Tiger Woods 13 PGA TOUR and CE Info

[Teal]

Might make it pointless for you, but I have no problem hitting fairways off the tee in real life. But once the drive is over, the pain begins. The closer I get to the hole, the less likely I am to get it TO the hole, so...this sounds pretty realistic to me!

I just take a different approach to my gaming. My fun comes from being able to tee it up and pretend I'm on the links with the big boys, hanging with the leaders...not playing like I really do.

[Wilk5280]

2012 PGA Driving Accuracy Top 10

1 Paul Goydos 73.76
2 Jim Furyk 73.68
3 Heath Slocum 72.85
4 Hunter Mahan 72.04
5 Colt Knost 71.18
6 Scott McCarron 71.13
7 David Toms 70.40
8 John Mallinger 69.19
9 Zach Johnson 68.57
10 John Huh 68.35

I can certainly understand why people have issues with finding fairways too easy to hit with Tour Pro's if my CAG is slightly better than the real life leader; and I have not put a single stat point into accuracy (FWIW: all power and putting so far).

I don't know from a programming stand point how to make it more difficult while being fair unless it's completely random. I mean if you aim down the fairway, move the stick strait back and strait forward, I think people would be more pissed if the ball didn't land in the fairway. I do get it though, if you're hitting 100 percent of the fairways every round it's not very realistic at all.

That being said, scoring in golf really does come from the approach shots and around the greens. Even when the tour pro's put it long and down the middle, they're really not scoring well on the hole unless that stick it close to the pin or make a long putt. So while being in the fairway does make it a bit easier, you've still got to be accurate coming in to the flagstick.

[DChaps]

I read some of the impressions and I can't help it...it sounds like this to me: "This game is crap because it doesn't make me suck enough!" lol

If I wanted to suck at golf, I'd just go grab my dusty clubs and head to the nearest course...

That is not the case for me at all. It's not that I want to suck. I just want there to be some rhyme or reason between what I do with the Kinect and/or controller, and what happens in game. On the hardest setting I have been able to do nothing but hit it straight and long using the Kinect. I have tried all different kinds of speeds, backswings, etc. and the result is the same. Just seems like I make a motion of some kind, wait for a long straight drive, then do it again. I feel like I may as well be just pushing a button, watching an animation, pushing a button, watching an animation. That just is not fun for me. Doesn't have anything to do with sucking or not. It's like if in Madden there was just a button to push and you automatically scored a touchdown. Would that be fun? Not for me anyway.

But then again, I have yet to be able to even finish a round because I keep getting lockups. I don't really see other reports on this so it may just be me. I am not a hard ass on sports games at all. I am pretty forigiving in general, but this feels like a case of "The Emperor's New Clothes" to me as I am just not seeing it with this game. That said, I never canceled my pre-order so the Collectors Edition will be at my house today. I am hoping that it somehow solves my lockup problems at least.

[Danimal]

I read some of the impressions and I can't help it...it sounds like this to me: "This game is crap because it doesn't make me suck enough!" lol

If I wanted to suck at golf, I'd just go grab my dusty clubs and head to the nearest course...

That's kind of a ridiculous statement.

Even PGA professionals don't hit the fairway 100% of the time. The 2012 leader has only hit 73.76% of his fairways.

My issue is putting and chipping have no feel to them. Around the green play is just guess work with no feel what so ever. Putting which was working fine in previous versions feels like a total guesswork thing to me now. This may change with more play but when something doesn't feel right out of the gate then I tend to wonder how much better could it get.

[Aristo]

Well, my impressions come from using different Pro golfers, not a created golfer.

On the one hand, it is good to know that it is not easy with crippled ratings. But it still tells me that if I improve that it will become too easy.

[fsquid]

can you join more than one country club?

[Naples39]

You know I'd be interested to see people play a bunch of rounds with created golfers, then report back at what their fairways % actually is. I am new to console golf, so I may suck, but I'm pretty sure my % is well under 70.

