Building Franklin Country Club - Using TPG Course Design

[SirFozzie]

This will be the thread for my attempt to create a full 18 hole Golf Course using Total Pro Golf (from Wolverine Studios). Since I have no photoshop skills, I will be letting the pros do the major courses, I want to put the designerthrough it's paces, and in less then a week, have a full course available for download.

Meanwhile, I'm looking for suggestions and critiques. Feel free to mention what you do or don't like about holes.

Off we go!

Oops: See this is in General Discussion :) Oh well

[SirFozzie]

Hole #1: "Control"

The first hole is definitely not an easy starter, as Golfers will hit off an elevated tee. The fairway slopes upwards slightly, but Distance will be an issue, and the landing zone for some shots will be in between two large capture bunkers. The second shot will require backspin, as a small pond in front of the green will catch anyshots that attempt a chip and run.

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/5126/fcc11hr.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Time Spent Creating: 45 minutes (included four false starts)

[SirFozzie]

Hole #2: "Fall Splendor"

The 2nd hole is easier. You want to hit the ball as far down the fairway as possible, without getting it into the bunker, to get a clear shot at the green. The green slopes front to back so players with good back spin should do well here. Par should be assumed, as there are no hazards other then the one large capture bunker, and trees on each side of the hole.

http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/2104/fcc29lm.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Time Spent Creating: 25 Minutes (includes one false start)

[SirFozzie]

Hole #3 "Long"

The first Par 5 on the course, the first shot will go over Franklin Pond, and again, shorter drives off the tee might have their 2nd shots affected by the trees. The landing area for the 2nd shot will punish the big hitters, as it runs down hill towards a pot bunker that will ruin anyone's day. The third shot is uphill to the pin, with a light sand bunker waiting to grab balls that go long.

http://img420.imageshack.us/img420/9079/fcc39ey.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Time Spent Creating: 20 minutes

[SirFozzie]

Hole 4: Precision

Based off the famous 17th at sawgrass, this is my least favorite hole so far, despite the challenge of the shot (again from an elevated tee) to an island green with limited rough in case of wild shots. Why? Because it's so vanilla. Probably add some trees or stuff.. what do you guys think?

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/365/fcc48lh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Time to Create: 10-15 minutes (again, it's a simple hole)

[st.cronin]

Hole 4: Precision

Based off the famous 17th at sawgrass, this is my least favorite hole so far, despite the challenge of the shot (again from an elevated tee) to an island green with limited rough in case of wild shots. Why? Because it's so vanilla. Probably add some trees or stuff.. what do you guys think?

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/365/fcc48lh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Time to Create: 10-15 minutes (again, it's a simple hole)

Trees would be nice. Or alligators. Or even werewolves.

[SirFozzie]

Hole #5 "Risk/Reward"

At only 309 yards from the Black tees, this hole will be driveable for the big guns, but it's feast or famine, as three pot bunkers will ruin the round of any golfers unfortunate enough to have their drives end up in them.

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/4797/fcc54tz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Time Spent creating: 14 minutes

[SirFozzie]

Hole 6: "Hills/Depressions"

This is my favorite hole so far, as the fairway undulates up and down, and the landing area for the drive off the tee is very narrow, and can find either side bunker if not hit well.

The 2nd shot has a huge bunker blocking the green, and control will definitely be required to get the ball over them and on the green without hitting the woods behind

http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/9206/fcc63cc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Time Spent Creating: 20 minutes.

Now, I'm up to date, I think I'm gonna go with a 36-36 Par 72 course, with 2 5's and 2 3's per side.

[SirFozzie]

anyway, suggestions, compliments, all that.. let me know what I should be doing, especially those of you who have already used it and may know tricks I don't :)

[RPI-Fan]

anyway, suggestions, compliments, all that.. let me know what I should be doing, especially those of you who have already used it and may know tricks I don't :)

First thing that jumps out at me is it's too "blocky". The fairways should have rounded corners, and trees shouldn't always be exactly x layers deep - there could be some more variation.

[SirFozzie]

First thing that jumps out at me is it's too "blocky". The fairways should have rounded corners, and trees shouldn't always be exactly x layers deep - there could be some more variation.

Nods.. I'll work on that.

[digamma]

I like the fifth a lot--as it gives players several options on how to play the hole.

By the same token, I dislike the third. It doesn't seem like there is any other way to play the hole than by using the three shot points, i.e., no chance to go for the green in two.

[SirFozzie]

I wanted the first Par 5 to be pretty standard.. trying to figure what to do for the 2nd Par 5 to give a good risk/reward ratio with going for the greem.. maybe set up the trees so if you bomb the first shot out 290+ you have a shot.. was thinking about making the 2nd shot 230 or so with water bisecting the fairway.

[Groundhog]

SirFozzie, you are doing a good job of getting me excited about this game. :)

[SirFozzie]

Cool. We're still a couple months from release of the full game (Gary.. beta test? :D) but I figure that by then, I can have a couple courses done (even if they're not like some of the others, and learn the tricks of the trade.

[kingfc22]

Nice work Foz. Now I might have to DL this and give it a try.

[Axxon]

I like the fifth a lot--as it gives players several options on how to play the hole.

By the same token, I dislike the third. It doesn't seem like there is any other way to play the hole than by using the three shot points, i.e., no chance to go for the green in two.

I refuse to state an opinion on this on the grounds that I might incriminate myself.

[Franklinnoble]

This country club is FranklinNoble approved...

[KWhit]

This is a good idea for a thread. Maybe I'll post some screenies of what I'm working on too.

It's fun creating courses, isn't it?

[SirFozzie]

Please do, KWhit.. I want to see how your textures are working.. Plus you had that one hole that looked 5x as good as mine :)

[Gary Gorski]

Very nice Foz!

BTW, we discovered something interesting today. Apparently at least one of the versions of Links allows you to look at the course from an overhead camera that you can zoom in and out to any size you like...well if you were to take a screenshot of that and import it so long as you got it scaled correctly it would work very nicely as evidenced in this thread

http://www.wolverinestudios.com/forum/showthread.php?t=155&page=2

I'm not too familiar with the TW course design program or if it allows you to adjust the camera angle to get an overhead view in the game but certainly if you could grab an image from there scaled to the right size all you would need to do would be to import the image into the designer and map it out. I also discovered that if you go to http://local.live.com/ you will find that some areas have a "bird's eye" view in addition to the two default views - the bird's eye view gives you a very clean and detailed overhead shot of whatever you are looking at - great for making holes if you can get the entire hole in the shot or at least for making some textures.

[SirFozzie]

Cool. Didn't have much chance to create tonight, but hopefully by this weekend I'll finish the front 9.

[Gary Gorski]

Something new today for anyone interested in course design and especially if you are interested in getting feedback on your courses

http://www.wolverinestudios.com/forum/showthread.php?t=165

That thread talks about the Tiger Woods Community website hosting TPG textures and courses - they've very generously agreed to be the central location for all the uploads and downloads and my thread explains that. They have a great forum community there and I encourage anyone making a course to head over there and not only share your custom textures and created courses but share works in process on the forums to get feedback.