Kapalua Golf - The Plantation Course (KPC Beta released)

[scarpacci]

I think I've finally have enough skill in the designer to attempt a RCR.  I've chosen the plantation course since it's one of my favorites and one of the few I've actually had the opportunity to play in real life.  Only 2 holes in and completely flat at the moment so this is going to take a while.  Just thought I'd give a heads up in case anybody else was planning on tackling this course.

Also, if somebody with access to the strakaline app could contact me it would be appreciated. I need as much info as I can get.

Elevation is definitely going to be a challenge. Can anybody recommend the best method they have found for this?

I'm on PS4 so getting things absolutely perfect may be a challenge.  So far so good.

[boomboom]

When the info is lacking, I use Google Earth Pro for elevation data.

[theclv24]

If you have access, there is a version on Links 2003 I believe. Furthermore, I think the Plantation course was originally done by the Access team, and then another user took the Access topography data and updated the course in 2009. I would expect both the elevations and greens to be pretty good if that is the case. I will have to check and see if I have the course.

[Lowenberger]

Jan 29, 2016 14:48:42 GMT -5 scarpacci said:

I think I've finally have enough skill in the designer to attempt a RCR.  I've chosen the plantation course since it's one of my favorites and one of the few I've actually had the opportunity to play in real life.  Only 2 holes in and completely flat at the moment so this is going to take a while.  Just thought I'd give a heads up in case anybody else was planning on tackling this course.

Also, if somebody with access to the strakaline app could contact me it would be appreciated. I need as much info as I can get.

Elevation is definitely going to be a challenge. Can anybody recommend the best method they have found for this?

I'm on PS4 so getting things absolutely perfect may be a challenge.  So far so good.

Excited for this, Kapalua is one of the only pro courses I've played as well!

[scarpacci]

Feb 3, 2016 14:46:54 GMT -5 theclv24 said:

If you have access, there is a version on Links 2003 I believe. Furthermore, I think the Plantation course was originally done by the Access team, and then another user took the Access topography data and updated the course in 2009. I would expect both the elevations and greens to be pretty good if that is the case. I will have to check and see if I have the course.

Pardon my ignorance here for a minute.  Who is the Access team?  Did they build courses for Links?

[theclv24]

Access was the developer of the game, and I believe they created a lot of the early licensed courses. Microsoft eventually bought Access, if I'm not mistaken.

I fired up the 2009 course tonight and can confirm that it's excellent. The elevations seemed very accurate

[scarpacci]

Thanks clv!

Got the front 9 laid down. Pretty darn accurate. Might be a couple angles slightly off but I'm quite please with how things are going. It will be interesting to see how things look once I start the elevation work because the 5th green is a little closer to the edge of the map than I would have liked.

Elevation work is going to be tough but planting is going to be a real challenge on this one. Links theme has an almost perfect backdrop but the foliage is a bit lacking.

[scarpacci]

I published a beta of my Kapalua Plantation Course WIP called KPC Beta. If anybody familiar with the course could give it a play and provide some feedback it would be greatly appreciated. I still have fine tuning to do but the beta isn't far off from the finished product. It's not perfect but I think it's a pretty good tribute to this beautiful course.

Thanks!

[bassman70]

I have never played this course IRL...but I have seen it on PC...anyway, I'm on PS4 and just finished playing it. It looks very good. The elevation is done really well. I played in pretty windy conditions 11-15 mph and was able to get on the on the longest par 4 in regulation with the wind in my face (it was close though)...but you're going after a real life recreation and I think this is great. I can't wait to see the final product with all the planting and eye candy I'm sure you'll provide for us. The greens are also very well done. The course is very playable in the high winds. I managed a -14. Very excited for this! Great work!

[nickweis]

Very well done. At first I didn't realize this was an rcr when I played it, and I was going to comment that the 2 long par 4's and longest par 5 all played the same direction, and into the wind. But they were all manageable, I had winds between 10-14mph. So disregard this negative comment on the routing, and just know that they are tough, but playable.

