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[Beer Monkey]

There will be plenty of games that support voice chat on the PS3. If this one doesn't, their call. I think mandating something like this as a part of any TRC checklist strays beyond what the purpose of a TRC should be and gets into platform owners telling developers how to make their games rather than just ensuring that software works on the platform as intended with minimal bugs.

We'll just have to agree to disagree and leave it at that. Live is a platform, and so is PSN, and I think it's fantastic that Microsoft insists that real in-game voice chat is standard in online games (for the last five years and counting) and I'd love to see Sony and Nintendo do the same. I'm sure they haven't chased off any developers with such a simple requirement, and since they give you the SDK code that you need to implement it nobody is going to complain about the effort.

And believe me, the only reason I'm posting is because I'm a huge HSG/EG fan and have been since day one, and I'm tremendously disappointed for my own selfish reasons to see them go this route.

There's no point in turning this thread into a neverending argument as to whether in-game voice should be standard for online games, so I'll drop it.

 

[DontStopTheTatakai]

Afrika assimilated into HSG5 confirmed.

 

[TheDarkKnight774]

Loved the demo, i didn't think the graphics were near as jaggie as some were claming from their impressiong. heh i guess when i hear "jaggies"! i think of early PS2 levels

The game was a lot of fun. Can't wait to start up a GAF HSG5 Online golf tournament!

 

[Ben Sones]

these games are very arcady and fun. I am not a golf fan at all and I loved the PSP game. So much fun XD

I actually don't care for golf or even golf games, and yet I love Hot Shots Golf. You definitely don't need to be a golf fan to enjoy that game.

 

[Fafalada]

heh i guess when i hear "jaggies"! i think of early PS2 levels

As far as texture aliasing goes(trees, foliage), that's exactly how bad it is (and going by the new screenshots, it doesn't seem like they are gonna do anything to fix it).
Then again Japanese developers have had these problems on every 3d platform to date, it isn't at all exclusive to PS2.

Considering that 99% of tree and foliage rendering issues in MinGol could be solved by one switch and without any performance overhead, I have to conclude that this is some cultural thing where people in Japan actually LIKE aliasing (or just can't notice it).

 

[Pimpbaa]

Considering that 99% of tree and foliage rendering issues in MinGol could be solved by one switch and without any performance overhead, I have to conclude that this is some cultural thing where people in Japan actually LIKE aliasing (or just can't notice it).

Transparency anti-aliasing like in the nvidia drivers for pc? It does a pretty good job. They could have also done some alpha blending along the edges of the alpha textures (dunno how much of a performance hit that is), but that would look the most pleasant. Either way, I really hate when games that have sharp edges on their alpha textures. Hopefully next gen will make the need for alpha textures obsolete (all leaves, foilage, chain fences, etc... would be would modeled with polygons instead).

 

[Bebpo]

As far as texture aliasing goes(trees, foliage), that's exactly how bad it is (and going by the new screenshots, it doesn't seem like they are gonna do anything to fix it).
Then again Japanese developers have had these problems on every 3d platform to date, it isn't at all exclusive to PS2.

Considering that 99% of tree and foliage rendering issues in MinGol could be solved by one switch and without any performance overhead, I have to conclude that this is some cultural thing where people in Japan actually LIKE aliasing (or just can't notice it).

I was about to say something, but then you just said every word I was going to say.

Thanks

 

[Double H]

I have to conclude that this is some cultural thing where people in Japan actually LIKE aliasing (or just can't notice it).

Along with using GIF for image compression; I think they’ve also got a sweet spot for nearest neighbour sampling.

Must be the air–sex.

 

[kaching]

We'll just have to agree to disagree and leave it at that.

It's definitely an issue of ideology - I'm just not a fan of Big Government

 

[DCharlie]

It's definitely an issue of ideology - I'm just not a fan of Big Government

is it even anywhere near Big Government though?

