Golf gaming has never gotten more competitive. We talk with Tiger 09's game designer about new features.
August 16, 2008 | 12:54 AM PSTby: Ray Almeda
Recently, Sports Joystick was able to sit down with EA Tiburon game designer Carlos Barbosa discussing Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii (All-Play).
Some of the topics discussed included the dreaded question of Augusta, golfer selections for the game, Club Tuning, Hank Haney's involvement, and the new All-Play Tiger Woods title for the Wii.
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT
RA: Ray Almeda - Editor in Chief, Sports Joystick
CB: Carlos Barbosa, Game Designer, EA Tiburon for Skate 2
RA - Give us a heads up on what's new with Tiger Woods 09, especially those who are familiar with the 2008 game.
CB - Tiger Woods 09 is all about accessibility. We wanted to create a game that everyone can play. That's really the focus of it. All of our features drive that concept home.
When you first start off playing Tiger Woods, you'll notice that when you create a character, Hank Haney will be there (He's Tiger's coach). He's going to guide you through the basics of the new features. We kind of have a suite of features here. The first feature is the Dynamic Attribute system that will fluctuate based on how you play. Basically if you have a great round, then obviously your attributes will go up. If you have a bad round, then they will go down.
He looks ready for next year doesn't he? The record-books are counting on it.
This will depend on the statistics of things you'll be doing. For putting, it'll be putts per green. If you lower your putts per green, your attributes will go up. Hank will also be on hand to help you out to make sure you're working on tweaking those attributes, especially if you're having specific problems on the course.
For example, if you hit your ball into the bunker numerous times, Hank will make a tune-up session out of it.
RA - So will you be be receiving hands-on training right there after constant mistakes like hitting your ball into a bunker?
CB - No, so what happens at the end of the round is that you'll get suggested training sessions. It's a mini-game that you'll play to get your attributes back up. So it'll help you out for the next couple of rounds - that sort of thing.
Another feature that we have that will help ease the accessibility of play is called the Club Tuner. Basically, it's the first time you'll be able to customize your clubs and club sets to tailor how you play. So for example, say you're a newcomer to Tiger and you've never played the game before and can't hit the ball straight on the fairway. You'll enter the Club Tuner and the virtual coach here will show you how to tune your clubs to get your shots straighter, longer and easier, sacrificing a few things here and there.
If you're a veteran, you'll find that the Club Tuner is a valuable tool for making the game feel perfect for you. For example, if you're a power hitter, you can increase that for your club, but you'll notice it'll be harder to hit the ball straight. But if you do hit the ball straight, then you'll get that distance. You can even change your lob and spin too. All of this is wrapped up with Hank Haney there to help you out at every step.
RA - Will Hank Haney be doing this in the game for both male and female golfers?
CB - Right. It won't be just for Tiger. Created golfers too.
RA - How involved was Hank Haney in the game? Was his full personality and likeness implemented in there?
CB - We worked with Tiger and Hank pretty closely this time round, compared to last year. A lot of the features, including training, Club Tuning and the attributes were all directed from them. We asked them how their interaction would work.
In reality, Tiger's obviously here to win. He's always looking for the next shot, in the moment, always analyzing and moving forward. Hank is there to watch what's going on and make notes where Tiger is behind. Obviously, Tiger doesn't want to hear about these things right there on the course. So obviously, there will be areas which Tiger will need to work on. This is what the training is all about.
The same thing with attributes. The dynamic is also the conversation of that example. We talked about what happens out there on the course, really out there. It's never a one-to-one type of thing all the time, but it is a mental game. Things like specific tuned clubs for each player will showcase the way they play and shape the way they play every single time.
The Club Tuner mode is a simple training tool for experts and game newcomers.
RA - Tell us about the new online modes his year.
CB - New this year is simultaneous online, so you'll be able to play four players online at one time. This is done in real-time and you won't have to watch their shots. This makes the game a lot faster when doing competitive online play.
RA - Can you taunt other players too?
CB - Of course - with the headset - you can do whatever you want.
Our main focus here was to avoid going back and forth to make the gameplay faster. Nobody wants to wait that long when it's eighteen holes. There's a lot of improvements here with the GamerNet. Last year, we introduced EA Sports GamerNet, which is a free service like YouTube where you can save shots and rounds and post them to the service so people can view them and challenge them.
This year, we introduced this directly into the game. For example, if you were to post directly into the game, you wouldn't need to save it onto a computer, export it and all that stuff. But also, just for playing the game, we're bringing GamerNet clips right down to you.
Essentially, these are challenges and stuff that searches GamerNet challenges from players near you (geographically). A long-drive competition or a closest to the pin competition. If you win, you win GamerNet points. We have daily leaderboards. Career leaderboards. And we can put up some new channels up there too.
RA - How about the Wii this year? At the EA press conference, we saw Peter Moore battling it out with LPGA Pro Golfer Natalie Gulbis on stage.
