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Speculation of future updates and priorities.

• lawman48 3,148 Posts

  Fri, Apr 2 2010 11:55 PM

  YankeeJim:

  As long as SA is as easy as it is there will still be players in tiers they don't belong in. It looks to me like a large number of new masters got there because of SA. Bringing the back nine isn't going to make it any harder because a lot of the greens are shared there and you will only be going in a different direction. It's still flat. Oakmont, however, should make it clear who belongs where if it's anything like it's supposed to be so I would much prefer Oakmont to the back 9 of SA.

  I would hope that new tiers wouldn't enter the equation until all aspects of the real game are implemented, specifically lie factoring. I would be willing to bet that half the people carding low 60s now would skyrocket to the 70s, or high 60s at least, when they have to know what to do with a sidehill, uphill or downhill lie. The real golfers will get it fairly quickly while the gamers will be screaming deviation. Then we can see who knows how to golf.

  In the interim, ideas like RGs for anybody that hasn't cashed or earnings based seeding in tier specific tourneys would allow a little more diversity until the Elite tier shows up (IMO you have to be dead to be a legend.)

  not if your a living legend

• ghettocop1 259 Posts

  Sat, Apr 3 2010 4:04 AM

  callawayjay:

  I agree with Faterson and jayjon (hope I got those spelled right).  It is very frustrating that there is not more information forthcoming from this company to it's golf (and dare I say, paying) community, specifically regarding equipment issues.  If you don't know what I am talking about, then scroll up as I am not here to regurgitate those points.  

  I understand that at the end of the proverbial day, WGT is a capitalist enterprise in the pursuit of maximizing it's profits.  However, what I find hard to swallow is the double speak that comes out of the the mouths of the company spokespeople on here.

  Now before I get jumped on for what I just wrote let me first say that I really like this game and I appreciate all the work, not only from a information technology standpoint that went into this game, because it truly is one of the most real virtual golf games out there, but also the back office stuff that eventually led to to WGT securing a huge financial partner in the USGA. Kudos to WGT's entrepreneurship drive.  Your hard word and tenacious efforts in forging these partnerships, hopefully will improve the playing experiences of the WGT members.

  However, I would be remiss if I did not point out that there has been a lot of talk by the aforementioned "WGT'ers" about proper gamesmanship and upholding the virtues of the great game of golf.  Is it therefore not somewhat hypocritical to not act in a transparent way to your paying customers about upcoming product information?  In the "spirit of the game"? Faterson is right.  How is he supposed to plunk down the cash, which in a roundabout way WGT would force him to do, because of his improved ability which automatically bumped him up from his previous tier thereby rendering his current equipment practically obsolete.

   I cannot speak for others but my objective in this game was not to reach the Master tier level.  But, it is hard to not want to make birdies and eagles.   It just happened, and then life as I knew it changed forever.  The 30 bucks I had spent on the that set of clubs left with me the same feeling as if I had just been screwed over.

  I don't blame Faterson for not succumbing to the lures of WGT.  As a matter of fact I admire him for sticking to his guns and raising this utmost important issue.

  I know there is no easy way for the WGT brass to deal with this.  I thought that the idea of renting clubs was fabulous, and I used that a lot before finally settling on the kit that I have now.  However, unless teasers, or what not can be provided, then I truly believe that a more equitable value be given when one sells back their obsolete equipment.

  To profit from the game of golf, one should uphold it's virtues.  Failing to do so merely coaxes vexation from the golf gods.  

   

  Wow. 

   

• Faterson 2,902 Posts

  Sat, Apr 3 2010 6:33 AM

  jayjonbeach:

  I have to say I am quite excited about many things on the Roadmap and some are downright gamechangers!

  And one or two of them might even be implemented before Christmas 2010!    Given the current rate of progress, it's realistic to expect to see most of those features implemented in 2011 or 2012.