"we'd like you to implement voice chat in all games - here is the library - it's a piece of piss, please put it in"

It's not like they've kicked them in the nuts , cut off their hands, painted their monitors black and asked them to type the code back in using only their nipples.... in russian...

 

[Fafalada]

is it even anywhere near Big Government though?

Slightly OT, but filling Marketting speak into Hardware Reference manuals and white papers at the very least points it's happilly headed in that general direction.

MS crossed the line with those as far as I'm concerned, but the more worrying part is that people think they should be praised for that kind of BS.

Transparency anti-aliasing like in the nvidia drivers for pc?

Yep, alpha-to-coverage - GTHD uses it with great effect on their grass.
Alpha blending can do the same job, but it's not free (needs sorting and/or multiple passes), and it's not just turning a switch if you already have a game without it. ATC on the other hand, is.

As for full-geometry future - we'll need better FSAA then 4x as standard for that to be acceptable.

 

[ProphetZG]

Wow, this looks brilliant!

I probably won't be buying any new consoles though, so it's not for me.

I would sure love to see a new HSG for PSP though.

 

[Steroyd]

Wow, this looks brilliant!

I probably won't be buying any new consoles though, so it's not for me.

I would sure love to see a new HSG for PSP though.

There is a new HSG for PSP that uses the GPS.

 

[kaching]

is it even anywhere near Big Government though?

Your version of it? Like this?

It's not like they've kicked them in the nuts , cut off their hands, painted their monitors black and asked them to type the code back in using only their nipples.... in russian...

No, it's nothing like that. Drop the disingenuous attempt to make it seem as if I implied the issue was that severe. There's no point in discussing this with you if you're really going to act like the term I used has to be taken to those extremes.

 

[DCharlie]

Slightly OT, but filling Marketting speak into Hardware Reference manuals and white papers at the very least points it's happilly headed in that general direction.

MS crossed the line with those as far as I'm concerned, but the more worrying part is that people think they should be praised for that kind of BS.

Having not seen the hardware reference manuals i'm in no position to comment.

I have a feeling though that you are a lot more techy about MS than you are sony, the same way that i'm the reverse.

If MS were sony, we might even have mandated FSAA with that one switch aliasing thing - if that's the bleak outlook we have then , sod it, let me sign up! .... again.

No, it's nothing like that. Drop the disingenuous attempt to make it seem as if I implied the issue was that severe. There's no point in discussing this with you if you're really going to act like the term I used has to be taken to those extremes.

jesus christ, i was trying to make light of it. It's you who likened the practice of mandated
voice chat to 'big government' - so get off your high horse.

But yes, it IS nothing like that - it's a piece of piss to include. Therefore - trying to bend it like it's some draconian thing that developers hate to implement but are forced into it by big goverment style MS is laughable.

 

[kaching]

There was nothing that needed to be made light of in the first place, DC. Voice chat by itself wasn't what I was calling Big Government, and you know it.

 

[DCharlie]

There will be plenty of games that support voice chat on the PS3. If this one doesn't, their call. I think mandating something like this as a part of any TRC checklist strays beyond what the purpose of a TRC should be and gets into platform owners telling developers how to make their games rather than just ensuring that software works on the platform as intended with minimal bugs.

There was nothing that needed to be made light of in the first place, DC. Voice chat by itself wasn't what I was calling Big Government, and you know it.

okay - so what you are saying is that the MS TRC - which assumedly included mandating 720P ( ) , voice chat, live awareness, etc is big government?

unless of course you have specific examples of MS telling people how to make their games? perhaps that's what happens when they send thier various tech teams to companies to help improve their games, add features etc? Maybe i'm missing something that you know that i missed about what MS imposses on these developers?

Again - given the support that is there and the ease of development for the mandated features , and given -the advantage it gives to the end user- , then i still think you calling this Big Government is way wide of the mark.

 

[el Diablo]

At the risk of sounding like a stick in the mud, having 8 players and their caddies on a given hole at the same time sounds like a chaotic nightmare. From the looks of the pics everyone just goes whenever they want with no form of alternating shots or any kind of structure whatsoever.

