Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10 Impressions (PS3, 360)

[DivotMaker]

Quote: Originally Posted by OnlookerDelay

For the most part, I'm clueless on gridless greens. Unless I've gotten a read from a pitch, chip or putt, I pretty much hit the ball straight at the hole when there's the least hint of doubt. I don't know how much longer I'll strive to improve with gridless greens as I don't think the game's graphics are capable of giving me the read my own eyes would give me in real life. The grid makes up for this limitation of the game's graphics, IMO.

John,

Try using the right bumper to see the green at ground level and pay attention to how the ball reacts once it hits the green to get an idea of how the slope is around each hole. I shot E today on the Extreme and left about 6 shots on the course....I am really digging gridless rounds so much I am about to employ it for my PGA TOUR Season....

[Zinger]

[quote=OnlookerDelay;2039747210
For the most part, I'm clueless on gridless greens. [/quote]

They should implement the Links system for gridless greens - an aiming stick which has a 'shadow' in the direction of the slope and short or long according to the severity of the slope. You move the aiming stick along the line of the putt and form a good idea of any undulations, no grid required. I think this system is unimprovable for video golf where no amount of graphical enhancement can give you a reliable read of the greens.

[baa7]

Quote: Originally Posted by Zinger

They should implement the Links system for gridless greens - an aiming stick which has a 'shadow' in the direction of the slope and short or long according to the severity of the slope.

That's the first thing I checked with TW 10 when I got the game, as I prefer to play without a grid. TW 06 was the last console golf game I played, and it had a yardage/elevation marker you could move around the green -- much like the Links system. I was a bit disappointed they changed that with TW10, but the putting is tough enough even with the grid that I'm okay with it.

The grid also disappears when you strike the ball, which is a nice touch. Part of the reason I don't like to play with it on is because it visually takes away from the realism.

[baa7]

Quote: Originally Posted by DivotMaker

Try using the right bumper to see the green at ground level and pay attention to how the ball reacts once it hits the green to get an idea of how the slope is around each hole.

Hey Divotmaker, I just played a round with the grid off, using this method to read greens. I was surprised: I was able to read the greens and even made a couple of 15-20 foot putts. Very nice. I might be switching to this, thanks.

[baa7]

The green yardage/elevation marker does in fact work for helping read the greens when playing without a grid. I don't know why I thought otherwise.

[sroz39]

What they need to incorporate is the ability to "walk" around on the greens, so to speak. Right now, if I turn off the green grid, I have two choices to read the putt: use the three available camera angles (which are all behind the golfer) or hold the B button (360) to zoom up to the marker. Problem is, the camera is a bird's eye view at that point and not very informative. I know I can sort of tell where the putt's gonna go based on the marker telling me the elevation change. That's not good enough.

Let me take a walk on the green with a floating camera or at worse, Links 2004's system where you get the camera going towards the hole at ground level, swing around 180 degrees and head back to your ball, at ground level. It's the LEAST they could incorporate.

On that note, they also need to allow you to take a look at the undulation of the green when you're hitting an approach shot, that way I know where I can aim to bring the ball back to hole with my wedge and also plan out where I wanna leave a ball if I don't hit my shot perfect. Most PC golf games give you this option.

[DivotMaker]

Quote: Originally Posted by baa7

Hey Divotmaker, I just played a round with the grid off, using this method to read greens. I was surprised: I was able to read the greens and even made a couple of 15-20 foot putts. Very nice. I might be switching to this, thanks.

You're welcome. Always glad to share ideas on how to create more challenge/immersion into games. Now if EA would make this standard on TOUR PRO with some additional camera options or even use the current distance marker, but improve it to include slope information like Links and we should be good to go. I prefer the added camera angles that can be zoomed in and out around the cup over the slope indicator on the distance marker though. Makes me feel more like I am walking around the cup and reading a green like sroz stated above....playing with grids off brings in the unknown when reading greens much like the unknown when trying to read them in real life. The grid gives the user too much info IMO....

[sroz39]

Quote: Originally Posted by DivotMaker

You're welcome. Always glad to share ideas on how to create more challenge/immersion into games. Now if EA would make this standard on TOUR PRO with some additional camera options or even use the current distance marker, but improve it to include slope information like Links and we should be good to go. I prefer the added camera angles that can be zoomed in and out around the cup over the slope indicator on the distance marker though. Makes me feel more like I am walking around the cup and reading a green like sroz stated above....playing with grids off brings in the unknown when reading greens much like the unknown when trying to read them in real life. The grid gives the user too much info IMO....

The only thing I like about this is that it allows me to read the greens more like a pro. I'm not saying pros see a "grid" when they read putts, but they are able to process the information they see alot better than the average hack. I'm no hack (10 handicap) but I don't kid myself into thinking I could read a green anywhere close to a pro's ability to do so. If I was forced to use my green reading skills straight up, with no help, I would never putt like a pro does and in the end, I think this game is still trying to convey you taking your created character and becoming a pro.

Having said all that, if they could put in a mechanic other than the grid that will allow me to read a green with some efficiency, I'd be all for it because all the different colours and moving dots definitely take away from the immersion.