• donsprintr 2,063 Posts

  Sat, Apr 3 2010 7:42 AM

  Yawn ... hash and rehash ... then hash some more ....

  And what do you wind up with ....

  You guessed it ...

  World Golf Hash ...

   Why don't we think outside the box a moment ? In most other instances, it seems that "master" signifies the peak of one's abilities or profession .... (except for university degrees) .... so why instead of adding another tier at the top .... taking the current bunch of pros and assigning them the status of semi-pro and then classifying the lower performing masters as pros would do the trick .... 61 even is a good cut-off line between the new "pro" and master tiers .... then give the 61 and better avg players one more tee box back ... that way the current bunch of masters that would be assigned pro status get to keep their "master" level clubs and the elite group of players have yet a new challenge to master ... just my two cents worth ...

  Oh... the speculation thing ... the features will come about when they come out ... hopefully sooner than later ...

• Snaike 3,678 Posts

  Sat, Apr 3 2010 8:23 AM

  callawayjay:

  However, what I find hard to swallow is the double speak that comes out of the the mouths of the company spokespeople on here.

  I'm not going to jump on you, callawayjay, but I would like to see where any agent of WGT has engaged in "doublespeak".

  Doublespeak - noun  -  evasive, ambiguous language that is intended to deceive or confuse.

  Please show us where we can find WGTAlex, Niv, Admin, Admin2, Cinder, or MrWGT's official evasive or ambiguous language that is intended to deceive or confuse us?  Now I haven't been here since the beginning, but I really don't recall any instances of deception... perhaps I missed it.

  callawayjay:

  How is he supposed to plunk down the cash, which in a roundabout way WGT would force him to do, because of his improved ability which automatically bumped him up from his previous tier thereby rendering his current equipment practically obsolete.

  "...forced him.."??!  It's a free game.  How is anyone FORCED to do anything here?  Is WGT over at your house right now, holding the wife and kids hostage until you plunk down that $20?

  That argument is ridiculous at best....

  IMHO, the problem here is not with WGT.  It's with players who have ASSUMED and SPECULATED on upcoming releases with no facts.  This is a dilemma they have brought on themselves.

  Upgrades will come out when they come out.  Let's look at an example... Computer technology makes exponential jumps every 14 months....  We know that.  We know that the 'top-of-the-line' computer we buy today for a premium price will be discounted over-stock within the year.  Does that stop folks from buying it?  No.  Some wait and get the better price, some have to have the best, so they are willing to spend for it.

  Golf clubs (real ones) are a prime example, too...  Walk through the bargain bin at your local store and take a good look at the drivers for sale for $169.99 ... just last year they could get $400 for them.

  WGT says new clubs are coming.  Fine.  Upgrade now if you want to, wait if you want to, but don't blame WGT for your ambivalence because it's your call.

  Besides, what's the worst than can happen?  You buy a club for a $10 or so and would like to buy another one a week later for another $10... wow... you spent $20 on a game that they are giving away and still got the best clubs.

  $20.  hmmmm... TWO goes live next week.  That might be one month's subscription.  Where would you want to spend your money?

  donsprintr:

  Oh... the speculation thing ... the features will come about when they come out ... hopefully sooner than later ...

  Word.

• Faterson 2,902 Posts

  Sat, Apr 3 2010 8:47 AM

  Snaike:

  Doublespeak - noun  -  evasive, ambiguous language that is intended to deceive or confuse.

  Depends on what dictionary you're using!    One of the most reputable dictionary sites online is Answers.com, and their definition of doublespeak goes like this:

  Answers.com:

  doublespeak — noun — 2. Deliberately ambiguous or evasive language.

  I believe that that definition hits the nail on the head. The information on the time‑line of future product releases has been deliberately ambiguous and evasive. Very much so. For many months now.

  Also, it's not just a matter of $20. I want to buy a full Master club set (or 2 of them!), but don't dare to do so, because what if they release an updated Master club set a few days later?!