I'd find someone swinging in the general vicinity of me while i'm swinging or having some caddy run past or through me in my backswing 1000x more distracting than any voice chat. The greens area would be even worse, on long puts you'd have all these other chars standing in your line while you're trying to gauge the breaks and slopes of a green. Who knows, maybe i just don't like it cause I actually play golf and know how it should be played. It'd be different if it were another sport where distractions are something you deal with, adding extra people in your line of sight in a golf game just seems stupid to me.

As far as everything else i hope the game basically ends up being an upgraded PSP version. Thought they did a great job on that on all levels, it wasn't edited, the difficulty curve wasn't too steep, and the equipment upgrades and outfits were enough to keep you playing even after you'd unlocked all the golfers and courses.

 

[DCharlie]

At the risk of sounding like a stick in the mud, having 8 players and their caddies on a given hole at the same time sounds like a chaotic nightmare. From the looks of the pics everyone just goes whenever they want with no form of alternating shots or any kind of structure whatsoever.

i'm assuming (hoping) that the traditional modes will still be there (skins, etc..) and that this is just some sort of comedy mode - or even shots of a spectator mode where you can see everything that's going on.

I want the return of the 100 player leader board matches.

First killer app for the PS3 might be around the corner, ladies!

 

[dfyb]

At the risk of sounding like a stick in the mud, having 8 players and their caddies on a given hole at the same time sounds like a chaotic nightmare. From the looks of the pics everyone just goes whenever they want with no form of alternating shots or any kind of structure whatsoever.

I'd find someone swinging in the general vicinity of me while i'm swinging or having some caddy run past or through me in my backswing 1000x more distracting than any voice chat. The greens area would be even worse, on long puts you'd have all these other chars standing in your line while you're trying to gauge the breaks and slopes of a green. Who knows, maybe i just don't like it cause I actually play golf and know how it should be played. It'd be different if it were another sport where distractions are something you deal with, adding extra people in your line of sight in a golf game just seems stupid to me.

As far as everything else i hope the game basically ends up being an upgraded PSP version. Thought they did a great job on that on all levels, it wasn't edited, the difficulty curve wasn't too steep, and the equipment upgrades and outfits were enough to keep you playing even after you'd unlocked all the golfers and courses.

it's supposed to be chaotic. you can play classic multiplayer if you want, but this is for people who want more excitement. it's a fresh mode that i welcome with open arms. will be hilarious racing to the hole.

 

[el Diablo]

i'm assuming (hoping) that the traditional modes will still be there (skins, etc..) and that this is just some sort of comedy mode - or even shots of a spectator mode where you can see everything that's going on.

I want the return of the 100 player leader board matches.

First killer app for the PS3 might be around the corner, ladies!

Hopefully you're right. I like the idea of seeing the other chars on the hole while you're playing (i'd have limited it to a number you'd see IRL, 4-5), but i'd like for it to follow a more realistic structure. HSG might be an over the top looking game but i dare anyone to say that the physics and gameplay isn't top notch.

Also the more i look at the pics i don't see them having unlockable costumes (i do see unlockable clubs and balls from the demo though), hopefully i'm wrong.

it's supposed to be chaotic. you can play classic multiplayer if you want, but this is for people who want more excitement. it's a fresh mode that i welcome with open arms. will be hilarious racing to the hole.

If it's got this then that's perfectly fine with me. I could play this "shotgun free for all" style every once in awhile but i couldn't see myself playing it everytime i wanted to play multiplayer.

 

[DCharlie]

and gameplay isn't top notch.

it is - although single player late level AI is smash-your-controller levels of annoying !

then again, this is all about the online.

 

[el Diablo]

it is - although single player late level AI is smash-your-controller levels of annoying !

then again, this is all about the online.

Actually i didn't find the late level AI all that bad in Open Tee (why i really hope that 5 follows that path). It was challenging but you didn't get "what the $%^ how $%^& did he hit that shot" near as frequently as you did in the older games. I'd say i only ran into 1 or 2 of those per 18 holes as opposed to about 10-12 in older games, 1-2 i can definitely live with :lol.

