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left handed

Mon, Mar 11 2013 7:36 PM (25 replies)
  • bubbadork
    984 Posts
    Mon, Mar 11 2013 4:59 AM

    I know the stencil arguments. I know the feet might be on one terrain and the ball on the other, all that stuff. I know it's a simple, nearly trivial problem. 

  • courteneyfish
    15,796 Posts
    Mon, Mar 11 2013 5:11 AM

    bubbadork:
    I know it's a simple, nearly trivial problem. 

    For whom?

  • andyson
    6,415 Posts
    Mon, Mar 11 2013 10:22 AM

    bubbadork:

    I know the stencil arguments. I know the feet might be on one terrain and the ball on the other, all that stuff. I know it's a simple, nearly trivial problem. 

    You're saying implementing left handed avatars is a simple, nearly trivial problem?  So, how would you do it?  Why is it so simple?

  • bubbadork
    984 Posts
    Mon, Mar 11 2013 11:21 AM

    I would replicate the various pieces of the avatar in mirror-image versions and assemble them as the current assembly of right-handed versions is done.

    The image is a photograph with additional items (avatar sections, ball, divots, tees, etc.) overlaid. It's a common and well-defined process.

    The position of the avatar at address and the nature of the terrain is already defined for the entire area around the ball. There's no reason that can't accommodate an avatar positioned in another spot. Except for the actual piece content, it's no different than providing opposing views as in putting.

    Seriously, I am not being a smartass here, and I'm not speaking out of my nether regions. Stuff like this was a significant part of my (successful) career.

  • bubbadork
    984 Posts
    Mon, Mar 11 2013 12:09 PM

    Note that the lefty (lower left) is not just a mirror image (lower right): he's been repositioned in relation to the ball.

  • courteneyfish
    15,796 Posts
    Mon, Mar 11 2013 12:42 PM

    So what would you do if there was a 6ft deep bunker just a few inches to the right of the ball in your bigger picture?

  • bubbadork
    984 Posts
    Mon, Mar 11 2013 12:50 PM

    The same you would do for a right-hander if there were 6-ft bunker where the righty is standing now.

    I'm not saying there are no difficulties (we've all had our avatars standing in weird places), I'm saying there are no more difficulties than occur with right-handed avatars.

  • andyson
    6,415 Posts
    Mon, Mar 11 2013 1:13 PM

    Off the top of my head after spending time thinking about the game as a whole and not merely the graphics....

    Simple mirror-image versions are not going to work in all cases.  Avatars with logos for example the Lexus one:

    Now the logo for the lefty is bassackwards!  There's a few more including Ketel & GolfChannel NBC that would also need added artistic work.  Perhaps even some of the country flag avatars would need added work also.

    WGT also needs to do the work to mirror all the clubs.  The images of clubs in the club selection area as well will need artist's work.

    Have you considered the work to account for missed dings?  If a righty misses late the ball goes to the right, if a lefty misses late the ball should go left.  There's more work to be done in the guts of the game.

    Potential work in uneven lies flipping sidehill lies. What's downhill to a righty is uphill to a lefty.

    Potential work in future features "stance adjustment" and "fade/draw." (I got a inkling this stuff for rightys might already be somewhat implemented from early versions of the game.)

    Looking at the game window with the mini-map on the right of the screen makes me wonder, based on the limited camera angles, if a lefty avatar is now much more likely to be hidden by the mini-map.  Potential work to be done re-positioning the mini-map opposite the lefty avatar.

    Are there performance impacts?  I was in an AS game yesterday where 3 of the 4 players had the same avatar.  That means less avatar files to download.  With lefty avatars righty/lefty won't be able to share files.  Will there more often be additional avatar files to download?

    How about GUI impacts?  We better know what is acceptable to the users first.  Does everyone want the option of playing lefty?  We're all ambidextrous then.  Or do you sign up as a lefty and are then stuck with it?  Which GUI needs to change? registration or game options or appearance options? 

    Are there Pro Shop impacts?  Does WGT sell lefty avatars separately? When you buy an avatar do you specify left/right?

    How about Lefty only tournaments?  Should that be accommodated in the tournaments features?

    I think I've made my point.  There's going to be much more work in the entire game than just flipping the avatar pictures.  That's just the tip of the iceberg IMO.

    Certainly a more detailed feature definition, a feature specification would be needed before any high level estimate could be given with any degree of certainty.  In addiiton, without knowing AS3, or whether the original designer is even still around (we both know maintaining/enhancing someone else's stuff is a PITA) I'd be stupid to say it was a simple change.

  • courteneyfish
    15,796 Posts
    Mon, Mar 11 2013 1:27 PM

    bubbadork:

    I'm not saying there are no difficulties 

    But you did. In fact you said it was simple.

     

  • bubbadork
    984 Posts
    Mon, Mar 11 2013 1:42 PM

    No, mirror images won't work. That's why my lefty isn't a mirror image. I actually turned him around by aiming backward, then replacing the club with a left handed club because the face, rather than the back, was showing.

    You're correct that there need to be left-handed clubs. You're also correct in saying that definitions need to be made. Those are work items, yes, but they aren't complicated. If WGT does not want to make any investment, that's rightly their decision. Their response was not that they don't want to make additional investment, it was that the technical implementation was difficult. It is not.

    Screen real estate might be a problem in certain instances, just as the positioning near severe features such as bunkers can be a problem in certain instances. However, you can take any shot you have coming up and position to hit backwards and see that the real estate doesn't present a problem for the majority of the shots. I do it all the time when characterizing clubs and lies and so forth. Hit back and forth until my shots are used up.

    I'm a righty. It's no skin off my nose if leftys aren't implemented. Nor am I addressing marketing issues. I'm merely presenting facts regarding technical implementation. I assure you it's not BS, It's entirely everyone else's prerogative to decide if that assurance has any validity.

    Edit:

    Courtney, it is simple. There are no difficulties that they haven't already solved for right-handed players (whether cleanly or not).

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