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Avatar movements have changed!

• Chipsalot 74 Posts

  Wed, Oct 5 2011 10:37 PM

  While all this discussion about Meter vs Avatar is most interesting I don't see that as the point as to why this thread was started.

  The fact of the thread is and was, we had an Avatar that assisted players in the way that they played their game and the full function of that Avatar was arbitrarily removed by WGT.

  I'm grateful to those members who have tried to help us adjust to the meter but it's obvious I and many others don't want to do that

  I remember back when I first started this game that pitch and chip shots were a complete mystery and modified full wedge shots an absolute nightmare. Then I finally became aware of the Avatar movements and through trail and error improved my game.

  The avatar wasn't good for just wedges either, it also helped with the drivers and bigger irons when the distance you wanted was inbetween the clubs you have at your disposal, as a general rule one notch back would knock 5 yards off your shot while two notches would reduce by 10 yards.

  However my biggest problem now is the difference between my starters SW 70 yards, and my Rapture PW 110 yards - a difference of 40 yards and fine tuning that for an ammended shot between 70 and 110 yards without the help of the avatar full range of movements is a nightmare.

  Again, this is not about meter vs Avatar, it's about a tool that was available which was removed without any form of discussion or warning.

  At best this strikes at arrogance, at worst stupidity on behalf of WGT.

  Bring back the Avatar movements to the way they were..

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Thu, Oct 6 2011 5:21 AM

  Chipsalot:

  Again, this is not about meter vs Avatar, it's about a tool that was available which was removed without any form of discussion or warning.

  No, it wasn't. The moves are still there, you just have to do what DarSum did-relearn them. And the change wasn't arbitrary at all if you read why they did it.

  I played hell trying to get my (then) 8 year old son to drop the training wheels off his first 2 wheeled bike. He was so comfortable with them that when I talked him into trying it with just one of them he learned to ride leaning to the side of the one training wheel. Standing in the driveway with a neighbor watching the kids play in the neighborhood, my neighbor calls him over, reaches down and takes the wheel off and says "There, go ride your bike." I'll be dipped if the kid doesn't just ride away like he'd been doing it forever.

  WGT just took one of your training wheels off.

• misstery 705 Posts

  Thu, Oct 6 2011 5:52 AM

  Hopefully they'll do it for the putter as well in the next update, and halve the size of the meter, as I haven't noticed any difference in load times improving.

• Chipsalot 74 Posts

  Thu, Oct 6 2011 7:01 AM

  YankeeJim:

  Chipsalot:

  Again, this is not about meter vs Avatar, it's about a tool that was available which was removed without any form of discussion or warning.

  No, it wasn't. The moves are still there, you just have to do what DarSum did-relearn them. And the change wasn't arbitrary at all if you read why they did it.

  I played hell trying to get my (then) 8 year old son to drop the training wheels off his first 2 wheeled bike. He was so comfortable with them that when I talked him into trying it with just one of them he learned to ride leaning to the side of the one training wheel. Standing in the driveway with a neighbor watching the kids play in the neighborhood, my neighbor calls him over, reaches down and takes the wheel off and says "There, go ride your bike." I'll be dipped if the kid doesn't just ride away like he'd been doing it forever.

  WGT just took one of your training wheels off.

  wrong analogy to use for me Jim

  There were no training wheels in my day, it was a parents hand on the back of your saddle and a lot of running for dad but I got there a lot quicker than later generations..

  With the greatest of respect and I do respect your point of view... there was no need for WGT to do this and regardless of what you said, it was arbitrary.

  This site has been in trouble with the damned meter faults for as long as I've been a member and I'll bet a dollar to the cent that situation was so, long before I joined. and it has continued to get worse. Why is that?

  Nothing to do with the extensive increase in advertising of course is it? But then, I note you have failed to address that issue.

  Why in God's name, after negotiating adverts when you click play should you then be subject to video adverts when the game you've selected to play is loading? It's hard enough to load at the best of times.

  We all suffer from aborted games because WGT servers cannot cope and many a time I've given up attempting to get a game after 6 - 7 tries and don't tell me that doesn't happen.

  Don't believe WGT when it says 'We are smoothing the meter out', what they are really saying is, "We need more server space to produce more advertising."   and with each greedy, grabbing move they make, our enjoyment of the game gets less and less..

  WATCH VIDEOS to earn credits... lmao, come on... I kid you not, I did take the time to check that out. You spend your resources to watch 5 of their videos and they reward you with .... wait for it... 5 credits... or in monetary terms... 5 cents. BIG DEAL.

  Of course the stock answer from pro supportive WGT supporters is... " Well... if you don't like it then go somewhere else." Knowing that there really is nowhere else to go.

  But mark my words very carefully, someone somewhere is watching this site and carefully noting the likes and dislikes, mayhap they are even monitoring this thread as we post.

  Suddenly out of the blue a new golf site is going to emerge without warning and when that happens perhaps I will leave and take my money with me.and I doubt that I will be alone in that move.

  Just one more thing before I leave for the night Jim. Have you noticed how once again WGTICON has gone missing from this conversation?

  Once you start making comments on their performance (WGT) they go bush (vanish) faster than my Jack Russell chases a snake down a Rabbit hole.(which is quick.)

  WGT is a classic for smugly sitting back and watching members tear strip off each other while quietly sitting back laughing at us. If you haven't worked this out yet it's time you did..

   

  WGT Bring back full action of the Avatars,

• andyson 6,415 Posts

  Thu, Oct 6 2011 8:18 AM

  BolloxInBruges:

  Andyson, in the past with more av. movements you could get it down to the pixel, my thought process on shots would be like "ok 13 congress, 10 tail, this should be 5i 3 pix above the last av movement".  I play in fullscreen so it is quite easy to note each individual pixel of power in relation to an av. movement. 

