2K Ports and a New Design Coming Soon
Aug 23, 2020 9:02:29 GMT -5
sirbown17 and PaKaLoLo77 like this
Post by pitt1976 on Aug 23, 2020 9:02:29 GMT -5
Here are some updates on the transition to 2K...
RCR's
Pittsburgh Field Club
This will be ready today. More trees have been removed since TGC2019 and the club has completely moved to green complexes without fringes. It does give it a unique look in real life. I'm not sure how it will translate to 2K. Access to tree types from other themes has also made this more realistic, as many trees at the Field Club have been trimmed up from the bottom for turf purposes. This gives their oak and maple trees the same look as the Ash that wasn't previously accessible in the Rustic theme. I have played it through a couple times and after some final planting detail, it's a go. I'm very happy with the 2K visuals on this course, as it certainly looks more realistic than ever before.
Fox Chapel Golf Club
This is a tough one... The club is finalizing a Fazio renovation right now. I have seen pictures of some updates, like the restoration of the original lion's mouth bunker on #9. I plan to visit and play soon after it's all done. Google earth has no images that are current enough to even preview any work from above. I put a lot of time into this RCR over the years and truly loved the Brian Silva renovation from 2001. I'm not sure if I should post the port or wait a couple months. I don't believe that there will be extreme changes that can't be done quickly, once I've been there to see them. Bunkers were being renovated, but drainage was the issue more than changing the look. I don't believe that the greens are changing at all. I'm still thinking about porting the old version, but at this point I'm favoring the idea that the RCR should be the real thing. We will see.
My Designs
Steamshovel Golf Club
This project has taken all of my time over the past 2 days. This course had a distinct look on the TGC series that just doesn't work in 2K. I can not stand the "late to show up, pop up" grasses and smaller features on 2K. Also, the new unfinished heavy rough tones that used to have contrast in TGC are all VERY green. Some day, tall fescue will become the 5th surface to layer. Until then, I have decided to expand the 1st cut of rough out to the old low lying areas and use a different tone for the heavy rough. I'm pleased with how it shows. I have given some of the greens a little more break in flat spots, but didn't make any major changes from a sculpting standpoint. I did add a large river that runs up the left side of the 18th hole. It feeds the creek that has always run through the property, but doesn't add anything other than atmosphere as it doesn't come into play at all. I resisted temptation to make the course more difficult, as this track has always played easy. I guess it's just a sad reminder of what distance has done to some timeless designs in the real world. This design always received a lot of plays and has hosted lower level events on TGC Tours, so I wanted to keep the course extremely close to what it was.
Thorn Acres Golf Club?
Not sure if that name will stick...This is the project I've been working on for months in expectation of 2K. I just posted the beta to TGC2019 under "TAGC beta" to get some feedback before publishing on 2K. It fell victim to the same rough issues as Steamshovel. I have decided to forgo the fescue look and keep the difficulty over aesthetics. Heavy rough near the fairway and green complexes couldn't be sacrificed to create the contrast that you'll see on the beta. I love template holes and all of the par 3's fall into that category. There's also a punchbowl and a cape with an a couple loose templates of Alps and Leven.
My goal in this project was to create a course that covered all of these items:
-Yardage options and green complexes suitable for higher level tournament play
-Template holes would be present, but not primary like Steamshovel
-Throw in some additional design quirks that I've enjoyed seeing over the years
-Use rolling terrain in a Northeast climate.
-Property is in a densely wooded are, but there are very few trees on the course
-The track is an old time design located in a serene, private environment - away from any urban area
- It's a Golf Club - no tennis, no pool, no flowers, no carts...
- A clubhouse that overlooks the entire property
I'll put this out next week. If anyone has feedback on the beta (or the name) I'm all ears.
Thanks!
RCR's
Pittsburgh Field Club
This will be ready today. More trees have been removed since TGC2019 and the club has completely moved to green complexes without fringes. It does give it a unique look in real life. I'm not sure how it will translate to 2K. Access to tree types from other themes has also made this more realistic, as many trees at the Field Club have been trimmed up from the bottom for turf purposes. This gives their oak and maple trees the same look as the Ash that wasn't previously accessible in the Rustic theme. I have played it through a couple times and after some final planting detail, it's a go. I'm very happy with the 2K visuals on this course, as it certainly looks more realistic than ever before.
Fox Chapel Golf Club
This is a tough one... The club is finalizing a Fazio renovation right now. I have seen pictures of some updates, like the restoration of the original lion's mouth bunker on #9. I plan to visit and play soon after it's all done. Google earth has no images that are current enough to even preview any work from above. I put a lot of time into this RCR over the years and truly loved the Brian Silva renovation from 2001. I'm not sure if I should post the port or wait a couple months. I don't believe that there will be extreme changes that can't be done quickly, once I've been there to see them. Bunkers were being renovated, but drainage was the issue more than changing the look. I don't believe that the greens are changing at all. I'm still thinking about porting the old version, but at this point I'm favoring the idea that the RCR should be the real thing. We will see.
My Designs
Steamshovel Golf Club
This project has taken all of my time over the past 2 days. This course had a distinct look on the TGC series that just doesn't work in 2K. I can not stand the "late to show up, pop up" grasses and smaller features on 2K. Also, the new unfinished heavy rough tones that used to have contrast in TGC are all VERY green. Some day, tall fescue will become the 5th surface to layer. Until then, I have decided to expand the 1st cut of rough out to the old low lying areas and use a different tone for the heavy rough. I'm pleased with how it shows. I have given some of the greens a little more break in flat spots, but didn't make any major changes from a sculpting standpoint. I did add a large river that runs up the left side of the 18th hole. It feeds the creek that has always run through the property, but doesn't add anything other than atmosphere as it doesn't come into play at all. I resisted temptation to make the course more difficult, as this track has always played easy. I guess it's just a sad reminder of what distance has done to some timeless designs in the real world. This design always received a lot of plays and has hosted lower level events on TGC Tours, so I wanted to keep the course extremely close to what it was.
Thorn Acres Golf Club?
Not sure if that name will stick...This is the project I've been working on for months in expectation of 2K. I just posted the beta to TGC2019 under "TAGC beta" to get some feedback before publishing on 2K. It fell victim to the same rough issues as Steamshovel. I have decided to forgo the fescue look and keep the difficulty over aesthetics. Heavy rough near the fairway and green complexes couldn't be sacrificed to create the contrast that you'll see on the beta. I love template holes and all of the par 3's fall into that category. There's also a punchbowl and a cape with an a couple loose templates of Alps and Leven.
My goal in this project was to create a course that covered all of these items:
-Yardage options and green complexes suitable for higher level tournament play
-Template holes would be present, but not primary like Steamshovel
-Throw in some additional design quirks that I've enjoyed seeing over the years
-Use rolling terrain in a Northeast climate.
-Property is in a densely wooded are, but there are very few trees on the course
-The track is an old time design located in a serene, private environment - away from any urban area
- It's a Golf Club - no tennis, no pool, no flowers, no carts...
- A clubhouse that overlooks the entire property
I'll put this out next week. If anyone has feedback on the beta (or the name) I'm all ears.
Thanks!