As I said a few days ago, I don't think this game will be for everyone, but being too easy isn't a problem for me. Drive for show, putt for dough.

[Teal]

Honestly, I enjoy playing Kinect Sports Golf so...im probably not the best person to argue realism with. My overall philosophy is why games like Forza, FIFA, and the like don't last very long with me. I will always dial the skill level down along with the sliders in my sports games. It's just how I roll; consequently, I wind up enjoying myself more rather than less if I'm somewhat of a badass in a game...especially if I'm hopeless at said game in real life.

[DivotMaker]

The lack of TrueAim like TW11 and how ridiculously easy it is to hit a straight tee shot on the hardest difficulty renders this game pointless to me. The crappy short play and putting doesn't help either.

It blows my mind that people accept this. The gameplay has become horrible at the time I expected EA to go on a run of fantastic games. It also cements the fact that there is probably no reason for EA or anyone else to make a golf game I like, because I feel like I am alone in my assessments.

You are not alone.

Can't say I agree with either of you having spent quite a bit of time in the game. IMO, this game plays tougher than TW11 ever did, especially when using Kinect. To each his own.

[Aristo]

In TW 11, I used to aiming reticule when zoomed in to gather information. It provided zero information about wehere my ball would land. All; I know is what my carrying distance is for different clubs, and how the ball should react after landing. The reticule would give me the elevation, and I could look to see if it would be rolling uphill or down, and what kind of grass it would be.

Then, after zooming back out, my golfer would not have moved, and I would have to set up a shot based on the landmarks. So if I knew where I wanted the ball to land, I had to find a tall tree to aim at. I had use the info I collected, and the current wind, which was variable, to aim my shot. It was hard, but mostly it was engaging and educational.

TW 12 was hard, but it was by removing the elevation information. EA locked you into using the Caddy, which then made it too easy. TW 13 is just easy, but with touchy short game controls to add fake difficulty. It's not engaging. It is a twitch fest. And that's fine if that's what people want.

I'm just disappointed because TW 11 was so great, and it would have benefited from many of the features added into the successive games. But adding features while killing the gameplay makes it pointless for me.

[10spro]

You know I'd be interested to see people play a bunch of rounds with created golfers, then report back at what their fairways % actually is. I am new to console golf, so I may suck, but I'm pretty sure my % is well under 70.

As I said a few days ago, I don't think this game will be for everyone, but being too easy isn't a problem for me. Drive for show, putt for dough.

I've been playing with my PRO exclusively during this preview. And I can assure everyone that I am NOT hitting FIR all the time. Around the 73% mark perhaps.

[TheTruth]

My issue is putting and chipping have no feel to them. Around the green play is just guess work with no feel what so ever. Putting which was working fine in previous versions feels like a total guesswork thing to me now. This may change with more play but when something doesn't feel right out of the gate then I tend to wonder how much better could it get.

That's funny because I really like the feel/touch around the greens. And I agree, it is all about the approach and short game to score well. Isn't that what we hear a lot? The short game and putting is what separates the pros from rest.

[Danimal]

Honestly, I enjoy playing Kinect Sports Golf so...im probably not the best person to argue realism with. My overall philosophy is why games like Forza, FIFA, and the like don't last very long with me. I will always dial the skill level down along with the sliders in my sports games. It's just how I roll; consequently, I wind up enjoying myself more rather than less if I'm somewhat of a badass in a game...especially if I'm hopeless at said game in real life.

Nothing wrong with that it's why there are different levels. As I said on the top level I have no problems missing fairways. I'm sure a lot of my issues would go away on easier levels with meters on. I just have to find the right balance, I like the game in general what little I have played.

The thing that is going to kill me is my Kinect is not on my main 360. I have it in the family room for the girls on that 360. I'm going to guess with the online pass there is no way for me to have Tiger on both machines and play online.

[vader29]

I have trouble hitting the fairways and it's mainly because of the tempo. I end up with an overswing or I don't get enough power on the swing and end up in the second cut, plus almost every shot I take goes to the left of where I aim except when I adjust for it by aiming more to the right and then I get a straight shot.

