Tiger Woods 09

Diablo25 · Post by **Diablo25** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 12:03 pm

Have any of you guys heard/read that the "rubberband" AI in Tour Mode has been taken care of? ie. If I shoot an 81 in the opening round, the pros shoot poorly also...just to keep me in the tournament. There is no pressure that way - which sucks.

DivotMaker · Post by **DivotMaker** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 1:13 pm

My understanding from the EP of TW09 is that they did work on the AI and worked to make it more representative of what you would expect. I am cautiously optimistic, but making no promises that it is "fixed" until I get a chance to play it for myself.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 1:22 pm

DivotMaker wrote:My understanding from the EP of TW09 is that they did work on the AI and worked to make it more representative of what you would expect. I am cautiously optimistic, but making no promises that it is "fixed" until I get a chance to play it for myself.

Divot any feedback yet on the Putting system?

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 1:33 pm

DivotMaker wrote:Could not agree more. McCord and Feherty were replaced mainly because of user feedback asking for new commentators at TW-related forums. I realize that the phrase "be careful what you ask for...", but these two are simply awful IMO. Sam Torrance is about as exciting to listen to as it is to watch grass grow....

Awesome. So Madden is destroyed with a "new" commentary, and now my beloved Tiger? What the hell is EA thinking?

Jackdog · Post by **Jackdog** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 1:36 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote: Awesome. So Madden is destroyed with a "new" commentary, and now my beloved Tiger? What the hell is EA thinking?

I have no clue. I liked McCord and Feherty.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 1:39 pm

I had no problem with Madden's radio guy and the Tiger commentators. I'll just turn off the PBP commentary.

greggsand · Post by **greggsand** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:19 pm

Teal wrote:I like what I've played of the demo. But I must say this... I HATE the new commentators. The woman is a robot, and the guy just woke up from an all night bender in a pub in Ireland. It's really awful. Why'd they see the need to replace the two mainstays?

I like turning off the announcers anyway, I just like birds chirping - very peaceful (until I start cursing after missing a putt)...

James_E · Post by **James_E** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 8:46 pm

DivotMaker wrote:
James_E wrote:
DivotMaker wrote:
I believe your machine is probably much faster and more capable than a 5 year old IBM Thinkpad...
LOL... absolutely. I was just giving a sample machine where it runs well!

I have a problem though. When I play, I see menus and such and launch my game. Play the course, and when I try to return to main menu all I get is a black screen. Audio is playing, I can move the mouse around and it gives audio feedback as if I'm clicking on stuff, but the screen is black. My only option at that point is to kill the game by CTRL-ESC or ALT-TAB followed by right-clicking on the game in the taskbar and doing a close. So the game is responding no problem, but I can only see black. Any ideas? (Haven't tried updated video driver yet.. but mine is newer than the game.)
I see this only when I have AA enabled in the Control Panel. I am running an nVidia GTX280 using the 177.83 WHQL drivers. Try to see if you have AA enabled. If not, I am not sure what is causing that, but it would frustrate me as well....

Thank you. This fixed the menu issue. I wish I could leave it on as it looks amazing with AA on. Looks pretty good with it off and menu works fine so I can deal with it.

Jackdog · Post by **Jackdog** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 9:09 pm

greggsand wrote:
I like turning off the announcers anyway, I just like birds chirping - very peaceful (until I start cursing after missing a putt)...

MUTTS · Post by **MUTTS** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 8:36 am

Tried the demo..of course it was easy as previously stated. I for whatever reason prefer the 3 click swing which was in the demo. Hopefully they allow it on the highest difficulty this year. That and correct the rubberband AI and Im hooked. Really thought the club tuning was nice. Crank up the distance, reduce the sweetspot and more miss hits....good concept.

Tony

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 2:59 pm

I love the club tuning concept and also the adaptive difficulty.

But thet DIDNT FIX THE CRAPPY PUTTING!!!!!!

WTF? I guess they didn't hear all the complaints last year?
It's such a shame because it is a sore spot on what looks like it
might be an otherwise solid game. Putting is all about touch and feel and
in TW all you do is look at the 100% distance and then look at the distance to the hole and make the slight adjustment. You will make most of your putts with a 100% swing anyway, as long as your line is correct. Not very challenging.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 3:18 pm

Thanks Jack !

