p? HBS claims an animation frame rate of 30 - 40 fps for it, so it's v-sync would be disabled by default also. It will be interesting to see how this goes.

[Diablo25]

Anyone know what time the new games show up on the XBox One Game Store late Monday/EarlyTuesday?

[Aristo]

My experience is they show up around 3am east coast time, which is midnight west coast time,

[Diablo25]

My experience is they show up around 3am east coast time, which is midnight west coast time,

Thanks dude

[TheTruth]

Game is out! Downloading now...only 1.86GB

[Diablo25]

Played my first nine holes and had a really good time. My putting stinks but that will come with time. I like the simplicity of the shot modifications. I can see myself playing this a lot. Overall it seems like a really really nice game. Plus it's going to be constantly updated with DLC and other updates.

[Diablo25]

By the way, no waiting between holes is awesome. Rounds will go by rather quickly with this feature. I played nine holes in maybe 20 minutes.

[Sudz]

what are the game modes?

better than powerstar golf?

[J_Cauthen]

I'm disappointed in how The Golf Club turned out on the XB1. It's presented in what looks to be unenhanced (no AA, and possibly no or little AF), 720p. It's rather Spartan looking compared to the 1600 x 900 res I've been running on the PC version. I also experienced some swing affecting slowdown at a few places on a couple of the more heavily 'planted' courses (Red Diamond G&C and Dunwoody Liecht). The gameplay is of the same caliber of the PC version, when it's not being impacted by the occasional slowdown.

The Truth and I played 17 holes in simultaneous mode this morning at Autumn Ridge G.C.. That course is very efficiently designed and it played as smoothly as the PC version. The simultaneous mode play was workable, but I didn't have my headset on because of the early hour and didn't want to wake up my family. I think we'd have gotten an idea of the communication to action delay if we'd been trying to communicate. I got a slight sense of that lag even in simultaneous play.

It's a shame this game can't manage 1080p on the XB1. I think the game would look so much better with that added res. I'm curious now to see how it does in 1080p on the PS4, and whether it suffers slowdown in as many spots as I'm seeing it in the XB1 version.

[Sudz]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll wait until the ps4 release.

[dbdynsty25]

It's a shame this game can't manage 1080p on the XB1. I think the game would look so much better with that added res. I'm curious now to see how it does in 1080p on the PS4, and whether it suffers slowdown in as many spots as I'm seeing it in the XB1 version.

The golf fanatic in me was ready to pull the trigger on the XB1 version tonight, but based on that line...I just have to wait till next week (hopefully).

[10spro]

It's a shame this game can't manage 1080p on the XB1. I think the game would look so much better with that added res. I'm curious now to see how it does in 1080p on the PS4, and whether it suffers slowdown in as many spots as I'm seeing it in the XB1 version.

The golf fanatic in me was ready to pull the trigger on the XB1 version tonight, but based on that line...I just have to wait till next week (hopefully).

True dat. Thanks for the feedback John, I think I'll wait for the PS4 version although I would have loved to hit the greens with you again.

[J_Cauthen]

I'm going to make HBS pay for this sub-standard version of The Golf Club, by purchasing a PS4 and the PS4 version of The Golf Club next week... that'll show 'em! Seriously, if I'd had any idea how weak the XB1 version was going to be, I'd have passed on it, even with my weak will power when it comes to golf games.

I have a feeling that gamers are going to be saying even the PS4 version doesn't look "next-gen", but it'll at least have a higher resolution un-next-gen look to it. I just hope it isn't this choppy, although now I'm starting to wonder if the choppiness isn't somehow server related. It's gotten worse this afternoon. I've started three or four rounds and quit because the play got so choppy. The swing animations were stuttering way too often.

[webdanzer]

Please let me know if this is looking like it is going to be one of those 'shoot ridiculously low scores' golf games on the consoles. If not, i'll be in for some PS4 tourneys.

[DChaps]

Thanks for posting impressions so quickly. For the price I was assuming this would be no brainer for me, but I have been so frustrated with the last few years of golf games that I will hold off for now. It would have been cool to get another tour championship series going like we had a couple years ago.

[Diablo25]

I must be easy to please because I'm loving it. Only played two rounds so far but it is a SOLID game for the price. The courses are what is going to make it difficult. The courses that come with the game are decent but not overly challenging. I just DL'd my first user created course and it's sweet. It's called The Elderglenn. Very plush and way more challenging. It is still VERY early but I love the value of the game. Graphics could be better but I'd give them a B-. I think some of the reason for that is a developer that is making its first next gen game. First party XB1 titles are gorgeous. 3rd party titles are still getting used to things. Not an excuse, just an observation. $34.99 for a solid playing game with infinite courses that YOU yourself can create. NO BRAINER. I think the PS4 guys will be very pleased. I know I am. I can see where JCauthen would be disappointed after playing on a high end PC. The game, however, is far from below par (sorry for the pun)

[XXXIV]

Hey Diablo, I just saw you take a shot on smart glass a few minutes ago. Some reason it put your video clip up.

Im waiting to hear how you all feel about it after a few more of playing it before I jump in.