This will
be a long one, so apologize in advance. The question about VEM has been
discussed over and over again in this forum. I will try to summarize and talk
about it...
First
things first. WGT is a golf simulation game which means a game which tries to
simulate the conditions of a true sport: Golf. Despite all the efforts,
simulator games will always be and always remain simulator computer creations.
We can talk about and argue forever about the percentage of success a game has.
Some will say it's 70% golflike, others 50%, others 90% and so on. The
percentage of how much a game simulation looks like the real thing is meaningless
as long as people like it and keep playing it. Enough with the premises, let's
get down to the real questions here...
WGT is a
computer simulation, meaning a try of reproducing golf game in your screen
using a certain program. The question that rises is: Is real enough? Is close
enough to the real game? Answer: No, it isn't and will never be as any other
simulation sport game out there. There are so many factors involved when you
are playing in real life (i am not talking only about golf) that is quite
impossible to replicate them and run them under algorithms. In real life, you
can see different results on player's performance because it's the natural
order of things. Maybe he/she didn't had a good day, maybe he/she was
struggling with distances, maybe he/she couldn't read the winds right, maybe
he/she didn't like the topology of the course, maybe he/she wasn't at a good
day inside the greens and many many more reasons...
In a game
simulation like WGT these things do not exist. The whole game is based on
certain mechanics like hitting the ding and placing the aimer to the right
point according wind's direction. You regulate your stroke according wind's
strength as well. In the greens, you try to read the putts based on dots
movement and hit the proper speed. That's it...
Now, i
don't want to undermine under any conditions wgt's try to give us a fine
product. If that was the case, i wouldn't be here for almost 7 years. But this
is not the point...
The point
is on any sport simulation game, the difference between the game and the real
life is that in the former you will see in top the same names. Why? Because
they practice a lot, because they understand how the game plays, because they
are taking notes or use some techniques that produce excellent result.
Therefore, as a result, they end up playing every time really well cause is the
nature of the game. A phrase is in order here: They mastered the game!! Under
any conditions just by using couple of clicks in front of their monitor. Is
something bad about this? No, absolutely not!! They have spent hundreds and hundreds
of hours working out how to hit low
scores. I repeat: Is something wrong in that? No, absolutely not (again).
So...at the
end of the day, the question is this: WTF of purpose serves VEM? The whole
notion of VEM is derogative for all the players who practice to get better. VEM
is a virtual mode to manipulate gamer's play. I will say that again: To
manipulate gamer's efforts (key word here: manipulation). In other words, to
punish him cause after thousands of hours of practice has become a master. This
is fkin inconceivable!! I WILL PUNISH YOU, CAUSE YOU PLAY TOO WELL!!
But
nooooooooooo, what are you talking about? Vem is way to level things just a bit
in order to bring close the players in terms of scores. But nooooooooooooooo,
what are you talking about? Vem is a way to make game less boring, otherwise
everyone could hit -18 in every round.
Let's discuss
a bit the above point of views...
Point No1: Who
says or what logic dictates that a player who plays wgt as a ''passatempo'' has
to score close to a guy who spent thousands of hours practicing? What kind of
sick notion is that? Is like saying that if it was the case, we could use vem
in real life to pay the exact amount of money to a worker that works 10 hours a
day and to another one who works one hour per day. So, the argument of vem's
usage is not only derogative towards the players but lacks of simple/common
logic in the first place.
Point No2:
A question to all vem fans: If by any chance had the power to close down vem,
you would be able to hit -18 in two consecutive rounds? Rhetorical question...i
let it be.
So, the
main and key thing for me about vem's usage is the word manipulation. We have a
program (for whatever reason) which undermines the efforts of the players and
practically decides who wins and who loses. This is just outrageous and
destroys sportsmanship or good will to play EQUALLY (another cardinal key word)
wgt or whatever. If you subtract the equal factor off a game is just not a game
anymore, it's hustling. For me, VEM it's the ultimate b##it adopted and serves
certain purposes which have nothing to do with how much realistic a game is.
The game is what it is and we all play the same game. Is it real that i can
dart a 3wd or a 3 iron with heavy tailwind? Of course not. Is it real that my
driver rolls couple of yds? Of course not. Is it real that whenever play form
the bunker with 30-40 or 40-50 lie i can go max 50 or 60 yds? Of course not.
What about the roughs? same thing here too...
Consequently,
the whole argument that vems ''creates'' real simulation conditions is just
childish. VEM is just a way to manipulate the game and that's all to
it...nothing more or less.