BIGJOE76 wrote:
I really want this game to come to the 360, and like soon. Actually, just an announcement would be awesome. I mean just to know that it IS coming, when it's coming, and maybe an overall vision of what's in store.
I think we'll see an announcement in December, maybe January. I don't know why, but I have a hunch we won't actually see the game until the Fall, at the earliest. I hope I'm wrong on that.
Off hand I can't think of any MAJOR things I'd want for the new game. Mainly more courses, equal to greater toughness and sim like qualities, and more pro's with an awesome player creator.
I'm not sure what to expect as far as number of courses. It's hard to say what's equitible when it comes to a premium golf game. I think 8 to 10 courses would be more than reasonable. I just hope they don't go the whimsical fantasy course route of the TW series. Most of their fantasy courses are over-the-top junk, IMO.
I would like to see more sim-like qualities myself. Give us the option to drop the comet trails, and cannon-shot effects. I'd also like to see a perspective offered where you viewed the action of the other golfers from your player's position on the course. It would make it far more immersive. I didn't like the spinning camera perspective used to view computer players shots in Links 2004. It felt more like you were watching a replay rather than a live shot.
Finally, they really do need a player creation utility on par with Tiger Woods Gameface. That would add so much to this game... I think it's an essential feature!
I really hope that they don't get caught up in trying to do something really revolutionary and new, because the fact is that I think most people like this because it's good, fun, challenging golf. It's just like hitting the links with friends and that's what it SHOULD be. Oh, a couse creator would be great but for that to happen I'd think we'd be looking at an '07 to '08 release date so they could just skip that for this version.
Yeah, they just need to build on what Links 2004 started. I hope they'll see fit to show galleries on adjacent holes, and golfers playing ahead of you and on adjacent holes. That would add so much life to the tournament atmosphere and sell the gamer on the idea that they're participating in a larger event.
I'm not sure what they could do with a course creator in a console version. I hate modifying existing courses, and I fear that user created courses would somehow necessitate a compromise in the game's rendering engine.
I'd like to see a multiplayer online interface that was more along the lines of Jack Nicklaus Golden Bear Challenge's "Ready Golf". I thought Links 2004's "speed golf" (or whatever it's called) was too symbolic and impersonal. It kind of freaked me out to watch telemetry reports of my opponents action. I had a hard time gauging what was going on. OTOH, the pure turn based play was too slow and cumbersome. I think Ready Golf (where each player aligns and hits their shots simultaneously, and then watches their opponents shot in a virtual instant replay) is a great compromise between the two.
"If you want a real golf sim, grab your clubs and head to the course!".. the last refuge of arcade apologists.