CB - I didn't work on the Wii, but it's certainly different this year. We made the game in-house, so there's a dedicated team solely focused on that. We've got a lot of Wii-centric features without sacrificing the hardcore features either. We've added 1:1 swing, which works phenomenally. We've also included an All-Play Mode, which allows you to play with younger brothers, your Mom, etc. Of course, this makes up the whole accessibility thing. Also added is a Party Mode where you'll have the new courses, updated graphics playable in so many challenges. It's a phenomenal title.
RA - For those still unsure, how will All-Play specifically make it that easier for newcomers to the game?
CB - We've simplified the swing and make it so there's virtually no error. We've also made an arc on the screen to show you exactly where the ball is going to go, including wind and elevation factors already assumed. The only thing that's left to do is hit the ball and match the power. If you hit the ball 100%, then it'll go exactly where the arc shows it should be. It's a great way to get started in the game.
RA - We saw a bit of those multiplayer mini-game modes in earlier trailers. But can you tell us more about what some of these challenges might be?
CB - In terms of mini-games, we range from ball-juggling to even somes involving those golf-ball pick-up carts (seen at driving ranges). We've got long-drive competitions (some for points), games connecting different targets on a board, and even something called Ball Battle, where you use battle tokens to mess around with your opponent. In the middle of a shot, you use these tokens and the ball will go in slo-mo, when the token user can start yanking the ball in a different direction. So, you'll have multiple players trying to virtually-push the ball in their own favorable directions.
Wii's Party Mode includes a golf ball-collecting-cart mini-game.
RA - Will there be any online features for the Wii this time around?
CB - Yes - this is the first time we'll have online for Tiger Woods Wii.
RA - Will this be using the EA Nation interface for Wii?
CB - I have no comment on that yet.
RA - If you had to make a recommendation for the better version of the game (360, PS3, Wii)?
CB - I'm a 360 guy. I love graphics and getting constant content on Xbox Live, etc. There's just so many modes for the Xbox 360. However, I'm not going to diss the Wii either. If I have friends over, I'll definitely pull that thing out and swing away with family and friends who don't really know how to play the game.
RA - How does EA usually select the roster of golfers for each Tiger Woods game?
CB - There's a couple of factors. We look at what's happening in golf - who's coming up etc. This year, we've got more foreign golfers added. We also look at variability in the game and the actual PGA golfers that "shine" on specific courses.
RA - How about Augusta?
CB - I can't speak for that.
RA - Why won't EA do anything with Augusta? Every golfer wants to live their dream on playing that particular course. I mean, you can't even play the course unless you're a millionaire and have connections or a PGA Tour pro. Why hasn't EA made any bold announcements for Augusta?
CB - I can't comment on Augusta at this time, but you know it could happen.
(Ed: For more info on Augusta, check out our interview with EA Sports president Peter Moore)
RA - Thanks for your time Carlos.
CB - Definitely. Keep it up with the site!
Some of the topics discussed included the dreaded question of Augusta, golfer selections for the game, Club Tuning, Hank Haney's involvement, and the new All-Play Tiger Woods title for the Wii.
CB: Carlos Barbosa, Game Designer, EA Tiburon for Skate 2
RA - Give us a heads up on what's new with Tiger Woods 09, especially those who are familiar with the 2008 game.
CB - Tiger Woods 09 is all about accessibility. We wanted to create a game that everyone can play. That's really the focus of it. All of our features drive that concept home.
When you first start off playing Tiger Woods, you'll notice that when you create a character, Hank Haney will be there (He's Tiger's coach). He's going to guide you through the basics of the new features. We kind of have a suite of features here. The first feature is the Dynamic Attribute system that will fluctuate based on how you play. Basically if you have a great round, then obviously your attributes will go up. If you have a bad round, then they will go down.
He looks ready for next year doesn't he? The record-books are counting on it.
This will depend on the statistics of things you'll be doing. For putting, it'll be putts per green. If you lower your putts per green, your attributes will go up. Hank will also be on hand to help you out to make sure you're working on tweaking those attributes, especially if you're having specific problems on the course.
For example, if you hit your ball into the bunker numerous times, Hank will make a tune-up session out of it.
RA - So will you be be receiving hands-on training right there after constant mistakes like hitting your ball into a bunker?
CB - No, so what happens at the end of the round is that you'll get suggested training sessions. It's a mini-game that you'll play to get your attributes back up. So it'll help you out for the next couple of rounds - that sort of thing.
Another feature that we have that will help ease the accessibility of play is called the Club Tuner. Basically, it's the first time you'll be able to customize your clubs and club sets to tailor how you play. So for example, say you're a newcomer to Tiger and you've never played the game before and can't hit the ball straight on the fairway. You'll enter the Club Tuner and the virtual coach here will show you how to tune your clubs to get your shots straighter, longer and easier, sacrificing a few things here and there.
If you're a veteran, you'll find that the Club Tuner is a valuable tool for making the game feel perfect for you. For example, if you're a power hitter, you can increase that for your club, but you'll notice it'll be harder to hit the ball straight. But if you do hit the ball straight, then you'll get that distance. You can even change your lob and spin too. All of this is wrapped up with Hank Haney there to help you out at every step.
RA - Will Hank Haney be doing this in the game for both male and female golfers?