  Both you and Dar Sum play a game I'm not familiar with!  (To steal a quote from Nicklaus)

  I wondering how you like the new avatar moves BnB?  Is your thought process on 13 now "OK, 13 congress, 10 tail, this should be 5i 13pix above last av movement"  How easy is it for you to find that same spot now? (For me and my overlay it would be no change 96.3% is 95 + 3 pixels.)

  DarSum:

  Why is it all the guys that use these homemade meters think there is no way possible avatar movements can't be accurate? If you've never played that way how on earth would any of you know? 

  I'd never say no way for avatar moves to be accurate.  Just pointing out with the new av moves, and wider gaps, estimating partial av moves is more difficult.  But you don't use them for 9I and up so its a moot point.

  As far as the bet,  2 full percentage points in 4 months?  Hang on a sec.

  Ok, I checked the mirror and I don't have STUPID written on my forehead.  I figure with nearly 17,000 holes under your belt at 81% GIR you'd have to shoot about 71% GIR over the next 4 months to go down 2 full points.  That's about 1 green missed more per 9 holes or 2 greens missed per 18 holes.  That's not gonna happen to ya.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Thu, Oct 6 2011 8:40 AM

  Chipsalot:

  Just one more thing before I leave for the night Jim. Have you noticed how once again WGTICON has gone missing from this conversation?

  Heh-What's he going to add? This was about the avatar moves, not advertising, servers, meters or any of the other topics you brought up. I think you got the point I was trying to make.

   

• Chipsalot 74 Posts

  Sat, Oct 8 2011 6:46 AM

  YankeeJim:

  Chipsalot:

  Just one more thing before I leave for the night Jim. Have you noticed how once again WGTICON has gone missing from this conversation?

  Heh-What's he going to add? This was about the avatar moves, not advertising, servers, meters or any of the other topics you brought up. I think you got the point I was trying to make.

   

   

  Well may you ask Jim.

  For years before I retired I owned and operated a business. Clearly visable was a sign for all to see, it read as follows....

   

  Please!!

  If our service or products are are not up to standard - let us know..

  The Customer that complains is invaluable - because they give us the chance

  to put things right.

  Thank you.

  In short - I called upon the most important person in my business 'The Customer' to help my business grow and become trusted and you wouldn't believe how much that simple sign added to the success of the business.

  I hesitate to say that the customer wasn't always right but they believed they had a genuine grievance and therefore had the right to have their complaint addressed to their satisfaction, which was always done personally by me. My staff never argued with a customer because I'd told them it was an argument they could never win.

  When customer's complain, and the complaint is addressed and the conclusion appears to favour them to their total satisfaction, you have made a friend rather than an enemy.

  I'm not specifically picking on WGTICON but WGT generally and quite honestly they deserve it..

  In this instance they didn't advise of the changes to Avatar movements prior to the change and to the best of my knowledge haven't since the change.

  Does not that strike of contempt and arrogance of its membership?

  This is not the site I first joined... WGT's lust for increased income  has come at the cost of the game and the pleasure of the members.and they supply no address for the members they upset.

  I've given my indications of what is wrong, all WGT has to do has to do is 'follow the yellow brick road but if they don't...I can tell them how to fix it... but THAT will cost them.

   

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Sat, Oct 8 2011 9:58 AM

  You're preaching to the choir, Chip. I don't spend a dime on advertising myself, it's all word of mouth. I'm busier now than I have ever been and that comes from heeding the sign you had for all to see.

  Chipsalot:

  In this instance they didn't advise of the changes to Avatar movements prior to the change and to the best of my knowledge haven't since the change.

  What exactly would you have done had you known they were going to make the change? 

• andyson 6,415 Posts

  Sat, Oct 8 2011 10:10 AM

  Thanks!

  Chipsalot:

  In this instance they didn't advise of the changes to Avatar movements prior to the change and to the best of my knowledge haven't since the change.

  Does not that strike of contempt and arrogance of its membership?

  WGT is taking your advice and not arguing with their customer.......but, though I'm not a Kool-Aid drinker, I will give them the benefit...

  On PAGE 4 of THIS THREAD (did you read it Chipsalot?) WGT responded:

  WGTAdmin:

  Based on your feedback, as our valued WGT players, we’ve been looking for various ways to help speed-up the game, and one of the areas we’ve identified is the time it takes to download and process avatar swinging. In last night’s update, we reduced some frames in avatar animation, which has significantly reduced the size of avatar download and improved loading times, especially during multi-player matches where this affects most players. This change has no effect on the power of the swing or the distance which the ball will travel. However, some experienced players may notice there are a few less frames in the swing.

  Please let us know your experience with the new avatars and any suggestions are deeply appreciated!

  Myself, I don't remember a lot of complaints to speed up loading on multi-player games.  Complaints about freezing and disconnects in multi-player, particularly AS, I remember..  And it would have been good to give their valued customers a heads up that the change was coming.

  I agree with you Chips on your customer service philosophy.  Could you apply for their VP of customer service position? ;>)

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Sat, Oct 8 2011 11:49 AM

  andyson:

  Complaints about freezing and disconnects in multi-player, particularly AS, I remember.

  Ironic you should mention this. Heretofore, Friday AS matches were quite shaky and almost predictable based on weekend traffic increase. Disconnects, slow loads, etc.  That didn't happen this week or last, now that I think of it. I used to joke about it being Friday night while waiting to restart. I haven't said that in a while.  Then again, I have a good supply of Kool-Aid so I never worry about it anyway.  ;-)