  Besides, Snaike, I don't think even $10 is something to sneeze at. If it is, please send me $10 to my PayPal account, I'll use it to improve my dinner later tonight, and will drink to your health.  

• andyson 6,415 Posts

  Sat, Apr 3 2010 9:34 AM

  Faterson:

  Answers.com:

  doublespeak — noun — 2. Deliberately ambiguous or evasive language.

  I believe that that definition hits the nail on the head. The information on the time‑line of future product releases has been deliberately ambiguous and evasive. Very much so. For many months now.

  I believe you are referring to this  statement on the "Upcoming Product Releases" post by WGT.

  WGTAlex:

  Features listed under Coming Soon are things we are currently working on and expect to release in the next 30-60 days. One factor that may delay the release of a feature on this list is if we feel it is not ready for prime-time.
  
  Features listed under Roadmap Features are things that have a spot on our product roadmap. Preliminary planning has begun and we may have started working on them. These items will move up to “Coming Soon” or be taken off the list as priorities shift. Feel free to provide feedback on items in this category.
  
  Please note that not every planned feature and course is listed, and the list is in no particular order. What you see here are items we can talk about publicly, and have a spot in our roadmap. The purpose of posting them here is to keep you more informed of upcoming releases.

  Nothing certain about 30-60 days or a feature on the list may be delayed.  How about "we may have started working on" items on the roadmap. Or not.  Or those items could move up to the the "Coming Soon" or disappear.  Sounds pretty darn ambiguous to me.

  And deliberate too.

  Snake:

  IMHO, the problem here is not with WGT.  It's with players who have ASSUMED and SPECULATED on upcoming releases with no facts.

  Its what we do when given no facts!  Live with it.

  Faterson:

  Besides, Snaike, I don't think even $10 is something to sneeze at. If it is, please send me $10 to my PayPal account, I'll use it to improve my dinner later tonight, and will drink to your health.

  .

  Don't hold your breath Faterson.  Keep in mind this guy is so frugal he's still playing with Tour Starter irons so I have no idea why he'd sneeze at us wanting to not waste our money.

  I can only hope the ambiguity shown to us, their customers, does not exist internal to their development team.  Otherwise how would a developer know what to work on?

   

   

• ghettocop1 259 Posts

  Sat, Apr 3 2010 9:43 AM

  Why do you guys take this update stuff so seriously?  Is the game in it's CURRENT incarnation not enjoyable enough to participate in?  There is a monumental amount of importance placed on these updates and speculative "update cycles".  Ridiculous really.  I think topics like this are actually arenas for the more verbose among us to just post away about nothing.  Several posts in this thread fit this criteria nicely.

• andyson 6,415 Posts

  Sat, Apr 3 2010 10:15 AM

  ghettocop1:

  Why do you guys take this update stuff so seriously?  Is the game in it's CURRENT incarnation not enjoyable enough to participate in?  There is a monumental amount of importance placed on these updates and speculative "update cycles".  Ridiculous really.

  Point taken GC.   If I didn't care about the game, or feel a sense of community maybe even "ownership" about the game, I wouldn't care about the updates or lack of transparency on releases would I?

  Would you rather I post about meter stutter, quitters or TWO?  LOl j/k

   

• Faterson 2,902 Posts

  Sat, Apr 3 2010 10:27 AM

  andyson:

  How about "we may have started working on" items on the roadmap.

  That's my favourite.    I try to imagine what would happen if I told one of my clients, "Oh yes, sir, I may have started working on those tasks you assigned to me."

  ghettocop1:

  Why do you guys take this update stuff so seriously?

  Because I'd finally like to purchase a Master club set. That's an investment of several dozens of $. If that's negligible to you, just send me those $25 or $30 to my PayPal account.    I already got burned a year ago when I bought the R9 driver, and an updated R9 driver was released a couple of weeks later. I just don't intend to get burned again, that's all.