[JRod]

There is no fear to missing a fairway and that's the problem. Just line it up and rip it.

There is no strategy to driving the ball because you much of the time you can hit it where you want it. So at Augusta that course is pretty much toothless because driving the ball is so easy.

Take the 18th hole there, you want to be right to have a go at the pin but there are drives right and pushed drive means you're done on that hole. So players bail out left but the problem there is the bunker and your 2nd shot is coming over the green side front bunker.

I know there are people here that don't think this much in golf games but stuff like this is akin to blocking in football games.

[Bill_Abner]

There is no fear to missing a fairway and that's the problem. Just line it up and rip it.

There is no strategy to driving the ball because you much of the time you can hit it where you want it. So at Augusta that course is pretty much toothless because driving the ball is so easy.

Take the 18th hole there, you want to be right to have a go at the pin but there are drives right and pushed drive means you're done on that hole. So players bail out left but the problem there is the bunker and your 2nd shot is coming over the green side front bunker.

I know there are people here that don't think this much in golf games but stuff like this is akin to blocking in football games.

There's actually a lot I like about TW13. I love, LOVE the putting on Kinect.

On the Kinect and my issue with accuracy (with my created golder) is either I hit it dead straight (not accounting for wind) OR I mishit it and I look like a weekend duffer as the ball travels 40 yards.

[orthostud23]

There is no fear to missing a fairway and that's the problem. Just line it up and rip it.

There is no strategy to driving the ball because you much of the time you can hit it where you want it. So at Augusta that course is pretty much toothless because driving the ball is so easy.

Take the 18th hole there, you want to be right to have a go at the pin but there are drives right and pushed drive means you're done on that hole. So players bail out left but the problem there is the bunker and your 2nd shot is coming over the green side front bunker.

I know there are people here that don't think this much in golf games but stuff like this is akin to blocking in football games.

Agreed!! The only time I am concerned with missing a fairway is when we have the gale force winds applied with gusts. In the online daily yesterday I mised about 5 fairways due to that.

[Bill_Abner]

There is no fear to missing a fairway and that's the problem. Just line it up and rip it.

There is no strategy to driving the ball because you much of the time you can hit it where you want it. So at Augusta that course is pretty much toothless because driving the ball is so easy.

Take the 18th hole there, you want to be right to have a go at the pin but there are drives right and pushed drive means you're done on that hole. So players bail out left but the problem there is the bunker and your 2nd shot is coming over the green side front bunker.

I know there are people here that don't think this much in golf games but stuff like this is akin to blocking in football games.

Agreed!! The only time I am concerned with missing a fairway is when we have the gale force winds applied with gusts. In the online daily yesterday I mised about 5 fairways due to that.

Exactly. TW13 would move into a much higher class of golf sim for me if I felt I had the option to simply push the ball too far right or pull it a bit left and roll into the rough. It's a pretty serious issue if you're looking for this to be a golf sim and not a casual game. My daughter absolutely loves it and I love playing it w/ her but there needs to be some middle ground between "dead center" and "horribly mishit"

[DChaps]

Can't say I agree with either of you having spent quite a bit of time in the game. IMO, this game plays tougher than TW11 ever did, especially when using Kinect. To each his own.

Hi Tim, I know you have got to be super busy right now, but at some point would you mind providing a Kinect tutorial at tour pro or tournament difficulty. Something that would step by step describe what you are doing in front of the kinect, as well as what you are doing in game to setup/aim the shot before hand. This would include how to Drive, short game, putting, etc. I really want to figure this out and I trust your feedback, so the fact that you are liking it so much and that it is giving you a challenge gives me some hope. Maybe my Kinect is just not setup correctly, or more likely I just don't know what I am doing. The AIM and Stance stuff makes no sense to me and I can't seem to find any help to figure out what I should be striving for. Likewise, the UI with the Kinect is really frustrating for me. It seems to have a life of its own, constantly picking options or pulling up menus that I was not trying to select. Then every so often it makes me pick up the controller. Again, this could all be my incompentence so I am willing to give it some more time. Is there a tutorial in game somewhere that I missing that describes all this or something available online? One thing I do know is that I can't stand "controller" golf. Give me a mouse please! Thanks for any advice!

