Posted on 28 September by Derek Hartin – Game Designer, O-Games

Introducing John Daly’s ProStroke Golf

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When I play a game there’s one thing I hate more than anything else. It’s worse than getting owned by some 14 year old kid who sputters profanities like he’s on some kind of drunken phone-call rampage. Worse than someone spawn camping. Even worse than someone button-bashing and still managing to beat you.

Cheating.

Specifically, the game cheating. When I mess up, I know I’ve messed up. I don’t get gratification from the computer fixing it for me. Imagine the AI in games always did that for you? Every shot is a headshot, every time you throw the ball – touchdown, every time you shake the controller – knockout. Fun for five minutes and then, well, might as well just let the console get on with it because it’s not you playing the game; it’s the game playing itself.

John Daly’s ProStroke Golf has been designed to avoid this. When you hit a shot it doesn’t home-in on the hole. It doesn’t magically alter its trajectory in midair because your golfer is just that good. When you hit a shot, YOU hit the shot: if you hit it right it goes where you aimed. ProStroke has realistic physics so, yes, if you don’t plan a shot correctly your ball can skip off the green and end up in the sand. But how much more satisfying is it to know that when you chip into the hole from that bunker that it was all you? No homing-ball, no aftertouch, just your skill and planning.

It’s all about control and so we’ve put that control into your hands, whatever your skill level or preferred control system. Want to use a three-click system? Sure, if that’s what you want to do. Personally, I think you’d have more fun using the analogue controls, as the on-screen feedback is much more satisfying and the system feels closer to a real swing. Why not try the traditional golfer’s view of the game, staring down the club in ProStroke view? Not only can you shape your shot by shifting your stance, just like in the other modes, you can even shift your golfer’s weight as you take your shot! This can be the difference between being a good golfer and being a great golfer. Add the PlayStation Move motion controller into the mix and you’re swinging as if you were playing on a real course. Which in some ways, you are!

Real GolfReal Golf

Real GolfReal Golf

All the courses in the game are fully playable 18 hole courses, not just snapshots. In many other golf games the world ends on either side of your current hole but in ProStroke you’re going to be playing on a contiguous set of holes. Not only can you see the other holes as you near them, you can use them just like a real life golfer could. If you think it might be beneficial to drive onto a different fairway, go for it!

And these aren’t just fictional courses either! We’ve got the Brabazon Course at the Belfry, one of the most famous courses in the world and the spiritual home of the Ryder Cup. We’ve got courses designed by some of the most famous golfers in the world: The Shire, designed by Seve Ballesteros; Dale Hill, designed by Ian Woosnam; Chart Hills, designed by Nick Faldo. We even have Mystic Rock, designed by world famous course designer Pete Dye and home to the 84 Lumber Classic and the John Daly waterfall. All these courses are modelled from telemetric data and great care has gone into getting the look and feel of each environment, right down to the individually modelled clubhouses and tee markers. As you play, the dulcet tones of Sam Torrance and Peter Kessler will talk you through the course, advising you on the difficulties and distances you’ll face on each hole.

You will, of course, be playing these courses against one of the most familiar and iconic golfers in the world. John Daly is like a force of nature, hammering the ball down the fairway before delicately chipping it onto the green. He is the focus of the game and you’ll have to face off against him in a variety of challenges on all the courses if you want to make it to the tournaments. He’ll really put you to the test.

As for multiplayer, well, it’s golf, right? You’re going to want to play against your friends so that’s what we let you do. Grab three of your friends, get online and enjoy a round of golf. Watch replays of your friends’ shots or skip them, it’s up to you. If you want to get some friends around the console, hot-seat multiplayer is available for three buddies there too. The dev crew here at Gusto Games have already challenged me to a game!

With John Daly’s ProStroke Golf YOU are in control of the game, not the other way around: Play how you want to play.

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Filed: PlayStation 3, PS3 Games

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