 

[Jonnyram]

I want the return of the 100 player leader board matches.

It's 50 on here, but it's the same thing, I think.

In the Famitsu interview, they say that it takes a long time to play if everyone takes turns in a 4 player game, and people don't have that amount of time so they put the 8 player simultaneous mode in instead Also, it seems they're thinking about including team functionality.

 

[Fafalada]

If MS were sony, we might even have mandated FSAA with that one switch aliasing thing

MS mandates in regards to graphic requirements are worded a Lot different to developers then they are in the PR - there are loopholes to go below 720P and/or use no FSAA, and plenty of games that took those already, including the biggest one on the platform.

But I agree standards on a platform aren't a bad thing as long as they are within reason (eg. standardizing save utility on PSP was something that consoles should have done at least 10 years ago).
Not gonna start a debate on what's reasonable in a HotShots thread though - the way things are going, 1080p may become required on both machines within a year, and I doubt many would think that would be for gamers benefits.

Having not seen the hardware reference manuals i'm in no position to comment.

It's just not something that has any place in technical documentation. Next thing you know, we'll be reading comparison benchmarks to rival companies in tech docs, getting discount vouchers for MS products with every devkit, and SDK-documentation browsers will have built in streaming banner adds.

 

[el Diablo]

It's 50 on here, but it's the same thing, I think.

In the Famitsu interview, they say that it takes a long time to play if everyone takes turns in a 4 player game, and people don't have that amount of time so they put the 8 player simultaneous mode in instead Also, it seems they're thinking about including team functionality.

Ugh, well that sucks. Odd that they only did an either or option for this instead of including both since they were willing to put in the old swing method as well as the new one. Well one can only pray they decide to add it later.

BTW, how many people actually use the new swing method? Played around with it quite abit and it just never felt right to me. I much preferred the 3 click method since you can be so much more accurate with distances and spins.

 

[_Alkaline_]

I enjoyed the demo so this is on my list to buy. Looking forward to it.

 

[Dizzan]

I would've liked more than 6 courses but thats cool for their first next gen game. I expect at least 12 in the sequel!!

Will this be enough to sell a few PS3's in Japan???

 

[DCharlie]

In the Famitsu interview, they say that it takes a long time to play if everyone takes turns in a 4 player game, and people don't have that amount of time so they put the 8 player simultaneous mode in instead Also, it seems they're thinking about including team functionality.

darn it - they should have just set a configurable shot clock so if people DO have the time then they can have 1-2 mins per shot, where as speed golfers can set it to 15 seconds or something.

Watching people take their shots added to the tension of it all.

 

[mrklaw]

so there isn't a 'take turns' mode? I'd at least have liked the option..

As for chat - I think golf is perfect for chat as its a relatively gentle, slow game and chatting with your friends would be natural. Shame its not in there

 

[Koren]

darn it - they should have just set a configurable shot clock so if people DO have the time then they can have 1-2 mins per shot, where as speed golfers can set it to 15 seconds or something.

The system in the previous one was broken :

- you could choose between "slow" and "fast", which was a limitation of the maximum time for each hole.
- if you were exceeding time, it wasn't a penalty, but an elimination
- you had to wait for the end of the timer, even if everybody had finished the hole, IIRC (we got it late in Europe, and after a couple of weeks, there wasn't anybody online, so I didn't managed to play much)
- you can only chat by text while waiting for next hole.

So, since "slow" was bothersome, you go to play in "fast" mode. And then, you miss a shot at hole 15, arrive in a tree, need a couple of shots to go out, and reach the time limit. It was really a bit harsh.

I would really have liked to see a time limit for each hole, but with one or two joker that give you one or two extra minutes during the course, in case of a missed shot. Or just let anybody play at his rate, and fix a time for the whole course, and display a "real-time" leaderboard (like in REAL tournament, even in single-player mode of many golf games, CPU-players are on different holes than you).

