This was MisterWGT's post on the question of VEM.
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Greetings everyone!
I thought I’d add my two cents to this discussion in the hopes of answering any questions re: this forum’s speculation.
-
WGT does not have a system where you, as the player, improve your
skills via an RPG-system like in other games -- i.e. arm strength,
scrambling ability, luck (my personal favorite), etc. In WGT, the
attributes of your player are the same from day 1 on.
- How you improve your ability and/or skill in the game is via two methods:
1) Like real golf… simply playing, learning & getting more experience
2) Earning and/or purchasing better equipment (balls, clubs, etc)
-
The equipment manufacturers select which clubs to feature in the game
and we follow their guidance on their performance characteristics.
For clubs, as an example, the attributes for distance, accuracy, loft,
etc. we list in the pro shop via the ratings. NOTE: We created the
WGT clubs to fill-in a few gaps… especially for the starting player.
-
Whenever you equip a club, it’s performance/output will NEVER change
based on your score, a tournament, who you are playing or, most
importantly, your tier.
- Clubs are essentially locked
and there is nothing automatically changing/modifying their performance
during a single game, series of games, the day, etc.
So put another way…
-
If you are a HACK tier-player… the performance you will see with a WGT
STARTER is the EXACT same performance a MASTER will see.
-
If you a PRO tier player… you will see the PING G10 Pro+ clubs
performance in EXACTLY the same way as a MASTER tier player using the
same clubs.
That’s how we built the system – so everyone is on a fair & level playing field.
- MisterWGT
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This is what the great tibbets said in three different posts on the VEM subject. It's interesting to read again.
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You won't get a cut and dry answer to that question, not because they
are being intentionally elusive, but due to the proprietary nature of
the system WGT uses. No one at WGT is at liberty to discuss in detail
the inner workings of that system. It's like asking the CEO of any
corporation to divulge any inner company workings and/or secrets: It's
just not going to happen, as it potentially compromises the integrity of
that corporation and leaves them at risk from outside influences.
One thing that a few people are missing here is that there are
complex algorithms in place that determine the outcome of every shot.
There are many different variables involved in those calculations, and
the equipment used is only one of them. It would not necessarily be
mutually exclusive to have elements of the VEM system in place and
have MisterWGT's answer be true. There's just more to the bigger
picture than can be elaborated on and for now that's going to have to be
good enough for all of us.
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I can understand your frustrations, as I have shared in them from
time to time. "Mucking up" the waters IMO would be to go through a
detailed and purely hypothetical scenario of what could possibly be
involved in those complex algorithms, something that I think few would
have the stomach for and would probably be wasting a bunch of white
space here.
I'm not speaking for WGT, simply pointing out that if the original
VEM document is read carefully in conjunction with the answer given by
MisterWGT, it becomes clear that 1. He is doing his best to tell us as
much as he rightfully can, and 2. The complexities of the game allow for
a wide array of variables to be factored into their current system.
How, when, and where those variables are used and/or manipulated is not
really for us to know. Those are trade secrets, and so long as there is
no legal impropriety in their use then they have every right to utilize
them at their discretion and keep them to themselves.
Let me put it this way: If even 2% of that VEM patent were being
used currently, and WGT was asked if the VEM system were being used,
then how should they answer? If they say "Yes, part of it is", then you
know the next question will be, "Which part?", to which the reply would
have to be, "We aren't at liberty to say". Then we'd just be back at
square one, with people saying they are being elusive when in fact they
are asking questions that they don't really have the right to know the
answer to. We may LIKE to have the answer, but we certainly aren't
entitled to it, nor would WGT in any way be disingenuous for not
providing it. KFC doesn't doesn't tell anyone their recipe, why should WGT tell anyone theirs?
Just something to think about anyway.
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Ok, let's put it another way.
If, hypothetically, the game does in some ways get harder the better
you get at it, then I am playing the hardest conditions of anyone on
here. It hasn't stopped me from excelling at the game, only from
completely dominating at it. So, I'm not sure why you think you
wouldn't be able to excel at the game even if that hypothetical were
true. The way I see it, anyone who isn't me would be playing an easier
version of the game. Consider it some built in handicapping if you
will. Realistically, the algorithm would be based on probabilities of difficulty, not the certainty of such. Once again, all this is based hypothetically on the idea that there is some sort of VEM modeling at work.
Yes, the patent is on file and there for public viewing, but we know
not what parts of that patent are being/have been implemented. Those
specific details are what comprise the "secret recipe" if you will. In
the corporate world, giving out details like that, even just saying
"Yes, there are built in deviations" are a no-no. There are other games
out there who will use every little bit of defined knowledge of this
game and try and twist it and market against it. It's a dog-eat-dog
world out there, so keeping the cards close to the chest is the best
policy and ultimately necessary. It has the unfortunate side effect of
keeping us somewhat at arms length...it's the nature of the business.
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It's another one of WGT's best kept secrets. I still believe a small proprietary portion of the VEM model exist in the game. : )