The plating and terrain work was awesome here. It took me until the 5 th hole to realize this was the links theme. (The yellow edge of the map kind of gave it away)

It always amazes me when playing an RCR on this game, how wide real life fairways are on some courses. But I think you have done an awesome job. I say this having never played the course, but it felt very real, and a great golf experience. Carded a 34 on the front and 30 on the back.

Cheers

[scarpacci]

I just wanted to copy my reply over from the HB thread so people know what direction I'm going:

I think I'm going to try and avoid the "RCR" tag on this one and just think of it more as a tribute to Kapalua Plantation. The final product probably won't include "Kapalua" in the name. I do appreciate a good RCR, like the ones you have done lately, but I don't really have the time or patience to get every detail down to the inch (that's a lie, I have plenty of time on my hands).

I'm at 99.9% on the object limit which means no cart paths, the clubhouse area is going to suck, the "off course" planting is going to be non-existent. There are 3 things wrong that somebody who really knows this course would pick up. Understandably, I don't think this will satisfy the RCR crowd. I'll make sure to make that clear when I release the final version.

I'm more in the look and feel camp. I enjoy playing RCR's because they give me the feeling of playing the actual course. I have no idea, and could really care less, if the approach shot elevation is off a few feet.

I'm not trying to be defensive here, just realistic. I don't want to get people hopes sky high. Put down the protractor for 2 seconds and enjoy your round.


Bassman, thanks for checking it out.  No room for anymore eye candy unfortunately.  I had to remove the cart paths just to be able to get the planting done so my hands are tied in that department.  I used the strackaline app as a loose guide for the greens.  Still some fine tuning to do there.  Since I don't have the skill or patience to do an inch by inch recreation, I'm leaning toward exaggerating the slopes a bit to toughen the course up.


Nick, IRL the trade winds are blowing in the direction of the long holes but unfortunately I have no control over that.  The course would be a complete pushover without wind which is one of the reasons I went with the links theme. Occasionally it will make those longer holes borderline though.  Appreciate your time, thanks.  Your final comment is really what I'm after so I hope people don't get too wrapped up in the details.

[pablo]

I must agree with Albert, the course is wonderful, and a real joy to play. I have vague memories of watching kapalua on the tv, and I think it is a real nice rendit...tribute to the course. I don't know how accurate, but the general feel is present, so great job again Antonio

[mrohde4]

Scarp just gave it a play and you did a hell of a job. Anyone who claims this isn't "real" can take a walk, because this is as close to the Plantation as you'll get on TGC. The property is unlike anything in the world, so it's no surprise TGC doesn't have a suitable theme. But that's not TGC's fault, it's a reflection of the uniqueness of the course. It's on the side of a mountain. I particularly liked your work with 17 and 18. It's too bad there isn't an option to fill waste areas with low res 3-foot shrubbery. Everywhere off the fairways at that place is a different shade of green - bushes, shrubs, hills, and the other islands.

For me, you accomplished the goal of designing a fun and challenging real course specifically designed with TGC in mind. Well done.

[Lowenberger]

Feb 16, 2016 12:10:46 GMT -5 nickweis said:

Very well done. At first I didn't realize this was an rcr when I played it, and I was going to comment that the 2 long par 4's and longest par 5 all played the same direction, and into the wind. But they were all manageable, I had winds between 10-14mph. So disregard this negative comment on the routing, and just know that they are tough, but playable.

The plating and terrain work was awesome here. It took me until the 5 th hole to realize this was the links theme. (The yellow edge of the map kind of gave it away)

It always amazes me when playing an RCR on this game, how wide real life fairways are on some courses. But I think you have done an awesome job. I say this having never played the course, but it felt very real, and a great golf experience. Carded a 34 on the front and 30 on the back.

Cheers

Kapalua is even extreme for fairway width... probably some of the widest fairways I've played on.  Its definitely one course that for an RCR, you really need to be able to set the wind, as most of the difficulty comes in the fact that it is consistently very windy with the trade winds blowing.  

[karma4u]