I just ruled out the 360 version. If the Wii version suffers from the same problem i'll skip TW '09 altogether.

btmmayor · Post by **btmmayor** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 3:18 pm

MUTTS wrote:I for whatever reason prefer the 3 click swing which was in the demo. Hopefully they allow it on the highest difficulty this year. That and correct the rubberband AI and Im hooked.

My wish list exactly.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:09 pm

I'll be interested to hear impressions on the wii version.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:35 pm

I'm hoping the Wii version turns out as good as the previews indicate. If the putting mechanics are just like the PS360 then i'll just stick with TW 03-04 (PC).

DivotMaker · Post by **DivotMaker** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 9:18 am

JackB1 wrote:I love the club tuning concept and also the adaptive difficulty.

But thet DIDNT FIX THE CRAPPY PUTTING!!!!!!

WTF? I guess they didn't hear all the complaints last year?
It's such a shame because it is a sore spot on what looks like it
might be an otherwise solid game. Putting is all about touch and feel and
in TW all you do is look at the 100% distance and then look at the distance to the hole and make the slight adjustment. You will make most of your putts with a 100% swing anyway, as long as your line is correct. Not very challenging.

According to the demo, they did not fix the putting animation nor address the putting engine. Keep in mind that putting in the demo as in TW06-08 in Default (easy) difficulty is like you describe. My understanding is that putting is much more difficult in 09 in HARD and TOUR Pro modes as it was in 08. I have been told that putting is even more challenging than 08 in the HARD and TOUR Pro for 09 and that gameplay in general is far more challenging than 08. Hopefully I will have a copy next week to confirm what I have been told.

AI improvements have been promised as well...soon we will know for sure....

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:41 am

DivotMaker wrote:
Teal wrote:But I must say this... I HATE the new commentators. The woman is a robot, and the guy just woke up from an all night bender in a pub in Ireland. It's really awful. Why'd they see the need to replace the two mainstays?
Could not agree more. McCord and Feherty were replaced mainly because of user feedback asking for new commentators at TW-related forums. I realize that the phrase "be careful what you ask for...", but these two are simply awful IMO. Sam Torrance is about as exciting to listen to as it is to watch grass grow....

LOL

Obviously these people that complained about Mcord and Feherty had never played British open golf was it with Torrence ? OMG Play that game with the rain the mist and all the British weather and have to listen to Torrence thru it all was a haunting experience.
I liken it to a sunday evening when i was growing up back home and was forced to stay in the living room to watch tv and the only thing on was religous programs.

"No need to get the belt just lock him in the front room on sunday at 4 oclock".

Those words haunt me still and are forbidden to be repeated in my house

Oh back to topic, is putting 1:1 also ?

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:43 am

DivotMaker wrote:
According to the demo, they did not fix the putting animation nor address the putting engine. Keep in mind that putting in the demo as in TW06-08 in Default (easy) difficulty is like you describe. My understanding is that putting is much more difficult in 09 in HARD and TOUR Pro modes as it was in 08. I have been told that putting is even more challenging than 08 in the HARD and TOUR Pro for 09 and that gameplay in general is far more challenging than 08. Hopefully I will have a copy next week to confirm what I have been told.

AI improvements have been promised as well...soon we will know for sure....

That is absolutely ridiculous, there's no excuse and shame on them for a facet of the game that "MUST" (sorry Scoop) be addressed. I can't believe they chose to ignore a glaring problem with the game. To make matters worse you now say putting is even harder for this year. Well i'm sorry because I have found putting overly difficult and unnatural once they broke it.

I imagine the boards will light up again and alas the ever wishful promise of next year.

I just hope the Wii version doesn't include that putting system.

DivotMaker · Post by **DivotMaker** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:30 am

Rodster wrote:That is absolutely ridiculous, there's no excuse and shame on them for a facet of the game that "MUST" (sorry Scoop) be addressed. I can't believe they chose to ignore a glaring problem with the game. To make matters worse you now say putting is even harder for this year. Well i'm sorry because I have found putting overly difficult and unnatural once they broke it.

Keep in mind that I am expressing my personal opinions about the putting engine and since I play TOUR Pro exclusively, I only take issue with the putting animations themselves, not the actual putting engine. I also haven't played TW08 for 360 in some time (playing the PC version for months), so I may not remember the putting issues you guys are mentioning. Once I get my hands on 09 for 360, I will see if I can replicate what you are complaining about as I don't currently recall having a big issue with 08....I have slept since the last time I played 08 for 360....