CB - Right. It won't be just for Tiger. Created golfers too.
RA - How involved was Hank Haney in the game? Was his full personality and likeness implemented in there?
CB - We worked with Tiger and Hank pretty closely this time round, compared to last year. A lot of the features, including training, Club Tuning and the attributes were all directed from them. We asked them how their interaction would work.
In reality, Tiger's obviously here to win. He's always looking for the next shot, in the moment, always analyzing and moving forward. Hank is there to watch what's going on and make notes where Tiger is behind. Obviously, Tiger doesn't want to hear about these things right there on the course. So obviously, there will be areas which Tiger will need to work on. This is what the training is all about.
The same thing with attributes. The dynamic is also the conversation of that example. We talked about what happens out there on the course, really out there. It's never a one-to-one type of thing all the time, but it is a mental game. Things like specific tuned clubs for each player will showcase the way they play and shape the way they play every single time.
The Club Tuner mode is a simple training tool for experts and game newcomers.
RA - Tell us about the new online modes his year.
CB - New this year is simultaneous online, so you'll be able to play four players online at one time. This is done in real-time and you won't have to watch their shots. This makes the game a lot faster when doing competitive online play.
RA - Can you taunt other players too?
CB - Of course - with the headset - you can do whatever you want.
Our main focus here was to avoid going back and forth to make the gameplay faster. Nobody wants to wait that long when it's eighteen holes. There's a lot of improvements here with the GamerNet. Last year, we introduced EA Sports GamerNet, which is a free service like YouTube where you can save shots and rounds and post them to the service so people can view them and challenge them.
This year, we introduced this directly into the game. For example, if you were to post directly into the game, you wouldn't need to save it onto a computer, export it and all that stuff. But also, just for playing the game, we're bringing GamerNet clips right down to you.
Essentially, these are challenges and stuff that searches GamerNet challenges from players near you (geographically). A long-drive competition or a closest to the pin competition. If you win, you win GamerNet points. We have daily leaderboards. Career leaderboards. And we can put up some new channels up there too.
RA - How about the Wii this year? At the EA press conference, we saw Peter Moore battling it out with LPGA Pro Golfer Natalie Gulbis on stage.
CB - I didn't work on the Wii, but it's certainly different this year. We made the game in-house, so there's a dedicated team solely focused on that. We've got a lot of Wii-centric features without sacrificing the hardcore features either. We've added 1:1 swing, which works phenomenally. We've also included an All-Play Mode, which allows you to play with younger brothers, your Mom, etc. Of course, this makes up the whole accessibility thing. Also added is a Party Mode where you'll have the new courses, updated graphics playable in so many challenges. It's a phenomenal title.
RA - For those still unsure, how will All-Play specifically make it that easier for newcomers to the game?
CB - We've simplified the swing and make it so there's virtually no error. We've also made an arc on the screen to show you exactly where the ball is going to go, including wind and elevation factors already assumed. The only thing that's left to do is hit the ball and match the power. If you hit the ball 100%, then it'll go exactly where the arc shows it should be. It's a great way to get started in the game.
RA - We saw a bit of those multiplayer mini-game modes in earlier trailers. But can you tell us more about what some of these challenges might be?
CB - In terms of mini-games, we range from ball-juggling to even somes involving those golf-ball pick-up carts (seen at driving ranges). We've got long-drive competitions (some for points), games connecting different targets on a board, and even something called Ball Battle, where you use battle tokens to mess around with your opponent. In the middle of a shot, you use these tokens and the ball will go in slo-mo, when the token user can start yanking the ball in a different direction. So, you'll have multiple players trying to virtually-push the ball in their own favorable directions.
Wii's Party Mode includes a golf ball-collecting-cart mini-game.
RA - Will there be any online features for the Wii this time around?
CB - Yes - this is the first time we'll have online for Tiger Woods Wii.
RA - Will this be using the EA Nation interface for Wii?
CB - I have no comment on that yet.
RA - If you had to make a recommendation for the better version of the game (360, PS3, Wii)?
CB - I'm a 360 guy. I love graphics and getting constant content on Xbox Live, etc. There's just so many modes for the Xbox 360. However, I'm not going to diss the Wii either. If I have friends over, I'll definitely pull that thing out and swing away with family and friends who don't really know how to play the game.
RA - How does EA usually select the roster of golfers for each Tiger Woods game?
CB - There's a couple of factors. We look at what's happening in golf - who's coming up etc. This year, we've got more foreign golfers added. We also look at variability in the game and the actual PGA golfers that "shine" on specific courses.
RA - How about Augusta?
CB - I can't speak for that.
RA - Why won't EA do anything with Augusta? Every golfer wants to live their dream on playing that particular course. I mean, you can't even play the course unless you're a millionaire and have connections or a PGA Tour pro. Why hasn't EA made any bold announcements for Augusta?
CB - I can't comment on Augusta at this time, but you know it could happen.
(Ed: For more info on Augusta, check out our interview with EA Sports president Peter Moore)
RA - Thanks for your time Carlos.
CB - Definitely. Keep it up with the site!