And I'd really like to see other players playing (maybe a selection of best shots) when I'm done on a hole. That should'nt be so difficult.

 

[Zoe]

There is a new HSG for PSP that uses the GPS.

That isn't a game though, is it? I thought it was JUST the GPS portion.

Speaking of, does anybody know if there are any English articles about it? The bf wants to pass it on to his coworkers (he works for a golf GPS company ).

 

[kaching]

okay - so what you are saying is that the MS TRC - which assumedly included mandating 720P ( ) , voice chat, live awareness, etc is big government?

Yes, but my comment wasn't directed at making any specific statement about MS's practices. Please pay attention to the fact that I am not taking issue with the suggestion that voice chat should be available in HSG5 but rather how you convince devs to do that. Personally, it's far more valuable to me to see what features devs voluntarily implement in their games as a gauge of the sincerity and dedication to their project. I'm one of those filthy hippies I guess who sees games as art so I just don't think any part of a game's capabilities should be mandated by a standards body. At most it should be based on a dialogue with the target audience.

I think we all agree that voice chat is piss easy to implement in an online game nowadays what with plentiful bandwidth and CPU cycles, esp. if you're not pushing the envelope with the number of simultaneous online players. So when a dev like Clap Hanz, which has a track record for making quality games, makes a decision not to include voice chat, I think it deserves a consideration of why they'd choose to approach their game design this way, rather than simply demand that someone regulate their ass.

 

[Durante]

MS mandates in regards to graphic requirements are worded a Lot different to developers then they are in the PR - there are loopholes to go below 720P and/or use no FSAA, and plenty of games that took those already, including the biggest one on the platform.

Quoted, because most people don't realise or ignore this.

 

[tyler]

Any more info lately? Japan release is July 26th but is there any news on a US / UK release.

 

[trmas]

After playing the demo, it is on my buy list.

 

[Android18a]

I loved the demo of this enough to pre-order it. The characters are wonderful, so adorable! Best golf game I've played in years. I hope there's some real character customisation, visually.

 

[stewacide]

Pretty / like the art. But what I / everyone wouldn't give to play it with Wii Sports controls...

 

[Zoe]

Pretty / like the art. But what I / everyone wouldn't give to play it with Wii Sports controls...

Bah, I'd rather just go to the driving range. The game is fun enough with the classic controls.

 

[Kintaro]

Pretty / like the art. But what I / everyone wouldn't give to play it with Wii Sports controls...

GTFO with this shit.

 

[dasein]

Finally, Toy Story graphics

 

[derder]

Another reason to get a ps3! woooot

 

[Remy]

Pretty / like the art. But what I / everyone wouldn't give to play it with Wii Sports controls...

I prefer to be able to hit the ball where I want it to go, thanks.

 

[tyler]

9 days until release, has there been any more information recently?

 

[el Diablo]

Noticed the other day that there was a new trailer on the JP PSN store. Has footage of like 8 people putting at once on the green (i'm assuming multiplayer tournament or something), a pan of a multiplayer leaderboard, and a brief clip of some of those imitation mii (i think that's what they're called, don't keep up with Nintendo stuff) looking chars interacting.

Only thing of note for me was how chaotic that green was with all the people putting, i'm hoping there're other ways to play multiplayer w/o having to put up with all that crap as it was pretty distracting (i prefer my golf gameplay to be more traditional). Personally i'd pass on the multiplayer altogether if i was forced to play like that, it's that annoying IMO.

 

[mrklaw]

thanks for the bump, helps to remind me to order it from somewhere that'll actually ship to the UK. Prolly amazon.

 

[tyler]

Some new stuff I hadn't seen before:

Yuming

Nakajima

Training Area

 

[Suikoguy]

This game took a turn for the awesome!

 

[dabig2]

This game looks hot! Thanks for the new pics. Think I'll be importing this one this time around

 

[Crayon Shinchan]

Any word on the US release?