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 12:37 pm

DivotMaker wrote:
Rodster wrote:That is absolutely ridiculous, there's no excuse and shame on them for a facet of the game that "MUST" (sorry Scoop) be addressed. I can't believe they chose to ignore a glaring problem with the game. To make matters worse you now say putting is even harder for this year. Well i'm sorry because I have found putting overly difficult and unnatural once they broke it.
Keep in mind that I am expressing my personal opinions about the putting engine and since I play TOUR Pro exclusively, I only take issue with the putting animations themselves, not the actual putting engine. I also haven't played TW08 for 360 in some time (playing the PC version for months), so I may not remember the putting issues you guys are mentioning. Once I get my hands on 09 for 360, I will see if I can replicate what you are complaining about as I don't currently recall having a big issue with 08....I have slept since the last time I played 08 for 360....

The problem with the putting is not how hard or easy it is. It's with the way it's represented. There should be ONE putting stroke that has a maximum distance of say 60 feet. That would mean you would take the club back far and hit it as hard as possible. A 1 foot putt would mean you take the putter back a few inches and hit it softly....just like in real life.
The way they have putting in this game, there is no "feel" involved. All you do is look at the percentage of the putt vs the percentage of the meter and do a little math 101 and swing away. If you play the PC version and then go to the console version, the putting leaves you so disappointed. Granted, the rest of the game might be great, but putting is about 1/3 or more of the whole game! I would rather they fixed the putting and take out all that face modeling crap that they spend way too much time on.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 12:57 pm

Not only that Jack but the Putting distances and calculations are all screwed up. Try a attempting a Putt based on what the game tells you is the correct distance to the hole 7-8 times out of 10 it's wrong. When I first got the game I was short so many times because I thought it calculated the correct distance to the cup.

After I realized it was off I had to try and figure out by how much I needed to increase the distance which resulted in more frustration.

Prior to this the animation matched the power and distance of the Putt along with the game figuring out the correct distance to the hole. That in a nutshell is what's wrong with the current Putting system.

Phototropic · Post by **Phototropic** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 4:53 pm

The demo seemed identical to 08, which I liked, so I'm not really seeing any motivation to buying 09.

DivotMaker · Post by **DivotMaker** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 6:48 pm

JackB1 wrote:The problem with the putting is not how hard or easy it is. It's with the way it's represented. There should be ONE putting stroke that has a maximum distance of say 60 feet. That would mean you would take the club back far and hit it as hard as possible. A 1 foot putt would mean you take the putter back a few inches and hit it softly....just like in real life.

I agree with your description of how the putting stroke should be.

JackB1 wrote:The way they have putting in this game, there is no "feel" involved. All you do is look at the percentage of the putt vs the percentage of the meter and do a little math 101 and swing away. If you play the PC version and then go to the console version, the putting leaves you so disappointed. Granted, the rest of the game might be great, but putting is about 1/3 or more of the whole game! I would rather they fixed the putting and take out all that face modeling crap that they spend way too much time on.

I can't say I recall seeing this playing TW08 in TOUR Pro mode. I did see it in Default and agree with you. I will try to see if I can replicate this in TW09 once I have it and if it is as you describe, then I would agree with what you state above.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 9:46 am

Rodster wrote:Not only that Jack but the Putting distances and calculations are all screwed up. Try a attempting a Putt based on what the game tells you is the correct distance to the hole 7-8 times out of 10 it's wrong. When I first got the game I was short so many times because I thought it calculated the correct distance to the cup.

After I realized it was off I had to try and figure out by how much I needed to increase the distance which resulted in more frustration.

Prior to this the animation matched the power and distance of the Putt along with the game figuring out the correct distance to the hole. That in a nutshell is what's wrong with the current Putting system.

But they added 50 more kinds of eyebrows for your face!

It's a shame, because I fell like they added some freshness to the game with the club tuning and the dynamic attributes.

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 8:54 pm

Well, I have to say, this gave me a good laugh. EA is certainly having some fun with the marketing, that's for sure.....

From last year by a fan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h42UeR-f8ZA

EA's response this year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ1st1Vw2kY

LOL.