[JRod]

There is no fear to missing a fairway and that's the problem. Just line it up and rip it.

There is no strategy to driving the ball because you much of the time you can hit it where you want it. So at Augusta that course is pretty much toothless because driving the ball is so easy.

Take the 18th hole there, you want to be right to have a go at the pin but there are drives right and pushed drive means you're done on that hole. So players bail out left but the problem there is the bunker and your 2nd shot is coming over the green side front bunker.

I know there are people here that don't think this much in golf games but stuff like this is akin to blocking in football games.

There's actually a lot I like about TW13. I love, LOVE the putting on Kinect.

On the Kinect and my issue with accuracy (with my created golder) is either I hit it dead straight (not accounting for wind) OR I mishit it and I look like a weekend duffer as the ball travels 40 yards.

I think they made the game specifically for the Kinect and move. I think, though I don't know, the PS3 Move would enhance the game and it would be a completely different and fun experience.

For me it's just a lot of work to fight the controls. That would be different if the feedback or the results were consistent. But when I think I have fast tempo only for it to be an under swing, then use a slow tempo and I blast it over a green, the game makes no sense.

[Naples39]

I cannot comment on the Kinect experience, but as far as missing the fairway with the controller, most of my missed fairways roll off the fairway or land 5-10 yards wide of the fairway. I hate it when golf games either produce perfect shots or way off, but I don't see that in TW13.

[Teal]

Okay, I got the collectors edition, popped it in, put it on tournament difficulty, chose my first person views, decided to play as Tiger to start, just to get a feel for the game...


..and went +22 on 9 holes.


Honestly, I had to check to make sure I wasn't going to the 'pgaprofessionalsportspage.com'. Some of you are saying that you have no trouble hitting straight as an arrow off the tee box. I don't know how. I was winging a great many shots right out of bounds...lol

I'll learn, but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised that tourney was so difficult. I really DO suck at golf...lol. I'll probably dial it down a notch until I get the hang of it. You guys had me thinking this was just going to be a much prettier Kinect Sports Golf...it's anything but, and I'll sure as heck take it!

The game is just beautiful, and the Kinect, from my demo time, is better reading than the demo, by a large margin. I can tell already that I'm going to go in the shop and cut one of my old clubs down, and put a weight on it. I have nearly hurt myself swinging a couple times...lol.

All in all, I'm impressed. Haven't played with the controller yet, but I'll put 'er through the paces later. The kiddos are playing Kinect Golf at the moment...

[Rodster]

Nice impressions Teal. I may pick up a copy so I can put my Kinect to good use. What does the CE version get ya?

Divot any plans for Tiger on the Vita this year?

[Teal]

5 extra courses, the Augusta practice range, and the Master's ceremony, I believe, are included in the collector's edition...not too shabby for 10 more bucks. I'll continue to give my impressions as I go; I understand those who are looking for a 'hardcore' experience, and are likely much better at Tiger than I ever will be. But if you're like me, and are purely an average gamer as these games go (my only 'hardcore' preferences are for military shooters, thus Op: Flashpoint), then maybe my take will be more up your alley. Personally, I love what I've played, and cannot wait to play some more, dive into the career, all that.

As an aside, I know how badly the 'game face' thing has sucked over the years, and I just skipped it and created myself the hard way. I have to say, I got much closer than the last 'game face' I tried on Tiger 12...I was a bearded black dude last year...

[DChaps]

Teal, that is good to hear about your Kinect experience. Can you tell if you would be able to have more than one player in the house using the Kinect to play a round of multiplayer? And could they be at different difficulty levels?